Patent ID: 6110024
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B23Q,B24B,B25J

Abstract:
A polishing apparatus comprising:a polishing section including a top ring for holding a workpiece to be polished and a turntable having a polishing surface for polishing a surface of the workpiece held by said top ring;a cleaning section including a cleaning device for cleaning the workpiece that has been polished in said polishing section; anda workpiece transfer robot for transferring the workpiece to be polished to said polishing section or for transferring the workpiece that has been polished to said cleaning section, said workpiece transfer robot comprising:a robot body;at least one arm operatively coupled to said robot body by at least one joint;a holder mechanism mounted on said arm for holding the workpiece; anda seal mechanism at said joint for preventing liquid from entering an interior of said joint, said seal mechanism comprising:a ring member having at a tip end thereof an annular sliding lip;said ring member being mounted on a first member comprising one of said robot body and said arm;a second member comprising the other of said robot body and said arm having an annular sliding ridge; andsaid annular sliding lip being in contact with said annular sliding ridge.