JP2003140323A - Transport cart and method for transporting photosensitive plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transport cart with which the burden on worker in the case of transporting a glass photographic plate can be reduced, and a method for transporting a photosensitive plate by using the relevant transport cart. SOLUTION: The transport cart 1 is provided with a base part 10 to which casters 13 are attached, a support part 20, for supporting a glass photographic plate 2, which is attached to the base part 10 so that an attitude can be switched to a horizontal attitude or inclined attitude, an attitude switching part 30 for switching the support part 20 into horizontal attitude or inclined attitude, and an illumination part 50 for illuminating the periphery of the base part 10 with safe light having a wavelength region to which a photosensitive layer formed on the glass photographic plate 2 is not photosensitive.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carriage for carrying a photosensitive plate such as a glass dry plate and a method for carrying a photosensitive plate using the carrying carriage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A master pattern plate for a flat panel display (FPD) such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a plasma display panel (PDP) or a mask plate which is a master pattern plate for a printed circuit board is as follows. It is made by. First, in a dark exposure room, a photosensitive layer formed on an emulsion-based or chromium-based glass dry plate (photosensitive plate) is subjected to a predetermined process by a flatbed type laser plotter described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-328398. Pattern is drawn and exposure processing is performed.

Next, the operator takes out from the laser plotter the glass dry plate that has been exposed and supported horizontally in the laser plotter. The operator carries the taken out glass dry plate through the passage in the dark room state to the liquid processing chamber in the dark room state while holding the end portion by hand. Then, the worker shakes the glass dry plate in a substantially horizontal posture in the liquid processing chamber and immerses the glass dry plate in the developer stored in the container to perform the developing process. Finally, in the case of emulsion type glass dry plate, the glass plate is washed with water and dried to complete the mask plate, and in the case of chromium type glass plate, it is washed with water, dried, etc. and etched. The mask board is completed.

[0004]

Generally, the width of the passage is narrow in order to save space in the factory where the exposure chamber and the liquid processing chamber are provided. Further, the inside of this passage is dim because it can be illuminated only by, for example, red safety light having a wavelength range that does not expose the photosensitive layer of the glass plate to be conveyed. Further, with the increase in size of flat panel displays, the glass dry plate to be used as a mask plate is also increased in size, and the weight thereof is also increasing. As described above, the work of carrying the enlarged glass plate while holding it by hand through a narrow and dark passage causes a problem that the work load is heavy.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transportation carriage that can reduce the burden on an operator when transporting a glass dry plate and a method of transporting a photosensitive plate using the transportation carriage.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 provides a method for exposing a photosensitive plate in a horizontal position, and exposing the photosensitive plate to a substantially horizontal position through a passage in a dark room. In a transporting carriage for transporting the photosensitive plate up to the developing means for developing in a posture, it is mounted so that the base portion to which the wheels are attached and the posture of the base portion can be switched to a horizontal posture or an inclined posture. Support part for supporting the photosensitive plate, a posture switching means for switching the supporting part to a horizontal posture or a tilted posture, and a safety light having a wavelength region in which the photosensitive layer formed on the photosensitive plate is not exposed to light. Illumination means for illuminating the periphery of the section.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, from the exposing means for exposing the photosensitive plate in the horizontal posture to the developing means for developing the photosensitive plate in the substantially horizontal posture via the passage in the dark room.
In a method of transporting a photosensitive plate, in the method of transporting a photosensitive plate, the photosensitive plate that has been exposed by the exposing means and is in a horizontal position is mounted on the supporting part in a horizontal position of the transport carriage according to claim 1 from the exposing means. Mounting step, a first attitude changing step of changing the supporting portion supporting the photosensitive plate from the horizontal attitude to the inclined attitude by the attitude changing means after the mounting step, and supporting the photosensitive plate in the inclined attitude after the first attitude changing step. A moving step of moving the transporting carriage via the passage to the vicinity of the developing means while illuminating the periphery of the base part with safety light by the lighting means, and the support supporting the photosensitive plate after the moving step. A second posture changing step of changing the tilted posture from a tilted posture to a horizontal posture by the posture changing means, and a photosensitive plate supported in a horizontal posture on the supporting portion after the second posture changing step as the developing means. Characterized in that it comprises a transfer step of transferring in a horizontal position.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the carrying carriage when a supporting portion 20 described later is in a horizontal posture, FIG. 2 is a top view of the carrying carriage when the supporting portion 20 is in a horizontal posture, and FIG. It is a front view of a trolley | bogie when a part 20 is in a tilted posture. The carriage 1 shown in these figures is for carrying a glass dry plate 2, which is a rectangular photosensitive plate indicated by a chain line, and includes a base portion 10,
The support unit 20, the attitude switching unit 30, the handle unit 40, and the illumination unit 50 are included. The glass dry plate 2 has, for example, an emulsion-type or chromium-type photosensitive layer formed on its surface, and has a size of 700 mm × 800 mm, a thickness of 6 mm, and a weight of about 20 kg. The photosensitive wavelength region where the photosensitive layer of the glass dry plate 2 is exposed is, for example, 400
Within the range of nm to 700 nm.

