JP2003145467A - Method for carrying out evacuated panel from evacuation cart - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for carrying out an evacuated panel from an evacuation cart in which breakage of a chip pipe and leakage from the panel can be avoided when carrying out the panel from the evacuation cart by a robot. SOLUTION: When carrying out the panel from the evacuation cart by using the robot, the position of a chip pipe clip 1 having a reference marker 3 is detected, the axes of a robot hand and the chip pipe clip 1 are agreed with each other to remove the chip pipe clip 1, and the position of a chip pipe 23 fitted to an evacuation head 24 is detected. Acceptance/rejection of the fitting a heater for sealing and cutting the chip pipe to the chip pipe 23 is determined based on the position information, and if the fitting is possible, the chip pipe 23 is sealed and cut after the fitting, a lower side of the panel P is supported by the robot hand to take out and transfer the panel P from the evacuation cart.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of unloading an exhaust-treated panel such as a plasma display panel or an insulating glass panel from an exhaust cart.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when the inside of a panel such as a plasma display panel is vacuum-exhausted, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, an exhaust cart 10 for holding a plurality of panels P in a multi-stage stack is used. The cart 10 includes an exhaust cart main body 11, an exhaust head support portion 12, and a panel storage magazine 13. The exhaust cart main body 11 has a vacuum pump and the like (not shown) built therein, has wheels at the bottom, and travels on the rail R. Further, the exhaust head support portion 12 is composed of an exhaust head support column 21 erected on the exhaust cart main body 11 and a plurality of exhaust head mounting members 22 extending vertically from the exhaust head support column 21 at appropriate intervals in the lateral direction. As will be described later, the exhaust head 24 is supported via a spring by a bracket forming a part of the exhaust head mounting member 22. In addition, the panel storage magazine 13 includes four magazine columns 25 that are erected on the exhaust cart body 11.
And a panel support beam 26 supported by the magazine support column 25 and a horizontal member 25a provided between the magazine support columns 25. The panel support beam 26 is provided with a panel support 27 for supporting the panel P. I have it.

The exhaust head 24, as shown in FIG.
The exhaust head body 33 is provided with a vacuum seal portion 32 made of an annular and hollow elastic member surrounded by a cooling water jacket 31. The exhaust head body 33 is supported by a bracket 35 via a spring 34. . In addition, 31a is a cooling water supply pipe, 31b is a cooling water distribution pipe, 3
2a is a high pressure air supply / exhaust pipe, and 44 is a vacuum exhaust pipe. Further, between the bracket 35 and the exhaust head body 33,
A slide guide 38 including a tubular body 36 and a rod 37 slidably fitted in the tubular body 36 is provided.
The exhaust head main body 33 is vertically movable relative to the bracket 35. As described above, the bracket 35 forms a part of the exhaust head mounting member 22.

The tip tube 23 is inserted through the tip tube insertion hole 39 at the center of the upper end surface of the exhaust head 24 through the center of the vacuum seal portion 32, and expanded by the high pressure air supplied from the high pressure air supply / exhaust tube 32a. Vacuum seal part 3
It is kept airtight in a vertical state by 2. On the other hand, the vent hole 41 is provided in the corner portion of the panel P, the frit seal 42 is arranged on the upper surface of the tip tube 23, and the center of the tip tube 23 of the panel P coincides with the center of the vent hole 41. In addition, the frit seal 42 is placed on the panel support 27 so that the ventilation hole 41 contacts the frit seal 42.

When the panel P is placed on the panel support 27, a chip tube clip 43 for integrally fixing the panel P and the chip tube 23 is attached. afterwards,
The exhaust cart 10 is loaded into the sealing exhaust furnace and moves in the furnace, and the chip tube 23 is sealed to the panel P, and the panel P is exhausted through the chip tube 23. Further, the exhaust cart 10 is moved to the outside of the sealed exhaust furnace, and the chip tube clip 43 is removed from the furnace, the chip tube P is sealed and cut, and the exhausted panel P is stored in the panel storage magazine 13. The take-out process and the transfer process of the panel P to the panel payout device are performed.

By the way, causes such as vibration during movement of the exhaust cart 10 or thermal deformation of the magazine column 25 or the panel support beam 26 during sealing / exhaust treatment in the furnace and expansion / contraction of the panel P due to heating / cooling. Then, the tip tube clip 43 in the exhaust cart 10 that has come out of the furnace
However, as shown in FIG. 18, it may deviate from the initial mounting position. Further, due to the above-mentioned cause, the state in which the chip tube 23 after the sealing / exhaust treatment of the panel P is moved in parallel to the panel P, that is, the center of the chip tube 23 and the center of the vent hole 41 are deviated, Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 19, it may be in an inclined state. Further, due to the above-mentioned cause, the panel P on the exhaust cart 10 may be moved from the initial loading position as shown in FIG. For these reasons, a series of operations for carrying out the exhaust-processed panel P from the exhaust cart 10 relies on manpower.

