JP2009040598A - Air floatation transportation device, air floatation unit, and air floatation transportation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air floatation transportation device increasing a floating amount of an object to be transferred near a downstream end in a carrying direction of the air floatation unit and reducing air consumption of a whole device, and to provide an air floatation unit and an air floatation transportation method. <P>SOLUTION: The air floatation unit 5 disposed under a carrying face has side blowout parts 7 blowing air to the center in a unit width direction on both sides in a unit width direction orthogonal to the carrying direction of the object to be carried and a downstream blowout part 8 blowing the air to the upstream in the carrying direction is disposed to a downstream end in the carrying direction. The side part blowout parts 7 near the downstream end in the carrying direction obliquely blow the air to the center in the unit width direction and to the downstream in the carrying direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport device for a planar transported object such as a semiconductor substrate or a liquid crystal substrate, and in particular, the transported object is prevented from being damaged or damaged by being levitated from the transport surface by air. The present invention relates to an air levitation conveyance device, an air levitation unit, and an air levitation conveyance method.

Conventionally, in an air levitation transport apparatus that transports a sheet-like object to be transported on a transport surface while floating from the transport surface with air, a plurality of air levitation units disposed below the transport surface are provided in the transport direction. There is one in which the flying height of the object to be transported in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction is increased by jetting air from the downstream end to the upstream side in the transport direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-222209 A

The above-mentioned conventional technique is that the front end (downstream end) of the transported object bends downward after passing the downstream end of the air floating unit in the transport direction and interferes with the air floating unit ahead. It has been prevented.
By the way, the air levitation transport device is formed by arranging a plurality of air levitation units below the transport surface, and its specifications can be easily and flexibly set according to the size and weight of the object to be transported. Furthermore, since it is possible to increase the distance between the air levitation units when trying to cope with the size of the conveyance line, the floating amount of the conveyed object in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit in the conveyance direction is further increased. Is required. On the other hand, in order to suppress the operating load of the air levitation transfer device, it is desirable that the configuration is such that the air ejection amount (air consumption amount) of the entire device can be reduced.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an air levitation transport apparatus and an air levitation unit that can increase the flying height of a transported object in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction of the air levitation unit and reduce the air consumption of the entire apparatus. And an air levitation conveyance method.

  As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the invention described in claim 1 is an air levitation conveyance device that conveys a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while floating from the conveyance surface by air, and is disposed below the conveyance surface. The air levitation unit includes a side jetting part that jets air toward the center side in the unit width direction on both sides in the unit width direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transported object, and downstream in the transport direction. A downstream jetting part that jets air to the upstream side in the transport direction at the end, and the side jetting part in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction is located at the center in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction It is characterized by ejecting air at an angle.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air levitation transport apparatus for transporting a sheet-like object to be transported on a transport surface while floating from the transport surface by air. The unit is provided with side ejection portions that eject air to the center side in the unit width direction on both sides in the unit width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed, and at the downstream end in the conveyance direction, It is characterized by comprising a downstream jetting part for jetting air to the upstream side in the transport direction.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the air levitation conveyance device according to the first or second aspect, at least one of the side portion ejection portion and the downstream side ejection portion is obliquely upward toward the lower surface of the object to be conveyed. It is characterized by ejecting air.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the air levitation transport apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, at least one of the side portion jetting portion and the downstream side jetting portion may be both sides in the unit width direction or downstream in the transporting direction. An ejection base provided at a side end; a first plate attached so as to overlap the ejection base; and a second plate attached so as to overlap the first plate. A notch that opens from the position corresponding to the air outlet provided in the jet base toward the air jet direction in the side jet part or the downstream jet part is provided, and the notch is provided in the jet base and By sandwiching between two plates, an air ejection path in the side ejection section or the downstream ejection section is formed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the air levitation transport device according to the fourth aspect, the jet base is integrally provided in a unit main body of the air levitation unit, and an air passage is provided in the unit main body. A through hole extending from the outer surface of the ejection base to the air passage is used as an air ejection port of the ejection base.

  The invention described in claim 6 is the air levitation transport apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that an outer surface that opens the air ejection port in the ejection base is provided to be inclined with respect to the transport surface. To do.

