JP2008282996A - Apparatus and method of transferring workpiece between cassettes - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece transfer apparatus which can have a small mounting surface area, complete transfer operation through single work with a simple operation, less influenced by dust generated from a mechanism, and adjust a pitch in a stepless manner. <P>SOLUTION: The workpiece transfer apparatus can mount workpieces in a plurality of stages each having an identical number of workpieces and can transfer the workpieces from one cassette to another cassette having different mounting pitches. The transfer apparatus comprises, as its major constituent components, a lifting and lowering table 31, a slide table 32 movable on the lifting and lowering table to be reciprocatably movable between a wait position and a transfer position in such a condition as to mount the cassette thereon, vertical rods 53 provided to be adjacent to the lifting and lowering table 31 and to be nearly opposed each other above the transfer position, a plurality of transfer hands 35 corresponding to the number of workpieces W supported vertically movable along the vertical rods, and a pitch conversion mechanism 34 for adjusting the heights and transfer pitches of the hands 35 in such a manner that the transfer amount becomes smaller as each hand 35 moves along the vertical rods 53 from the upper side hand to the lower side hand. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inter-cassette transfer apparatus and method for transferring a plate-like work between cassettes (also referred to as carriers, ports, or FOUPs) having different loading pitches. In the present invention, the “plate-like workpiece” refers to a plate-like workpiece or conveyed product such as a semiconductor wafer, CD, or DVD.

  In semiconductor manufacturing, for example, as a mode of transferring wafers in the middle of processing, a large number of wafers are loaded in a cassette at a predetermined pitch for the purpose of efficient transfer, prevention of dust adhesion, and processing and processing a large number of sheets at once. In many cases, it is transferred in a state of being taken out, or is taken out by a plurality of hands corresponding to the number of wafers at a processing standby position and transferred to a processing position. In this case, each wafer may be transferred from one cassette to the other cassette by changing the loading pit.

  FIGS. 6A and 6B show a general wafer transfer apparatus between cassettes. In this apparatus structure, a cassette having a normal stacking pitch (hereinafter referred to as a standard cassette) a and a cassette (hereinafter referred to as a half pitch cassette) b having a stacking pitch of ½ of the normal stacking pitch are prepared. A transfer device c is provided in the transport path, and the wafer W is transferred from the standard cassette a to the half pitch cassette b, and vice versa.

  This transfer device c is a 4-axis horizontal articulated robot, and is provided with transfer hands d for holding and transferring the wafer W in multiple stages on the end shaft of each arm. The number of sheets is half of the number of wafers W loaded in each cassette a and b, and the arrangement pitch is the same as the loading pitch of the standard cassette a.

  In this transfer method using the hand d, the lifting and lowering operation of the transfer device c is performed with the cassettes a and b facing each other on a pair of installation tables e arranged opposite to each other across the transfer device c. Then, by rotating each joint portion of the arm, the hand d is inserted from the opening of one cassette a, and then lifted and lifted to hold the wafer W on the hand d. The transfer operation is completed by reversing, then inserting the hand d toward the other cassette b, and then lowering it and delivering it to the other cassette b by changing the height position twice. It is like that.

As another pitch conversion mechanism, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the hands can be linked to each other by a strip-shaped link, and the interval between the wafers is adjusted (the drive motor that passes through each hand). A pantograph type is proposed which is changed by a threaded drive shaft that is rotated by the like and a driven nut that is attached to any of the hands and screwed to the drive shaft.
JP 2001-210696A

  However, in the transfer apparatus shown in FIG. 6, the total length of the apparatus including the installation base e is required to be at least four times that of the cassette, the installation area is large, and the movement of the hand d also affects both cassettes a and b. In order to avoid interference with the robot, the movement and control are complicated because the movement includes the lifting and lowering operations and the rotation of each arm. In addition, it can only handle cassettes with exactly half the stacking pitch, and it cannot be applied to cassettes with a pitch reduction ratio of 40% or 60%, for example, with respect to standard cassettes.

  Note that the pitch conversion mechanism of Patent Document 1 has a complicated structure although the pitch can be adjusted steplessly, and an adjusting means for changing the interval is provided with a threaded drive shaft and a driven nut screwed to the drive shaft. Therefore, there is a problem that the dust generated from the mechanism part tends to adhere to the hand that is most disliked and the wafer held by the hand.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, the apparatus area is small, the operation is simple, the transfer operation is completed by a single operation, and it is not easily affected by dust generated from the mechanism section. In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide an inter-cassette transfer device for workpieces that can variably adjust the pitch steplessly.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 (workpiece cassette transfer device) can specify the same number of plate-like workpieces (W) in multiple stages as specified with reference to the drawings. In the transfer device (3) for transferring the workpiece from one cassette (1) having a different pitch to the other cassette (2), the lift table (31) and the lift table are movably provided. A slide table (33) that reciprocates between a standby position and a transfer position with the cassette mounted thereon, and a guide vertical provided adjacent to the lift table and facing the transfer position. A plurality of transfer hands 35 corresponding to the number of stacked workpieces supported so as to be able to move up and down along the rods 53 and the vertical rods 53, and the respective hands from the upper hand along the vertical rods. It is characterized in that it comprises a pitch changing mechanism (34) for adjusting the less the amount of movement toward the side hand height and loading pitch of the respective hands.

The above invention is preferably developed as in claims 2 to 4. That is,
(Claim 2) The pitch conversion mechanism includes a drive shaft (56) rotating in connection with an angle control servo motor (58), and a stepped eccentricity fixed to the drive shaft. A block (57), and a plurality of links (62) connecting each step in the eccentric block and each hand (35), the uppermost of the eccentric block with respect to the drive shaft (56) The height and the arrangement pitch of each hand according to the inclination angle of the eccentric block by rotating the drive shaft from the uppermost height position by maximizing the height and stacking pitch of each hand at the height position. It is characterized by sequentially reducing.

(Claim 3) Each hand (35) includes a hand base (70) forming an insertion hole through which the longitudinal lot (53) is passed, and a hand finger (71) protruding from the hand base and holding the workpiece. The eccentric block (62) includes a one-side eccentric block and a second-side eccentric block that are disposed forward and backward on the lower side of the hand base and are rotatable in synchronization with the drive shaft. In addition, an odd numbered hand is pivotally connected to the one side eccentric block from the uppermost position toward the lower side among the respective hands via the links, and the other side eccentric block includes the respective hands. The even-numbered hands are connected to each other so as to be rotatable through the links from the uppermost position of the hand toward the lower side.

(Claim 4) The transfer method using the above transfer device is specified, and the same number of plate-like works (W) can be stacked in multiple stages, and one cassette (1) having a different stacking pitch. In the transfer method which transfers the said workpiece | work from one cassette to the other cassette (2), the said one cassette (1) is used using the workpiece | work inter-cassette transfer apparatus (3) in any one of Claim 1 to 3. ) Is moved from the retracted position to the transfer position via the slide table (33), so that the hand (35) is inserted into the one cassette and then the one cassette is lifted by the lift table (31). A workpiece holding step for holding each workpiece in the cassette on the hand, and the one cassette is moved from the transfer position to the retracted position via the slide table (33), and the other cassette is moved to the retracted position. And a pitch changing step of adjusting the height and arrangement pitch of each hand by the pitch conversion mechanism corresponding to the other cassette, and the other cassette from the retracted position via the slide table. After the hand is inserted into the other cassette, the workpiece cassette is moved down by the lifting table and the workpieces on the hand are transferred to the other cassette. It is characterized by that.

  According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, each cassette is moved relative to the hand which does not move in the horizontal direction via the slide table and the lifting table, and the height and stacking pitch of each hand are set to the drive shaft and eccentricity. With a pitch conversion mechanism that adjusts via a block or the like, the installation area of the transfer device should be at least about twice that of the cassette, and the installation area is small, and the entire number of workpieces can be transferred from one cassette to the other by a single replacement operation. Since it can be transferred to the cassette, the work efficiency is good and the operation for the transfer is also simple, so the control becomes easy.

  In the invention of claim 2, as the pitch conversion mechanism, since the height and pitch interval of each hand are determined according to the tilt angle of the eccentric block, the pitch can be set to an arbitrary contraction rate. In comparison, since only the link and the vertical rod are arranged around the hand, it is difficult to be affected by dust generated by wear of the mechanism portion, so that the reliability of the apparatus and the transfer operation can be improved.

  According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the function and effect of claim 2, since a plurality of links can be arranged separately before and after the hand base, the intervals can be increased without complicating each link even if the number of workpiece loading stages increases. It is possible to maintain the arrangement, thereby increasing the degree of design freedom.

  The best mode of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 is a side view schematically showing a wafer cassette transfer device, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view seen from above, and FIG. 4 is taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view (the right side shows a state where the hand stacking pitch is maximized, the left side shows the state where the hand stacking pitch is minimized), and FIG. 5 is a hand base appearance of the transfer hand and its schematic cross-sectional view. In each figure, some parts are omitted or simplified due to restrictions on drawing.

  In FIG. 1, a transfer device 3 is an example in which a wafer W in a standard cassette 1 is transferred as a cassette to a half pitch cassette 2 having a different pitch, and a lift table 31 disposed in the center and the lift table A plurality of slide tables 33 provided on 31 and reciprocating in the horizontal direction; adjacent to one side of the lifting table 31 and opposed to a wafer transfer position (hereinafter referred to as transfer position). The guide vertical rods 53, a plurality of transfer hands 35 supported so as to be movable up and down along the vertical rods 53, and the hands 35 are moved along the vertical rods 53 from the upper hand to the lower hand. And a pitch conversion mechanism 34 that adjusts the height and stacking pitch of each hand with a small amount of movement.

  Here, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the standard cassette 1 is disposed at the transfer position and a state in which the half pitch cassette 2 is disposed at the wafer standby position (hereinafter referred to as the standby position) via the slide table 33. Yes. However, actually, in a state where any one of the cassettes is positioned through the slide table 33, the other cassette is removed from the slide table 33. Each of the cassettes 1 and 2 has a container shape, and one side surface is opened for an entrance and exit, and is opened and closed by a door (not shown). It has the rack parts 11 and 12 provided. In this case, the pitch of the rack portion 12 is set to ½ pitch of the rack portion 11. That is, in order to simplify the description in each figure, the number of wafers W loaded is set to 12, that is, the number of stages of each rack portion 11 and 21 is set to 12, but the number of stages is of course set arbitrarily. is there.

  The lifting table 31 has a reverse L shape when viewed from the side, a pair of guide rails 32 fixed to the upper horizontal plate portion of the reverse L shape, and upper and lower slide blocks 40 fixed to the vertical plate shape of the reverse L shape. And a ball screw block 43 fixed to the vertical plate portion and projecting in the opposite direction to each slide block 40, and each slide block 40 is connected to a pair of lifting guide rails 42 fixed to a vertical frame 41. It is supported so that it can be raised and lowered in the fitted state.

  The block 43 forms a female screw penetrating vertically, and is pivotally supported by the upper and lower piece portions of the U-shaped bearing portion 45 fixed to the vertical frame 44 facing the vertical frame 41 in a side view. The screw member 46 is moved up and down while being engaged with the screw member 46. That is, the lower end portion of the screw member 46 is formed in the connecting shaft portion, and the connecting shaft portion passes through the lower piece portion of the bearing portion 45 and is connected to the output portion of the motor 48 installed directly below. The lift table 31 is precisely fed so as to be lifted and lowered along the guide rail 42 according to the forward / reverse operation of the motor 48.

  Although not shown, the slide table 33 can be moved horizontally between a standby position and a transfer position by a ball screw feed mechanism or the like. The transfer position corresponds to the horizontal plate portion of the lift table 31, and the standby position corresponds to the rear side of the horizontal plate portion of the lift table 31. In the vicinity of the standby position, for example, means for placing the target cassette on the slide table 33 or conversely sending the cassette on the slide table 33 to the next process may be provided.

  A lower fixed table 50 and an upper fixed table 51 are provided facing each other at a predetermined distance on a front end side of the horizontal plate portion of the lift table 31, and a lift guide vertical rod 53 is provided on both the fixed tables 50, In a state where the upper and lower ends are supported by 51, a total of twelve lines are provided in two rows on the front and rear and three rows on the left and right. Each hand 35 includes a hand base 70 and hand fingers 71 that project from the hand base 70 and hold the workpiece W, as shown in FIG. The hand base 70 is provided with six insertion holes on one side and two insertion holes on two sides corresponding to the rods 53 in two rows in the front and rear and three rows in the left and right. As shown in FIG. 5, each insertion hole has two mounting holes 73 with which the left and right sliding bearings 72 are engaged, and ten large diameters with which the sliding bearings 72 are loosely fitted except for the mounting holes 73. And a hole 74.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the pitch conversion mechanism 34 includes an angle control servo motor 58 installed on the mount base 54, and both sides of the mount base 54 that are erected on the left and right sides. Bearing frames 55, 55, a pair of front and rear drive shafts 56, 56 supported by both bearing frames 55, eccentric blocks 57 mounted at both ends of each drive shaft 56, and shaft portions of each drive shaft 56 Gears 60 and 61 that are attached to each other and meshed with each other, a gear 59 that is attached to the output shaft of the servomotor 58 and meshes with one gear 60, each stepped step in each eccentric block 57, and each of the above A plurality of links 62 connecting the hand base 70 of the hand 35 are provided.

  Of these, the gears 60 and 61 are transmission gears having the same shape and the same number of teeth. For example, one of the gears 60 and 61 is rotated counterclockwise via the drive-side gear 59 (the corresponding drive shaft 56 is also rotated). And the other is rotated clockwise (the corresponding drive shaft 56 is also rotated). Each link 62 has a lower end pivotally supported by each step portion of the eccentric block 57 and an upper end pivotally supported by the hand base 70 of the corresponding hand 35. The above pitch conversion mechanism 34 maximizes the height and stacking pitch of each hand 35 at the highest height position of the eccentric block 57 with respect to the drive shaft 56 (the state on the right side in FIG. 4). It is rotated from the highest position via the servo motor 58, and the height and pitch of each hand 35 are sequentially reduced according to the inclination angle of the eccentric block 57.

  More specifically, in the pitch conversion mechanism 34, among the total four eccentric blocks 57 on the left and right and front and rear, the eccentric block shown on the right side of FIG. 1 (attached to both ends of the drive shaft 56 on the side close to the vertical frame 44). Each eccentric block) 57 is connected to the odd-numbered hands 35 through the corresponding links 62 in order from the top of each hand 35, and is placed one by one from the top in the direction toward FIG. As the first, third, fifth, etc., the corresponding link 62 pivotally supports the odd-numbered hand 35 (the hand base 70) so that the upper end is pivotable, and the lower end is within the circle of FIG. As shown in an enlarged manner, each hand 35 and each step of the corresponding eccentric block 57 are connected by a total of six links 62 pivotally supported in order from the top to each step side end of the eccentric block 57. It is connected. On the other hand, the eccentric block 57 (the eccentric blocks attached to both ends of the drive shaft 56 on the side away from the vertical frame 44) 57 shown on the left side in FIG. 35, the corresponding links 62 are connected to each other via the corresponding links 62 in the order from the top, that is, the second, the fourth, the sixth, and so on. The even-numbered hand 35 (hand base 70) is pivotally supported at its upper end so as to be rotatable, and the lower end is pivotally supported at each step side end of the eccentric block 57 so that it can be rotated in order from the top. In addition, a total of six links 62 connect each hand 35 and each stage of the corresponding eccentric block 57.

  2 and 4, the right eccentric block 57 is positioned above the drive shaft 56, the arrangement of the hands 35 corresponds to the height and stacking pitch of the standard cassette 1, and the left eccentric block 57 will be 180 from now on. It is located below the rotated drive shaft 56, and the arrangement of each hand 35 shows a state corresponding to the height and stacking pitch of the half pitch cassette 2.

  That is, when the eccentric blocks 57 on both sides are above the drive shaft 56, the height and stacking pitch of each hand 35 are arranged vertically according to the height of the standard cassette 1 and the stacking pitch of the wafer W. By rotating the servo motor 58, the eccentric blocks 57 are rotated while being reversed with each other, and the pitch interval is gradually reduced while the height is gradually reduced. At the 180 ° rotation position, the height and the stacking pitch of the half pitch cassette 57 are reduced. According to the vertical arrangement. However, the rotation angle of the eccentric block 57 is not limited to this example, and may be set to 180 ° or less for fine adjustment.

  5 (a) and 5 (b) show the accuracy of the hand base 70 constituting each hand 35 and each hand base 70 maintaining a horizontal state with respect to the vertical rods 53 on both sides via the sliding bearings 72 on both sides. The example of a structure which makes it move up and down well is shown. An arbitrary pair of left and right insertion holes among the insertion holes formed in each hand base 70 is a mounting hole 73 fitted to the vertical rods 53 on both sides via a pair of sliding bearings 72. The insertion holes (in this example, five on one side and ten on both sides) are large-diameter holes 74 to which the sliding bearing 72 is loosely fitted. Each hand base 70 has a pair of left and right mounting holes 73 formed at different positions. Each sliding bearing 72 has a mounting flange portion on the upper periphery. The length of the slide bearing 72 is such that each hand base 70 penetrates through the large-diameter hole 74 formed in the other five hand bases 70 below the hand base 70 at a half pitch interval. It is a dimension. In the structure described above, for example, as shown in the figure, the slide bearing 72 attached to the uppermost hand base 70 (the attachment hole 73) is allowed to play freely in the large holes 74 of the five hand bases 70 on the lower side. In the process of changing the height of each hand base 70 through the corresponding link 62 and eccentric block 57 described above, the hand base 70 is guided to be lifted and lowered along the vertical rod 53 with high accuracy. Similarly, the hand base 70 is mounted with a pair of sliding bearings 72 at different positions on the left and right so that the hand base 70 can be guided up and down accurately along the vertical rod 53 without interfering with each other.

  Next, an operation procedure for transferring the same number of wafers W from the standard cassette 1 to the half pitch cassette 2 using the above transfer device 3 will be described. The driving of each unit is controlled as designed by a detection sensor (not shown), sequence control means, or the like.

  In this transfer method, the procedure is roughly divided into a work holding step for holding the wafer W in the standard cassette 1 by each hand 35, a pitch conversion step for adjusting the pitch of each wafer W, and each wafer W in half. A workpiece transfer process for transferring to the pitch cassette 2 is performed.

  Here, in the initial setting, each eccentric block 57 is positioned on the upper side via the drive shaft 56, and the vertical arrangement of each hand 35 corresponds to the height and stacking pitch of the standard cassette 1, that is, each hand 35 is attached to the standard cassette 1. It is adjusted to be positioned on the lower surface of the corresponding wafer W held. In this state, in the workpiece holding step, the standard cassette 1 is moved from the retracted position to the transfer position via the slide table 33 fitted to the guide rail 32, and at the same time, each hand 35 is placed in the standard cassette 1. Inserted. Thereafter, the standard cassette 1 is lifted by the lifting table 31 to hold each wafer W in the standard cassette on each hand 35 (hand finger 71).

  In the pitch changing step, the standard cassette 1, that is, the empty standard cassette 1 is moved from the transfer position to the retracted position via the slide table 33 fitted to the guide rail 32, and the half pitch cassette is moved to the retracted position. 2 and can be exchanged manually or automatically. At the same time, the height and pitch of each hand 35 are adjusted corresponding to the half pitch cassette 2 via the pitch conversion mechanism 34 with the wafer W held on the hand finger 71. That is, each hand 35 (and wafer W) is adjusted to be positioned above the corresponding rack portion 21 of the half pitch cassette 2 via the pitch conversion mechanism 34 described above.

  In the workpiece transfer process, the half pitch cassette 2 is moved from the retracted position to the transfer position via the slide table 33 fitted to the guide rail 32, and at the same time, each hand 35 (and the wafer W held by the hand 35). ) Is inserted into the half pitch cassette 2. Thereafter, the half pitch cassette 2 is slightly lowered by the elevating table 31, so that each wafer W held on each hand 35 (the hand finger 71 thereof) is transferred to the corresponding rack portion 21. Thereafter, the half-pitch cassette 2 is moved from the transfer position to the retracted position via the slide table 33, and is manually or automatically replaced with the next standard cassette 1 at the retracted position, and the next transfer operation is repeated. Will be.

  In the above transfer method, in particular, the structure in which the cassettes 1 and 2 are moved relative to each hand 35 via the slide table 33 and the lifting table 31 and the height and loading pitch of each hand 35 are driven. With the shaft 56 and the eccentric block 57 and the pitch conversion mechanism 34 that is adjusted via the link 62, the installation area of the transfer device may be at least about twice that of the cassette, and the installation area can be greatly reduced. Since the entire number of workpieces can be transferred from one cassette to the other cassette by the work, the work efficiency can be improved and the simple pitch conversion mechanism 34 can improve the reliability.

  In addition, the installation and removal work of the cassettes 1 and 2 at the standby position may be performed manually. In the case of automation, the cassettes 1 and 2 are transferred between the transport paths of the cassettes 1 and 2 and the transfer device 3. Any robot hand may be interposed.

  In the above embodiment, the case of delivery to the half-pitch cassette 2 having a stacking pitch that is half the stacking pitch in the standard cassette 1 has been shown, but each hand 35 can be adjusted to an arbitrary pitch. It can also be applied to transfer to a half pitch cassette with a loading pitch of about 40 to 60%, and its height and pitch contraction rate are determined according to the tilt angle of the eccentric block 57, so the amount of rotation of the servo motor 58 is determined. Adjustments may be made accordingly. Moreover, it is needless to say that the same operation as described above can be applied to transfer from the half pitch cassette 2 to the standard cassette 1 or transfer between cassettes of the same pitch.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the transfer device of the present invention is applied to transfer of wafers between cassettes having different pitches is shown. However, other plate-like elements, for example, disk-like workpieces such as DVD and CD It is also applicable when transferring between cassettes with different pitches.

It is a model side view of the inter-cassette transfer apparatus of the wafer which concerns on this invention form. It is a model front view of the said transfer apparatus. It is a schematic plan view of the said transfer apparatus. It is a schematic cross section along the IV-IV line of FIG. (A) is the perspective view by the side of the hand base for transfer, (b) is the schematic cross section. (A), (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the plane and side surface of the conventional transfer apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Standard cassette (corresponds to one cassette, 11 is rack)
2 ... Half pitch cassette (corresponding to the other cassette, 21 is rack)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 ... Transfer equipment 31 ... Elevating table 32 ... Slide table 33 ... Guide rail 34 ... Pitch conversion mechanism 35 ... Transfer hand (70 is a hand base, 71 is a hand finger)
53 ... Vertical rod for guide 57 ... Eccentric block 58 ... DC servo motor (control motor)
62 ... Link
72 ... Slide bearing W ... Wafer (plate-like workpiece)

Claims (4)

In the transfer device for transferring the same number of plate-like workpieces in multiple stages and transferring the workpieces from one cassette to the other cassette with different loading pitches,
An elevating table and a slide table that is movably provided on the elevating table and reciprocates between a standby position and a transfer position in a state where the cassette is placed;
A guide vertical rod provided adjacent to the lift table and substantially opposite to the transfer position, and a plurality of transfers corresponding to the number of workpieces supported so as to be lifted and lowered along the vertical rod. A loading hand,
A workpiece having a pitch conversion mechanism that adjusts the height and stacking pitch of each hand by decreasing the amount of movement of each hand along the vertical rod from the upper hand to the lower hand. Transfer equipment between cassettes.   The pitch conversion mechanism includes a drive shaft that rotates in connection with an angle control motor, a step-like eccentric block fixed to the drive shaft, each step-like step in the eccentric block, and each hand. A plurality of connecting links, wherein the height and stacking pitch of each hand is maximized at the highest height position of the eccentric block relative to the drive shaft, and the drive shaft is rotated from the highest height position. The workpiece inter-cassette transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height and the arrangement pitch of the hands are sequentially reduced according to an inclination angle of the eccentric block. Each of the hands has a hand base that forms an insertion hole through which the vertical rod passes, and a hand finger that protrudes from the hand base and holds the workpiece.
The eccentric block includes a one-side eccentric block and a one-side eccentric block that are disposed forward and backward at the lower side of the hand base and can be rotated in synchronization with the drive shaft, and the one-side eccentric block. The odd-numbered hands of the respective hands are pivotally connected to the lower side from the uppermost position through the links, and the other-side eccentric block is connected to the lower side from the uppermost position of the respective hands. The even-numbered hands are connected to each other so as to be rotatable through the links. In the transfer method in which the same number of plate-like workpieces can be stacked in multiple stages and the workpieces are transferred from one cassette to the other cassette with different loading pitches,
Using the inter-cassette transfer device for workpieces according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
After the one cassette is moved from the retracted position to the transfer position via the slide table, the hand is inserted into the one cassette, and then the one cassette is lifted by the lifting table to move each workpiece in the cassette. Holding a workpiece on the hand,
The one cassette is moved from the transfer position to the retracted position via the slide table, and is replaced with the other cassette at the retracted position, and the height and the arrangement pitch of each hand are set to the pitch corresponding to the other cassette. A pitch changing step to be adjusted by a conversion mechanism;
After the other cassette is moved from the retracted position to the transfer position via the slide table, the hand is inserted into the other cassette, and then the other cassette is lowered by the lifting table to move each workpiece on the hand. A method for transferring workpieces between cassettes, wherein the workpiece is transferred to the other cassette.

Images