Patent ID: 8277163
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate from a first substrate containing part for containing a plurality of substrates that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a first distance, P 1 , therebetween to a second substrate containing part for containing a plurality of substrates, the substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a plurality of forks for holding substrates, wherein when the plurality of forks respectively transfer the substrates from the first substrate containing part to the second substrate containing part, the plurality of forks respectively hold the substrates; a fork support part disposing the forks with a vertical spacing, P a horizontal moving mechanism for independently, horizontally moving the forks with respect to each other; a vertical moving mechanism for simultaneously, vertically moving at least two forks disposed on the fork support part relative to the first substrate containing part and the second substrate containing part; and a control device for controlling the horizontal moving mechanism to take out substrates from the first substrate containing part by causing the horizontal moving mechanism to move an upper fork of two adjacent forks horizontally forward to the pre-unloading position below a substrate to be taken out, thereafter controlling the vertical mechanism to cause the upper fork and the adjacent fork therebelow simultaneously to move upward so that the substrate is lifted by the upper fork and supported thereon, thereafter controlling the horizontal moving mechanism to cause the upper fork holding the substrate to retract from the first substrate containing part and to cause the adjacent lower fork to move to the pre-unloading position located below another substrate to be taken out, and thereafter controlling the vertical moving mechanism to cause the upper fork and the lower fork simultaneously to further move upward so that the another substrate is lifted by the lower fork and supported thereon.