JP2002286091A - Article mount and conveyor system equipped therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce vibrations generated in conveying articles mounted on an article mount consisting of a plurality of article support members, the base and an elastic means inserted in between the article mount members and the base. SOLUTION: The support members 24, 24 which are displaceable in the horizontal direction are arranged so that the distance between both the support members becomes shorter than the width or depth of a cassette. The elastic means comprises two kinds of columnar elastic members 27, 28 and platy elastic members 29; the former which are higher than the latter are made displaceable in the vertical and horizontale directions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an anti-vibration structure for a mounting table on which an article is mounted, and to a transport device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when articles are conveyed by a conveying apparatus without giving vibrations, there is known a technique of interposing a vibration isolating means such as an anti-vibration rubber between a carriage body and an article mounting portion. I have.

[0003]

By the way, when the article is placed on the placing section, a soft vibration-proof rubber may be used if only a large vibration generated instantaneously is to be absorbed. The amount of sinking is different between a case where a heavy article is placed and a case where a light article is placed, and the height position of the article with respect to the placement portion changes relatively largely. For this reason, an articulated robot arm or the like under automatic control may not be able to grip a predetermined gripping position of the article, and may fail to grip and transfer the article. Furthermore, when the small continuous vibration generated when the article is conveyed by the conveyance device is absorbed by the soft vibration-proof rubber, the article moves up and down, and conversely gives the article vibration.

[0004] On the other hand, if a hard vibration isolating rubber is used, a heavy article and a light article can be placed.
The sinking amount does not change so much, the height position of the articles is substantially the same, and the gripping of the articles by the robot arm or the like under the predetermined control becomes easy. In addition, small vibrations generated during transportation are absorbed and the vertical movement of the article is reduced, which is effective, but is effective against large vibrations that occur instantaneously when placing the article. Could not sufficiently absorb the vibration.

In view of the above problem, the present invention can absorb two types of vibrations having different properties, that is, vibration generated when an article is placed and vibration generated when the article is transported. It is an object to provide an article mounting table.

[0006]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. Next, means for solving the problem will be described. That is, in an article mounting table provided with an article support member, a base, and elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base, the elasticity of the elastic means is controlled by the article support member. The article mounting table is configured differently at a predetermined height position between the base and the base.

More specifically, in an article mounting table provided with a plurality of article support members, a base, and elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base, the article support member may be provided. The distance between the members is arranged so as to be shorter than the width or the depth of the article, the article supporting member can be displaced in the horizontal direction, and the elastic means is constituted by two kinds of elastic members having different heights. Then, the higher elastic member can be displaced in the horizontal and vertical directions.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport device including the article mounting table according to the first or second aspect.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to an example of an unmanned carrier 1 for transferring a cassette 5 containing semiconductor wafers together with a cassette 5 between stations in a semiconductor manufacturing plant. explain. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 on which the transfer device 3 is mounted, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mounting table 21, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cushion 22 (23), and FIG. FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams of setting on the mounting table 21. FIG. 7A shows a state before mounting, FIG. 7B shows a state in the middle of mounting, and FIG. FIG. FIG. 5 shows a case where the wide cassette 5 is mounted on the mounting table 21.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams when setting is performed, in which FIG. 7A is a diagram showing the state before mounting, FIG. 7B is a diagram in the middle of the mounting, and FIG. . FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram when the cassette 5 is set on the conventional mounting table 21, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when the cassette 5 is set on the mounting table 21 of another conventional configuration. Is a view showing the state before the placement, and FIG. 4B is a view showing the state of the placement. FIG. 8A shows the cassette 5 on the mounting table 21 shown in FIG.
FIG. 7B shows experimental data showing the state of vibration of the cassette 5 in the vertical direction when the cassette 5 is placed.
FIG. 4C shows experimental data showing the state of vertical vibration of the cassette 5 when the cassette 5 is placed on the cassette 1, and FIG.
8 is experimental data showing the vertical vibration of the cassette 5 when the cassette 5 is mounted on the mounting table 21 according to the present invention shown in FIG.

First, the overall configuration of the automatic guided vehicle 1 will be described. In the following description, the front, rear, left, and right positions of each structure will be described with the direction of arrow F in FIG. Also,
The front, rear, left and right positions of each structure in the other drawings are also in accordance with FIG.

The automatic guided vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a transfer device that travels in a clean room by automatic control. A cassette mounting table 21 is provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 2 at a front position thereof, and at a rear position thereof. The transfer device 3 is provided upright.