The base 10 has a trapezoidal box-shaped base main body 11 whose upper and lower parts are opened.
Four casters (wheels) 13 are attached to the four corners of the lower part of each. The caster 13 is rotatable around an axis along the X direction, and is provided on the base body 11 so as to be rotatable around an axis along the Z direction. Base body 11
The top plate 15 is fixed to the upper part of the bracket using a bracket or the like (not shown). Two plate-shaped members 17 are fixed along the Y-direction to the X-direction side end of the top plate 15.
7, the −X direction side pieces of the hinge 31 of the attitude switching unit 30 to be described later are fixed.

The support portion 20 includes a support plate 21 on which the glass dry plate 2 is placed. The X-direction side pieces of the two hinges 31 are fixed to the lower surface of the support plate 21 substantially in the center in the X-direction. The substantially L-shaped support member 23 is attached to the end surface of the support plate 21 on the X direction side along the Y direction. The support member 23 is a support member 2 as shown in FIG.
When 0 is tilted, the X-direction side end (lower end) of the glass plate 2 on the support plate 21 is supported.

The posture switching unit 30 includes the hinge 31, the first magnet 33, the second magnet 35, and the telescopic stay 37. As described above, the two hinges 31 connect the support portion 20 to the base portion 10 so as to be rotatable about the axis of the hinge 31 in the Y direction. First magnet 33
Is fixed to the central portion in the Y direction of the −X direction end of the top plate 15 by using a bracket (not shown). This first
When the support plate 21 is in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1, the magnet 33 contacts a magnet contact member (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the support plate 21 to hold the support part 20 in a horizontal position by its magnetic force. To do. The two second magnets 35 are an upper part of the base body 11 on the X direction side, and are fixed to both side surfaces in the Y direction using brackets (not shown). The second magnet 35 is inclined according to the inclination angle of the support portion 20 in the inclined posture shown in FIG. 3, and contacts the magnet contact member (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the support plate 21 in the inclined posture. The magnetic force holds the supporting portion 20 in the inclined posture.

2 on both sides of the base body 11 in the Y direction.
Individual telescopic stays 37 are provided, and these telescopic stays 37 are provided.
Is expandable and contractable, and connects the base portion 10 and the support portion 20. Specifically, the rotating shaft 37 a provided near the lower end of the extendable stay 37 is attached to the base body 11, and the rotating shaft 3 provided at the upper end of the extendable stay 37.
7b is attached to the support plate 21 by a bracket 37c. The extendable stay 37 is in a contracted state when the support portion 20 is in the horizontal posture as shown in FIG. 1, and is in an extended state when the support portion 20 is in the inclined posture as shown in FIG. The expansion / contraction mechanism of the expansion / contraction stay 37 assists the attitude switching operation of the support portion 20 and enables a smooth attitude switching operation.

Further, the telescopic stay 37 is provided with a lock mechanism for holding the extended state of the support portion 20 when the support portion 20 is in a tilted posture, so that the support portion 20 in the tilted posture can carry its own weight or carry work. You may prevent returning to a horizontal posture by the shock accompanying. If the magnetic force of the second magnet 35 is sufficiently strong, the locking mechanism of the telescopic stay 37 may be omitted, or if the hinge 31 alone can achieve a smooth posture switching operation, the telescopic stay 37 may be omitted.

The bottom plate 41 of the handle portion 40 is a base body 11
It is fixed to the upper surface of the top plate 15 protruding from the −Y direction side. In addition, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bottom plate 41 is the glass dry plate 2 and the support plate 21 where the solid line should be shown.
The hinge 31 is shown by a dotted line so that it can be easily understood. A pair of brackets 43 are provided upright on both ends of the bottom plate 41 along the X direction, and a grip member 45 is provided so as to connect the upper portions of the pair of brackets 43.

