JP2002313870A - Glass substrate movement truck - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a glass substrate movement truck that simplifies a glass substrate supply system without individually providing a glass substrate supply apparatus, and at the same time saves space. SOLUTION: The glass substrate movement truck has a cassette positioning mechanism for positioning a cassette where the glass substrate is accommodated, an articulated robot having a hand section where the glass substrate is placed, a first outline positioning means for carrying out positioning to a treatment apparatus for transferring the glass substrate, and a second outline positioning means for carrying out positioning to other pieces of apparatus for transferring the cassette. Additionally, the truck has a means for measuring the position relationship between a mechanism for transferring information with the treatment apparatus for transferring the glass substrate, and the treatment apparatus for transferring the glass substrate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass substrate moving trolley in the field of flat panel manufacturing such as liquid crystal using a glass substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the field of manufacturing a flat panel such as a liquid crystal using a glass substrate, a cassette containing a glass substrate is supplied to each processing apparatus, and the cassette is positioned on each processing apparatus side. And a glass substrate supply system including a step of taking out a substrate from a cassette positioned by a robot or the like.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a conventional glass substrate supply system. In FIG. 8, reference numerals 100a to 100f denote glass substrate processing apparatuses that perform a sampling inspection, for example. 2
Devices 02a to 202f supply the glass substrates to the processing devices 100a to 100f, respectively (hereinafter, referred to as “loaders”). 30a to 30f each loader 202
These are cassettes installed in a to 202f. Cassette 3
0 g is transferred from another processing device to the cassette storage device 210 by the automatic guided vehicle 200. Here, the cassette 30g is manually transferred to the carriage 201 that transports the cassette 30g, and the loaders 202a to 202f
Transported to After the cassette is transferred to each of the loaders 202a to 202f (for example, 30g and 30a are transferred) and positioned, the glass substrate is transferred to the robot 220 provided in each of the loaders 202a to 202f.
The cassettes 30a to 30f are taken out from the cassettes 30a to 30f and supplied to the processing devices 100a to 100f.

[0004]

By the way, even a device that is used only occasionally, such as a device used for a sampling inspection or the like, must be equipped with a glass substrate supply system. In particular, individually disposing the loaders that constitute the glass substrate supply system for all the processing apparatuses requires a high investment amount for the production line when viewed from the entire flat panel production line,
There is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the flat panel increases.

[0005] Further, depending on a device for mounting and moving the glass substrate, it is necessary to increase the accuracy of mounting and moving the glass substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a glass substrate moving cart that simplifies a glass substrate supply system without separately providing a glass substrate supply device and saves space.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a glass substrate moving cart according to the present invention comprises a cassette positioning mechanism for positioning a cassette in which a glass substrate is stored, and a hand unit on which the glass substrate is placed. Multi-joint robot, a first rough positioning means for positioning with respect to a processing device for transferring the glass substrate, and a second rough positioning means for positioning with respect to another device for transferring the cassette And characterized in that:

[0008] Further, the glass substrate moving cart of the present invention comprises:
It is characterized by comprising a mechanism capable of exchanging information with a processing device that transfers the glass substrate.

Furthermore, the glass substrate moving cart of the present invention is
It is characterized by comprising a measuring means for measuring a positional relationship with a processing device for transferring the glass substrate.

The measuring means is provided at a position facing a plurality of reflectors of the processing apparatus when the measuring means is positioned with respect to the processing apparatus for transferring the glass substrate by the first general positioning means. It is preferable to include a distance sensor that measures the distance between the reflector and the reflector, and further provided at a position facing at least two reflectors marked with the plurality of reflectors, More preferably, it includes a mechanism that can recognize and perform position measurement.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A glass substrate moving cart and a glass substrate supply system using the glass substrate moving cart of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a glass substrate moving trolley according to the present invention. The glass substrate moving trolley 1 includes a base 10 having turning wheels 11.

The base 10 has a third side surface 5
An operation panel 22 is provided on the handle 14, the emergency button 15, and the fourth side surface 6. In addition, a power cord storage portion is formed at a lower portion of the base 10, and the cover 1
3 are provided. Further, an apparatus (automated guided vehicle) 200 for transferring the cassette 30 to and from the carriage 1 (see FIG. 4,
Second rough positioning means 12c for positioning with respect to (6, 7) is formed on the second side surface 4 which is below the base 10 and faces the automatic guided vehicle 200. Similarly, at the lower part of the base 10 and separately from the means 12 c, the first side surface 3 is positioned on the processing apparatus 100 where the glass substrate 31 is transferred to and from the carriage 1.
The rough positioning means 12b is formed. Further, a lower portion of the base 10 is provided with a third
On the side surface 5, the first and second rough positioning means 12b,
An operation pedal 12a for operating the 12c is provided.