The transfer device 3 comprises a transfer hand 30, an articulated robot arm, a turntable 39, and the like. A turntable 39 is rotatably provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 2, and is mounted on the turntable 39. A base 38 of the robot arm is erected, and a lower end of a second arm 37 is attached to an upper end of the base so as to be rotatable back and forth. A rear end of a first arm 36 is attached to the upper end of the second arm 37 so as to be rotatable up and down, and a rotating body 35 whose rotation axis is directed to the left and right is attached to the front end of the first arm 36. Supported. Below the rotating body 35, a rotation base 34 whose rotation axis is directed vertically is pivotally supported, and the transfer hand 30 is suspended from the rotation base 34.

The transfer hand 30 is provided with a pair of left and right holding portions 31, and is configured to be slidable in the left and right directions by a rack and a pinion mechanism (not shown).

On the left and right inner surfaces of the cassette 5 shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of shelves for holding the side edges of the wafers are provided vertically, and the wafers are stored horizontally in the cassette 5. You.

At the front end and the upper end of the cassette 5, handles 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b, 5c, 5 protruding outward.
c is formed, and a concave portion is formed on the inner surface of the holding portion 31 so as to be engaged with the handles 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b, 5c, 5c. As a result, the cassette 5 is sandwiched between the pair of holding portions 31 in a direction (inward direction) for reducing the space between the cassettes 5, and the recessed portions of the cushions 22 on the cassette mounting table 21 are
Gripping the grips 5a, 5a, 5b, 5b, 5c, 5c of the cassette 5 placed on 22, 23, 23, bending and extending the robot arm to lift the cassette 5, and vice versa; 21.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cushion 22 (23) comprises a support member 24, a plate 25, screws 16, columnar vibration isolating members 27 and 28, and a plate-like vibration isolating member 29. The support member 24 is made of a synthetic resin or the like, and the column-shaped anti-vibration members 27 and 28 and the plate-shaped anti-vibration member 29 which is formed slightly thinner than the column-shaped anti-vibration member 28 are made of anti-vibration rubber or the like. use.

The support member 24 has a chair-like shape having a substantially "L" shape in a plan view, and has a mounting surface 24a formed on an inner portion thereof and an outer edge portion thereof one step higher than the mounting surface 24a. An upper surface 24d is formed, and the mounting surface 24
An inclined surface 24c is formed toward a. The lower end of the inclined surface 24c is cut out to form a wall surface 24b perpendicular to the mounting surface 24a. I have.

The plate 25 and the plate-shaped vibration isolator 29
Are cut into an “L” shape in plan view according to the shape of the support member 24.

Then, between the mounting table 21 and the plate 25, a plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29 and columnar vibration isolating members 28, 28 are provided.
.28 are interposed, and at this time, the columnar vibration isolating members 28.2
8 and 28 are arranged at both ends and corners of the “L” -shaped plate 25, and a gap (see FIG. 4A) is formed between the plate 25 and the plate-shaped vibration isolator 29. Have been. In addition, above the columnar vibration isolating members 28, 28, 28, another cylindrical vibration isolating member 27, 27
The columnar member 27, the plate 25, the columnar member 28, and the mounting table 21 are fastened with the screw 16 at these three places. At this time, screw holes of the screws 16, 16, 16 provided at both ends and corners of the plate 25 are elongated holes,
Alternatively, a hole having a diameter slightly larger than the body diameter of the screw 16 is provided, and the plate 25 is configured to be displaceable with respect to the mounting table 21 in a horizontal plane. Then, the screw stand 24 e of the support member 24 and the plate 25 are fastened by the screw 15, and the position of the support member 24 is fixed to the plate 25.

As shown in FIG. 4A, when the cassette 5 is mounted on the mounting table 21 by the transfer hand 30, the set position of the cassette 5 is
Alternatively, even if the cassette 5 is displaced in the left-right direction, one end of the bottom surface of the cassette 5 is guided by the inclined surface 24c of the support member 24, and as shown in FIG.
4 falls on the mounting surfaces 24a. At this time, the bottom of the cassette 5 is mainly
When the cassette 5 comes into contact with the inclined surface 24c and when the cassette 5 slides down on the mounting surfaces 24a of the support members 24, the cassette 5 receives an impact.