  The invention described in claim 7 is an air levitation unit used in an air levitation conveyance device that conveys a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while floating from the conveyance surface with air. On both sides of the unit width direction orthogonal to the side of the unit width direction, jetting air toward the center side of the unit width direction, and jetting air upstream of the transport direction at the downstream end in the transport direction A downstream jet part is provided, and at least one of the side jet part and the downstream jet part is attached so as to overlap with the jet base provided on both sides of the unit width direction or the downstream end in the transport direction. A first plate and a second plate attached so as to overlap the first plate, the first plate having a position corresponding to an air outlet provided in the ejection base A notch that opens toward the air ejection direction in the side ejection part or the downstream ejection part is provided, and the side ejection part or the downstream side is formed by sandwiching the notch between the ejection base and the second plate. An air ejection path in the ejection part is formed.

  The invention according to claim 8 is an air levitation transport method for transporting a sheet-like transported object on a transport surface while floating from the transport surface with air, and a unit width direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transported object Air is ejected from both sides of the unit to the center side in the unit width direction, and air is ejected from the downstream end in the transport direction to the upstream side in the transport direction, and the unit width direction in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction From both sides, air is jetted obliquely toward the center in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction.

  According to the present invention, air is ejected from both sides of the air levitation unit in the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction so that the air collides with each other on the center side in the unit width direction. An air reservoir with increased pressure against the outside air is generated between Since the pressure of the air pool acts on a relatively large area of the object to be conveyed, the amount of air ejected (in comparison with the case where the object to be conveyed is levitated only by the local pressure by ejecting air upward) The conveyed object can be efficiently levitated by the air consumption).

  Further, in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air floating unit in the transport direction, air is ejected from both sides of the unit width direction to the center side of the unit width direction, and air is also ejected from the downstream end of the transport direction to the upstream side of the transport direction. By doing so, it is possible to efficiently increase the pressure of the air pool generated in the part and increase the flying height of the conveyed object with a small amount of air consumption. For this reason, for example, it is suitable also when comprising an air levitation conveyance apparatus with a single air levitation unit long in the conveyance direction.

  In particular, in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit in the transport direction, the air and the downstream in the transport direction are ejected obliquely from both sides of the unit width direction toward the center in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction. Collides with air ejected from the end to increase the air pressure, and also suppresses the escape of the air in the air pool that occurs in the area to the upstream side in the conveyance direction, effectively increasing the air pressure at the area and reducing air consumption The flying height of the conveyed object can be increased by the amount.

  And by increasing the flying height of the transported object in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit in the transport direction, the transported object can easily get over the gap portion between the air levitation units, and the gap between the air levitation units is reduced. While the set width is widened, the allowable range of the positional deviation in the height direction between the air levitation units is widened, and the degree of freedom in designing the air levitation transport device can be increased.

  Further, if the side jetting portion and the downstream jetting portion jet air obliquely upward toward the lower surface of the conveyed object, the upward component of the air ejection pressure is caused to float the conveyed object. Can act directly.

  Further, the side ejection portion and the downstream ejection portion are formed by attaching the first and second plates to the ejection base, and the notch provided in the first plate is sandwiched between the ejection base and the second plate, so that the side If the air ejection path in the part ejection part and the downstream ejection part is to be formed, the side ejection part and the downstream having the desired air ejection direction can be obtained only by replacing the first plate and changing the notch. A side ejection part can be set easily and flexibly.

  In addition, the side jet part and the downstream jet part are provided with the jet base integrally in the unit main body, an air passage is provided in the unit main body, and a through hole extending from the outer surface of the jet base to the air passage is formed in the jet base. If it is set as this air jet outlet, the structure of a side part jet part and a downstream jet part, and also the structure of an air floating unit can be simplified.

  Further, if the outer surface that opens the air outlet at the ejection base is provided to be inclined with respect to the transport surface, it is only necessary to attach the flat first and second plates to the outer surface. Air can be ejected obliquely upward toward the lower surface.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The air levitation transport apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 causes a transported object 3 such as a planar substrate along the transport surface 2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), which is substantially horizontal, to float by air, and in this state, is not shown in the figure. It is transferred in one direction along the transfer surface 2 by a feed mechanism. Below the transport surface 2, a plurality of air levitation units 5 are arranged in a grid pattern with a predetermined interval, and air is appropriately ejected from each of the air levitation units 5, so that the transport surface 2 is transported. Object 3 is lifted. In addition, the conveyance direction of the said to-be-conveyed object 3 is shown by the arrow F in a figure.

