JP2006179688A - Tray for sheet transfer and tray transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tray for sheet transfer which can suck and levitate a plate-like work and can prevent the positional deviation of the plate-like work and can also prevent the work from being damaged when it is taken out of the tray, and also to provide a tray transfer system which can prevent the positional deviation of the plate-like work during transportation by a simple structure and can easily prevent the positional deviation of the plate-like work during transportation. <P>SOLUTION: In the tray 1 for sheet transfer, air supply and drainage ports 5 are formed in placement portions 4 to place the plate-like work on. In communication with the air supply and drainage ports 5, an air channel is formed to which an air supply and drainage device can be connected. By sucking the air from the air channel by means of the air supply and drainage device, the plate-like work can be sucked on the placement portions 4. By supplying the air to the air channel from the air supply and drainage device, the plate-like work placed on the placement portions 4 can be levitated from the placement portions 4 by the air blown out from the air supply and drainage ports 5 formed in the placement portions 4. <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). In the same patent document 1, it is also proposed to provide a suction pad on each arm in the cassette.
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 are transported for each tray, 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.

In order to take out a plate-shaped workpiece in a non-contact manner, this type of single-wafer carrying tray has been proposed in which an ejection hole is provided on the bottom surface of the tray and the plate-shaped workpiece is floated by jetting air (for example, Patent Document 2). .
JP 2002-373934 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-272752

When a plate-like workpiece is placed on a single-sheet carrying tray and conveyed by a conveyor or the like, the plate-like workpiece may be displaced due to vibration during conveyance, which may hinder the removal of the workpiece from the tray. There is also a problem that when the workpiece is taken out from the tray, the workpiece is rubbed against the mounting portion and damaged.
In the cassette type shown in Patent Document 1, each arm portion is provided with a suction pad, so that displacement can be prevented. However, since it is a cassette type, it is heavy, and a plate-like workpiece is held at both ends. Since it is supported by the portion, in the case of a large-sized plate-shaped workpiece, there is a problem that bending occurs. When bending occurs, it also affects positioning by suction.
The single-wafer carrying tray shown in Patent Document 2 has a function of floating the plate-like workpiece by blowing out air, so that it is prevented that the plate-like workpiece is rubbed and damaged when the plate-like workpiece is removed. It cannot cope with the displacement of the plate-like workpiece due to vibration during conveyance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a single-wafer carrying tray capable of adsorbing and floating a plate-shaped workpiece, preventing displacement of the plate-shaped workpiece, and preventing the workpiece from being damaged when the workpiece is taken out. It is.
Another object of the present invention is to prevent the displacement of the plate-shaped workpiece being conveyed with a simple configuration.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tray transport system that can easily prevent displacement of a plate-like workpiece during transport.

The single-wafer carrying tray of the present invention is provided with an air supply / exhaust port on the plate-like workpiece mounting portion, and an air path that communicates with the air supply / exhaust port and that can be connected to the supply / discharge device.
According to this configuration, the air in the air path is evacuated by sucking the air in the air path by the supply / discharge device, and the plate-like workpiece on the mounting part can be adsorbed to the mounting part. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the plate-like workpiece on the tray. Further, by supplying air from the supply / discharge device to the air path, the plate-like workpiece can be levitated by the air blown from the air supply / discharge port of the mounting portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the workpiece from being damaged when the workpiece is taken out.

  In the present invention, a check valve may be provided in the air path. When the check valve is provided, the plate work is placed even if the air path is evacuated by the air supply / discharge device and the air path is evacuated and the supply / discharge device is separated from the air path. The adsorbed state is maintained. For this reason, even if the sheet feeding tray is transported in a non-connected state of the feeding / discharging device, the plate-like workpiece can be kept attracted to the sheet feeding tray, and the positional deviation of the plate-shaped workpiece being transported can be prevented. Can be prevented. In addition, it is possible to maintain adsorption during conveyance with a simple configuration in which a check valve is provided.

The tray transfer system of the present invention is a transfer system that uses the single-sheet transfer tray of the present invention, and in the loading section that supplies the plate-shaped workpiece onto the tray, the air path is in a state where the plate-shaped workpiece is placed. A supply / discharge device for sucking the air is provided so that the plate-like work is conveyed while being adsorbed to the tray.
According to this configuration, in the loading unit, the plate-like workpiece placed on the tray mounting unit can be adsorbed to the tray by suction of the supply / discharge device, and the single-wafer carrying tray is conveyed in this adsorbed state. Can do. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the plate-like workpiece from being displaced during the conveyance. As a means for maintaining the adsorption of the plate-like workpiece during the movement of the single wafer transfer tray, a check valve may be provided as described above, and the air path between the supply / discharge device and the single wafer transfer tray during the movement. It is good also as a means to keep connection with.

