JP2004181574A - Transfer device for board - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transfer device for a board which can improve workability after transfer and is easy to change a stage depending on the number of boards to be transferred. <P>SOLUTION: The transfer device for the board includes: a suction unit 71 having a plurality of suction means 70 for individually sucking and holding a plurality of boards 3 arranged side by side on a receiving station S3; a transfer means 72 for carrying the suction unit 71 between the receiving station S3 and an adjacent carry-out station S4; a lift means 73 for raising/lowering the suction unit 71 between a raised position and a lowered position; and an interval switchover means for switching over, in the direction of the arrangement of the boards 3, the interval between the plurality of suction means 70 provided on the suction unit 70 so that the plurality of boards 3 sucked and held by the suction means 70 are transferred at constant intervals from one another. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus suitable for transferring a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel in a stacked state for each substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A printed wiring board used in an electronic device or the like is manufactured by cutting a solid large-sized material substrate having no printed wiring or the like into a required size. More specifically, the substrate is manufactured by removing ears of an outer edge portion of a material substrate on which a printing failure or the like is likely to occur, cutting the substrate to a required size, and then forming holes for printed wiring and component mounting.
[0003]
The present applicant has proposed a substrate cutting processing system that cuts the left and right ears of such a material substrate and cuts the substrate into a plurality of substrates (for example, see Patent Document 1). This substrate cutting processing system includes a cutting device for cutting left and right ears of a material substrate by a slitter and cutting the substrate into two substrates, and a suction device for sucking the two substrates sent from the cutting device to a receiving station. A transfer device is described which is held as it is and transferred onto a pallet of an adjacent unloading station. Further, in this transfer device, when the substrates are transferred in a stacked manner, the transfer positions of the substrates are shifted by a fixed distance in the left-right direction every fixed number of sheets, so that the substrates transferred to the unloading station are transferred. The number of stacked substrates can be easily estimated visually, and the timing of unloading the substrate from the unloading station can be accurately detected.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-307390 (Pages 4, 6, 7; FIGS. 1, 7)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the substrate cutting processing system described in Patent Document 1, the two substrates are removed from the receiving station while the ears are removed and the substrate cut into two is floated and supported by an air float as it is. Is arranged in a receiving station with almost no gap, and is held as it is by suction means, and is transferred to an adjacent pallet by shifting a transfer position of a substrate by a fixed distance in the left-right direction for every fixed number of sheets. As shown in FIG. 7, the ends of the left and right substrates are engaged with each other, and the operation of separating the left and right substrates is required as a post-process, and the operation is complicated.
[0006]
In addition, the left and right layers of the substrates to be transferred to the unloading station are slightly shifted due to a positional deviation of the substrates in the receiving station in the left and right direction and a transfer error in the left and right direction in the transfer device. The ends of the substrates are engaged with each other, and the operation of separating the left and right substrates is required as a post-process, and the operation is complicated.
[0007]
Furthermore, since the two substrates held by suction are transferred on the left and right portions of one pallet, it is necessary to replace them on separate pallets in consideration of the handling of the substrate in a later process. Yes, the operation was complicated.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transfer apparatus that can improve workability after transfer and that can be easily changed in accordance with the number of substrates to be transferred.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes: a suction unit having a plurality of sets of suction means for individually suction-holding a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel in a first station; Transfer means for transferring the adjacent unit to an adjacent second station; elevating means for moving the suction unit up and down between a raised position and a lowered position; and a plurality of substrates sucked and held by the suction means at fixed intervals. And an interval switching means provided in the adsorption unit so as to be mounted thereon, and for switching the intervals of the plural sets of the adsorption means in the direction parallel to the substrates.
[0010]
In this transfer apparatus, in the first station, the suction unit is lowered to the lowering position by the lifting / lowering means, and a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel in the first station are suction-held by a plurality of sets of suction means, respectively. Then, the substrate is lifted together with the suction unit by the lifting means, transferred to a position above the second station by the transfer means, and then lowered by the lifting means together with the suction unit to transfer the substrate to the second station. After the substrate is transferred in this way, the suction unit is raised by the lifting means, the suction unit is transferred to the first station by the transfer means, and the suction unit is lowered by the lifting means to suck and hold the next substrate. Is repeated, and the substrates arranged in parallel in the first station are sequentially transferred to the second station.
[0011]
Also, a plurality of substrates held by suction are transferred at a certain interval from the time at which the substrates are sucked and held at the first station to the time at which the substrates are transferred at the second station. Then, the intervals between the plurality of sets of suction means are switched in the parallel direction of the substrates for each set, and in this state, the substrates held by suction are transferred to the second station. Further, between the time when the substrate is transferred to the second station and the time when the next substrate is sucked and held, the operation of switching the suction means to the original interval by the interval switching means and sucking and holding the next substrate is repeated. As a result, a plurality of substrates are sequentially transferred to the second station at a certain interval from each other.