[0007]

The above-mentioned conventional series of manual work has problems of low work efficiency and low productivity. Therefore, a robot for automation is adopted, the tip pipe clip 43 is removed from the exhausted panel P using a robot hand, and the tip pipe 23 is sealed and cut by a heater device that sandwiches the tip pipe P from both left and right sides. It is conceivable to take out the panel P from the panel storage magazine 13 and transfer the panel P to the panel delivery device.

However, when the tip pipe clip 43 to be removed is displaced from the initial position of attachment, as shown in FIG. 18, the operating direction along the center line of the robot hand H and the center line of the tip pipe clip 43. Does not match, and the tip tube clip 43 cannot be gripped by the robot hand H, or even if it can be gripped, the tip tube clip 43 may damage the tip tube 23, or in the worst case, The problem that the tip tube 23 is broken occurs.

Further, when the chip tube 23 moves in parallel, the surrounding of the chip tube P by the heater device becomes incomplete, and the chip tube 23 may not be sealed or cut. Even if the chip tube P is completely enclosed, the heater is disconnected and the chip tube 23 is not sealed or cut. However, in the robot hand H, the exhaust cart 10 of the panel P is regarded as the chip tube 23 having been sealed and cut.
Since the unloading work is started, there is a problem that the tip tube 23 is damaged. Further, when the tip tube 23 is inclined, the heater device forcibly surrounds the tip tube 23 with a strong force, which causes a problem that the tip tube 23 is damaged.

Furthermore, if the exhausted panel P is displaced from the initial position of loading, the fork F attached to the tip of the robot hand H will move the panel P in a state of being displaced. There is also a problem that the panel P is not properly transferred to the panel dispensing device. The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional problems, and when a panel is carried out from an exhaust cart by a robot, it is avoided that the tip tube is damaged or leaks from the panel, and the tip is properly processed. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of unloading an exhaust-treated panel from an exhaust cart, which enables only a panel on which a pipe has been sealed and cut to be transferred to a fixed position.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a chip for carrying out a panel from an exhaust cart having a panel storage magazine storing a plurality of exhaust-treated panels by using a robot. Detect the position of the tube clip, perform the removal process of the chip tube clip by matching each center line of the robot hand and the chip tube clip based on the position information of this chip tube clip, then detect the position of the chip tube, Based on the position information of the chip tube, it is determined whether or not the heater device for sealing / cutting the chip tube can be mounted on the chip tube. If the mounting is possible, after the mounting,
The chip tube is sealed and cut, and then the robot hand is used to support the lower surface of the panel and the panel is taken out of the exhaust cart and transferred.

In addition to the structure of the first aspect of the invention, the second aspect of the present invention determines whether or not the tip tube has been cut after performing the tip tube sealing / cutting process by the heater device, and the cutting is performed. If it is, remove the panel from the exhaust cart by supporting the bottom surface of the panel with the robot hand.
The transfer processing is executed.

In addition to the configuration of the first invention or the second invention, a third invention is to judge whether or not the chip tube has been cut after performing the chip tube sealing / cutting process by the heater device, If the cutting has been performed, the lower surface of the panel is supported by the robot hand, the panel is taken out from the exhaust cart, the position of this panel is detected when the panel is transferred, and the robot is based on the position information. It is configured to correct the position of the hand.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As described later, the equipment to which the method for unloading an exhaust-treated panel from the exhaust cart according to the present invention is applied, except that a tip tube clip and a robot equipped with a camera are used for the robot hand, as will be described later. 17
It is virtually the same as the equipment shown in. Therefore, in the following, as far as the common part is concerned, it will be explained based on FIGS. 15 to 17 and using the same numbers.

The unloading method is roughly divided into a chip tube clip removing process, a chip tube sealing / cutting process, and a panel removing / transferring process. The clip removing process will be described with reference to FIG. First, in S (step) 1.1, the position detection of the chip pipe clip 1 fixing the exhaust pipe 10 and the exhaust pipe 10 on the exhaust cart 10 located outside the furnace is performed. 2 to 4 show a tip tube clip 1 used in the present invention, which has a notch 2 on the lower surface and two reference marks 3 which are pins provided on both sides of the center line in the longitudinal direction so as to project from the upper surface.
have.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the position of the tip tube clip 1 is detected by the camera C provided in the robot hand H in two directions orthogonal to each other (eg, orthogonal X).
This is done by detecting the two reference markers 3 from the (axis, Y-axis direction) and measuring the distances X and Y between them. The reference mark 3 is not limited to the pin,
It does not necessarily have to be located on the center line of the upper surface of the tip tube clip 1, and it is sufficient that the both ends of the tip tube clip 1 can be detected by the camera C. In addition, reference mark 3
The number of does not have to be two, and may be more than that.