On the upper surface 2 of the base 10, an articulated robot 20 is installed. At the tip of the articulated robot 20, a hand unit 21 for mounting a glass substrate 31 is provided. In addition, the hand unit 21 is rotated by a turning shaft attached to the tip of the robot 20.
1 is formed.

Further, a cassette 30 can be mounted on the upper surface 2 of the base 10 with an appropriate space between the cassette 30 and the robot 20. The loaded cassette 3
0 is positioned at a predetermined position on the base 10 by a cassette positioning mechanism (not shown).

Reference numeral 33 denotes a bar code attached to the cassette 30, and reference numeral 32 denotes a reading device provided on the base 10 and reading the bar code 33.

Windows 16a, 16b for sensors for measuring a positional relationship (distance, etc.) with the processing apparatus 100 are provided on the first side surface 3 facing the processing apparatus 100 to which the glass substrate 31 of the base 10 is transferred. 17a and 17b are formed. Further, a glass substrate 31 is provided on the first side surface 3.
A window 18 for an optical communication mechanism 19 for exchanging information with the processing device 100 to which the information is transferred is also formed.

Inside the windows 16a and 16b, as shown in FIG. 3, cameras 25a and 25b as measuring means for measuring the positional relationship between the half mirrors 26a and 26b and the carriage 1 and the processing apparatus 100, and Distance sensor 23a, 2
3b are provided corresponding to the windows 16a and 16b, respectively. The cameras 25a and 25b are installed on a focusing mechanism (not shown). In addition, window 17
a and 17b, distance sensors 24 as measuring means for measuring the positional relationship between the trolley 1 and the processing device 100
a and 24b are installed.

Although not shown, a control mechanism, a battery, and a charging mechanism are provided inside the base 10.
The control mechanism includes a storage device, and each processing device 1
Information on the position (transfer position) where the glass substrate is supplied to 00a to 100f is stored in advance. Further, the battery is used for a part with low power consumption such as a control mechanism including a storage device. Note that the articulated robot 20 is configured so that it cannot be used unless the power cord is connected.

In the glass substrate moving trolley 1 of this embodiment, the base 10 is covered with the articulated robot 20 and the cassette 30, and the side corresponding to the first and second side surfaces 3, 4 of the base 10 is provided. Is provided with a cover 40 having an opening, but this may not be provided. Further, a shutter may be attached to the opening of the cover 40, and a clean fan unit for cleaning the inside of the cover 40 may be mounted on the cover 40.

The processing apparatus 100 to which the glass substrate 31 is delivered and received includes a stage 120 for loading and unloading the substrate,
When the substrate moving trolley 1 is placed sideways on the processing apparatus 100 (see FIGS. 3 and 5), the first general positioning means 1 of the trolley 1
2b includes a substantially positioning mechanism 112 for positioning the carriage 1 in cooperation with 2b. When the trolley 1 is placed sideways on the processing apparatus 100, the processing apparatus 100 has windows 16a, 16b, 17a provided on the first side surface 3 of the trolley 1.
And reflectors 116a at positions opposite to 17b, respectively.
116b, 117a and 117b are provided. Note that cross reference marks are formed on the reflection plates 116a and 116b. Further, the processing apparatus 100 includes:
The optical communication mechanism 1 is located at a position facing the optical communication mechanism 19 of the carriage 1.
19 is provided with an outlet 110 into which the power cord of the cart 1 is inserted after the cart 1 is positioned. Reference numeral 122 denotes an operation panel for the processing apparatus 100.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a position where the glass substrate moving cart 1 transfers the cassette to the automatic guided vehicle 200, and cooperates with the second rough positioning means 12c provided on the cart 1 to position the cart 1. And a device (not shown) for exchanging signals with the automatic guided vehicle 200 (see FIG. 4).

Next, an aspect of the glass substrate supply operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, in order to receive a new cassette 30 from the unmanned transport vehicle 200, the glass substrate moving cart 1 is manually transferred to a place where the general positioning mechanism 50 is installed. When the second rough positioning means 12c provided on the carriage 1 engages with the rough positioning mechanism 50, the carriage 1 is positioned at a predetermined position.

