JP2006176276A - Lift - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lift capable of stably lifting a large size work and restraining increase of dimension and weight of the device and, furthermore, capable of reducing the labor for delivery. <P>SOLUTION: The lift 10 is provided with a base unit 12 having a plurality of posts 21 and 22, a work support unit 13 for supporting works, and a lifting mechanism 14 having a plurality of bending arm units 41, 42, 43 and 44 connected to the posts 21 and 22 of the base unit 12 in one end thereof and connected to the work support unit 13 in the other end thereof. When lifting the work, the work support unit 13 is arranged at a position higher than the plurality of posts 21 and 22, and when lowering the work, at least one part of the work support unit 13 is arranged between the plurality of posts 21 and 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a lifting device used in a device manufacturing process such as a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal element.

Conventionally, in a device manufacturing process, an elevating device is used for transferring a workpiece (substrate) between devices. As the lifting device, a device having an arm mechanism is often used (for example, see Patent Document 1). An apparatus provided with an arm mechanism has an advantage that the flexibility of the transfer operation is high, for example, the workpiece can be conveyed in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction through the arm relatively easily.
JP 2002-210684A

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the device manufacturing field, workpieces (substrates) have been increased in size, and as the processing apparatuses have been increased in size, the required lifting distance (height difference) of workpieces has been increased.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, a technique has been proposed in which a column is extended in the vertical direction over the workpiece lifting range, and the workpiece support unit is lifted and lowered along the column.

In this technique, since the column is extended over the lifting range of the workpiece, there is an advantage that a large workpiece can be lifted and lowered reliably even if the workpiece is highly supported and the lifting distance is long.
However, in this technique, since the frame of the apparatus including the column is enlarged, the frame must be disassembled at the time of shipment. Therefore, a great deal of labor is required for shipping work such as dismantling, transportation, assembly, and adjustment, which causes an increase in device cost. In addition, the weight of the apparatus is greatly increased by the frame base, and the equipment cost is likely to increase because the floor structure of the clean room requires high strength.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and is capable of stably raising and lowering a large workpiece. Further, it is possible to increase the size of the device, reduce the weight of the device, and work associated with shipping. An object of the present invention is to provide an elevating device capable of reducing labor.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The lifting device of the present invention includes a base unit having a plurality of posts, a work support unit for supporting a work, and a bending / extending type in which one end is connected to the post of the base unit and the other end is connected to the work support unit. A lifting mechanism having a plurality of arm units, and when the workpiece is raised, the workpiece support unit is arranged at a position higher than the plurality of posts, and when the workpiece is lowered, at least a part of the workpiece support unit is the plurality of the plurality of arm units. It is arranged between the posts.

In this lifting device, the workpiece is stably supported by a plurality of bending-extension-type arm units, and a large workpiece is reliably lifted even when the lifting distance is long.
In addition, since the work support unit is arranged at a higher position than the plurality of posts (posts) when the work is raised, and at least a part of the work support unit is arranged between the plurality of posts when the work is lowered. It is possible to increase the work lifting distance while suppressing the height of the post.
And the miniaturization of the frame of an apparatus is achieved by the height of a plurality of posts being suppressed. Therefore, in this lifting device, the entire device can be reduced in size or the weight of the device can be reduced, and disassembling of the frame base at the time of shipping is not required, so that the labor required for shipping can be reduced.
Note that the tilt of the workpiece can be adjusted by individually controlling the plurality of arm mechanisms.

In the above-described lifting device, each of the plurality of arm units extends upward from the connecting portion with the post when the workpiece is raised, and each of the plurality of arm units bends when the workpiece is lowered. can do.
According to this configuration, the lifting distance of the workpiece is approximately the extension length of the arm unit.

In the above-described lifting device, each of the plurality of arm units extends upward from the connecting portion with the post when the workpiece is raised, and each of the plurality of arm units is the post when the workpiece is lowered. It can be set as the structure extended | expanded below on the connection part with.
According to this configuration, the lifting distance of the workpiece is approximately twice the extension length of the arm unit.

  Here, each of the plurality of arm units includes a first arm coupled to the post, a second arm coupled to the work support unit, and a joint portion coupling the first arm and the second arm. It can be set as the structure containing these.

The base unit may be configured to be movable in a horizontal plane.
According to this configuration, since the degree of freedom of movement of the base unit is increased, it is possible to transfer the workpiece among a large number of processing apparatuses.

  According to the lifting device of the present invention, a large workpiece can be lifted and lowered stably, the size of the device can be increased, the weight of the device can be reduced, and work labor associated with shipping can be reduced.

