JP2003063636A - Substrate conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To align substrates widthwise even at a high conveying speed. SOLUTION: When a tip of first one of the plurality of substrates of the same size conveyed over conveyor rollers 1 is detected by a tip detecting means, side edge truing-up means 8a, 8b and side edge detecting means 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b are moved along the width of the substrate from an original position X0. The side edge detecting means detect a side edge of the substrate one after another, and when the side edge truing-up means each perform truing-up of the side edge, widthwise positions of the side edge truing-up means or the side edge detecting means are stored. The side edge truing-up means and the side edge detecting means are returned to respective arbitrary positions inward of the original position along the width of the substrate. When a tip of the second substrate is detected by the tip detecting means, the side edge truing-up means and the side edge detecting means are moved from the respective arbitrary positions along the width of the substrate for truing-up of the side edge of the second substrate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device for aligning and aligning substrates during the transfer of substrates on a transfer path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A substrate transfer device is installed, for example, on the upstream side of a film sticking device for sticking a resist film or the like on both sides or one side of a printed circuit board (hereinafter abbreviated as a board).

In the conventional substrate transfer apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-8432, the rotatable width-adjusting pole is divided into two stages in order to prevent the warp of the substrate and the damage at the end portion on the substrate side. It is designed to perform width adjustment and alignment by operating it.In the first stage width adjustment operation, the width adjustment pole is moved at a desired speed to a position slightly wider than the width of the substrate in the width direction of the substrate orthogonal to the transport direction. Then, in the second step, the width-adjusting pole is moved more slowly to align and align the width-adjusting center.

[0004]

In the above prior art, when the alignment of the substrates in the width direction is completed in the second-stage width-shifting operation, the width-shifting drive motor rotates in the opposite direction to that of the width-shifting operation. The pole is designed to return to the origin position. Therefore, the narrower the width of the conveyed substrate is than the width of the carrying path, the longer the wasteful movement distance of the width-adjusting pole becomes, and the longer the width-adjusting takes. Therefore, when the substrate transport speed is high, the substrate passes through the width aligning mechanism unit before the width aligning is completed, and the substrate is transported to the downstream film sticking apparatus without being aligned. Further, if the conveying speed is lowered to align the sheets, the number of processed sheets is reduced, which causes a decrease in productivity.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer device capable of aligning substrates in the width direction even when the transfer speed is high.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that a substrate transfer device is arranged such that while the substrate is being transferred by a conveyor roller, the substrate is width-aligned to a desired position in the transfer direction. In the apparatus, a front end detecting unit that detects a front end position of the substrate in the carrying direction, and a width adjusting unit that moves in a width direction of the substrate orthogonal to the carrying direction and abuts against a side end of the substrate to perform the width adjustment of the substrate. And, in order to detect the side edge of the substrate by moving in the width direction of the substrate together with the width-shifting means, at a position upstream of the leading edge detecting means in the transport direction and closer to the substrate than the width-shifting means in the substrate width direction. It has inner and outer side edge detection means arranged and control means for controlling the width adjustment of the respective substrates, and the control means
When the leading edge position of the leading edge substrate of the plurality of substrates of the same size conveyed on the conveyor roller is detected by the leading edge detecting means, the width adjusting means and the both side edge detecting means are moved from the origin position to the substrate. In the width direction, the side edge detecting means sequentially detects the side edges of the substrate, respectively, and the width aligning means or the both side edge detecting means when the width aligning means detects the position in the width direction. The width adjusting means and the both side edge detecting means are returned to an arbitrary position inside the origin position in the width direction of the substrate, and the leading edge position of each substrate is detected by the leading edge detecting means for each subsequent substrate. When the position is detected, the width adjusting means and the both side edge detecting means are moved in the width direction of the substrate from the arbitrary position to perform the width adjustment of the respective substrates.

According to the present invention, the width-shifting start position of the second and subsequent substrates is the substrate-side edge detection position in the substrate transportation, and the time required to move the width-shifting means can be shortened. Also,
The position where the width adjusting means returns to prepare for the next substrate is a position based on the moving distance, and the time required for the return can be shortened.
Therefore, even if the transfer speed is high, the transfer speed of the substrate can be increased, the number of processed substrates is increased, and the productivity is improved.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a width-shifting mechanism portion shown in a part of FIG. 1, and parts corresponding to each other in FIGS. The same code is attached.

