JP2012099736A - Work transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To load and unload a substrate without touching an upper surface.SOLUTION: A vacuum suction chuck part 3 of a vacuum suction stage 2 is switchable between vacuum suction and air supply. A robot hand 11 for carrying a substrate 1 to or from a substrate mount region on the vacuum suction stage 2 has vacuum suction chuck parts 12 switchable between vacuum suction and air supply. In a position over the vacuum suction stage 2, work lifting/lowering means 6 is disposed in which engaging claw members 7 having wedge-shaped claw portions 7b at lower ends are movable in directions toward and away from the substrate mount region 13 and in vertical directions. In unloading the substrate 1 from the vacuum suction stage 2, the engaging claw members 7 of the work lifting/lowering means 6 are engaged with lower sides of peripheral edge portions of the substrate 1 air-floated over the vacuum suction chuck part 3 supplying air and are lifted to lift the peripheral edge portions of the substrate 1, and the robot hand 11 is inserted under the substrate 1 in the state to carry out the substrate 1. The procedure is reversed in loading.

Description

  The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer apparatus that loads and unloads a workpiece with respect to a vacuum suction stage.

  As a workpiece transfer device used for loading and unloading a flat workpiece onto the stage, the upper surface of the workpiece is contact-sucked and held by a suction device (vacuum suction chuck) having a suction cup at the lower end. The type is widely used in general (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  As for a work of a type that does not allow upper surface suction, a work is attracted and held from above without contact using a Bernoulli chuck (see, for example, Patent Document 2) or an electrostatic chuck.

  Furthermore, in the Bernoulli chuck shown in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, a conveyance chuck provided with a holding portion is provided so as to be inserted below the outer peripheral portion of the work adsorbed by the Bernoulli chuck, and adsorbed by the Bernoulli chuck. There is an idea that the workpiece can be conveyed in a state where the workpiece is prevented from dropping by the conveyance chuck.

  By the way, in recent years, as a method for forming an electrode pattern (conductive pattern) such as a liquid crystal display on a required substrate, a printing technique using a conductive paste as a printing ink instead of fine processing by etching a metal vapor deposition film, For example, a technique for printing and forming a fine electrode pattern on a substrate using an intaglio offset printing technique has been proposed. In this type of offset printing, a substrate is loaded and unloaded onto a suction stage for printing. There is a process.

  In a vacuum suction type suction table having a suction surface for vacuum suction of a thin plate-like workpiece, when the workpiece is transported, compressed air (air) discharged from a plurality of small holes provided on the suction surface is blown to the workpiece. Conventionally, the idea of causing the workpiece to float from the suction surface and sucking air from the small holes to cause the workpiece to be sucked to the suction surface during workpiece processing has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 3). ).

  Further, in the transfer apparatus for transferring the plate-shaped workpiece by the fork member, a plurality of porous units including a porous body for ejecting or sucking gas are provided on the upper surface of each comb tooth portion of the fork member. A configuration has been proposed in the past (for example, see Patent Document 4).

JP 2007-52137 A JP 2004-83180 A JP 2008-159784 A JP 2007-22758 A

  However, in the process of loading and unloading the substrate to the suction stage for printing by gravure offset printing such as printing the above-described precision electronic circuit on the substrate, it is not possible to touch the upper surface of the substrate which is the printing surface. Therefore, it is impossible to use the contact transfer type work transfer device as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  Further, in the Bernoulli chuck disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a concern that a high-speed air flow that brings about an ejector effect for adsorbing a workpiece may disturb undried ink on the substrate. It cannot be used for transferring a workpiece for loading and unloading a substrate in gravure offset printing such as printing on the substrate.

  In addition, since the board | substrate which prints the said precision electronic circuit is thin and bends, the conveyance chuck of the form which inserted the holding | maintenance part below the outer peripheral part of the workpiece | work shown by the said patent document 2 Therefore, it is difficult to carry the substrate without using a Bernoulli chuck.

  In an electrostatic chuck, there is a concern that a circuit formed by printing using a conductive paste as printing ink may be destroyed by electrostatic force or electric discharge.

  In addition, what was shown by patent documents 3 and 4 does not suggest the structure which performs the load and unload of the workpiece | work with respect to the vacuum suction stage of the type which contacts the whole lower surface of a workpiece | work without contacting the upper surface of a workpiece | work. Absent.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a workpiece transfer apparatus that can perform loading and unloading of a workpiece with respect to a vacuum suction stage that can contact the entire lower surface of the workpiece without touching the upper surface of the workpiece. It is something to try.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a vacuum suction chuck portion provided on the upper surface of a vacuum suction stage so as to be able to place and hold a work in a work placement area. In addition, the vacuum suction means and the air supply means for performing vacuum suction and air supply are connected so that the vacuum suction and the air supply can be switched, and the work is placed on the robot hand that can enter the vacuum suction stage. Air levitation means for levitation of air is provided, and workpiece lifting / lowering means is provided above the vacuum suction stage, and the workpiece lifting / lowering means is at least the vacuum in the workpiece placed in the workpiece placement area of the vacuum suction stage. A locking claw member for locking to the lower surface side of the edge portion located on the side where the robot hand is inserted on the suction stage is provided in the workpiece placement area. Contact, the horizontal operatively and lifting operatively with and becomes as the the configuration in a direction away.

