JP2024006214A - Automatic replacement device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic replacement device which can surely hold a cutting blade even when a cutting blade is repeatedly replaced, and can maintain ID of the cutting blade in a readable state.SOLUTION: An automatic replacement device 2 has at least cutting blade storage means 4 for storing a plurality of cutting blades, carrying-in/out means 6 for carrying in/out the cutting blade from the cutting blade storage means 4, Y-axis direction positioning means 8 for positioning the carrying-in/out means 6 at an action position and a retreat position in a Y-axis direction relative to the cutting blade storage means 4, Z-axis moving means 10 for moving the carrying-in/out means 6 in a Z-axis direction, X-axis moving means 12 for moving the carrying-in/out means 6 in an X-axis direction, and acting on the cutting blade mounted on a spindle of cutting means, and cleaning means 13. The cleaning means 13 has a blade holding part cleaning part for cleaning the blade holding part 48, and a cutting blade cleaning part for cleaning the rear face side of the cutting blade held by the blade holding part 48.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic changing device connected to a cutting device.

The wafer, on which multiple devices such as ICs and LSIs are divided by dividing lines and formed on the surface, is divided into individual device chips by a cutting machine, and each divided device chip is used for electrical equipment such as mobile phones and personal computers. used.

The cutting device includes a chuck table with a holding surface for holding a wafer, a cutting means equipped with a fixing nut with a cutting blade for cutting the wafer held on the chuck table, and an Axial feed means, Y-axis feed means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction, and Z-axis feed for cutting and feeding the cutting means in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. means, the holding surface is defined in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the wafer can be divided into individual device chips with high precision.

The applicant has also proposed an automatic exchange device that can automatically exchange a cutting blade attached to a cutting means (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP2007-98536A

However, the blade holder that attaches and detaches the cutting blade from the rotating shaft of the cutting means becomes increasingly dirty due to repeated removal of used cutting blades from the rotating shaft, making it difficult to securely hold the cutting blade. There is a possibility that it will not be possible.

In addition, dirt adheres to the front or back side of a used cutting blade, and the dirt attached to the back side in particular makes it difficult to read the ID (bar code, QR code (registered trademark)) that indicates the characteristics of the cutting blade. The problem is that it disappears.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic exchange device that can reliably hold the cutting blade even if the cutting blade is repeatedly replaced, and can maintain the ID of the cutting blade in a readable state. be.

According to the present invention, the following automatic exchange device that solves the above problems is provided. That is,
A chuck table with a holding surface that holds a workpiece, a cutting means equipped with a fixing nut with a cutting blade that cuts the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a cutting device that processes the chuck table in the X-axis direction. An X-axis feeding means for feeding, a Y-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction, and a Y-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. an automatic exchange device comprising a Z-axis feeding means for feeding, the holding surface being connected to a cutting device defined in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction,
A cutting blade storage means for storing a plurality of cutting blades, a carry-in/out means for carrying in and out of the cutting blade storage means, and a working position of the carry-in/out means in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means. a Y-axis direction positioning means for positioning the carry-in/out means in the Z-axis direction; a Z-axis moving means for moving the carry-in/out means in the X-axis direction; comprising at least an X-axis moving means for acting on the cutter blade and a cleaning means;
The loading/unloading means includes a Z rotating shaft extending in the Z-axis direction, a blade holding section that is radially connected to the Z rotating shaft and holds the cutting blade by suction, and a male thread formed at the tip of the spindle to connect the fixing nut. a fixing nut holder that is screwed into and unscrewed from the
The cleaning means is an automatic changing device having a blade holding part cleaning part for cleaning the blade holding part, and a cutting blade cleaning part for cleaning the back side of the cutting blade held in the blade holding part. Ru.

Preferably, the loading/unloading means is disposed on a frame via a bending arm, and the frame is slidably supported by a guide rail extending in the Y-axis direction provided on the lifting table, and the frame is slidably supported in the Y-axis direction. The positioning means positions the cutting blade at the operating position and the retracted position in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means. Preferably, the bending arm moves forward and backward through the loading/unloading means in the X-axis direction.

The cutting blade storage means includes a driving gear having a rotation shaft extending in the Y-axis direction, a driven gear having a rotation shaft extending in the Y-axis direction and spaced apart from the driving gear in the Z-axis direction, and the driving gear and the driven gear. It is advantageous to include an endless track wrapped around the endless track, and a blade support shaft extending in the Y-axis direction, disposed on the endless track at a predetermined interval, inserted into the central opening of the cutting blade, and supporting the cutting blade. It is. It is desirable that the distance between the driving gear and the driven gear in the Z-axis direction can be adjusted, and the length of the endless track can also be adjusted.

The cutting blade stored in the cutting blade storage means is a hub blade with a cutting blade disposed on the outer periphery of the base, and the blade support shaft has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the central opening of the hub blade. , the blade holding portion preferably holds a hub blade.