  The transported object 3 has, for example, a rectangular shape in plan view, and the transported object 3 is sequentially transported at a predetermined interval. The leading end 3a (downstream end) in the transport direction of the transported object 3 sequentially passes above the gap between the air levitation units 5. The air levitation units 5 are arranged in a plurality of rows (two rows in FIG. 1) along the transport direction, and the article 3 is floated and transported on the transport surface 2 in a state straddling the plurality of rows.

  Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which the air levitation units 5 are arranged in two rows, the air levitation units 5 are arranged in one or three rows depending on the size and weight of the object to be conveyed 3 and the scale of the conveyance line. The above arrangement and the number and arrangement thereof may be changed as appropriate. In other words, the air levitation transport device 1 is configured by appropriately arranging a plurality of air levitation units 5 so that the specifications can be easily and flexibly set according to the size, weight, etc. of the transport target 3. Can be transported stably.

  Referring also to FIG. 2, the air levitation unit 5 has a rectangular shape that is long in the conveyance direction in a plan view of the conveyance surface 2, and a substantially horizontal thick plate-shaped unit body 6 that forms the appearance thereof; The main part is a side jet part 7 provided on both sides of the unit width direction orthogonal to the transport direction and a downstream jet part 8 provided on the downstream end in the transport direction. The upper surface of the unit body 6 is arranged on the same plane as the transport surface 2.

  The side jetting part 7 jets air to the center side in the unit width direction, and the downstream jetting part 8 jets air to the upstream side in the transport direction. In addition, the air ejection direction from each ejection part 7 and 8 is shown by the arrow H in a figure, and the centerline of a unit width direction is shown by the code | symbol C. The air ejection directions of the ejection portions 7 and 8 are directed obliquely upward so as to be directed to the lower surface of the transported object 3 that passes above (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

Here, since the air ejection unit 5 is provided in a rectangular shape that is long in the transport direction, the side jetting unit 7 is provided in a plurality (three in this embodiment) for each predetermined length in the transport direction. . Hereinafter, the side jetting portion 7 located closest to the downstream side in the transport direction (positioned in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction) in the air levitation unit 5 may be denoted by reference numeral 7 ′.
Then, the side jetting portion 7 ′ located on the most downstream side in the transport direction jets air obliquely in a plan view of the transport surface 2 toward the unit width direction center side and the transport direction downstream side.

3 and 4 together, in the above-described air levitation transport device 1, air is jetted from both sides of the air levitation unit 5 in the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction, and is discharged to the outside at the center side in the unit width direction. On the other hand, the object 3 on the conveyance surface 2 is lifted from the conveyance surface 2 by generating an air pool with increased pressure.
Further, in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction, air is further ejected from the downstream end in the transport direction to the upstream side in the transport direction, thereby causing an air reservoir (indicated by reference numeral 9 in the figure) that occurs in that portion. To increase the flying height of the object 3 to be conveyed.

At this time, each ejection part 7, 8 ejects air obliquely upward toward the lower surface of the object to be conveyed 3, so that the object to be conveyed 3 is also levitated by the upward component of the ejection pressure of the air.
In the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction, the air pressure is efficiently increased by jetting air obliquely from both sides of the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction. Thus, the flying height of the conveyed object 3 is increased.

  As a result, when the conveyance direction front end 3a of the object to be conveyed 3 passes over the gap between the air levitation units 5, this also occurs when the conveyance direction front end 3a (see FIG. 3) is bent downward. Interference with the previous air levitation unit 5 or the like can be prevented, and damage or damage to the conveyed object 3 during levitation conveyance can be prevented.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the unit main body 6 of the air levitation unit 5 is hollow, and its internal space is an air passage 6a to which compressed air from an air supply device (not shown) is supplied.
The upper surface sides of both side portions in the unit width direction of the unit main body 6 are provided so as to be inclined downward toward the outer side in the unit width direction, and the portion constitutes the ejection base portion 11 in the side portion ejection portion 7. On the other hand, the upper surface side of the downstream end portion of the unit body 6 in the transport direction is provided to be inclined so as to be positioned lower toward the downstream side in the transport direction, and this portion constitutes the jet base 16 in the downstream jet portion 8. . In addition, the inclined outer surface (upper surface) of each of the ejection bases 11 and 16 is indicated by reference numerals 11a and 16a in the figure.

