JP2006179687A - Tray for sheet transfer and transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tray for sheet transfer which can be transferred or placed in a state of being stacked compact when it is vacant not being mounted with a plate-like work, and to provide a transfer system wherein the trays for sheet transfer can be stacked in a different manner when they are mounted with plate-like works and when they are vacant, and they can be stacked compact when they are vacant. <P>SOLUTION: The tray 1 to be mounted with a plate-like work is formed with two kinds of bearing portions 3 and 4 having a different height as bearers to place another tray on at the time of stacking another tray on the tray 1. The transfer system using the tray 1 for sheet transfer transfers the trays 1 by stacking them on the higher bearing portions 3 when the trays 1 are mounted with the plate-like works while stacking them on the lower bearing portions 3 when the trays 1 are not mounted with the plate-like works. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a single-wafer carrying tray for carrying a plate-like workpiece such as a glass substrate used for a liquid crystal display and carrying it, and a carrying system using this tray.

Conventionally, a glass substrate used for a liquid crystal display or the like has a box-shaped cassette having a large number of upper and lower arms on which both ends of the substrate are mounted, and is configured to convey a large number of sheets simultaneously (for example, Patent Document 1).
However, recently, along with the increase in the size of liquid crystal displays, glass substrates with large vertical and horizontal dimensions, for example, glass substrates of about 2200 × 2600 × 0.7 (unit mm) have been manufactured. In this case, a cassette that transports a large number of sheets simultaneously becomes heavy and difficult to transport. Further, if the both ends of the glass substrate are only supported by the arm portions of the cassette, the glass substrate may be bent, which may hinder transportation.

Therefore, a single-wafer carrying tray on which glass substrates are placed one by one is being adopted. The single wafer transfer tray can be stacked with a glass substrate placed thereon, and is transported by a stacker crane or the like in a stacked state.
To various processing apparatuses and inspection apparatuses, the trays are taken out one by one from the stacked sheet-feeding trays, and the trays are transported together, or only the glass substrate is taken out from the tray and transported to the processing apparatus or the like. Place the empty tray separately.
JP 2002-373934 A

  However, in the above-described single-wafer carrying tray, even when the plate-like workpiece is not loaded, the stack height is unnecessarily high because the plate-like workpiece is stacked in a form that can be placed. A group of empty single wafers when the stacking height is increased due to restrictions such as the height of the loading state of the package by the transport device, the height of the place where it can be placed, and the height that allows stable stacking height. The trays cannot be transported at one time, or it is necessary to divide the trays in multiple places.

  For example, when transporting a group of empty single-sheet transport trays, if the stacking height is a little low, if only one transport is required, the number of transports per transport increases by transporting only a fraction of the trays. The efficiency of conveyance deteriorates. Also, when stacking a group of empty sheet feeding trays, if the stacking height is a little low, even if only one place is sufficient, one or two sheets are transported. In some cases, it is necessary to occupy one place only for placing a tray. Therefore, the occupied floor area increases. When the paper is placed in a plurality of places, there is a problem that the trouble of moving the single-sheet transport tray between the places increases and the transport tact time becomes longer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a single-wafer transfer tray that can be stacked and transported and placed compactly in an empty state where no plate-like workpiece is placed.
Another object of the present invention is to carry a single-wafer carrying tray that can be stacked in a different manner depending on whether a plate-like workpiece is placed or empty, and can be stacked compactly when empty. Is to provide a system.

The single-wafer carrying tray according to the present invention is a tray on which a plate-like workpiece is placed, and has two kinds of receiving portions having different heights as receiving portions on which upper trays to be stacked are placed. Each of the two types of receiving portions is capable of placing the upper tray horizontally.
According to this configuration, when a plate-shaped workpiece is placed, the height of the mounting space for the plate-shaped workpiece can be secured between the upper and lower trays by stacking the tray on the higher receiving portion. When stacking empty trays that are not loaded with plate-shaped workpieces, the mounting space for the plate-shaped workpieces is unnecessary, and stacking height is lowered by stacking the trays on the lower receiving part, making it compact. The trays can be stacked and transported.