  Further, in the above configuration, a taper surface inclined downward toward the tip of the robot hand is provided on the upper surface side of the tip of the robot hand, and air jetting means is provided at the portion of the taper surface. .

  Furthermore, in each of the above-described configurations, the workpiece is moved up and down to a position on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage and outside the workpiece placement area on the side parallel to the workpiece movement direction when the workpiece is loaded and unloaded by the robot hand in the workpiece placement area. It is set as the structure which provided the pin.

According to the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.
(1) Vacuum suction means and air supply for vacuum suction and air supply to a vacuum suction chuck portion provided on the upper surface of a vacuum suction stage that can be placed and held in a workpiece placement area The robot hand is connected to the vacuum suction and air supply so that the vacuum suction and the air supply can be switched, and is provided with an air levitation means for levitation of the work, and further the vacuum suction stage. A workpiece lifting / lowering means is provided above the workpiece, and the workpiece lifting / lowering means is an edge portion positioned on the side where the robot hand is inserted on at least the vacuum suction stage of the workpiece placed in the workpiece placement area of the vacuum suction stage. The locking claw member for locking to the lower surface side of the plate can be moved horizontally and moved up and down in the direction approaching and separating from the work placement area. Since it is configured to be provided, air can be floated on the vacuum suction chuck portion by supplying air to the vacuum suction chuck portion of the vacuum suction stage. At least on the lower surface side of the edge portion located on the side where the robot hand is inserted onto the vacuum suction stage, the latching claw member of the workpiece lifting / lowering means can be latched and lifted. Therefore, since the robot hand can be inserted into and removed from the lower part of the workpiece while the edge of the predetermined portion of the workpiece is lifted, the workpiece is loaded and unloaded from the vacuum suction stage. , And can be carried out without touching the upper surface of the workpiece.
(2) Also, as described above, the robot hand is inserted below the workpiece by floating the workpiece on the vacuum suction stage and lifting the edge of the workpiece that has been floated by the workpiece lifting means. Therefore, the work placement area on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage is provided with a groove for allowing the robot hand to be inserted under the work and a lifting pin for temporarily pushing up the work. There is no need to provide it. Therefore, the work placement area of the vacuum suction stage can be a flat surface that can contact the entire lower surface of the work.
(3) Therefore, as in electrode pattern printing, a high printing accuracy is required, and a workpiece to be printed in an offset printing apparatus that requires a printing pressure larger than that of a blanket roll to be applied uniformly is required. It can be made suitable as an apparatus for loading and unloading a workpiece with respect to a vacuum suction stage.

It is a partial cutting outline side view showing one embodiment of a workpiece transfer device of the present invention. It is an AA direction arrow line view of FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a horizontal operation mechanism of the workpiece transfer apparatus in FIG. 1, (A) is a side view, and (B) is a view taken in the direction of arrows BB in (A). FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a configuration in which a tapered surface and air injection means are provided at the tip of the robot hand as an application example of the robot hand in the workpiece transfer apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the connection state of the control apparatus in the workpiece transfer apparatus of FIG. In the procedure for unloading the substrate on the vacuum suction stage using the workpiece transfer device of FIG. 1, the latching claw member of the workpiece lifting / lowering means is lowered and the substrate is floated by the vacuum suction chuck portion that supplies air. FIG. In the procedure for unloading the substrate on the vacuum suction stage using the workpiece transfer device of FIG. 1, the substrate is lifted by the locking claw member of the workpiece lifting / lowering means, and between the substrate and the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage. It is a partial cutting schematic side view which shows the state which inserts a robot hand. It is a partially cut schematic side view which shows the other form of implementation of this invention. It is CC direction arrow line view of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 7 show an embodiment of a workpiece transfer apparatus according to the present invention, which is as follows.

  That is, the workpiece transfer apparatus according to the present invention includes, for example, a vacuum suction chuck portion 3 provided on the upper surface of a vacuum suction stage 2 for printing for placing and holding the substrate 1 to be printed. The vacuum suction means 4 and the air supply means 5 for performing vacuum suction and air supply through the vacuum chucking chuck unit 3 are connected so that the vacuum suction and the air supply can be switched.

  At a position above the vacuum suction stage 2, the substrate 1 placed on the upper side of the vacuum suction stage 2 is supplied with air to the vacuum suction chuck unit 3, and air is ejected from the vacuum suction chuck unit 3 to the stage upper surface side. The locking claw member 7 is inserted below the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1 and locked to the lower surface side when the air is floated by the air, and the lifting / lowering operation for moving the locking claw member 7 up and down. There is provided a work lifting / lowering means 6 including a movement mechanism 8 and a horizontal movement mechanism 9 for moving the locking claw member 7 in the horizontal direction approaching and separating from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1.

  Furthermore, a robot hand 11 that can be moved onto the vacuum suction stage 2 by the robot arm 10 is provided, and the robot hand 11 can function as an air floating means on the upper surface side of the robot hand 11 as will be described later. The vacuum suction chuck unit 12 is configured to be configured.

  Specifically, it is assumed that the vacuum suction stage 2 is configured to be provided, for example, on a substrate transfer table as a work transfer table in an offset printing apparatus (not shown) via an alignment stage. In the offset printing apparatus, a substrate installation area for loading and unloading the substrate 1 on the vacuum suction stage 2 on the substrate transfer table is set.

  Further, the vacuum suction stage 2 has a flat stage upper surface as shown in FIG. 1, and according to the size of the substrate 1 at the center of the stage upper surface as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A substrate placement area 13 as a workpiece placement area is set, and a vacuum adsorption type of a porous adsorption type or a hole (hole) adsorption type having a large number of pores is provided at a location corresponding to the substrate placement area 13. A chuck portion 3 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, one end side of an air supply / discharge line 14 is connected to the vacuum suction chuck portion 3, and the vacuum suction means 4 and air supply are connected to the other end side of the air supply / discharge line 14. Means 5 is connected via a switching valve 15. Thus, in a state where the vacuum suction means 4 is connected to the air supply / discharge line 14 by operating the switching valve 15, the vacuum suction chuck unit 3 is operated via the air supply / discharge line 14 by the operation of the vacuum suction means 4. By vacuuming the substrate, the substrate 1 placed on the vacuum suction stage 2 can be sucked and held on the vacuum suction chuck portion 3.

  On the other hand, in the state where the air supply means 5 is connected to the air supply / discharge line 14 by operating the switching valve 15, the air supply means 5 is operated to operate the air supply line 5 through the air supply / discharge line 14 to the vacuum suction chuck portion 3. , The air 16 is jetted from the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 to the upper surface of the stage, so that the substrate 1 placed on the vacuum suction stage 2 can be floated on the air.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6 has a fixed frame 17 having a planar rectangular shape larger than the planar shape of the substrate 1, and a substrate transfer table disposed in a substrate installation area in the offset printing apparatus (not shown). In some cases, the fixing frame 17 is fixed to a support structure (not shown) by being arranged at a position directly above the vacuum suction stage 2 provided above the substrate transfer table.

  A flat rectangular lifting frame 18 that is slightly larger than the planar shape of the substrate 1 is attached to the lower side of the fixed frame 17 via the lifting operation mechanism 8.

  Further, a locking claw member 7 is formed which includes a column portion 7a extending in the vertical direction and a wedge-shaped claw portion 7b protruding laterally so that the bottom surface is horizontal on one side surface of the lower end portion of the column portion 7a. Of the four sides 13 a, 13 b, 13 c, and 13 d of the substrate placement area 13 indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2 set on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2, the substrate placement area 13 is Side 13a located on the side where the robot hand 11 is inserted toward the substrate placement area 13 (hereinafter simply referred to as the hand insertion side) when the substrate 1 is carried in and out using the robot hand 11. 2 corresponding to two predetermined intervals on the opposite side of the side 13a, that is, two predetermined intervals on the side 13c located on the side away from the hand insertion side (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) ) Another locking claw member 7 is arranged so that the claw portion 7b of each locking claw member 7 faces the inside of the substrate placement region 13, and a column portion that becomes the upper end portion of each locking claw member 7 The upper end portion of 7a is attached to the lower side of the elevating frame 18 via the horizontal operation mechanism 9.

  As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the elevating mechanism 8 has a specific configuration in which support members 19 extending in the vertical direction are provided at a plurality of locations of the fixed frame 17, for example, on the lower surface side of the four corners of the fixed frame 17. At the upper end and lower end of each column member 19, the direction of movement of the substrate 1 when the substrate 1 is loaded and unloaded by the robot hand 11 with respect to the substrate placement region 13 (hereinafter simply referred to as substrate) A mounting member 21 extending in the direction of movement) is attached, and upper and lower ends of individual guide rods 20 extending in the vertical direction are attached between the mounting members 21 of the respective support members 19, and the guide rods The upper surface on the free end side (the end side projecting inward of the fixed frame 17) of the guide block 22 that is slidably attached to the upper and lower sides of the guide block 22 and the above-mentioned fixing located above Between the lower surface of the frame 17, it is constituted fitted with vertically extendable operable lifting cylinder 23. Further, the free end side of each guide block 22 is attached to the four corners of the lifting frame 18. Thus, the lifting frame 18 can be lowered together with the guide blocks 22 by the synchronized extension operation of the lifting cylinders 23 in the lifting mechanism 8. On the other hand, the elevating frame 18 can be raised together with the guide blocks 22 by the synchronized contraction operation of the elevating cylinders 23.

