JP2006319182A - Suction holding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device of holding a work through vacuum suction which closes automatically a suction hole that does not suck the work, and secures airtight between the work and the suction port to generate higher suction force. <P>SOLUTION: The sucking stage 12 of the suction holding device 10 is provided with a suction valve 15 in the suction port 12a. The suction valve 15 is constituted of a piston 30 wherein a valve chamber 32 communicated with a vacuum chamber 12c is formed and an suction port 38 communicated with the valve chamber 32 is opened on the end face at the work sucking side, a cylinder 20 for slidably accommodating the piston 30 under a condition that one part of the piston 30 is projected out of the end of attracting side of the work, a spherical body 45 capable of being separated from and contacted with a valve seat 31 formed in the valve chamber 32 while at least the one part thereof is projected toward the work attracting side from the suction port 38, and an energizing spring 40 for energizing the spherical body 45 toward a direction of seating on the valve seat 31. The piston 30 provided with the suction port 38 is equipped with an O-ring 42 around the suction port 38 at the end of the piston 30 with the suction port 38 equipped therewith. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique of a suction holding device that holds workpieces of various shapes by suction.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a suction holding device that holds various workpieces (adsorbed objects) on a stage by suction is known. The adsorption stage is used as a part of an automatic device, a transfer tool such as a printed circuit board or a packing material, a semiconductor wafer inspection jig, or the like.

  In general, the suction holding device includes a stage for holding a workpiece, a vacuum chamber formed inside the stage, a vacuum device for forming a vacuum (negative pressure) in the vacuum chamber, and the stage includes a vacuum. A plurality of suction ports communicating with the chamber are opened. In the suction holding device, a suction force is generated in the suction port by the vacuum chamber having a negative pressure, and the work is held on the stage by being sucked (or sucked) by the suction port.

  In the case of the suction holding apparatus as described above, some suction ports may not be covered with the workpiece depending on the shape of the workpiece held on the stage. In such a case, a large amount of air is sucked into a vacuum chamber from a suction port that is not used (not sucking a workpiece), and the suction force is reduced due to a decrease in the degree of vacuum. Therefore, conventionally, a structure for preventing air from being sucked from a suction port that does not suck a workpiece in the suction holding device has been proposed. For example, there are techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

  In Patent Document 1, an annular valve seat that can be elastically deformed and a spherical valve body placed on the valve seat are disposed in a suction port that is open to a stage and a vacuum chamber. A technology has been disclosed in which a throttle valve is formed in which the throttle amount increases as the difference increases, whereby a suction port that is not used is closed by the valve body.

Further, in Patent Document 2, the suction port and the vacuum chamber are connected by an intake passage bent in an S shape, and a sphere and a vertical sphere moving portion in which the sphere moves are formed in the intake passage. In the suction port that is sucking the workpiece, the sphere is seated under the sphere moving part due to the weight of the sphere, and the suction path is opened through the gap between the sphere and the sphere moving part. A technique is disclosed that moves to the vacuum chamber side due to the negative pressure of the chamber and sits on the upper part of the sphere moving part, and the intake passage is blocked by the sphere.
JP-A 64-13133 JP-A-5-69367

  In the suction holding apparatus as described above, in order to more effectively apply the suction force to the workpiece and to fix the workpiece to the stage with a larger suction force, excess external air is introduced between the workpiece and the suction port. Less suction is preferable. If the suction force of the suction port increases, the work that can be attracted to the suction holding device is not limited to small and lightweight objects such as plates, sheets, and small parts, but it can also be heavy objects such as cylinder blocks. It becomes possible.

  However, in the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, even if the suction port is closed by the workpiece, a gap is generated between the workpiece and the suction port depending on the surface shape of the workpiece. Thus, there is a problem that air is unnecessarily sucked from the gap and the suction force is reduced.