The transport system according to the present invention is a transport system using the single-wafer transport tray according to the present invention, wherein the tray on which the plate-like workpiece is placed is stacked on the higher receiving portion, and the plate-like workpiece is placed on the tray. The trays that are not stacked are stacked in the lower receiving section and transported.
According to this configuration, the sheet transport trays can be stacked in different modes depending on whether the plate-like workpiece is placed or empty, and can be transported in a compact manner when empty. Moreover, when the plate-shaped workpiece is placed, the plate-shaped workpiece can be stacked so that a placement space for the plate-shaped workpiece is secured between the upper and lower trays.

In the transport system of the present invention, means for stacking on the lower receiving portion may be provided by shifting the tray to be stacked in the horizontal direction.
When the stacking mode is changed by shifting in the horizontal direction, it becomes easy to stack empty trays in a compact manner separately from the tray on which the plate-like workpieces are placed. Further, the configuration of the transport system may be simple because it only needs to have a means for shifting in the horizontal direction.

  In the transport system of the present invention, means for stacking on the lower receiving portion may be provided by horizontally rotating the tray to be stacked 180 degrees. Also in this configuration, it becomes easy to stack empty trays in a compact manner.

The single-wafer carrying tray of the present invention is a tray on which a plate-shaped workpiece is placed, and has two types of receiving portions having different heights as receiving portions on which the upper trays stacked on each other are placed. In an empty state where it is not placed, it can be compactly stacked and transported or placed.
The transport system according to the present invention is a transport system using the single-wafer transport tray according to the present invention, wherein the tray on which the plate-like workpiece is placed is stacked on the higher receiving portion, and the plate-like workpiece is placed on the tray. The trays that are not stacked are stacked and transported in the lower receiving part, so that the single-sheet transport tray can be stacked in a different manner depending on whether the plate-shaped workpiece is placed or empty. In some cases, it can be transported in a compact stack.
In the case where means for stacking on the lower receiving portion is provided by shifting the tray to be stacked in the horizontal direction, the stack can be easily and compactly stacked with a simple configuration.
By horizontally rotating the tray to be stacked 180 degrees, even when a means for stacking on the lower receiving portion is provided, the tray can be easily and compactly stacked with a simple configuration.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in perspective views in FIGS. 1 and 2, the single-wafer carrying tray 1 of this embodiment is a tray that can be stacked in a state where a plate-like work such as a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display is placed thereon, Shaped bottom plate portion 2, a plurality of tray receiving portions 3 provided at equal intervals along two opposite edges of the bottom plate portion 2, and a plurality of tray receiving portions 3 provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2. And a workpiece receiving portion 4. The work receiving unit 4 also serves as a receiving unit that receives the upper tray when empty, and is lower than the tray receiving unit 3.

  The tray receiving portion 3 is a receiving portion on which upper trays stacked on each other in a state where the plate-like workpiece W is placed, and is composed of rectangular pillars having a horizontal cross section, which are adjacent to each other. A predetermined gap L slightly wider than the width dimension of one tray receiving portion 3 is provided between them. As shown in FIG. 1, a cylindrical engagement protrusion 5 is provided at the upper end of each tray receiving portion 3, and a circular engagement recess 6 is provided at the lower end as shown in FIG. The engaging projections 5 of the corresponding tray receiving part 3 in the lower tray 1 are detachably fitted into the engaging recesses 6 of the tray receiving part 3 in the tray 1 placed on the upper side, so that the tray 1 can be stably and stably attached. It is possible to stack.

The plurality of workpiece receiving portions 4 provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2 supports the plate-like workpiece W in a state of being lifted from the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2 as shown in FIG. These workpiece receiving portions 4 are arranged in an evenly distributed manner in order to support the plate-like workpiece W evenly over the entire surface without bending. That is, the workpiece receiving part 4 is a ridge extending in the arrangement direction of the tray receiving part 3, and a plurality of work receiving parts 4 are arranged at intervals in the arrangement direction, and a plurality of arrangements are also provided at intervals in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction. Has been. The gap between the adjacent workpiece receiving portions 4 is a gap into which a means such as a fork for carrying the plate-like workpiece W into and out of the single-wafer carrying tray 1 enters.
The height of the workpiece receiving portion 4 is set to be lower than the height from the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2 to the upper end of the tray receiving portion 3 so that the supported plate-like workpiece W is lower than the upper end of the workpiece receiving portion 4. ing.

