TWI911609B - Conveying device and its usage method - Google Patents

Abstract

The conveying robot (1) includes: a plurality of base plates (34, 44) arranged in the vertical direction; support columns (31, 41) supporting each base plate (34, 44); and a plurality of clamping heads (21, 22), which are respectively mounted on each base plate (34, 44) in a detachable manner and clamp a wafer (W) respectively. Each base plate (34, 44) has a loading and unloading part for loading and unloading the clamping head part (21, 22), and can change its position to a first position and a second position. The first position refers to the position where the loading and unloading part is configured in the use position, and the second position refers to the position where the loading and unloading part is configured in a position that does not overlap with the use position in the vertical direction but is offset in the horizontal direction.

Description

Conveying device and its usage method

This invention relates to a conveying device and a method of using the conveying device.

Previously, a batch conveying device was known for transporting a plurality of substrates in batches. In such a conveying device, there are multiple clamping heads for simultaneously holding a plurality of substrates.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wafer conveying device comprising: a hand forming a plurality of clamps that respectively hold wafers and are arranged in a row in the vertical direction; and a robotic arm having the hand disposed at its top.

[Previous Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-347315

[The problem the invention aims to solve]

In the conveying device described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of grippers are arranged in a vertical row. Therefore, when one portion of the grippers is damaged or misaligned, it is difficult to replace or adjust only that portion of the grippers. Therefore, in the conveying device described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of grippers are replaced in batches. Specifically, the conveying device described in Patent Document 1 includes a block component called a tool section, on which a hand is fixed, and the hand is provided with a plurality of grippers. This block component is detachable from the top of the robot arm. In the conveying device described in Patent Document 1, multiple gripper parts can be replaced in batches by removing and replacing block components from the robot arm.

However, when multiple chucks are replaced in batches, chucks that are not damaged or misaligned are also replaced. This means that chucks that do not require replacement or adjustment are also replaced. As a result, the cost of replacing and adjusting chucks increases.

This invention was developed to solve the problem, and its purpose is to provide a conveying device that allows for easy replacement or adjustment of only the chuck portion that needs to be replaced or adjusted, as well as a method of using the conveying device. [Means for Solving the Problem]

To achieve this objective, the conveying device of the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of bases arranged vertically; a support portion supporting each of the bases; and a plurality of clamping portions, each detachably mounted to a corresponding base and clamping the substrate therebetween, wherein each base has a mounting/unmounting portion for mounting and unmounting the clamping portion, the support portion supports each base in a manner that allows its position to be changed to a first position and a second position, wherein the first position refers to the position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in use, and the second position refers to a position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in a horizontally offset position that does not overlap with the position in use vertically.

The support can support each of the bases in a rotatable manner.

The support may have a first axis extending in the vertical direction, and may support each of the bases in a manner that allows it to rotate around the first axis.

Each base may have: a through hole for the first shaft to pass through; a cut portion formed by cutting each base in the direction extending from the through hole, and extending from the through hole to the end face of each base; and a fastener having a screw portion inserted into a hole penetrating the cut portion, and a head portion disposed at a certain distance from the top end of the screw portion and abutting against the end face, wherein the top end of the screw portion enters the interior of the hole and the head portion secures the base, and the diameter of the through hole can be changed by adjusting the spacing of the cut portions.

The support may have a second axis extending vertically, which is horizontally adjacent to the first axis and, in the first position, abuts against at least one of the base bottoms to restrict rotation from the base bottom towards the second axis.

The support may have a third axis extending vertically and adjacent horizontally to the first axis. A portion of the plurality of bases is rotatable about the first axis, and the remaining bases are rotatable about the third axis. In the support, the bases rotatable about the first axis and the bases rotatable about the third axis are arranged alternately in the vertical direction.

The support can support each of the bases in a way that allows it to slide horizontally.

Each of the base and the support portion may have an elongated hole extending horizontally. The other of the base and the support portion may have a pin passing through the elongated hole and capable of changing its relative position within the elongated hole along its long side.

Each of the base and the support may have a track extending in a horizontal direction. The other of the base and the support may have a block that can change its position in the direction of the track by sliding along it.

Each base and each clamp may be plate-shaped. Each base may be arranged vertically with its first plate facing vertically. Each clamp may be detachably mounted to the first plate of each base, with its second plate overlapping the first plate of the base.

The second aspect of the present invention describes a method of using the conveying device as follows: The conveying device comprises: a plurality of bases arranged vertically; a support portion supporting each of the bases; and a plurality of clamping heads, each detachably mounted on each of the bases and clamping a substrate, wherein each base has a mounting/unmounting portion for mounting and unmounting the clamping head, and the support portion supports each base in a manner that allows its position to be changed to a first position and a second position. The first position refers to the position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in use, and the second position refers to a position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured horizontally offset from the position in the vertical direction. The method of using the conveying device is characterized by including: The process involves: 1) With all the plurality of base portions in the first position, clamping the substrate with each of the clamp portions and moving the support portion to transport the substrate; and 2) Positioning the base portion of the clamp portion to which the plurality of clamp portions are mounted (and thus subject to replacement or adjustment) in the second position, while keeping the base portion of the clamp portion not subject to replacement or adjustment in the first position. In this state, the clamp portion to which the replacement or adjustment is mounted is detached from the mounting/unmounting part and replaced, or its position on the mounting/unmounting part is adjusted. [Effects of the Invention]

According to the structure of this invention, each base has a loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading the clamps. The support portion supports each base in a manner that allows its position to be changed to a first position and a second position. The first position refers to the position where the loading/unloading portion is configured in use, and the second position refers to the position where the loading/unloading portion is configured in a position that does not overlap with the position in use in the vertical direction but is offset in the horizontal direction. Therefore, in the conveying device, by changing the position of the base on which the clamps that need to be replaced or adjusted are installed from the first position to the second position, the state of the loading/unloading portion of the base can be such that it does not overlap with the loading/unloading portions of other bases in the position in use in the vertical direction and is offset in the horizontal direction relative to the loading/unloading portions of other bases in the position in use. As a result, in the conveying device, the chucks that need to be replaced or adjusted can be easily replaced or adjusted.

The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, details the conveying device of the present invention and its usage. Furthermore, identical or equivalent parts are annotated with the same symbols in the drawings. Additionally, in the orthogonal coordinate system XYZ shown in the drawings, when the direction of the robot body's forward and backward movement is set as the Y-axis and the direction of the robot body's upward and downward movement is set as the Z-axis, the direction orthogonal to both the Y-axis and Z-axis is the X-axis. This coordinate system will be appropriately referenced in the following explanation.