  In the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when the valve body is normally opened and the vacuum chamber is depressurized, the valve body blocks the suction port at the suction port that is not blocked by the workpiece. It has a structure. Therefore, during the period from when the vacuum chamber is depressurized until the suction port is closed by the valve body, gas is sucked from the suction port not blocked by the workpiece to the vacuum chamber side.

  Therefore, in the present invention, in view of the above-described prior art, the vacuum suction device is a device that holds a workpiece in a vacuum, and a suction port that is not used (not sucking the workpiece) is closed in advance so that gas is wasted even in the initial stage of suction. The suction to the vacuum chamber side, and it is possible to generate a higher suction force by suppressing the suction of gas from between the workpiece and the suction port to the vacuum chamber side, We propose a structure that can hold workpieces of various shapes by suction.

  The problems to be solved by the present invention are as described above. Next, means for solving the problems will be described.

  That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in a suction holding device in which a vacuum chamber and a suction hole communicating with the vacuum chamber and opening on the stage surface are provided in the stage, the suction hole is opened and closed with respect to the suction hole. An intake valve having a valve body biased in the closing direction is provided, and the valve body is configured to open against a biasing force when a workpiece placed on the stage contacts the valve body. Is.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, the intake valve is provided in the piston, a cylinder fitted in the suction hole, a piston inserted in the cylinder so as to be slidable in a direction close to the workpiece, and the piston. The valve chamber communicated with the suction port that opens on the work suction side end surface of the piston and the vacuum chamber, and the spherical valve body provided in the valve chamber, and the piston is partially a cylinder The valve body is urged so as to protrude from the workpiece suction side end surface, and the valve body is urged so that a part of the valve body protrudes from the piston suction port and closes the suction port.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, an elastic member that surrounds the suction port is provided on the workpiece suction side end surface of the piston provided with the suction port.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the valve chamber is provided with a stopper for restricting the movement of the valve body from the state in which the entire valve body is in the valve chamber to the vacuum chamber side.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of suction holes are scattered on the stage, and the intake valve is provided in each suction hole.

  As effects of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the valve body of the intake valve opens and the suction hole is opened by placing the work on the stage, in the intake valve where the work does not contact, the suction hole is kept closed. Thus, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the suction force in the suction hole that sucks the workpiece. In addition, since the valve element is operated by the contact of the workpiece, the suction hole is closed in advance, so that the suction force in the suction hole is not sucked to the vacuum chamber side even in the initial stage of suction. It can be generated immediately after placement.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the workpiece is placed on the stage, the workpiece abuts on the valve body, the valve is opened, and the suction hole is opened. Therefore, in the intake valve in which the workpiece does not contact, the state in which the suction hole is closed is maintained, so that it is possible to suppress a decrease in the suction force in the suction hole that is sucking the workpiece. Further, if the suction hole is opened, the workpiece is adsorbed by the suction port by the suction force generated at the suction port, and the intake valve also functions as a suction cup.

  In claim 3, by placing the work on the stage, an elastic member such as an O-ring between the work and the piston is crushed by the weight of the work, and the airtightness between the work and the suction port is reduced. Secured. Accordingly, gas is not sucked unnecessarily from the suction port, and suction force (suction force) can be effectively applied to the workpiece, and the reduction thereof can be suppressed.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the valve body is not pushed deeper than necessary by the stopper, so that the valve can be quickly closed and useless suction of outside air can be suppressed.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since each suction hole provided in the stage is opened and closed independently by the intake valve, a workpiece having various shapes can be sucked and held by the suction holding device.

Next, embodiments of the invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the suction holding device according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the suction holding device, and FIG. 3 shows the structure of the intake valve. It is a sectional side view. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a state of the intake valve with the suction port opened, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a state of the intake valve with the suction port opened.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of an adsorption holding device having an intake valve of another form, and FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the intake valve of another form.

A suction holding device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction holding apparatus 10 includes a plurality of intake valves 15, 15... And reference seats 11, 11. Is.

