JP3145844B2 - Apparatus and method for transferring thin plate members - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transferring thin plate members, and more particularly to a thin plate member for transferring a large number of thin plate members such as semiconductor wafers and compact disks in a processing step and a cleaning step at the same time. The present invention relates to a transfer device and a transfer method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when a semiconductor device manufacturing process is taken as an example, when an object to be processed, for example, a semiconductor wafer, is transported between each manufacturing process, a wafer accommodating jig such as a wafer cassette or a wafer chuck is provided. A plurality of (for example, 25) semiconductor wafers are arranged and accommodated in the thickness direction at the same pitch, and a transport operation is performed for each lot.

For this reason, a transfer apparatus, that is, a wafer cassette is mounted on a processing apparatus in each process, and a wafer loader for taking out semiconductor wafers from the wafer cassette and transporting the semiconductor wafers to a predetermined processing section. And a wafer unloader for accommodating a semiconductor wafer processed by the processing unit in a wafer cassette.

In such a wafer loader, for example, a roller is brought into contact with a semiconductor wafer in a wafer cassette from the lower side of a mounting portion on which the wafer cassette is mounted, and is rotated.
An alignment mechanism for aligning a plurality of semiconductor wafers in the same direction using an orientation flat formed on the semiconductor wafer, a push-up mechanism for pushing up the semiconductor wafers aligned by the alignment mechanism from below, and the like are provided. The semiconductor wafer pushed up by is held by a wafer transfer mechanism and transferred to a predetermined processing unit.

[0005] The semiconductor wafer that has been processed in the processing section is gripped by the wafer transport mechanism and transported to the wafer unloader. The wafer unloader supports the transferred processed semiconductor wafer from below the wafer cassette mounting portion by a lifting mechanism, and lowers the lifting mechanism to accommodate the semiconductor wafer in the wafer cassette. Is configured.

FIG. 14 schematically shows such a conventional lifting mechanism.
And FIG. The push-up mechanism, as shown,
It has a structure in which a wafer support unit 101 is fixed to an upper end of a lifting arm 100. The wafer support portion 101 includes, for example, three grooves 102, 103, and 104 having a groove width (W) wider than the thickness (D) of the semiconductor wafer 105, which are cut in the arrangement direction of the semiconductor wafer 105. Groove jig 10
6, 107 and 108, each of which has a groove 101,
The groove widths of 103 and 104 are arranged side by side. At the time of use, these grooves 101, 10
3 and 104, a thin plate member 105 such as a semiconductor wafer
It is possible to support a plurality of semiconductor wafers accommodating the lower side portion at a constant pitch.

[0007]

However, the width of each groove of the conventional push-up mechanism is set so that a plurality of thin plate members, for example, semiconductor wafers can be easily and simultaneously accommodated and supported. Therefore, when the thin film member is accommodated, a gap is generated between each thin film and the wall of each groove, and as a result, the thin plate member is in an inclined state or a loose state. Therefore, stable transfer work cannot be performed, which has been a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional thin plate member transfer apparatus and transfer method, and accordingly, has as its object a very simple structure and method. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved thin plate member transfer device and method capable of simultaneously holding and fixing a plurality of semiconductor wafers in the upright state at the same pitch.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a housing jig in which a plurality of thin plate members arranged at a constant pitch in a thickness direction are arranged at a constant pitch. the push up from below while holding and Eject from its stowed jig a thin plate member transfer device for transferring the conveying device, at least a predetermined distance than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member for transferring (.delta.w ) At least three comb-teeth members in which a plurality of grooves extending in the lateral direction at a wide interval (W) are cut at a constant pitch in the longitudinal direction are arranged in parallel in the lateral direction, and the thin plate member is stored in the storage jig. When receiving
At the time of transfer, the interval (W) between grooves cut in each comb tooth member
Is less than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member
Also, a groove with a predetermined interval (δw) and a wide interval (W) is formed
The respective comb-tooth members are relatively moved to the thin plate member storage position to be
When the thin plate member is pushed up, the interval (W) between the grooves cut in at least one comb tooth member is equal to the interval (W) between the grooves cut in another comb tooth member by the predetermined interval (δw). The groove shape with the thickness (D) of the thin plate member by shifting only
Drive relatively moving the comb teeth members to gripping position but which is formed
A moving mechanism is provided.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of thin plate members arranged at a constant pitch in a thickness direction in a housing jig are pushed up from below while maintaining a state of being arranged at a constant pitch, and are moved from the housing jig. In taking out and transferring, the thickness (D) of the thin plate member to be transferred is at least a predetermined interval (δ).
w) At least three comb teeth members each having a plurality of grooves extending in the lateral direction at a wide interval (W) cut at a constant pitch in the longitudinal direction are juxtaposed in the lateral direction, and the grooves cut in each comb tooth member. Is equal to the thickness (D) of the thin plate member
At least a predetermined interval (δw) and a wide interval (W)
The respective comb teeth members are relatively moved to the thin plate member accommodating positions in which the groove shape is formed, and the thin plate members are accommodated in the groove shape, and then the interval between the grooves cut in at least one comb tooth member ( W) is shifted by the predetermined interval (δw) with respect to the interval (W) of the groove cut in the other comb-shaped member, so that the thin plate
Each comb tooth member is relatively moved to a gripping position where a groove having a thickness (D) of the member is formed, and the thin plate member housed in the groove is sandwiched. After pushing up the plurality of thin plate members from the housing jig and holding the thin plate member by another jig, the respective comb-tooth members are relatively moved to the thin plate member housing position again to release the thin plate members. A method of transferring a thin plate member, wherein the thin plate member is transferred to another jig.