The illumination unit 50 includes a first LED group 51 and a second LED group 51.
The LED group 53 and the changeover switch 55 are included. The first LED group 51 includes, for example, three LEDs that emit, for example, red safety light that does not expose the photosensitive layer of the glass dry plate 21 to light, and illustrates the space below the base body 11 with the safety light. It is fixed to the lower central part of the base body 11 by a bracket. Second LE
The D group 53 includes, for example, three LEDs that emit safety light, and is illustrated so as to illuminate the space in the Y direction from the base main body 11, that is, the traveling direction side of the transportation carriage 1 during transportation work with the safety light. The bracket is fixed to the lower side of the base body 11 in the Y direction. The safety light may be light having a wavelength range in which the photosensitive layer formed on the glass dry plate 21 does not sensitize. In the present embodiment, the photosensitive wavelength range of the photosensitive layer is in the range of 400 nm to 700 nm as described above. Therefore, red light having a wavelength larger than 700 nm is used as safety light.

The changeover switch 55 includes the first LED group 5
A switch for switching the first and second LED groups 53 to a lighting state or a non-lighting state.
53 and a power source (not shown).

Next, a carrying operation for carrying the glass dry plate 2 by the carrying cart 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 4. FIG. 4A is a plan view showing an example of an arrangement state of each chamber provided in a factory for manufacturing a printed circuit board, for example. The storage room 100 shown in FIG. 4A is a room for storing a plurality of glass dry plates 2 before the exposure processing. Exposure chamber 110, 120, 130, 14
0 is provided with an exposure device such as a laser plotter, and an exposure process is performed on the glass dry plate 2 in each of these chambers. The liquid processing chamber 150 is provided with a liquid processing device such as a developing device or an etching device, and liquid processing such as development processing is performed on the glass dry plate 2 that has been subjected to the exposure processing in each of the exposure chambers. The above-mentioned storage room 100 and each exposure room 110
A passage 160 is adjacent to the liquid treatment chamber 150 and the like, and the glass dry plate 2 is transported by an operator through the passage 160 and an opening / closing door (not shown) provided in each chamber.

The above-mentioned chambers 100 to 150 and the passage 16
0 is in a dark room state when the glass dry plate 2 is present therein, and is illuminated by, for example, only red safety light. Further, since each room and the passage 160 are partitioned by the room wall, when the room is brightened, for example, when adjusting the apparatus provided in the exposure room 110, the illumination light is in a dark room state. Does not enter each room or passage 160. In addition, the liquid processing chamber 150 is used for other chambers and passages 16
Since it is divided by 0 from the chamber wall, the liquid treatment chamber 1
The alkaline atmosphere generated from the developing solution in 50 and the acidic atmosphere generated from the etching solution do not adversely affect the glass dry plate 2 present in the storage chamber 100 such as the exposure chamber 110 and the passage 160.

First, the worker mounts the glass dry plate 2 stored in the storage chamber 100 on the support plate 21 of the support portion 20 which is held in the horizontal posture of the carriage 1 shown in FIGS. The formed glass dry plate 2 has a photosensitive member facing upward, and the end face of the glass dry plate 2 on the X direction side is supported by the support member 23.
The glass dry plate 2 is mounted so as to be in contact with the inner surface of the. At this time, the changeover switch 55 of the illumination unit 50 is on the lighting side, and the first LED group 51 and the second LED group 53.
Is lit. Next, the operator grips the vicinity of both ends in the X direction of the support plate 21 with both hands, pushes down the X direction side end of the support plate 21 and pulls up the −X direction side end, and mounts the glass dry plate 2. The support portion 20 is rotated about the rotation axis of the hinge 31 by, for example, 70 degrees to bring the support portion 20 into an inclined posture as shown in FIG.

When the supporting portion 20 is in the inclined posture, the lower surface of the glass dry plate 2 opposite to the photosensitive surface is supported by the supporting plate 21, and the lower end portion thereof is supported by the supporting member 23. Then, the operator holds the gripping member 45 of the handle portion 40 with both hands from the −Y direction side, and pushes the carriage 1 supporting the glass dry plate 2 by the supporting portion 20 in the inclined position in the Y direction for storage. One of the opening / closing door of the chamber 100, the passage 160, and each exposure chamber, for example, the exposure chamber 110
The glass dry plate 2 is carried into the exposure chamber 110 through the open / close door.

