JP2009206315A - Substrate mounting device to table - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate mounting device to a table, performing alignment in such a manner as to prevent a substrate from being scratched. <P>SOLUTION: A substrate mounting device is provided with: an elevating/lowering pin 4 for mounting a substrate on the surface 3a of a table by lowering it while supporting its peripheral section; and a rotator 5 that is provided in the position in the middle of the lowering motion before the substrate reaches and contacts the surface of the table, contacts or separates from the periphery of the substrate along the direction of the lowering motion in order to position the substrate to the table on the elevating/lowering pin, and delivers the periphery of the substrate in contact therewith toward the center of the table in a horizontal direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table, which can be aligned so that the substrate is not damaged.

  Conventionally, a coating apparatus as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known in the manufacturing field of plasma display panels, liquid crystal panels, and the like and in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and a substrate to be processed is positioned on the table. Patent Document 2 is known as an apparatus for mounting in a similar manner. Patent Document 2 basically has a stage having a predetermined area for holding the substrate on its upper surface, and is rotatable with respect to a rotation axis parallel to the upper surface of the stage, and close to the predetermined area. Disclosed is a substrate alignment apparatus having at least one roller guide having a provided roller.

Specifically, the robot arm transports the substrate from another location above the area of the substrate alignment device and places the substrate on the pins of the lifting device that are kept in the raised state. Thereafter, the pins are lowered and the substrate is held on the upper surface of the stage. At this time, if the position of the substrate deviates from the region, a part of the substrate rides on the roller. However, since the roller can rotate, the roller rotates so as to push the substrate in the direction of a predetermined region by the weight of the substrate. When the extruded substrate is separated from the roller, the entire substrate comes into contact with the upper surface of the stage, and thereafter stops on the stage without moving greatly. As a result, the substrate moves while being in contact with the surface of the stage and fits in the region. As a result, the substrate is aligned within the region on the stage.
JP 2000-197844 A JP 2003-142561 A (see FIG. 3)

  By the way, in Patent Document 2, the substrate is aligned on the stage. When the substrate was moved, at least one end of the substrate was in contact with the stage surface, so that friction was generated, and the substrate was easily damaged. In particular, in the case of a thin and large square glass substrate (for example, thickness 0.7 mm, opposite side 1 to 2 m) used for a plasma display panel or a liquid crystal panel, a relatively large deflection is caused by its own weight depending on the support state. Therefore, when the substrate in the bent state is lowered as it is, the largest bent portion is already in surface contact with the stage before moving for alignment, and the substrate is moved in such a state. When it was made, the subject that a damage | wound would be further extensively occurred.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate mounting apparatus on a table that can be aligned without causing damage to the substrate.

  The apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to the present invention lowers the substrate while supporting the peripheral portion thereof, and the lowering pins mounted on the table surface and the lowering before the substrate reaches and contacts the table surface. In order to position the substrate with respect to the table on the lifting pins provided at a position in the middle of operation, the peripheral edge of the substrate can be contacted and detached along the descending operation direction, and the peripheral edge of the substrate in contact with the table And a guide member that feeds in the horizontal direction toward the center.

  The substrate is in contact with the table surface in a state where all the guide members are detached from the peripheral edge thereof.

  The guide member is a rotating body that is rotatable toward the center of the table when the peripheral edge of the substrate comes into contact therewith.

  The guide member has a slope surface formed with a downward slope toward the center of the table.

  The elevating pin is characterized in that the friction of the abutting portion that abuts on the substrate is reduced.

  In the apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to the present invention, alignment can be performed without scratching the substrate.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the substrate mounting apparatus 1 on the table according to the present embodiment basically mounts the substrate 2 on the table surface 3a while lowering the substrate 2 while supporting the periphery. In order to position the substrate 2 with respect to the table 3 on the lifting pins 4, the lifting pins 4 and the substrate 2 are provided in the middle of the lowering operation before the substrate 2 reaches and contacts the table surface 3 a. The peripheral edge 2 a of the substrate 2 can be brought into contact with and detached from the substrate 2, and the rotating body 5 serving as a guide member that feeds the peripheral edge 2 a of the contacted substrate 2 toward the center of the table 3 in the horizontal direction. The substrate 2 is brought into contact with the table surface 3a from the peripheral edge 2a in a state where all the rotating bodies 5 are detached. The rotating body 5 is rotatable toward the center of the table 3 when the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 contacts.

  This embodiment has shown the case where it applies to the coating device which coats the glass-made board | substrates 2. FIG. The coating apparatus is provided with a table 3 in order to install a substrate 2 that is an object to be coated. The table surface 3a on which the substrate 2 is installed is formed as a flat surface. If necessary, the table 3 is provided with suction means for holding the substrate 2 on the table surface 3a by suction or the like and holding the position.

  The table 3 is provided with elevating pins 4 for lowering the substrate 2 and mounting it on the table surface 3 a while supporting the substrate 2. The elevating pins 4 have a plurality of pin members 4a whose upper end abuts against the substrate 2 from below and supports the substrate 2 from below, and driving means (not shown) for moving the pin members 4a up and down in the vertical direction. It is prepared for. A vertical hole 6 is formed in the table 3 from the table surface 3 a toward the inside of the table 3. A plurality of the vertical holes 6 are formed in the peripheral part of the table 3 at appropriate intervals along the circumferential direction of the table 3. The plurality of pin members 4a are provided in each of the vertical holes 6 so as to be movable up and down in a vertical direction from a position immersed in the table 3 from the table surface 3a to a position protruding upward from the table surface 3a. Thereby, the pin member 4a is arrange | positioned in the peripheral part of the table 3 at appropriate intervals, and the peripheral part of the board | substrate 2 is supported by these pin members 4a so that raising / lowering is possible.

  The upper end portion of the pin member 4a that is in contact with the substrate 2 is formed so that the friction with the substrate 2 is reduced. For example, the upper end portion of the pin member 4a is formed with a low coefficient of friction by attaching a cap 7 made of synthetic resin or applying or coating a low friction material thereto. These pin members 4a are moved up and down in synchronization with the table surface 3a by the driving means while maintaining the same height as each other, so that the substrate 2 is supported by the pin member 4a and from the table surface 3a. Is also lowered from the upper position, and the pin member 4a is immersed below the table surface 3a, so that it is mounted on the table surface 3a.

  In the area 8 around the table 3, a plurality of height-adjustable columns 9 are erected at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction of the table 3. These columns 9 are preferably arranged in pairs so as to face each other across the table 3. In order to position the board | substrate 2 with respect to the table 3, the rotary body 5 which consists of a roller and a ball | bowl, for example is supported by these pillars 9, respectively. These rotating bodies 5 are provided at the same height position from the table surface 3a. In the illustrated example, the rotating body 5 is rotatably provided at the upper end of the column 9, but may be provided rotatably at an intermediate position in the height direction of the column 9.

  The rotating body 5 arranged so as to surround the table 3 has a column so that the substrate 2 does not come into contact with the substrate 2 when the substrate 2 descends with respect to the table 3 without any positional deviation in relation to the planar outer dimensions of the substrate 2. 9 is provided. Therefore, for example, when the substrate 2 is displaced to the left side with respect to the table 3 (see FIG. 3), the rotating body 5 that faces the left edge of the substrate 2 contacts the substrate 2 and moves to the right edge. The facing rotating body 5 does not contact the substrate 2. In the illustrated example, since the substrate 2 is larger than the planar outer dimension of the table 3, the rotating body 5 is provided on the pillar 9 so as to be separated from the table 3. If it is smaller than this, the column 9 is provided so as to protrude upward from the table surface 3a. This kind of setting of the rotating body 5 with respect to the substrate 2 is adjusted by the outer diameter size of the rotating body 5, the installation position of the column 9, the support position of the rotating body 5 on the column 9, and the like.

  Moreover, the rotary body 5 is arrange | positioned by adjusting the height of the pillar 9, and the board | substrate 2 which descend | falls with the pin member 4a is arrange | positioned in the height position in the middle of the descent | fall operation | movement before reaching the table surface 3a and contacting. Specifically, the height position (indicated by B in FIG. 4) of the rotating body 5 is the height position before the substrate 2 contacts the table surface 3a (in the state of height A = 0 in FIG. 4). Any height position may be used as long as it is present, but it is preferable to set the height position as just as possible so that the substrate 2 contacts the table surface 3a. This is because if the descending distance after positioning by the rotating body 5 is long, there is a high possibility that a positional deviation will occur during the subsequent descending as compared with the case where the descending distance is short. If it is the height position immediately before the board | substrate 2 contacts the table surface 3a, the position shift after positioning can be prevented appropriately. As a result, the rotating body 5 positions the substrate 2 in a state where the entire substrate 2 is floating from the table surface 3a. Therefore, the substrate 2 does not move while being in contact with the table surface 3a. Is not scratched.

  Furthermore, the support height position of the rotating body 5 by the column 9 is set so that the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 comes into contact with the table surface 3a in a state where the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 is detached from all the rotating bodies 5 in relation to the lowering operation of the substrate 2. Is done. The rotating body 5 is configured such that the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 can be contacted and separated along the descending operation direction of the substrate 2. Specifically, the rotating body 5 separates from the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 before the bottom surface of the substrate 2 reaches and contacts the table surface 3a (see FIG. 3 (c)), while lowering before that. In the stage, the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 is supported by the pillar 9 at a height position where contact (see FIG. 3B) is possible. This kind of setting of the rotating body 5 is also adjusted by the outer diameter size of the rotating body 5, the support position of the rotating body 5 on the column 9, and the like.

  The rotating body 5 in which the disposition position is set in this way is rotated toward the center of the table 3 by the drag accompanying the descending action of the substrate 2 when the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 to be lowered comes into contact. By rotating, the peripheral edge 2a of the contacted substrate 2 is sent out in the horizontal direction toward the center of the table 3, whereby the substrate 2 in a non-contact state with the table surface 3a is positioned on the pin member 4a supporting this. It is like that. In the case where the rotating body 5 is a roller having a rotating shaft 5 a, the rotating shaft 5 a of the roller is set to be approximately parallel to the peripheral edge 2 a of the substrate 2 in order to send the peripheral edge 2 a of the substrate 2 to the center of the table 3. Is done. The rotating body 5 may be supported on the column 9 via a cushion material such as a spring or rubber that exhibits an elastic buffering action in the vertical direction. Thereby, the impact at the time of the peripheral edge 2a of the board | substrate 2 contacting can be weakened. On the other hand, the rotating body 5 is preferably provided rigidly with respect to the column 9 in the horizontal direction. This is because if the rotating body 5 can move in the horizontal direction, the positioning accuracy may deteriorate.

  Next, the effect | action of the board | substrate mounting apparatus 1 to the table concerning this embodiment is demonstrated. The substrate 2 is transported by a transporting means such as a robot arm and placed on a plurality of pin members 4a protruding upward from the table surface 3a as shown in FIG. When the substrate 2 is placed, the pin member 4a is moved downward by the driving means, and thereby lowered toward the table surface 3a while supporting the substrate 2. When the substrate 2 is misaligned with respect to the table 3 (indicated by x in FIG. 3A), the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 rests on and contacts the rotating body 5 provided on the column 9. .

  When the substrate 2 comes into contact with the rotating body 5, the rotating body 5 rotates toward the table 3 by dragging by the lowering operation of the substrate 2. When the rotator 5 rotates toward the table 3, the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 placed on the rotator 5 is sent out horizontally toward the center of the table 3 while being lowered by the downward movement of the pin member 4a. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3B, the substrate 2 is positioned with respect to the table 3 on the pin member 4a. At the stage where the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 is detached from the rotating body 5, the substrate 2 is continuously supported on the pin member 4a and floated above the table surface 3a. When the pin member 4a is further moved downward after being detached from the rotating body 5 and the pin member 4a is immersed in the vertical hole 6, the substrate 2 is placed on the table surface 3a as shown in FIG. The When the substrate 2 is not displaced with respect to the table 3, the substrate 2 is mounted on the table surface 3 a without contacting the rotating body 5.

  In the substrate mounting apparatus 1 on the table according to the present embodiment described above, the substrate 2 is provided in the middle of the lowering operation before the substrate 2 reaches and contacts the table surface 3a. , The peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2 can be contacted and detached along the descending operation direction, and the rotating body 5 that sends the peripheral edge 2a of the contacted substrate 2 toward the center of the table 3 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is possible to align the substrate 2 on the pin member 4a, and there is no need to move the substrate while being in contact with the table surface as in the background art. Alignment can be performed without leaving. In particular, even in the case of the substrate 2 that bends and deforms, the substrate 2 is positioned by the rotating body 5 provided at the midway position of the lowering operation before reaching and contacting the table surface 3a, that is, the pin member 4a. Since positioning is performed above, it is possible to appropriately prevent the substrate 2 from being damaged.

  Further, since the guide member is composed of the rotating body 5 and the rotating body 5 is supported and provided on the pillar 9 at a fixed position, the lowering operation of the substrate 2 is used to make a very simple structure and work. The positioning effect can be obtained without causing a time delay. Further, since the rotating body 5 is used, the rotating body 5 rotates and escapes at the time of contact with the peripheral edge 2 a of the substrate 2. It can be sent to the center of the table 3.

  Since the friction at the upper end portion of the pin member 4a that comes into contact with the substrate 2 is reduced, the structure is simpler than the case where the friction is reduced by applying a low friction material or the like to the substrate 2 or the table 3, and the table 3 By applying a low-friction material, etc., it is possible to prevent troubles from occurring in various processes on the substrate 2. Moreover, when the board | substrate 2 is supported on the pin member 4a, it can further prevent that the board | substrate 2 is damaged on the pin member 4a by ejecting air toward the lower surface of the board | substrate 2 from the pin member 4a. Further, when the substrate 2 is mounted on the table surface 3a, the substrate 2 can be further prevented from being damaged on the table surface 3a by blowing air from the table surface 3a toward the lower surface of the substrate 2.

  FIG. 5 shows a modification. In this modification, a block 11 having a triangular cross section is employed as a guide member in place of the rotating body 5. The block 11 is fixed to the upper end of the column 9, and one of the three sides forms a slope surface 11 a that is inclined downward toward the center of the table 3. The lower edge portion 11b of the slope surface 11a is formed in a rounded shape in order to facilitate the separation of the peripheral edge 2a of the substrate 2. Further, the block 11 may be attached to the column 9 via the cushion material 12 described above. Even in such a modification, it is needless to say that the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. In particular, since the block 11 has no movable part, no failure or the like occurs.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a coating apparatus that performs coating on a glass substrate has been described. However, the substrate 2 may be of any material, and may be applied to any apparatus. Of course it is good.

It is a schematic sectional side view which shows suitable one Embodiment of the board | substrate mounting apparatus to the table concerning this invention. It is a schematic plan view of the board | substrate mounting apparatus to the table shown in FIG. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the effect | action of the board | substrate mounting apparatus to the table shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view for explaining a state immediately before the substrate reaches the table surface in the substrate mounting apparatus on the table shown in FIG. 1. It is a schematic sectional side view which shows the modification of the board | substrate mounting apparatus to the table concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board mounting apparatus to table 2 Board | substrate 2a Perimeter of board | substrate 3 Table 3a Table surface 4 Lifting pin 5 Rotating body 11a Slope surface

Claims (5)

  The substrate is lowered while supporting the peripheral portion thereof, and is provided at a position where the substrate is mounted on the table surface, and at a position during the descending operation before the substrate reaches and contacts the table surface. In order to position the substrate with respect to the table, a guide member that can contact and detach the peripheral edge of the substrate along the descending operation direction and feeds the peripheral edge of the contacted substrate horizontally toward the center of the table; An apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table, comprising:   2. The apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comes into contact with the surface of the table from the periphery thereof in a state where all the guide members are detached.   The apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is a rotating body that is rotatable toward the center of the table by contacting a peripheral edge of the substrate.   The apparatus for mounting a substrate on a table according to claim 1, wherein the guide member has a slope surface formed with a downward slope toward the center of the table.   The substrate mounting apparatus on a table according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the elevating pins reduce friction of an abutting portion that abuts on the substrate.

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