JP2012006723A - Apparatus and method for changing attitude of glass plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain reduction in operation time and thus improvement in productivity by accurately performing sequential processing of delivering a glass plate carried in a horizontal attitude from the previous step to the next step while changing the attitude thereof to a vertical attitude, continuing on from a preceding glass plate to the following glass plate, while reducing the wasteful waiting time as much as possible.SOLUTION: The apparatus includes a plurality of holding portions 5 for holding a glass plate 4 which are aligned on the outer peripheral portion of a rotator 3 intermittently rotating around a horizontal axis 2 in one direction A. One of the holding portions 5 receives the glass plate 4 in the horizontal attitude in a receiving area 6 when the rotation of the rotator 3 is stopped, the rotation of the rotator 3 is started upon completion of the receiving, and the rotation of the rotator 3 is stopped when the glass plate 4 reaches in a delivery area 7 in the vertical attitude according to the rotation. In this stoppage of rotation, the one holding portion 5 can deliver the glass plate 4 in vertical attitude in the delivery area 7, and the other holding portion 5 existing on the rotating-directional rear side of the one holding portion 5 can receive the subsequent glass plate 4 in the horizontal attitude in the receiving area 6.

Description

  The present invention relates to a glass plate posture changing device and a glass plate posture changing method for changing the posture of a horizontal glass plate conveyed from a previous process into a vertical posture and transferring it to the next step.

  As is well known, in the process of processing a glass plate, as a typical example, the glass plate is subjected to end face processing, hole processing, etc., but during these processing, from the viewpoint of work stability, etc. In general, the processing is performed while the glass plate is conveyed in a horizontal posture (a horizontal posture or a posture slightly inclined from the horizontal posture).

  The glass plate that has been subjected to this type of processing is adhered to foreign substances such as glass fines that have been generated during the processing. The actual situation is that the product is packed after being dried.

  In particular, in a glass plate for a flat panel display (FPD), since the quality standards of the surface are strict, even the adhesion of fine foreign matters can be a fatal problem. For this reason, it is indispensable to carefully clean this type of glass plate. At that time, the glass plate is in a vertical position (vertical position or a position slightly inclined from the vertical position). It is said that it is effective to execute the cleaning step.

  Moreover, considering the recent trend toward larger FPD glass plates, it is advisable that the glass plates are held in a vertical position even in the case of efficiently packing and transporting this type of glass plates. It can be said that there is.

  Therefore, it is necessary to change the posture of the glass plate that has been conveyed in the horizontal posture at the time of the end face processing or the hole processing described above to the vertical posture before the cleaning process is executed. In addition to this, between various processes related to the production of glass plates, the glass plates that have been transported in the horizontal posture from the previous step are forced to change the posture to the vertical posture and pass it to the next step. There is a case.

  In order to meet such a request, for example, the robot hand disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used to adsorb the glass plate conveyed in the horizontal posture to the tip of the robot hand, and then the operation of the robot hand. Thus, it is possible to change the posture of the glass plate to the vertical posture and load it on the packing pallet.

  As another example, according to Patent Document 2, a glass plate that has been conveyed in a horizontal posture (horizontal posture) from the previous process is transferred to the panel placement portion of the standing device, and the transfer is completed. At that time, the panel placement unit is rotated from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture (inclined posture of about 80 °), and then, from the panel placement unit to the next vertical posture conveyance device adjacent thereto. A configuration for transferring a glass plate is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-940 JP 2004-175525 A

  By the way, although the robot hand disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document 1 can easily perform the operation of moving the adsorbed glass plate to an arbitrary position or converting it to an arbitrary posture, an increase in size in recent years has been promoted. In the case of a glass plate, it is impossible to avoid an increase in the size of the apparatus and an increase in equipment cost. In addition, in the case of FPD glass plates that have been promoted to be thinner, it is possible to avoid the safety problem that the glass plates are frequently damaged when changing the posture from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture. Absent. In addition, the use of the robot hand causes a fatal defect that the operation control becomes complicated.

  And the biggest difficulty is that after the glass plate is converted from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture and transferred to the next process, the processing for the subsequent glass plate can be started until the robot hand returns to the original position. It is impossible. Therefore, when a robot hand is used, the waiting time from the end of processing of the preceding glass plate to the processing of the subsequent glass plate is wasted, resulting in longer work time and lowering of work efficiency. , Forced to decrease productivity.

  Further, even in the case of the standing device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the glass plate transferred in the horizontal posture on the panel mounting portion is converted into the vertical posture by the rotation of the panel mounting portion. The same processing is performed on the subsequent glass plate until the transfer of the glass plate to the vertical posture conveying device in the next process is completed and the panel placement unit rotates in the reverse direction to the horizontal posture. Can't start. For this reason, even if this standing device is used, useless waiting time is required, and the working time is prolonged, work efficiency is deteriorated, and productivity is lowered.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention performs a series of processes of changing the posture of a glass plate conveyed in a horizontal posture from the previous step to the next step and transferring it from the preceding glass plate to the subsequent glass plate. It is a technical problem to reduce wasteful waiting time as much as possible by carrying out the process accurately and in parallel, shortening the working time, and thus improving productivity.

  The apparatus according to the present invention, which was created to solve the above technical problem, receives a glass plate conveyed in a horizontal posture from a previous process in a receiving area and converts the glass plate to a vertical posture in a delivery area. A glass plate attitude changing device configured to be transferred to the next step, and a holding portion for holding the glass plate in the rotation direction of the rotating body on the outer periphery of the rotating body intermittently rotating in one direction around the horizontal axis. When the rotation of the rotating body is stopped, one of the plurality of holding units receives a horizontal glass plate in the receiving area when the rotating body stops, and when the reception is completed, the glass plate is used as the one holding unit. The rotation of the rotating body is started in the held state, and the rotation of the rotating body is stopped when the glass plate is positioned in the delivery area in a vertical posture along with the rotation. The holding part of the delivery The glass plate in the vertical posture can be delivered at the rear, and at the same time, the other holding portion existing on the rear side in the rotation direction of the one holding portion can receive the glass plate in the subsequent horizontal posture in the receiving area. Characterized by the composition. Here, the “horizontal axis” is preferably a horizontal axis, but includes an axis slightly inclined from the horizontal axis, and the “horizontal posture glass plate” is a glass in a horizontal posture. Although it is preferably a plate, it also includes a glass plate in a vertical section perpendicular to the axis of the rotating body and slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, and the above-mentioned “vertical glass plate” is a vertical plate. A glass plate in an attitude or a glass sheet in an attitude inclined within a range of ± 20 ° with respect to the vertical direction in a vertical cross section perpendicular to the axis of the rotating body is preferable (hereinafter the same).

  According to such a configuration, while the rotating body is intermittently rotating in one direction around the horizontal axis, when the glass plate received and held by one holding portion of the outer peripheral portion is in a vertical posture, When the rotation of the rotating body is stopped and the rotation is stopped, the one holding part can transfer the glass plate in a vertical posture to the next process, and at the same time, another holding existing on the rear side in the rotation direction of the one holding part. The unit can receive the subsequent glass plate from the previous process in a horizontal posture. Thus, since the transfer operation to the next process of the preceding glass plate and the reception operation from the previous process of the subsequent glass plate can be performed at the same time, the rotating body is moved after the transfer operation is completed. There is no need for a wasteful waiting time as in the case where the receiving operation is performed after waiting until the position returns to the original position. As a result, the working time can be greatly shortened, and the productivity is greatly improved accordingly.

  In this case, the rotating body is a frame body in which a frame member is assembled and the outer peripheral portion of the cross section perpendicular to the axis is a polygon, and the holding portions are respectively formed along the sides of the polygon. Preferably it is.

  In this way, not only the weight of the rotating body can be reduced, but also only necessary portions can be reinforced with the frame material, so that it is possible to obtain a sufficient rotating body even in terms of rigidity, which improves durability. It can be planned. The polygon is preferably a quadrangle, particularly a square, but may be a regular pentagon, a regular hexagon, a regular heptagon, or a regular octagon.

  In the above configuration, the glass plate protecting means for preventing the glass plate from being deformed due to the centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the rotating body while preventing the movement of the glass plate during the rotation of the rotating body. Is preferably disposed.

  In this case, a phenomenon occurs in which the movement of the glass plate and the centrifugal force acting on the glass plate become prominent due to the formation of a plurality of holding portions on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body. The inconvenience due to such a phenomenon is appropriately eliminated by the glass plate protection means.

  In this case, the glass plate protecting means includes both edge portions along two opposite sides of the glass plate from the time when the reception of the glass plate in the receiving area is completed until the rotating body starts rotating and stops. You may make it have the clamp mechanism to hold | grip.

  In this way, the movement of the glass plate accompanying the rotation of the rotating body and the outward bulging due to the centrifugal force acting on the glass plate are grasped by the clamp mechanism at both end edges along the two opposite sides. Is appropriately prevented.

  Further, the glass plate protecting means vacuums a portion between two opposite sides of the glass plate from the back surface during a period from the completion of the reception of the glass plate in the receiving area until the rotating body starts rotating and stops. You may make it have the adsorption | suction means to adsorb | suck.

  In this way, the movement of the glass plate accompanying the rotation of the rotating body and the outward bulging by the centrifugal force acting on the glass plate causes the suction means to vacuum-suck the part between the two opposite sides from the back surface. Is properly prevented.

  In the above configuration, each of the plurality of holding units may be provided with a take-in transport unit that takes in and transports the glass plate at the time of receiving, or alternatively or together with this, in the receiving area. In addition, the take-in conveying means for carrying in the take-in conveyance at the time of receiving the glass plate may be arranged at a fixed position in a state of being cut off from the rotating body.

  If it does in this way, reception operation at the time of receiving a glass plate in each holding part will be smoothed. In addition, the taking-in and conveying means disposed in the plurality of holding units may be either one that actively moves the glass plate or that that assists the movement, and the receiving area is in a state of being separated from the rotating body. The take-in and conveying means arranged in (1) may be either one that actively moves the glass plate or one that performs auxiliary. However, if the taking-in and conveying means disposed in the receiving area is mainly used, the structure added to the rotating body can be simplified, and the driving force required to rotate the rotating body can be efficiently reduced.

  In the above configuration, the take-in conveyance direction at the time of receiving the glass plate in the receiving area can be a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the horizontal axis.

  If it does in this way, the arrangement | positioning direction of the above-mentioned taking-in conveyance means, a clamp mechanism, and also an adsorption | suction means can be made appropriate in relation to the rotation direction of a rotary body.

  In the above configuration, it is preferable that the receiving area is provided above the rotating body.

  In this way, since the receiving area is provided above the rotating body, the glass plate is received by the holding portion positioned above the rotating body during the intermittent rotation of the rotating body. Can be smoothly performed at an appropriate position.

  In this case, it is preferable that the delivery area is provided on a lower side of the reception area.

  If it does in this way, the glass plate received by the holding part above the above-mentioned rotating body will reach the delivery area provided on the lower side of the receiving area when the rotating body rotates about 90 °. Thus, an appropriate vertical posture is obtained, and this vertical posture is maintained and transferred to the next process. Thereby, the positional relationship between the receiving area and the delivery area is optimized, and a series of operations from the reception of the glass plate to the delivery are smoothly performed without any trouble.

  The method according to the present invention, which was created to solve the above technical problem, receives a glass plate conveyed in a horizontal posture from a previous process in a receiving area and converts the glass plate into a vertical posture in a delivery area. A glass plate orientation conversion method to be transferred to the next step, in which a plurality of holding portions for holding a glass plate are arranged in the rotation direction of the rotating body on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body that rotates intermittently in one direction around the horizontal axis. Then, when the rotation of the rotating body is stopped, one of the plurality of holding portions receives a glass plate in a horizontal position in the receiving area, and when the reception is completed, the glass plate is held by the one holding portion. The rotation of the rotating body is started in a state, and the rotation of the rotating body is stopped when the glass plate is positioned in the delivery area in a vertical posture along with the rotation. Is the vertical in the delivery area Simultaneously passing a glass plate-energized, characterized in that the other holding portion existing in the rotational direction rear side of the one holding portion receives the glass sheet subsequent horizontal posture by the receiving area.

  The explanation (including the effects) of the method according to the present invention having such a configuration is substantially the same as the explanation of the apparatus according to the present invention described at the beginning of this section.

  As described above, according to the present invention, while the rotating body is intermittently rotating in one direction around the horizontal axis, the glass plate is received from the outer peripheral holding portion and the glass plate is transferred from the holding portion. Since it can be performed at the same time, no unnecessary waiting time is required, and the working time is greatly shortened and, as a result, productivity is greatly improved.

It is a schematic side view which shows the whole structure of the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the whole structure of the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) each schematically shows the operation of the rotating body in the glass plate attitude changing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) each schematically shows the operation of the rotating body in the glass plate attitude changing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i) are respectively the glass plate attitudes according to the third embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view which shows typically operation | movement of the rotary body in a converter.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the overall configuration of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view thereof. In addition, the rectangular glass plate which is the posture conversion target in the apparatus 1 is a thin large glass plate having a side length of 1 m or more and a plate thickness of 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the glass plate attitude changing device 1 includes a rotating body 3 having a substantially rectangular side view (cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axis) that rotates intermittently in one direction indicated by an arrow A around the horizontal axis 2. Four holding portions 5 for holding the glass plate 4 are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 3 along the four sides. In this case, the horizontal axis 2 is supported at a fixed position with respect to the base, and the rotating body 3 is a frame body formed by assembling frame materials, and is rotated by a servo motor (not shown) as a drive source. It is configured to repeat rotation and stop every °°.

  Above the rotating body 3, a receiving area 6 for receiving the glass plate 4 conveyed from the previous process for performing end face processing, hole processing and the like by the holding portion 5 of the rotating body 3 is provided, and the lower side of the receiving area 6 On the one side (the side is the side in the receiving direction), a delivery area 7 is provided to deliver the glass plate 4 from the holding unit 5 of the rotating body 3 to the next process for performing the cleaning process.

  In the receiving area 6, a plurality of delivery rollers 8 that are installed at a fixed position and feed the glass plate 4 from the previous process to the holding unit 5 positioned at the top of the rotating body 3 while being conveyed in a horizontal posture are arranged. In the area 7, there is arranged a delivery means for delivering the glass plate 4 held on the rotary body 3 in a vertical posture to a cleaning roller 10 of a vertical cleaning machine used in the next process (see FIG. 2). . The delivery means 9 is supported so as to be movable toward and away from the glass plate 4 held in a vertical posture on the rotating body 3 and movable up and down.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each holding portion 5 of the rotating body 3 includes a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) frame members 3 a extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis, and each of these frame members 3 a is rotated. A glass plate protection means 11 is provided for preventing movement of the glass plate 4 during rotation of the body 3 and preventing deformation of the glass plate 4 due to centrifugal force generated during rotation of the rotation body 3.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of end-side conveying rollers 12 serving as take-in and conveying means for taking in the glass plate 4 are mounted on the inner surfaces of the two frame members 3a existing at both ends in the axial direction. In addition, a plurality of clamp mechanisms 13 for gripping both end edges parallel to the traveling direction of the glass plate 4 and both end surfaces parallel to the traveling direction of the glass plate 4 are provided at the outer end portions of the two frame members 3a. A plurality of guide rollers 14 for guiding the movement of these are mounted. In this case, the clamp mechanism 13 is configured such that both the front surface side member 13 a and the back surface side member 13 b move toward and away from the front and back surfaces of the glass plate 4.

  Further, a plurality of suction pads 15 for vacuum-sucking the glass plate 4 from the back surface are mounted on one frame member 3a in the central portion in the axial direction. The suction pads 15 are configured to move toward and away from the back surface of the glass plate 4. In addition, a stopper 16 that restricts the movement of the glass plate 4 at the reception completion position when receiving the glass plate 4 to the holding unit 5 is fixed to the end of the three frame members 3a in the glass plate receiving direction. ing.

  Further, in the receiving area 6, a plurality of inner transport rollers 17 serving as intake and transport means are provided on the inner surface between the three frame members 3 a in the region where the holding unit 5 located at the top of the rotating body 3 exists. The two rows of conveyor units 18 are arranged at fixed positions in a state of being cut off from the rotating body 3. These conveyor units 18 are divided into two at the receiving end for each row, and in order to avoid interference with the glass plate 4 when the rotating body 3 rotates, the end-side conveyor unit 18 can tilt. Has been.

  The four holding portions 5 formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 3 are all the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 2, but the conveyor unit 18 is disposed only in the receiving area 6.

  The rotator 3 having such a configuration receives and transfers the glass plate 4 at the timing shown below with intermittent rotation in the A direction.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the horizontal glass plate 4 that has reached the receiving area 6 has an upper portion of the rotating body 3 when the rotating body 3 stops rotating, as shown in FIG. Received by the holding unit 5, the receipt is completed. During this time, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered in a delivery area 7 to be described later, and the delivery is completed. After the reception of the glass plate 4 in the receiving area 6 is completed, the rotating body 3 rotates in the direction A and the rotating body 3 rotates 90 ° and stops as shown in FIG. At that time, as shown in FIG. 4D, the glass plate 4 held by the holding unit 5 of the rotating body is in a vertical posture, and at this time, the glass plate 4 in the subsequent horizontal posture is placed in the receiving area 6. Has reached. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5E, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered to the next process in the delivery area 7, and at the same time, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the reception area 6. After that, as shown in FIG. 5F, the delivery of the glass plate 4 in the vertical position is completed and the reception of the glass plate 4 in the horizontal position is completed. From such a state, the operations as shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E are performed again, so that the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is transferred to the next process in the transfer area 7. At the same time, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the receiving area 6. Then, by intermittently rotating the rotating body 3 every 90 ° in the A direction as described above, the operations shown in (b), (c), (d), and (e) of FIG. It is executed repeatedly.

  Hereinafter, the effect | action of the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 1 which concerns on this 1st embodiment is demonstrated in detail.

  First, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the glass plate 4 in a lateral posture conveyed by the delivery roller 8 from the previous process is positioned above the rotating body 3 when the rotation is stopped in the receiving area 6. It is received by the holding unit 5. The reception to the holding unit 5 is performed by transferring the glass plate 4 in the horizontal posture from the feed roller 8 to the end side conveyance roller 12 and the inner conveyance roller 17 of the holding unit 5 while keeping the horizontal posture. Then, when the glass plate 4 moves to the end portion in the receiving direction, the movement of the glass plate 4 is restricted by the end surface in the moving direction of the glass plate 4 coming into contact with the stopper 16. Immediately after this, the front surface side member 13a and the back surface side member 13b of the clamp mechanism 13 move close to and come into pressure contact with the front and back surfaces of the both ends in the axial direction of the glass plate 4, thereby gripping the both end edges. At the same time, the suction pad 15 moves closer to the rear surface of the glass plate 4 and sucks and holds the rear surface. In addition, while the above operation | movement is performed, the predetermined process is performed and completed in the delivery area 7 (it mentions later for details).

  In this way, when the receiving operation of the glass plate 4 by the holding unit 5 on the upper side of the rotating body 3 is completed, the rotating body 3 is rotated about the horizontal axis 2 by the drive of the servo motor and is rotated 90 °. Stop at. When the rotating body 3 rotates, the central portion of the glass plate 4 due to the movement and centrifugal force of the glass plate 4 is blocked by the clamp mechanism 13 and the suction pad 15, and when the rotating body 3 stops rotating. The glass plate 4 is converted into a vertical posture and reaches the delivery area 7. When the rotating body 3 rotates, in order to avoid interference between the conveyor unit 18 on the end side and the glass plate 4, the receiving direction side of the conveyor unit 18 is inclined downward.

  And while the rotary body 3 is stopped, the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is delivered to the next process in the delivery area 7 and at the same time, the holding part located at the top of the rotary body 3 at this time 5, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the same manner as described above.

  In this case, the delivery means 9 arranged vertically in the delivery area 7 is composed of delivery rollers 9 both in the upper and lower directions in the figure, but the upper delivery means 9 is a delivery clamp and the lower delivery means 9 is A delivery roller is preferred. In such a configuration, first, the upper delivery clamp 9 and the lower delivery roller 9 move closer to the vertical glass plate 4 so that the delivery clamp 9 reaches just above the glass plate 4 and While clamping the glass plate 4, the lower delivery roller 9 reaches directly below the glass plate 4 and moves upward to hold the glass plate 4. Thereafter, the front surface side member 13a and the back surface side member 13b of the clamp mechanism 13 of the holding portion 5 move away from the front and back surfaces of the glass plate 4, and the delivery clamp 9 and the delivery roller 9 rotate under such a state. The glass plate 4 also moves away from the rotating body 3 by moving away from the body 3. At this time, the surface side member 13a of the clamp mechanism 13 of the holding unit 5 is opened until it does not interfere with the glass plate 4.

  Thereafter, the delivery clamp 9 and the delivery roller 9 are provided with the glass plate 4 in the vertical position while the glass clamp 4 is kept in the vertical position with the clamp release of the delivery clamp 9 with respect to the vertical glass plate 4 and the downward movement of the delivery roller 9 To the cleaning roller 10. At the time when the delivery work is completed, the delivery work of the subsequent laterally oriented glass plate 4 is also completed. The rotating body 3 rotates 90 ° by driving the servo motor at the time when both the delivery and receiving operations are completed, and performs the same operation on the glass plate 4 again.

  As mentioned above, according to this glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 1, since both operation | movement of receiving operation and delivery operation | movement of the glass plate 4 is performed when the rotary body 3 stops, the delivery operation | movement of the glass plate 4 is completed. In comparison with the case where the rotating body 3 is returned to the original position after waiting and the receiving operation is performed, the waiting time is shortened as much as possible, and the work period is shortened and thus the productivity is improved.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic side view for explaining the configuration and operation of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the second embodiment, the rotating body 3 has a regular pentagonal shape in a side view, and five holding portions 5 along the five sides are formed on the outer peripheral portion. Is substantially the same configuration as the holding portion 5 of the rotating body 3 in the first embodiment described above.

  The timing of receiving and delivering the glass plate 4 accompanying the intermittent rotation of the rotating body 3 of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the second embodiment is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the horizontal glass plate 4 that has reached the receiving area 6 has an upper portion of the rotating body 3 when the rotating body 3 stops rotating, as shown in FIG. Received by the holding unit 5, the receipt is completed. During this time, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered in a delivery area 7 to be described later, and the delivery is completed. Then, after the reception of the glass plate 4 in the receiving area 6 is completed, the rotating body 3 rotates in the A direction and the rotating body 3 rotates 72 ° and stops as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4D, the glass plate 4 held by the holding unit 5 of the rotating body is in a vertical posture inclined by 18 ° from the vertical posture. The laterally oriented glass plate 4 has reached. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5E, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered to the next process in the delivery area 7, and at the same time, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the reception area 6. After that, as shown in FIG. 5F, the delivery of the glass plate 4 in the vertical position is completed and the reception of the glass plate 4 in the horizontal position is completed. From such a state, the operations as shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E are performed again, so that the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is transferred to the next process in the transfer area 7. At the same time, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the receiving area 6. Therefore, also in the case of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the second embodiment, when the rotating body 3 is stopped, both the receiving operation and the transferring operation of the glass plate 4 are performed, so that a waiting time is possible. Thus, the work period is shortened and, as a result, productivity is improved. In addition, the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 1 which concerns on this 2nd embodiment becomes advantageous when the delivery of the glass plate 4 to the next process needs to be performed with the inclined vertical attitude | position.

  FIG. 5: is a schematic side view for demonstrating the structure and operation | movement of the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 1 which concern on 3rd embodiment of this invention. As for the glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 1 which concerns on this 3rd embodiment, the rotary body 3 exhibits a regular octagon by side view, the eight holding | maintenance parts 5 along eight sides are formed in the outer peripheral part, These eight holding | maintenance parts 5 Also, the configuration is substantially the same as the holding portion 5 of the rotating body 3 in the first embodiment described above.

  The timing of receiving and delivering the glass plate 4 accompanying the intermittent rotation of the rotating body 3 of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the third embodiment is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the horizontal glass plate 4 that has reached the receiving area 6 has the uppermost portion of the rotating body 3 when the rotating body 3 stops rotating, as shown in FIG. Is received by the holding unit 5 and the reception is completed. During this time, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered in a delivery area 7 to be described later, and the delivery is completed. After receiving the first glass plate 4 in the receiving area 6, the rotating body 3 rotates in the A direction and the rotating body 3 rotates 45 ° as shown in FIG. Then, when stopped, the second glass plate 4 in the horizontal posture reaches the receiving area 6 as shown in FIG. When the rotation is stopped, the second glass plate 4 is received by the holding unit 5 existing at the uppermost part of the rotating body 3 at this point in time, as shown in FIG. . During this time, the vertical glass plate 4 is delivered in a delivery area 7 described later, and the delivery is completed. After receiving the second glass plate 4 in this way, as shown in FIG. 5 (f), the rotating body 3 rotates in the A direction and the rotating body 3 further rotates 45 ° and stops. At that time, as shown in FIG. 5G, the first glass plate 4 held by the holding unit 5 of the rotating body is in the vertical posture, and at this time, the subsequent horizontal posture is placed in the receiving area 6. The glass plate 4 has reached. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5 (h), the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is delivered to the next process in the delivery area 7, and at the same time, the glass plate 4 in the horizontal posture is received in the receiving area 6. After that, as shown in FIG. 5I, the delivery of the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is completed and the reception of the glass plate 4 in the horizontal posture is completed. From such a state, the operations as shown in FIGS. 5 (f), (g), and (h) are executed again, so that the glass plate 4 in the vertical posture is delivered to the next process in the delivery area 7. At the same time, the horizontal glass plate 4 is received in the receiving area 6. Therefore, also in the case of the glass plate attitude changing device 1 according to the third embodiment, when the rotating body 3 is stopped, both the receiving operation and the transferring operation of the glass plate 4 are performed, so that a waiting time is possible. Thus, the work period is shortened and, as a result, productivity is improved.

  In the above embodiment, the previous process is a process of performing end face processing and hole processing of the glass plate, and the next process is a cleaning process.In addition to these, the previous process is, for example, a horizontal cleaning process or The present invention can also be applied in the same manner when the next process, such as a drying process, is, for example, a vertical posture loading process of a glass plate on a packing pallet.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus 2 Horizontal axis 3 Rotating body 4 Glass plate 5 Holding part 6 Receiving area 7 Delivery area 8 Sending roller (conveying means from a previous process)
9 Delivery means (transport means to the next process)
11 Glass plate protection means 12 Take-in conveyance means (end-side conveyance roller)
13 Clamping mechanism 14 Guide roller 15 Adsorption means (adsorption pad)
16 Stopper 17 Take-in transport means (inner transport roller)

Claims (11)

A glass plate posture changing device configured to receive a glass plate conveyed in a horizontal posture from a previous process in a receiving area and to change the posture of the glass plate to a vertical posture and deliver it to the next process in a delivery area,
A plurality of holding portions for holding the glass plate are arranged in the rotation direction of the rotating body on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body that intermittently rotates in one direction around the horizontal axis, and when the rotation of the rotating body is stopped, One of the holders receives the glass plate in the horizontal position in the receiving area, and when the reception is completed, the rotation of the rotating body is started in a state where the glass plate is held by the one holding unit. When the glass plate is positioned in the delivery area in a vertical posture, the rotation of the rotating body is stopped, and when the rotation is stopped, the one holding part can deliver the glass plate in the vertical posture in the delivery area. At the same time, the glass plate posture changing device is configured such that the other holding portion existing on the rear side in the rotation direction of the one holding portion can receive the glass plate in the subsequent horizontal posture in the receiving area. .   The rotating body is a frame body obtained by assembling a frame material, and an outer peripheral portion having a cross section perpendicular to the axis presents a polygon, and the holding portions are respectively formed along the sides of the polygon. The glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.   Each of the plurality of holding portions is provided with glass plate protection means for preventing movement of the glass plate during rotation of the rotating body and preventing deformation of the glass plate due to centrifugal force generated during rotation of the rotating body. The glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 characterized by these.   The glass plate protection means is a clamp that grips both edge portions along two opposite sides of the glass plate from the time when the glass plate is completely received in the receiving area until the rotating body starts rotating and stops. It has a mechanism, The glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus of Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The glass plate protecting means vacuum-sucks a portion between two opposite sides of the glass plate from the back surface during a period from the completion of receiving the glass plate in the receiving area until the rotating body starts rotating and stops. The glass plate attitude changing device according to claim 3, further comprising a suction unit.   The glass plate attitude changing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the plurality of holding units is provided with an intake conveyance means for performing an intake conveyance when receiving the glass plate.   The take-in conveyance means for carrying in the take-in conveyance at the time of receipt of the glass plate is disposed in the receiving area at a fixed position in a state of being cut off from the rotating body. The glass plate attitude | position conversion apparatus of description.   The glass plate attitude changing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a taking-in conveyance direction at the time of receiving the glass plate in the receiving area is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the horizontal axis. .   The glass sheet attitude changing device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving area is provided above the rotating body.   The glass sheet attitude changing device according to claim 9, wherein the delivery area is provided on a lower side of the receiving area. A glass plate posture changing method for receiving a glass plate conveyed in a horizontal posture from a previous process in a receiving area and changing the posture of the glass plate to a vertical posture and delivering it to the next step in a delivery area,
The plurality of holding portions when the rotation of the rotating body is stopped in a state where a plurality of holding portions holding the glass plate are arranged in the rotation direction of the rotating body on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body intermittently rotating in one direction around the horizontal axis. One of the holding parts receives a horizontal glass plate in the receiving area, and when the reception is completed, the rotating body starts rotating with the glass plate held by the one holding part. Along with this, when the glass plate is positioned in the delivery area in a vertical posture, the rotation of the rotating body is stopped, and when the rotation is stopped, the one holding portion delivers the glass plate in the vertical posture in the delivery area. At the same time, the glass plate posture changing method, wherein the other holding portion existing on the rear side in the rotation direction of the one holding portion receives the glass plate in the subsequent horizontal posture in the receiving area.

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