In both figures, 1 is a conveyor roller, 2 is a conveyor roller drive motor, 3 is a drive shaft, 4 is a timing pulley, 5 is a timing belt, 6a and 6b are substrate edge detecting sensors, and 7a and 7b are pole mounting members. , 8a, 8
b is a width-adjusting pole. Reference numerals 9a and 9b are width-shifting outer sensors, and 10a and 10b are width-shifting inner sensors. Detection values of these sensors are sent to a control device (see control device 20 in FIG. 4) to control the width-shifting drive motor 11. Then substrate 1
The width adjusting operation of 9 is performed.

12 is a timing belt, 13a, 13b
Is a timing pulley, 14 is a rail, 15a and 15b are moving blocks, 16 is a width-shifting origin sensor, 17 is a light-shielding plate, 18 is a width-shifting limit sensor, 21 is a film sticking device, F is a film sticking on the substrate 19, Pv 23 is a suction plate that holds the film F when the width-shifting mechanism unit performs the width-shifting operation by the control device (see FIG. 4) described later, 23
Is a pressure roll. The film sticking device 21 is adapted to supply the film F to the substrate 19 conveyed at a constant interval in accordance with the conveying speed of the substrate, but its detailed relation to the width-shifting mechanism part is omitted because it is less relevant. To do.

Above the pedestal (not shown) of the substrate transfer device, a conveyor roller 1 for transferring the substrate 19 to the film sticking device 21, a conveyor roller drive motor 2 for driving the same, and a drive shaft 3 of the substrate 19 are provided. Several places are provided at intervals in the transport direction. The rotation of each conveyor roller 1 is synchronized by a timing pulley 4 provided on the drive shaft 3 and a timing belt 5 provided between the timing pulley 4. Downstream of the substrate 19 in the transport direction (the film sticking device 2
On the first side), there are substrate front end detection sensors 6a and 6b which detect the presence or absence of the substrate 19 and output a trigger signal for starting the width-shifting operation. Pole mounting members 7 are provided on both left and right sides of the board 19 in the carrying direction.
a and 7b, and the pole mounting members 7a and 7b are arranged on the left and right ends of the board 19 being conveyed in the width direction (horizontal direction orthogonal to the conveying direction) to align the board 19 in the width direction. Several 8a and 8b are provided at intervals in the carrying direction. Further, there are provided width-shifting outer sensors 9a and 9b and width-shifting inner sensors 10a and 10b which detect the side edges of the substrate 19 during the width-shifting operation of the substrate 19.

The timing pulley 13a provided at the shaft end of the timing pulley 13 is rotated by the operation of the width-shifting drive motor 11, and the timing pulley 1 is passed through the timing belt 12.
Rotate 3b. The pole attachment members 7a and 7b attached to the timing belt 12 move on the rail 14 in the width direction of the board 19 via the lower moving blocks 15a and 15b to perform width adjustment. The moving distance in the width direction is adjusted by the forward / reverse rotation amount of the width-shifting drive motor 11,
9 is moved to the center position in the width direction of the conveyor roller 1 by the width adjusting poles 8a and 8b.

The origin of the width-shifting is detected by the width-shifting origin sensor 16 and the light-shielding plate 17 attached to the lower portion of the pole mounting member 7a, so that the interference of the width-shifting mechanism portions on the left and right sides in the substrate transport direction during the width-shifting operation is detected. The detection for prevention is performed by the light shielding plate 17 and the width adjustment limit sensor 18.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a series of operations from the start of the width adjustment to the end by the control device 20, and FIG.
(A)-(c) and FIG. 5 (a)-(c) show the control device 20.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation state from the start of the width adjustment to the end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the control device 20 receives the detection values of the substrate front end detection sensors 6a and 6b, the width-shifting outer sensors 9a and 9b, and the width-shifting inner sensors 10a and 10b. Then, the control device 20 controls the width-shifting drive motor 11 based on these pieces of information to perform the width-shifting operation of the substrate 19. The width-shifting operation will be described below.