The former impact is mainly caused by the columnar vibration isolator 2
The impact of the latter is absorbed by the cassette 5 and is compressed vertically by the weight of the cassette 5.
It is absorbed by the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29 in which the gap between the plate 28 and the plate 25 is eliminated. Further, in the latter case, after the plate 25 sinks until it comes into contact with the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29, the columnar vibration isolating member 28.
Due to the effect of the plate 8 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29, its elasticity is rapidly reduced, and the amount of sinking of the support member 24 is reduced.

With such a configuration, large vibrations that are instantaneously generated when the cassette 5 is mounted or the like are absorbed by the columnar vibration isolating members 28, 28, 28, while the automatic guided vehicle 1 is absorbed by the column-shaped vibration isolating members 28, 28 and 28 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29, and two kinds of vibrations having different properties are absorbed. Absorb.

That is, the plate 25 is made of the columnar anti-vibration forest material 2
By contacting both the plate 28 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29, the contact area of the vibration isolating member with the plate 25 increases rapidly, the elasticity with respect to the plate 25 changes abruptly, and the soft vibration isolating member It works the same as replacing it with a rigid anti-vibration member. This change in elasticity is achieved by changing the heights of the columnar vibration isolator 28 and the plate vibration isolator 29. With such a configuration, a large instantaneous vibration generated when the cassette 5 is placed on the support member 24 can be removed by a soft vibration isolator (the columnar vibration isolator 28, 28).
.28), which absorbs the continuous small vibration generated when the automatic guided vehicle 1 travels, etc., and is a rigid vibration-isolating member (both the cylindrical vibration-isolating members 28, 28 and 28 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29). Therefore, two types of vibrations having different properties can be absorbed. Further, the cassette 5 is provided with the support member 2.
After being placed on the plate 4.24, the vibration continues until it converges.
The vibrations can be quickly converged because they are in contact with both of the plate 28 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the width (or depth) of the cassette 5 and the supporting member 24
・ The case where the distance is substantially the same as the distance between
As shown in (a), the distance between the support members 24 may be slightly reduced with respect to the width (or depth) of the cassette 5. By arranging the support member 24 in this manner, the cassette 5 is placed on the support member 24 so that the support member 24 can be spread horizontally by its own weight so that the support member 24 can be spread horizontally. 5 is pushed downward and horizontally moved outward (FIG. 5).
(B)). The displacement of the support member 24 is
This is performed by the transformation of 7.28. Then, the bottom surface of the cassette 5 comes into contact with the mounting surface 24a of the support member 24 and is sandwiched between the wall surfaces 24b (FIG. 5).
(C)). For this reason, the cassette 5 can be more securely transported.
Can be supported, and vibration can be prevented from being caused by a gap generated between the wall surface 24b and the cassette 5.

At this time, the cassette 5 is mainly
The bottom surface of the cassette 5 is the inclined surface 24c of the support member 24.
-When the cassette 5 comes into contact with the inclined surface 24c and when the cassette 5 is placed on the mounting surfaces 24a of the support members 24, an impact is received.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional configuration in which the support member 24 is directly mounted on the mounting table 21, and FIG. 7 shows a conventional configuration in which an elastic member 19 such as gel is laid on the mounting surface 24a of the support member 24. Is shown.

FIG. 8A shows the mounting table 2 shown in FIG.
7 are experimental data showing the state of vertical vibration when the cassette 5 is placed on the support members 24, 24,... Which are directly attached to FIG. Surface 2
4a · 24a · · · on the elastic members 19 · 19 · 19 such as gel
.. Are experimental data showing the state of vertical vibration when the cassette 5 is placed on the support members 24 laid with... FIG. 4C shows the present invention shown in FIG. Are experimental data showing the vertical vibration when the cassette 5 is placed on the support members 24,.

The above three figures (FIGS. 8A and 8B)
(C)) is a graph in which the horizontal axis is the time axis and the vertical axis is the acceleration (gravitational acceleration) of the vibration related to the vertical swing of the cassette 5. In addition, about the vibration of the cassette in the left-right direction and the front-back direction, substantially the same fluctuation is observed.

As described above, as compared with FIG.
In FIG. 8B and FIG. 8C, the vibration is effectively absorbed.

However, the mounting surface 2 shown in FIG.
When the cassette 5 is placed on the support members 24, 24 on which the elastic members 19 are laid on the support members 4a, 24a, the set position of the cassette 5 shifts in the front-back or left-right direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the elastic member 19 serves as a non-slip, and the cassette 5 includes the upper surface of the elastic member 19 of one support member 24 and the other support member 2
4 and is set in an inclined state. When the cassette 5 is set in an unstable state as described above, the vibration received by the cassette 5 when the automatic guided vehicle 1 runs is increased, and the cassette 5 is supported by a sudden start or a sudden stop. There is a possibility that the wafer may fall on the upper surface of the elastic member 19 of 24, and the wafer in the elastic member 19 may fly out.

On the other hand, the support members 24 according to the present invention
According to ···, the cassette 5 is not set in an unstable state, is guided by the inclined surface 24c of the support member 24, and is held and held on the mounting surfaces 24a. When traveling, the cylindrical vibration isolating members 28
The vibration is absorbed by the plate 28 and the plate-shaped vibration isolating member 29, and the cassette 5 can be stably transported.

As described above, the embodiment according to the present invention has been described with reference to the automatic guided vehicle 1 in which the cassette 5 for storing the wafer is placed and transported. It is adopted for a table.

[0033]

As described above, the present invention has the following advantages. That is, in an article mounting table including an article support member, a base, and elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base as in claim 1, the elasticity of the elastic means is used for the article support member. By configuring the article mounting table differently at a predetermined height position between the base and the base, large vibrations that occur instantaneously when placing the article, etc. An anti-vibration effect can be obtained with respect to both of small vibrations that are continuously generated during transportation or the like, and the amount of sinking of the article support member due to the weight of the article can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in an article mounting table provided with a plurality of article support members, a base, and an elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base, By disposing the distance to be shorter than the width or depth of the article, enabling the article support member to be displaced in the horizontal direction, and configuring the elastic means with two types of elastic members having different heights. In addition, the elasticity can be reduced from a predetermined height position between the article support member and the base, and the rigidity can be increased. Further, by allowing the higher elastic member to be displaceable in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, it is possible to more reliably absorb the impact when the article is transferred to the article support member, and to use the article support member to move the article. Can be held.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by constructing the transfer device having the article mounting table according to the first or second aspect, large vibrations instantaneously generated when an article is mounted or the like can be obtained. In addition, it is possible to obtain an anti-vibration effect against both of small vibrations that are continuously generated when the article is conveyed by the conveying device or the like, and the amount of sinking of the article supporting member due to the weight of the article. Can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic guided vehicle 1 on which a transfer device 3 is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mounting table 21.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cushion 22 (23).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram when a narrow cassette 5 is set on a mounting table 21; (A) is a figure which shows the state before mounting. (B) is the figure in the middle of the mounting. (C) is a diagram showing the mounted state.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram when a wide cassette 5 is set on a mounting table 21; (A) is a figure which shows the state before mounting. (B) is the figure in the middle of the mounting. (C) is a diagram showing the mounted state.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram when the cassette 5 is set on a conventional mounting table 21.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when a cassette 5 is set on a mounting table 21 having another configuration of a conventional type. (A) is a figure which shows the state before mounting.
(B) is a diagram showing the mounted state.

FIG. 8A is a view showing the cassette 5 on the mounting table 21 shown in FIG. 6;
Is experimental data showing how the cassette 5 vibrates in the up-down direction when is placed. (B) is experimental data showing the vertical vibration of the cassette 5 when the cassette 5 is mounted on the mounting table 21 shown in FIG. 7. (C) Experimental data showing the vertical vibration of the cassette 5 when the cassette 5 is mounted on the mounting table 21 according to the present invention shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 automatic guided vehicle 3 transfer device 5 cassette 15 screw 16 screw 21 mounting table 22 cushion 23 cushion 24 support member 25 plate 27 cylindrical elastic member 28 cylindrical elastic member 29 plate elastic member 30 transfer hand

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An article mounting table comprising an article support member, a base, and elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base, wherein the elasticity of the elastic means is used to control the elasticity of the article support member and the base. An article mounting table characterized in that the article mounting table is configured to be different at a predetermined height position therebetween. 2. In an article mounting table provided with a plurality of article support members, a base, and elastic means inserted between the article support member and the base, the distance between the article support members is determined by the width of the article,
Or, it is arranged to be shorter than the depth so that the article supporting member can be displaced in the horizontal direction, and the elastic means is composed of two types of elastic members having different heights, and the higher elastic member is An article mounting table characterized in that it can be displaced vertically and vertically. 3. A transfer device provided with the article mounting table according to claim 1.