The glass dry plate 2 carried into the exposure chamber 110
Is put into a flatbed type laser plotter 70 (exposure means) shown in a schematic side view in FIG. 4B, for example, and subjected to an exposure process (exposure step). The laser plotter 70 includes a drawing table 71 for horizontally adsorbing and holding the glass dry plate 2, an exposure head 72 for irradiating a modulated laser beam which is scanned in the main scanning direction toward the glass dry plate 2 on the drawing table 71, and a drawing. A drive mechanism (not shown) for reciprocating the table 71 along the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction is provided.

After the carriage 1 is moved by the operator to a position near the laser plotter 70 in the exposure chamber 110, the supporting portion 20 of the carriage 1 is switched from the inclined posture to the horizontal posture. This switching operation is performed by the reverse operation of the above-described switching operation from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture in the storage chamber 100. Then, the glass dry plate 2 is placed on the drawing plate 71 at the standby position of the laser plotter 70 from the support plate 21 of the support portion 20 in the horizontal posture while keeping the horizontal posture.

The glass dry plate 2 placed on the drawing table 71 and adsorbed and held is moved along the sub-scanning direction by the drive mechanism integrally with the drawing table 71, and is moved in the main scanning direction from the exposure head 72. Then, a predetermined pattern such as a circuit pattern is printed on the photosensitive layer and exposed by a laser beam which is scanned and modulated.

The glass plate 2 in the horizontal position on the drawing table 71 which has returned to the standby position after the exposure process is completed, and the operator carries the glass plate 2 in the horizontal position near the laser plotter 70.
It is mounted on the support plate 21 in the horizontal posture while keeping the horizontal posture. This mounting process corresponds to the mounting process in the present invention. Next, the support portion 20 is switched from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture. It should be noted that this attitude changing step corresponds to the first attitude changing step in the present invention. The mounting operation and the attitude switching operation are the same as the mounting operation and the attitude switching operation in the storage chamber 100 described above.

The carrying carriage 1 with the supporting portion 20 in an inclined posture is pushed by an operator and is opened / closed by the operator as in the carrying operation from the storage chamber 100 to the exposure chamber 110.
The glass dry plate 2 is moved into the liquid processing chamber 150 through the passage 160 and the opening / closing door of the liquid processing chamber 150, and the glass dry plate 2 is transported into the liquid processing chamber 150 (moving step).

In the liquid processing chamber 150, for example, a developing device 80 (developing means) shown in a schematic side view in FIG. 4C is provided. The developing device 80 includes a dish-shaped container 81 for storing a developing solution 82. After moving the carrier 1 to the vicinity of the container 81, the worker switches the posture of the support portion 20 from the inclined posture to the horizontal posture. It should be noted that this attitude switching step is the second step in the present invention.
This is equivalent to the attitude switching process of. Next, the operator lifts the glass dry plate 2 from the support plate 21 in the horizontal posture,
It is immersed in the developing solution 82 stored in the container 81 in a state where it is maintained in a substantially horizontal posture (delivery step). Then, both ends of the glass dry plate 2 are shaken vertically in the developing solution 82 to develop the glass dry plate 2 in a substantially horizontal posture (developing step). When the glass dry plate 2 is an emulsion type after the development processing, the glass dry plate 2 is washed with water and dried to complete a mask plate to be a master pattern plate. When the glass plate 2 is made of chromium, the glass plate 2 after development processing
The mask plate is completed by washing, drying, etching, etc.

As described above, the glass plate 2 is transferred between the transport carriage 1 and the laser plotter 70 for exposing the glass plate 2 in the horizontal position and the developing device 80 for developing the glass plate 2 in the substantially horizontal position. The mounting operation can be performed while the posture of the glass plate 2 is kept substantially horizontal by holding the supporting portion 20 in the horizontal posture. For this reason, it is not necessary for the worker to change the posture of the glass dry plate 2 during the transfer, so that the burden on the worker during the transfer work can be reduced.

When the operator pushes the carrier truck 1, the supporting portion 20 is in the inclined posture, so that the dimension in the width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the carrier truck 1 can be reduced. As a result, when the transport carriage 1 passes through the passage 160 having a narrow passage width and the opening / closing door, or when the transport carriage 1 turns, the transport carriage 1 moves to each room or passage 16
Since the risk of colliding with a 0 wall or the like is reduced, the burden on the operator in moving the transporting carriage 1 can be reduced.

