JP2004082229A - Suction hand - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suction hand being thinned, capable of easily coping with the deformation of a conveying tool, and demounting the glass from the conveying tool without damaging the glass. <P>SOLUTION: A taper part 19c of a pad supporting part 19 is engaged with a taper part 17b of a body part 17 by applying a negative pressure to an air chamber 23 for lowering a height formed between rubber pads 20, 21, a suction part 18 is engaged with the pad supporting part 29 by applying the negative pressure into the rubber pad 20, and a work is sucked to the suction part 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
For example, in a liquid crystal manufacturing process of an FPD (Flat Panel Display), the present invention takes out glass one by one from a cassette containing a large number of glass, and applies a glass jig to a transport jig for transporting the glass. The present invention relates to a suction hand of an articulated robot or the like that is used when mounting and removing operations are performed automatically.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the liquid crystal manufacturing process, the work of taking out the glass from the cassette and attaching it to the carrying jig is performed by a robot that takes out the glass from the cassette and a robot that receives the taken out glass via a table, a conveyor, etc., and attaches it to the carrying jig. It is done by. Also, in the work of removing the glass from the transfer jig, if the position of the glass is shifted, the end face of the glass comes into contact with the transfer jig, and if the glass is removed as it is due to shaking during operation of the robot, the end face of the glass will be damaged, The gap between the glass and the transfer jig is measured using a processing device or the like, and the position to be taken out is corrected.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above-mentioned glass storage cassette, glass is horizontally inserted at a narrow pitch (about 30 mm), and a thin hand is required to take out the glass one by one from the cassette. However, since the installation surface of the transfer jig is distorted, a hand following the distortion is required, and a plurality of hands are required. In addition, since the correction is performed by the image processing apparatus when taking out from the transport jig, the system becomes complicated, resulting in an increase in cost, a decrease in reliability, a decrease in processing tact, and the like.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and can reduce the thickness, easily cope with deformation of a work set member, and use a work piece such as glass for a work set member. An object of the present invention is to obtain a suction hand that does not damage a work when the work is removed from the work.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The suction hand according to the present invention has a suction pad for sucking a work, and the suction pad is fixed to the suction hand main body, has a cylindrical shape, has a floating hole at an outer end, and has a tapered portion at an inner periphery. The cap-shaped suction portion having a suction pad main body portion formed with a suction hole on the outer end side and a tapered portion which gradually expands on the inner end side and engages with the floating hole, and a suction portion inside the suction portion. An elastic member support portion having a vent hole movably engaged with the suction hole of the suction portion and communicating with the taper portion of the suction pad body, an elastic member support portion and a suction hand; A cylindrical first elastic member provided so as to surround the ventilation hole of the elastic member supporting portion between the main body portion and a cylindrical second elastic member provided on the outer peripheral side of the first elastic member. And the suction part and the elastic member support A third elastic member provided between the first elastic member and the second elastic member, the third elastic member being provided so as to surround the intake hole and the vent hole; and a height descending air chamber formed between the first elastic member and the second elastic member. By setting the negative pressure, the height of the first and second elastic members is reduced, and the tapered portion of the elastic member supporting portion is engaged with the tapered portion of the suction pad main body, so that the inside of the first elastic member is reduced. By setting the negative pressure, the work is suctioned to the suction portion, and the height of the third elastic member is reduced, so that the suction portion is engaged with the elastic member support portion.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are a plan view and a front view of a glass transport device in a liquid crystal manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a support table installed on a floor 2 and above the support table 1. Is provided with a pair of cassettes 3, and about 20 glass (work) 4 are stored horizontally at a narrow pitch (about 30 mm) in the cassette 3 as described above, and the glass is a cradle extending from right and left. (Not shown). Reference numeral 5 denotes a transfer rail provided on the floor 2, and 6 denotes a flat plate-shaped transfer jig (work set member) that moves on the transfer rail 5, which is formed of a low-rigidity material and is movable on the transfer rail 5. It is set up diagonally. Further, the transport jig 6 is provided with a concave portion (not shown) slightly larger than the glass for setting the glass. Reference numeral 7 denotes an articulated robot, which includes a base 8 installed on the floor 2, a rotating unit 9 rotatably supported on the base 8, and a first bending unit 10 on the rotating unit 9. A first arm 11 connected to the first arm 11, a second arm 13 connected to the first arm 11 via a second bent portion 12, and a third bent portion to the second arm 13 And a glass suction hand 15 connected via a connecting line 14.
