JP2006273570A - Walking beam type transport device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking beam type transport device structured so that slipping off from the beam is unlikely even if a crack is generated in an object transported and capable of transporting the object as it is. <P>SOLUTION: The walking beam type transport device 18 is configured so that the tip of a horizontally supporting shaft 52 installed on a fixed beam 30 and the tip of the horizontally supporting shaft 52 installed on a movable beam 34 are overlapping each other in the transporting direction, so that the supporting range of the fixed beam 30 and the supporting range of the movable beam 34 adjoining to each other with respect to the bottom surface of a base board 16 overlap one over the other, and therefore, despite being divided in a plurality of sections owing to cracking etc., the base board 16 can be transported in favorable performance as it is. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking beam transfer device for transferring a thin plate substrate such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate.

  In order to perform a predetermined treatment on a thin substrate such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate, a longitudinal first beam and a second beam in which relative movement in the longitudinal direction and relative movement in the vertical direction are alternately performed are provided. In addition, a walking beam type conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed by passing between the first beam and the second beam is known. For example, it is a heat treatment apparatus provided with a walking beam type conveying device for carrying a substrate using a walking beam in a heat treatment furnace for heat treating the substrate.

  However, according to the above walking beam type conveying apparatus, a plurality of cracks are generated in the substrate due to thermal shock, vibration or the like during the conveyance while being alternately supported by the first beam and the second beam. May be divided. If the substrate is broken into a plurality of pieces as described above, the substrate cannot be supported by the first beam and the second beam and falls off, and subsequently the substrate that is sequentially transported collides and accumulates thereon, resulting in a problem of generating defective products. was there.

On the other hand, in addition to a plurality of support pins that exclusively support the substrate, a plurality of sub support pins lower than the plurality of support pins are provided on the beam so that when the substrate is broken, the sub support pins are also supported. A walking beam type conveying apparatus has been proposed. For example, this is the walking beam for substrate transfer described in Patent Document 1. According to this, even if a crack occurs in the substrate, it is possible to continue to transport the cracked substrate, so that it is possible to reduce the collision and deposition of the substrate transported later on the cracked substrate.
JP 2004-18122 A

  By the way, according to the above-mentioned conventional walking beam type transfer device, the support area by the first beam and the support area by the second beam which are adjacent to each other with respect to the back surface of the substrate are different from each other. However, it may fall off when the first beam is transferred from the first beam to the second beam, and it is still difficult to obtain a sufficient effect.

  The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a walking beam type conveying apparatus that can be conveyed as it is without being easily dropped from the beam even if the object to be conveyed is cracked. There is to do.

  As a result of repeating various studies on the background of the above circumstances, the inventors have made the support range by the first beam and the support range by the second beam adjacent to each other to the bottom surface of the object to be transported overlap, The present inventors have found the fact that even an object to be transported divided into a plurality of parts by cracking or the like is transported suitably as it is. The present invention has been made based on such knowledge.

  That is, the gist of the invention according to claim 1 for achieving the above object is that: (a) a first beam having a longitudinal shape in which relative movement in the transport direction and relative movement in the vertical direction are alternately performed; A walking beam type transport device for transporting an object to be transported by passing between the first beam and the second beam, and (b) provided on each of the first beam and the second beam. A plurality of longitudinal horizontal support members for supporting the bottom surface of the object to be transported, which are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction intersecting the transport direction, and (c) provided on the first beam. The front end portion of the long horizontal support member and the front end portion of the long horizontal support member provided on the second beam overlap each other in the transport direction in the transport direction. That features To.

  The gist of the invention according to claim 2 is that the object to be conveyed is conveyed through a tunnel-shaped heating furnace having a heating body for radiantly heating the object to be conveyed.

  According to the walking beam type conveyance device of the invention according to claim 1, the bottom surfaces of the objects to be conveyed are provided on the first beam and the second beam, respectively, and are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction intersecting the conveyance direction. A plurality of longitudinal horizontal support members for supporting, the distal end of the longitudinal horizontal support member provided on the first beam and the distal end of the longitudinal horizontal support member provided on the second beam; Since the portions overlap each other in the transport direction, the support range by the first beam and the support range by the second beam adjacent to each other with respect to the bottom surface of the object to be transported overlap each other in the transport direction. Even if the object is divided into a plurality of parts by, for example, it is preferably conveyed as it is. Therefore, even if the transported object is cracked and divided into a plurality of parts, the subsequent transported object does not collide and accumulate on it, the defect rate is reduced, and the processing equipment for the transported object is movable. The rate is increased.

  Further, according to the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the invention according to claim 2, since the object to be conveyed is conveyed through a tunnel-shaped heating furnace having a heating body for radiantly heating the object to be conveyed, Even if the transported object is cracked in the heating furnace and divided into a plurality of parts, the subsequent transported object does not collide with it and accumulate, reducing the defective rate, and subjecting the transported object to heat treatment. The moving rate of the heating furnace, which is a facility for applying, is increased.

  Here, preferably, the object to be transported is a thin plate substrate such as a solar cell, a semiconductor wafer for solar cell, a glass substrate for LCD or PDP.

  Preferably, the horizontal support members are disposed at intervals shorter than one half of the dimension of the transported object in the transport direction. According to this configuration, the substrate is supported by the plurality of horizontal support members in each of the support state by the first beam and the support state by the second beam in the transport direction. Transport is possible. Even if a crack occurs in the object to be transported, it is transported suitably.

  Preferably, the horizontal support member is a solid rod or a hollow longitudinal bar having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and preferably has a thermal conductivity lower than that of a transported object such as porous ceramics. Consists of materials. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the conveyed object becomes more uniform.

  Preferably, the horizontal support member does not necessarily have to be orthogonal to the transport direction, and does not necessarily have a rod shape and may have a smaller diameter toward the tip.

  Preferably, the horizontal support member preferably includes a plurality of small protrusions protruding upward, and supports the object to be conveyed via the small protrusions. Thereby, the temperature distribution in the conveyed object becomes more uniform.

  Preferably, the first beam and / or the second beam supports the horizontal support member via a vertical support shaft protruding in the vertical direction from the first beam and the second beam. . In this case, the vertical support shaft supports the horizontal support member through the furnace wall for heat treatment, so that the temperature distribution in the conveyed object becomes more uniform.

  One of the first beam and the second beam may be fixed and the other may be provided to be relatively movable in the transport direction and the vertical direction, but both are provided to be relatively movable in the transport direction and the vertical direction. It may be a thing.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the drawings are appropriately simplified or modified within the scope of the description of specific examples of the invention, and the dimensional ratios, shapes, and the like of the respective parts are not necessarily drawn accurately.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a heat treatment apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a main part of the heating furnace 14 cut out. 1 and 2, a heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a tunnel-shaped heating furnace 14 fixed at a predetermined height position by a frame (machine frame) 12, and a substrate 16 that is a transferred object through the heating furnace 14. A walking beam type conveying device 18 for sequentially conveying from the inlet side to the outlet side of the heating furnace 14 is provided. The substrate 16 is a glass semiconductor substrate used for, for example, a large liquid crystal display device or a large plasma display device, and has a rectangular shape, for example, a rectangle of about 100 cm × 120 cm. The substrate 16 is heat-treated in the heat treatment apparatus 10 in order to sinter and fix a film material such as an electrode material paste printed on the front and back surfaces thereof by heat treatment to form an electrode layer.

  The heating furnace 14 includes a furnace body 20 composed of a tunnel-like furnace wall that opens at the entrance and the exit, a partition wall 22 for partitioning the inside of the heating furnace 14 into a plurality of heating chambers at regular intervals, and the furnace A heating panel 26 that is provided in the body 20 and emits far-infrared rays having a wavelength of 3 to 4 μm or more, for example, and is predetermined with respect to the substrate 16 that is sequentially transferred between the heating chambers by the walking beam transfer device 18. Heat treatment is performed with the heat curve. The partition wall 22 is for heating the substrate 16 while maintaining the inside of the substrate 16 at a uniform temperature for each of the heating chambers, and a necessary and sufficient cross-sectional area for allowing the substrate 16 and a beam-like movable beam 34 described later to pass therethrough. The through hole 24 is provided. In the case of heating in an oxidizing atmosphere, combustion exhaust of the film material in the heating chamber is removed by an air supply pipe and an exhaust pipe (not shown), and the atmosphere is kept clean. In the case of a non-oxidizing atmosphere, an inert gas such as nitrogen is used instead of the air, and in the case of a reducing atmosphere, hydrogen gas is used.

  The furnace body 20 and the partition wall 22 are made of a ceramic fiber board that is excellent in heat insulation and is lightweight by ceramic fibers being hardened by impregnation of silica gel, for example, and formed into a thick block shape. A silica-based coating is applied to at least the inner wall surface of the board surface. For this reason, not only heat insulation is obtained, but generation of dust from the ceramic fiber board is prevented, and the cleanliness is enhanced.

  The walking beam type conveying device 18 includes a plurality of relatively thin beam-like pieces (in this embodiment, parallel to each other and of the same length) fixed in parallel to each other in the conveying direction A in each heating chamber in the furnace body 20. 4) of the fixed beam 30 as the first beam and a plurality of longitudinal second beams longer than the furnace length supported by a plurality of support columns 32 penetrating the furnace wall on the lower side of the furnace body 20, that is, a plurality of beams. A movable beam 34 and a beam driving device 36 that causes the movable beam 34 to alternately perform relative movement in the furnace length direction and relative movement in the vertical direction with respect to the fixed beam 30 are provided. In the present embodiment, three movable beams 34 that are parallel to each other and longer than the furnace body 20 are disposed between the four fixed beams 30. Even if the movable beam 34 is divided into a plurality of pieces in the longitudinal direction, there is no problem as long as the movable beam 34 is driven in synchronization with each other.

  The beam driving device 36 is provided so as to be movable in the transport direction A by a pair of horizontal rails 37, and a plurality of moving tables 38 disposed at a plurality of locations in the furnace length direction below the furnace body 20, and the moving table 38. A common reciprocating drive device 40 that reciprocally drives the same, a common cam shaft 44 that has a plurality of upper and lower cams 42 and is rotatably supported on each moving table 38, and one of the moving tables 38. A rotation driving device 46 disposed and rotationally driving the cam shaft 44; and an upper and lower plate 50 guided in the vertical direction by an upper and lower guide device 48 provided on the moving table 38 and driven up and down by the upper and lower cams 42; Ascending motion, forward motion, downward motion, and backward motion with respect to the fixed beam 30 are sequentially and repeatedly applied to the movable beam 34 through the support column 32 erected on the upper and lower plates 50. By then performed sequentially conveyed at a predetermined conveyance stroke toward the substrate 16 by performing a transfer between the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 to the outlet of the heating furnace 14. This conveyance stroke corresponds to, for example, the arrangement pitch of the heating chambers. 1 indicates the position where the horizontal support shaft 52 fixed to the movable beam 34 is lowered.

  In each of the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34, a plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 that are perpendicular to the transport direction A and are parallel to each other in the horizontal direction are fixed at regular intervals. The arrangement interval of the support shafts 52 is set to 1/8 with respect to the dimension B in the transport direction A of the substrate 16, so that 8 and 9 are supported in the support state by the fixed beam 30 and the support state by the movable beam 34. Each is supported by a horizontal support shaft 52 of the book. If the arrangement interval of the support shafts 52 is set to ½ or less of the dimension B, a temporary effect can be obtained. Further, the arrangement pitch of the support shafts 52 is not necessarily constant. The horizontal support shaft 52 is, for example, a solid or hollow bar having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the substrate 16 such as porous ceramics.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, of the four fixed beams 30, the support shaft 52 fixed to the pair of fixed beams 30 positioned inside is a pair of fixed beams positioned outside. The longitudinal dimension is larger than that of the support shaft 52 fixed to 30. Further, the support shaft 52 fixed to the one movable beam 34 located on the inner side of the three movable beams 34 is longer than the support shaft 52 fixed to the pair of movable beams 34 located on the outer side. The dimensions are large. The front end of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30 and the front end of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the movable beam 34 overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction A. The length of the horizontal support shaft 52 is set. 2, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, and d6 are the overlapping dimensions of the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30 and the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the movable beam 34. Each is shown. Immediately before the horizontal support shaft 52 reaches the other direction from one of the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 so that their overlapping dimensions d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6 are as large as possible. Protruding to the position. The support shafts 52 function as support members for supporting the substrate 16.