  The intake valve 15 is fitted into a suction hole 12a provided in the suction stage 12, and opens and closes the suction hole 12a. As shown in FIG. 3, the intake valve 15 includes a suction port 38, and the work 9 is held by the suction stage 12 by being sucked by the suction port 38. That is, the intake valve 15 is provided with an opening / closing function of the suction hole 12a for sucking the work 9 and a function as a so-called suction disk for sucking the work 9.

The reference seat 11 determines the distance between the stage surface of the suction stage 12 (one surface of the suction stage 12 provided with the intake valve 15 and the reference seat 11) and the workpiece 9 held by suction on the suction stage 12. When the workpiece 9 is sucked and held on the suction stage 12, the suction holding device 10 serves as a support point for the workpiece 9.
The workpiece 9 that has come into contact with the reference seat 11 is restricted from moving toward the suction stage 12 by the reference seat 11, and a predetermined value determined by the reference seat 11 between the suction stage 12 and the workpiece 9. The separation distance is maintained.

  The reference seat 11 is disposed on the suction stage 12 so as not to overlap with the intake valve 15 and is detachably fixed to the suction stage 12. Depending on the shape of the workpiece 9, the suction seat holding device 10 can be used in various ways by exchanging the reference seat 11 with a different size, increasing or decreasing the number, or changing the arrangement. The workpiece 9 having a shape can be sucked and held.

In the suction holding device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the intake valve 15 and the reference seat 11 are provided separately, but the reference seat 11 is provided integrally with the intake valve 15 to reduce the number of parts. You can also
For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the reference seats 11a, 11a,... Can be provided in a portion where the intake valve 15 does not move (a non-moving portion such as a cylinder 20 described later).
In addition to the reference seat 11a provided integrally with the intake valve 15 as described above, a reference seat 11 separate from the intake valve 15 is provided on the suction stage 12 corresponding to the specially shaped portion of the workpiece 9 such as a recess. It can also be provided.

A vacuum chamber 12 c is formed inside the suction stage 12, and a plurality of suction holes 12 a into which the intake valves 15 are fitted are formed on a surface (stage surface) for sucking and holding the workpiece of the suction stage 12. The vacuum chamber 12c and each of the suction holes 12a, 12a,... Are connected by an intake passage 12b, and the vacuum chamber 12c is connected to a vacuum generator 13.
When the gas in the vacuum chamber 12c is forcibly discharged by the vacuum generator 13 and the inside of the vacuum chamber 12c becomes negative pressure, the suction hole 12a communicated with the vacuum chamber 12c also becomes negative pressure, and the suction hole A suction force is generated at the suction port 38 of the intake valve 15 fitted to 12a.

  In the suction holding device 10, the intake valves 15 are arranged on the suction stage 12 so as to be scattered in order to be able to suck and hold workpieces 9 having various shapes. As a result, the suction ports 38 for sucking the workpiece 9 are scattered on the suction stage 12, and if the workpiece 9 is sucked by at least one of the scattered suction ports 38, the workpiece 9 is moved to the suction stage. 12, it is possible to suck and hold various workpieces 9 by a single suction holding device 10 regardless of the size or outer shape of the workpiece 9.

  Here, the structure of the intake valve 15 will be described in detail.

The intake valve 15 includes a cylinder 20 fitted in the suction hole 12a of the suction stage 12, a piston 30 slidably inserted in the cylinder 20, a valve chamber 32 formed in the piston 30, It comprises a sphere 45 or the like as a valve body inserted in the valve chamber 32.
The suction port 38 for sucking the workpiece 9 is formed on one end face of the piston 30 and is opened to the valve chamber 32.

  The cylinder 20 is integrally configured with a body portion 21 embedded in the suction hole 12 a of the suction stage 12 and a head portion 23 having a larger diameter than the body portion 21 and exposed on the suction stage 12. The A male screw 26 is formed on the outer periphery of the barrel portion 21 of the cylinder 20, while a female screw is formed on the inner periphery of the suction hole 12a of the suction stage 12, and the barrel portion 21 is screwed into the suction hole 12a. In particular, the intake valve 15 is screwed to the suction stage 12.

  In the intake valve 15 fixed to the suction stage 12 as described above, the space of the cylinder inner periphery 22 and the vacuum chamber 12c are communicated with each other via the intake passage 12b. On the outer periphery of the cylinder 20, an O-ring 43 is interposed between the inner periphery of the suction hole 12 a and the outer periphery of the body portion 21, and airtightness between the suction hole 12 a and the intake valve 15 is ensured. Thereby, the suction | inhalation of the gas to the suction hole 12a from between the inner periphery of the suction hole 12a and the outer periphery of the trunk | drum 21 is suppressed.

  A cooling path 25 is formed in the head portion 23 of the cylinder 20 protruding from the suction stage 12, and the cooling path 25 communicates with a cooling path 12 d formed in the suction stage 12. The refrigerant is conducted to the cooling path 25 and the cooling path 12d, and the adsorption stage 12 and the intake valve 15 are cooled.

A piston 30 is inserted into the cylinder 20.
The piston 30 can slide in the cylinder direction of the cylinder 20 while the piston outer periphery 36 is in contact with the cylinder inner periphery 22.

A snap ring 44 is fitted in the end portion of the cylinder 20 embedded in the suction hole 12a so as not to move, and an urging member as a urging member is provided between the snap ring 44 and the piston 30 on the inner periphery 22 of the cylinder. A spring 41 is provided.
The biasing spring 41 biases the piston 30 so that a part of the piston 30 protrudes from the end surface on the workpiece suction side of the cylinder 20 and moves to the workpiece suction side. Here, the “work suction side” is a side where the work 9 exists when the work 9 is sucked and held in the suction holding device 10.

Further, a mechanism for restricting the movement of the piston 30 biased toward the workpiece suction side to the workpiece 9 as described above is provided between the cylinder inner periphery 22 and the piston 30 outer periphery.
In the cylinder inner periphery 22, the inner peripheral diameter on the intake passage 12 b side is larger than the opposite side, and the shape of the portion where the diameter changes is the piston seat 24. On the other hand, a large-diameter portion is formed at least at a part of the outer periphery of the piston 30, and the shape of the portion where the diameter changes is the movement restricting portion 37. Then, the movement restricting portion 37 abuts on the piston seat 24 to restrict the movement of the piston 30 toward the workpiece 9.

  A suction port 38 is formed in the piston 30 at the end surface on the workpiece suction side that contacts the workpiece 9.

An annular groove 35 is formed around the suction port 38 on the end face of the piston 30 in which the suction port 38 is formed, and an O-ring 42 as an elastic member is fitted into the annular groove 35. That is, the suction port 38 is surrounded by the O-ring 42.
Thereby, when the workpiece 9 and the piston 30 are in contact with each other, the O-ring 42 is interposed between the workpiece 9 and the piston 30, thereby improving the airtightness between the workpiece 9 and the suction port 38.

A valve chamber 32 is formed inside the piston 30.
An adsorption port 38 is opened on one side of the valve chamber 32, and an air passage 33 communicating with the space of the cylinder inner periphery 22 is opened on the other side. The valve chamber 32 communicates with the vacuum chamber 12c through the air passage 33, the cylinder inner periphery 22 (and the suction hole 12a), and the intake passage 12b. That is, the valve chamber 32 communicates with both the suction port 38 and the vacuum chamber 12c.

In the valve chamber 32, a valve seat 31 is provided on the indoor side of the suction port 38.
The valve is closed when the spherical body 45 as a valve body comes into contact with the valve seat 31, and the valve is opened when the valve seat 31 and the valve chamber 32 are separated. When the valve is opened and closed, the suction hole 12a is opened and closed. When the valve is opened, the suction hole 12a is opened, the suction port 38 and the vacuum chamber 12c are communicated, and suction force is applied to the suction port 38. appear.

The valve chamber 32 is formed with a stopper 34 for restricting the movement of the sphere 45 from the state in which the sphere 45 is almost entirely inside the valve chamber 32 to the vacuum chamber side.
The stopper 34 is provided on the opposite side of the suction port 38 via the sphere 45 inside the valve chamber 32 and is formed in a columnar shape.

The stopper 34 is externally provided with a biasing spring 40 as a biasing member, and is biased by the biasing spring 40 in a direction in which the sphere 45 abuts the valve seat 31, that is, in a direction in which the valve is closed. . The size of the sphere 45 urged in the direction in which the valve is closed is determined so that a part of the sphere 45 can protrude from the suction port 38.
The urging force of the urging spring 40 is equal to or greater than the suction force generated at the suction port 38 by the vacuum chamber 12c, and the spherical body 45 abuts on the valve seat 31 in the intake valve 15 on which the workpiece 9 is not placed. The valve is kept closed.

  Next, the operation of the intake valve 15 of the suction holding device 10 will be described.

  In the suction holding device 10 in a standby state in which the workpiece 9 is not sucked, the vacuum chamber 12c formed on the suction stage 12 is forcibly evacuated by the vacuum generator 13, and the vacuum chamber 12c, the intake passage 12b, and the suction hole 12a are exhausted. The inner cylinder inner circumference 22 and the valve chamber 32 both have negative pressure.

  On the other hand, in the standby intake valve 15, as shown in FIG. 3, the sphere 45 is seated on the valve seat 31, the suction hole 12 a is closed, and a part of the sphere 45 is at the end of the piston 30. 38 protrudes toward the workpiece suction side. Further, a part of the piston 30 protrudes toward the workpiece suction side from the head portion 23 of the cylinder 20. Further, the end face of the piston 30 is located on the workpiece suction side with respect to the suction stage 12 than the end face of the reference seat 11.

  Therefore, in the intake valve 15 in the standby state, the top of the sphere 45, the end face of the piston 30, and the end face of the reference seat 11 are in this order positioned on the work suction side with respect to the suction stage 12, and in the process of sucking the work 9 Then, the workpiece 9 comes into contact with the workpiece 9 in order from the position away from the stage surface of the suction stage 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the work 9 is placed on the suction stage 12, first, the sphere 45 comes into contact with the work 9, and the urging spring 40 is pressed and shrunk by its own weight, so that the sphere 45 resists the urging force. Then, it moves into the valve chamber 32, the valve seat 31 and the sphere 45 are separated, and the suction hole 12a is opened.
At this time, since the valve chamber 32 in the suction hole 12a has a negative pressure, a suction force is generated at the suction port 38, and the workpiece 9 is sucked.

Further, the spherical body 45 moves into the valve chamber 32 and eventually comes into contact with the stopper 34.
Since the spherical body 45 is not pushed into the valve chamber 32 more than necessary by the stopper 34, the workpiece 9 and the suction port 38 can be brought into close contact with each other quickly, and unnecessary suction of outside air from the suction port 38 can be suppressed. Can do.

After the movement of the sphere 45 is restricted by the stopper 34, the work 9 further moves toward the suction stage 12 due to its own weight or suction.
At this time, the piston 30 is pressed by the workpiece 9 and the biasing spring 41 is contracted, and the piston 30 moves into the cylinder 20 against the biasing force of the biasing spring 41 until the workpiece 9 contacts the reference seat 11. (FIG. 5).

As described above, when the sphere 45 or the piston 30 moves, the piston 9 is moved by the biasing spring 41 after the workpiece 9 contacts the O-ring 42 provided around the suction port 38 of the piston 30. 9, the piston 30 and the work 9 are pressure-bonded, and an O-ring 42 is interposed between the work 9 and the piston 30, thereby Airtightness is ensured.
Therefore, at the suction port 38 of the intake valve 15, gas suction from the outside of the O-ring 42 is suppressed, and the work 9 is strongly sucked by the suction port 38 without reducing the suction force of the suction port 38. .

  As described above, when the workpiece 9 is attracted to the suction port 38 of the intake valve 15, the workpiece 9 is attracted to the suction stage 12 even if the suction stage 12 is tilted or rotated. It is also possible to maintain the state.

In the suction holding device 10 having the intake valve 15 having the above-described configuration, when the work 9 comes into contact with the intake valve 15, the suction hole 12 a is opened and the work 9 is sucked into the suction port 38. In the intake valve 15 that does not contact, the suction hole 12a is kept closed.
Accordingly, the suction hole 12a that does not suck the workpiece 9 does not unnecessarily suck outside air into the vacuum chamber 12c, and a high suction force can be maintained at the suction port 38 of the opened suction hole 12a.

Further, in the suction holding device 10 including the intake valve 15 having the above-described configuration, each suction hole 12a formed in the suction stage 12 is opened and closed independently by each intake valve 15.
Therefore, even if the installation surface of the workpiece 9 on the suction stage 12 is uneven, and even if the outer peripheral shape of the workpiece 9 is complicated, the suction valve 15 provided with the intake valve 15 that does not contact the workpiece 9 is provided. The hole 12 a is held closed, and the work 9 is sucked and held by the suction stage 12 by being sucked by the suction port 38 of the intake valve 15 that is in contact with the work 9. Thus, in the suction holding apparatus 10 provided with the intake valve 15 according to the present invention, the workpiece 9 having various shapes can be sucked and held by one unit.

The top view which showed the whole structure of the adsorption holding apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. The side view which showed the whole structure of the adsorption holding device. The side sectional view showing the structure of an intake valve. The sectional side view which shows the mode of the intake valve which open | released the suction port. The sectional side view which shows the mode of the intake valve which open | released the suction port. The top view which showed the whole structure of the adsorption holding apparatus provided with the intake valve of another form. The sectional side view which shows the structure of the intake valve of another form.

Explanation of symbols

9 Workpiece 10 Adsorption holding device 11 Reference seat 12 Adsorption stage 12a Suction hole 13 Vacuum generator 15 Intake valve 20 Cylinder 22 Cylinder inner circumference 30 Piston 31 Valve seat 32 Valve chamber 38 Adsorption port 45 Sphere

Claims (5)

In the suction holding device provided with a vacuum chamber and a suction hole that opens to the stage surface and communicates with the vacuum chamber on the stage,
An intake valve provided with a valve body biased in a closing direction for opening and closing the suction hole is provided in the suction hole,
A suction holding device, wherein the workpiece placed on the stage is configured to open against a biasing force when the workpiece contacts the valve body. The intake valve,
A cylinder fitted in the suction hole;
A piston inserted in the cylinder so as to be slidable in a direction close to the workpiece;
A valve chamber that is provided in the piston and communicates with a suction port that opens at a workpiece suction side end surface of the piston and a vacuum chamber;
A spherical valve body provided in the valve chamber,
The piston is urged so that a part thereof protrudes from the workpiece suction side end surface of the cylinder, and the valve body is urged so that a part thereof protrudes from the piston suction port and closes the suction port. To
The adsorption holding device according to claim 1. In the workpiece suction side end surface of the piston provided with a suction port,
Comprising an elastic member surrounding the suction port;
The adsorption holding device according to claim 2. The valve chamber is provided with a stopper for restricting the movement of the valve body to the vacuum chamber side from a state where substantially the entire valve body is in the valve chamber.
The adsorption holding device according to claim 2 or 3. A plurality of suction holes are scattered on the stage, and the suction valve is provided in each suction hole.
The suction holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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