In step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1 in FIG. 3, it is confirmed by the width-shifting origin sensor 16 and the light shielding plate 17 that the width-shifting poles 8a and 8b are at the origin position X0. The origin position X0 of the width-adjusting poles 8a and 8b is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the width-shifting origin sensor 16 is at a position blocked by the light shielding plate 17. In S2, the substrate 19 is carried into the width-shifting mechanism section by the conveyor roller 1. In this case, the substrate 19 is conveyed with its center in the width direction being aligned with the center of the conveyor roller 1 in the width direction.

When the tip of the substrate 19 is detected by the substrate tip detection sensors 6a and 6b in S3 as shown in FIG. 4A, a signal indicating that the substrate is present is sent to the controller 20 in S4, and the controller 20 A width-shift start signal is output to drive the width-shift drive motor 11. Width adjustment drive motor 1 in S5
By 1, the width-adjusting poles 8a and 8b continue to move inward from the origin position X0.

The width-shifting inside sensors 10a and 10b are shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), when the left and right edges of the board 19 in the width direction are sequentially detected (S6), the width-adjusting poles 8a, 8
Since b is moved by the same distance and the widthwise center of the substrate 19 is aligned with the widthwise center of the conveyor roller 1, the detection result of one of the width-shifting inside sensors 10a and 10b is used. By the way, the width-shifting movement amount from the origin position X0 to which the width-shifting pole 8b has moved to the substrate detection position X2 is H2, and the operation between both positions X0-X2 is the first width-shifting operation. The position X2 at this time is stored in the control device 20 (S7).

When the width-shift drive motor 11 is a pulse motor, a pulse counter is provided in the control unit 20 to store the width-shift inner sensor 10 from the start of movement.
This is performed by reading the number of operation pulses until a and 10b detect the substrate side edge from the pulse counter. Since the moving distance of the width-adjusting poles 8a and 8b for one pulse is unique to each device, if the number of operation pulses is known, the substrate side edge detection position X2 and the moving distance H2 can be easily calculated.

When the width-shift drive motor 11 is a servo motor, position information obtained from an encoder built in the servo motor is input to the servo motor controller, and the board side edge detection position X2 and the moving distance H2 are calculated from the position information. Easily calculated.

The width-adjusting inner side sensors 10a and 10b are used for the substrate 1
When the side edge of 9 is detected, the width adjusting poles 8a and 8b are detected in S8.
Operation speed is switched to a low speed, and the width adjustment pole 8a,
8b is continued to move, and as shown in FIG. 4 (c), when the lateral shift outer sensors 9a and 9b detect the side edge of the substrate 19 (S10), the lateral shift drive motor 11 is stopped in S11.

The width-shift outer sensor 9a, 9b is the substrate 19
X1 is the position where the side edge of is detected, and position X2 to position X
The width-shifting movement amount up to 1 is set to H1, the operation during this time is set to the second width-shifting operation, and the position X1 and the movement amount H1 are also set to the control device 20.
To memorize.

This is the end of the width adjustment, and it is assumed that the alignment of the substrates 19 is completed, and the substrates 19 are transported downstream (S
12). After the substrate has passed through the width-shifting mechanism portion, the width-shifting drive motor 11 returns the width-shifting poles 8a and 8b to the position X2 in S13 as shown in FIG. Moving distance H1
Is calculated by performing back calculation from the data stored in the control device 20 in S14, and when the position X2 is reached, the width-shift drive motor 11 is stopped in S15.

In subsequent S16, it is confirmed whether or not the width dimension of the conveyed substrate is changed by changing the lot, and if the same substrate is conveyed (no change in the lot), S17 in FIG. As shown in (b), when the leading edge of the succeeding substrate is detected by the substrate leading edge detection sensors 6a and 6b, S
Return to 9.

After returning to S9, the process up to S16 is repeated and the above operation is repeated until the lot is changed. First board 1
9 was accurately conveyed, but since the second and subsequent sheets are appropriately flowed on the transport path, the substrates are aligned in S12 as shown in FIG. It has been positioned accurately.