The conveying device of the embodiment is a conveying robot that batch-removes a plurality of substrates from a container for containing substrates, or batch-places a plurality of substrates into the container. Hereinafter, the structure of the conveying device of the embodiment will be described using a batch conveying robot as an example, which batch conveying robot batch-removes a plurality of wafers from a FOUP (front opening unified pod), which is a type of container for containing wafers, or batch-places a plurality of wafers into the FOUP.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the conveying robot 1 in an embodiment. Furthermore, the conveying robot 1 can also be integrated with other conveying mechanisms, such as a sliding member that moves in the left-right direction (i.e., in the X direction) as shown in Figure 1, and used as a conveying system. For ease of understanding, the illustration of such other conveying mechanisms is omitted in Figure 1. Additionally, for ease of understanding, the mechanism driving the clamping portion 50 that clamps the wafer W from the side is omitted. Consequently, the side wall portion of the frame 15 is omitted.

As shown in Figure 1, the transport robot 1 includes a robot body 10 and an end effector 20 mounted on the robot body 10 for clamping the wafer W.

The robot body 10 has: a first linear motion mechanism 11 for moving the end effector 20 in a forward-backward direction to move it into and out of the FOUP; and a second linear motion mechanism 12 for moving the end effector 20 in a vertical direction to lift or lower the wafer W inside the FOUP.

The first direct-acting mechanism 11 comprises a ball screw (hereinafter referred to as the first ball screw) extending in the forward-backward direction (i.e., the Y direction), a slider (hereinafter referred to as the first slider) (not shown) that moves in the Y direction by rotating the first ball screw, and a motor 111 that rotates the first ball screw to move the first slider to a position in the Y direction. The transport robot 1 includes a controller (not shown) that rotates the motor 111 in the desired direction by a desired amount of rotation. Thereby, the first slider moves to a desired position in the Y direction. On the other hand, a second direct-acting mechanism 12 is mounted on top of the first slider (i.e., on the +Z side).

The second direct-acting mechanism 12 includes a ball screw (hereinafter referred to as the second ball screw), which extends in the vertical direction (i.e., the Z direction) and is different from the first ball screw; a sliding member (hereinafter referred to as the second sliding member), which moves in the Z direction by rotating the second ball screw and is different from the first sliding member; and a motor 121 that rotates the second ball screw to move the second sliding member in the Z direction. Then, a frame 15 for accommodating equipment, wires, pipes, etc., that drive the clamping part 50 is fixed on the front surface side (i.e., the +Y side) of the second sliding member. Furthermore, an end effector 20 is mounted on the +Y side of the frame 15. Therefore, when the rotation of motor 111 is controlled by the controller to move the first slider of the first linear actuator 11 to the desired Y-direction position, not only does the second linear actuator 12 mounted on the first slider move, but the end effector 20 also moves to the desired Y-direction position. For example, when the robot body 10 is located on the -Y side (i.e., rear) of the FOUP, the controller moves the end effector 20 in a forward-backward direction, thereby allowing the end effector 20 to move in and out of the FOUP.

Furthermore, in the second linear actuator 12, the aforementioned controller causes the motor 121 of the second linear actuator 12 to rotate by a desired amount in a desired direction, thereby moving the second slider to a desired position in the Z direction. An end effector 20 is mounted on the second slider via the housing 15. Therefore, when the controller moves the second slider to a desired position in the Z direction, the end effector 20 also moves to a desired position in the Z direction. For example, when the end effector 20 advances into the FOUP, the controller moves the end effector 20 in the +Z direction, thereby lifting the wafer W.

Ideally, the end effector 20 would move in the +Z direction to lift and clamp multiple wafers W in batches. Alternatively, ideally, the end effector 20 would move in the Y direction to transport multiple wafers W in batches while clamping them. Here, the end effector 20 has multiple clamping heads 21 and 22 for clamping multiple wafers W in batches. Clamping head 21 is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gripper 21 provided in the end effector 20 included in the conveying robot 1. Furthermore, the gripper 22, which is not shown in Figure 2, has the same structure as the gripper 21 except that it is symmetrical to the gripper 21. Therefore, the description of the structure of the gripper 22 will be omitted below.

As shown in Figure 2, the clamp portion 21 has a fork-shaped portion 211 and a connecting portion 212 disposed at the rear end of the fork-shaped portion 211.

The fork-shaped portion 211 has the shape of a plate containing two blades. Moreover, the plate surface of the fork-shaped portion 211 faces the vertical direction. In addition, the two blades are arranged in the horizontal direction. In this way, the wafer W can be stably mounted on the fork-shaped portion 211.

Furthermore, at each front end of the blade portion of the fork-shaped section 211, upwardly protruding claws 213 or 214 are provided to reliably hold the wafer W. The rear end faces of the claws 213 and 214 are curved in an arc shape when viewed from above. In this way, when clamping the wafer W, the claws 213 and 214 engage the outer periphery of the wafer W with the rear end face. As a result, the claws 213 and 214 reliably hold the wafer W during clamping.

In this regard, the rear end of the fork-shaped part 211 extends in the left-right direction and connects the two blade parts. Furthermore, two pins 215 and 216 are provided on the plate surface of its rear end.

Pins 215 and 216 are formed into a shape after the rear half of the cone has been cut off, with the inclined surface of the cone facing forward. Furthermore, pins 215 and 216 are positioned such that when the outer periphery of the front side of wafer W is fitted into the arc-shaped rear end face of claws 213 and 214, the inclined surfaces of pins 215 and 216 can support the outer periphery of the rear side of wafer W. Moreover, pins 215 and 216 are arranged in a left-right direction at a distance smaller than the diameter of wafer W.

The fork-shaped portion 211 clamps the wafer W by means of the claws 213, 214 and pins 215, 216 as described above when lifting the wafer W. Specifically, when the wafer W is lifted by the clamping portion 50 and clamped, the fork-shaped portion 211 clamps the wafer W between the claws 213, 214 and pins 215, 216. On the other hand, a connecting portion 212 is provided at the rear end of the fork-shaped portion 211 to connect the fork-shaped portion 211 to the frame 15 of the robot body 10.