  The specific configuration of the horizontal movement mechanism 9 is, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 (a) (b), 4 corresponding to the location of the locking claw members 7 on the lower surface of the elevating frame 18. A pair of mounting members 25a and 25b that are spaced apart from each other along the substrate moving direction are attached to the portions, and individual guides that extend horizontally along the substrate moving direction between the respective mounting members 25a and 25b. Both ends of the rod 24 are attached via attachment members 25a and 25b, and the guide block 26 is slidably attached to the guide rods 24, and the attachment members 25a and 25b support both ends of the guide rod 24 On the other hand, for example, for horizontal movement that can be expanded and contracted in a direction parallel to the guide rod 24 between the mounting member 25a on the side closer to the outer periphery of the lifting frame 18 There Linda 27 a structure in which the mounting by interposed.

  Further, the upper ends of the column portions 7 a of the corresponding locking claw members 7 are integrally attached to the lower side of the guide block 26. As a result, the locking claw members 7 are integrated with the guide blocks 26 into the substrate placement area 13 of the vacuum suction stage 2 by the synchronized extension operation of the horizontal movement cylinders 27 in the horizontal movement mechanism 9. It is designed to be able to operate in the direction of approaching. On the other hand, the locking claw members 7 are moved together with the guide blocks 26 in a direction away from the substrate placement area 13 of the vacuum suction stage 2 by the synchronized contraction operation of the horizontal moving cylinders 27. I can do it.

  The lifting / lowering range of each locking claw member 7 together with the lifting / lowering frame 18 by the lifting / lowering operation mechanism 8 is such that each locking claw member 7 is close to the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 at the lower stroke end. From the lower surface of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1, the tip of the claw portion 7 b of each locking claw member 7 is lowered to the position and the air is floated on the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 for supplying air of the vacuum suction stage 2. Is also set so that it can be arranged below.

  On the other hand, the stroke end of the upper end side of the lifting / lowering range is configured such that each of the locking claw members 7 is placed on the lower surface side of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1 that is allowed to float on the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 that supplies air of the vacuum suction stage 2. The stage of the vacuum suction stage 2 located below the portion to be locked, that is, the side disposed on the hand insertion side of the substrate 1 and the opposite side as the respective locking claw members 7 are raised. It is set so that the robot hand 11 can be pulled up to a height position where a gap into which the robot hand 11 can be inserted is formed.

  Further, the operating range of each locking claw member 7 on the side close to the substrate placement region 13 and the side away from the substrate placement region 13 by the horizontal operation mechanism 9 is the side away from the substrate placement region 13. At the stroke end, the claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 are set so as to be retracted to a position separated from the substrate placement region 13 by a certain dimension. Each locking claw member 7 can be moved up and down without interfering with the substrate 1 outside the substrate 1 disposed in the substrate placement region 13.

  On the other hand, the stroke end on the side close to the substrate placement area 13 of each locking claw member 7 by the horizontal movement mechanism 9 arranges the claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 in the substrate placement area 13. The position where the air can be inserted below the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1 which is floated by the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 which is supplied with air, and the claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 are disposed on the substrate. In the state where it is locked to the lower surface side of the outer peripheral edge portion 1, the lifting and lowering operation mechanism 8 raises the respective locking claw members 7 together with the lifting and lowering frame 18, and the hand insertion side at the outer peripheral edge portion of the substrate 1. When the side disposed on the side and the opposite side part are lifted, the substrate 1 will bend due to its own weight. In order not to fall off the claw part 7b, the above base Depending on the decrease of the planar dimensions due to the deflection of 1 is set so as to be able to move the respective locking pawl member 7 to the inside of the substrate mounting region 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the robot hand 11 has a fork-shaped pawl having a thin plate shape extending in a substantially horizontal direction. On the upper surface side of each nail, a vacuum adsorption chuck portion 12 of a porous adsorption type or a hole (hole) adsorption type having a large number of pores is provided, for example, at each required interval in the longitudinal direction of each nail. is there. Further, a vacuum evacuation means 29 and an air supply means 30 are connected via a switching valve 31 to an air supply / discharge line 28 connected in communication with each of the vacuum suction chuck portions 12. Thus, in a state where the air supply means 30 is connected to the air supply / discharge line 28 by the operation of the switching valve 31, air is supplied to the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 through the air supply / discharge line 28 by the operation of the air supply means 30. 16, the air 16 can be ejected from the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 to the upper surface side of the robot hand 11, so that the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 is placed on the robot hand 11. It is made to function as an air levitation means for levitation of the substrate 1 placed on the substrate.