Subsequently, the cassette 30 containing the processed glass substrate 31 is taken into the automatic guided vehicle 200 by the transfer arm 200a, and a new cassette 30 containing the glass substrate 31 to be processed is replaced by the automatic guided vehicle 20.
It is placed on the carriage 1 via the transport arm 200a of the “0” (FIG. 4). Thereafter, the cassette 30 placed on the carriage 1 is fixed at a predetermined position by the positioning mechanism provided on the carriage 1. Thereafter, when the positioning is released by operating the operation pedal 12a with a foot, the carriage 1
0 is manually conveyed.

One of the processing apparatuses (in this embodiment, 100
The cart 1 transported to the processing device 100a is engaged with the first rough positioning means 12b provided on the cart 1 by the rough positioning mechanism 112 provided on the processing device 100a. Is positioned at a predetermined position. In this state, the lid 13 is opened, and the power cord is pulled out from the inside of the base 10 and connected to the outlet 110. Thereby, the robot 20 of the trolley 1 becomes operable, and the battery installed in the trolley 1 is charged.

Here, when the operation panel 22 is operated to set the number of glass substrates 31 in the cassette 30 to be supplied to the processing apparatus 100a, the glass substrate 31 from the carriage 1 to the processing apparatus 100a is set. Supply operation is started.

The supply operation is first performed by the optical communication unit 1
The process starts by confirming what kind of apparatus the processing apparatus 100a is based on 9 and 119. This check is performed on the glass substrate 3
The processing is performed to determine whether or not the processing apparatus 100a to which the glass substrate 31 is to be supplied is a correct apparatus to process the set glass substrate 31.

Next, the cassette 30 is transferred from the automatic guided vehicle 200.
The cassette number of the cassette 30 read by the reading device 32 from the barcode 33 when the is mounted on the cart 1 is transmitted to the processing device 100a.

Subsequently, the distance sensors 23a, 23b, 24a and 24b provided on the truck 1 are used to detect the respective sensors and the reflection plates 116a, 116b, 117a and 117 provided on the side of the processing apparatus 100a opposed thereto.
17b is measured. Thereby, the distance (y) between the processing device 100a and the cart 1 and the processing device 100a
(Θz) and the inclination of the trolley 1 (θx)
Is calculated (see FIG. 6).

Next, based on the distance information of the distance sensors 23a and 23b, the focus of the cameras 25a and 25b is
It is aligned with the cross-shaped reference marks 16a and 116b. After focusing, the camera 25a, 25b calculates the reading position of the reference mark. This allows
The height (z) of the trolley 1 with respect to the processing device 100a, the left and right positions (x) of the trolley 1 with respect to the processing device 100a, and the inclination (θy) of the trolley 1 are calculated.

Each reflection plate 116a, 1
Since the positions from 16b, 117a and 117b to the stage 120 on which the glass substrate 31 is mounted are stored in advance, the robot 20 is actually obtained from the data on the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 100a and the carriage 1 obtained by calculation.
It is calculated how to supply and mount the glass substrate 31 on the stage 120.

Thereafter, the movement of the articulated robot 20 is corrected based on the calculated data, and the robot 20 uses the hand unit 21 to accurately move the set glass substrate 31 on the stage 12 of the processing apparatus 100a based on the corrected data.
Supply within 0.

After the supply of the glass substrate 31 is completed, the carriage 1 is kept in a standby state until the processing of the glass substrate 31 is completed in the processing apparatus 100a, or is transferred to another processing apparatus, for example, 100b. It is moved to supply the glass substrate 31.

When the processing of the glass substrate 31 is completed, the glass substrate 31 is returned from the processing apparatus 100a to the carriage 1. When the cart 1 is on standby and the power cord is not unplugged, a recovery instruction is issued on the operation panel 22 so that the glass substrate 31 is stored at the original position before the cassette 30 is removed. In a case where the cart 1 supplies another cassette 31 to another processing device or the power cord is once disconnected, the position of the cart 1 is roughly determined and the process is started again. In this case, the position of the glass substrate 31 to be stored in the cassette 30 is set again.

In the present embodiment, the charging mechanism is described. However, the battery may be replaced without using the charging mechanism and employing the display of the remaining amount of the battery.

When the floor of the place where the processing apparatus is installed has a good flatness, and there is no need to worry about the inclination of the cart, there is no need for calculation relating to this and correction of the robot.

In this embodiment, one operating pedal is provided for the two substantially positioning mechanisms. However, a pedal may be provided for each of the two positioning mechanisms.

