Patent ID: 11961937
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ITALIA S.R.L.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 0:
1. Apparatus for transporting solar cell elements, comprising:
a transport device for moving a first solar cell element at a first speed from a first position to a second position;
an actuator configured to move a transfer device, the transfer device being configured to grip solar cell elements on the transport device, lift the solar cell elements off the transport device and put the solar cell elements back on the transport device; and
a cleaving station for cleaving a solar cell into two end pieces with pseudo rectangular shape and at least four rectangular intermediate solar cell elements; and
a controller configured to select a second solar cell element on the transport device whose movement shall be accelerated, the controller being configured for controlling the actuator such that the transfer device moves the second solar cell element from a third position to a fourth position at a second speed while the transport device moves at the first speed, wherein the second speed is higher than the first speed,
wherein the transfer device further comprises a rotator configured to simultaneously move the first solar cell element or the second solar cell element in a first orientation and change the rotational orientation of the first solar cell element or the second solar cell element to a second orientation opposite of the first orientation,
the rotator further comprising a rotator axis and at least two laterally extended arms for moving the first solar cell element or the second solar cell element along a circular arc around the rotator axis and for changing the rotational orientation of the first solar cell element or the second solar cell element when rotating the rotator around the rotator axis

wherein the second solar cell element moves at the first speed after the second solar cell element has been put back on the transport device.