[0012]
As described above, since the substrates are transferred at a certain interval from each other, even when the substrates are stacked in the second station, the end portions of the adjacent substrates are reliably prevented from meshing with each other. Thus, the transferred substrate can be transported to the next process as it is, and workability in the subsequent process can be improved.
[0013]
Here, the interval switching means may include a pattern changing means for changing an interlocking pattern of the suction means according to the number of substrates to be suctioned and held by the suction unit at one time. It is preferable to provide such a pattern changing means, because even if the number of substrates to be transferred at one time is switched by mixed production or the like, the setup can be easily changed accordingly.
[0014]
As the interval switching means provided with such a pattern changing means, one fixed rack arranged in the parallel direction of the substrate, a plurality of movable racks arranged substantially in parallel with the fixed rack, and a plurality of movable racks are used. A plurality of actuators for individually moving the substrates in the parallel direction, a meshing member that selectively meshes with one fixed rack and a plurality of movable racks, and a rack that meshes the meshing member with the suction means so as to be switchable. The one provided with a connecting means for connecting is preferable. In this case, by connecting the meshing member and the suction means by the connecting means so that the meshing member meshes with the rack according to the interlocking pattern of the suction means, the suction means is moved in accordance with the number of substrates to be transferred. The interval can be easily and appropriately switched.
[0015]
A plurality of pallets corresponding to the number of substrates to be transferred at one time by the suction unit may be provided in the second station, and the substrates may be transferred to each pallet in a stacked manner. With this configuration, the transferred substrate can be carried out to the next process together with the pallet as it is, and workability in the subsequent process can be improved.
[0016]
When transferring the substrate to the second station, the suction unit may be provided with a substrate separating means for pressing the substrate downward and separating the substrate from the suction means. In this case, the substrate held by suction can be reliably transferred to the second station.
[0017]
When the substrate is transferred from the first station to the second station by the transfer means, the transfer position of the substrate is shifted by a fixed distance smaller than the distance between the substrates in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction every fixed number of sheets. May be. In this case, the substrate to be transferred to the second station is transferred while being shifted by a certain distance in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. It is possible to easily estimate the number of stacked substrates by visual observation, and it is possible to accurately detect the timing of unloading the substrate from the second station.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the transfer apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a substrate cutting system.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting processing system 10 includes a first transfer device 11 that sucks, holds, and transfers the material substrates 1 one by one from a carry-in station S1 to a positioning station S2, and transfers from the positioning station S2 to a receiving station S3. A cutting device 12 that removes the left and right ears 2 of the material substrate 1 and cuts the material substrate 1 into two to produce two substrates 3 when the material substrate 1 is horizontally transferred, and a receiving station (first station). And a second transfer device 13 for simultaneously transferring the two substrates 3 from the station S3 to the unloading station (second station) S4. In the present embodiment, two substrates 3 are manufactured from the material substrate 1. However, one or three or more substrates can be manufactured. The second transfer device 13 corresponds to the substrate transfer device of the present invention.
[0020]
The material substrate 1 carried into the cutting processing system 10 has the front and rear ears removed in advance. In the cutting processing system 10, the left and right ears 2 (see FIG. 4) are cut off from the material substrate 1. It is configured such that two substrates 3 are obtained by cutting the middle part. By cutting off the outer edge of the material substrate 1 as a lug as described above, it is possible to prevent the formation failure of the circuit pattern at the outer edge of the substrate 3.
[0021]
A first mounting table 15 is provided at the loading station S1, a plurality of transfer balls 16 are rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the first mounting table 15, and a plurality of material substrates 1 are stacked on a flat pallet 17. It is carried into the carrying-in station S <b> 1 in a state of being set in a state, and is movably mounted on the transfer ball 16 together with the pallet 17. The first mounting table 15 is configured such that two pallets 17 can be mounted on the upper surface thereof back and forth, and the material substrate 1 to be processed this time is set on the front pallet 17 in a stacked manner. The material substrate 1 to be processed next time is set in a laminated state.
[0022]
The first transfer device 11 supports a suction unit 21 having a plurality of suction means 20 capable of holding the material substrate 1 by suction, and the suction unit 21 movably in the left-right direction across the loading station S1 and the positioning station S2. It comprises a vertical frame 22 and a horizontal frame 23, a horizontal drive unit (not shown) for driving the suction unit 21 in the left-right direction along the horizontal frame 23, and a lifting unit 24 for driving the suction unit 21 in the vertical direction. is there. The horizontal drive means has a general configuration for driving the suction unit 21 in the left and right direction via a servomotor (not shown) and a screw shaft. The elevating means 24 has a general configuration that drives the suction unit 21 up and down via an actuator such as an air cylinder.
