JPH0914836A - Rotating unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate the mounting and detaching of a liquid crystal substrate, etc., to and from a mounting part by a method wherein a weight part is pivotally fitted with the position of the gravity center of the weight part being outside so that a substrate holding pin part may tilt outside when the rotating unit is under a stationary state, and the substrate holding pin part may be put under a vertically standing state by a centrifugal force of the weight part when the rotating unit is under a rotating state. CONSTITUTION: On the outside of a substrate mounting part 6 of a rotating unit 2, radial four arm parts 7 are provided in the horizontal direction, and under the center of the substrate mounting part 6, a bearing part 16 which attaches a rotating shaft 4 to transmit the rotating force of a motor to the rotating unit 2, is provided. An end part is formed into a recessed shape for the arm part 7, and on a protruding part 9 of the arm part 7, a hole 10 through which a shaft 15 passes, is provided. Also, on a valley-shaped part 11 of the arm part 7, an inhibiting part 12 which restricts the position of an approx. L-shaped weight part 13 so that a substrate holding pin part 8 with a cylindrical head part may become a vertically standing state when the rotating unit 2 is under a rotating state, is provided. Then, a pivotally fitted part 14 is provided on the weight part 13 which is supported by the substrate holding pin part 8, and the weight part 13 is pivotally fitted in the end part of the arm 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary unit used in manufacturing a liquid crystal substrate, a semiconductor substrate or the like, and in particular, makes it easy to mount or dismount the liquid crystal substrate or the semiconductor substrate on or from a mounting portion, and thus the substrate or the like. The present invention relates to a rotation unit that suppresses the positioning accuracy of a substrate or the like when it is placed or removed, and eliminates the occurrence of defects such as the substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal substrate or a semiconductor substrate, a washed substrate or the like is dried, or when the surface of the substrate or the like is coated with, for example, a resist, the substrate or the like is rotated. The spin apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6 is used to remove droplets attached to a substrate or the like, or to apply resist dropped onto the surface of the substrate or the like.

The spin device 1 comprises a rotating unit 2, a motor 3 for generating a rotating force, and a rotating shaft 4 for transmitting the rotating force generated by the motor 3 to the rotating unit 2. The rotating unit 2 is provided with a substrate 5. It has been placed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the rotating unit 2 has a substrate placing portion 6 on which the substrate 5 is placed, and a shape or mass of the substrate 5 which is provided on the outside of the substrate placing portion 6 so as to radially project in the horizontal direction. In this case, it has four arm portions 7 which are appropriately determined by the above. A substrate holding portion 8 that is fixed to the substrate 5 with a predetermined clearance and holds the substrate 5 at a substantially central position of the substrate mounting portion 6 is fixed to an outer end portion of the arm portion 7. Further, a bearing portion 16 to which the rotary shaft 4 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 3 to the rotary unit 2 is attached is provided below the center of the substrate platform 6.

In the rotating unit 2 thus constructed, the substrate 5 is placed on the substrate placing portion 6 by a carrying device (not shown) when the rotating unit 2 is in a stationary state, and then the rotating unit 2 is not shown. , Is rotated at a predetermined number of revolutions by the rotational force of a motor, for example. When the rotation unit 2 rotates, the substrate 5 is held at a substantially central position of the substrate placing portion 6 by the substrate holding portion 8 fixed to the outer end of the arm portion 7, and a predetermined rotation process such as resist coating is performed. Be seen. When a predetermined rotation process is performed, the rotation unit 2
Stands still, and the substrate 5 is removed from the substrate platform 6 by a transfer device (not shown).

In the conventional rotary unit 2 as described above, it is provided between the substrate 5 and the substrate holding portion 8 which is fixed to the outer end portion of the arm portion 7 and holds the substrate 5 at the substantially central position of the substrate placing portion 6. There is a problem in that it is difficult to mount or dismount the substrate 5 on or from the substrate mounting portion 6 because it is necessary to keep the created clearance very small.

Further, since the substrate holding portion 8 and the peripheral portion of the substrate 5 are likely to come into contact with each other, there is a problem that the substrate 5 is liable to be cracked or scratched, and the substrate 5 is easily damaged.