In S1.2, based on the result of the measurement, it is determined whether the tip tube clip 1 is in the normal position, that is, whether the tip tube clip 1 can be removed at the movement stop position of the robot hand H. Is judged, YE
If S, proceed to S1.3, and if NO, proceed to S1.4. In S1.3, the tip tube clip 1 is in the normal position, and the robot hand H is in a state where the tip tube clip 1 can be removed at the predetermined movement stop position. Removal is performed.

On the other hand, in S1.4, the amount of displacement of the tip tube clip 1 from the normal position is calculated based on the result of the above measurement. That is, based on the measured distances X and Y, X from the predetermined value of the tip tube clip 1
The shift amount in the axial direction and the Y-axis direction is calculated. In the subsequent S1.5, regarding the movement stop position of the robot hand,
The amount of deviation is corrected from the predetermined movement stop position. That is, as shown in FIG.
The operation of the robot hand H is corrected so that the center position of the robot is aligned with the center line of the tip tube clip 1 in the longitudinal direction. Then, in S1.3, the tip tube clip 1 is detached in the same manner as described above, and the tip tube clip 1 detachment process ends.

Next, the sealing / cutting process of the chip tube, which is executed after the process of removing the chip tube clip 1, will be described with reference to FIG. In sealing and cutting the chip tube 23, first in S2.1, as shown in FIGS.
2 directions (X-axis direction, Y-axis direction) similar to the above by camera C
From this, the position of the tip tube 23 is detected, and the tilt angle of the tip tube 23, which should be vertical, and the amount of deviation from the center are calculated. In S2.2, it is determined whether or not the calculated tilt angle and the deviation amount from the center are within an allowable range in which the tip tube 23 is not damaged when the tip tube 23 is gripped by the robot hand. In the case of S2.3
If NO, proceed to S2.7.

In S2.3, the heater device 6 for sealing and cutting
Is attached to the tip tube 23. As shown in FIG. 11, the heater device 6 is composed of two divided heater portions 6A and 6B in which a semicircular recess 4 is provided at the center of the semicircular end face, and each has a heater element built therein. . The divided heater portions 6A and 6B are mounted on the chip tube 23 so as to be sandwiched from both sides thereof, and as a result, surround the entire circumference of the chip tube 23. In S2.4, the heater section 6 is energized for a predetermined time. Usually, as a result, the tip tube 23 is sealed and melted by the heating of the heater element.

In step S2.5, as shown in FIG. 12, the camera C detects the chip tube 23, and it is confirmed whether the chip tube 23 is sealed or cut. If it is determined that there is, that is, if YES, S
If not, that is, if the answer is NO, proceed to S2.8. Since the chip tube 23 is sealed and cut in S2.6, the robot hand H is returned to the initial position, and the chip tube 23 is sealed and cut. As a result, the panel P is in a completed state. On the other hand, in S2.7 and S2.8, an alarm is issued because an abnormal state in which the chip tube 23 cannot be sealed / cut occurs.
The sealing / cutting process of the chip tube 23 is stopped.

When the chip tube 23 is sealed and cut in S2.6, the completed panel P is taken out from the exhaust cart 10 and transferred. Therefore, this processing will be described with reference to FIG. First,
In step S3.1, the panel P is supported from below by the fork F attached to the tip of the robot hand, and is taken out from the panel storage magazine 13 to a predetermined panel storage space. S
In 3.2, as shown in FIG. 14, the panel P in this panel storage area is detected by the fixed camera C, and the panel P is detected.
Position measurement is performed. That is, one corner portion of the panel P is detected, and the tilt angle θ of the panel P in the horizontal plane is obtained from this.

In S3.3, it is determined whether or not the tilt angle θ is within the allowable range, that is, whether or not the removal and transfer processing of the panel P can be executed at the movement stop position of the robot hand H. If yes, then continue with S3.4, if no, proceed with S3.5. In S3.4, since the panel P is in the normal position, the fork F attached to the tip of the robot hand supports the panel P from below, and the panel P is transferred to a predetermined panel dispensing device to take out the panel P. ,
The transfer process ends.

On the other hand, in S3.5, since the inclination angle θ exceeds the allowable range, the stop position of the robot hand and the Y-axis direction are determined based on the position measurement of the one corner portion.
The amount of positional shift in the axial direction is calculated. In S3.6, the predetermined movement stop position of the movement stop position of the robot hand is corrected by the shift amount. And
Proceeding to S3.4, the removal and transfer process of the panel P is completed. Also, for all panels, the above S3.
Simultaneously with the end in 4, the discharge of the exhausted panel P from the exhaust cart 10 is completed.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the exhausted panel stored in the panel storage magazine of the exhaust cart is carried out from the exhaust cart, a tip pipe is used by a robot. Based on the position information of the clip, the center line of the robot hand and the center line of the tip pipe clip are matched, and the tip pipe clip is removed.The heater device is attached to the tip pipe based on the position information of the tip pipe. The panel is taken out and transferred from the exhaust cart by performing sealing and cutting and then performing the lower surface of the panel. For this reason, the chip pipe is prevented from being damaged by the chip pipe clip, and is prevented from leaking to the panel that has been exhausted, and the heater device seals and cuts the chip pipe without damaging it.
It is possible to properly carry out the exhausted panel.