[0023]
Then, in the first transfer device 11, the suction unit 21 is lowered at the loading station S 1, and the uppermost material substrate 1 of the material substrates 1 stacked on the pallet 17 is sucked by the suction means 20. The material substrate 1 sucked and held by the pad, and in this state, the material substrate 1 sucked and held together with the suction unit 21 is raised and transferred to the positioning station S2. The material substrate 1 is transferred onto the substrate 25. Although the height of the material substrate 1 at the time of transfer to the positioning station S2 is constant, the suction holding position of the material substrate 1 at the carry-in station S1 differs depending on the number of stacked material substrates 1; The lifting means 24 is controlled so that the lower limit position of the suction unit 21 in the loading station S1 is lowered by the thickness of the material substrate 1 each time the material is transferred.
[0024]
In order to smoothly suck and hold the material substrates 1 stacked on the loading station S1 one by one, the material substrates 1 set on the pallet 17 on the pallet 17 are arranged in front of the first mounting table 15. A pair of left and right air blowing means 30 for blowing air from the front is provided on the front surface of the material substrate 1 including the uppermost layer.
[0025]
The air blowing means 30 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of front and rear support rods 32 is erected on the first mounting table 15 via a mounting member 31, and a middle part of the support rod 32. Is provided with a support block 33 movably in the vertical direction. The support block 33 does not fall naturally due to frictional resistance with the support rod 32, but is attached to the support rod 32 so as to be operable in a vertical direction with a relatively weak force. A nozzle support member 34 is provided below the support block 33, and a pair of deformable pipe members 36 each having a nozzle 35 at a distal end portion are attached to the nozzle support member 34. Is adjusted so as to face the front side of the uppermost layer of the material substrate 1 stacked on the pallet 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes a movement restricting rod that is detachably mounted on the upper surface of the first mounting table 15 so as to restrict the lateral movement of the floating supported material substrate 1.
[0026]
An arm member 37 is provided below the nozzle support member 34 and extends to the vicinity of the laminated material substrate 1. A pair of left and right operation arms 39 extending forward is provided on a support frame 38 of the suction unit 20 of the suction unit 21. An operation rod 39a extending in the left-right direction is provided at a tip end of the operation arm 39, and an operation member 39b extending downward and capable of pressing the arm member 37 downward is provided at both left and right ends of the operation rod 39a. Each time the suction unit 21 is lowered at the loading station S1, the operating member 39b comes into contact with the upper surface of the arm member 37, and the nozzle support member 34 and the support block 33 are moved by the thickness of the material substrate 1 via the arm member 37. Operate downward. That is, as described above, the lower limit position of the suction unit 21 is set to the lower side by the thickness of the material substrate 1 so that the uppermost material substrate 1 can be surely suction-held by the suction means 20 at the loading station S1. Since the nozzle support member 34 and the support block 33 are moved downward by the thickness of the material substrate 1 by using this, the height position of the nozzle 35 can always be adjusted to an appropriate position. Have been.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper and lower portions of a second mounting table 25 provided in the positioning station S2 are provided with a roller conveyor for transferring the material substrate 1 transferred by the first transfer device 11 forward. A transfer conveyor 40 is provided, and a position adjusting conveyor 42 for movably supporting the material substrate 1 in the left-right direction is provided between the adjacent rollers 41 of the front-rear transfer conveyor 40 in the central portion. It is provided so as to be able to ascend and descend via the. A fixed regulating plate 43 for regulating the position of the right edge of the material substrate 1 is provided at the right end of the second mounting table 25, and the position of the left edge of the material substrate 1 is regulated at the left end of the second mounting table 25. A movable regulating plate 44 is provided by a cylinder 45 so as to be able to move in parallel in the left-right direction. When the material substrate 1 is transferred to the positioning station S2, the position adjusting conveyor 42 is raised to transfer the material substrate 1 onto the position adjusting conveyor 42. In this state, the movable regulating plate 44 Is moved to the right, the material substrate 1 is sandwiched between the fixed regulating plate 43 and the movable regulating plate 44, and the position of the material substrate 1 in the left-right direction is adjusted. The material substrate 1 is transferred onto the conveyor for transfer 40, and the material substrate 1 is transferred to the cutting device 12 by the conveyer 40 for forward and backward transfer. Note that the position adjustment of the material substrate 1 in the positioning station S2 can be performed using a positioning device having an arbitrary configuration.
[0028]
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the cutting device 12 applies a shearing force along the boundary between the substrate 3 and the ear portion 2 of the material substrate 1 to form a pair of left and right ears to cut the cut 4. Slitter 50, a cutting slitter 51 for cutting the left and right substrates 3 by applying a shearing force to the boundary between the left and right substrates 3, and an ear portion 2 of the material substrate 1 with a cut 4 formed by the ear slitter 50. Is moved between the upper and lower separating rollers (not shown) to move the lug 2 below the substrate 3 together with the upper and lower separating rollers. And a pair of left and right separating means 54 for separating the ear 2 from the substrate 3 and transferring the left and right substrates 3 substantially horizontally to the receiving station S3 in the separating means 54. And a horizontal transfer means 55. However, a plurality of cutting slitters 51 may be provided.