Further, in order to reduce the damage of the substrate 5, there is a problem that the positioning accuracy when mounting or dismounting the substrate 5 on the substrate mounting portion 6 must be high.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and its main purpose is to easily mount and dismount a liquid crystal substrate or a semiconductor substrate on a mounting portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotating unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary unit which eliminates the occurrence of defects in the substrate or the like when mounting or removing the substrate or the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary unit which suppresses the positioning accuracy of a substrate or the like when placing or removing the substrate or the like.

[0012]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotating unit according to the invention, wherein a rotatable substrate mounting portion and a substrate mounting portion are provided on the outer side of the substrate mounting portion so as to be disposed at a substantially central position. In a rotation unit having a substrate holding unit for holding,
The substrate holding portion includes a substrate holding pin portion that holds the substrate and a weight portion that has a center of gravity that is eccentric from a central axis of the substrate holding pin portion that is connected to a lower portion of the substrate holding pin portion. When the stationary unit is in a stationary state, the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward, and when the rotating unit is in a rotating state, the substrate holding pin portion has the weight portion so that the weight portion is in an upright state by centrifugal force. It is characterized in that the position of the center of gravity is on the outer side, and the weight portion is pivotally attached to the outer end portion of the substrate mounting portion.

Further, in the rotating unit of the present invention, a rotatable substrate mounting portion, a plurality of arms radially projected on the outside of the substrate mounting portion in a radial direction, and an outer end portion of the arm portion. In a rotation unit having a substrate holding portion which holds a substrate substantially at a central position of the substrate mounting portion, the substrate holding portion includes a substrate holding pin portion that holds the substrate and a lower portion of the substrate holding pin portion. And a weight portion having a center of gravity eccentric from the central axis of the substrate holding pin portion to be connected,
When the rotating unit is in a stationary state, the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward, and when the rotating unit is in a rotating state, the substrate holding pin portion causes the weight portion to stand upright by centrifugal force. It is characterized in that the center of gravity of the weight portion is located outside, and the weight portion is pivotally attached to an outer end portion of the arm portion by an axis orthogonal to the arm portion.

The rotating unit of the present invention removes liquid droplets adhering to a substrate or the like by rotating the substrate or the like,
The present invention is not limited to the spin device for applying the dropped resist on the surface of the substrate or the like, but is also applicable to a device such as a centrifuge for treating an object by a rotational force.

The number of revolutions of the rotating unit is not particularly limited, but it is normally operated at 500 to 3000 revolutions / minute.

The "substrate" which is the main object of the present invention is, for example, a glass substrate or a semiconductor substrate of a liquid crystal device, and its shape is various, but it is not limited to the "substrate" and the shape is n times. There is no particular limitation as long as it is rotationally symmetric (n = 2, 3, ...).

The substrate mounting portion by the rotating unit of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has n-fold rotational symmetry (n = 2, 3, ...).

The pivot portion provided on the weight portion is such that when the substrate holding portion is placed in the pivoting direction and divided into two regions, an outer region and an inner region, the mass of the outer region is the mass of the inner region. The mass is set to a larger range and the mass of the lower region is larger than the mass of the upper region when the substrate holder is divided into two regions, the upper region and the lower region. At this time, the substrate holding pin portion is fixed to the weight portion so that the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward when the rotating unit is in the stationary state and stands upright when the rotating unit is in the rotating state. For example, the substrate holding part can have any shape. It is desirable that the substrate holding pin portion formed by the rotating unit of the present invention has a columnar shape with the smallest contact portion with the substrate.

Further, the outer end of the substrate mounting portion or the arm portion to which the weight portion is pivotally attached may be, for example, convex if the substrate holding portion can be pivotally attached, and is not particularly limited. Not a thing.

Further, the protruding position of the restraining portion that defines the position of the weight portion so that the substrate holding pin portion is in the upright state when the rotating unit is in the rotating state is not limited to the substrate mounting portion or the arm portion, but may be, for example, You may project in a weight part.

The number and length of the radially projecting arm portions of the rotating unit of the present invention are determined depending on the shape of the substrate, and the rotating unit has n-fold rotational symmetry (n = 2, 3). The number and length are not particularly limited as long as they are arranged so that

The length of the arm portion or the mass of the arm portion and the shape or the mass of the substrate holding portion pivotally attached to the outer end portion of the arm portion are appropriately combined within a range in which the rotating unit rotates accurately. .