The connecting portion 212 has the shape of a rectangular plate. Furthermore, through holes h1 to h4 penetrating the plate surface are formed in the connecting portion 212. Screws (not shown) pass through each of the through holes h1 to h4, and these screws are screwed into the base plate (described later) included in the frame 15 of the robot body 10. In this way, the connecting portion 212 is mounted to the frame 15 of the robot body 10. As a result, the fork-shaped portion 211 is connected to the frame 15 of the robot body 10.

Returning to Figure 1, the end effector 20 is provided with a plurality of chucks 21 of this structure, and a plurality of chucks 22 having the same structure as the chucks 21 except that they are symmetrical to each other. Specifically, the end effector 20 is provided with a total number of chucks 21 and 22 equal to the maximum number of wafers W that can be accommodated in the FOUP (e.g., 25 wafers). Figure 1 shows the chucks 21 and 22 holding the wafers W taken out of the FOUP, and the chucks 21 and 22 overlap each other in the vertical direction.

However, when the clamps 21 and 22 overlap in the vertical direction, it is difficult to replace or adjust a portion of the clamps 21 and 22 if it is necessary to do so.

Specifically, in the conveying robot 1, some of the gripper parts 21 and 22 may need to be replaced due to wear or damage. Alternatively, some of the gripper parts 21 and 22 may need to be adjusted due to tilting or shifting relative to other gripper parts 21 and 22. In such cases, if the gripper parts 21 and 22 overlap vertically, not only will the gripper parts 21 and 22 requiring replacement or adjustment need to be removed and reassembled, but the other gripper parts 21 and 22 will also need to be removed and reassembled. As a result, it becomes difficult to replace or adjust the gripper parts 21 and 22.

Furthermore, when multiple chucks 21 and 22 are assembled into a unit that overlaps with each other in the vertical direction, and when chucks 21 and 22 need to be replaced or adjusted, it is considered to replace them individually for each unit. However, in this case, chucks 21 and 22 that do not need to be replaced or adjusted will also be replaced. As a result, the cost of replacing and adjusting chucks 21 and 22 becomes higher.

Here, the conveying robot 1 includes a support mechanism on the frame 15 of the robot body 10 that supports each gripper 21, 22 so that they can move horizontally. By including this structure, the conveying robot 1 allows the grippers 21, 22 that need to be replaced or adjusted to be moved to a horizontal position that does not overlap with the other grippers 21, 22 in the vertical direction, thereby facilitating the replacement of the grippers 21, 22. Next, referring to Figures 3 to 5, the structure of the support mechanism will be explained in detail.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top view of the gripper parts 21 and 22 and the support mechanisms 30 and 40 included in the conveyor robot 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the conveyor robot 1 including the support mechanisms 30 and 40, viewed from the upper front. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion including the support mechanism 30, viewed from the upper left.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the support mechanisms 30 and 40 include: pillars 31 and 41 disposed in front of the frame 15 of the robot body 10; rotating blocks 32 and 42 supported by the pillars 31 and 41 in a rotatable manner and having the same number as the gripper parts 21 and 22; position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 respectively installed on the rotating blocks 32 and 42; and base plates 34 and 44 and loading/unloading plates 35 and 45 fixed to the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 and on which the gripper parts 21 and 22 can be installed.

Furthermore, in Figures 3 to 5, the long sides of rotating blocks 32 and 42 are aligned with the front-back direction. As a result, position adjustment blocks 33 and 43, base plates 34 and 44, and loading/unloading plates 35 and 45 are located in front of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. In the following explanation, the positional relationships of each part are described based on this positional relationship.

Supports 31 and 41 are provided to support each of the plurality of grippers 21 and 22 individually, rather than using only one of them to support all of the grippers 21 and 22. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, supports 31 and 41 are formed into slender cylindrical shapes. Supports 31 and 41 are positioned so that their axes face vertically to support the plurality of grippers 21 or 22 arranged vertically. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, supports 31 and 41 are located in the front portion of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. Thus, supports 31 and 41 position the grippers 21 and 22 in front of the robot body 10. Furthermore, pillars 31 and 41 are located on the left and right sides of the frame 15 of the robot body 10.

Furthermore, pillars 31 and 41 are specific examples of the support components mentioned in the scope of the patent application. Alternatively, pillars 31 or 41 are specific examples of the first or third axis mentioned in the scope of the patent application. Moreover, the column axis of pillars 31 or 41 is a specific example of the axis mentioned in the scope of the patent application.

On the other hand, the rotating blocks 32 and 42 are formed in a cuboid shape. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, at the rear end B side of one end of the long side of the rotating blocks 32 and 42 (i.e., in the Y direction (front-to-back direction)), through holes 321 and 421 extending vertically and slightly larger than the outer diameter of the supports 31 and 41 are formed. The supports 31 and 41 pass through these through holes 321 and 421. As a result, the rotating blocks 32 and 42 can rotate around the axis of the supports 31 and 41. This allows the rotating blocks 32 or 42 to change their position to a configuration with their long side facing forward, as shown in Figure 3, and a configuration with their long side facing left or right, which is not shown in the figure.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the long side of the aforementioned rotating block 32 or 42 facing forward is a specific example of the case where the loading/unloading part is positioned in the first position of use, as mentioned in the scope of the patent application. Additionally, the arrangement of the long side of the aforementioned rotating block 32 or 42 facing left or right is a specific example of the case where the loading/unloading part is positioned in the second position, which is offset horizontally from the position of use, as mentioned in the scope of the patent application.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, through-holes 321 and 421 are formed on the rotating blocks 32 and 42, creating cuts 322 and 422 that are cut towards the end face. Specifically, the cuts 322 and 422 are formed by cutting the rotating blocks 32 and 42 through the through-holes 321 and 421 towards the end face that forms the rear end B in the configuration shown in Figure 3, maintaining a very small width. Then, they extend vertically along the through-holes 321 and 421. Thus, the cuts 322 and 422 divide the portion of the rotating blocks 32 and 42 from the through-holes 321 and 421 to the end face that forms the rear end B into two parts, separated only by a very small width of the cuts 322 and 422. As a result, by reducing or restoring the width of the cut portions 322 and 422 in the rotating blocks 32 and 42, the diameter of the through holes 321 and 421 can be adjusted. This allows for adjustment of the degree to which the inner walls of the through holes 321 and 421 secure the supports 31 and 41.

In order to reduce the width of these cutouts 322 and 422, or to restore them to their original width, a through hole (not shown in the figure) is formed in the portion of the rotating blocks 32 and 42 that forms the rear end B in the configuration shown in Figure 3, passing through the portion in the left-right direction (i.e., the X direction) and transversely through the cutouts 322 and 422. Furthermore, bolts 323 and 423 are inserted into the through hole (not shown in the figure).

Bolts 323 and 423 have a head and a threaded portion. The head abuts against the left end face of rotating block 32 or the right end face of rotating block 42. The threaded portion engages with the internal thread of the transverse cutout portion 322 and 422 formed on the inner wall of the through hole (not shown in the above figures). As a result, the head and threaded portion of bolts 323 and 423 secure the rear end B of rotating blocks 32 and 42. Bolts 323 and 423, by engaging the threaded portion with the internal thread deeper within the through hole, more forcefully secure the rear end B of rotating blocks 32 and 42, thereby reducing the width of the cutout portion 322 and 422. Therefore, bolts 323 and 423 reduce the diameter of the through holes 321 and 421, thereby increasing the tightness of the fasteners through the inner walls of the through holes 321 and 421 to the supports 31 and 41. Bolts 323 and 423 use this structure to adjust the tightness of the fasteners through the inner walls of the through holes 321 and 421 to the supports 31 and 41, switching between a state where the rotating blocks 32 and 42 can rotate around the supports 31 and 41, and a state where the rotating blocks 32 and 42 cannot rotate. As a result, bolts 323 and 423 allow the rotating blocks 32 and 42 to be in a state where their position can be changed or fixed.

Additionally, in the configuration shown in Figure 3, the rotating blocks 32 and 42, which form the front end F, are connected to the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43.

Referring to Figure 5, the structure of the position adjustment block 33, located on the left side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, will be explained in detail. As shown in Figure 5, the position adjustment block 33 is formed into a generally rectangular shape. Moreover, a rectangular recess 334 of a certain depth is formed at the left end L when the long side is oriented to the left and right. In this recess 334, the other end of the rotating block 32 (the front end F shown in Figure 5) is orthogonally aligned with the position adjustment block 33. In this state, the rotating block 32 is fixed to the position adjustment block 33 by bolts 324. As a result, when viewed from above, the position adjustment block 33 and the rotating block 32 are combined in an L-shape.

Additionally, although not shown in the figure, two screw holes are formed in the recess 334 of the position adjustment block 33, arranged along the short side (i.e., along the Y direction (front-back direction)) when the long side of the position adjustment block 33 faces the X direction (left-right direction). Two screw holes are also formed in the rotating block 32, corresponding to these screw holes and arranged along the Y direction when the long side faces the Y direction. Furthermore, stop screws 325 and 326, as shown in Figure 5, are inserted into these screw holes to secure the rotating block 32 and the position adjustment block 33.

Each stop screw 325 and 326 adjusts the tightening strength of the rotating block 32 and the position adjustment block 33, thereby adjusting the levelness of the position adjustment block 33 relative to the rotating block 32. The conveying robot 1 is used to transport the wafer W with the long side of the position adjustment block 33 facing the X direction and the long side of the rotating block 32 facing the Y direction. In this state, the stop screws 325 and 326 are arranged along the Y direction. As can be seen from this positional relationship, each stop screw 325 and 326 adjusts the levelness of the position adjustment block 33 relative to the rotating block 32 in the front-back direction during transport. As will be described later, a chuck portion 21 is mounted on the position adjustment block 33 via the base plate 34. Each stop screw 325, 326 adjusts the horizontality of the chuck portion 21 in the front-back direction by adjusting the position of the adjustment block 33 relative to the rotating block 32.

Furthermore, the position adjustment block 43, located on the right side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, is formed symmetrically with the position adjustment block 33 in the configuration shown in Figures 3 and 4. Moreover, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, similar to the position adjustment block 33, when viewed from above, the position adjustment block 43 is L-shaped and combined with the rotating block 42.

Furthermore, similar to the position adjusting block 33 and the rotating block 32, the position adjusting block 43 and the rotating block 42 include screw holes not shown in the figures and stop screws 425 and 426 shown in Figures 3 and 4. Moreover, like the stop screws 325 and 326, each stop screw 425 and 426 adjusts the levelness of the position adjusting block 43 relative to the rotating block 42 by adjusting the tightness of the rotation block 42 and the position adjusting block 43. As a result, like the stop screws 325 and 326, each stop screw 425 and 426 adjusts the levelness of the chuck portion 22 in the front-to-back direction.

Returning to the explanation of the structure of position adjustment block 33 and position adjustment block 43, position adjustment block 33 and position adjustment block 43 are mounted on the front surface with base plates 34 and 44 in the configuration shown in Figures 3 to 5.

The base plates 34 and 44 are components for mounting the connecting portions 212 of the clamp portions 21 and 22. The base plates 34 and 44 are formed into rectangular flat plates to support the plate-shaped connecting portions 212. Furthermore, in order to embed the connecting portions 212, as shown in Figure 5, recesses 341 and 441 in the shape of rectangular flat plates are formed on the base plates 34 and 44 to fit the connecting portions 212. These recesses 341 and 441 are open in the middle of the long side of the base plates 34 and 44 in the plan view. Moreover, each connecting portion 212 is inserted into the opening of each recess 341 and 441, thereby installing each connecting portion 212 in each recess 341 and 441.

Furthermore, the base plates 34 and 44 are specifically illustrated as the base mentioned in the scope of the patent application. Additionally, the upper surface of the base plates 34 and 44 that overlaps with the connecting portion 212 is specifically illustrated as the first plate surface mentioned in the scope of the patent application. The lower surface of the connecting portion 212 is specifically illustrated as the second plate surface mentioned in the scope of the patent application. Moreover, the recesses 341 and 441 or the mounting plates 35 and 45 are specifically illustrated as mounting portions mentioned in the scope of the patent application.

Additionally, although not shown in the figures, each corner of the rectangular shape in recesses 341 and 441 has one screw hole, totaling four screw holes, when viewed from above. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, loading/unloading plates 35 and 45 are formed in the shape of rectangular flat plates, and four through holes h5 to h8 are formed at the four corners of the rectangle, corresponding to the screw holes in the base plates 34 and 44. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a total of four through holes h1 to h4, corresponding to the screw holes in the base plates 34 and 44, are also formed at the connecting portion 212 of the chuck portions 21 and 22.