  On the other hand, in a state where the vacuum suction means 29 is connected to the air supply / discharge line 28 by the operation of the switching valve 31, the vacuum suction chuck unit 12 is moved via the air supply / discharge line 28 by the operation of the vacuum suction means 29. By vacuuming, the substrate 1 placed on the robot hand 11 can be sucked and held by the vacuum suction chuck portion 12.

  As will be described later, when unloading the substrate 1 from the vacuum suction stage 2, the robot hand 11 is floated on the vacuum suction chuck unit 3 supplied with air, and each of the above-described locking mechanisms. It is necessary to insert the gap between the side located on the hand insertion side by the claw member 7 and the substrate 1 in a state where the opposite side is lifted, and the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2. In view of this point, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip of the robot hand 11 has a wedge shape with a tapered surface 32 inclined downward toward the tip of the robot hand 11 on the upper surface side. Also good. With such a configuration, the tip of the robot hand 11 is placed between the substrate 1 that floats on the vacuum suction stage 2 and is lifted by the locking claw members 7 and the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2. At this time, even if the tip of the robot hand 11 comes into contact with the lower surface of the substrate 1, the lower surface of the substrate 1 is moved along the tapered surface of the robot hand 11. It can be smoothly guided upward.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the tapered portion 32 of the tip of the robot hand 11 is provided with air injection means 33 of a porous type or a hole (hole) type having a large number of fine holes. May be. It is assumed that air can be supplied to the air injection means 33 as needed from an air supply means (not shown). In the case of such a configuration, the tip of the robot hand 11 is placed between the substrate 1 that floats on the vacuum suction stage 2 and is lifted by the locking claw members 7 and the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2. When the air is supplied, the air supplied from the air supply means (not shown) is ejected from the air ejecting means 33, so that the portion of the substrate 1 positioned above the tip of the robot hand 11 by the ejected air. Can be more powerfully levitated. For this reason, it is possible to smoothly insert the tip portion of the robot hand 11 through the gap between the substrate 1 and the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage in a state in which contact with the substrate 1 is further suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, of the four sides 13 a, 13 b, 13 c, and 13 d of the substrate placement region 13 set on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2, the substrate placement region 13 is A portion that is located outside the substrate placement region 13 in the middle of the two sides 13b and 13d extending in parallel with the substrate movement direction as the workpiece movement direction when carrying in and carrying out the substrate 1 using the robot hand 11. The lift pins 34 for preventing the displacement of the substrate 1 transported by the robot hand 11 in the direction perpendicular to the direction of substrate movement protrude from the upper surface of the stage and are stored on the upper surface of the stage. Is provided so that it can be moved up and down.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the workpiece transfer apparatus according to the present invention further includes a load for detecting whether or not the substrate 1 as a workpiece is placed on the upper side of the vacuum suction stage 2 (see FIG. 1). A sensor 36 and a levitation sensor 37 for detecting a floating amount (a levitation distance) of the substrate 1 that is allowed to float on the vacuum suction chuck 3 (see FIG. 1) for supplying air from the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2. According to each detection result inputted from the above-described function, a function for giving a command to the raising / lowering cylinder 23 of the raising / lowering operation mechanism 8 of the workpiece raising / lowering means 6 and the horizontal movement cylinder 27 of the horizontal operation mechanism 9, and the vacuum of the vacuum suction stage 2 The vacuum suction chuck portion is controlled by controlling the operation of the vacuuming means 4 and the air supply means 5 connected to the suction chuck portion 3 and switching of the switching valve 15 (see FIG. 1) corresponding thereto. A controller 35 having a function of switching controlling the evacuation and air supply in.

  Further, the function of controlling the position of the robot hand 11 by the robot arm 10, the operation of the evacuation means 29 and the air supply means 30 connected to the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 of the robot hand 11, and switching valves corresponding thereto. 31 (see FIG. 1), a robot controller 38 having a function of switching and controlling the evacuation and air supply in the vacuum chucking chuck portion 12 by the switching control of the vacuum suction chuck unit 12, and the robot controller 38 and the controller 35, Connections are made so as to allow mutual communication or mutual communication so that the operation corresponding to each function and the linkage of processing, so-called interlock can be performed.

  The case of loading and unloading the substrate 1 as a workpiece on the vacuum suction stage 2 using the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration will be described along the processing of the controller 35 and the robot controller 38. To do.

  First, after an offset printing process is performed on the substrate 1 in an offset printing apparatus (not shown), the vacuum suction stage 2 on the upper side of the substrate transport table is placed in a state where the substrate transport table holding the substrate 1 is arranged in the substrate installation area. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, when the substrate 1 is unloaded from the state where the printed substrate 1 is sucked and held, the controller 35 previously uses the horizontal movement mechanism 9 of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6. Each locking claw member 7 is in a state of being retracted to the side away from the substrate placement region 13.

  Next, the controller 35 confirms the state in which the substrate 1 is placed on the upper side of the vacuum suction stage 2 by the input from the loading sensor 36 and then instructs the lifting / lowering operation mechanism 8 of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6. 6, the locking claw members 7 together with the elevating frame 18 are lowered to a position where the lower end of each locking claw member 7 is close to the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 as shown in FIG. 6. Thereby, each said latching claw member 7 comes to be arrange | positioned on the outer side of the board | substrate 1 currently hold | maintained at the board | substrate mounting area | region 13 in the stage upper surface of the said vacuum suction stage 2. FIG.

  As described above, when the respective locking claw members 7 of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6 are arranged outside the substrate 1 on the vacuum suction stage 2, the controller 35 operates the air supply means 5. The vacuum suction chuck unit 3 in the vacuum suction stage 2 is switched from evacuation to air supply as shown in FIG. 6, and air 16 is ejected from the vacuum suction chuck unit 3 to the stage upper surface side. As a result, the substrate 1 is allowed to float on the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 in the vacuum suction stage 2. When the substrate 1 is floated on the air, the lifting pins 34 provided on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 are arranged so as to protrude from the upper surface of the stage as shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent lateral slippage.

  Next, the controller 35 indicates that the floating amount of the substrate 1 detected by the floating sensor 37 (see FIG. 5) on the vacuum suction stage 2 is below the substrate 1 and the claw of each locking claw member 7. When a predetermined amount is set so that the tip of the portion 7b can be inserted, a command is given to the horizontal movement mechanism 9 of the workpiece lifting and lowering means 6 to place the respective locking claw members 7 in the substrate placement area 13. Move to the side close to. As a result, the claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 are inserted into the side disposed on the hand insertion side of the substrate 1 in the air-floating state and the lower surface side of the edge portion of the opposite side. The lower surface side of the portion corresponding to each locking claw member 7 at the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1 is received on the upper side of the claw portion 7 b of each locking claw member 7.

  When the lower surface side of the predetermined portion of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1 is received on the upper side of the claw portion 7b of each locking claw member 7 as described above, the controller 35 instructs the elevating operation mechanism 8 to As shown in FIG. 7, as shown in FIG. 7, each of the latching claw members 7 is lifted together with the lifting frame 18, and the board 1 is inserted into the hand by which the claw portions 7 b of the respective latching claw members 7 are latched The side arranged on the side and the portion of the opposite side are lifted to a height position where the robot hand 11 can be inserted below. At this time, the amount of increase when the respective locking claw members 7 are raised is in a range in which the amount of bending of the substrate 1 that is bent by its own weight does not become an excessive amount of bending that causes damage to the substrate 1 itself. Like that. The central portion of the substrate 1 is supported in a non-contact manner by the air 16 ejected from the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 toward the upper surface of the stage.

  Next, the robot controller 38 operates the air supply means 30 in advance and switches the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 of the robot hand 11 from vacuuming to air supply as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the robot hand 11 that is in a state of jetting air 16 upward is allowed to float on the vacuum suction stage 2 and the side on the hand insertion side and the opposite side portion are It is inserted into the gap between the substrate 1 lifted by each of the locking claws 7 and the stage upper surface. At this time, since the air 16 is jetted upward also from the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 on the robot hand 11 side, the portion of the substrate 1 that is positioned above the robot hand 11 is Since the air 16 can be successively levitated by the air 16 ejected from the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 of the robot hand 11, the robot hand 11 can be inserted into the lower side of the substrate 1 in a non-contact state.

  Thereafter, when the robot hand 11 is sufficiently inserted to a position where the substrate 1 can be held from below, the controller 35 and the robot controller 38 stop the ejection of the air 16 from the corresponding vacuum suction chuck portions 3 and 12, respectively. Let Thereby, the board | substrate 1 from which the said air floating was cancelled | released comes to be received on the said robot hand 11 upper side.

  Further, the controller 35 and the robot controller 38 lower the position of each locking claw member 7 of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6 or raise the robot hand 11 to move each locking claw member 7 down. The entire weight of the substrate 1 is supported by the robot hand 11 while being separated downward from the lower surface side of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate 1.

  When the substrate 1 is placed on the robot hand 11 in this way, the robot controller 38 operates the vacuuming means 29 and switches the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 of the robot hand 11 to vacuuming. The vacuum suction chuck unit 12 sucks and holds the substrate 1.