  5 and 6, the side ejection portion 7 is attached so as to overlap the ejection base 11, the first plate 12 attached so as to overlap the ejection base 11, and the first plate 12. And a second plate 13. On the other hand, the downstream ejection portion 8 has the ejection base portion 16, a first plate 17 attached so as to overlap the ejection base portion 16, and a second plate 18 attached so as to overlap the first plate 17. It becomes.

A plurality of air jets 14 arranged in the transport direction are provided in the jet base 11 of the side jet part 7. On the other hand, the jet base 16 of the downstream jet part 8 is provided with a plurality of air jets 19 arranged in the unit width direction.
The air outlets 14 and 19 are through-holes extending from the outer surfaces 11a and 16a of the ejection bases 11 and 16 to the air passage 6a in the unit body 6, and the compressed air supplied into the air passage 6a is externally provided. It can be ejected.

  The first plate 12 of the side ejection part 7 is provided with a notch 12a that opens from the position facing each air ejection port 14 of the ejection base 11 toward the air ejection direction in the side ejection part 7. That is, the first plate 12 of the side jetting part 7 ′ located on the most downstream side in the transport direction (indicated by reference numeral 12 ′ in the figure) is the center in the unit width direction from the position facing each air jet 14. And a notch 12a (indicated by reference numeral 12a ′ in the drawing) that is inclined and opened with respect to the unit width direction and the transport direction in a plan view of the transport surface 2 toward the downstream side in the transport direction. The first plate 12 of the other side jet parts 7 excluding the side jet part 7 ′ is a unit in a plan view of the transport surface 2 from the position facing each air jet port 14 toward the center side in the unit width direction. A notch 12a is provided that opens along the width direction.

  On the other hand, the first plate 17 of the downstream ejection portion 8 is provided with a notch 17a that opens from the position facing each air ejection port 19 of the ejection base portion 16 toward the air ejection direction in the downstream ejection portion 8. That is, the first plate 17 of the downstream jetting part 8 has a notch 17a that opens from the position facing each air jet 19 toward the upstream side in the transport direction along the transport direction in plan view of the transport surface 2. Is provided.

  The second plates 13 and 18 of the ejection portions 7 and 8 are flat plate-like cover members having no notches, and the second plates 13 and 18 are overlapped with the corresponding first plates 12 and 17. In the state which covered the outer side of each notch 12a, 17a, these are fixed to the corresponding ejection base parts 11 and 16, respectively, and each notch 12a, 17a of the 1st plates 12 and 17 is the ejection base parts 11 and 16. It is sandwiched between the second plates 13 and 18, and an air ejection path in each ejection portion 7 and 8 is configured.

  In this way, each of the ejection parts 7 can be obtained by simply replacing the plates 12, 13, 17, 18 (especially the first plates 12, 17) with respect to the ejection bases 11, 16 fixedly provided in the unit body 6. , 8 can be set easily and flexibly.

  At this time, the outer surface 11a of the ejection base portion 11 of the side ejection portion 7 is inclined so that the outer surface 11a is positioned downward toward the outside in the unit width direction (that is, positioned upward toward the center side in the unit width direction). By simply attaching the flat plate-like first and second plates 12 and 17, it is possible to form an air ejection path that is inclined so as to be located higher toward the center side in the unit width direction. Similarly, the outer surface 16a of the ejection base portion 16 of the downstream ejection portion 8 is inclined so that the outer surface 16a is located lower as it goes downstream in the conveying direction (that is, as it is located higher as the upstream side in the conveying direction). Only by attaching the plate-like first and second plates 13 and 18, it is possible to form an air ejection path that is inclined so as to be positioned higher on the upstream side in the transport direction.

  As described above, the air levitation conveyance device 1 in the above-described embodiment conveys the sheet-like object 3 on the conveyance surface 2 while floating from the conveyance surface 2 with air, and the conveyance surface The air levitation unit 5 disposed below 2 includes side ejection portions 7 that eject air to the center side in the unit width direction on both sides in the unit width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the transported object 3. The downstream jetting portion 8 for jetting air to the upstream side in the transport direction is provided at the downstream end in the transport direction, and the side jetting portion 7 in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction is arranged in the unit width direction. Air is jetted obliquely toward the center side and the downstream side in the transport direction.

  In the above embodiment, air is ejected from both sides of the air floating unit 5 in the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction so that the air collides with each other on the center side in the unit width direction. An air pool is formed between the transfer surface 2 and the outside air at a pressure increased. Since the pressure of the air pool acts on a relatively large area of the object to be transported 3, there is less air ejection compared to the case where air is ejected upward and the object to be transported 3 is lifted only by the local pressure. The conveyed object 3 can be efficiently levitated by the amount (air consumption).

  Further, in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction, air is ejected from both sides of the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction, and also from the downstream end in the transport direction to the upstream side of the transport direction. By ejecting, the pressure of the air pool generated in the part can be efficiently increased, and the flying height of the conveyed object 3 can be increased with a small amount of air consumption.

  Particularly, in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction, air is obliquely ejected from both sides in the unit width direction to the center side in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction, so that both the air and the downstream in the transport direction. While colliding with the air ejected from the side end to increase the air pressure, it also suppresses the escape of the air in the air pool generated in the part to the upstream side in the conveyance direction, efficiently increasing the air pressure in the part, and reducing the amount of air The flying height of the conveyed object 3 can be increased by the consumption amount.

  Then, by increasing the flying height of the transported object 3 in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction, the transported object 3 can easily get over the gap portion between the air levitation units 5. As the set width of the gap between the air levitation units 5 is widened, the allowable range of the positional deviation in the height direction between the air levitation units 5 is also widened.

  Moreover, in the said Example, the side part injection part 7 and the downstream injection part 8 inject the air diagonally upward toward the lower surface of the to-be-conveyed object 3, and it is the upward direction of the injection pressure of this air The component can directly act on the floating of the conveyed object 3.

  Moreover, in the said Example, the side part ejection part 7 and the downstream part ejection part 8 attach the 1st and 2nd plates 12, 13, 17, 18 to the ejection base parts 11 and 16, and the 1st plate 12, The notches 12a and 17a provided in the 17 are sandwiched between the ejection bases 11 and 16 and the second plates 13 and 18 to form an air ejection path in the side ejection part 7 and the downstream ejection part 8, thereby The side jetting part 7 and the downstream jetting part 8 having a desired air jetting direction can be easily and flexibly set only by exchanging the one plate 12 and 17 and changing the notches 12a and 17a.

  Moreover, in the said Example, while the side part ejection part 7 and the downstream ejection part 8 provided the ejection base parts 11 and 16 integrally in the unit main body 6, the air channel | path 6a was provided in the unit main body 6, and ejection By making the through holes extending from the outer surfaces 11a, 16a of the bases 11, 16 to the air passage 6a as the air jets 14, 19 of the jet bases 11, 16, the configuration of the side jet part 7 and the downstream jet part 8 is extended. The configuration of the air levitation unit 5 can be simplified.

  Moreover, in the said Example, the outer surfaces 11a and 16a which open the air jet nozzles 14 and 19 in the ejection base parts 11 and 16 are provided inclining with respect to the said conveyance surface 2, Therefore In this outer surface 11a and 16a, By only attaching the flat first and second plates 12, 13, 17, 18, air can be ejected obliquely upward toward the lower surface of the conveyed object 3.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The air levitation transport device 21 of this embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that the side ejection portion 27 in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction of the air levitation unit 25 is replaced with the other side ejection portion 7. On the other hand, the main difference is that the air ejection amount is increased, and the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

The side ejection part 27 is the same as the other side ejection part 7 in that air is ejected obliquely upward to the center side in the unit width direction, but a notch 32a that is wider than the first plate 12 is provided. By having the first plate 32, the air ejection amount is increased with respect to the other side ejection portions 7.
In FIG. 6, the side ejection portion 27 ejects air along the unit width direction toward the center side in the unit width direction. However, as in the first embodiment, toward the center side in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction. The air may be ejected obliquely. Moreover, the air ejection direction of the side ejection part 27 is directed obliquely upward so as to face the lower surface of the article 3 to be conveyed, as in the first embodiment.

  Also in this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the transported object 3 can be efficiently levitated with a small amount of air ejection (air consumption), and in the vicinity of the downstream end of the air levitation unit 5 in the transport direction. The flying height of the transported object 3 can be increased efficiently, and the degree of freedom in designing the air floating transport apparatus 1 can be increased.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a recess 45 a is provided at the center side in the unit width direction on the upper surface side of the air levitation unit 45, so It is good also as a structure which made it easy to ensure a pool. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, it is good also as a structure which provides the trapezoid-shaped convex part 45b in the said recessed part 45a, and guides the air from the side part ejection part 47 diagonally upward. 8 and 9 is provided integrally (fixed) to the unit main body 46, but this is fixed to the unit main body 46 as in the above embodiments. You may make it comprise with the ejection base part provided in this, and the separate plate member attached to this ejection base part. On the other hand, a configuration in which at least one of the side portions and the downstream-side ejection portions 7 and 8 in each of the above embodiments is provided separately from the unit main body 6 may be employed.
The configuration in the above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as configuring the air levitation transport device with a single air levitation unit that is long in the transport direction. Needless to say.