When it is confirmed in S16 that there is a lot change input, the process proceeds to S18, and it is confirmed whether the substrate transfer is continued. If it is continued (not finished), lot information such as the substrate width is input in S19, and S20 is entered. Wait for the substrate of the previous lot being conveyed on the conveyor roller 1 to be discharged at S21.
In step S22, the board width change command is issued from the controller 20, and the width adjusting poles 8a and 8b are moved to the origin position X0 in step S22.
Then, the same processing is performed on the substrate 19 having a new width. The board width change command in S21 is the movement amount H1 with respect to the position X2 for each board based on the difference in the board processing accuracy.
May be used as information for setting (S14).

When it is determined in S18 that there is no substrate to be transported, it is confirmed that the film F has been attached to the last substrate by the film attaching device 21 and the film has been discharged toward the downstream device. The approach poles 8a and 8b are returned to the origin position X0, and the operation of the apparatus is completed.

As described above in the present embodiment, with respect to the second and subsequent substrates, the width-shifting start positions of the width-shifting poles 8a and 8b are the position X2 and the conventional origin position X0.
Therefore, the movement amount X1 is short, and the width adjustment is completed earlier accordingly. Since the position to return to prepare for the next substrate is H1 and the distance is X2, the time required for restoration can be shortened, the substrate transfer speed can be increased, the number of processed substrates can be increased, and the productivity can be improved.

Since the position X2 and the moving distance H1 can be set and changed according to the substrate, the processing speed can be changed in the upstream and downstream devices.

In the above embodiment, the film sticking device was described as the downstream device, but it can be used for various devices that require the alignment of the substrate, such as a solder printer and a surface mounting device for mounting electronic components on the substrate.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to obtain a substrate transfer device capable of aligning substrates in the width direction even if the transfer speed is high.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of a substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a width-shifting mechanism portion shown in a portion A of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a series of operations from the start to the end of width adjustment at the time of substrate transfer by the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operating state of the substrate transfer device from the start of the width adjustment to the end by the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an operation state of the substrate transfer device from the start of the width adjustment to the end by the control device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Conveyor roller 2 ... Conveyor roller drive motor 3 ... Drive shaft 4, 13a, 13b ... Timing pulley 5, 12 ... Timing belt 6a, 6b ... Substrate tip detection sensor 7a, 7b ... Pole mounting member 8a, 8b ... Width-adjusting pole 9a, 9b ... width-shifting outer sensor 10a, 10b ... width-shifting inner sensor 11 ... Width drive motor 14 ... Rail 16 ... Alignment origin sensor 17 ... Shading plate 18 ... Width limit sensor 19 ... Substrate 20 ... Control device 21 ... Film sticking device F ... film

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for aligning a substrate by moving the substrate to a desired position in the carrying direction while the substrate is being carried by a conveyor roller, and a tip detecting means for detecting a tip position of the substrate in the carrying direction. Width-shifting means that moves in the width direction of the substrate orthogonal to the transport direction and contacts the side edge of the substrate to shift the width of the substrate, and moves in the width direction of the substrate together with the width-shifting means to detect the side edge of the substrate. In order to control the width adjustment of the respective substrates, inner and outer side edge detection means arranged at a position upstream of the front end detection means in the carrying direction and closer to the substrate than the width adjustment means in the board width direction. And a control means for performing the operation, wherein the control means is configured to detect the leading end position of the leading substrate among the plurality of substrates of the same size conveyed on the conveyor roller when the leading end position is detected by the leading end detection means. Width adjustment means The side edge detecting means is moved in the width direction of the substrate from the origin position, and the side edge detecting means sequentially detects the side edges of the substrate, respectively, and the width aligning means or the both side edges when the width aligning means performs the width aligning. Storing the position of the detection means in the width direction,
The width aligning means and both side edge detecting means are returned to an arbitrary position inside the origin position in the width direction of the substrate, and the leading edge position of each substrate is detected by the leading edge detecting means for each subsequent substrate. By the way, the substrate transfer apparatus is characterized in that the width adjusting means and the both side edge detecting means are moved in the width direction of the substrate from the arbitrary position to perform the width adjustment of the respective substrates. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arbitrary position in the width adjustment control is the inner side edge detection at a position where the outer side edge detection means detects the side edge of the substrate. A substrate transfer apparatus, which is a position where the means is moved or a position between the position and the origin position. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the width aligning means and the both side edge detecting means are installed on both sides of the board in the width direction, and the board is aligned to the center of the conveyor roller in the width direction. A substrate transfer device characterized by the above.