Further, in this embodiment, the operator indicates the order of the cassette in the substrate to be supplied. However, the cassette number and the information on the substrate contained therein are stored in another management system. When the cart is set in the processing unit, the processing unit goes to another management system to inquire the cassette number, retrieves the substrate information in the cassette, and automatically sets the glass at a predetermined stage in the cassette. The substrate may be supplied to a processing device.

In this embodiment, the number of the processing apparatuses for transferring the glass substrate is six, but the number of the processing apparatuses is not limited to this.

Further, in this embodiment, the carriage is moved manually, but the carriage may be moved by remote control using radio or the like, similarly to the automatic guided vehicle.

[0042]

As described above, by configuring the glass substrate moving cart according to the present invention, the delivery of the glass substrate to the processing apparatus can be accurately performed. Furthermore, the system for supplying (transferring) the glass substrate to the processing apparatus is simplified, and there is no need to provide a loader for each processing apparatus, so that the investment amount of the production line can be reduced and the space can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a glass substrate moving cart and a processing apparatus to which a glass substrate is supplied according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the glass substrate moving cart according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a positioning mechanism of a glass substrate moving trolley when supplying a glass substrate to a processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an image diagram showing a state in which a cassette is supplied from the automatic guided vehicle to the glass substrate moving cart.

FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing a state where a glass substrate moving trolley is set beside a processing apparatus in order to supply a glass substrate.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship among a processing apparatus, a glass substrate moving trolley, and an automatic guided vehicle for explaining a glass substrate supply system, in which the trolley supplies a glass substrate to one processing apparatus. Is shown.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a positional relationship among a processing apparatus, a glass substrate moving trolley, and an unmanned transport vehicle for explaining the glass substrate supply system, and illustrates a case where the trolley receives a cassette from the unmanned transport vehicle. .

FIG. 8 is a view schematically showing a conventional glass substrate supply system.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 glass substrate moving cart 2 upper surface of (base 10) 3 first side (of base 10) 4 second side (of base 10) 5 third side (of base 10) 6 fourth side (of base 10) 10 base DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Wheel 12a Operation pedal 12b 1st rough positioning means 12c 2nd rough positioning means 13 Lid 14 Handle 15 Emergency stop button 16a, 16b, 17a, 17b Window for sensor 18 Window for optical communication mechanism 19 Optical communication mechanism (of cart 1) Reference Signs List 20 Articulated robot 21 Hand unit 22 Operation panel 23a, 23b, 24a, 24b Distance sensor 25a, 25b Camera 26a, 26b Half mirror 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30
f, 30 g Cassette 31 Glass substrate 32 Reader 33 Bar code 40 Cover 50 Approximate positioning mechanism 100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 1
00e, 100f Processor 110 Outlet 112 Schematic positioning mechanism 116a, 116b, 117a, 117b (provided in processor 100) Reflector 119 Optical communication mechanism (of processor 100) 120 Stage 122 (for processor 100) Operation panel 200 automatic guided vehicle 200a arm 201 carriage 202a, 202b, 202c, 202d, 202e,
202f loader 210 cassette storage device 220a, 220b, 220c, 220d, 220e,
220f robot

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B65G 49/06 B62B 3/00 DF Term (Reference) 3C007 AS24 CS08 CS10 CY11 KS03 KS04 KS05 KT02 KT09 KX02 LT12 NS21 3D050 AA11 BB09 BB21 DD01 EE15 5F031 CA05 DA01 EA16 FA02 FA03 FA07 FA11 FA12 GA02 GA35 GA36 GA45 GA47 GA57 GA58 JA01 JA04 JA06 JA21 JA22 JA32 JA38 JA49 KA10 KA20 NA03

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A cassette positioning mechanism for positioning a cassette in which a glass substrate is stored, an articulated robot having a hand on which the glass substrate is placed, and a processing device for transferring the glass substrate. And a second rough positioning means for positioning the cassette relative to another device for transferring the cassette. 2. The glass substrate moving trolley according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism capable of exchanging information with a processing device that transfers the glass substrate. 3. The glass substrate moving trolley according to claim 2, further comprising a measuring unit that measures a positional relationship with a processing device that transfers the glass substrate. 4. The measuring device is provided at a position facing a plurality of reflectors of the processing device when the measuring device is positioned with respect to the processing device that transfers the glass substrate by the first general positioning device, 4. The glass substrate moving trolley according to claim 3, further comprising a distance sensor for measuring a distance from the reflection plate. 5. A mechanism, wherein said measuring means is provided at a position facing at least two of the plurality of reflectors marked with a mark, and is capable of recognizing said mark and performing position measurement. The glass substrate moving trolley according to claim 3, wherein the trolley includes: