JP2012030940A - Noncontact carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a noncontact carrying device which prevents rotation of a workpiece when the workpiece is sucked and held in a noncontacting state by generating a swirl on an outside upper face of the workpiece to keep the central part of the workpiece depressurized.SOLUTION: The noncontact carrying device 10 includes: a holding means 13 for generating the swirl on the outside upper face of a workpiece 11 to make the central part of the workpiece 11 a negative pressure, and for sucking and holding the workpiece 11 in the noncontacting state; a moving means 16 fixed to the upper part of the holding means 13; and a cover means 17 which is attached to the holding means 13, covers the upper side and circumference of the holding means 13, and is open downward. The workpiece 11 is rectangular, and the cover means 17 is disposed on the upper side of the holding means 13, and is provided movably up and down with respect to the holding means 13 by a plurality of guide members 62. The cover means 17 has: an upper masking shield 55 rectangular in plan view; a spring 54 attached to each guide member 62 for urging the upper masking shield 55 downward; and a sidewall member 56 which is provided in the circumference of the upper masking shield 55 and can fit the work piece 11 inside.

Description

The present invention relates to a non-contact conveying apparatus that conveys a fragile thin plate-like workpiece (article) such as a silicon wafer in a non-contact state.

For example, in the solar cell manufacturing process, when the current collecting electrodes provided on the front and back surfaces of a silicon wafer are formed by screen printing, the silicon wafer is sequentially supplied to a screen printer to print the electrodes and the electrodes are printed. The obtained silicon wafers are sequentially taken out from the screen printer.
At this time, when supplying the silicon wafer to the screen printer and taking out the silicon wafer from the screen printer using the contact-type holding device, the contact portion of the silicon wafer that contacts the holding portion of the contact-type holding device is used. There is a problem that cracks are likely to occur. Furthermore, when a silicon wafer is taken out from a screen printer using a contact-type holding device, the electrode is damaged if the holder contacts the electrode before the printed electrode dries. The silicon wafer can only be taken out from the screen printing machine after this is done. For this reason, the printing processing speed of the silicon wafer is limited by the time required for drying the electrodes, and there is also a problem that the printing processing of the silicon wafer cannot be performed efficiently.
Therefore, an air flow is ejected from a nozzle provided in the upper part of the recessed part opened downward, swung along the wall surface of the recessed part, and guided to the lower part of the recessed part, while approaching the upper surface of the horizontally disposed silicon wafer, The air pressure is passed through the gap between the annular flat surface provided around and the top surface of the silicon wafer at high speed to reduce the static pressure of the recess (negative pressure), and the silicon wafer is sucked and is in a non-contact state Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-64130

However, when the non-contact holding device described in Patent Document 1 is used, a swirl flow passes between the silicon wafer and the flat surface, so that there is a problem that the silicon wafer rotates when holding the silicon wafer. . For this reason, it becomes difficult to always align the direction of the silicon wafer and supply it to the screen printer.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to generate a swirling flow on the outer upper surface of a thin plate-like workpiece so that the central portion of the workpiece has a negative pressure, and the workpiece is sucked and held in a non-contact state. An object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact conveyance device capable of preventing rotation.

The non-contact conveyance device according to the present invention that meets the above object generates a swirling flow on the outer upper surface of a thin plate-like workpiece, and makes the central portion of the workpiece negative pressure, and sucks and holds the workpiece in a non-contact state. In a non-contact conveying apparatus comprising: a holding unit; a moving unit fixed to an upper part of the holding unit; and a cover unit attached to the holding unit and covering the upper side and the periphery of the holding unit and opening downward.
The workpiece is rectangular,
The cover means is disposed on the upper side of the holding means, and is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the holding means by a plurality of guide members, and is attached to each guide member and a rectangular upper shielding plate in plan view. A spring for urging the upper shielding plate downward, and a side wall material that is provided around the upper shielding plate and into which the workpiece can be fitted, and is held by the holding means with a gap. The rotation of the workpiece is prevented.
Here, the rectangle includes a rectangle and a square.

In the non-contact conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the holding means is 1) a housing having a gap inside the cover means and having a circular opening in the center of the lower part, and 2) the housing. A mounting member provided in the center and provided with a connecting portion of the moving means and having an air port for injecting compressed air into the opening; and 3) a notch forming an annular air chamber around the inner wall of the housing. An annular groove formed on the lower side and formed radially inward from the annular air chamber, an air passage for guiding compressed air from the air port to the annular air chamber, and compressed air in the annular air chamber A suction mechanism that includes a plurality of nozzles that are ejected to the annular groove, and generates a negative pressure inside the annular groove and generates a positive pressure outside the annular groove, and is fixedly disposed in the opening. can do.

In the non-contact conveyance device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the nozzle is formed obliquely including a right angle with respect to a radial line of the annular groove.
Moreover, it is preferable that the exit of the said air path inclines to the inclination side of the said nozzle, and forms the swirl flow in the said annular air chamber.

In the non-contact conveyance device according to the present invention, the cover means is disposed on the upper side of the holding means and is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the holding means by a plurality of guide members. And a spring that is attached to each guide member and biases the upper shielding plate downward, so that the cover means is brought close to the workpiece and the side wall material provided around the upper shielding plate places the workpiece. When it comes into contact with the upper surface of the supporting table, only the holding means can be brought closer to the workpiece while the upper shielding plate is moved upward relative to the holding means. Accordingly, the work can be sucked and held by the holding means in a non-contact state in a state where the rectangular work is fitted inside the side wall member. As a result, even if the sucked and held work tries to rotate in the horizontal plane, each side of the rectangular work comes into contact with the opposing side wall material to prevent rotation, and the work direction is always aligned and held. it can.

In the non-contact transfer apparatus according to the present invention, the holding means is 1) a housing having a gap inside the cover means, a housing having a circular opening at the lower center, and 2) provided at the center of the housing. A mounting member having a connecting portion for moving means and having an air port for injecting compressed air into the opening, 3) a notch forming an annular air chamber around the inner wall of the housing, and an opening on the lower side An annular groove formed radially inward from the annular air chamber, an air passage for guiding compressed air from the air port to the annular air chamber, and the compressed air in the annular air chamber is jetted to the annular groove, A plurality of nozzles that generate negative pressure on the inner side and positive pressure on the outer side of the annular groove, and a suction mechanism that is fixedly disposed in the opening. Can be formed.

In the non-contact conveyance device according to the present invention, when the nozzle is formed obliquely including a right angle with respect to the radial line of the annular groove, a swirl flow of compressed air can be efficiently formed in the annular groove.

In the non-contact conveyance device according to the present invention, when the outlet of the air passage is inclined toward the inclined side of the nozzle and forms a swirl flow in the annular air chamber, the swirl flow of the compressed air formed in the annular air chamber The compressed air swirling in the direction along the nozzle inclination direction can be ejected into the annular groove, and the swirling flow can be easily formed in the annular groove.

It is explanatory drawing of the use condition of the non-contact conveying apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a partially cutaway side sectional view of the non-contact conveyance device. It is a top view of the non-contact conveying apparatus. It is a bottom view of the non-contact conveying apparatus. (A), (B) is the top view and side view of an insertion member, respectively. It is explanatory drawing of the guide means of the non-contact conveying apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, a non-contact transfer device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a current collecting electrode on one surface of a silicon cell 11 for solar cells (an example of a workpiece) in a solar cell manufacturing process. This is used when the silicon wafer 11 is set on a wafer stage 12 for supplying the silicon wafer 11 to a screen printing machine (not shown) for printing. Here, the silicon wafer 11 is, for example, a square having a side length of 120 to 160 mm and a thickness of 0.15 to 0.25 mm. Then, the non-contact transfer device 10 generates a swirling flow on the outer upper surface of the silicon wafer 11, makes the central portion of the silicon wafer 11 have a negative pressure, and holds and holds the silicon wafer 11 in a non-contact state. The moving means 16 is fixed to the upper part of the holding means 13, and the cover means 17 is attached to the holding means 13 and covers the upper side and the periphery of the holding means 13 and opens downward. The moving means 16 reciprocates between the delivery place 14 of the silicon wafer 11 and the receiving place 15 where the wafer stage 12 waits to receive the silicon wafer 11. Details will be described below.

The wafer stage 12 sucks and holds (fixes) the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 when the holding means 13 holding the silicon wafer 11 by sucking the upper surface side of the silicon wafer 11 is lowered. The wafer stage 12 has a plate-like air-permeable member 18 that vacuum-sucks the lower surface side of the silicon wafer 11 to adsorb the silicon wafer 11 to the upper surface, and an air-permeable member 18 that is inserted into the central portion. A side member 19 that covers the peripheral side surface of the member 18 to prevent the air from flowing, and a breathable member 18 that is attached to the lower portion of the side member 19 and that is fitted and placed thereon, is placed on the lower surface side of the breathable member 18. And a suction means (for example, a vacuum pump) (not shown) connected to the base member via a vacuum hose. Here, the air-permeable member 18 has a shape similar to that of the silicon wafer 11, and its cross-sectional area is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the silicon wafer 11, or a porous metal manufactured by sintering metal powder such as stainless steel, or It is formed of porous ceramics produced by sintering ceramic powder such as alumina.

Further, the wafer stage 12 is mounted with a pedestal member so that the upper surface of the air permeable member 18 is horizontal, and the holding means 13 for holding the silicon wafer 11 moves above the standby position of the wafer stage 12. A position adjusting mechanism (not shown) that adjusts the position of the breathable member 18 in the horizontal plane and the rotational angle position in the horizontal plane with respect to the stop position of the holding means 13 when stopped. Thus, when the holding means 13 is lowered and the silicon wafer 11 is transferred from the holding means 13 to the wafer stage 12, the position of the silicon wafer 11 on the wafer stage 12 (the position in the horizontal plane and the position in the horizontal plane). (Rotational angle position) can always be made constant, and the pattern of electrodes formed on the silicon wafer 11 by a screen printer can be made constant.

As shown in FIG. 2, the holding means 13 is arranged with a gap inside the cover means 17. The housing 25 is provided with a circular opening at the center of the lower part, and is provided at the center of the housing 25. The connecting member 49 is provided with a connecting portion 49 of the means 16, and the mounting member 22 has an air port 35 for injecting compressed air into the opening. Further, the holding means 13 includes a notch that forms an annular air chamber 46 around the inner wall of the housing 25, and an annular groove 30 that is open at the lower side and is formed at a radially inner position from the annular air chamber 46. The air passage 26 that guides the compressed air from the air port 35 to the annular air chamber 46, and the compressed air in the annular air chamber 46 is ejected to the annular groove 30, and a negative pressure is generated outside the annular groove 30 inside the annular groove 30. It has a suction mechanism 29 that is provided with a plurality of nozzles 47 that generate positive pressure and is fixedly arranged in the opening.
Here, the nozzle 47 is formed obliquely including a right angle with respect to the radial line of the annular groove 30. Thereby, compressed air can be blown into the annular groove 30 from the direction along or substantially along the inner peripheral surface of the annular groove 30, and a swirling flow of the compressed air is efficiently formed in the annular groove 30. can do

The housing 25 includes an upper member 23 in which the mounting member 22 is erected at the center of the upper surface, and a side wall member 24 provided downward on the outer peripheral portion of the upper member 23, and the mounting member 22 has an air port 35. And an air inflow passage 36 communicating with the opening. Further, on the outside of the attachment member 22, a reinforcing member 65 that houses the attachment member 22 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper member 23 using a bolt 66 that is an example of a fastening member.
At the lower surface of the suction mechanism 29, inside the annular groove 30, suction is generated when compressed air is ejected from the annular air chamber 46 toward the annular groove 30 (the silicon wafer 11 is sucked and held in a non-contact state). A surface 20 is formed, and the upper surface is in contact with the lower end of the side wall member 24 via the O-ring 27 on the outer side of the annular groove 30, and the lower surface protrudes below the suction surface 20, for example, 0.2 to 0.3 mm. A flange portion 28 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the annular groove 30 includes a bottom surface 31 formed parallel to the suction surface 20, and first and second slopes formed on the radially inner side and the radially outer side of the bottom surface 31, respectively. The surfaces 32 and 33 are provided, and the width of the annular groove 30 is larger on the opening side than on the bottom surface 31 side.
2, 5 </ b> A, and 5 </ b> B, the suction mechanism 29 is formed at the center of the suction mechanism 29 when the suction mechanism 29 is fixedly disposed in the opening of the housing 25. A square recess 34 is formed in the upper surface so as to communicate with the air inflow path 36 in plan view. A groove 37 having a rectangular cross section extends from each corner of the recess 34 to the upper surface of the suction mechanism 29 and extends toward the outer periphery of the suction mechanism 29 along an extension line of one side of the corner. .

Further, on the upper surface of the suction mechanism 29, in the regions 38, 39, 40, and 41 where the recess 34 and the groove 37 are not formed, a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) screw holes 42 are provided along the circumferential direction. An O-ring groove 44 for accommodating the O-ring 43 is formed outside the opening of each screw hole 42. On the other hand, in the upper member 23, when the suction mechanism 29 is fixedly disposed in the opening of the housing 25, a through hole 67 in which the opening on the upper surface side of the upper member 23 is expanded so as to communicate with each screw hole. (See FIG. 6). As a result, the O-ring 43 is set in the O-ring groove 44, the suction mechanism 29 is inserted into the opening of the housing 25, the bolt 45, which is an example of a fastening member, is inserted into the through-hole 67 and screwed into the screw hole 42. Thus, the housing 25 and the suction mechanism 29 can be fixed and integrated.

With the above configuration, the air inflow portion 68 into which the compressed air injected into the air port 35 flows is formed by being surrounded by the recess 34 formed in the suction mechanism 29 and the lower surface of the upper member 23 of the housing 25. Can do. The radius of the annular groove 30 is concentric with the annular groove 30 surrounded by the inner wall of the housing 25 (the lower surface of the upper member 23 and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall member 24) and the notch formed around the suction mechanism 29. An annular air chamber 46 can be formed on the outer side in the direction. Further, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) air passages 26 are formed which are surrounded by the groove 37 and the lower surface of the upper member 23 and allow the compressed air gas flowing into the air inflow portion to flow into the annular air chamber 46. Can do.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 </ b> A, and 5 </ b> B, the outlet of each air passage 26 is inclined toward the inclined side of the nozzle 47, so that the inclination of the nozzle 47 is within the annular air chamber 46. The compressed air can be ejected from the direction along the direction, and a swirling flow of the compressed air can be easily formed in the annular air chamber 46. Then, a part of the compressed air forming the swirling flow in the annular air chamber 46 is ejected into the annular groove 30 via the nozzle 47 from an oblique direction including a right angle to the radial line of the annular groove 30. Therefore, a swirl flow of compressed air can be easily formed in the annular groove 30.
For this reason, when compressed air is supplied to the holding means 13 and a swirling flow of compressed air is formed in the annular groove 30 while the holding means 13 is brought close to the upper surface of the silicon wafer 11, the outer upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 is annularly formed. The swirl flow generated between the grooves 30 is swung outward in the radial direction from the gap formed between the outer peripheral portion of the second inclined surface 33 of the annular groove 30 and the outer peripheral portion of the silicon wafer 11. Can be drained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the moving means 16 is connected via a bolt 50, which is an example of a fastening member, to a connecting portion 49 provided on an upper portion of a mounting member 22 erected on the upper member 23 of the housing 25. The arm member 51 to which the front side is fixed, the rotation shaft 52 to which the base side of the arm member 51 is fixed, and the holding means 13 attached to the front side of the arm member 51 by driving the rotation shaft 52 are provided with silicon. A function of reciprocating between a receiving position above the payout place 14 of the wafer 11 and a payout position above the receiving place 15 of the wafer stage 12 disposed opposite to the payout place 14, and a payout position of the silicon wafer 11 14 and a receiving mechanism, or a driving mechanism 53 having a function of raising and lowering the holding means 13 between the receiving position 15 of the wafer stage 12 and the discharging position.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the cover means 17 is arranged on the upper side of the holding means 13 and can be moved up and down with respect to the holding means 13 by a plurality of (four in this embodiment) guide members 62. An upper shielding plate 55 that is rectangular in plan view, a spring 54 that is attached to each guide member 62 and biases the upper shielding plate 66 downward, and a silicon wafer provided around the upper shielding plate 55 inside. 11 has a side wall material 56 into which the material 11 can be fitted. Here, when the silicon wafer 11 is fitted inside the side wall member 56 provided around the upper shielding plate 55, the space between the side wall member 56 and the end surface of the silicon wafer 11 is, for example, 0.05 to 0.15 mm. The side wall member 56 is fixed around the upper shielding plate 55 by using a bolt 56a which is an example of a fastening member. In addition, an insertion hole having a dimension through which the reinforcing member 65 can be penetrated is provided in the central portion of the upper shielding plate 55, and a through hole 56b is formed at each of the four corners.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each region 38, 39, 40, 41 in which the screw hole 42 of the suction mechanism 29 is formed is provided with an O-ring groove 58 that accommodates an O-ring 57 in the periphery. A circular hole 59 is formed. The upper member 23 is formed with a through hole 60 that communicates with each circular hole 59 and whose lower side (the side that communicates with the circular hole 59) has the same diameter as the circular hole 59 and whose upper diameter is reduced. Further, a cylindrical body 61 is inserted into each space formed below the circular hole 59 and the through hole 60, and a guide member 62 having a spring 54 externally mounted therein is inserted into the cylindrical body 61. The upper side of the guide member 62 passes through the through-hole 60, and the reduced diameter portion 63 on the front side protrudes from the upper surface of the upper member 23. Each reduced diameter portion 63 is accommodated in a through hole 60 formed in the upper shielding plate 55, and a bolt 64, which is an example of a fastening member inserted from the upper surface side of the upper shielding plate 55, is an upper portion of the reduced diameter portion 63. Screwed into.

With this configuration, the upper shielding plate 55 can be attached to the upper surface of the upper member 23 by screwing the bolt 64 into the reduced diameter portion 63 of the guide member 62 via the upper shielding plate 55. it can. When the side wall member 56 attached to the upper shielding plate 55 comes into contact with the upper surface of the payout place 14 of the silicon wafer 11 or the wafer stage 12 and the side wall member 56 is pressed upward, the side wall member 56 is The attached upper shielding plate 55 moves upward, and the guide member 62 connected via the bolt 64 moves upward in the cylindrical body 61. Thereby, the upper shielding plate 55 can be moved upward with respect to the upper member 23. When the guide member 62 moves upward in the cylindrical body 61, the spring 54 sheathed on the guide member 62 is in a compressed state. For this reason, when the state in which the lower end of the side wall member 56 abuts on the upper surface of the payout place 14 or the wafer stage 12 is released, the compressed state of the spring 54 is released and the spring 54 extends, so that the guide member 62 is cylindrical. By moving downward within 61, the upper shielding plate 55 is urged downward. As a result, the upper shielding plate 55 can move downward and come into contact with the upper surface of the upper member 23.

Then, the effect | action of the non-contact conveying apparatus 10 which concerns on one embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.
In the manufacturing process of the solar cell, the non-contact transfer device 10 has the silicon wafer 11 placed on a wafer stage that supplies the silicon wafer 11 to a screen printing machine that prints a collecting electrode on one surface of the silicon wafer 11 for the solar cell. When used for setting, the moving means 16 is operated to move the holding means 13 to a receiving position above the payout place 14 of the silicon wafer 11. Next, while lowering the holding means 13 from the receiving position to the delivery position 14 of the silicon wafer 11 toward the silicon wafer 11 that is sucked and fixed, for example, the air port 35 of the holding means 13 is connected to the air port 35 via an air supply hose (not shown). The air which is an example of gas is supplied.

The supplied air flows into the air inflow portion via the air inflow passage 36 formed in the mounting member 22 of the holding means 13 and enters the annular air chamber 46 through the plurality of air passages 26 communicating with the air inflow portion. Inflow. Here, since the outlet of each air passage 26 is inclined toward the inclined side of the nozzle 47, a swirl flow is formed in the annular air chamber 46 by the compressed air flowing in via the air passage 26. A part of the air forming the swirling flow in the annular air chamber 46 flows into the annular groove 30 through the nozzle 47 from an oblique direction including a right angle to the radial line of the annular groove 30. A swirling flow is easily formed in the annular groove 30.

When the compressed air is supplied to the holding means 13 and a swirling flow of the compressed air is formed in the annular groove 30, the holding means 13 is brought close to the upper surface of the silicon wafer 11, and the side wall material 56 covering the outside of the holding means 13 is formed. Since it is urged downward with respect to the holding means 13 via the upper shielding plate 55, the height position of the lower end of the side wall member 56 coincides with the height position of the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 (side wall member). At the time when the lower end of 56 comes into contact with the upper surface of the payout place 14 of the silicon wafer 11, the suction surface 20 can be brought closer to the upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 while the side wall material 56 is moved upward, and the upper shield The silicon wafer 11 can be fitted inside the side wall member 56 provided around the plate 55.

When the silicon wafer 11 is fitted inside the side wall member 56, a swirling flow is generated between the outer upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 and the annular groove 30 by the compressed air ejected into the annular groove 30. The gas flows out from the gap formed between the outer peripheral portion of the second inclined surface 33 and the outer peripheral portion of the silicon wafer 11 while turning outward in the radial direction. For this reason, the gap between the suction surface 20 and the upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 is caused by the flow of compressed air that flows out from the gap between the second inclined surface 33 and the silicon wafer 11 while turning outward in the radial direction. Is sucked, and the pressure in the gap between the suction surface 20 and the upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 decreases (becomes negative pressure). The compressed air flowing out from the gap between the second inclined surface 33 and the silicon wafer 11 is discharged to the outside through the through holes 56 b formed on the four corners of the upper shielding plate 55.

As a result, a suction force is generated between the suction surface 20 and the silicon wafer 11, and when the suction force with respect to the silicon wafer 11 that is sucked and fixed to the dispensing place 14 is released, the silicon wafer 11 is sucked into the suction surface 20. The silicon wafer 11 is sucked and held by the holding means 13 in a non-contact state. Here, since a swirling flow is generated between the outer upper surface of the silicon wafer 11 and the annular groove 30, when the silicon wafer 11 is sucked and held on the suction surface 20 in a non-contact state, the silicon wafer 11 has a horizontal plane. The force which tries to rotate with acts. However, since the silicon wafer 11 is fitted inside the side wall member 56, when the silicon wafer 11 tries to rotate, the end of the silicon wafer 11 comes into contact with the side wall member 56 and the rotation of the silicon wafer 11 is prevented. .

When the silicon wafer 11 is sucked and held by the holding means 13, the moving means 16 is operated to raise the holding means 13 to a receiving position above the payout place 14 of the silicon wafer 11. When the holding means 13 is raised and the lower end of the side wall member 56 of the cover means 17 is detached from the upper surface of the payout place 14, the compressed state of the spring 54 sheathed on the guide member 62 is released. As a result, the spring 54 extends and the guide member 62 moves downward in the cylindrical body 61 (the upper shielding plate 55 is urged downward), and the upper shielding plate 55 moves downward to the upper surface of the upper member 23. Abut. As a result, the upper and outer sides of the holding unit 13 are covered with the cover unit 17, and the suction holding by the holding unit 13 of the silicon wafer 11 is stabilized.

When the holding means 13 rises to the receiving position, the moving means 16 is further operated to move the holding means 13 to a payout position above the receiving place 15 where the wafer stage 12 is waiting. Next, the position adjustment mechanism of the wafer stage 12 is operated to adjust the position of the breathable member 18 of the wafer stage 12 in the horizontal plane and the rotation angle position in the horizontal plane with respect to the stop position of the holding means 13. . Then, suction of air from the lower surface side of the air-permeable member 18 of the wafer stage 12 is started while the holding means 13 is lowered from the payout position toward the wafer stage 12. The distance between the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 sucked and held by the holding means 13 and the upper surface of the wafer stage 12 gradually decreases, and the height position of the lower end of the side wall member 56 is higher than the upper surface of the wafer stage 12. When the side wall material 56 is moved upward at the same time, the distance between the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 and the upper surface of the wafer stage 12 is further reduced, for example, the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 and the wafer. The distance from the upper surface of the stage 12 for use can be set to the same distance as the gap formed when the silicon wafer 11 is held on the suction surface 20 in a non-contact state.

When the distance between the lower surface of the silicon wafer 11 and the upper surface of the wafer stage 12 reaches the same distance as the gap when the silicon wafer 11 is sucked and held on the suction surface 20 in a non-contact state, the air port When the supply of air to 35 is stopped, suction holding of the silicon wafer 11 by the holding means 13 is released, and the silicon wafer 11 is attracted to the wafer stage 12. Here, when the silicon wafer 11 is transferred from the holding means 13 to the wafer stage 12, the rotation of the silicon wafer 11 is prevented by the side wall material 56, and therefore the direction of the silicon wafer 11 on the wafer stage 12. Can be held by suction on the wafer stage 12 at a constant value.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above-described embodiment, and the matters described in the scope of claims. Other embodiments and modifications conceivable within the scope are also included.
For example, in this embodiment, the non-contact transfer device is used when a silicon wafer is placed on a wafer stage used when supplying a silicon wafer for solar cells to a screen printing machine that prints electrodes. However, it can also be used when the silicon wafer on which the electrodes are printed is removed from the wafer stage.

10: Non-contact transfer device, 11: Silicon wafer, 12: Wafer stage, 13: Holding means, 14: Dispensing place, 15: Receiving place, 16: Moving means, 17: Cover means, 18: Breathable member, 19 : Side member, 20: suction surface, 22: mounting member, 23: upper member, 24: side wall member, 25: housing, 26: air passage, 27: O-ring, 28: flange portion, 29: suction mechanism, 30: Annular groove, 31: bottom surface, 32: first inclined surface, 33: second inclined surface, 34: recessed portion, 35: air inlet, 36: air inflow channel, 37: air channel, 38, 39, 40, 41 : Area, 42: Screw hole, 43: O-ring, 44: O-ring groove, 45: Bolt, 46: Annular air chamber, 47: Nozzle, 49: Connection part, 50: Bolt, 51: Arm member, 52: Time Dynamic shaft, 53: Drive mechanism, 54: Bar 55: Upper shielding plate, 56: Side wall material, 56a: Bolt, 56b: Through hole, 57: O ring, 58: O ring groove, 59: Circular hole, 60: Through hole, 61: Cylindrical body, 62: Guide Member, 63: reduced diameter portion, 64: bolt, 65: reinforcing member, 66: bolt, 67: through hole, 68: air inflow portion

Claims (4)

A holding means for generating a swirling flow on the outer upper surface of the thin plate-like work, making the central portion of the work a negative pressure, and sucking and holding the work in a non-contact state, and a movement fixed to the upper part of the holding means A non-contact conveying apparatus comprising: means and cover means attached to the holding means and covering the upper side and the periphery of the holding means and opening downward;
The workpiece is rectangular,
The cover means is disposed on the upper side of the holding means, and is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the holding means by a plurality of guide members, and is attached to each guide member and a rectangular upper shielding plate in plan view. A spring for urging the upper shielding plate downward, and a side wall material that is provided around the upper shielding plate and into which the workpiece can be fitted, and is held by the holding means with a gap. Further, the non-contact transfer device is characterized in that rotation of the work is prevented. 2. The non-contact transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is 1) a housing having a gap inside the cover means and having a circular opening in the lower center, and 2) the housing. A mounting member having a connecting portion of the moving means and having an air port for injecting compressed air into the opening, and 3) a notch that forms an annular air chamber around the inner wall of the housing An annular groove formed at an inner side in the radial direction from the annular air chamber, an air passage that guides compressed air from the air port to the annular air chamber, and a compressed air in the annular air chamber A suction mechanism fixed to the opening, and a plurality of nozzles for generating a negative pressure inside the annular groove and generating a positive pressure outside the annular groove. Non-contact transfer device characterized by 3. The non-contact conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the nozzle is formed obliquely including a right angle with respect to a radial line of the annular groove. 4. The non-contact transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an outlet of the air passage is inclined toward the inclined side of the nozzle to form a swirl flow in the annular air chamber. 5.

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