  4A and 4B are a perspective view and a front view showing the stacked state of the single-wafer carrying tray 1 on which the plate-like workpiece W is placed. As described above, the engaging protrusions 5 of the corresponding tray receiving part 3 in the lower tray 1 are detachably fitted into the engaging recesses 6 at the lower end of the tray receiving part 3 in the tray 1 placed on the upper side. As a result, the tray receiver 3 of the upper tray 1 overlaps the tray receiver 3 of the lower tray 1 and the trays 1 are stacked in multiple layers. Further, since the height of the workpiece receiving portion 3 that supports the plate-like workpiece W is set lower than the upper end of the tray receiving portion 3, the plate-like workpiece W placed on each tray 1 is placed on the upper tray 1. There is no contact.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are a perspective view and a front view showing a stacked state of empty sheet transport trays 1 on which plate-like workpieces W are not placed. In this case, when the next tray 1 is stacked on the lowermost tray 1, the upper tray 1 is shifted in the horizontal direction (alignment direction of the tray receiver 3) by the width dimension of the tray receiver 3. Thereby, the upper tray 1 is supported on the work receiving portion 4 of the lower tray 1 with the tray receiving portion 3 being sandwiched between the adjacent tray receiving portions 3 and 3 of the lower tray 1. Is done. That is, the work receiving portion 4 of the lower tray 1 becomes a receiving portion of the upper tray 1 and directly supports the upper tray 1.

  Thereafter, the next tray 1 is first stacked on the lowermost tray 1 in the stacking manner of FIG. 4, and then the next tray 1 is further stacked on the horizontally shifted tray 1 in the stacking manner of FIG. In the procedure, a plurality of trays 1 are stacked. As a result, the stacking portion of the tray 1 according to the stacking method of FIG. 4 and a position slightly higher than the stacking portion at a position shifted in the horizontal direction from the stacking portion by approximately one tray receiving portion 3 in FIG. A plurality of trays 1 are stacked in a state where the stacked portions of the trays 1 are stacked.

  As a result, the single-wafer carrying tray 1 in an empty state where the plate-like workpiece W is not placed can be stacked in a compact manner. Further, when stacking the next tray 1 on the lower tray 1, it is only necessary to shift the tray 1 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is possible to easily stack the empty trays 1 in a compact manner.

  FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of a transport system using the single-wafer transport tray 1. The transfer system 7 extends in the direction in which the workpiece mounting table 8 on which the tray 1 on which the plate-shaped workpieces W are loaded is loaded and the tray mounting table 9 on which the empty tray 1 is loaded, and above the loading tables 8 and 9. It is provided with a rail 10 installed on the gantry type. The transport system 7 includes a traveling platform 11 that travels along a rail 10, and the traveling platform 11 is provided with a lifting rod 12 that can be moved up and down. A tray gripping portion 13 that grips the tray 1 in a horizontal posture is provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 12. Each of the workpiece mounting table 8 and the tray mounting table 9 may be a fixed table, or may be a movable transfer table on which the tray 1 is loaded and transferred.

The transport system 7 operates as follows by controlling the traveling of the carriage 11, the lifting / lowering of the lifting / lowering rod 12, and the gripping operation of the tray gripping unit 13 by the control means 14.
First, from a loading position (not shown) where the tray 1 on which the plate-like workpiece W is placed is prepared, the tray 1 is lifted by the tray gripping unit 13 and conveyed onto the workpiece mounting table 8. Put it on top. By repeating this transporting operation, the trays 1 are stacked on the workpiece mounting table 8 in the stacking manner shown in FIG.
Next, the upper tray 1 is lifted by the tray gripping unit 13 from the workpiece mounting table 8 and conveyed to a workpiece processing step unit (not shown). In this process section, the plate-like workpiece W is taken out from the tray 1, and the tray 1 becomes empty.