The automatic exchange device of the present invention includes:
A chuck table with a holding surface for holding a workpiece, a cutting means equipped with a fixing nut with a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a processing feed for the chuck table in the X-axis direction. an X-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction; and a Y-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. and a Z-axis feeding means, the holding surface being connected to a cutting device defined in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction,
A cutting blade storage means for storing a plurality of cutting blades, a carry-in/out means for carrying in and out of the cutting blade storage means, and a working position of the carry-in/out means in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means. a Y-axis direction positioning means for positioning the carry-in/out means in the Z-axis direction; a Z-axis moving means for moving the carry-in/out means in the X-axis direction; comprising at least an X-axis moving means for acting on the cutter blade and a cleaning means;
The loading/unloading means includes a Z rotating shaft extending in the Z-axis direction, a blade holding section that is radially connected to the Z rotating shaft and holds the cutting blade by suction, and a male thread formed at the tip of the spindle to connect the fixing nut. a fixing nut holder that is screwed into and unscrewed from the
The cleaning means includes a blade holder cleaning section that cleans the blade holder, and a cutting blade cleaning section that cleans the back side of the cutting blade held in the blade holder, so that the cutting blade cannot be replaced. Even if it is repeated, the cutting blade can be held reliably and the ID of the cutting blade can be maintained in a readable state.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic exchange device constructed in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting blade storage means shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blade support shaft shown in FIG. 2; 3 is a sectional view of the blade support shaft shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the loading/unloading means shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the frame, elevating table, and base mount shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the frame shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning means shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting device to which the automatic exchange device shown in FIG. 1 is connected. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the chuck table shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cutting means shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cutting means in a state where the blade cover shown in FIG. 11 is opened; 10 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting means shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the automatic exchange device shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the cutting device shown in FIG. 9. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cutting blade storage means and a carry-in/out means of the automatic exchange device shown in FIG. 1 face each other. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the frame body has moved forward toward the cutting blade storage means from the state shown in FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a state in which the frame has retreated from the state shown in FIG. 16 and the elevating table has been raised; FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading/unloading means has moved forward toward the cutting device from the state shown in FIG. 17; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the back side of the cutting blade held in the blade holding section is cleaned by the cleaning means shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the blade holding portion is cleaned by the cleaning means shown in FIG. 8;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an automatic switching device constructed according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Automatic exchange device 2)
To explain with reference to FIG. 1, the automatic exchange device, generally designated by reference numeral 2, includes a cutting blade storage means 4 for storing a plurality of cutting blades, and a carrying-in/out means for carrying in and out the cutting blades from the cutting blade storage means 4. 6, a Y-axis positioning means 8 for positioning the carry-in/out means 6 in an operating position and a retreat position in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means 4, and a Z-axis movement for moving the carry-in/out means 6 in the Z-axis direction. The present invention includes at least a means 10, an X-axis moving means 12 for moving the loading/unloading means 6 in the X-axis direction and acting on a cutting blade mounted on a spindle of a cutting means of a cutting device, and a cleaning means 13.

The X-axis direction is the direction shown by arrow X in FIG. 1, and the Y-axis direction is the direction shown by arrow Y in FIG. 1 and is perpendicular to the X-axis direction. Further, the Z-axis direction is a direction shown by an arrow Z in FIG. 1, and is a vertical direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The plane defined by the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is substantially horizontal.

(Cutting blade storage means 4)
As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting blade storage means 4 includes a drive gear 16 having a rotation shaft 14 extending in the Y-axis direction, and a driven gear 16 having a rotation shaft 18 spaced apart from the drive gear 16 in the Z-axis direction and extending in the Y-axis direction. 20, an endless track 22 wound around the driving gear 16 and the driven gear 20, and an endless track 22 that is disposed at a predetermined interval on the endless track 22, inserted into the central opening of the cutting blade, and supporting the cutting blade in the Y-axis direction. and an extending blade support shaft 24 .

(Drive gear 16)
1 and 2, the cutting blade storage means 4 of the illustrated embodiment includes a base plate 26 (see FIG. 1), a support wall 28 extending upward from the upper surface of the base plate 26, and a support wall 28 extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base plate 26. and a motor 30 fixed to one side of the wall 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation shaft 14 of the drive gear 16 is connected to the motor 30, and the motor 30 rotates the drive gear 16 with the Y-axis direction as the axis.

(driven gear 20)
As shown in FIG. 2, the driven gear 20 is disposed above the drive gear 16, and the rotating shaft 18 of the driven gear 20 is supported on a support wall 28 so as to be rotatable around the Y-axis direction and to be movable up and down in the Z-axis direction. has been done. The support wall 28 is provided with an elevating means (not shown) for elevating the driven gear 20 in the Z-axis direction. The elevating means may include a ball screw connected to the rotating shaft 18 of the driven gear 20 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor that rotates the ball screw.

(Endless track 22)
The endless track 22 is composed of a large number of interconnected link pieces (numerals omitted), and is wound around the drive gear 16 and the driven gear 20. The endless track 22 is configured to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the drive gear 16 by the motor 30.

In the cutting blade storage means 4 of the illustrated embodiment, the distance between the drive gear 16 and the driven gear 20 in the Z-axis direction can be adjusted by changing the position of the driven gear 20 in the Z-axis direction using the lifting means. ing. Further, in the cutting blade storage means 4, the length of the endless track 22 can be adjusted by appropriately increasing or decreasing the number of link pieces of the endless track 22.

(Blade support shaft 24)
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of blade support shafts 24 are arranged on the endless track 22 at predetermined intervals. Further, as understood by referring to FIG. 3 together with FIG. 2, the blade support shaft 24 includes a cylindrical base 32 connected to the endless track 22, and a cylindrical base 32 extending in the Y-axis direction from the end surface of the base 32. It has a shaft portion 34. The diameter of the shaft portion 34 is smaller than the diameter of the base portion 32.

(Hub blade 36)
FIG. 3 also shows a hub blade 36 as a cutting blade stored in the cutting blade storage means 4. The hub blade 36 has an annular base 38 and an annular cutting blade 40 disposed around the outer periphery of the base 38. Base 38 may be formed from any suitable metal material such as an aluminum alloy. A circular central opening 38a is provided in the center of the base 38. The cutting blade 40 is formed of abrasive grains such as diamond and a binding material such as metal or resin to a predetermined thickness (for example, about 10 to 30 μm), and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the base 38. There is. Although not shown, an ID (bar code, QR code (registered trademark)) indicating the characteristics of the hub blade 36 is attached to the back side of the base 38.

The shaft portion 34 of the blade support shaft 24 in the illustrated embodiment has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the central opening 38a of the hub blade 36. A shaft portion 34 is inserted into the shaft portion 34, and a plurality of (for example, five) hub blades 36 are supported by the shaft portion 34.

In the illustrated embodiment, as can be understood by referring to FIG. 2, the hub blade 36 is supported by half of the plurality of blade support shafts 24. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of ball plungers 42 are installed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the tip side of the shaft portion 34 to prevent the hub blade 36 supported by the shaft portion 34 from flying out. There is.