[0029]
The left and right ear slitters 50 and the cutting slitter 51 are basically configured in the same manner, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of upper and lower rotary blades 56 and 57 having a clearance H that can be adjusted to be close to each other. Each has it. The upper three rotating blades 56 and the lower three rotating blades 57 are supported on a pair of upper and lower shafts 50a so as to be adjustable in the left-right direction and non-rotatable, and the upper and lower shafts 50a are geared at their shaft ends. The upper and lower rotary blades 56 and 57 are synchronously rotated in opposite directions by an electric motor (not shown) via a shaft 50a and a gear 50b.
[0030]
Each of the rotary blades 56 and 57 has a substantially disk-shaped cutter holder 58 and a substantially annular cutter 59 fixed to the cutter holder 58, and the thickness of the material substrate 1 is set between the peripheral surfaces of the upper and lower cutters 59. A predetermined clearance H smaller than that is formed, and an annular relief groove 59a is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the opposed end faces of the upper and lower cutters 59.
[0031]
The clearance H between the upper and lower cutters 59 in the left and right ear slitters 50 is set to 50 to 80%, preferably 55 to 65%, of the appropriate thickness of the material substrate 1. In the state where a shearing force is applied along the boundary with the part 2, a cut 4 is formed at the boundary, but the ear part 2 itself is formed via a copper foil or a resin material or a fiber material constituting the material substrate 1. It is configured to be slightly connected to the substrate 3 and transferred to the separating means 54 on the downstream side. When the clearance H is 50% or less of the appropriate thickness of the material substrate 1, the ears 2 are completely cut. When the clearance H is 80% or more, the cuts 4 are not sufficiently formed, and the ears 2 are removed from the substrate 3. Is set to 50 to 80% because it cannot be easily separated.
[0032]
On the other hand, the clearance H between the upper and lower cutters 59 in the cutting slitter 51 is set to 50% or less of the appropriate thickness of the material substrate 1, and the upper and lower cutters 59 apply a shearing force along the boundary between the left and right substrates 3. Thus, the left and right substrates 3 are completely cut.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 1, the horizontal transfer means 55 includes a pair of upper and lower parts for supplying the ears 2 of the material substrate 1 with the cuts 4 formed by the left and right ear slitters 50 to the upper and lower separating means 54. Rear transfer means 61 provided with transfer rollers 60, and front transfer means 63 provided with a pair of upper and lower transfer rollers 62 for sending the two cut substrates 3 from which the ears 2 have been removed to the receiving station S3. And a roller conveyor 64 for supporting the substrate 3 from below between the front and rear transfer rollers 60 and 62. The front and rear transfer rollers 60 and 62 are driven to rotate in synchronization with each other, and while the substrate cut in half is transferred forward by the rear transfer means 61, the ears 2 on both left and right sides thereof are moved to the left and right sides of the horizontal transfer means 55. In the state of the pair of left and right substrates 3 which have been sequentially removed by the separating means 54 arranged at the same position and the ears 2 have been removed, they are sent out by the front transfer means 63 onto the third mounting table 65 installed at the receiving station S3. Since the separating means 54 is not directly related to the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 1, a third mounting table 65 is provided at the receiving station S3, the upper surface of the third mounting table 65 is configured to be substantially flat, and a plurality of air blowing holes 66 are provided at regular intervals at the rear of the upper surface. A regulating bar 67 for regulating the falling off of the substrate 3 is provided on the left and right sides and the front end of the upper surface. The pair of left and right substrates 3 picked up by the cutting device 12 is sent out to the receiving station S3 by a pair of upper and lower transfer rollers 62 while being floating supported by the air blown out from the air blowing holes 66, and It is transferred onto the third mounting table 65, and its position is regulated by the front and left and right regulating bars 67, and is floatingly supported on the third mounting table 65 in the left and right side by side. As described above, since the substrate 3 is floatingly supported, it is possible to prevent a problem that the lower surface of the substrate 3 is damaged or the like, and it is possible to significantly simplify a means for transferring the substrate.
[0035]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 to 7, the second transfer device 13 includes a plurality of sets of suction units for individually suction-holding a plurality of substrates 3 arranged in parallel in a receiving station (first station) S3. A suction unit 71 having means 70, a transfer means 72 for transferring the suction unit 71 to a receiving station S3 and an unloading station (second station) S4 adjacent thereto, and the suction unit 71 to be moved up and down over a raised position and a lowered position. Lifting means 73;
[0036]
The transfer means 72 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a vertical frame 74 is erected at the left rear of the receiving station S3 and at the rear between the receiving station S3 and the unloading station S4. A horizontal frame 75 extending in the left-right direction over S3 and S4 is fixed, and a support base 76 for supporting the suction unit 71 together with the lifting / lowering means 73 is provided on the front side of the horizontal frame 75. Is transported in the left-right direction over both stations S3 and S4.