According to the second invention, in addition to the structure of the first invention, in sealing and cutting the chip tube, after the chip tube is sealed and cut by the heater device, the chip tube is cut. If it is cut, the robot hand supports the lower surface of the panel to take out and transfer the panel from the exhaust cart. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first invention, in a state where the chip tube is still sealed to the panel,
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation where the chip tube is damaged and the panel leaks due to the removal of the panel from the panel storage magazine.

According to the third invention, in addition to the configuration of the first invention or the second invention, it is judged whether or not the chip tube is cut after the chip tube is sealed and cut by the heater device. When the disconnection is confirmed, the lower surface of the panel on the exhaust cart is supported by the robot hand, the panel is taken out from the exhaust cart, and the position of this panel is detected when the panel is transferred. The position of the robot hand is corrected based on the information. Therefore, in addition to the effects described above, it is possible to transfer the panel from the exhaust cart in an appropriate state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a chip tube clip removing process in a method of unloading an exhausted panel from an exhaust cart according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a tip tube clip applied to the method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tip tube clip shown in FIG.

4 is a bottom view of the tip tube clip shown in FIG. 2. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a chip tube attached to an exhaust head and a chip tube for fixing a panel, which is measured by a camera, in the process of removing the chip tube clip according to the present invention.

6 is a plan view showing a measurement state of a tip tube clip by the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a detached state of the tip tube clip by a rohot hand at the time of detaching processing of the tip tube clip according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a chip tube sealing / cutting process in a method of unloading an exhausted panel from an exhaust cart according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a chip tube mounted on an exhaust head measured by a camera and a panel to which the chip tube is sealed when the chip tube is sealed and cut in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the portion shown in FIG. 9 measured by a camera.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a heater device used in the sealing / cutting process of the chip tube according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the chip tube mounted on the exhaust head measured by a camera is cut and separated from the panel during the sealing / cutting process of the chip tube according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a panel taking-out / transferring process in the method of carrying out an exhausted panel from an exhaust cart according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a tilt angle of a panel and a fork for taking out the panel, which is measured at the time of taking out and transferring the panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a conventional exhaust cart.

16 is a plan view of the exhaust cart shown in FIG.

17 is a cross-sectional view showing an exhaust head in the exhaust cart shown in FIG. 15, a chip tube attached to the exhaust head, and a chip tube clip for fixing the chip tube and the panel.

FIG. 18 is a plan view showing a state in which the tip tube clip shown in FIG. 17 is displaced and the tip tube clip is removed by a robot hand.

19 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a tip tube attached to the exhaust head shown in FIG. 17 is tilted.

20 is a plan view showing a state in which a panel on the exhaust cart shown in FIG. 16 is displaced and the panel is taken out by a fork.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tip Tube Clip 2 Notch 3 Reference Mark 4 Recess 10 Exhaust Cart 23 Tip Tube 24 Exhaust Head H Robot Hand P Panel

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. The position of a tip tube clip is detected when a panel is carried out by a robot from an exhaust cart having a panel storage magazine that stores a plurality of exhaust treated panels, and based on the position information of this tip tube clip. After removing the tip tube clip by aligning the center lines of the robot hand and the tip tube clip, the tip tube position is detected, and a heater for sealing and cutting the tip tube based on this tip tube position information. Judging whether the device can be mounted on the chip tube, and if mounting is possible, after the mounting, the chip tube is sealed and cut, and then the robot hand supports the lower surface of the panel to support the panel. The method of unloading an exhaust-processed panel from an exhaust cart, characterized in that the removal / transfer processing from the exhaust cart is performed. 2. A chip tube is sealed by the heater device.
After performing the cutting process, it is judged whether or not the chip tube has been cut. If the cutting has been done, the robot hand supports the lower surface of the panel and the panel is taken out / transferred from the exhaust cart. The method of unloading an exhaust-treated panel from an exhaust cart according to claim 1, wherein 3. A chip tube is sealed by the heater device.
After performing the cutting process, it is judged whether or not the tip tube has been cut. If the tip tube is cut, the lower surface of the panel is supported by the robot hand and the panel is taken out from the exhaust cart. The method of unloading an exhaust-processed panel from an exhaust cart according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position of the panel is detected and the position of the robot hand is corrected based on the position information when the panel is transferred.