[0011]

[0012]

According to the present invention, a thin plate to be transferred is provided on the comb teeth member.
At least a predetermined interval (δw) wider than the thickness (D) of the member
A plurality of grooves extending in the lateral direction at long intervals (W)
At a constant pitch, so that it is
At the thin plate member accommodating position where the interval (W) of the set grooves is uniform.
When the material is moved relative to each other,
It will be aligned. As a result, when storing and supporting thin plate members
Shall be easily inserted and accommodated in each groove.
Is possible. Then, cut into at least one comb tooth member
The groove (W) of the cut groove is cut in another comb tooth member
From the interval (W) by the predetermined interval (δw)
By moving each comb tooth member relatively to the gripping position
The thin plate member inserted in each groove is the groove cut in the comb tooth member.
Other wall surfaces on one side of the ridges and grooves
Sandwiched between the two walls and fixed vertically
Therefore, it is possible to perform the transfer operation stably.

[0013]

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An apparatus and method for transferring a thin plate member according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to an embodiment applied to a semiconductor wafer cleaning apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a transfer apparatus 1 constructed according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 incorporate the transfer apparatus 1 shown in FIG. A schematic plan view of the cleaning device 2 is shown.

First, with reference to FIG. 2, a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a cleaning device 2 having a simple configuration will be described. As shown in the figure, the cleaning apparatus 2 simultaneously supports a plurality of objects, for example, 50 wafers, for example, semiconductor wafers 4 stored in a wafer cassette 3 by a groove jig 5 configured according to the present invention. Then, the wafer is held by the wafer chuck means 7 disposed above the wafer, transferred to the transfer device 6, and transferred by the transfer processing device 6 to the cleaning processing unit 8 disposed therearound. It is configured as possible.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 2 having a more complicated structure.
As shown in detail in FIG. 3, for example, is constituted by three cleaning processing units 8a, 8b, 8c, the loader 12 is connected to the loading-side cleaning processing unit 8a, and the loading-side cleaning processing unit 8c. Is connected to an unloader 13, and further, between the cleaning processing units 8a and 8b and between the cleaning processing units 8b and 8c, underwater loaders 13a and 13b constituting a part of the processing chamber are respectively connected.