[0037]
1 and 6, a pair of left and right guide rods 77 are provided on the front side of the support base 76 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and between the left and right guide rods 77, as shown in FIGS. An actuator 78 composed of a pair of air cylinders or the like is provided with its output rod 79 directed downward, and the lower end of the guide rod 77 and the lower end of the output rod 79 of the actuator 78 are located in the middle of the suction unit 71 in the left-right direction. The suction unit 71 is fixed, and is moved up and down through an actuator 78 over a raised position and a lowered position.
[0038]
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the suction unit 71 includes a pair of left and right support frames 82 integrally connected and fixed at an interval in the front and rear by five upper plates 80 and left and right side plates 81. And six movable bases 83 supported movably in the left-right direction with respect to the support frame 82, a pair of suction means 70 vertically fixed to both front and rear ends of each movable base 83, By switching the interval of the base 83, a plurality of sets of the suction units 70 are mounted so that the plurality of substrates 3 sucked and held by the suction unit 70 are transferred onto the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4 with a certain interval L therebetween. Interval switching means 85 for switching the interval of the substrates 3 in the parallel direction, and when transferring the substrates 3 onto the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4, the substrates 3 are pressed downward and the suction means 70 And a substrate separating means 86 to separate the plate 3.
[0039]
The suction means 70 has a well-known configuration including a suction pad 87 for suctioning to the substrate 3. The suction means 87 is depressurized by a pressure reducing means (not shown) in a state where the suction pad 87 is pressed against the substrate 3. , The substrate 3 can be held by suction. In the suction means 70, when the substrate 3 is transferred at the unloading station S4, the substrate 3 held by suction is controlled so as to be smoothly transferred by, for example, introducing outside air into the suction pad 87. However, even in the case where the control is performed in such a manner, the separation failure of the substrate 3 may occur. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the substrate separating means 86 having the following configuration.
[0040]
The substrate separating means 86 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, left and right side plates 81 are provided with actuators 88 for lifting and lowering, each of which is composed of an air cylinder or the like. A support plate 90 which is elongated in the front-rear direction is fixed to a lower end of the support plate 90. An intermediate plate 91 that is elongated in the front-rear direction is disposed below the support plate 90, and a pair of guide rods 92 is vertically movably mounted on both front and rear sides of the support plate 90. A stopper member 94 for restricting the guide rod 92 from dropping downward is attached. The intermediate plate 91 is connected to the lower end of the guide rod 92, and is supported together with the guide rod 92 so as to be vertically movable with respect to the support plate 90. I have. A biasing means 93 composed of a compression coil spring is externally provided on both guide rods 92, and the intermediate plate 91 is shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 6 in which the stopper member 94 abuts against the support plate 90 by the biasing force of the biasing means 93. It is held at the lower limit position. A frame-like frame 95 is provided between the left and right intermediate plates 91 in a bridging manner. On the lower surface of the frame-like frame 95, a pressing member 96 made of a plate-like member and a cushion material is provided at regular intervals.
[0041]
In the substrate separating means 86, when the substrate 3 is transferred from the receiving station S3 to the unloading station S4, as shown by a solid line in FIGS. Although the lower end is positioned slightly higher than the lower end of the suction means 70, the suction unit 71 is moved down by the elevating means 73 at the unloading station S4, and the sucked and held substrate 3 is stacked on the pallet 84 or the pallet 84. In a state in which the substrate 3 is placed closest to or in the vicinity of the substrate 3, the support plate 90 is lowered by the actuator 88 as shown by a virtual line in FIG. Pressing at 96 causes the forcible transfer to the pallet 84 or the substrate 3 stacked on the pallet 84 in a forcible manner. In addition, the urging means 93 reduces the impact when the pressing member 96 is pressed against the substrate 3 and presses the transferred substrate 3 against the pallet 84 for a certain period even when the suction unit 71 moves up. This is to ensure that the substrate 3 can be separated, but can be omitted if the thickness of the cushion material of the pressing member 96 is set to be sufficiently large.
[0042]
The interval switching means 85 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, a pair of guide rods 100 extending in the left-right direction are fixedly supported on the support frame 82 at both ends on both front and rear sides of the front and rear support frames 82. The two guide rods 100 support six movable members 101 extending substantially below the support frame 82 and having a substantially concave shape in a side view so as to be movable in the left-right direction along the guide rods 100. Each movable member 101 is formed in a substantially L shape in a front view, and a pair of support rods 103 extending forward and rearward are provided on the lower surface of the horizontal plate portion 102 of the movable member 101 so as to be adjustable in length in the front-rear direction. The suction means 70 is vertically fixedly supported at the distal ends of both support rods 103. The movable base 83 includes the movable member 101 and the support rod 103. Reference numeral 104 denotes an adjusting unit for adjusting the length of the support rod 103, and reference numeral 105 denotes an operation lever of the adjusting unit 104.