The single-wafer carrying tray of the present invention is provided with an air supply / exhaust port in the plate-shaped workpiece mounting portion, and an air path that communicates with the air supply / exhaust port to connect the supply / discharge device. It is possible to prevent the plate-like workpiece from being displaced, and to prevent the workpiece from being damaged when the workpiece is taken out.
When a check valve is provided in the air path, the suction state of the plate-like workpiece can be maintained during conveyance, and the positional deviation of the plate-like workpiece during conveyance can be prevented with a simple configuration.
The tray transfer system of the present invention is a transfer system that uses the single-sheet transfer tray of the present invention, and in the loading section that supplies the plate-shaped workpiece onto the tray, the air path is in a state where the plate-shaped workpiece is placed. Since a plate-like workpiece is transported in a state where the plate-like workpiece is adsorbed to the tray, a plate-like workpiece placed on the tray placement portion is adsorbed to the placement portion. A tray can be conveyed and it can prevent that a plate-shaped workpiece shifts during conveyance.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in a perspective view in FIG. 1, a single-wafer carrying tray 1 of this embodiment is a tray for carrying a plate-like workpiece such as a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display, and has a rectangular bottom plate portion 2 and The bottom plate portion 2 has a pair of tray receiving portions 3 provided along the edges of two parallel sides facing each other, and a work placement portion 4 provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2. The single-wafer carrying trays 1 can be stacked one above the other, and the tray receiving part 3 is a receiving part on which an upper tray is stacked.

  The workpiece placing portion 4 provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2 supports the plate-like workpiece in a state of being lifted from the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 2, and supports the plate-like workpiece evenly over the entire surface without bending. Therefore, a plurality of them are arranged at a predetermined interval in parallel with the tray receiving portion 3. The interval between the workpiece placement portions 4 is an insertion path of a lifting member when the workpiece W placed on the tray 1 is taken out from the tray 1 using a lifting member (not shown) such as a fork. Each workpiece placement unit 4 may be divided in the length direction. The height of the work placing 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 work is lower than the upper end of the tray receiving portion 3. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each work placement unit 4 is provided with a plurality of air supply / exhaust ports 5 opened at the upper end thereof at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the work placement unit 4. As shown in FIG. 3, each air supply / exhaust port 5 communicates with a common air path 6 provided in the bottom plate portion 2, and the air path 6 is connected to an air supply / exhaust device 7 so as to be able to contact and separate. The The air path 6 may be a pipe or a hole provided in the bottom plate part 2, and has a plurality of branch paths branched for each work placement part 4. The air is further branched from the branch path to each air supply / discharge port 5. The supply / discharge device 7 includes means for supplying air and means for suction, and can be switched to be connected to the hose 11. A blower or the like is used as the air supply means in the supply / discharge device 7, and a blower or a vacuum pump is used as the suction means.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the air path 6 opens to one end side of the bottom plate portion 2 where the tray receiving portion 3 is installed, and a female portion 9 of, for example, a self-sealing joint 8 is provided in this opening. . The male part 10 of the self-sealing joint 8 provided at the tip of the hose 11 of the supply / discharge device 7 is detachably connected to the female part 9 of the joint. The joint female portion 9 has a structure incorporating a check valve 12. As a result, the self-sealing joint 8 can completely disconnect the female circuit (here, the air path 6) and the male circuit (here, the hose 11) in a state where the female portion 9 and the male portion 10 are separated. In this state, the circuits on both sides can be communicated.

  FIG. 3 is a cutaway side view of a loading portion in a tray transport system using the single-wafer transport tray 1, and FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof. The loading unit includes a conveyor 13 serving as a tray conveyance path, a loading device 14 (FIG. 4) that is disposed on the side of the conveyor 13 and transfers the plate-like workpiece W to the tray 1 on the conveyor 13, The supply / discharge device 7 is provided. Further, a joint attaching / detaching mechanism 21 for attaching / detaching the male part 10 of the self-sealing joint 8 to / from the female part 9 of the single-wafer carrying tray 1 is provided. The loading device 14 carries in the plate-like workpiece W using a fork 15.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the plate-like workpiece W placed on the fork 15 of the loading device 14 is carried over the tray 1 as the loading device 14 advances in the width direction of the conveyor 13. When 15 is lowered, it is transferred onto the workpiece mounting unit 4. At this time, the arrangement interval of the workpiece placing portions 4 becomes an insertion path of the fork 15, and the fork 15 can be retracted without interfering with the plate-like workpiece W.