Returning to Figure 5, the connecting portions 212 of the chuck portions 21 and 22 are embedded in the recesses 341 and 441 of the base plates 34 and 44, and the mounting plates 35 and 45 overlap on the connecting portions 212. Furthermore, four screws (not shown) pass through the through holes h5 to h8 of the mounting plates 35 and 45 and the through holes h1 to h4 of the connecting portions 212 of the chuck portions 21 and 22, and are installed in the screw holes (not shown) of the base plates 34 and 44. In this way, the connecting portions 212 of the chuck portions 21 and 22 are fixed to the base plates 34 and 44. As a result, the base plates 34 and 44 support the chuck portions 21 and 22.

In addition, on the base plates 34 and 44, in order to adjust the horizontality of the clamps 21 and 22 in the left and right directions when the clamps 21 and 22 are installed, as shown in Figure 4, through holes 342, 343 and 442, 443 for position adjustment are formed at positions adjacent to the connecting part 212 of the clamps 21 and 22.

Specifically, the base plate 34, in the configuration shown in Figure 4 where the plate surface faces vertically and the long side faces horizontally, has through holes 342 and 343 on its front surface. These through holes 342 and 343 penetrate the base plate 34 along the short side (i.e., along the front-to-back direction) and are arranged horizontally. Similarly, the position adjustment block 33, also in the configuration shown in Figure 4 where the long side faces horizontally, has two screw holes (not shown) corresponding to the through holes 342 and 343 arranged horizontally on its front surface. Screws passing through each of the through holes 342 and 343 are installed in each hole. Thus, the base plate 34 is mounted on the position adjustment block 33.

The aforementioned screw has a shaft portion with a diameter smaller than that of the through holes 342 and 343. Furthermore, after adjusting the position of the screw relative to the inner walls of the through holes 342 and 343 of the shaft portion, it is installed in the screw hole of the position adjustment block 33. This adjusts the position of the base plate 34 relative to the position adjustment block 33. In the configuration shown in Figure 4, the screws are arranged in the left-right direction; therefore, by adjusting the position of the screws, the horizontal level of the base plate 34 relative to the position adjustment block 33 in the left-right direction is adjusted. As a result, the horizontal level of the clamp portion 21 mounted on the base plate 34 in the left-right direction is adjusted.

Furthermore, the base plate 44, in the configuration shown in Figure 4 where the plate surface faces vertically and the long side faces horizontally, has through holes 442 and 443 with the same structure as the through holes 342 and 343 on its front surface. The position adjustment block 43 also has two screw holes (not shown) with the same structure as those on the position adjustment block 33. The base plate 44 is mounted on the position adjustment block 33 using screws with the same structure as those used to fix the base plate 34 to the position adjustment block 33. As a result, similarly to the base plate 34, the horizontal level of the base plate 44 relative to the position adjustment block 43 is also adjusted by adjusting the position of the two screws (not shown). As a result, the horizontal level of the clamp portion 22 installed on the base plate 44 in the left and right directions is also adjusted.

Returning to Figure 1, in the end effector 20, the grippers 21 and 22 are arranged alternately in the vertical direction. This is because, as shown in Figure 5, not only are a plurality of rotating blocks 32 arranged vertically at certain intervals on the support column 31 on the left side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, but also on the support column 41 on the right side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, a plurality of rotating blocks 42 are installed at a position offset downward by half an interval from the rotating blocks 32. The plurality of rotating blocks 42 are arranged vertically at the same intervals as the rotating blocks 32. Furthermore, each rotating block 32 configured in this way supports each gripper 21 via the position adjustment block 33, the base plate 34, and the loading/unloading plate 35. In addition, since each rotating block 42 configured in this way supports each clamp portion 22 through the position adjustment block 43, the base plate 44 and the loading and unloading plate 45, the clamp portion 22 has a shape that is symmetrical to the clamp portion 21.

In the end effector 20 with this structure, each chuck 21 can rotate around the support column 31, and each chuck 22 can rotate around the support column 41. Moreover, in the transport robot 1, when transporting a plurality of wafers W, by rotating each chuck 21, 22, as shown in Figure 1, the fork-shaped portion 211 of each chuck 21, 22 is directed forward, so that the orientation of each chuck 21, 22 is aligned.

However, with a plurality of gripper portions 21 and 22, it is not easy to adjust their orientation. Therefore, the robot body 10 includes a stop 16 to restrict rotation in order to determine the orientation of each of the gripper portions 21 and 22 during transport.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, a cylindrical stop 16 is provided at the center of the left-right direction between the pillars 31 and 41 in the front part of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. In the robot body 10, before the conveying operation, an adjustment is performed to ensure that the fork-shaped tips 211 of the gripper portions 21 and 22 face forward. This adjustment involves rotating the rotating blocks 32 and 42 around the pillars 31 and 41 so that the long sides of the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 face left-right. The stop 16 is positioned to abut against the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 facing this orientation.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the position adjustment block 33 has a curved surface 331 with an arc-shaped indentation at its right corner when its long side faces left and right. Similarly, the position adjustment block 43 has a curved surface 431 with an arc-shaped indentation at its left corner when its long side faces left and right. The stop member 16 is positioned to abut against the curved surfaces 331 and 431 when the long sides of the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 face left and right. The stop member 16, by abutting against the curved surfaces 331 and 431, determines the orientation of the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 during transport by the transport robot 1. As a result, the orientation of the grippers 21 and 22 during transport is determined.

The cylindrical shaft of the stop member 16 extends vertically and is arranged parallel to the cylindrical shafts of the supports 31 and 41. Therefore, during the aforementioned adjustment operation, the stop member 16 abuts against the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 arranged vertically at the same positions in front, back, left, right, and top. In this way, the stop member 16 ensures that the orientation of all position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 is consistent. As a result, the orientation of the chucks 21 and 22 is consistent during transport. Therefore, in the transport robot 1, the orientation of the chucks 21 and 22 can be easily and with high precision. As a result, in the transport robot 1, the chucks 21 and 22 can be moved with high precision, and the wafer W can be transported with high precision. Furthermore, stop 16 is a specific example of the second axle mentioned in the scope of the patent application.

Next, based on Figure 1, and referring to Figure 6, we will explain how to replace or adjust the gripper parts 21 and 22 in the conveyor robot 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the conveying robot 1 with one of the gripper portions 21 and 22 of the end effector 20 included in the conveying robot 1 rotated so that it faces to the left.

When using the transport robot 1 to transport the wafer W, the user of the transport robot 1 first positions the fork-shaped tips 211 of each chuck 21 and 22 so that they face forward. Then, the user operates the transport robot 1 with the fork-shaped tips 211 facing forward. For example, the user starts the transport robot 1 and clamps the wafer W with each chuck 21 and 22 as shown in Figure 1, or operates the first direct-acting mechanism 11 and the second direct-acting mechanism 12 to move the chucks 21 and 22 in the forward-backward direction and the up-down direction to transport the wafer W.

Next, when replacing or adjusting the clamps 21 and 22 of the end effector 20, the user rotates the clamps 21 and 22 to be replaced or adjusted around the support pillars 31 and 41 until they do not overlap with other clamps 21 and 22 that are not being replaced or adjusted in the vertical direction. In this way, the user horizontally offsets the clamps 21 and 22 that are being replaced or adjusted from other clamps 21 and 22 that are not being replaced or adjusted.

For example, when the object to be replaced or adjusted is the chuck 21, the user rotates the chuck 21 to be replaced or adjusted clockwise around the support column 31 from a top view. In this way, as shown in Figure 6, the tip of the fork-shaped portion 211 of the chuck 21 to be replaced or adjusted faces the left side of the robot body 10. Furthermore, in Figure 6, for ease of understanding, rotating all the chucks 21 causes the tips of the fork-shaped portions 211 of all the chucks 21 to face the left side of the robot body 10; however, it is also possible to rotate only the chuck 21 to be replaced or adjusted. In addition, the tip of the fork-shaped part 211 of the chuck part 21, which is to be replaced or adjusted, may not be completely facing to the left after rotation. As long as the chuck is shifted horizontally from the other chuck parts 21 and 22, it may also face diagonally to the left.

Additionally, for example, when the object to be replaced or adjusted is the chuck 22, the user rotates the chuck 22, which is the object to be replaced or adjusted, counterclockwise around the support column 41 when viewed from above. In this way, although not shown in the figure, the tip of the fork-shaped portion 211 of the chuck 22, which is the object to be replaced or adjusted, is directed towards the right side of the robot body 10, or tilted to the right.

When replacing the chucks 21 and 22, this rotation operation can be performed until the loading and unloading plates 35 and 45 of the chucks 21 and 22 being replaced no longer overlap with other chucks 21 and 22 that are not being replaced in the vertical direction, and until they are shifted horizontally from the other chucks 21 and 22 that are not being replaced. Because if rotated to this position, the loading and unloading plates 35 and 45 and the screws can be easily loaded and unloaded, resulting in easy replacement of the chucks 21 and 22.

In addition, when adjusting the chucks 21 and 22, the chucks 21 and 22 that are to be adjusted can be rotated until the openings of the through holes 342, 343, 442, and 443 of the base plates 34 and 44 of the chucks 21 and 22 that are to be adjusted, and the stop screws 325, 326, 425, and 426 of the fixed position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 that are not to be adjusted, no longer overlap with other chucks 21 and 22 that are not to be adjusted in the vertical direction, and shift from other chucks 21 and 22 that are not to be adjusted in the horizontal direction. Because if rotated to this position, it is easy to adjust the fastening of (1) the screws passing through the through holes 342, 343, 442, 443 of the base plate 34, 44 and the fastening of (2) the stop screws 325, 326, 425, 426 of the fixed position adjustment blocks 33, 43.

Next, after rotating the chucks 21 and 22 that are to be replaced or adjusted around the supports 31 and 41 to a position where they do not overlap vertically with other chucks 21 and 22 that are not to be replaced or adjusted, the user replaces the chucks 21 and 22 that are to be replaced or adjusted with new chucks 21 and 22. Alternatively, the position (specifically, the levelness) of the chucks 21 and 22 is adjusted using locking screws 325, 326, 425, 426, etc. Afterward, the chucks 21 and 22 that have been replaced or adjusted are rotated back to a position where they overlap vertically with other chucks 21 and 22 that are not to be replaced or adjusted. At this time, the position of the chucks 21 and 22 can be determined by making the curved surfaces 331 and 431 of the position adjustment blocks 33 and 43 abut against the stop 16. In this way, the user makes the tips of the fork-shaped parts 211 of the chucks 21 and 22 face the same direction, so that the chucks 21 and 22 are in a state where they can transport the wafer W.

Thus, in the conveyor robot 1, the grippers 21 and 22 that are to be replaced or adjusted are positioned so that they do not overlap with other grippers 21 and 22 that are not to be replaced or adjusted in the vertical direction, thereby enabling the replacement and adjustment of the grippers 21 and 22. As a result, even in an end effector 20 containing a plurality of grippers 21 and 22, the replacement and adjustment of the grippers 21 and 22 can be easily performed in the conveyor robot 1.

Furthermore, the aforementioned case of using a transport robot 1 to transport wafer W is a specific example of the "step of transporting the substrate" mentioned in the scope of the patent application. In addition, the case of replacing or adjusting the chucks 21 and 22 of the end effector 20 is a specific example of the "step of removing and replacing the chucks that are to be replaced or adjusted from the loading and unloading unit, or adjusting their position on the loading and unloading unit" mentioned in the scope of the patent application.

As described above, in the conveying robot 1 of the embodiment, each base plate 34, 44 is supported by the support columns 31, 41 in such a way that the recesses 341, 441 for installing and removing the clamps 21, 22 are placed in front of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, and that the recesses 341, 441 of each base plate 34, 44 are placed to the side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. Therefore, in the conveyor robot 1, by changing the position of the base plates 34 and 44 on which the clamps 21 and 22 that need to be replaced or adjusted are installed, the recesses 341 and 441 of the base plates 34 and 44 can be made so that they do not overlap with other base plates 34 and 44 in the vertical direction and are offset in the horizontal direction compared to other base plates 34 and 44. As a result, in the conveyor robot 1, it is easy to load, unload, and replace the clamps 21 and 22 that are to be replaced in the recesses 341 and 441. In addition, in the conveyor robot 1, it is easy to adjust the position of the clamps 21 and 22 that are to be adjusted.

Furthermore, in the conveyor robot 1, the base plates 34 and 44 are configured to rotate around the support columns 31 and 41. As a result, the base plates 34 and 44 can change their position so that the recesses 341 and 441 for loading and unloading the clamping heads 21 and 22 are positioned in front of the frame 15 of the robot body 10, and can also change their position so that the recesses 341 and 441 are positioned to the side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. In the conveyor robot 1, the position of the recesses 341 and 441 can be changed by the simple structure that allows the base plates 34 and 44 to rotate around the support columns 31 and 41. In addition, in the conveying robot 1, the position of the recesses 341 and 441 can be changed simply by rotating around the support columns 31 and 41, thus making it easy to prepare for the replacement or adjustment of the clamps 21 and 22.

Furthermore, the conveying robot 1 includes: a gripper 21 capable of rotating around a support column 31 located on the left front side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10; and a gripper 22 capable of rotating around a support column 41 located on the right front side of the frame 15 of the robot body 10. Moreover, the gripper 21 and the gripper 22 are alternately arranged in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the vertically adjacent grippers 21 and 22 are replaced or adjusted, the grippers 21 and 22 can be rotated so that the tip of the fork-shaped portion 211 of the gripper 21 faces to the left and the tip of the fork-shaped portion 211 of the gripper 22 faces to the right. In the transport robot 1, the gripper parts 21 and 22, which are the objects to be replaced or adjusted, are divided into left and right parts, making it easy to perform replacement or adjustment operations.

Furthermore, the conveying robot 1 includes a stop member 16. When the base plates 34 and 44 rotate around the support columns 31 and 41, the stop member 16 restricts the rotation of the base plates 34 and 44, ensuring that the positions of the chuck portions 21 and 22 mounted on the base plates 34 and 44 are aligned, thus facilitating the adjustment of the positions of the chuck portions 21 and 22. In the conveying robot 1, the wafer W is conveyed with the blade tips of the fork-shaped portions 211 of the chuck portions 21 and 22 facing in the same direction, making it easy to ensure that the blade tips face in the same direction.

The above describes the conveying device and its usage method in the embodiments of the present invention using the conveying robot 1 as an example, but the conveying device and its usage method are not limited thereto.

For example, in the conveyor robot 1, the base plates 34 and 44 are able to rotate around the supports 31 and 41 by being mounted to the rotating blocks 32 and 42. However, the invention is not limited to this.

In this invention, any structure as described below is acceptable: each base has a mounting/unmounting portion for mounting and unmounting the clamps; the support portion supports each base in a manner that allows its position to be changed to a first position and a second position. The first position refers to the position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in use, and the second position refers to the position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in a position that does not overlap with the position in use in the vertical direction but is offset in the horizontal direction. Here, the base is a component in which the clamps 21 and 22 are mounted in a detachable manner and arranged in the vertical direction, for example, the base plates 34 and 44 described in the embodiments. The mounting/unmounting portion is, for example, the recesses 341 and 441 in the base plates 34 and 44. The support portion is a component that supports each base, for example, the pillars 31 and 41 described in the embodiments. Therefore, the base plates 34 and 44 described in the embodiments can also be supported by the supports 31 and 41 in a manner that allows them to slide horizontally. Because in this configuration, their positions can also be changed to the first and second positions mentioned above. Specific examples are shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 7 is a top view of a variant of the support mechanisms 30 and 40 included in the implemented transport robot 1. Figure 8 is a top view of another variant of the support mechanisms 30 and 40.

As shown in Figure 7, the base plates 34 and 44 may have elongated holes 344 and 444 extending in the left-right direction, and the fixing blocks 36 and 46 may have pins 361 and 461 with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the length of the shorter side of the elongated holes 344 and 444. Here, the fixing blocks 36 and 46 are blocks fixed to the frame 15 of the robot body 10 or to the support columns 31 and 41. In this case, the base plates 34 and 44 can slide in the left-right direction by passing the pins 361 and 461 through the elongated holes 344 and 444. In addition, although not shown in the figure, by having the aforementioned pins 361 and 461 on the base plates 34 and 44, and the aforementioned elongated holes 344 and 444 on the fixing blocks 36 and 46, the base plates 34 and 44 can also slide in the left-right direction.

Additionally, as shown in Figure 8, the fixing blocks 36 and 46 may have parallel tracks 362 and 363 extending in the left-right direction, and the base plates 34 and 44 may have blocks 345 or 445, which are disposed between the tracks 362 and 363 and slide along the tracks 362 and 363. Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, the base plates 34 and 44 may also have the aforementioned tracks 362 and 363, and the fixing blocks 36 and 46 may also have blocks 345 or 445 that slide relative to the aforementioned tracks 362 and 363 or 462 and 463. Furthermore, tracks 362 and 363 and tracks 462 and 463 can each be separate entities.

In another embodiment, the conveying robot 1 includes support mechanisms 30 and 40, and the end effector 20 has gripper portions 21 and 22. However, the invention is not limited to this. As long as the conveying robot 1 includes at least one of the support mechanisms 30 and 40, and the end effector 20 has at least one of the gripper portions 21 and 22, it is acceptable. Because in this form, at least one of the gripper portions 21 and 22 can be in a state where they do not overlap in the vertical direction, thereby allowing for the replacement and adjustment of at least one of the gripper portions 21 and 22.

In this embodiment, the robot body 10 of the conveying robot 1 includes a first direct-acting mechanism 11 and a second direct-acting mechanism 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the conveying robot 1 can simply be a conveying device for conveying substrates. Therefore, the first direct-acting mechanism 11 and the second direct-acting mechanism 12 can be of any structure. For example, the robot body 10 can be a multi-joint robot or a Cartesian coordinate robot with more than three axes. Alternatively, it can be a parallel linkage robot. Because in this form, the structure of the present invention can also be used to solve the problem that it is difficult to easily replace or adjust only the chucks 21 and 22 that need to be replaced or adjusted.

In the embodiment, the clamping portions 21 and 22 include claws 213 and 214 and pins 215 and 216. Furthermore, the clamping portions 21 and 22 are used to clamp the wafer W. However, the invention is not limited to this. In the invention, the clamping portions 21 and 22 only need to be detachably mounted on each base (e.g., base plates 34 and 44) and capable of clamping the substrate. Therefore, in the invention, the specific components of the clamping portions 21 and 22 that clamp the substrate are arbitrary components. For example, the clamping portions 21 and 22 can also utilize vacuum chucks to clamp the wafer W. Additionally, the specific shapes of the clamping portions 21 and 22 are also arbitrary. For example, the clamping portions 21 and 22 may also have rectangular plates capable of supporting a substrate instead of the fork-shaped portion 211. Furthermore, the wafer W that is clamped may also be other substrates such as a glass substrate.

