JP2704348B2 - Stock equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stock apparatus which is installed in a clean room and which can store, in a clean state, stored items such as glass substrates for liquid crystal panels which require a high degree of cleanliness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a production line of a display liquid crystal panel, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel is produced in a clean room while performing various processes and assembling various parts. A stock device for temporarily stocking a glass substrate, which is a semi-finished product, is provided.

[0003]

A conventional stocking apparatus of this type is a stocking mechanism generally used as a warehouse for storing articles, for example, a large number of stocking shelves are provided on both sides of a room in a vertically multistage manner. A structure with a moving loading / unloading mechanism installed in the center of the room was used.

[0004] However, when such a general-purpose stock apparatus is installed and used in a clean room, the normal clean room flows clean air from top to bottom to maintain the cleanness of the room. For this reason, fine dust generated when the loading / unloading mechanism for loading / unloading articles such as glass substrates moves up and down flows into the stock shelf located at the lower part of the room, and the glass substrate stored in the lower stock shelf. However, compared with the glass substrate housed in the upper part, there was a problem that dust adhered more and the degree of cleanness was reduced.

[0005] Therefore, an air conditioner for flowing clean air from the lateral direction is installed in such a general-purpose stock device to maintain the cleanliness of the whole stored items, but a special air conditioner is required. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is a stock apparatus capable of storing and storing all shelves in a normal clean room in which clean air flows from top to bottom. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a stock apparatus according to the present invention comprises a lifting mechanism provided on a bogie traveling vertically and horizontally on a floor in a clean room, and a hoisting mechanism of the hoisting mechanism. Elevating table provided for raising and lowering, and a lifting table for placing stored items, and a rotation support member arranged horizontally along the vicinity of the ceiling in the clean room and supporting the stored items, at least at four corners of the stored items. The gist of the present invention is to provide a storage unit disposed at a corresponding position, and a support release mechanism provided on the elevating table for releasing the support posture of the rotation support member.

[0008]

In the stock apparatus constructed as described above, the stored items are placed on the elevating table and moved to the position directly below the storage section to be stored by the cart. Then, the elevating table is raised by the elevating mechanism, and the stored articles placed on the elevating table are lifted immediately below the storage section located near the ceiling. And as the stored items rise further,
While rotating the rotating support members located at least at the four corners, the stored article enters the storage section, and when the stored article is raised above the storage section, each rotation support member rotates inward,
When the elevating table is lowered in this state, at least four corners of the stored article are supported by the rotation support member.

On the other hand, when taking out stored articles, the bogie travels to a position directly below the storage section to be taken out. And
The elevating table is raised by the elevating mechanism, and the elevating table abuts on the bottom of the stored item, and the elevating table is raised as it is to lift the stored item, and the support release mechanism operates to release the supporting posture of the rotating support member. . In this state,
With the lifting mechanism lowering the lifting table, and with the lifting table resting the stored items thereon, the bogie carries it to an arbitrary position.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a stock apparatus used in a clean room, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. Reference numeral 1 denotes an XY-axis traveling mechanism installed on the floor. A plurality of X-axis rails 2 are laid in parallel on the floor, and an X-axis drive belt 3 is stretched between the pulleys along the rails 2,
A motor 4 with a reduction gear for driving is connected to one pulley shaft.

A long Y-axis table 5 is mounted on a plurality of X-axis rails 2 so as to be able to run via rollers and the like, and the end of the X-axis drive belt 3 is connected to the Y-axis table 5. The drive of the motor 4 causes the Y-axis stand 5 to travel in the X-axis direction. A plurality of Y-axis rails 6 are laid in parallel on the Y-axis table 5 along its longitudinal direction, and a Y-axis drive belt 7 is stretched between pulleys along the rails 6 to drive one of the pulley shafts. Motor 8 with a speed reducer.

A trolley 9 is mounted on the Y-axis rail 6 so as to be able to travel via rollers and the like, and the end of the Y-axis drive belt 7 is connected to the trolley 9.
Travel in the axial direction.

An elevating mechanism 10 is mounted on the trolley 9, and a storage product access mechanism 15 is provided on the elevating mechanism 10. The lifting mechanism 10 has a hydraulic cylinder 11 arranged upward, and a piston rod 11 a of the hydraulic cylinder 11.
The lifting table 12 is fixed to the end of the platform, a guide rod 13 is protruded below the lifting table 12, and the guide rod 13 is slidably fitted into a guide cylinder 14 fixed in the frame of the carriage 9. You.

The access mechanism 15 has a hydraulic cylinder 16 disposed upwardly at the center of the elevating table 12. The elevating table 17 is fixed to the tip of a piston rod 16 a of the hydraulic cylinder 16. Guide rod 18
And a guide rod 18 is slidably inserted into a guide cylinder 19 fixed on the lift 12.

Further, the elevating table 1 of the access mechanism 15
A support release mechanism 20 for a rotation support member 28 that forms a storage section 27 described below is provided below 7. The support release mechanism 20 is configured such that a fluid pressure cylinder 21 is fixed downward on both lower sides of the elevating table 17 and an L-shaped lifting member 22 is attached upward to the tip of a piston rod 21a.

The elevating table 17 has a planar shape as shown in FIG. 5, and a concave portion is provided at an intermediate portion on both sides, from which the elevating member 22 can be lifted upward. Further, on the elevating table 17, projections 17a for engaging and positioning with the bottom of the cassette 25 are provided at four corners.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cassette 25 lifted by the lifting table 17 is formed in a frame case having upper and lower openings, and a partition for vertically storing the glass substrate 26 is provided therein. The middle portion is provided with a concave portion 25a into which the lifting member 22 enters.

On the other hand, near the ceiling in the clean room, a stock shelf mechanism is provided as shown in FIG.
This stock shelf mechanism is formed by arranging a large number of storage portions 27 of the cassette 25 on a horizontal plane along the vicinity of the ceiling. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the storage section 27 of each cassette 25 is formed by arranging six rotation supporting members 28 on a horizontal plane and at a position matching the bottom shape of the cassette 25.

That is, the rotation supporting member 28 is rotatably supported on a base 29 by a horizontal shaft 30, rotates from a horizontal position to a vertical position in a range of about 90 degrees, and is moved to a horizontal position by a spring 31. It is urged to be. Further, the rotation support member 28 has a support portion 28 for supporting the cassette 25 at its tip.
a and a roller 28b, and the support 25a and the roller 28b support the cassette 25 in a horizontal state.

As shown in FIG. 8, the right and left horizontal shafts 30 are connected so as to be one each, and the three left and right rotation support members 28 fixed to each horizontal shaft are rotated together. Move. Also, as shown in FIG.
Is provided not for supporting the cassette 25 but for rotating the horizontal shaft 30, that is, the rotation support member 28 at the four corners by the lifting member 22 of the support release mechanism 20.
Therefore, the rotation support member 28 at the intermediate position does not necessarily have to have the same structure as the rotation support members 28 at the other four corners.

As shown in FIG.
Since the rotation supporting members 28 are arranged at the four corners and the center is a space, the cassette 25 can be inserted so as to push up the cassette 25 from below.

The stock apparatus constructed as described above is installed in a clean room. As shown in FIG. 1, a clean air outlet is provided downward on the ceiling of the clean room and air is provided on the floor. Is provided, and clean air flows from top to bottom.

The cassette 25 is stored in the storage section 27 of the stock apparatus.
When the cassette 25 is stored, first, the cassette 25 is
7 on which the cart 9 is to be stored.
The XY-axis traveling mechanism 1 is operated to move to a position directly below the position.

Next, the elevating mechanism 10 on the carriage 9 is operated to raise the elevating table 12, and the cassette 25 on the elevating table 17 is positioned immediately below the storage section 27. Then, the fluid pressure cylinder 16 of the access mechanism 15 is pushed out, and the lifting table 17 is further raised. As a result, the cassette 25 on the table rises and is inserted into the storage section 27 while rotating the six rotation supporting members 28 upward.

At this time, the rollers 28 of the rotation support member 28
b guides the rise of the cassette while contacting the side surface of the cassette 25. After the cassette 25 has passed, the rotation support member 28 returns to the position shown in FIG. Then, the piston rod 16a of the fluid pressure cylinder 16 is pulled back and the lifting table 17 is lowered, and the cassette 25 on the lower side is supported at its four corners at the bottom by the support portion 28a of the rotation support member 28 and the roller 28b. It is in a stowed state.

By repeating such an operation, many cassettes 25 are stored in the storage section 27 near the ceiling.
The glass substrate 26 in the stored cassette 25 is always received and stored with high clean air blown from the ceiling, so that it can be kept clean. In addition, the traveling mechanism and the elevating mechanism that easily generate fine dust are always located below the storage unit 27, and the fine dust generated from the traveling mechanism and the elevating mechanism is sucked into the suction port of the floor by the airflow in the room. Since it is immediately sucked, it does not adhere to the glass substrate 26 in the cassette 25.

On the other hand, the cassette 2 stored in the storage section 27
In the case where the cart 5 is taken out, the cart 9 is placed in the storage section 27 to be taken out.
The XY-axis traveling mechanism 1 is operated to move to a position directly below the position. Next, the elevating mechanism 10 on the carriage 9 is operated to raise the elevating table 12, and the elevating table 17 is positioned immediately below the cassette 25 in the storage unit 27.

Then, the fluid pressure cylinder 16 of the access mechanism 15 is pushed out, and the lifting table 17 is further raised. At this time, the fluid pressure cylinder 21 of the support release mechanism 20 is simultaneously pulled back, and the lifting member 22 is projected upward from both sides of the table.

As the elevating table 17 is raised, the cassette 25 of the storage section 27 is supported on the table. As the elevating member 22 is raised, the leading end of the elevating member 22 is moved to the rotating support member 28 located in the intermediate recess 25 a of the cassette 25. When it hits, it is rotated upward, and all the rotation supporting members 28 on both sides are rotated upward in an unsupported state.

Next, in this state, the piston rod 16a of the fluid pressure cylinder 16 is pulled back, the elevating table 17 is lowered, and the cassette 25 on the table is also lowered between the rotary support members 28. During the downward movement, the lifting member 22 separates from the rotation supporting member 28, and thereafter, the rotation supporting member 2
When the cassette 25 descends while the roller 28b of the roller 8 contacts the side surface of the cassette 25, and the cassette 25 passes between the rotation supporting members 28 of the storage portion 27, the rotation supporting member 28 is rotated inward by the spring 31. Then return to the first position. Then, the elevating platform 12 of the elevating mechanism 10 descends, and the carriage 9 travels to a predetermined position to convey the cassette 25 on the table 17 to a predetermined position.

[0032]

As described above, according to the stock apparatus of the present invention, since the storage section of the storage article is provided near the ceiling in the clean room, the storage article such as the glass substrate can be used.
Clean air blown from the ceiling with a high degree of cleanliness is always received and stored, and can be kept in a clean state. In addition, the traveling mechanism and elevating mechanism that easily generate fine dust are always located below the storage unit, and the fine dust generated from the traveling mechanism and elevating mechanism is sent to the floor suction port by the descending air flow in the room. Since it is immediately sucked, there is no danger of adhering to the upper stored items, and the stored items can be kept clean. Furthermore, there is no need to install a special air conditioner that allows air to flow in the clean room in the horizontal direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a stock apparatus in a clean room showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an elevating mechanism and an access mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a lifting table.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cassette.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a storage unit.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a storage section.

FIG. 9 is a front view of an access mechanism and a storage unit.

FIG. 10 is a side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-XY axis traveling mechanism, 9-trolley, 10-elevation mechanism, 12
-Elevating table, 15-access mechanism, 17-elevating table, 2
0-support release mechanism, 27-storage, 28-rotation support member.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A lift mechanism provided on a carriage traveling vertically and horizontally on a floor in a clean room; a lift table provided on the lift table of the lift mechanism so as to be movable up and down; A storage portion disposed horizontally along the vicinity of the ceiling in the storage portion, and a rotation support member for supporting the storage item arranged at a position corresponding to at least four corners of the storage item; And a support release mechanism for releasing the support posture of the rotation support member.