  Next, the transport system 7 lifts the empty tray 1 with the tray gripping unit 13 and transports it onto the tray mounting table 9, and places the empty tray 1 on the tray mounting table 9. By repeating this transporting operation, the empty trays 1 are stacked in a compact manner on the tray mounting table 9 by the stacking method shown in FIG. As a result, the tray mounting table 9 can carry the empty tray 1 in a compactly stacked state.

7 to 10 show another embodiment. As shown in a perspective view in FIG. 7, the single-wafer carrying tray 1 </ b> A of this embodiment is provided on a rectangular plate-like bottom plate portion 22 and edges of the two opposite parallel sides of the bottom plate portion 22. And a pair of tray receivers 23. The bottom plate portion 22 serves as a placement portion on which the plate-like workpiece W is placed, and also serves as a receiving portion on which the upper tray 1A is placed when the plate-like workpiece W is empty.
The tray receiving portion 23 is a receiving portion on which the upper tray 1A stacked on top of each other when the plate-like workpiece W is placed, and is formed of a rectangular column with a horizontal section. Each tray receiving portion 23 is provided with a cylindrical engagement protrusion 25 at the upper end and a circular engagement recess 6 at the lower end. The upper end of the tray receiving portion 23 is set higher than the plate thickness of the plate-like workpiece W with respect to the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 22.

  The pair of tray receiving portions 23 at one edge portion of the bottom plate portion 22 is provided so as to be biased inward by one of the tray receiving portions 23 from both corner portions of the one edge portion of the bottom plate portion 22. On the other hand, the pair of tray receiving parts 23 on the other edge of the bottom plate part 22 are provided at both corners of the other edge of the bottom plate part 22, and the inner side of the bottom plate part 22 adjacent to the tray receiving part 23. The width dimension L <b> 1 is set to be slightly narrower than the width L <b> 2 between the tray receiving portions 23 on the one side edge portion of the bottom plate portion 22.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a stacked state of the single-wafer carrying tray 1A when the plate-like workpiece W is placed. Also in this embodiment, the engaging protrusion 5 of the corresponding tray receiving portion 23 in the lower tray 1A is detachably fitted into the engaging recess 6 at the lower end of the tray receiving portion 23 in the tray 1A placed on the upper side. As a result, the tray receiver 3 of the upper tray 1A overlaps the tray receiver 23 of the lower tray 1A, and the trays 1A are stacked in multiple layers. Further, since the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 22 that supports the plate-like workpiece W is lower than the upper end of the tray receiving portion 23 by the plate thickness of the plate-like workpiece W, the plate-like workpiece W placed on each tray 1A is There is no contact with the upper tray 1A.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a stacked state of empty single-wafer carrying trays 1A on which plate-like workpieces W are not placed. In this case, when the next tray 1A is stacked on the lower tray 1A, the upper tray 1A is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees. Accordingly, the pair of tray receiving portions 23 on one side of the upper tray 1A is disposed inside the pair of tray receiving portions 23 of the lower tray 1A, and the pair of tray receiving portions 23 on the other side of the upper tray 1A. Is disposed outside the pair of tray receiving portions 23 of the lower tray 1A, and the bottom plate portion 22 of the upper tray 1A overlaps the bottom plate portion 22 of the lower tray 1A, and the trays 1A are stacked in multiple layers. Thereafter, similarly, the upper tray 1A is horizontally rotated 180 degrees with respect to the lower tray 1A, whereby a plurality of trays 1A are stacked. Thereby, the stacking height per tray of the tray 1A is equal to the thickness of the bottom plate portion 22, and the single-wafer carrying tray 1A in an empty state on which the plate-like workpiece W is not placed can be stacked in a compact manner. In addition, when the next tray 1A is stacked on the lower tray 1A, it is only necessary to horizontally rotate the tray 1A by 180 degrees, so that it is possible to easily stack the empty trays 1A in a compact manner.