A container 14a having a transfer arm 6a is arranged at a center position of the cleaning processing unit 8a on the carry-in side.
Around the container 14a, the ammonia processing chamber 15
A water treatment chamber 16 is disposed on the opposite side of the loader 12. A container 14b provided with a transfer arm 6b is disposed at a center position of the central cleaning processing unit 8b, and an underwater loader 13a is provided on both left and right sides of the container 14b.
A hydrofluoric acid treatment chamber 17 and a flush overflow treatment chamber 18 are respectively disposed at front and rear positions. A container 14c having a transfer arm 6c is disposed at a center position of the cleaning processing unit 8c on the carry-out side.
Around the container 14c, a water-washing final rinse processing chamber 19 is disposed on the opposite side of the unloader 13, and a drying processing chamber 20 is disposed on the right side. The transfer device 1 configured according to the present invention can be attached to, for example, the loader 12 and the unloader 13 of the cleaning device 2, and a plurality of wafers are aligned in a cassette from a plurality of wafers. At the same time, the cleaning units 8a, 8b, 8
c can be transferred.

Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the transfer device 1 constructed according to the present invention will be described. As shown in the figure, the transfer device 1 includes a cassette mounting table 9 having two cassette guides 9a and 9b on the left and right. A plurality of, for example, 25 semiconductor wafers 4 are mounted on the wafer mounting table 9. A wafer accommodation jig configured to be capable of accommodating,
For example, a wafer cassette 3 is placed. As is well known, the wafer cassette 3 is configured to support the respective semiconductor wafers 12 at predetermined positions in a substantially vertical state at the same pitch by slots provided in opposed inner wall portions.

The cassette guides 9a and 9b are for mounting the wafer cassette 3 at predetermined positions on the cassette mounting table 9. The wafer cassette 3 is mounted between the left and right cassette guides 9a and 9b. An opening 10 is formed so as to be located at a lower portion of the wafer cassette 3 when the groove jig 5 that can move up and down by an elevating mechanism 11 is mounted in the opening. The groove jig 5 includes a center support portion 5a and left and right support portions 5b and 5c, of which the center support portion 5a is configured to be movable back and forth by a drive mechanism (not shown). , 5c.

As shown in FIG. 4, the groove jig 5 is composed of comb members 22 arranged at the same pitch in the longitudinal direction of the base 21, that is, in the front-rear direction in which the semiconductor wafers are arranged. And a groove 23 formed between them. According to the present invention, the groove width (W) of the groove 23 is configured to be wider by a predetermined interval (δw) than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member such as the semiconductor wafer 4 to be inserted. Thus, the groove width (W) of each groove 23 is smaller than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member.
, The operation at the time of receiving and taking out the semiconductor wafer 4 can be easily performed.
Further, the open end of each comb tooth member 22 is formed in a tapered shape so that the semiconductor wafer 4 can be easily received.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a mechanism for receiving and fixing the semiconductor wafer 4 by the groove jig 5 configured as described above will be described. FIG.
As shown in (a), when the semiconductor wafer 4 is received, the widths of the adjacent supporting portions 5a, 5b, and 5c are all equal, that is, each of the grooves is combined so that one wall is formed by both wall surfaces of each of the grooves. The center support portion 5a is driven and positioned so that the groove of the book is formed. As a result, a single groove having a margin (δw) greater than the thickness (D) of the semiconductor wafer 4 is formed, so that the semiconductor wafer 4 can be easily taken in and out.

When the semiconductor 4 is fixed, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the center support 5a is moved in the direction of the arrow, that is, in the longitudinal direction substantially by the margin (δw) of the groove width (W). 5c, a single groove having a width of the thickness (D) of the semiconductor wafer 4 inserted by the grooves of the adjacent supporting portions 5a, 5b, 5c is formed. As a result, the thin plate member inserted into each groove,
For example, the wall surface 23 on one side of the groove of the left and right support portions 5b and 5c.
b, 23c and the wall surface 23b of the groove of the central support portion 5a,
Since it is sandwiched between the wall surface 23a on the other side opposite to the wall surface 23c and firmly fixed in a vertical state, it is possible to perform the transfer operation stably.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the operation of the entire cleaning apparatus 2 including the transfer apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

