JP2015037173A - Fixing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate fixing work and preventing damage to a screw thread without enlargement.SOLUTION: The fixing mechanism (1) includes: a shaft (12) formed with a male screw section (29); a block (11) which is formed with a female screw section (24) into which the male screw section is screwed and formed with a slit (21) for parting the female screw section in such a direction as cross a longitudinal direction of the female screw section; and a fastening bolt (13) for changing a slit interval so that the male screw section of the shaft is fixed at a predetermined position relative to the female screw section of the block.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixing mechanism used, for example, for adjusting the inclination of a transport pad or adjusting the height of a probe of a contact-type height measuring device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a holding table for holding a wafer, a table having an inclination adjustment mechanism that can adjust the upper surface of the holding table to a desired inclination is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the tilt adjustment mechanism of Patent Document 1, the holding table is horizontally supported on a support base by three shafts, and the tilt of the holding table is adjusted by adjusting the length of the shaft. The length of each shaft is adjusted by the screwing amount of the fixing member with respect to the male screw portion at the tip of the shaft. The fixing member is formed in a C shape in a top view by a slit connected to the screw hole (female screw portion), and the fixing member is fixed at a predetermined screwing position with respect to the shaft by tightening the slit from the side perpendicular to the screw hole. It is pinched and fixed.

  Further, in order to form a wafer to a desired thickness, a contact-type height measuring device is known that measures a thickness of a wafer being ground by bringing a probe into contact with one side of the wafer (for example, Patent Document 2). reference). The height measuring instrument holds a probe at the tip of an arm portion, and measures the contact position of the probe with respect to the wafer. The height of the measuring element is adjusted by the screwing amount of the male screw part of the measuring element with respect to the screw hole (female screw part) at the tip of the arm part. Also in the height measuring instrument of Patent Document 2, the tip of the arm part is formed in a C shape in a top view by a slit connected to the screw hole, and the measuring element can be obtained by tightening the slit from the side perpendicular to the screw hole. It is clamped and fixed at a predetermined screwing position.

JP 2010-182814 A JP 2005-246491 A

  In the tilt adjustment mechanism described in Patent Document 1, a fixing mechanism is formed by a fixing member to which a male screw portion of a shaft is screwed and a horizontal screw that tightens a slit formed in the fixing member from the side. However, in this fixing mechanism, the horizontal screw has to be tightened from the side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and the working posture has to be changed between when the shaft is screwed and when the horizontal screw is tightened. Further, there is a problem that the fixing mechanism is enlarged due to the difference in the extending direction of the shaft and the horizontal screw. Furthermore, due to the tightening of the slit, the male screw portion of the shaft is clamped by the female screw portion of the fixing member, and there is a problem that the screw thread between the shaft and the fixing member is displaced, and the screw thread is damaged. . The same problem occurs in the height adjustment mechanism described in Patent Document 2.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fixing mechanism capable of facilitating fixing work and preventing damage to the screw thread without increasing the size. .

  The fixing mechanism according to the present invention includes a shaft having a male screw portion, a block having the female screw portion screwed into the male screw portion of the shaft, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the shaft and the block at a predetermined position. A slit formed by dividing the female screw portion in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion of the block to provide a predetermined interval, and a slit interval change for widening or narrowing the interval of the slit And a male screw part that is screwed into the female screw part and is fixed at a predetermined position.

  According to this configuration, the slit is formed so as to divide the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion of the block, and the male screw portion is fixed at a predetermined position by changing the slit interval. Therefore, the slit interval can be adjusted in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the male screw portion, and it is not necessary to change the working posture between adjusting the position of the shaft and changing the slit interval, and the fixing operation can be facilitated. Further, since the slit interval can be changed from the longitudinal direction of the shaft, the fixing mechanism is not increased in size by the slit interval changing portion. Furthermore, since the male screw part is pressurized and fixed from the longitudinal direction of the female screw part by changing the slit interval, the thread of the male screw part and the female screw part is not damaged.

  According to the present invention, by fixing the male screw part that is screwed into the female screw part by changing the interval of the slits that divide the longitudinal direction of the female screw part of the block, the fixing work can be easily performed without increasing the size of the fixing mechanism. In addition, damage to the thread can be prevented.

It is a perspective view of the fixing mechanism which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the fixing operation | work of the fixing mechanism which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the conveyance pad using the fixing mechanism which concerns on a comparative example. It is a schematic diagram of the conveyance pad using the fixing mechanism which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a side view of the height measuring device using the fixing mechanism concerning this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the fixing mechanism of the present invention is used in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The fixing mechanism can be applied as long as it fixes a component in which the male screw portion is formed to a predetermined position with respect to the component in which the female screw portion is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing mechanism 1 includes a block 11 in which a slit 21 is formed, a shaft 12 in which a thread is cut, and a tightening bolt 13 for changing a slit interval. The block 11 is divided into an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 23 by a slit 21 that extends from one end surface to the other end side. A female screw portion 24 (see FIG. 2A) is formed in the block 11 so as to be orthogonal to the slit 21, and the female screw portion 24 is vertically divided by the slit 21. A male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 is screwed into the female screw portion 24 divided in the vertical direction, and the position of the shaft 12 with respect to the block 11 is adjusted by the screwing amount of the male screw portion 29.

  In the block 11, a female thread part 25 (see FIG. 2A) for changing the slit interval is formed next to the female thread part 24 for the shaft 12. The female screw portion 25 is formed only on the upper portion 22 of the block 11, and the tightening bolt 13 is screwed to the female screw portion 25. When the tightening bolt 13 is tightened, the bolt tip comes into contact with the lower portion 23 of the block 11. Thereby, the slit interval is slightly widened, and the male threaded portion 29 of the shaft 12 is strongly pressed from the longitudinal direction to the female threaded portion 24 of the block 11. In this manner, by changing the slit interval obtained by dividing the female screw portion 24 of the block 11, the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 is fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the female screw portion 24 of the block 11.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the fixing operation by the fixing mechanism will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fixing operation of the fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment. 2A shows a fixing operation of the fixing mechanism shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 2B and 2C show a fixing operation of a modified example of the fixing mechanism. In FIGS. 2A to 2C, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to the same names.

  In the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2A, the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 is screwed into the female screw portion 24 of the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11, and the shaft 12 is adjusted to a predetermined position with respect to the block 11. ing. When the tightening bolt 13 is screwed into the female thread portion 25 of the upper portion 22 of the block 11, the lower portion 23 of the block 11 is pushed down by the bolt tip. As a result, the slit spacing of the block 11 is slightly widened, so that a force is applied in the extending direction to the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 by the female screw portions 24 of the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11. The screw thread of the female screw part 24 of the block 11 is strongly engaged with the screw thread of the male screw part 29 of the shaft 12, and the shaft 12 is fixed to a predetermined position with respect to the block 11.

  In this case, since the tightening bolt 13 can be tightened from the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the shaft 12, there is no need to change the work posture between adjusting the position of the shaft 12 and changing the slit interval, and fixing work can be facilitated. . In addition, the fixing mechanism 1 can be downsized as compared with the configuration in which the tightening bolt 13 is tightened from the direction orthogonal to the shaft 12. Furthermore, since the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 is pressurized from the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion 24 of the block 11 when the tightening bolt 13 is tightened, the threads of the male screw portion 29 and the female screw portion 24 are not damaged. .

  In the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2A, the shaft 12 is fixed to the block 11 by widening the slit interval. However, like the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2B, the block is reduced by narrowing the slit interval. The shaft 12 may be fixed to the shaft 11. In the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2B, the through hole 26 for changing the slit interval is formed in the upper portion 22 of the block 11, and the female screw portion 25 for changing the slit interval is formed in the lower portion 23. This is different from the fixing mechanism 1 shown.

  In the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2B, the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 is screwed into the female screw portion 24 of the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11, and the shaft 12 is adjusted to a predetermined position with respect to the block 11. ing. When the tightening bolt 13 is screwed into the female screw portion 25 of the lower portion 23 through the through hole 26 of the upper portion 22 of the block 11, the lower portion 23 of the block 11 is pulled up by the bolt tip. As a result, the slit interval of the block 11 is slightly narrowed, so that a force is applied in the contracting direction to the male screw portion 29 of the shaft 12 by the female screw portions 24 of the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11. The screw thread of the female screw part 24 of the block 11 is strongly engaged with the screw thread of the male screw part 29 of the shaft 12, and the shaft 12 is fixed to a predetermined position with respect to the block 11.