As shown in FIG. 4, a flow path 32a is formed inside each base 32 of the blade support shaft 24, and a plurality of flow paths 22a communicating with one end of each flow path 32a are formed in the endless track 22. There is. As shown in FIG. 3, the other end of each flow path 32a is open at an end surface of the base 32 on the outer side in the radial direction than the shaft 34.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the support wall 28 is provided with an air nozzle 44 that protrudes in the Y-axis direction below the drive gear 16, and the air nozzle 44 is connected to a high-pressure air supply means (not shown). )It is connected to the. In the illustrated embodiment, the blade support shaft 24 located at the lowest end in the trajectory of the blade support shaft 24 as the endless track 22 rotates and the tip of the air nozzle 44 face each other.

When the hub blade 36 located at the tip end side of the shaft portion 34 is carried out, the flow from the air nozzle 44 to the base portion 32 of the blade support shaft 24 located at the lowest end via the flow path 22a of the endless track 22. By supplying high-pressure air to the passage 32a, the hub blade 36 remaining on the shaft portion 34 can be pushed out toward the distal end side of the shaft portion 34. However, the action of the ball plunger 42 prevents the hub blade 36 from falling from the shaft portion 34.

(Carry-in/out means 6)
The loading/unloading means 6 will be explained with reference to FIG. The loading/unloading means 6 includes a Z rotating shaft 46 extending in the Z-axis direction, a blade holding section 48 that is radially connected to the Z rotating shaft 46 and holds the cutting blade by suction, and a fixing nut formed at the tip of the spindle of the cutting device. At least a fixing nut holding part 50 that is screwed onto and unscrewed from a male screw is provided.

As shown in FIG. 5, the loading/unloading means 6 of the illustrated embodiment further includes a casing 52, which includes a regular hexagonal top plate 54 and six rectangular plates hanging from the periphery of the top plate 54. It has a side wall 56. The Z rotation shaft 46 protrudes from the upper surface of the top plate 54. A motor (not shown) connected to the Z rotation shaft 46 is housed inside the casing 52 .

In the illustrated embodiment, of the six side walls 56 of the casing 52, blade holding parts 48 are attached to four side walls 56, fixing nut holding parts 50 are attached to two side walls 56, The two fixing nut holding parts 50 are provided on a pair of opposing side walls 56.

(Blade holding part 48)
The blade holding part 48 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the end face 58 of the blade holding part 48 has a circular central opening 60 that can receive the shaft part 34 of the blade support shaft 24 and the tip of the spindle of the cutting device. A plurality of suction holes 61 are provided around the central opening 60 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each suction hole 61 is connected to suction means (not shown).

The blade holder 48 is sucked into the suction hole 61 by the suction means in a state where the end surface 58 of the blade holder 48 is in contact with the base 38 of the hub blade 36 stored in the cutting blade storage means 4. The hub blade 36 is attracted and held by generating a force.

(Fixed nut holding part 50)
Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 5, the fixed nut holding section 50 includes a cylindrical housing 64 fixed to the side wall 56 of the casing 52, and an annular rotating body 66 rotatably housed inside the housing 64. and a motor (not shown) that rotates the rotating body 66.

The rotating body 66 has a central opening 68 that can receive the tip of a spindle of a cutting device. A plurality of suction holes 70 and a plurality of pins 72 are alternately provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on the end surface 66a of the rotating body 66.

Each suction hole 70 is connected to suction means (not shown). The pin 72 is positioned at a position protruding from the end surface 66a of the rotary body 66 (the position shown in FIG. 5) by a spring (not shown) built into the rotary body 66, and is positioned inside the rotary body 66. When pushed towards, the spring contracts and is housed inside the rotating body 66. Moreover, the pin 72 is arranged corresponding to the position of a pin hole formed in the fixing nut.

In the fixed nut holding section 50, the suction means generates suction force in each suction hole 70 to suction and hold the fixed nut, and when the pin 72 is inserted into the pin hole formed in the fixed nut, it is rotated by the motor. By rotating the body 66, a fixing nut for fixing the hub blade 36 to the spindle of the cutting device can be screwed into and unscrewed from a male thread formed at the tip of the spindle.

Note that when unscrewing (removing) the fixing nut from the spindle, even if the position of the pin 72 of the fixing nut holding part 50 and the position of the pin hole of the fixing nut are misaligned, the fixing nut attached to the spindle may After positioning the end face 66a of the rotating body 66 on the end face of the nut and housing the pin 72 inside the rotating body 66, when the rotating body 66 is rotated by the motor, the position of the pin 72 is aligned with the position of the pin hole. The pin 72 is pushed out by the spring and inserted into the pin hole.

In the illustrated embodiment, the loading/unloading means 6, which can be constructed as described above, is arranged inside the frame 74, as shown in FIG. The frame 74 is supported by a lift table 76 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and the lift table 76 is supported by a base mount 78 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction.

(frame body 74)
Referring to FIG. 6 as well as FIG. 1, the frame 74 includes a rectangular plate-shaped bottom 80, four columns 82 extending upward from the four corners of the top surface of the bottom 80, and a frame 74 fixed to the upper end of each column 82. A plate-shaped ceiling portion 84 (see FIG. 1) is included. A pair of guided members 86 in which grooves 86a extending in the Y-axis direction are formed are provided on the lower surface of the bottom portion 80 at intervals in the X-axis direction.

(Elevating table 76)
The elevating table 76 includes a rectangular top plate 88 and four cylindrical legs 90 extending downward from the four corners of the lower surface of the top plate 88. A pair of guide rails 92 are provided on the top surface of the top plate 88 and extend in the Y-axis direction at intervals in the X-axis direction. It is slidably fitted into the groove 86a.

(Y-axis direction positioning means 8)
Furthermore, a Y-axis direction positioning means 8 is provided on the upper surface of the top plate 88 of the lifting table 76. The Y-axis direction positioning means 8 includes a ball screw 94 that extends in the Y-axis direction between a pair of guide rails 92 and a motor 96 that rotates the ball screw 94. A nut portion (not shown) of the ball screw 94 is fixed to the lower surface of the bottom portion 80 of the frame body 74.

In the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, a ball screw 94 converts the rotational motion of the motor 96 into a linear motion and transmits it to the frame 74, and moves the frame 74 in the Y-axis direction along the pair of guide rails 92. . In this way, the frame body 74 on which the loading/unloading means 6 is disposed is slidably supported by the guide rail 92 extending in the Y-axis direction disposed on the lifting table 76, and is cut by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8. The blade storage means 4 can be positioned at an active position and a retracted position in the Y-axis direction.

The operating position is a position where the blade holding section 48 of the loading/unloading means 6 approaches the cutting blade storage means 4, and the cutting blade supported by the cutting blade storage means 4 can be held by the blade holding section 48 under suction. It's the location. Further, the retracted position is a position where the blade holding portion 48 of the carry-in/out means 6 is further away from the cutting blade storage means 4 than the working position.

(Base mount 78)
As shown in FIG. 6, the base mount 78 includes a frame 98 and a rectangular base plate 100 fixed to the top of the frame 98. Four circular holes 102 are formed at the four corners of the base plate 100, into which the legs 90 of the lifting table 76 are slidably inserted. Furthermore, a female thread 104 is formed in the center of the base plate 100.

(Z-axis moving means 10)
Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 6, the Z-axis moving means 10 is connected to the lifting table 76 and the base mount 78. The Z-axis moving means 10 includes a ball screw 106 extending in the Z-axis direction, a motor 108 that rotates the ball screw 106, and a connecting plate 110 fixed to the upper end of the motor 108. The ball screw 106 is screwed into the female thread 104 of the base plate 100. The connecting plate 110 is fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 88 of the lifting table 76 by suitable connecting means such as bolts (not shown).

In the Z-axis moving means 10, the rotational motion of the motor 108 is converted into linear motion by the ball screw 106, and the lifting table 76 is moved up and down with respect to the base mount 78, thereby moving the frame body on which the loading/unloading means 6 is arranged. 74 in the Z-axis direction.

(X-axis moving means 12)
Referring to FIG. 7, the X-axis moving means 12 includes a bending arm 112 mounted on a frame 74, and a first motor 114 and a second motor 115 that operate the bending arm 112. The bending arm 112 is swingably connected to a first arm piece 118 that is swingably connected to the lower surface of the ceiling portion 84 of the frame body 74 via a spacer 116, and to the lower surface of the first arm piece 118. and a second arm piece 120.

The spacer 116 is arranged at one end of the first arm piece 118. The first arm piece 118 is connected to the ceiling portion 84 with the spacer 116 side as the center of swing. Further, a spacer 122 is also provided on the upper surface of the other end of the first arm piece 118. The second arm piece 120 is connected to the first arm piece 118 with the spacer 122 side as the center of swing.

A circular hole (not shown) is provided at the tip of the second arm piece 120 (the end opposite to the spacer 122). The Z rotation shaft 46 of the loading/unloading means 6 is inserted into this circular hole, and the Z rotation shaft 46 is fixed to the second arm piece 120 in a non-rotatable manner. When the motor of the loading/unloading means 6 connected to the Z rotation shaft 46 is driven, the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 rotates with respect to the second arm piece 120, and the blade holding part 48 and the fixed nut holding part 50 are rotated. Can be positioned in any direction. In this way, the loading/unloading means 6 is connected to the tip of the bending arm 112 via the Z rotation shaft 46, and is also disposed on the frame 74 via the bending arm 112.

In the X-axis moving means 12, the first motor 114 swings the first arm piece 118 with the spacer 116 side as the swing center, and the second motor 115 swings the first arm piece 118 with the spacer 122 side as the swing center. By swinging the second arm piece 120, the bending arm 112 is bent or extended, and the loading/unloading means 6 is moved in the X-axis direction.

(Cleaning means 13)
The cleaning means 13 includes a blade holder cleaning section that cleans the blade holder 48 and a cutting blade cleaning section that cleans the back side of the cutting blade held by the blade holder 48 . In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the blade holding section cleaning section and the cutting blade cleaning section are constructed from one common member.

Referring to FIG. 8, the cleaning means 13 includes a circular base plate 124 mounted at the center of the drive gear 16, and a stepped cylindrical cleaning member 126 fixed to one side of the base plate 124. The cleaning member 126 may be formed from felt or a hard sponge made of synthetic resin.

The cleaning member 126 has a large diameter portion 128 on the substrate 124 side and a small diameter portion 130 having a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 128 . The large diameter portion 128 is formed in a size that allows the end surface 58 of the blade holding portion 48 and the back surface side of the hub blade 36 to be cleaned. Further, the small diameter portion 130 is formed in a size that allows cleaning the insides of the central opening 38a of the hub blade 36 and the central opening 60 of the blade holding portion 48.

Although not shown, a cleaning liquid flow path is formed that passes through the drive gear 16, the rotation shaft 14 of the drive gear 16, and the motor 30 that rotates the drive gear 16, and reaches the cleaning member 126. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid may be supplied to the cleaning member 126. It is preferable that the cleaning liquid flow path branches radially in the radial direction of the cleaning member 126 inside the cleaning member 126. This is because the cleaning liquid can thereby be uniformly supplied to the entire cleaning member 126.

As described above, in the cleaning means 13 of the illustrated embodiment, the blade holding part cleaning part and the cutting blade cleaning part are composed of one common member, but the blade holding part cleaning part and the cutting blade cleaning part may be provided separately. In this case, one of the blade holder cleaning unit or the cutting blade cleaning unit may be attached to the driving gear 16, and the other of the blade holder cleaning unit or the cutting blade cleaning unit may be attached to the driven gear 20. Alternatively, the cleaning means 13 may be attached to a suitable bracket (not shown).

Next, the cutting device 170 to which the automatic exchange device 2 described above is connected will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13.

(Cutting device 170)
As shown in FIG. 9, the cutting device 170 includes a chuck table 172 that has a holding surface that holds a workpiece, and a cutting means that has a cutting blade that cuts the workpiece held on the chuck table 172 attached with a fixing nut. 174, an X-axis feeding means 176 for machining and feeding the chuck table 172 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis feeding means 178 for indexing and feeding the cutting means 174 in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction, and It includes a Z-axis feeding means 180 that feeds the cutting means 174 in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

(Chuck table 172)
To explain with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the cutting device 170 includes an It includes a support 186 fixed to the upper surface of the support 184 and a cover plate 188 fixed to the upper end of the support 186. A circular opening 188a is formed in the cover plate 188. The chuck table 172 is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the support column 186 and extends upward through a circular opening 188a in the cover plate 188. The chuck table 172 is rotated about the Z-axis direction by a motor (not shown) built into the support column 186.

As shown in FIG. 10, a porous circular suction chuck 190 connected to suction means (not shown) is disposed at the upper end of the chuck table 172. The chuck table 172 is designed to suction and hold the workpiece placed on the top surface of the suction chuck 190 by generating a suction force on the top surface of the suction chuck 190 using suction means.

In this way, in the chuck table 172, the upper surface of the suction chuck 190 serves as a holding surface that holds the workpiece, and the holding surface is positioned on the XY plane defined by the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. . Furthermore, a plurality of clamps 192 are arranged on the periphery of the chuck table 172 at intervals in the circumferential direction.

(X-axis feeding means 176)
As shown in FIG. 10, the X-axis feeding means 176 includes a ball screw 198 that is connected to the X-axis movable plate 184 and extends in the X-axis direction, and a motor 200 that rotates the ball screw 198. The X-axis sending means 176 converts the rotational motion of the motor 200 into a linear motion using a ball screw 198, transmits the linear motion to the X-axis movable plate 184, and moves the X-axis movable plate 184 along the guide rail 182a of the base 182. At the same time, the chuck table 172 is processed and fed in the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cutting device 170 includes a gate-shaped frame 202 disposed astride the chuck table 172. As shown in FIG. The frame 202 includes a pair of columns 204 extending upward from the top surface of the base 182 at intervals in the Y-axis direction, and a beam 206 spanning between the upper ends of the pair of columns 204 and extending in the Y-axis direction.

(Cutting means 174)
A pair of cutting means 174 are provided on one side of the beam 206 (the back side in FIG. 9) at intervals in the Y-axis direction. In the cutting device 170 of the illustrated embodiment, a pair of cutting means 174 are provided so that the cutting blades face each other, and the workpiece held on the chuck table 172 is simultaneously cut by the pair of cutting blades. It is now possible to do so. Note that the number of cutting means 174 may be one.

As shown in FIG. 11, each cutting means 174 includes a rectangular Y-axis movable member 208 supported on one side of the beam 206 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and a rectangular Y-axis movable member 208 that moves up and down in the Z-axis direction. It includes a freely supported Z-axis movable member 210 having an L-shaped cross section, and a spindle housing 212 fixed to the lower end of the Z-axis movable member 210.

A pair of guided grooves 208a extending in the Y-axis direction at intervals in the Z-axis direction are formed on one side surface (the side surface on the near side in FIG. 11) of the Y-axis movable member 208. The beam 206 is slidably connected to a pair of guide rails (not shown) extending in the Y-axis direction with an interval in the vertical direction on one side surface of the beam 206 .

(Y-axis feeding means 178)
The Y-axis feeding means 178 includes a ball screw 214 extending in the Y-axis direction on one side of the beam 206, and a motor 216 that rotates the ball screw 214. Ball screw 214 is connected to Y-axis movable member 208. The Y-axis feeding means 178 converts the rotational motion of the motor 216 into a linear motion using a ball screw 214 and transmits the linear motion to the Y-axis movable member 208, and the Y-axis movable member 208 moves along the Y-axis along a guide rail attached to one side of the beam 206. The member 208 is indexed and fed in the Y-axis direction.

A pair of guide rails (not shown) are formed on the other side of the Y-axis movable member 208 (the side on the back side in FIG. 11) and extend in the Z-axis direction at intervals in the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis movable member 210 has a pair of guided grooves (not shown) that are slidably connected to the pair of guide rails of the Y-axis movable member 208.

(Z-axis feeding means 180)
The Z-axis feeding means 180 includes a ball screw (not shown) connected to the Z-axis movable member 210 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor 218 that rotates the ball screw. The Z-axis feeding means 180 converts the rotational motion of the motor 218 into linear motion using a ball screw, transmits the linear motion to the Z-axis movable member 210, and moves the Z-axis movable member 210 along the guide rail of the Y-axis movable member 208 along the Z-axis. Cut and feed in the direction.

Referring to FIG. 12, the spindle housing 212 supports a cylindrical spindle 220 rotatably about the Y-axis direction, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 220. is accommodated. A cutting blade for cutting a workpiece is removably fixed to the tip of the spindle 220 by a fixing nut 222.

A blade cover 224 that covers the cutting blade is attached to the tip of the spindle housing 212. The blade cover 224 includes a first cover member 224a fixed to the tip of the spindle housing 212, and a second cover member 224b movably attached to the tip of the first cover member 224a. The second cover member 224b is moved in the X-axis direction by an appropriate actuator (not shown) such as an air cylinder, and is positioned at the open position shown in FIG. 12 when replacing the cutting blade. , and is positioned at the closed position shown in FIG. 11 during cutting.

As shown in FIG. 13, an annular mount flange 226 that protrudes radially outward is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tip end side of the spindle 220. An annular recess 226a is formed in the radially inner portion of the distal end surface of the mount flange 226, and an annular receiving portion 226b protrudes in the axial direction on the outer peripheral side of the distal end surface of the mount flange 226. . Further, a male thread 228 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the spindle 220 on the distal end side of the mount flange 226.

Then, the center opening 38a of the hub blade 36 fits into the tip of the spindle 220, and the male screw 228 of the spindle 220 and the fixing nut 222 are screwed (fastened), so that the receiving part 226b of the mount flange 226 The hub blade 36 is sandwiched between the hub blade 36 and the fixing nut 222, and is detachably fixed to the tip of the spindle 220. Further, on the side surface of the fixing nut 222, a plurality of pin holes 222a into which the pins 72 of the fixing nut holder 50 of the carrying-in/out means 6 are inserted are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, on the other side of the beam 206 of the frame 202 (the side on the near side in FIG. 9), a pair of imaging means 230 for taking an image of the workpiece held on the chuck table 172 is installed in the Y-axis direction. A pair of moving means 232 for moving the imaging means 230 in the Y-axis direction are also mounted.

The moving means 232 includes a ball screw 234 extending in the Y-axis direction on the other side surface of the beam 206, and a motor 236 that rotates the ball screw 234. Ball screw 234 is coupled to imaging means 230. Then, the moving means 232 converts the rotational motion of the motor 236 into a linear motion and transmits it to the imaging means 230, and moves the imaging means 230 in the Y-axis direction along the guide rail 206a attached to the other side surface of the beam 206. move it to Note that the number of imaging means 230 may be one.

(cutting)
When cutting a workpiece such as a wafer using the cutting device 170, the workpiece is first attracted to the chuck table 172. Next, the chuck table 172 is moved below the imaging means 230 by the X-axis feeding means 176, and the position of the imaging means 230 in the Y-axis direction is adjusted by the moving means 232. Next, the image capturing means 230 images the workpiece from above to detect the cutting area of the workpiece.

Next, based on the cutting area of the workpiece detected by the imaging means 230, the chuck table 172 is rotated to adjust the orientation of the cutting area of the workpiece with respect to the cutting blade of the cutting means 174. Next, the chuck table 172 is moved in the X-axis direction by the X-axis feeding means 176, and the spindle housing 212 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feeding means 178, so that a pair of cutting blades is placed above the cutting area of the workpiece. position.

Next, the spindle housing 212 is lowered by the Z-axis feeding means 180, and the cutting blade of the cutting blade rotated at high speed cuts into the cutting area of the workpiece, and cutting water is applied to the part where the cutting blade of the cutting blade is to cut. By machining-feeding the chuck table 172 in the X-axis direction while supplying the machining material, a predetermined cutting process is performed on the cutting area of the workpiece. While the spindle housing 212 is indexed and fed in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feeding means 178, the above-mentioned cutting process is repeated as appropriate to perform the cutting process on the entire cutting area of the workpiece. After the cutting process has been completed, the cut workpiece is transported to the next process.

(Replacement of cutting blade)
If the cutting process is repeated, the cutting blade will wear out, and if the cutting blade wear reaches a predetermined amount, cutting accuracy will no longer be maintained, so it is necessary to replace the cutting blade attached to the spindle 220 with a new cutting blade. . Furthermore, even if the wear of the cutting blade attached to the spindle 220 has not reached a predetermined level, when cutting a workpiece made of a material different from that of the workpiece that was previously cut, It may be necessary to replace the cutting blade with one appropriate for the material of the workpiece.

In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, an automatic exchange device 2 that can automatically exchange the cutting blade of the cutting device 170 is connected to the cutting device 170. Hereinafter, the automatic exchange device 2 will be used to replace the hub blade 36. We will explain how to exchange it.

As shown in FIG. 14, the automatic exchange device 2 is placed on the back side of the cutting device 170 in the X-axis direction, so that it can be installed later on the cutting device 170 that has already been delivered to the user. When replacing the cutting blade installed in the cutting device 170 using the automatic exchange device 2, first rotate the endless track 22 of the cutting blade storage means 4, and replace the new hub blade to be carried into the cutting device 170. 36 is positioned at a predetermined position (for example, at the lowest position in the trajectory of the blade support shaft 24).

Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the casing 52 is rotated by a motor connected to the Z rotation shaft 46 of the loading/unloading means 6, and the side wall 56 of the casing 52 on which the blade holding part 48 is attached is moved along the X-axis direction. Then, the blade holding portion 48 is made to face the cutting blade storage means 4.

Furthermore, by operating the X-axis moving means 12 and the Z-axis moving means 10, the shaft portion 34 of the blade support shaft 24 at the predetermined position can be inserted into the central opening 60 (see FIG. 5) of the blade holding portion 48. Adjust the X-axis and Z-axis positions of the blade holding section 48 so that

Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the frame body 74 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, and the hub blade 36 supported by the blade support shaft 24 is brought to an operating position where it can be held by the blade holder 48. Position the loading/unloading means 6. As a result, the shaft portion 34 of the blade support shaft 24 at the predetermined position is inserted into the central opening 60 of the blade holding portion 48, and the blade holding portion 48 is inserted into the end surface of the hub blade 36 located on the distal end side of the shaft portion 34. The end surfaces 58 are brought into contact. Next, a suction force is generated in the suction hole 61 of the blade holding part 48, and the hub blade 36 located on the tip side of the shaft part 34 is held by the blade holding part 48 by suction.

Next, the Y-axis direction positioning means 8 is operated to move the carry-in/out means 6 away from the cutting blade storage means 4 in the Y-axis direction and position it at the retracted position. Next, the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 is rotated by 180 degrees, and the blade holding section 48 on the opposite side of the blade holding section 48 that holds the hub blade 36 under suction is made to face the cutting blade storage means 4 .

Next, the Y-axis direction positioning means 8 is operated to position the loading/unloading means 6 to an operating position where the hub blade 36 of the blade support shaft 24 can be held by the blade holding section 48 on the opposite side. Next, a suction force is generated in the suction hole 61 of the blade holding part 48 on the opposite side, and the hub blade 36 located on the tip side of the shaft part 34 is held by the blade holding part 48 by suction. As a result, a new hub blade 36 is held under suction by a pair of opposing blade holders 48 among the four blade holders 48 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 17, the frame body 74 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, and the lifting table 76 is moved in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis moving means 10. As a result, the carry-in/out means 6 is separated from the cutting blade storage means 4 and positioned at the retreat position, and the Y-axis and Z-axis positions of the carry-in/out means 6 with respect to the cutting device 170 are adjusted. The Y-axis direction position of the carry-in/out means 6 after position adjustment is between the pair of cutting means 174 of the cutting device 170, and the Z-axis direction position of the carry-in/out means 6 after position adjustment is between the holding surface of the chuck table 172. It is above.

Next, as shown in FIG. 18, the carry-in/out means 6 is moved in the X-axis direction by the X-axis moving means 12, and the position of the carry-in/out means 6 in the X-axis direction with respect to the pair of cutting means 174 is adjusted. Specifically, the positions in the X-axis direction of the centers of the new pair of hub blades 36 that are suction-held by the pair of blade holding parts 48 of the loading/unloading means 6, and the position of the center of the pair of hub blades 36 attached to the pair of cutting means 174 are determined. The position of the center of the hub blade 36 in the X-axis direction is aligned.

In addition, the Z-axis moving means 10 of the automatic exchanger 2 or the Z-axis feeding means 180 of the cutting device 170 is operated, and the Z-axis direction position of the center of the hub blade 36 of the blade holding part 48 and the hub blade 36 of the cutting means 174 are adjusted. and the Z-axis direction position of the center.

Next, the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 is rotated by 60 degrees, and the pair of fixed nut holding parts 50 are made to face the hub blades 36 of the pair of cutting means 174. Incidentally, the casing 52 may be rotated by 60 degrees before the carrying-in/out means 6 is advanced.

Next, the second cover member 224b of each blade cover 224 of the pair of cutting means 174 is positioned at the open position (see FIG. 12). Next, the cutting device 174 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feeding device 178 of the cutting device 170, and the fixing nut 222 fixing the hub blade 36 to the spindle 220 is moved to the end surface 66a of the rotary body 66 of the fixing nut holder 50. contact with. Then, the pin 72 of the fixed nut holder 50 is pushed by the fixed nut 222 and accommodated inside the rotating body 66, and the tip of the spindle 220 is accommodated in the central opening 68 of the rotating body 66.

Next, when the rotating body 66 is rotated by the motor of the fixed nut holding part 50, when each pin 72 matches the pin hole 222a of the fixed nut 222, each pin 72 is fitted into the pin hole 222a, and the rotating body 66 is rotated. The rotational movement of is transmitted to the fixing nut 222 via each pin 72, and the fixing nut 222 is loosened. Thereby, the fixing nut 222 can be unscrewed (removed) from the male thread 228 of the spindle 220 of the cutting means 174. Further, a suction force is generated in each suction hole 70 of the fixed nut holding section 50, and the removed fixed nut 222 is held by suction in the fixed nut holding section 50.

Next, the cutting means 174 is separated from the loading/unloading means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, and the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 is rotated by 60 degrees to remove the empty blade holding section 48 that is not holding the hub blade 36 by suction. It faces the hub blade 36 of the cutting means 174.

Next, the cutting means 174 is brought close to the loading/unloading means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, the spindle 220 of the cutting means 174 is inserted into the central opening 60 of the blade holding part 48, and the end face of the hub blade 36 of the cutting means 174 is inserted. The end surface 58 of the empty blade holder 48 is brought into contact with the blade holder 48 . Next, a suction force is generated in the suction hole 61 of the blade holding part 48, and the hub blade 36 of the cutting means 174 is held by the blade holding part 48 by suction.

Next, the cutting means 174 is separated from the loading/unloading means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, and the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 is rotated by 60 degrees to remove the blade holding section 48 that is holding the new hub blade 36 by suction. It faces the spindle 220 of the cutting means 174.

Next, the cutting means 174 is brought close to the loading/unloading means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, the spindle 220 is inserted into the central opening 38a of the new hub blade 36, and the hub is inserted into the receiving part 226b of the mount flange 226 of the spindle 220. The end surfaces of the blades 36 are brought into contact. Next, the suction force of the blade holding part 48 is released, and a new hub blade 36 is transferred from the blade holding part 48 to the spindle 220.

Next, the cutting means 174 is separated from the carrying-in/out means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, and the casing 52 of the carrying-in/out means 6 is rotated by 60 degrees, and the fixed nut holding part 50 which holds the removed fixed nut 222 by suction is moved. faces the spindle 220 of the cutting means 174.

Next, the cutting means 174 is brought close to the loading/unloading means 6 by the Y-axis feeding means 178, and the fixed nut 222 held under suction by the fixed nut holder 50 is fitted to the tip of the spindle 220. Next, the motor of the fixing nut holder 50 is operated in the opposite direction to when the fixing nut 222 was removed to rotate the fixing nut 222, and the fixing nut 222 is screwed onto the male screw 228 of the spindle 220 (fastened).

As a result, a new hub blade 36 to be mounted on the cutting means 174 can be fixed to the spindle 220 by being sandwiched between the receiving portion 226b of the mount flange 226 of the spindle 220 and the fixing nut 222.

Next, after releasing the suction force of the fixed nut holder 50, the second cover member 224b of the blade cover 224 of the cutting means 174 is positioned at the closed position. Note that the fixing nut 222 and the hub blade 36 may be removed and attached to the pair of cutting means 174 simultaneously or separately as described above.

Next, the carry-in/out means 6 is moved backward, and the casing 52 of the carry-in/out means 6 is rotated by 60 degrees, so that one of the pair of removed hub blades 36 is made to face the cutting blade storage means 4. Then, the pair of hub blades 36 removed from the cutting device 170 are fitted into the blade support shaft 24 of the cutting blade storage means 4 and stored. In the automatic exchange device 2 of the illustrated embodiment, the removed hub blades 36 are Before fitting onto the blade support shaft 24, the back side of the hub blade 36 can be cleaned by the cleaning member 126 of the cleaning means 13, and this will be explained with reference to FIG. 19.

Note that in FIG. 19, the blade holding part 48 and the hub blade 36 are shown separated from each other for convenience, but in reality, the hub blade 36 is drawn with the blade holding part 48 suctioning and holding the hub blade 36. Perform cleaning.

When cleaning the back side of the hub blade 36, the X-axis moving means 12 and the Z-axis moving means 10 are operated, and the cleaning member 126 The X-axis and Z-axis positions of the blade holding portion 48 are adjusted so that the blade holding portion 48 can be fitted into the small diameter portion 130 of the blade holding portion 48 .

Next, the cleaning means 13 is rotated together with the driving gear 16 in the direction shown by arrow R. Then, the loading/unloading means 6 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, and the back side of the hub blade 36, which is being held under suction by the blade holding part 48, is pressed against the large diameter part 128 of the cleaning member 126. , the central opening 38a of the hub blade 36 is fitted into the small diameter portion 130 of the cleaning member 126. Thereby, the back surface side of the hub blade 36 and the central opening 38a can be cleaned by the cleaning member 126 of the cleaning means 13.

When cleaning, it is preferable to supply the cleaning liquid to the cleaning member 126 through the cleaning liquid flow path. Thereby, the cleanliness of the hub blade 36 can be further improved.

In addition, when the blade holding part 48 is rotatably attached to the casing 52, when pressing the hub blade 36 against the cleaning member 126, the blade holding part 48 holding the hub blade 36 by suction is rotated. You can.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20, the end surface of the blade holder 48 can also be cleaned by pressing the blade holder 48 against the cleaning member 126 without suctioning and holding the hub blade 36 with the blade holder 48. A cleaning liquid may also be supplied to the cleaning member 126 when cleaning the blade holding portion 48 .

After cleaning the back side of one of the removed hub blades 36, the endless track 22 of the cutting blade storage means 4 is rotated, and the empty blade support shaft 24 that does not support the hub blade 36 is moved to a predetermined position (for example, the blade support shaft 24).

Next, the X-axis moving means 12 and the Z-axis moving means 10 are operated to move the shaft portion 34 of the blade support shaft 24 at the predetermined position to the central opening 38a of one of the hub blades 36 that is being held under suction by the blade holding portion 48. The X-axis and Z-axis positions of the blade holding section 48 are adjusted so that the blade holding section 48 can be inserted.

Next, the frame body 74 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, and the blade support shaft 24 at the predetermined position is inserted into the central opening 38a of one of the hub blades 36, which is suction-held by the blade holder 48. While inserting the shaft portion 34, the end surface of one hub blade 36 is brought into contact with the end surface of the base portion 32 of the blade support shaft 24. Next, the suction force of the blade holding portion 48 is released, and one of the pair of removed hub blades 36 is transferred to the blade support shaft 24.

Further, the Y-axis direction positioning means 8 separates the loading/unloading means 6 from the cutting blade storage means 4, rotates the casing 52 of the loading/unloading means 6 by 180 degrees, and holds the other of the pair of removed hub blades 36 by suction. The blade holder 48 on the opposite side faces the cutting blade storage means 4.

Next, after cleaning the other hub blade 36 that was removed in the same manner as described above, the frame body 74 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction positioning means 8, and the other hub blade 36 that is suction-held by the blade holding section 48 on the opposite side is moved. Insert the shaft portion 34 of the blade support shaft 24 at the predetermined position into the central opening 38 a of the hub blade 36 , and insert the end surface of the other hub blade 36 into the end surface of the hub blade 36 supported by the blade support shaft 24 . bring into contact. Next, the suction force of the blade holding part 48 is released, and the other of the pair of removed hub blades 36 is transferred to the blade support shaft 24.

As described above, the automatic exchange device 2 of the illustrated embodiment can be installed later on the cutting device 170 already delivered to the user to replace the cutting blade attached to the cutting means 174 of the cutting device 170. In addition, the cleaning means 13 can clean the back side of the cutting blade and the blade holding portion 48. Therefore, in the automatic exchange device 2, even if the cutting blade is replaced repeatedly, the cutting blade can be reliably held by the blade holding section 48, and the ID of the cutting blade can be maintained in a readable state. .

2: Automatic exchange device 4: Cutting blade storage means 6: Carrying in/out means 8: Y-axis positioning means 10: Z-axis moving means 12: X-axis moving means 13: Cleaning means 14: Rotating shaft 16: Drive gear 18: Rotation Shaft 20: Driven gear 22: Endless track 24: Blade support shaft 36: Hub blade (cutting blade)
38: Base 38a: Central opening 40: Cutting blade 46: Z rotation axis 48: Blade holding part 50: Fixed nut holding part 74: Frame body 76: Elevating table 92: Guide rail 112: Flexing arm 170: Cutting device 172 : Chuck table 174: Cutting means 176: X-axis feeding means 178: Y-axis feeding means 180: Z-axis feeding means 220: Spindle 222: Fixing nut 228: Male thread (spindle)

Claims (6)

A chuck table with a holding surface for holding a workpiece, a cutting means equipped with a fixing nut with a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a processing feed for the chuck table in the X-axis direction. an X-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction; and a Y-axis feeding means for indexing and feeding the cutting means in a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. and a Z-axis feeding means, the holding surface being connected to a cutting device defined in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction,
A cutting blade storage means for storing a plurality of cutting blades, a carry-in/out means for carrying in and out of the cutting blade storage means, and a working position of the carry-in/out means in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means. a Y-axis direction positioning means for positioning the carry-in/out means in the Z-axis direction; a Z-axis moving means for moving the carry-in/out means in the X-axis direction; comprising at least an X-axis moving means for acting on the cutter blade and a cleaning means;
The loading/unloading means includes a Z rotating shaft extending in the Z-axis direction, a blade holding section that is radially connected to the Z rotating shaft and holds the cutting blade by suction, and a male thread formed at the tip of the spindle to connect the fixing nut. a fixing nut holder that is screwed into and unscrewed from the
The cleaning means is an automatic exchange device including a blade holder cleaning section that cleans the blade holder, and a cutting blade cleaning section that cleans the back side of the cutting blade held in the blade holder. The loading/unloading means is disposed on a frame via a bending arm, the frame is slidably supported by a guide rail extending in the Y-axis direction disposed on the lifting table, and the Y-axis positioning means 2. The automatic exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange device is positioned at the operating position and the retracted position in the Y-axis direction with respect to the cutting blade storage means. 3. The automatic exchange device according to claim 2, wherein said bending arm advances and retreats in said loading/unloading means in the X-axis direction. The cutting blade storage means includes a driving gear having a rotation shaft extending in the Y-axis direction, a driven gear having a rotation shaft extending in the Y-axis direction and spaced apart from the driving gear in the Z-axis direction, and the driving gear and the driven gear. Claim 1 comprising: an endless track wrapped around the endless track; and a blade support shaft extending in the Y-axis direction, disposed on the endless track at a predetermined interval, inserted into a central opening of the cutting blade, and supporting the cutting blade. Automatic exchange device as described. 5. The automatic exchange device according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the driving gear and the driven gear in the Z-axis direction can be adjusted, and the length of the endless track can also be adjusted. The cutting blade stored in the cutting blade storage means is a hub blade with a cutting blade disposed on the outer periphery of the base,
5. The automatic changing device according to claim 4, wherein the blade support shaft has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the central opening of the hub blade, and the blade holding portion holds the hub blade.

Images