[0007]
3 (a) and 3 (b) show a front view and a plan view of the glass suction hand 15, wherein the main body 15a of the glass suction hand 15 is formed in a U-shape, and has a surface for sucking the glass 3 thereon. Six suction pads 16 are formed. 1A and 1B show a front view and a vertical sectional side view of a suction pad 16 portion of a glass suction hand 15. In this state, the glass 4 set in the recess of the transfer jig 6 after the transfer is picked up. It is a state to go. In the drawing, reference numeral 17 denotes a substantially cylindrical suction pad 16 main body, which is integrally fitted into a cylindrical concave portion 15b formed in the main body 15a of the glass suction hand 15. An elliptical left and right floating hole 17a is formed on the inner periphery of the outer end of the main body 17, and a taper portion 17b having a smaller diameter is formed on the inner periphery of the inner end of the main body 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes a cap-shaped suction portion having a suction surface 18a for the slightly depressed glass 4 on the outer end side and having a suction hole 18b at the center of the suction surface 18a, and the diameter thereof gradually increases on the inner end side. A tapered portion 18c is formed, and the tapered portion 18c engages with the floating hole 17a in a detachable manner.
[0008]
Reference numeral 19 denotes a pad support that is movably fitted to the inner periphery of the suction part 18, has a vent hole 19a at the center, and has an engagement part 19b whose diameter is increased inward. A taper portion 19c is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the engagement portion 19b so as to engage with the engagement portion 17c provided on the inner periphery of the main body portion 17 and to engage with the taper portion 17b of the main body portion 17. Further, an engaging portion 18d protruding from the inner periphery of the suction portion 18 is engaged with an engaging portion 19d formed on the outer end side of the pad support portion 19 so as to be freely detachable. Between the bottom surface of the concave portion 15a of the glass suction hand 15 and the inner surface of the pad support portion 19, a first rubber pad 20 which is cylindrical and can be extended and contracted is provided so as to surround the air hole 19a. On the outside of the pad 20, a second rubber pad 21 which is also cylindrical and can be extended and contracted is provided. In the glass suction hand 15, a suction air passage 22 communicating with the inside of the first rubber pad 20 is formed, and a lowering height formed between the first and second rubber pads 20, 21 is formed. A height lowering air passage 24 communicating with the inside of the air chamber 23 is formed. Further, a third rubber pad 25 is provided between the suction portion 18 and the pad support portion 19 in order to maintain the air pressure between the suction hole 18b and the ventilation hole 19a.
[0009]
Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, the articulated robot 7 is operated, and the glass suction hand 15 is inserted between the glasses 4 of the cassette 3 as shown in FIG. At this time, when the height lowering air chamber 23 is set to a negative pressure through the height lowering air passage 24, the heights of the rubber pads 20, 21 are reduced, and the heights of the pad support portions 19 and the suction portions 18 are also reduced. Lower. Therefore, the overall height of the glass suction hand 15 is reduced, and the glass suction hand 15 can be inserted into a narrow gap between the glasses 4. Since the tapered portion 17b of the main body 17 and the tapered portion 19c of the pad support 19 are engaged, the pad support 19 and the suction portion 18 are located at the center of the floating hole 17a of the main body 17.
[0010]
Here, when a negative pressure is applied to the rubber pad 20 through the suction air passage 22, the air is sucked through the suction hole 18 b through the ventilation hole 19 a as shown in FIG. Is done. In this case, since the height of the rubber pad 25 is reduced, the suction portion 18 engages with the pad support portion 19 and is located at the center of the floating hole 17a, so that the glass 4 can be held at an accurate position. it can. Here, the articulated robot 7 is operated, the glass 4 sucked by the glass suction hand 15 is extracted from the cassette 3, the glass 4 is transported to the recess for setting the glass 4 of the transfer jig 6, and the air for lowering the height is moved. By setting the negative pressure of the chamber 23 to the atmospheric pressure, the heights of the pad support 19 and the suction unit 18 are increased (projected outward), and the glass 4 is set in the recess of the transfer jig 6.
[0011]
Next, the transport jig 6 on which the glass 4 is set is moved on the transport rail 5 and stopped at a predetermined position. Here, the glass 4 is removed from the transport jig 6 using the glass suction hand 15 again. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the suction unit 18 is made to protrude outward with the height lowering air chamber 23 set to the atmospheric pressure, and the tapered portion 18c is engaged with the floating hole 17a. Reference numeral 18 is held at the center of the floating hole 17a. In the state shown in FIG. 1, when the pressure inside the rubber pad 20 is reduced to a negative pressure through the suction air passage 22 as shown in FIG. 6, the glass 4 is sucked in from the suction hole 18b through the ventilation hole 19a. The part 18 is adsorbed. At this time, the height of the rubber pad 25 decreases, and the tapered portion 18c of the suction portion 18 engages with the engagement portion 19b of the pad support portion 19 and separates from the floating hole 17a of the main body portion 17, so that the pad support The part 19 and the suction part 18 can be left and right floating. Therefore, even if the glass 4 is pulled out from the concave portion while the side surface of the glass 4 is in contact with the concave portion of the transfer jig 6, the suction portion 18 can float, so that the contact pressure is reduced and the glass 4 is not damaged. . Further, in the vertical direction of the glass 4, the lower side of the glass 4 comes into contact with the concave portion of the transfer jig 6 due to the weight of the glass 4. The glass 4 is extracted from the above.