  Prior to the conveyance of the tray 1, the supply / discharge device 7 is connected to the air path 6 of the tray 1. In this state, when air is supplied from the supply / discharge device 7 to the air path 6, the air is blown out from the air supply / exhaust port 5 at the upper end of the work placement unit 4, thereby the plate placed on the work placement unit 4. The workpiece W rises. In this state where the plate-like workpiece W is floated by air, for example, by placing a positioning piece or the like from the periphery of the plate-like workpiece W, the plate-like workpiece W is not rubbed against the workpiece placement unit 4 on the tray 1. The plate-like workpiece W can be positioned. For this reason, the plate-shaped workpiece W can be positioned without damaging the plate-shaped workpiece W.

  Next, when the air in the air path 6 is sucked by the supply / discharge device 7, the inside of the air path 6 is in a vacuum state, and the plate-like workpiece W is adsorbed to the workpiece placement unit 4. Thereafter, the female portion 9 and the male portion 10 of the self-sealing joint 8 are separated. Since the check valve 12 is built in the female joint 9, even if the female part 9 and the male part 10 are separated, the inside of the air path 6 is kept in a vacuum state, and the plate-like work W is placed on the work mounting part. 4 is maintained. By transporting the tray 1 in this state, the tray 1 can be transported without the plate-like workpiece W being displaced on the tray 1. Further, since the female portion 9 and the male portion 10 of the self-sealing joint 8 are separated, the supply / discharge device 7 does not hinder the conveyance.

  FIG. 5 shows a cutaway side view of the unloading portion of this tray transport system. The unloading section is provided with a conveyor 16 which is a work conveyance path, an unloading device 17 provided on the start end side of the conveyor 16, an air supply / discharge device 7A, and a joint attaching / detaching mechanism 21A. . The supply / discharge device 7A and the joint attachment / detachment mechanism 21A may be the same as the supply / discharge device 7 and the joint attachment / detachment mechanism 21 in the loading unit in FIG. 3, but the supply / discharge device 7A only supplies air. A suction function is not required.

  The unloading device 17 includes a rail 18 that extends in the conveying direction above the conveyor 16, a traveling body 19 that travels along the rail 18, and a traveling body 19 that is suspended from the traveling body 19 and moves. And a pusher 20 that pushes the plate-like workpiece W from the tray 1 onto the conveyor 16.

  When the tray 1 on which the plate-like workpiece W is placed arrives at the start end side of the conveyor 16, the above-described supply / discharge device 7A is connected to the air path 6 of the tray 1, and air is supplied to the air path 6 from the supply / discharge device 7A. Is done. Thereby, air blows out from the air supply / exhaust port 5 of each work mounting part 4 in the tray 1, and the plate-like work W placed on the work mounting part 4 floats. In this state, the unloading device 17 is operated, and the plate-like workpiece W that has floated is pushed by the pusher 20 and transferred from the tray 1 onto the conveyor 16. As a result, the plate workpiece W can be transferred from the tray 1 to the conveyor 16 without damaging the plate workpiece W.

It is a perspective view of the tray for single wafer conveyance concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the coupling which connects the air path | route of the tray and a supply / discharge device. It is a fracture | rupture side view which shows the loading part of the tray conveyance system which uses the same tray. It is a top view of the loading part of the tray conveyance system. It is a fractured side view which shows the unloading part of the tray conveyance system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet | seat conveyance tray 4 ... Work mounting part 5 ... Air supply / discharge port 6 ... Air path 7, 7A ... Supply / discharge device 12 ... Check valve 21, 21A ... Joint attachment / detachment mechanism W ... Plate-shaped workpiece

Claims (3)

  A single-wafer carrying tray provided with an air supply / exhaust port on a plate-like workpiece mounting portion, and provided with an air path that communicates with the air supply / exhaust port and to which an air supply / discharge device can be connected.   The single wafer transfer tray according to claim 1, wherein a check valve is provided in the air path.   A transport system using the single-wafer transport tray according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a loading unit that feeds the plate-like workpiece onto the tray has an air path in a state where the plate-like workpiece is placed. A tray transport system provided with a supply / discharge device for sucking air and transporting a plate-shaped workpiece while being attracted to the tray.

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