It is a perspective view of the air levitation conveyance apparatus in the Example of this invention. It is a top view of the air levitation unit which constitutes the above-mentioned air levitation conveyance device. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the side part and downstream jetting part of the said air levitation unit. FIG. 3 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 2 in which a part of the air levitation unit is disassembled. FIG. 7 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 6 in a second embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing equivalent to FIG. 4 which shows the modification of each said Example. It is sectional drawing equivalent to FIG. 4 which shows the other modification of each said Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,21 Air levitation conveyance apparatus 2 Conveyance surface 3 Conveyed object 5, 25, 45 Air levitation unit 6, 46 Unit main body 6a Air passage 7, 27, 47 Side ejection part 8 Downstream ejection part 11, 16 Ejection base 11a , 16a Outer surface 12, 17, 32 First plate 12a, 17a, 32a Notch 13, 18 Second plate 14, 19 Air outlet 45a Recess 45b Protrusion

Claims (8)

In an air levitation conveyance device that conveys a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while levitating from the conveyance surface with air,
The air levitation unit disposed below the conveyance surface includes side ejection portions that eject air to the center side in the unit width direction on both sides of the unit width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed, Provided at the downstream end in the transport direction, with a downstream jet part that jets air to the upstream side in the transport direction,
The air levitation conveying apparatus characterized in that the side jetting portion in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction jets air obliquely toward the center side in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction. In an air levitation conveyance device that conveys a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while levitating from the conveyance surface with air,
A single air levitation unit arranged below the conveyance surface has side ejection portions that eject air to the center side in the unit width direction on both sides of the unit width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed. And an air levitation transport apparatus comprising a downstream jetting section for jetting air to the upstream end in the transport direction at a downstream end in the transport direction.   3. The air levitation transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the side ejection section and the downstream ejection section ejects air obliquely upward toward the lower surface of the object to be transported. A jet base provided on at least one of the side jet part and the downstream jet part on both sides in the unit width direction or the downstream end in the transport direction; a first plate attached so as to overlap the jet base; A second plate attached to overlap one plate,
The first plate is provided with a notch that opens from a position corresponding to an air outlet provided in the ejection base toward the air ejection direction in the side ejection section or the downstream ejection section. The air levitation conveyance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an air ejection path in the side ejection section or the downstream ejection section is formed by sandwiching the ejection section between the ejection base section and the second plate. apparatus.   The jet base is provided integrally with the unit main body of the air levitation unit, an air passage is provided in the unit main body, and a through-hole extending from the outer surface of the jet base to the air passage is provided as an air jet of the jet base. The air levitation transport apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air levitation transport apparatus is an outlet.   The air surfacing and conveying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an outer surface that opens the air outlet in the ejection base is provided to be inclined with respect to the conveying surface. In an air levitation unit used in an air levitation conveyance device that conveys a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while levitating from the conveyance surface with air,
On both sides of the unit width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed, there are provided side ejection portions for ejecting air to the center side in the unit width direction, and at the downstream end in the conveyance direction, It has a downstream jet part that jets air to the upstream side,
A jet base provided on at least one of the side jet part and the downstream jet part on both sides in the unit width direction or the downstream end in the transport direction; a first plate attached so as to overlap the jet base; A second plate attached to overlap one plate,
The first plate is provided with a notch that opens from a position corresponding to an air outlet provided in the ejection base toward the air ejection direction in the side ejection section or the downstream ejection section. Is sandwiched between the ejection base and the second plate, thereby forming an air ejection path in the side ejection section or the downstream ejection section. In an air levitation conveyance method of conveying a sheet-like object to be conveyed on a conveyance surface while levitating from the conveyance surface with air,
Air is ejected from both sides of the unit width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed to the center side in the unit width direction, and air is ejected from the downstream end in the conveyance direction to the upstream side in the conveyance direction,
An air levitation transport method characterized in that air is obliquely ejected from both sides in the unit width direction in the vicinity of the downstream end in the transport direction toward the center in the unit width direction and downstream in the transport direction.

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