Further, the space below the base 10 is the illumination unit 5.
The first LED group 51 of 0 is illuminated with safety light, and the space on the traveling direction side of the base 10 is illuminated with safety light by the second LED group 53. As a result, it is possible to secure the safety of the feet and the front of the worker and reduce the burden on the worker when the transporting cart 1 is moved. The space illuminated by the illumination unit 50 is not limited to the space below the base 10 or the space on the advancing direction side, and may be a space around the base 10 that can ensure the safety of the worker.

Further, unlike the conventional carrying work in which the worker holds the glass dry plate, the worker touches the glass dry plate 2 only during the transfer operation with respect to the carrying carriage 1. It is possible to suppress the contamination of the glass dry plate 2 due to the contact between the glass dry plate 2 and the foreign matter from the worker from adhering to the glass dry plate 2.

<Modification> In the above-described embodiment, the carrying work is performed by the operator, but the carrying work may be automated. For example, each room 100-150 in the passage 160.
A track rail communicating with the track rail is provided, and the carriage 1 is moved by the drive mechanism along the track rail. Further, an actuator such as an air cylinder for switching the attitude of the support section 20 is provided in the attitude switching section 30, and the glass dry plate 2 is attached to the laser plotter 70 and the developing device 80.
Transport robots for loading and unloading are installed respectively. further,
Instead of the developing device 80, a developing device (developing means) for automatically performing a developing process is arranged.

[0032]

As described in detail above, according to the first or second aspect of the invention, the exposure is performed in a state in which the support unit which is in the horizontal position by the position switching unit maintains the substantially horizontal position from the exposure unit. Since the plate can be received, and the photosensitive plate can be transferred from the supporting portion in the horizontal position to the developing device while maintaining the substantially horizontal position,
The burden on the operator can be reduced. Further, when passing through the passage in the dark room state, since the support portion is inclined by the posture switching means, it is possible to move through the narrow passage without any trouble. Further, by illuminating the periphery of the base portion with the safety light by the illumination means, it is possible to illuminate the passage in a dark room state, so that the safety of the worker can be secured and the work load can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a carriage for a case where a support portion is in a horizontal posture.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the transportation carriage when the support portion is in a horizontal posture.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the transporting carriage when the support portion is in an inclined posture.

4A is a plan view of the inside of a factory, FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of a laser plotter, and FIG. 4C is a schematic side view of a developing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 trolley for transportation 2 glass plate 10 Base part 20 Support 30 Posture switching unit 40 handle 50 Lighting unit 70 Laser plotter 80 Developing Equipment 110-140 exposure room 150 liquid processing chamber 160 passage

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Hideki Kai             4-chome Tenjin, which runs up to Teranouchi, Horikawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto             1 Kitamachi No. 1 Dai Nippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.             Inside the company F-term (reference) 2H095 BA01 BB01 BE11                 3D050 AA11 AA35 BB29

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A carriage for transporting a photosensitive plate from an exposing means for exposing the photosensitive plate in a horizontal posture to a developing means for developing the photosensitive plate in a substantially horizontal posture through a passage in a dark room state. The base part to which the wheels are attached, the support part for supporting the photosensitive plate attached to the base part so that the posture can be switched to the horizontal posture or the inclined posture, and the support portion to the horizontal posture or A posture switching means for switching to a tilted posture, and an illuminating means for illuminating the periphery of the base part with safety light having a wavelength region that does not expose the photosensitive layer formed on the photosensitive plate. A dolly for carrying. 2. A method of transporting a photosensitive plate for transporting the photosensitive plate from an exposing means for exposing the photosensitive plate in a horizontal posture to a developing means for developing the photosensitive plate in a substantially horizontal posture through a passage in a dark room state. The mounting step of mounting the photosensitive plate, which has been subjected to the exposure processing by the exposing means, in the horizontal position on the supporting part in the horizontal position of the transporting carriage according to claim 1 from the exposing means, and the photosensitive plate after the mounting step. A first posture changing step of changing the supporting portion supporting the sheet from a horizontal posture to an inclined posture by the posture changing means; and the carriage for supporting the photosensitive plate in the inclined posture after the first posture changing step, the illuminating means. By a movement step of illuminating the periphery of the base portion with safe light through the passage to the vicinity of the developing means, and by the posture switching means, the support portion supporting the photosensitive plate after the movement step. A second attitude changing step of changing the inclined attitude to a horizontal attitude; and a delivering step of passing the photosensitive plate supported on the supporting portion in the horizontal attitude to the developing means in a substantially horizontal attitude after the second attitude changing step. A method of transporting a photosensitive plate, comprising: