JP2006286995A - Moving apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a moving apparatus having excellent positioning precision and movement response capable of always stably moving a movable body, by making the vertical positions of the driving point of straight movement guide mechanisms and the center of gravity of the movable body approach mutually. <P>SOLUTION: The moving apparatus comprises straight movement guide mechanisms provided on both sides of a base 6; and a movable body 8 which is provided across between the straight movement guide mechanisms and is driven in the predetermined direction according to the straight movement guide mechanisms, and has a structure for making the vertical positions of the driving point M of the straight movement guide mechanisms and the center of gravity J of the movable body approach mutually. In the method for achieving this structure, the movable body may include balance weights W of a predetermined weight. Further, the vertical positions of the driving point of the straight movement guide mechanisms and the center of gravity of the movable body may be made to mutually approach by making the tare of a cable guide G1 connected to the movable body act on the movable body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a moving device that moves an inspection tool, a manufacturing tool, and the like along various substrates (workpieces) such as liquid crystal and semiconductor.

  Conventionally, when inspecting and manufacturing various substrates (workpieces) such as liquid crystals and semiconductors, for example, a moving device that moves, for example, an inspection tool or a manufacturing tool along various substrates (workpieces) is known (for example, Patent Document 1). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, such a moving device is provided with a base 6 on which a work mounting surface 4 on which various substrates (workpieces) 2 can be mounted is formed, and both sides of the work mounting surface 4. A linear motion guide mechanism and a movable body 8 provided between the linear motion guide mechanisms so as to cross the workpiece mounting surface 4 are provided.

  The base 6 is supported on the base 12 via the vibration isolation mechanism 10, and the base 12 is fixed (or placed) on the base 14. The linear motion guide mechanism includes a guide rail for the linear motion guide 16 that guides the movable body 8 along the workpiece mounting surface 4, and a drive mechanism 18 that drives (reciprocates) the movable body 8 along the linear motion guide 16. And. The linear motion guide 16 and the drive mechanism 18 are connected to the beam body 9 via a connection body 20 having a relatively high height.

  The movable body 8 includes a connecting body 20, a beam body 9, and a slider 22 that can move along the upper surface thereof. For example, an inspection tool or a manufacturing tool is attached to the slider 22. . The movable body 8 is provided with a guide 24 for guiding the slider 22 along the beam body 9 and a moving mechanism 26 for moving the slider 22 along the guide 24 on the upper surface.

  According to such a moving device, the movable body 8 is moved along the linear motion guide 16 by the drive mechanism 18, and the slider 22 is moved along the guide 24 by the movement mechanism 26, so that the workpiece mounting surface 4 is moved. For example, an inspection tool or a manufacturing tool can be moved vertically and horizontally along the entire region of the various substrates (workpieces) 2 attached.

By the way, in the conventional moving device, the distance L in the height direction between the driving point of the linear motion guide mechanism (a point for generating a force for driving the movable body 8) M and the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 is increased. And are not designed to match each other. In such a design, when the movable body 8 is moved by the linear motion guide mechanism, a moment load that inclines the movable body 8 along the moving direction is likely to work, and as a result, the moving movable body 8 is moved. As a result, slight vibration is generated, and it becomes difficult to transmit the driving force of the linear motion guide mechanism smoothly and directly to the movable body 8. In this case, it becomes difficult to move the movable body 8 stably, and the motion responsiveness of the movable body 8 cannot be maintained high. As a result, it becomes difficult to accurately position the movable body 8 by stopping it at a desired position.
JP 2004-289911 A

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to make the movable body close to each other by bringing the position in the height direction between the drive point of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity of the movable body close to each other. An object of the present invention is to provide a moving device having excellent positioning accuracy and motion responsiveness that can be moved stably at all times.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is constructed between a linear motion guide mechanism provided on both sides of a base and the linear motion guide mechanism and is driven in a predetermined direction by the linear motion guide mechanism. The moving device includes a movable body, and has a structure in which the positions in the height direction of the drive point of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity of the movable body are close to each other.
As a method for realizing such a structure, the movable body may include a balance weight having a predetermined weight. The movable body includes a cable guide that collectively routes various cables connected to each linear motion guide device and deforms following the movement of the movable body. By acting, the position in the height direction between the drive point of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity of the movable body may be brought close to each other. In this case, the cable guides are arranged to face each other along the moving direction of the movable body. When the movable body is moved, the length of the moving portion of one cable guide is extended, and the other portion is extended by this extension. The length of the moving part of the cable guide is shortened.

  According to the present invention, positioning accuracy and motion response capable of constantly moving the movable body by bringing the position in the height direction of the drive point of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity of the movable body close to each other. It is possible to realize a mobile device with excellent performance.

Hereinafter, a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the description of the present embodiment, the same components as those of the above-described conventional mobile device (FIGS. 4A and 4B) are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), in the moving apparatus of the present embodiment, the base 6 has raised portions 6s projecting along the moving direction of the movable body 8 on both sides of the work mounting surface 4. A linear motion guide mechanism (linear motion guide 16, drive mechanism 18) is disposed on the upper surface of each upright portion 6s. In this case, the rising height H of the rising portion 6s is set to an arbitrary height corresponding to the size of the various substrates (workpieces) 2 attached to the workpiece mounting surface 4 and the shape and size of the movable body 8, for example. Therefore, the numerical values are not particularly limited here.

In the conventional moving device described above, the slider 22, the guide 24, and the moving mechanism 26 are provided on the upper surface of the beam body 9 constituting the movable body 8. In the moving device of the present embodiment, the side surface of the beam body 9 is provided. In addition, a slider 22, a guide 24, and a moving mechanism 26 are provided.
Thus, by providing the slider 22, the guide 24, and the moving mechanism 26 on the side surface of the beam body 9, the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 (including, for example, an inspection tool and a manufacturing tool) mounted on the slider 22 is obtained. The position (position in the height direction) can be lowered.

  Further, by arranging the linear motion guide mechanism on the upright portion 6s having a predetermined height H, the position (height) of the drive point M (the point generating the force for driving the movable body 8) of the linear motion guide mechanism. Direction position) can be raised upwards. In the present embodiment, the linear motion guide 16 and the drive mechanism 18 are coupled to the beam body 9 via a thin plate-shaped coupling body 20. Thereby, the height direction position of the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 can be brought close to each other.

In this case, the position of the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 may be adjusted in the vertical direction by attaching a balance weight W having a predetermined weight on both sides in the moving direction of the beam body 9.
In this embodiment, as an example, a rectangular balance weight W is applied and attached so as to extend downward from both sides of the movable body 8. Here, the downward extension amount of the balance weight W can be arbitrarily set. For example, by increasing the extension amount, the position of the center of gravity J can be lowered downward, and by reducing the extension amount, The position of the center of gravity J can be raised upward. Accordingly, by changing the amount of extension of the balance weight W downward based on the position in the height direction between the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8, the entire movable body 8 is changed. By adjusting the position of the center of gravity J in the vertical direction, the positions of the driving point M and the center of gravity J in the height direction can be matched.

  Further, the weight of the balance weight W (for example, the weight on the lower extension end side of the balance weight W) can be arbitrarily set. By increasing or decreasing the weight, the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 can be obtained. Can be adjusted in the vertical direction. For example, by increasing the weight of the balance weight W, the position of the center of gravity J can be lowered, and conversely, by reducing the weight, the position of the center of gravity J can be raised. In this case, for example, the amount of downward extension of the balance weight W is not changed (as it is), but based on the height position between the driving point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8. By increasing / decreasing the weight of the balance weight W, the positions in the height direction of the driving point M and the center of gravity J can be matched.

As described above, whether the amount of extension of the balance weight W is changed or whether the weight of the balance weight W is increased or decreased depends on, for example, the type and size of the moving device, the size and the total weight of the movable body 8 (slider 22 For example, including the weight of an inspection tool, a manufacturing tool, and the like), and is not particularly limited here.
The shape of the balance weight W is illustrated as a rectangular shape in the drawing, but is not limited to this, and the shape on the lower extension end side is increased and the shape of the attachment portion to the beam body 9 is decreased. You may make it the structure which does. In short, as long as the position in the height direction of the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 can be brought close to and coincident with the position in the height direction of the driving point M of the linear motion guide mechanism, the shape of the balance weight W is not limited in any way. There is nothing. As a method for attaching the balance weight W to the beam body 9, various methods such as screwing, adhesion, fitting, and welding can be applied.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the positions in the height direction of the driving point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 can be brought closer to each other and further matched. In this case, when the movable body 8 is moved by the linear motion guide mechanism, a moment load that tilts the movable body 8 along the moving direction does not work. As a result, the driving force of the linear motion guide mechanism can be smoothly and directly transmitted to the movable body 8, and the movable body 8 can be moved stably. Thereby, the motion responsiveness of the movable body 8 can be maintained high, and the movable body 8 can be accurately stopped and positioned at a desired position.

In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, Even if it changes as follows, the same effect as the above can be acquired.
As a first modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the cable guide G1 is provided at a position where the height of the center of gravity of the entire movable body 8 is lowered, so that the driving point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the movable body. The positions in the height direction with the center of gravity J of 8 may be close to each other. In this case, the moving part of the cable guide G1 also constitutes a part of the movable body 8. Here, each of the cable guides G1 to G3 is composed of a plurality of nodes connected to each other so as to be rotatable within a limited angle, and has flexibility as a whole, and is U-shaped at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction. It can be bent freely. Further, each of the collected cables is constrained by the corresponding cable guide so as to be deformed following the deformation of the cable guides G1 to G3.

  The moving device according to the embodiment described above is for controlling the driving mechanism 18 that drives (reciprocates) the movable body 8 along the linear guide 16 and the moving mechanism 26 that moves the slider 22 along the guide 24. A power cable (not shown) for supplying electric power, such as a signal cable (not shown) for sending and receiving various signals (e.g., signals indicating inspection results and manufacturing status) to an inspection tool, a manufacturing instrument, etc. ) Etc. are wired. In this case, the power cable and the signal cable are wired together in the cable guides G1 to G3.

  For example, the power cables of the drive mechanisms 18 are wired together in the main cable guides G <b> 1 disposed on both sides in the width direction of the base 6. One end of the main cable guide G1 is fixed to the connecting body 20 via the connecting member 30 and the other end is connected to the base 6 via the support member 28, and the movable body 8 is moved along the linear motion guide 16. When moving in the directions of arrows T1 and T2, following this, it is deformed so that the bent position sequentially shifts along the moving direction of the movable body 8 like a caterpillar (registered trademark) (hereinafter simply “deform”). Called).

  Further, one end of two sub cable guides G2 and G3 is fixed to the slider 22, and the other end of the sub cable guides G2 and G3 is fixed to a support member having a horizontal plane (not shown) provided on the movable body 8. When the slider 22 is moved along the guide 24, the slider 22 is deformed along the moving direction of the slider 22 following this. Each cable of the moving mechanism 26 is divided into two groups and is divided into the sub-cable guides G2 or G3 and wired from the connecting member 30 via the main cable guide G1.

  In this case, in the connection member 30 and the main cable guide G1, the weight of the non-contact area P that is not in contact with the support member 28 acts on the beam body 9 from the connection member 30 via the connection body 20. The weight of the movable body 8 includes the weight obtained by subtracting the weight of the member 30 and the weight of the non-contact area P of the entire cable guide G1 from the effect of being supported by the support member 28. The height position of the center of gravity J can be lowered to the height position of the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism. Thereby, the position in the height direction of the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 can be brought closer to each other and further matched. Such adjustment of the position of the center of gravity J in the height direction is performed by adjusting the height of the mounting position of the support member 28 and the height of the lower end position of the connecting member 30, or the weight of the nodes constituting the cable guide G1, for example. This can be done by adjusting the thickness.

  The two secondary cable guides G2 and G3 are also included in the movable body 8. However, since these have little effect of lowering the height position of the center of gravity J of the movable body 8, they should be as light as possible. Note that, as the slider 22 moves, the length of the non-contact area (that is, the moving portion) that does not contact the support member (not shown) expands and contracts, but the non-contact does not contact the support member 28 of one of the secondary cable guides G2. When the length of the region (that is, the moving portion) is increased, the length of the non-contact region of the other slave cable guide G3 is reduced by the extension, thereby resulting in the two slave cable guides G2 acting on the slider 22 as a result. Therefore, the total weight of G3 does not change. Thereby, the position in the height direction of the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 does not shift up and down. Therefore, by including the non-contact area, that is, the moving part of the cable guide G1, in the movable body 8, the height direction positions of the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 are close to each other and coincident with each other. Can be made.

As a second modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the main cable guides G <b> 1 may be arranged to face each other along the moving direction of the movable body 8.
The non-contact area P of the main cable guide G1 in the case of the above-described first modification (FIG. 2) decreases when the movable body 8 is moved in the arrow T1 direction, and increases when the movable body 8 is moved in the opposite direction T2. The length of the portion (that is, the moving portion) of the non-contact area P of the main cable guide G1 from the connecting member 30 increases or decreases as the movable body 8 moves. In this case, it is assumed that the center of gravity J of the entire movable body 8 moves up and down in the height direction.