  In the walking beam type conveying apparatus 18 configured as described above, the substrate 16 is supported by the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30, and the substrate 16 is provided on the movable beam 34 as shown in FIG. The substrate 16 is transported by alternately performing the state supported by the horizontal support shaft 52 thus formed. Here, the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30 and the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the movable beam 34 are configured to overlap each other. Are supported by a plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 of the movable beam 34 and a support area (an area including a plurality of contact points with the horizontal support shaft 52) supported by the plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 of the fixed beam 30. Since the support areas to be overlapped with each other, even if the process substrate 16 to be transported is divided and separated, it is transported as it is as a whole.

  As described above, according to the walking beam type transfer device of the heat treatment apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the fixed beam (first beam) 30 and the movable beam (second beam) 34 are provided respectively, and the transfer direction A is A plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 for supporting the bottom surface of the substrate (conveyed object) 16, which are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction perpendicular to each other, and a front end portion of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30; Since the front end portion of the horizontal support shaft 52 provided in the movable beam 34 overlaps with each other in the transport direction A, the support range by the fixed beam 30 adjacent to the bottom surface of the substrate 16 and the movable beam 34. Therefore, even if the substrate 16 is divided into a plurality of parts by cracking or the like, it is preferably conveyed as it is. Therefore, even when the substrate 16 is cracked and divided into a plurality of substrates, the subsequent substrate 16 does not collide with it and is deposited, the defect rate is reduced, and the mobility of the processing equipment for the substrate 16 is increased. It is done.

  Further, according to the walking beam type transfer device 18 of the present embodiment, since the substrate 16 is transferred through the tunnel-shaped heating furnace 14 having the heating panel (heating body) 26 for radiantly heating the substrate 16, Even if a crack occurs in the substrate 16 in the heating furnace 14 and the substrate 16 is divided into a plurality of substrates, the subsequent substrate 16 does not collide with it and is deposited, the defect rate is reduced, and the substrate 16 is subjected to heat treatment. Therefore, the movable rate of the heating furnace 14, which is a facility for the purpose, is increased.

  In the present embodiment, the horizontal support shafts 52 are disposed at intervals shorter than one-half of the dimension of the substrate 16 in the transport direction, and thus are supported by the fixed beam 30 in the transport direction A. Since the substrate 16 is supported by the plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 in each of the state and the support state by the movable beam 34, even the substrate 16 which is relatively brittle and easily broken can be suitably transported.

  In the present embodiment, the horizontal support shaft 52 is a solid or hollow bar having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the substrate 16 such as porous ceramics. The temperature distribution of the substrate 16 becomes more uniform.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to portions common to the above-described embodiment, and the description is omitted.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 4, in the movable beam 34, a vertical support shaft 54 is attached to the movable beam 34 via a horizontal support shaft 52. That is, the movable beam 34 supports the horizontal support shaft 52 via the vertical support shaft 54 that protrudes vertically from them. The vertical support shaft 54 is made of the same material as the horizontal support shaft 52. According to the present embodiment, since the vertical support shaft 54 supports the horizontal support shaft 52 through the furnace body (furnace wall) 20 for heat treatment, the temperature distribution of the substrate 16 becomes more uniform. The vertical support shaft 54 may be provided on the fixed beam 30.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the horizontal support shaft 52 provided on the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 is provided with a plurality of small protrusions 56 protruding upward. The small protrusions 56 are for supporting the substrate 16 with as small a contact area as possible, and are made of the same material as the horizontal support shaft 52. In the present embodiment, the horizontal support shaft 52 includes a plurality of small protrusions 56 protruding upward, and supports the substrate 16 via the small protrusions 56, so that the temperature distribution in the substrate 16 becomes more uniform. .

  FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a heat treatment apparatus for showing a walking beam type conveying apparatus 58 according to another embodiment of the present invention. 6, the fixed beam 60 and the movable beam 64 are the same as the above-described fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34, but a horizontal support member 66 provided on the fixed beam 60 and the movable beam 64 is used. Is different from the horizontal support shaft 52 described above. That is, in this embodiment, the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the movable beam 64 is a plate having a rectangular cross section, and the direction from the both ends toward the movable beam 64 is opposite to the transport direction A. The movable beam 64 is a right and left object, but is formed so as to intersect with the movable beam 64 at an angle smaller than a right angle, and is provided on each of the three movable beams 64 and perpendicular to the transport direction A. The horizontal support members 66 that overlap each other in the direction are parallel to each other. Further, the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the four fixed beams 60 is a substantially right and left object with respect to the fixed beam 60 so as to go in the transport direction A toward the fixed beam 60 from both ends. It is formed so as to intersect with 60 at an angle smaller than a right angle, and is parallel to the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the fixed beam 60. A portion of the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the pair of fixed beams 60 located outside of the four fixed beams 60 projects outward from the pair of fixed beams 60. A branching protrusion 66b is provided that is positioned on a straight line with respect to the portion protruding to the front. According to the present embodiment, since the horizontal support member 66 is longer than the support shaft 52 of the above-described embodiment and the branching protrusion 66b is provided, the horizontal support member 66 with respect to the substrate 16 is provided. Since the support length is increased, even the substrate 16 divided into a plurality of parts by cracking or the like is more preferably conveyed as it is.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in detail with reference to drawings, this invention can be implemented also in another aspect, and various changes can be added in the range which does not deviate from the main point.

It is front view sectional drawing which shows the heat processing apparatus provided with the walking beam type conveying apparatus of one Example of this invention. It is a horizontal sectional view of the heat processing apparatus for showing the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the Example of FIG. It is a figure explaining the state by which the board | substrate was supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the Example of FIG. It is a figure explaining the state by which the board | substrate was supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the other Example of this invention, Comprising: It is a figure corresponding to FIG. It is a figure explaining the state by which the board | substrate was supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the other Example of this invention, Comprising: It is a figure corresponding to FIG. It is a horizontal sectional view of the heat processing apparatus for showing the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the other Example of this invention, Comprising: It is a figure corresponded in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10: Heat treatment apparatus 14: Heating furnace 16: Substrate (conveyed object)
18, 58: Walking beam type transfer device 30: Fixed beam (first beam)
34: Movable beam (second beam)
52: Horizontal support shaft (horizontal support member)
60: Fixed beam 64: Movable beam 66: Horizontal support member

Claims (2)

A longitudinal first beam and a second beam in which relative movement in the transport direction and relative movement in the vertical direction are alternately performed are provided, and the object to be transported is transported by delivery between the first beam and the second beam. A walking beam type conveying device for
A plurality of longitudinal horizontal support members provided on the first beam and the second beam, respectively, for supporting the bottom surface of the object to be transported, which are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction intersecting the transport direction; ,
The tip of the longitudinal horizontal support member provided on the first beam and the tip of the longitudinal horizontal support member provided on the second beam have dimensions in a direction intersecting the transport direction. A walking beam type conveying apparatus characterized by overlapping in a direction. 2. The walking beam type conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object to be conveyed is conveyed through a tunnel-shaped heating furnace having a heating body for radiantly heating the object to be conveyed.

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