[0023]

In the rotating unit of the present invention, the substrate holding pin portion is inclined outward when the rotating unit is in a stationary state, and the substrate or the like is placed on the substrate placing portion by an external transfer device. Then, the rotating unit is rotated by the rotating force of the external rotating device. When the rotating unit rotates, the weight portion pivotally attached to the outer end of the substrate mounting portion or the arm portion moves outward with the pivotal portion as an axis by the centrifugal force due to the rotation, and the substrate holding pin portion stands upright. By the upright substrate holder, the substrate etc. is held at the substantially central position of the substrate placing part,
A predetermined rotation process is performed. When a predetermined rotation process is performed, the rotation unit is stationary, and the substrate holder pivotally attached to the outer end of the substrate holder or arm moves to a stationary position about the pivot to pivot the substrate holding pin. The part inclines outward. Then, the substrate and the like are detached from the substrate placing section by an external transfer device.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of an end portion of an arm portion 7 of the rotary unit 1 when the rotary unit 1 is in a stationary state. A side view and FIG. 3 are top views seen from above. FIG.
5 is a side view of the end of the arm portion 7 of the rotary unit 1 as seen from the side when the rotary unit is in a rotating state, and FIG. 5 is a top view as seen from above.

In FIG. 1, the rotary unit 2 has a substrate placing portion 6 on which the substrate 5 is placed, and four arm portions 7 which are provided on the outside of the substrate placing portion 6 so as to project radially in the horizontal direction. doing. Further, a bearing portion 16 to which the rotary shaft 4 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 3 to the rotary unit 2 is attached is provided below the center of the substrate platform 6. The end portion of the arm portion 7 is processed into a concave shape, and the protrusion 9 of the arm portion 7 has a shaft 1
A hole portion 10 through which 5 passes is provided. Further, the trough portion 11 of the arm portion 7 is provided with a position of the substantially L-shaped weight portion 13 so that the substrate holding pin portion 8 having a cylindrical head portion is in an upright state when the rotating unit 2 is in a rotating state. The prescribed restraining portion 12 is provided so as to project. The weight portion 13 on which the substrate holding pin portion 8 is supported is provided with a pivot portion 14, the hole portion 10 and the pivot portion 14 are aligned with each other, and a shaft 15 is inserted therethrough. Is pivotally attached to the end of. Next, the operation of the rotating unit 2 configured as above will be described.

First, when the rotary unit 2 is at rest, the outer end of the arm portion 7 of the rotary unit 2 is shown as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

That is, the weight portion 13 that supports the substrate holding pin portion 8 has a center of gravity that is eccentric from the central axis of the substrate holding pin portion 8, and the substrate holding pin portion 8 is inclined outward. Therefore, the clearance between the substrate 5 and the substrate holding pin portion 8 becomes large as shown by the arrow in FIG.
It is easy to place and remove the substrate 5 on and from the substrate platform 6.

At this time, the substrate 5 is placed on the substrate placing section 6 by the transfer device. Then, the rotation unit 2 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed by a rotation device (not shown).

When the rotating unit 2 is in the rotating state, the end portion of the arm portion 7 is shown as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

That is, due to the centrifugal force generated during rotation, the center of gravity of the weight 13 which is eccentric from the central axis of the substrate holding pin 8 moves outward, and the weight 13 that supports the substrate holding pin 8 pivots. The attachment portion 14 is moved outwardly about the axis. Therefore, the substrate holding pin portion 8 stands upright, and the substrate 5 and the substrate holding pin portion 8
The clearance between and becomes small as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4, and the substrate 5 is securely held substantially at the center of the substrate platform 6. Then, the substrate 5 is subjected to predetermined rotation processing such as resist coating by a processing device (not shown).
At this time, the restraining portion 1 protruding from the valley portion 11 of the arm portion 7
2, the substrate holding pin portion 8 is always regulated in the upright state during the rotation of the rotating unit 2.