[0043]
A fixed rack 106 extending in the left-right direction over substantially the entire length of the support frame 82 is provided at a central portion between the front and rear support frames 82 with teeth facing downward. It is fixedly supported on the lower surface. On the rear side of the left half of the fixed rack 106, a left movable rack 110 extending in the left-right direction is provided with its teeth facing downward, and the left movable rack 110 is movable upward and left in the left-right direction via a guide member 111. It is supported on the lower surface of the upper plate 80 and is driven in the left-right direction by a left actuator 112 composed of an air cylinder provided on the left portion of the upper plate 80. On the front side of the right half of the fixed rack 106, a right movable rack 115 extending in the left and right direction is provided with its teeth facing downward, and the right movable rack 115 is movable via the guide member 116 in the left and right direction. And is driven in the left-right direction by a right actuator 117 composed of an air cylinder provided on a right portion of the upper surface plate 80.
[0044]
An operation member 121 having a pair of front and rear guide holes 120 extending in the front and rear direction is provided on the horizontal plate portion 102 of the movable member 101, and the operation member 121 is fixed to the movable member 101 so as to pass through the guide hole 120. The pin 122 is attached to the movable member 101 so as to be movable only in the front-rear direction. The heights of the teeth of the fixed rack 106 and the movable racks 110 and 115 are set to be the same, and an arbitrary part of the fixed rack 106 and the movable racks 110 and 115 is slid in the middle of the operation member 121 by sliding in the front-rear direction. A meshing member 123 having teeth that mesh alternatively with the rack is provided. A position switching member 125 having three position switching holes 124 formed at the same interval as the three racks 106, 110, and 115 is provided on the lower surface side of the front left end of the horizontal plate portion 102. A substantially L-shaped connecting member 126 extending to the left of the position switching member 125 is fixed to the portion, and an index plunger 127 is attached to the connecting member 126 so as to correspond to the position switching hole 124. Then, after the pin 128 of the index plunger 127 is pulled out from the position switching hole 124, the coupling member 126 and the operating member 121 are operated in the front-rear direction to switch the position switching hole 124 into which the pin 128 is inserted. It is configured so that the 123 can be engaged with desired racks 106, 110, and 115. The pattern changing means includes both the movable racks 110 and 115 and the fixed rack 106, a meshing member 123, an operating member 121, a position switching member 125, an index plunger 127, a connecting member 126, and the like. . The connecting means includes an operating member 121, a position switching member 125, an index plunger 127, a connecting member 126, and the like.
[0045]
In the second transfer device 13, at the receiving station S3, the suction unit 71 is lowered to the lowered position by the lifting / lowering means 73, and is floating-supported side by side on the third mounting table 65 of the receiving station S3. After the two substrates 3 are sucked and held on the left side by two sets of suction means 70, the substrates 3 are lifted together with the suction unit 71 by the elevating means 73, and are transferred to a position above the unloading station S4 by the transfer means 72. Thereafter, the substrate 3 is lowered by the lifting / lowering means 73 together with the suction unit 71, and the substrate 3 is transferred onto the pallet 84 provided at the unloading station S4. After the substrate 3 is transferred in this manner, the suction means 70 is raised by the lifting means 73, the suction means 70 is transferred to the receiving station S3 by the transfer means 72, and the suction means 70 is lowered by the lifting means 73 to move the next substrate 3 Is repeated, and the two substrates 3 are sequentially transferred in a stacked manner on the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4. Although the height of the substrate 3 at the receiving station S3 is constant, the height of the uppermost layer of the substrate 3 at the unloading station S4 varies depending on the number of substrates 3 stacked on the pallet 84, so that the substrate 3 is transferred. The suction unit 71 is set higher by the thickness of the substrate 3 every time the substrate 3 is transferred, so that the substrate 3 can be smoothly transferred without dropping. In a state where a fixed number of substrates 3 have been transferred, as shown in FIG. It is possible to easily grasp the number of sheets to be loaded.
[0046]
Further, in the transfer device 13, between the time when the substrate 3 is sucked and held at the receiving station S3 and the time when the substrate 3 is transferred onto the pallet 84 at the unloading station S4, as shown in FIG. The intervals of the plural sets of suction means 70 are switched in the direction parallel to the substrates 3 so that the two substrates 3 held by suction are transferred at a fixed interval L from each other. 3 is transferred onto the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4. Further, between the time when the substrate 3 is transferred onto the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4 and the time when the next substrate 3 is suction-held, the suction means 70 is switched to the original distance by the distance switching means 85, and the next substrate By repeating the operation of sucking and holding the substrates 3, the substrates 3 are sequentially transferred in a stacked manner on the pallet 84 of the unloading station S4 with a space therebetween.