  After each latching claw member 7 is separated from the substrate 1 as described above, the controller 35 gives a command to the horizontal operation mechanism 9 to separate each latching claw member 7 from the substrate placement region 13. In this state, the robot controller 38 operates the robot hand 11 to carry it out of the vacuum suction stage 2 through the lower side of the locking claw members 7.

  With the above procedure, the substrate 1 is unloaded from the vacuum suction stage 2.

  On the other hand, when the substrate 1 as a workpiece is loaded on the vacuum suction stage 2 using the robot hand 11, the controller 35 and the robot controller 38 are used to perform a procedure reverse to the unloading procedure. You can make it happen.

  Thus, according to the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention, loading and unloading of the substrate 1 with respect to the vacuum suction stage 2 can be performed without touching the upper surface of the substrate 1 at all.

  Further, by supplying air to the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 of the vacuum suction stage 2, the substrate 1 is floated on the air, and a predetermined portion of the outer peripheral edge is temporarily lifted by the locking claw member 7. Since the robot hand 11 can be inserted into and removed from the substrate placement area 13 below the substrate 1, the substrate placement area 13 on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 is positioned below the substrate 1. The robot hand 11 can be inserted between the substrate 1 and the top surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 by temporarily pushing up the substrate on the vacuum suction stage 2 and a groove for allowing the robot hand 11 to be inserted into the vacuum suction stage 2. There is no need to provide an elevating pin for forming such a gap. Therefore, the substrate placement region 13 on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 can be a flat surface that can contact the entire lower surface of the substrate 1 as a workpiece.

  Accordingly, it becomes possible to uniformly apply a printing pressure larger than that of a blanket roll (not shown) to the substrate 1 held on the vacuum suction stage 2 during the offset printing process, and the substrate after being subjected to the offset printing process. 1, even if the ink used for printing is not completely dry, the substrate 1 can be unloaded without causing disturbance in the printed pattern.

  Therefore, the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention is a vacuum suction for holding the substrate 1 that is a workpiece to be printed in an offset printing apparatus that requires high printing accuracy, such as printing of an electrode pattern on the substrate 1. The apparatus can be suitable as an apparatus for loading and unloading the substrate 1 with respect to the stage 2.

  Next, FIGS. 8 and 9 show another embodiment of the present invention. In the same configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the work lifting / lowering means 6 is placed on the hand insertion side of the substrate placement area 13. Instead of the configuration provided with the locking claw member 7 disposed at the position corresponding to the side 13a and the opposite side 13c, the substrate placement region 13 of the lifting frame 18 (see FIGS. 1, 3A, and B) is used. Only on the lower side corresponding to the side 13a on the hand insertion side, the side that is separated from the side close to the substrate mounting area 13 by the horizontal operation mechanism 9 (see FIGS. 1, 3A, 3B). And a workpiece lifting / lowering means 6a configured to be provided with a movable claw member 7 that can move to the middle, and further, an intermediate portion of a side 13c that is separated from the hand insertion side of the substrate placement region 13 on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 The substrate placed in the substrate placement area 13 outside The lift pin 39 for preventing the position shift to the opposite side of the hand insertion side of the vacuum suction stage 2 can be lifted and lowered in a state of projecting upward from the stage upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 and in a state of being stored on the stage upper surface. The configuration is provided.

  Thereby, each latching claw member of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6a is applied to the substrate 1 in a state where air is supplied to the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 of the vacuum suction stage 2 and air is floated on the upper side of the vacuum suction chuck portion 3. When the board 7 is brought close, the lifting pins 39 protruding from the upper surface of the stage prevent the board 1 from being displaced to the side opposite to the hand insertion side, and thus the side of the board 1 on the hand insertion side. The claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 can be surely inserted into the lower side.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the claw portions 7b of the respective locking claw members 7 in the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6a are locked to the substrate 1 that is air-lifted on the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 that supplies the air of the vacuum suction stage 2. In view of the fact that when the respective latching claw members 7 are raised in the state of being lifted, only the side portion of the side located on the hand insertion side of the substrate 1 is lifted, as shown in FIG. The chuck portion 3 is provided with a section 3a on the hand insertion side and a section 3b on the side away from the hand insertion side so as to divide the vacuum suction chuck section 3 into two, so that the substrate 1 floats in the air. When air is supplied to the vacuum chucking chuck unit 3, the air 16 can be supplied to the compartment 3a on the hand insertion side at a higher flow rate than the compartment 3b on the side farther from the hand insertion side. Have

  In addition, the air supply means 5a in FIG. 8 shall have a larger air supply capability than the air supply means 5b. Further, a switching valve 15a and a set of two switching valves 15a are arranged to be linked to a section 3a on the hand insertion side of the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 and a section 3b on the side farther from the hand insertion side. 15b are individually connected via air supply / discharge lines 14a and 14b, and as shown in FIG. 8, the air supply means having different air supply capacities at one port of each of the switching valves 15a and 15b. 5a and 5b are connected to each other, and a common vacuuming means 4 is connected to the other port of each switching valve 15a and 15b. As a result, as described above, the switching operation of the switching valves 15a and 15b linked to the hand insertion side section 3a of the vacuum suction chuck portion 3 causes the hand insertion side section 3b to move away from the hand insertion side. The state in which the air 16 is supplied at a high flow rate and the state in which both the compartments 3a and 3b are evacuated can be switched.