[0012]
In the above embodiment, when the glass 4 is extracted from the cassette 3, the height of the rubber pads 20, 21 is reduced by applying a negative pressure to the height descending air chamber 23 formed between the rubber pads 20, 21. And the heights of the pad support portion 19 and the suction portion 18 are reduced (moved inward). Thereby, the overall height of the glass suction hand 15 is reduced, and the glass suction hand 15 can be inserted into a narrow gap between the glasses 4 in the cassette 3. Further, in this state, when the inside of the rubber pad 20 is made to have a negative pressure and the glass 4 is sucked to the suction portion 18, the height of the rubber pad 25 is reduced and the suction portion 18 is engaged with the pad support portion 19, Since the tapered portion 19c of the support portion 19 is engaged with the tapered portion 17b of the main body 17, the suction portion 18 is located at the center of the floating hole 17a, and can hold the glass 4 at an accurate position.
[0013]
When the glass 4 is taken out from the transfer jig 6, the inside of the height lowering air chamber 23 is set to the atmospheric pressure, the inside of the rubber pad 20 is set to the negative pressure, and the concave portion of the transfer jig 6 is set in the suction portion 18. The glass 4 inside is adsorbed. At this time, the height of the rubber pad 25 decreases, and the taper portion 18c of the suction portion 18 engages with the pad support portion 19b and separates from the floating hole 17a. Even if the glass 4 is taken out from the recess while the side surface of the glass 4 is in contact with the recess of the transfer jig 6, the glass 4 is not damaged. Further, even if the transport jig 6 is deformed, it can be coped with by left and right floating of the suction portion 18.
[0014]
Although the left and right floating holes 17a are elliptical in the above embodiment, they may be circular to allow floating in the front, rear, left and right directions.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the height of the first and second elastic members is reduced by setting the height lowering air chamber formed between the first and second elastic members to a negative pressure. In addition, the height of the suction hand can be reduced, and insertion into a narrow gap becomes possible. Further, in this state, when the work is sucked to the suction portion by applying a negative pressure to the inside of the first elastic member, the suction portion engages with the elastic member support portion, and the tapered portion of the elastic member support portion becomes the taper of the suction pad main body. Since it is engaged with the part, the suction part is located at the center of the floating hole, and the work can be suction-held at an accurate position.
[0016]
Further, when the pressure lowering air chamber is set to the atmospheric pressure and the inside of the first elastic member is set to a negative pressure, the work is adsorbed by the adsorbing portion, and the adsorbing portion engages with the elastic member supporting portion to float. Since the suction part is separated from the work hole, the suction part can float, and can easily cope with deformation of the work set member, and the work set on the work set member can be taken out from the work set member without damaging the work set member. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view and a vertical sectional side view of a suction pad portion of a glass suction hand according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view and a front view of the glass transport device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view and a plan view of the glass suction hand according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part of the glass suction hand according to the present invention when glass is inserted into a cassette.
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional front view of a main part of the glass suction hand according to the present invention when glass is sucked in a cassette.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional plan view of a main part of the glass suction hand according to the present invention, which is set on a conveyance jig when the glass is sucked.
[Explanation of symbols]
4 ... Glass 6 ... Transfer jig 15 ... Glass suction hand 15a, 17 ... Main body 16 ... Suction pad 17a ... Floating holes 17b, 18c, 19c ... Tapered part 18 ... Suction part 18b ... Suction hole 19 ... Pad support part 19a ... vent holes 20, 21, 25 ... rubber pad 23 ... air chamber for lowering the height

Claims (1)

In a suction hand having a suction pad for sucking a work, the suction pad is fixed to the suction hand main body, has a cylindrical shape, has a floating hole formed at an outer end, and has a tapered portion formed at an inner periphery. A main body portion, a cap-shaped suction portion having an intake hole at an outer end side and a tapered portion that gradually expands at the inner end side and engages with the floating hole, and movably engages in the suction portion; An elastic member supporting portion having a ventilation hole communicating with the suction hole of the suction portion and having a taper portion engageable with the taper portion of the suction pad main body portion, and between the elastic member supporting portion and the suction hand main body portion. A cylindrical first elastic member provided to surround the ventilation hole of the elastic member support portion, a cylindrical second elastic member provided on the outer peripheral side of the first elastic member, With member support And a third elastic member provided so as to surround the intake hole and the vent hole, and the height lowering air chamber formed between the first elastic member and the second elastic member has a negative pressure. Thereby, the height of the first and second elastic members is reduced, the tapered portion of the elastic member supporting portion is engaged with the tapered portion of the suction pad main body, and the inside of the first elastic member is set to a negative pressure. A suction hand, wherein the work is sucked by the suction portion, and the height of the third elastic member is reduced so that the suction portion is engaged with the elastic member support portion.

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