[0047]
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the two substrates 3 are sucked and held by the six suction units 70 on the left side and the six suction units 70 on the right side and transferred at a time, the three interval switching units 85 on the left side At least one of the pin 128 of the index plunger 127 and the pin 128 of the index plunger 127 of the three right-side spacing switching means 85 is mounted in a position switching hole other than the center of the three position switching holes 124. The three left engaging members 123 or the three right engaging members 123 are engaged with the movable racks 110 and 115 so that the movable racks 110 and 115 can be moved by an actuator. Become. Specifically, the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the three interval switching means 85 on the left side are mounted on the rear position switching holes 124, and the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the three interval switching means 85 on the right side are attached to the front side. A fixed interval is formed between the left and right substrates 3 by being mounted in the position switching hole 124 and moving the six left suction means 70 to the left and fixing the six right suction means 70 to a fixed state. .
[0048]
Further, as shown in FIG. 10, three substrates 3A are suction-held by four suction means 70 on the left side, four suction means 70 at the center, and four suction means 70 on the right side and transferred at a time by mixed production. At this time, the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the two interval switching means 85 on the left side are attached to the rear position switching holes 124, and the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the two interval switching means 85 at the center are connected to the center. By attaching the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the two right-side interval switching means 85 to the front position switching holes 124, the central four suction means 70 are fixed, and the left four suction means are mounted. The means 70 is moved to the left and the four suction means 70 on the right are moved to the right, so that a certain interval is formed between adjacent substrates 3A. When one substrate is transferred by the twelve suction means 70, the pins 128 of the index plungers 127 of the six interval switching means 85 are mounted in the position switching holes 124 at the center.
[0049]
As described above, since the substrates 3 are transferred while being spaced from each other, it is possible to reliably prevent the ends of the adjacent substrates 3 from meshing with each other, and to transfer the transferred substrates 3 to the next process as they are. Is possible, and workability in the post-process can be improved. When a plurality of pallets 84 are provided in the unloading station S4 in accordance with the number of substrates 3 transferred by the suction unit 71, the substrates 3 can be individually transferred to the plurality of pallets 84 in a stacked manner. This makes it possible to further improve workability in the post-process.
[0050]
In the present embodiment, the number of substrates 3 that can be suctioned and held by the suction unit 71 at one time can be changed to one to three. However, the number of suction means 70 and the number of movable racks 110 and 115 can be increased. Thus, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which three or more substrates 3 can be suction-held so that the intervals can be switched.
[0051]
As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 11, a fourth mounting table 130 is provided at the unloading station S4, and a plurality of rollers that are rotatable about an axis in the front-rear direction are provided above the fourth mounting table 130. A roller conveyor 132 composed of 131 is provided. On the roller conveyor 132, pallets 84 of a number corresponding to the number of substrates 3 that can be suction-held by the suction unit 71 at one time are movably mounted. The distance L1 between the adjacent pallets 84 is set slightly smaller than the distance L between the substrates 3 to be transferred, and the substrate 3 sucked and held by the suction unit 71 is reliably transferred onto the pallet 84. I have. A stopper member 133 made of an elastic member such as rubber and extending in the left-right direction is provided below the roller conveyor 132. The stopper member 133 is pressed against the roller 131 by an actuator (not shown) to restrict the rotation of the roller 131. Then, the pallet 84 can be prevented from being transferred during the transfer operation.
[0052]
In this embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the processing system of the substrate 3 for cutting the material substrate 1 of the printed wiring board into a predetermined size has been described. The present invention can be similarly applied to a substrate processing system other than the substrate processing system as long as the apparatus is provided. Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to transfer of a plate-shaped member other than the substrate 3.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
According to the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the substrates can be transferred in a state where they are spaced from each other. It is possible to reliably prevent the end portions of the transferred substrate from engaging with each other, and to carry out the transferred substrate to the next process as it is, thereby improving workability in a subsequent process.
[0054]
When the interval switching means includes a pattern changing means for changing an interlocking pattern of the suction means according to the number of substrates to be suctioned and held by the suction unit at one time, the number of substrates to be transferred at once by mixed production or the like is switched. Is also preferable because the setup can be easily changed accordingly.
[0055]
In addition, when a unit including one fixed rack, a plurality of movable racks, a plurality of actuators, a meshing member, and a coupling unit is used as the interval switching unit, the meshing member can be mounted on a rack corresponding to an interlocking pattern of the suction unit. By connecting the engaging member and the suction means by the connection means so as to engage with each other, it is possible to easily and appropriately switch the interval between the suction means according to the number of substrates to be transferred.
[0056]
A plurality of pallets corresponding to the number of substrates to be transferred at one time by the suction unit are provided in the second station, and the substrates are transferred to each pallet in a stacked state, and the transferred substrates are unloaded to the next process together with the pallets. It is possible to improve workability in the post-process.