  FIG. 10 shows a schematic configuration of a transport system using the single-wafer transport tray 1A. As in the case of the transfer system 7 shown in FIG. 6, the transfer system 17 also includes a work table 8 on which the tray 1A on which the plate-like workpieces W are loaded and a tray table 9 on which the empty tray 1A is loaded. It is a gantry type that has a traveling table 11 that extends in the alignment direction and travels along a rail 10 that is installed above the mounting table. The traveling platform 11 is provided with an elevating rod 12 that can be raised and lowered, and a tray gripping portion 13 that holds the tray 1A in a horizontal posture is provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 12. The difference from the transport system 7 in FIG. 6 is that the tray gripping portion 13 can be turned 180 degrees.

The transport system 17 operates as follows by controlling the travel of the platform 11, the lifting / lowering of the lifting / lowering rod 12, and the gripping operation of the tray gripping portion 13 by the control means 14 </ b> A.
First, from a loading position (not shown) where a tray 1A on which a plate-like workpiece W is placed is prepared, the tray 1A is lifted by the tray gripping unit 13 and conveyed onto the workpiece mounting table 8, and this tray 1A is transferred to the workpiece mounting table 8. Put it on top. By repeating this transporting operation, the trays 1A are stacked on the workpiece mounting table 8 in the stacking manner shown in FIG.
Next, the upper tray 1 </ b> A is lifted from the workpiece mounting table 8 by the tray gripping unit 13 and is transported to a workpiece processing step unit (not shown). In this process section, the plate-like workpiece W is taken out from the tray 1A, and the tray 1A becomes empty.

  Next, the transport system 17 lifts the empty tray 1 </ b> A with the tray gripping unit 13 and transports it onto the tray mounting table 9, and places the empty tray 1 </ b> A on the tray mounting table 9. When the next empty tray 1A is stacked on the tray 1A, the tray gripping portion 13 is rotated to horizontally rotate the tray 1A by 180 degrees. By repeating this transport operation, empty trays 1A are stacked in a compact manner on the tray mounting table 9 by the stacking method shown in FIG. As a result, the tray mounting table 9 can carry the empty tray 1A in a compactly stacked state.

It is the perspective view which looked at the tray for single wafer conveyance concerning one Embodiment of this invention from the upper side. It is the perspective view which looked at the tray from the lower side. It is a perspective view which shows the state which mounted the plate-shaped workpiece on the tray. (A) is a perspective view which shows the stacking state of a tray when a plate-shaped workpiece | work is mounted, (B) is a front view of the same stacking state. (A) is a perspective view which shows the stacking state of an empty tray, (B) is a front view of the stacking state. It is the schematic of the conveyance system using the tray. It is a perspective view of the single-wafer conveyance tray concerning other embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the stacking state of a tray when a plate-shaped workpiece is mounted on the tray. It is a perspective view which shows the stacking state of the tray when the tray is empty. It is the schematic of the conveyance system using the tray.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A ... Sheet | seat conveyance tray 2 ... Bottom plate part 3 ... Tray receiving part 4 ... Work receiving part 7, 17 ... Transfer system 8 ... Work mounting base 9 ... Tray mounting base 10 ... Rail 11 ... Traveling base 12 ... Lifting rod 13 ... Tray gripping portion 14, 14A ... control means 22 ... bottom plate portion (receiving portion)
23 ... Tray receiving part

Claims (4)

  A single-wafer carrying tray having two kinds of receiving portions having different heights as receiving portions on which a plate-like workpiece is placed and on which an upper tray is stacked.   It is a conveyance system which uses the tray for sheet | seat conveyance of Claim 1, Comprising: The tray in which the plate-shaped workpiece is mounted is piled up in a higher receiving part, The tray in which the plate-shaped workpiece is not mounted is low. A single-wafer transport tray transport system that is stacked and transported to the receiving section.   3. The single wafer transfer tray transfer system according to claim 2, further comprising means for stacking the upper stack on the lower receiving portion by shifting the tray in the horizontal direction.   3. The single wafer transfer tray transfer system according to claim 2, further comprising means for horizontally stacking the upper stack on the lower receiving portion by rotating the tray horizontally by 180 degrees.

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