Embodiments of the lifting device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1, 2 and 3 are views showing a first embodiment of the lifting device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of the lifting device 10 when the workpiece is raised, and FIG. 2 is a lifting device 10 when the workpiece is lowered. FIG. 3 is a schematic view for explaining the lifting operation of the lifting device 10.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lifting device 10 is mainly composed of a base unit 12, a work support unit 13, and a lifting mechanism 14.

  The base unit 12 is installed on a floor surface or a rail and supports the entire apparatus. The base unit 12 is provided with at least two posts (supports) 21 and 22 for supporting the elevating mechanism 14. The posts 21 and 22 are spaced apart from each other in the Y direction, and one surface of the −Y direction and the + Y direction is a support surface of the lifting mechanism 14, respectively.

  The workpiece support unit 13 is configured to hold two workpieces (for example, glass substrates) P1 and P2 in two upper and lower stages. Specifically, the workpiece support unit 13 includes an upper arm 31, a lower arm 32, an upper drive unit 33 that reciprocates the upper arm 31 in the horizontal direction (Y direction), and a lower arm 32 in the horizontal direction (Y direction). ), A rotary table 35 that rotatably supports the upper arm 31 and the lower arm 32 in a horizontal plane, a rotary drive unit (not shown) that drives the rotary table 35, and the rotary table 35. And a lifting table 36 to be supported. The width (maximum width) in the X direction of the work support unit 13 in the state of FIG. 1 is narrower than the distance between the posts 21 and 22 of the base unit 12 (interval in the X direction).

  The upper arm 31 is composed of a plurality of bar-shaped members arranged in the X direction with a space between each other, and each bar-shaped member extends in the Y direction with the end as a base point. The upper arm 31 is supported by the movement guide 38 via the bracket 37 so as to be slidable in the Y direction. When the bracket 37 moves along the movement guide 38, the upper arm 31 moves in the extending direction (Y direction).

  Similarly, the lower arm 32 is composed of a plurality of rod-like members arranged side by side at intervals, and each rod-like member extends in the Y direction with the end portion as a base point. Similarly, the lower arm 32 is supported by the movement guide 39 so as to be slidable in the Y direction.

  With the work P1 (work P2) placed on the upper arm 31 (lower arm 32), the upper arm 31 (lower arm 32) reciprocates horizontally, rotates in the horizontal plane, or moves up and down. The workpiece is transferred between a plurality of devices.

  The elevating mechanism 14 has four arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44 that are bent and extended. Each of the arm units 41 to 44 has one end connected to the posts 21 and 22 of the base unit 12 and the other end connected to the work support unit 13.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the four arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are separated and arranged in four directions in the horizontal plane, and the two arm units 41 are disposed on one post 21. , 42 are connected to each other via connecting portions 51, 52, and one end of the remaining two arm units 43, 44 is connected to the other post 22 via connecting portions 53, 54. The other end of each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 is connected to the four corner positions of the lifting table 36 in the work support unit 13 via connecting portions 55, 56, 57, 58.

As shown in FIG. 1, each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 includes a first arm 61, 62, 63, 64 connected to the posts 21, 22 and a second arm connected to the workpiece support unit 13. 65, 66, 67, 68, joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 for connecting the first arms 61, 62, 63, 64 and the second arms 65, 66, 67, 68, for bending and extending driving And an arm drive unit (not shown). When the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 move in the circumferential direction around the connecting portions 51, 52, 53, 54 by driving by the arm driving portion (movable rotation angle: about 90 °), each arm unit 41 is moved. , 42, 43, 44 are extended or bent, and the workpieces (P1, P2) supported by the workpiece support unit 13 are raised or lowered along with the bending operation.
In addition, the inclination of the workpieces (P1, P2) is adjusted by individually controlling the four arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 to provide differences in the height positions of the connecting portions 55, 56, 57, 58. You can also.

  When the workpiece is at its highest position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 moves upward (+ Z) with reference to the connecting portions 51, 52, 53, 54 with the posts 21, 22. Direction). That is, in each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44, the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 are arranged above the connection portions 51, 52, 53, 54 with the posts 21, 22. The first arms 61, 62, 63, 64 and the second arms 65, 66, 67, 68 extend upward (+ Z direction) from the connecting portions 51, 52, 53, 54 as a base point, and are substantially straight Arranged.