[0057]
When the substrate is transferred to the second station, a substrate separating means for pressing the substrate downward and separating the substrate from the suction means is provided in the suction unit, so that the substrate held by suction can be reliably transferred to the second station. Becomes possible.
[0058]
When the substrate is transferred from the first station to the second station by the transfer means, the transfer position of the substrate is shifted by a fixed distance smaller than the interval between the substrates in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction every fixed number of sheets. Since the substrates to be transferred to the second station can be transferred while being shifted by a certain distance in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, when the substrates are transferred in a stacked state to the second station, the number of stacked substrates can be visually checked. , It is possible to easily estimate the timing of carrying out the substrate from the second station.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cutting processing system.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an air blowing device.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a slitter.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a slitter.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the suction unit.
FIG. 6 is a front view of a fourth transfer table and a suction unit.
FIG. 7 is a right side view of the suction unit.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of the interval switching means.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a suction unit when a fourth transfer table and three substrates are transferred.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which left and right substrates are stacked at an unloading station.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 board 2 ears
3 substrate 4 break
10 cutting processing system 11 first transfer device
12 Cutting device 13 Second transfer device
15 First mounting table 16 Transfer ball
17 Pallet 18 Movement restriction rod
20 suction means 21 suction unit
22 Vertical frame 23 Horizontal frame
24 Elevating means 25 Second mounting table
30 air blowing means 31 mounting member
32 Support rod 33 Support block
34 nozzle support member 35 nozzle
36 Pipe member 37 Arm member
38 Support frame 39 Operation arm
39a Operation rod 39b Operation member
40 Conveyor for back and forth transfer 41 Roller
42 Conveyor for position adjustment 43 Fixed regulating plate
44 Movable regulating plate 45 Cylinder
50 Slitter for Ears 50a Shaft
50b gear 51 cutting slitter
52 Separation roller 53 Separation roller
54 Separation means 55 Horizontal transfer means
56 rotary blade 57 rotary blade
58 Cutter holder 59 Cutter
59a Escape groove
60 transfer roller 61 rear transfer means
62 transfer roller 63 front transfer means
64 Roller conveyor 65 Third mounting table
66 Air outlet 67 Restriction bar
70 suction means 71 suction unit
72 transfer means 73 elevating means
74 Vertical frame 75 Horizontal frame
76 Support base 77 Guide rod
78 Actuator 79 Output rod
80 Top plate 81 Side plate
82 Support frame 83 Movable base
84 pallet 85 interval switching means
86 substrate separating means 87 suction pad
88 Actuator 89 Output rod
90 Support plate 91 Intermediate plate
92 guide rod 93 biasing means
94 Stopper member 95 Frame-shaped frame
96 Holding member
100 guide rod 101 movable member
102 Horizontal plate 103 Support rod
104 adjusting means 105 operating lever
106 Fixed rack 107 Spacer member
110 Left movable rack 111 Guide member
112 Left actuator 115 Right movable rack
116 Guide member 117 Right actuator
120 Guide hole 121 Operating member
122 connecting pin 123 meshing member
124 position switching hole 125 position switching member
126 connecting member
127 Index plunger
128-pin 130 mounting table
131 roller 132 roller conveyor
133 Stopper member
S1 loading station
S2 Positioning station
S3 Receiving station S4 Unloading station

Claims (6)

A suction unit having a plurality of sets of suction means for individually suction-holding a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel in the first station;
Transfer means for transferring the suction unit over a first station and a second station adjacent thereto;
Lifting means for raising and lowering the suction unit over a lifting position and a lowering position,
Interval switching means for switching the intervals of a plurality of sets of suction means in a direction parallel to the substrates, provided in the suction unit such that the plurality of substrates sucked and held by the suction means are transferred at a fixed interval from each other;
A substrate transfer device, comprising: 2. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interval switching means includes a pattern changing means for changing an interlocking pattern of the suction means according to the number of substrates to be suctioned and held by the suction unit at one time. The interval switching means moves one fixed rack arranged in a direction parallel to the substrates, a plurality of movable racks arranged substantially in parallel with the fixed rack, and individually moves the plurality of movable racks in a direction parallel to the substrates. Claims: A plurality of actuators, a meshing member selectively meshing with one fixed rack and a plurality of movable racks, and a linking means for switching the meshing member to a suction means so as to be switchably meshed with the rack. Item 3. The apparatus for transferring a substrate according to Item 1 or 2. The plurality of pallets corresponding to the number of substrates to be transferred at one time by the suction unit are provided in the second station, and the substrates are transferred to each pallet in a stacked manner. Substrate transfer device. The substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, when the substrate is transferred to the second station, a substrate separating unit that presses the substrate downward and separates the substrate from the suction unit is provided in the suction unit. Loading device. When the substrate is transferred from the first station to the second station by the transfer means, the transfer position of the substrate is shifted by a fixed distance smaller than the distance between the substrates in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction every fixed number of sheets. The substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein:

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