  Also in the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 2B, it is not necessary to change the work posture between the position adjustment of the shaft 12 and the slit interval change, the fixing work can be facilitated, and the fixing mechanism 1 can be downsized. Further, it is possible to prevent damage to the threads of the male thread portion 29 of the shaft 12 and the female thread portion 24 of the block 11 when the tightening bolt 13 is tightened. In addition, you may form the slit 21 in the diagonal direction which crosses with respect to the internal thread part 24 not only in the direction orthogonal to the internal thread part 24 but like the fixing mechanism 1 shown to FIG. 2C. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the fixing mechanism 1 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

  Next, the case where the fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment is applied to the transport pad will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a transport pad using a fixing mechanism according to a comparative example. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a transport pad using the fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment. 3A shows a perspective view of the fixing mechanism, and FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of a transport pad using the fixing mechanism.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the conveyance pad which concerns on a comparative example is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the fixing mechanism 51 according to the comparative example, a female screw portion 55 is formed through the axis of a cylindrical lock nut 52. A slit 56 is formed in the lock nut 52 so as to divide the female thread portion 55 in the radial direction, and the lock nut 52 is formed in a C shape in a top view by the slit 56. Further, the lock nut 52 is partially divided into upper and lower portions by a horizontal slit 57, and the slit interval is changed at the upper portion of the lock nut 52.

  In the upper portion of the lock nut 52, the tightening bolt 54 is tightened from the side to narrow the slit interval, and the shaft 53 (see FIG. 3B) screwed into the lock nut 52 is clamped and fixed at a predetermined position. As described above, the fixing mechanism 51 according to the comparative example tightens the tightening bolt 54 from the side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 53 and clamps and fixes the shaft 53 to the lock nut 52. In the transport pad 61 shown in FIG. 3B, the fixing mechanism 51 according to this comparative example is used for the tilt adjustment mechanism of the pad portion 62.

  The pad portion 62 of the transport pad 61 is supported by three shafts 53 with respect to the support base 63, and the inclination of the pad portion 62 is adjusted by adjusting the length of each shaft 53 by the lock nut 52. . However, as described above, in the fixing mechanism 51 according to the comparative example, the tightening bolt 54 must be tightened from the side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 53, and the position of the shaft 53 is adjusted and the tightening bolt 54 is tightened. It is necessary to change the work posture between the time of attachment and the work becomes complicated and the fixing mechanism 51 is enlarged. Further, since the male threaded portion 59 of the shaft 53 is sandwiched and fixed by the female threaded portion 55 of the lock nut 52, there is a possibility that the thread of the shaft 53 and the lock nut 52 will be displaced.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, in the transport pad 31 using the fixing mechanism 1 according to the present embodiment, the block 11 is fixed to the upper surface of the support base 32, and the shaft 12 screwed to the block 11 is attached. The support base 32 and the pad portion 33 are connected to each other through the via. The block 11 is divided into upper and lower portions by slits 21, and an internal thread portion 24 for adjusting the position of the shaft 12 is formed in each of the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11. A through hole 36 is formed in the support base 32 coaxially with the female screw portion 24, and a female screw portion 37 is formed in the pad portion 33 coaxially with the female screw portion 24.

  A spring 35 is disposed between the support base 32 and the pad portion 33 coaxially with the female screw portion 24 via a pair of washers 34. The shaft 12 is formed with male screw portions 29 and 39 at a substantially upper half portion and a distal end portion on the proximal end side. The male screw portion 29 on the base end side is screwed into the female screw portion 24 of the block 11, and the male screw portion 39 at the tip end portion is screwed into the female screw portion 37 of the pad portion 33 through the inside of the through hole 36 and the spring 35. In this case, when the shaft 12 is tightened, the pad portion 33 is pulled up with respect to the support base 32 against the urging force of the spring 35. When the shaft 12 is loosened, the pad portion 33 is pushed down with respect to the support base 32 by the urging force of the spring 35.

  The upper portion 22 of the block 11 is formed with a female screw portion 25 for changing the slit interval, and the tightening bolt 13 is screwed into the female screw portion 25. Then, the tightening bolt 13 is tightened to widen the slit interval, and the shaft 12 screwed into the block 11 is fixed at a predetermined position. In the fixing mechanism 1 according to the present embodiment, the tightening bolt 13 may be screwed from the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the shaft 12, so that the working posture is changed as in the fixing mechanism 51 (see FIG. 3) shown in the comparative example. There is no need to change, and the fixing mechanism 1 does not increase in size. Further, since the male threaded portion 29 of the shaft 12 is pressurized in the axial direction by tightening the tightening bolt 13, there is no deviation between the threaded threads of the male threaded portion 29 of the shaft 12 and the female threaded portion 24 of the block 11. .

  Next, a case where the fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment is applied to a height measuring device will be described. FIG. 5 is a side view of a height measuring device using the fixing mechanism according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5A shows a non-measurement state by the height measuring device, and FIG. 5B shows a measurement state by the height measuring device.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the height measuring device 41 according to the present embodiment is configured to measure the contact position of the measuring element 43 provided at the tip of the arm portion 42. A block 11 divided into upper and lower portions by a slit 21 is formed at the tip of the arm portion 42, and a male screw of a measuring element 43 is formed on a female screw portion (not shown) formed on the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23 of the block 11. The part 29 is screwed. Next to the female thread portion for the probe 43, the tightening bolt 13 is screwed into a female thread portion (not shown) for changing the slit interval of the upper portion 22 of the block 11. As described above, in the height measuring instrument 41, the fixing mechanism 1 using the measuring element 43 as a shaft is formed at the tip of the arm portion 42.

  The base end side of the arm portion 42 is connected to the swing arm portion 44 in the case 47 of the height measuring device 41. The swing arm portion 44 is supported so as to be swingable around a fulcrum provided in the case 47, and is configured to be driven by an air actuator (not shown). In the height measuring instrument 41, the contact position of the measuring element 43 is calculated by obtaining the inclination of the swing arm 44. Then, the probe 43 is adjusted to a predetermined position with respect to the block 11, and the tightening bolt 13 is tightened to widen the slit interval, and the probe 43 is fixed to the block 11 at the predetermined position.

  When the air actuator is driven from the initial state shown in FIG. 5A, the swing arm portion 44 swings and the probe 43 comes into contact with the surface of the chuck table 46 as shown in FIG. 5B. The contact position of the measuring element 43 at this time is calculated from the inclination of the swing arm portion 44, and the surface height of the chuck table 46 is obtained. Also in the height measuring instrument 41 according to the present embodiment, the tightening bolt 13 can be screwed from the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the measuring element 43, and the position of the measuring element 43 is adjusted and the tightening bolt 13 is tightened. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the working posture, and the fixing mechanism 1 is not increased in size. Even when a nozzle or the like is provided near the probe 43 and the periphery of the probe 43 becomes narrow, a work space can be secured.

  As described above, according to the fixing mechanism 1 according to the present embodiment, the slit 21 is formed so as to divide the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion 24 of the block 11, and the male screw portion 29 is predetermined by changing the slit interval. It is fixed at the position. Therefore, the slit interval can be adjusted in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the male screw portion 29, and there is no need to change the work posture between adjusting the position of the shaft 12 and changing the slit interval, and the fixing operation can be facilitated. Moreover, since the slit interval can be changed from the longitudinal direction of the shaft 12, the fixing mechanism 1 does not increase in size. Further, by changing the slit interval, the male screw portion 29 is pressurized and fixed from the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion 24, so that the threads of the male screw portion 29 and the female screw portion 24 are not damaged.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change and implement variously. In the above-described embodiment, the size, shape, and the like illustrated in the accompanying drawings are not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed within a range in which the effect of the present invention is exhibited. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the slit interval changing unit is configured by the single tightening bolt 13, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, you may comprise a slit space | interval change part with the some clamping bolt 13. FIG. Further, any configuration may be used as long as the slit interval can be changed.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the slit interval is changed by the fastening bolt 13 from the same direction as the shaft 12, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. It is good also as a structure fastened with the fastening bolt 13 from the direction opposite to the screwing direction of the shaft 12.

  In the above-described embodiment, the slit 21 is formed with a constant thickness with respect to the block 11, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The slit 21 may be formed in any manner as long as it is formed so as to divide the female thread portion 24 for the shaft 12 and elastically deform the block 11.

  As described above, the present invention has an effect that the fixing work can be easily performed without increasing the size, and further, damage to the screw thread can be prevented. This is useful for a fixing mechanism used for adjusting the height of the measuring element of the height measuring device.

1 Fixing mechanism 11 Block 12 Shaft 13 Tightening bolt (Slit interval changing part)
21 Slit 24 Female thread 29, 39 Male thread

Claims (1)

A shaft provided with a male screw part, a block provided with the female screw part screwed into the male screw part of the shaft, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the shaft and the block at a predetermined position,
A slit formed by dividing the female screw portion in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the female screw portion of the block to provide a predetermined interval, and a slit interval changing portion for widening or narrowing the interval of the slit; With
A fixing mechanism for fixing the male screw portion that is screwed into the female screw portion by changing the slit interval at the slit interval changing portion at a predetermined position.

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