This invention can be implemented in various forms and variations without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, the aforementioned embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. That is, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the patent application, not by the embodiments. Moreover, various variations implemented within the scope of the patent application and its equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

1: Transport Robot 10: Robot Body 11: First Direct-Action Mechanism 12: Second Direct-Action Mechanism 15: Frame 16: Stop (Second Axis) 20: End Effector 21, 22: Gripper Section 30, 40: Support Mechanism 31, 41: Support Column (Support Section or First Axis, Third Axis) 32, 42: Rotating Block 33, 43: Position Adjustment Block 34, 44: Base Plate (Base Base) 35, 45: Loading/Unloading Plate (Loading/Unloading Section) 36, 46: Fixed Block 50: Clamping Section 111: Motor 121: Motor 211: Fork-Shaped Section 212: Connecting Section 213, 214: Claw 215, 216: Pin 321, 421: Through Hole 322, 422: Cutout 323, 423: Bolt (Fastener) 324: Bolt 325, 326: Locking Screw 331, 431: Curved Section 334: Recess (Loading/Unloading Section) 341, 441: Recess 342, 343, 442, 443: Through Hole 344, 444: Elongated Hole 345, 445: Block 361, 461: Pin 362, 363, 462, 463: Rail 425, 426: Locking Screw B: Rear End F: Front End L: Left End h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, h7, h8: Through-holes W: Wafer (substrate) X, Y, Z: Directions

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the conveying robot of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gripper portion of the end effector included in the conveying robot of the embodiment. Figure 3 is an enlarged top view of the gripper portion and support mechanism included in the conveying robot of the embodiment. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the conveying robot of the embodiment, including the support mechanism, viewed from a slightly upward angle. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the conveying robot of the embodiment, including the support mechanism, viewed from a slightly upward angle to the left. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the conveying robot of the embodiment with one portion of the gripper portion of the end effector rotated to face left. Figure 7 is a top view of a variation of the support mechanism included in the implemented transfer robot. Figure 8 is a top view of other variations of the support mechanism included in the implemented transfer robot.

1:Transport robot

10: Robot Body

15: Frame

16: Stopper (Second Axis)

21,22: Clamping head section

30, 40: Supporting Institutions

31, 41: Support column (supporting part or first and third axles)

32,42: Rotating blocks

33,43: Position Adjustment Blocks

34, 44: Base plate (base bottom)

35, 45: Loading/unloading platform (loading/unloading section)

211:Fork

212: Linking Section

215,216: Sales

321,421:Through hole

322, 422: Incision site

323, 423: Bolts (fasteners)

325, 326: Stop screws

331,431: Curved face

425, 426: Stop screws

B: Rear end

F: Frontend

h5, h6, h7, h8: Through holes

W: Wafer (substrate)

X, Y, Z: Direction (X, Y, Z: Direction)

Claims (11)

A conveying device includes: a plurality of bases arranged vertically; a support for each of the bases; and a plurality of clamps, each detachably mounted to a corresponding base and clamping a substrate, wherein each base has a detachable portion for attaching and detaching the clamp, the support for each base is configured to change its position to a first position and a second position, the first position being a position where the detachable portion is positioned in use, and the second position being a position where the detachable portion is positioned horizontally offset from the position in the vertical direction. As described in claim 1, in the conveying device, the support provides rotatable support to each of the bases. The conveying device as described in claim 2, wherein, the support has a first axis extending in a vertical direction, and each of the bases is supported in a manner that allows it to rotate about an axis of the first axis. The conveying device as described in claim 3, wherein, each of the base portions has: a through hole for the first shaft to pass through; a cut portion formed by cutting each base portion in a direction extending from the through hole, and extending from the through hole to the end face of each base portion; and a fastener having a screw portion inserted into a hole penetrating the cut portion, and a head portion disposed at a certain distance from the top end of the screw portion and abutting against the end face, wherein the diameter of the through hole is changed by adjusting the interval of the cut portions, with the top end of the screw portion entering the interior of the hole and the head portion securing the base portion. The conveying device as described in claim 3 or 4, wherein, the support portion has a second axis extending in a vertical direction, the second axis is adjacent to the first axis in a horizontal direction, and in the case of the base portion in the first position, abuts against at least one of the base bottoms to restrict rotation from the base bottoms toward the second axis. The conveying device as described in claim 3 or 4, wherein, the support has a third axis extending vertically and adjacent to the first axis horizontally; a portion of the plurality of bases is rotatable about the first axis, and the remaining bases are rotatable about the third axis; in the support, the bases rotatable about the first axis and the bases rotatable about the third axis are arranged alternately in the vertical direction. The conveying device as described in claim 1, wherein, the support portion supports each of the bases in a manner that allows it to slide horizontally. The conveying device as described in claim 7, wherein, each of the base portions and the support portions has an elongated hole extending in a horizontal direction, the other of the base portions and the support portions has a pin passing through the elongated hole and capable of changing its relative position within the elongated hole along its long side. The conveying device as described in claim 7, wherein, each of the base and the support has a track extending in a horizontal direction, the other of the base and the support has a block that can change its position in the direction of track extension by sliding along the track. The conveying device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: each base and each clamp portion has a plate shape; each base is arranged vertically with its first plate surface facing vertically; each clamp portion is detachably mounted to the first plate surface of each base with its second plate surface overlapping the first plate surface of each base. A method of using a conveying device, The conveying device includes: a plurality of bases arranged vertically; a support portion supporting each of the bases; and a plurality of clamping heads, each detachably mounted on each of the bases and clamping a substrate, wherein each base has a mounting/unmounting portion for mounting/unmounting the clamping head, and the support portion supports each base in a manner that allows its position to be changed to a first position and a second position, wherein the first position refers to a position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in use, and the second position refers to a position where the mounting/unmounting portion is configured in a horizontally offset position that does not overlap with the position in use vertically; The method of using the conveying device includes: The steps include: 1) With all the base portions in the first position, clamping the substrate with each of the clamp portions and moving the support portion to transport the substrate; and 2) Placing the base portion of the clamp portion to be replaced or adjusted in the second position, while keeping the base portion of the clamp portion not to be replaced or adjusted in the first position. In this state, the clamp portion to be replaced or adjusted is detached from the mounting/unmounting part and replaced, or its position on the mounting/unmounting part is adjusted.