Therefore, in this modification, when the non-contact area P of one main cable guide G1 is increased by disposing the main cable guide G1 so as to face each other along the moving direction of the movable body 8, the other is increased by the increase. As a result, the non-contact area P of the main cable guide G1 decreases, and as a result, the total weight of the two main cable guides G1 included in the movable body 8 does not change. As a result, while the movable body 8 is moved in the directions of the arrows T1 and T2, the position in the height direction between the drive point M of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 can always be close to and coincide with each other. it can.
Further, as a method of arranging the main cable guides G1 so as to face each other, the main cable guides G1 provided on both sides instead of being arranged so as to face each other along the moving direction of the movable body 8 as in the present modification, respectively. G1 may be one by one and may be arranged to face each other so that the directions of the bent portions are opposite to each other. Also in this case, the height of the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 as a whole can be constant regardless of the position of the movable body 8. However, since the left and right balance changes, the configuration of FIG. 3 is more preferable in that respect.

  As a third modification, the position of the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 in the height direction may be adjusted by changing the material (specific gravity), size, shape, etc. of the movable body 8, for example. As an example, a portion of the movable body 8 that is relatively spaced in the height direction from the driving point M of the linear motion guide mechanism is formed of a material having a small specific gravity (for example, an aluminum alloy having a specific gravity of 2.7). The portion of the movable body 8 that is relatively close in the vertical direction is formed of a material having a large specific gravity (for example, an iron-based material having a specific gravity of 7.8). According to such adjustment, the position in the height direction of the center of gravity J of the movable body 8 can be determined by simply changing the material (specific gravity) of the existing structure (for example, the movable body 8). Since it can approach and match the position in the height direction of M, the manufacturing cost of the apparatus can be reduced. In addition, the adjustment of the material (specific gravity) of the movable body 8 has an advantage that the load on the linear motion guide mechanism can be reduced, so that the motion responsiveness such as positioning of the movable body 8 can be improved. Needless to say, the third modification, the above-described embodiment, and the first and second modifications can be used in any combination.

  In the above-described embodiment, the linear motion guide mechanism is not particularly described. However, as the linear motion guide 16, for example, a guide rail extending along the moving direction of the movable body 8 and a guide rail are used. And a movable slider (this slider is also a part of the movable body 8), and the slider may be fixed to the connecting body 20. As the drive mechanism 18, for example, an existing linear motor, ball screw, drive belt, or the like may be applied.

  When a linear motor is applied as an example, for example, the stator is extended along the moving direction of the movable body 8, and the permanent magnets are arranged at predetermined intervals so that the magnetic poles (N poles and S poles) are alternately arranged. What is necessary is just to fix the slider which attached the three-phase coil, for example to the coupling body 20 so that it may arrange and oppose a permanent magnet. Then, when current is sequentially passed through the three-phase coils and the magnetic poles of the coils are changed to S poles or N poles, the magnetic poles at that time interact with the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnets, and according to Fleming's left-hand rule. The movable body 2 can be moved along the linear motion guide 16 together with the slider (connecting body 20).

(a) is a perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the moving apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention, (b) is sectional drawing which follows the XX line of the figure (a). The perspective view which shows schematically the structure of the moving apparatus which concerns on the 1st modification of this invention. The perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the moving apparatus which concerns on the 2nd modification of this invention. The side view which shows the structure of the conventional moving apparatus roughly.

Explanation of symbols

2 Various substrates (work)
4 Work mounting surface 6 Base 8 Movable body 9 Beam body G1 Cable guide J Center of gravity M of movable body Drive point W of linear motion guide mechanism Balance weight

Claims (4)

A moving device comprising a linear motion guide mechanism provided on both sides of a base, and a movable body constructed between the linear motion guide mechanisms and driven in a predetermined direction by the linear motion guide mechanism,
A moving device characterized by having a structure in which positions in a height direction of a driving point of a linear motion guide mechanism and a center of gravity of a movable body are close to each other.   The moving device according to claim 1, wherein the movable body includes a balance weight having a predetermined weight. The movable body includes a cable guide that collectively routes various cables connected to each linear motion guide device and deforms following the movement of the movable body,
The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the position in the height direction of the driving point of the linear motion guide mechanism and the center of gravity of the movable body are brought close to each other by applying the own weight of the cable guide to the movable body. apparatus. The cable guides are arranged to face each other along the moving direction of the movable body. When the movable body is moved, the length of the moving portion of one cable guide is extended, and the length of the other cable guide is increased by this extension. The moving device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the moving portion is shortened.

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