  At the lowest end of the workpiece, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are bent through the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74. That is, in each of the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44, the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 are at the same horizontal height with respect to the connecting portions 51, 52, 53, 54 with the posts 21, 22. Accordingly, the first arms 61, 62, 63, 64 and the second arms 65, 66, 67, 68 are arranged so as to fall down and overlap each other.

  As described above, the lifting device 10 of this example has a configuration in which the workpieces P1 and P2 (work support unit 13) are lifted and lowered via the four bent arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44. The unit 13 is supported at four points. Therefore, even if the workpiece support unit 13 is relatively large or heavy, the support stability is high, and a large workpiece can be lifted and lowered stably.

  Here, in the lifting device 10 of this example, when the workpiece is raised, the workpiece support unit 13 is disposed at a higher position than the posts 21 and 22 as the arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44 extend. Further, when the work is lowered, the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are bent, and at least a part of the work support unit 13 (the rotary table 35, the lifting table 36, etc.) is disposed between the posts 21, 22.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the entire arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 in the bent state are arranged at the same height as the posts 21, 22 when the workpiece is lowered. Along with this, the connecting portions 55, 56, 57, 58 between the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 and the work support unit 13 and the lower parts (the rotary table 35, the lifting table 36) of the arm unit work support unit 13 are provided. It is arranged at the same height as the posts 21 and 22. At this time, the lower part (the rotary table 35 and the lifting table 36) of the work support unit 13 is disposed between the post 21 and the post 22.

  As described above, in the lifting device 10, the workpiece support unit 13 is arranged at a position higher than the posts 21 and 22 when the workpiece is raised, and a part of the workpiece support unit 13 is as high as the posts 21 and 22 when the workpiece is lowered. Since the post is placed at the vertical position, the workpiece lifting distance can be increased while suppressing the height of the posts 21 and 22.

  In the lifting device 10 of the present example, when the workpiece is at its highest position, each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 extends upward from the connection portions 51, 52, 53, 54 with the posts 21, 22 as the base point. Since each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 is bent at the lowest position, the ascending / descending distance of the workpieces P1, P2 (work support unit 13) is approximately the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44. Is the extension length.

  The height of the posts 21 and 22 is suppressed, thereby reducing the size of the frame of the device. As a result, in this lifting device, the overall size of the device can be reduced or the weight of the device can be reduced. This eliminates the need to dismantle the frame base at the time of shipment, thereby reducing the work labor associated with the shipment.

  Note that the base unit 12 may be installed on a rail (not shown) and arranged to be movable in a horizontal plane. According to this structure, since the freedom degree of the movement of the base unit 12 increases, it becomes possible to convey the workpiece | work P1, P2 between many processing apparatuses.

4, 5, and 6 are views showing a second embodiment of the lifting device according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the lifting device 100 when the workpiece is lifted, and FIG. 2 is a lifting device 100 when the workpiece is lowered. FIG. 3 is a schematic view for explaining the lifting operation of the lifting device 100.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the lifting device 100 of the second embodiment is similar to the lifting device 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and includes a base unit 112, a work support unit 113, and a lifting mechanism. 114. In the lifting device 100 of the second embodiment, components having the same functions as those of the lifting device 10 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted or simplified.

In the lifting device 100 of the present embodiment, the workpiece support unit 113 and the lifting mechanism 114 have the same configuration as the previous lifting device 10.
That is, the workpiece support unit 113 is configured to be able to hold two workpieces (for example, glass substrates) P1 and P2 in two upper and lower stages by the upper arm 31 and the lower arm 32. , And is supported so as to be movable in the extending direction (Y direction).
The elevating mechanism 114 has four bent and extended arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44. One end of each arm unit 41 to 44 is connected to the posts 121 and 122 of the base unit 112, and the other. The end is connected to the work support unit 113.

  And in the raising / lowering apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the height of the posts 121 and 122 in the base unit 112 differs from 1st Embodiment. That is, posts 121 and 122 that are taller than the first embodiment are erected on the base unit 112, and the arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44 are connected to the upper portions of the posts 121 and 122, respectively. Accordingly, the base points of the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are higher than those in the first embodiment.

  More specifically, in the four arm units 41, 42, 43, 44, one end of the two arm units 41, 42 is connected to one post 121 via connecting portions 151, 152, and the other post 122 is connected. One ends of the remaining two arm units 43 and 44 are connected via connecting portions 153 and 154. The other end of each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 is connected to the four corner positions of the lifting table 36 in the work support unit 113 via connecting portions 55, 56, 57, 58. When the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 move in the circumferential direction around the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 by driving by the arm drive portion (movable rotation angle: about 180 °), each arm unit 41, 42 is moved. , 43, 44 are extended or bent, and the workpieces (P1, P2) supported by the workpiece support unit 113 are raised or lowered along with the bending operation. The height of each post 121, 122 is approximately the same as the extension length of each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44.