When the predetermined rotation process is completed in this way, the rotation unit 2 stops rotating and stands still, and the weight portion 13 supporting the substrate holding pin portion 8 moves inward about the pivot portion 14 as an axis. The substrate holding pin portion 8 is inclined outward, and the clearance between the substrate 5 and the substrate holding pin portion 8 becomes large as shown by the arrow in FIG.

Then, the substrate 5 is removed from the substrate platform 6 by a transfer device (not shown).

The clearance between the substrate 5 and the substrate holding pin portion 8 is 1 to 3 m when the rotary unit 2 is stationary.
m is preferably about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm when the rotating unit 2 is in a rotating state.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) When the rotary unit is in a stationary state, the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward and the clearance with the substrate increases, so that the substrate can be easily placed on and removed from the substrate placing portion. Also, when the rotating unit is in the rotating state,
Since the substrate holding pin portion stands upright and the clearance between the substrate holding pin portion and the substrate is small, the substrate is securely held substantially at the center of the substrate mounting portion.

(2) When the rotary unit is in a stationary state, the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward and the clearance between the substrate and the substrate becomes large. The occurrence of substrate defects such as cracks and scratches due to contact with the pin portion is eliminated.

(3) For the same reason, it is possible to set the positioning accuracy of the substrate at the time of mounting and demounting the substrate on the substrate mounting portion, and to set the positioning gently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary unit that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an end portion of an arm portion of the rotating unit viewed from the side when the rotating unit is in a stationary state.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an end portion of an arm portion of the rotary unit, which is viewed from above when the rotary unit is in a stationary state.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an end portion of an arm portion of the rotating unit as seen laterally when the rotating unit is in a rotating state.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an end portion of an arm portion of the rotating unit, viewed from above when the rotating unit is in a rotating state.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a spin device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional rotation unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Rotating unit 6 ... Board mounting part 7 ... Arm part 8 ... Board fixing pin part 13 ... Weight part 15 ... Shaft

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A rotating unit having a rotatable substrate mounting portion and a substrate holding portion which is provided on the outer side of the substrate mounting portion and is equally arranged to hold the substrate at a substantially central position of the substrate mounting portion. The substrate holding unit includes a substrate holding pin unit that holds the substrate and a weight unit that has a center of gravity that is eccentric from a central axis of the substrate holding pin unit that is connected to a lower portion of the substrate holding pin unit; When the unit is in a stationary state, the substrate holding pin portion inclines outward, and when the rotating unit is in a rotating state, the substrate holding pin portion causes the weight portion to stand upright by a centrifugal force. The rotation unit is configured such that the center of gravity position is outside and the weight portion is pivotally attached to an outer end portion of the substrate mounting portion. 2. An outer end portion of the substrate mounting portion on which the weight portion is pivotally mounted is a concave shape in which a concave portion faces the outside of the substrate mounting portion, and the substrate holding portion is substantially L-shaped. 2. The rotating unit according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is formed with a protruding portion for holding the substrate holding pin portion in an upright state when the rotating unit is in a rotating state. 3. A rotatable substrate mounting portion, a plurality of arm portions radially protruding outside the substrate mounting portion, and a substrate provided on the outer end of the arm portion for mounting the substrate on the substrate. In a rotary unit having a substrate holding part that holds the substrate at a substantially central position, the substrate holding part connects the substrate holding pin part that holds the substrate and the substrate holding pin part that is connected to a lower portion of the substrate holding pin part. And a weight portion having a center of gravity eccentric from the central axis of the substrate holding pin portion, the substrate holding pin portion is inclined outward when the rotating unit is in a stationary state, and the substrate holding pin portion is formed when the rotating unit is in a rotating state. The center of gravity of the weight unit is placed outside and the weight unit is pivoted to the outer end of the arm unit by an axis orthogonal to the arm unit so that the weight unit becomes upright by centrifugal force. Characterized by wearing Rotation unit. 4. The outer end portion of the arm portion has a concave shape with a concave portion facing the outer side of the arm portion, and the substrate holding portion is substantially L-shaped.
4. The rotating unit according to claim 3, wherein the rotating unit has a letter shape, and a protruding portion for holding the substrate holding pin portion in an upright state is formed in the concave portion when the rotating unit is in a rotating state.