  Other configurations are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  Even with the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, loading and unloading of the substrate 1 with respect to the vacuum suction stage 2 can be performed without touching the upper surface of the substrate 1 at all. Therefore, the same effect as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 can be obtained.

  The present invention is not limited only to the above-described embodiment, and the elevating operation mechanism 8 and the horizontal operation mechanism 9 in the work elevating means 6 are respectively the elevating operation of the corresponding elevating frame 18 and each locking claw. If it is possible to move the member 7 in the direction of approaching or separating from the substrate placement region 13, a ball screw method or a trapezoidal screw method, a chain drive mechanism, a rack and pinion drive mechanism, etc. Any type of reciprocating means other than the illustrated lifting cylinder 23 and horizontal moving cylinder 27 may be employed.

  The planar shape of the fixed frame 17 and the lifting frame 18 of the workpiece lifting / lowering means 6 may be an arbitrary shape other than a rectangular shape as long as the locking claw member 7 can be disposed at the predetermined position.

  The number of the latching claw members 7 may be appropriately changed according to the planar shape and size of the substrate 1 as a work for which loading and unloading on the vacuum suction stage 2 are desired.

  The workpiece lifting / lowering means 6 is engaged with the outer peripheral edge portion of the substrate 1 arranged in the substrate placement area 13 at locations corresponding to the sides 13b and 13d parallel to the substrate movement direction in the substrate placement area 13. It is good also as a structure which provided the latching claw member 7 for this so that the movement to the direction which adjoins and leaves | separates the said board | substrate mounting area | region 13 is possible. In the case of such a configuration, the lifting pins 34 on the outside of the substrate placement region 13 at positions corresponding to the sides 13b and 13d parallel to the substrate movement direction of the substrate placement region 13 on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage 2 are omitted. May be.

  The number of nails and the width dimension of the robot hand 11 may be changed as appropriate. Further, the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 provided in the robot hand 11 may be appropriately changed in the shape and the arrangement and arrangement number of the claws of the robot hand 11 in the longitudinal direction.

  Further, the robot hand 11 may be provided with an air levitation means having only a function of ejecting the air 16 upward instead of the vacuum suction chuck portion 12 capable of switching between evacuation and air supply. In this case, the substrate 1 is held by the robot hand 11 by placing the substrate 1 on the robot hand 11 in a state where the ejection of the air 16 from the air levitation means is stopped. You can do it.

  The workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention may be applied to transfer of any workpiece other than the substrate 1 to be printed as long as it is a flat plate workpiece that is desired to prevent contact with the upper surface. Therefore, the workpiece transfer apparatus of the present invention may be applied to load and unload a workpiece on any vacuum suction stage 2 other than the vacuum suction stage 2 equipped on the substrate transfer table of the offset printing apparatus. .

  Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 Substrate (work)
2 Vacuum suction stage 3 Vacuum suction chuck part 4 Vacuum suction means 5 Air supply means 6 Work lifting / lowering means 7 Locking claw member 11 Robot hand 12 Vacuum suction chuck part (air floating means)
13 Substrate placement area (work placement area)
32 Tapered surface 33 Air injection means 34 Lift pin

Claims (3)

  A vacuum suction means and an air supply means for performing vacuum suction and air supply on the vacuum suction chuck portion provided on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage that is configured to place and hold the work in the work placement area, A robot hand that can be switched between evacuation and air supply so as to be able to enter the vacuum suction stage is provided with an air levitation means for levitation of the workpiece, and further above the vacuum suction stage. A workpiece lifting / lowering means is provided, and the workpiece lifting / lowering means is at least a lower surface side of an edge located on a side where the robot hand is inserted on the vacuum suction stage in the workpiece placed in the workpiece placement area of the vacuum suction stage. A locking claw member for locking to a workpiece is provided so that it can be moved horizontally and moved up and down in a direction close to and away from the workpiece placement area. Work transfer apparatus characterized by having made as the configuration.   2. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a taper surface inclined downward toward the tip of the robot hand is provided on the upper surface side of the tip of the robot hand, and air jetting means is provided at a portion of the taper surface. .   A lift pin is provided at a position on the upper surface of the vacuum suction stage and outside the workpiece placement area on the side parallel to the workpiece movement direction when the workpiece is loaded and unloaded by the robot hand in the workpiece placement area. Item 1. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to Item 1 or 2.

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