  4 and 6, the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are moved upward (+ Z) from the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 with the posts 121, 122 as base points. Direction). That is, in each of the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44, the joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 are arranged above the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 with the posts 121, 122, and accordingly, The first arms 61, 62, 63, 64 and the second arms 65, 66, 67, 68 extend upward (+ Z direction) and are substantially straight with the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 as base points. Arranged.

  At the lowest end of the workpiece, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44 are moved downward from the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, and 154 with the posts 121 and 122 (− Z direction). That is, in each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44, joint portions 71, 72, 73, 74 are arranged below the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 with the posts 121, 122, and accordingly The first arms 61, 62, 63, 64 and the second arms 65, 66, 67, 68 extend downward (−Z direction) with the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 as base points, and are approximately Arranged linearly.

  As described above, in the lifting device 100 of this example, when the workpiece is lifted, each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 extends upward from the top of the posts 121, 122 (the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154). Accordingly, the work support unit 113 is arranged at a higher position than the posts 121 and 122. Further, when the work is lowered, each arm unit 41, 42, 43, 44 extends downward from the upper part of the posts 121, 122 (the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154), and accordingly, the posts 121, 122 are extended. Between them, almost the whole work support unit 113 is arranged.

  In the lifting device 100, the workpiece support unit 113 is arranged at a position higher than the posts 121 and 122 when the workpiece is raised, and almost the entire workpiece support unit 113 is positioned at the same height as the posts 121 and 122 when the workpiece is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to increase the work lifting distance while suppressing the height of the posts 121 and 122.

  In the lifting device 100 of this example, when the workpiece is lifted up, the arm units 41, 42, 43, and 44 extend upward from the connection portions 151, 152, 153, and 154 with the posts 121 and 122 as the base points. Since the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 extend downward from the connection points 151, 152, 153, 154 with the posts 121, 122 at the lowest position, the workpieces P 1, P 2 (work support) The elevation distance of the unit 113) is approximately twice the extension length of the arm unit. That is, in this embodiment, the positions of the connecting portions 151, 152, 153, 154 with the posts 121, 122 that are the base points of the arm units 41, 42, 43, 44 are set higher than in the first embodiment. The work lifting distance is increased.

  As described above, the preferred embodiments according to the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the examples. Various shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described examples are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows 1st Embodiment of the raising / lowering apparatus which concerns on this invention, and is a side view of the raising / lowering apparatus at the time of a workpiece | work raising. It is a side view of the raising / lowering device at the time of a workpiece | work descending. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the raising / lowering operation | movement of a raising / lowering apparatus. It is a figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of the raising / lowering apparatus which concerns on this invention, and is a side view of the raising / lowering apparatus at the time of a workpiece | work raising. It is a side view of the raising / lowering device at the time of a workpiece | work descending. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the raising / lowering operation | movement of a raising / lowering apparatus. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the conventional raising / lowering apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

P1, P2 ... Work (substrate), 10, 100 ... Lifting device, 12, 112 ... Base unit, 13, 113 ... Work support unit, 14, 114 ... Lifting mechanism, 21, 22, 121, 122 ... Post, 31 ... Upper arm, 32 ... lower arm, 36 ... lifting table, 41, 42, 43, 44 ... arm unit, 61, 62, 63, 64 ... first arm, 65, 66, 67, 68 ... second arm, 71, 72, 73, 74 ... joints.

Claims (5)

A base unit having a plurality of posts;
A work support unit for supporting the work;
An elevating mechanism having a plurality of bending-extension-type arm units having one end connected to the post of the base unit and the other end connected to the work support unit;
The workpiece support unit is disposed at a position higher than the plurality of posts when the workpiece is raised, and at least a part of the workpiece support unit is disposed between the plurality of posts when the workpiece is lowered. lift device. When the workpiece is lifted up, each of the plurality of arm units extends upward from the connecting portion with the post,
The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of arm units bends when the workpiece is lowered. When the workpiece is lifted up, each of the plurality of arm units extends upward from the connecting portion with the post,
2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of arm units extends downward from a connection portion with the post when the workpiece is at the lowest position.   Each of the plurality of arm units includes a first arm connected to the post, a second arm connected to the work support unit, and a joint portion connecting the first arm and the second arm. The elevating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The elevating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base unit is arranged to be movable in a horizontal plane.

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