First, a cassette wafer 3 in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers 4 are arranged at the same pitch is mounted on a wafer mounting table 9, and the position of each wafer is determined by an appropriate wafer alignment mechanism with reference to the orientation flat of each wafer. Matching is performed. Next, the groove jig 5 is raised by the lifting mechanism 11 (FIG. 4A). At this time, each support portion 5 of the groove jig 5
a, 5b, the groove width of each groove in 5c, as amenable to semiconductor wafer 4 are aligned as shown in Figure 4 (a). Then, the central support portion 5a of Mizochigu 5 are relatively moved to fix the semiconductor wafer 4 as shown in Figure 4 (b).
Then, raising the Mizochi tool 5 as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the wafer chuck 7a at the top of the cassette, 7b causes the grip the semiconductor wafer 4 during the rotating. Thereafter, by opening the semiconductor wafer 4 is returned to the position shown in FIG. 4 (a) a central supporting portion 5a of the groove jig 5 again, and FIG. 5 (c)
The groove jig 5 is lowered as shown in FIG. Next, the transfer device 6
Is moved to a position below the wafer chucks 7a and 7b,
After positioning each semiconductor wafer 4 in each groove of the transfer device 6, the wafer chucks 7a and 7b are opened again to complete the transfer operation to the transfer device 6.

Next, for example, the plurality of semiconductor wafers 4 transferred to the transfer device 6 by the loader 12 as described above.
Is transferred by a transfer arm to a predetermined step, for example, a cleaning step. For example, if each step is explained according to the cleaning apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 3, the semiconductor wafer 4 is immersed in the processing liquid in the processing tank of the ammonia processing chamber 15 from the opening to the ammonia processing chamber 15 by the transfer device 6a. Then, a cleaning process is performed.

After the cleaning in the ammonia processing chamber 15 is completed, the semiconductor wafer 4 is carried into the next water cleaning processing chamber 16 and subjected to water cleaning processing. The washed semiconductor wafer 4 is transported to the central cleaning unit 8b by the underwater loader 13a between the loading-side cleaning unit 8a and the central cleaning unit 8b, and the container of the central cleaning unit 8b Transfer arm 6b arranged at 14b
Is transported in the same manner as described above. Then, the semiconductor wafer 4 is sequentially subjected to a cleaning process in the hydrofluoric acid processing chamber 17 and a washing overflow process in the overflow processing chamber 18.

Further, the semiconductor wafer 4 which has been subjected to the cleaning processing in the central cleaning processing unit 8a is transferred to the unloading side via the underwater loader 13b between the central cleaning processing unit 8b and the cleaning processing unit 8c on the discharge side. Cleaning unit 8
c. Then, the cleaning unit 8 on the carry-out side
c is transferred by the transfer arm 6c in the same manner as described above,
After the final rinse, a drying process is performed.
The semiconductor wafer 4 thus cleaned by the cleaning processing unit 8c on the unloading side is transported to the unloader 13, where the semiconductor wafer 4 is placed on the semiconductor cassette 3 by the transfer device 1 and unloaded. .

In the cleaning apparatus 2 shown in FIG.
Although the example in which the transfer device 1 configured based on the present invention is applied to a type having one cleaning processing unit 8a, 8b, and 8c has been described, the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, the transfer device 1 configured based on the present invention can be applied to a cleaning processing apparatus of a type in which a plurality of cleaning processing chambers are linearly arranged.

Next, various mechanisms for relatively moving the groove jig 5 for housing and fixing the semiconductor wafer 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the groove jig 5 is composed of three support members 51, 52 and 53,
The left and right support portions 51 and 53 may be fixed, and only the central support portion 52 may be driven by the drive mechanism 54 in the front-rear direction (arrow direction). Various driving devices such as a motor, a magnet, and an air cylinder can be used as the driving mechanism. Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the center support portion 52 is fixed and the left and right support portions 51 and 53 are driven by an appropriate driving device. In short, if the relative width of each groove can be relatively adjusted between the time of receiving the semiconductor wafer and the time of fixing by relatively moving each support portion,
Any structure can be adopted without departing from the technical idea of the present invention described in the claims.

For example, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to adopt two sets of support parts composed of a combination of 1, 63 and the moving support parts 62, 64. With such a configuration, the width of each groove can be adjusted between the time of receiving the semiconductor and the time of fixing by the relative movement of each support. As described above, any combination of two or more support members for supporting the semiconductor wafer 4 can be employed.

If contamination by exposing the drive mechanism to the inside of the transfer device poses a problem, as shown in FIG. 8, a magnet 71 is mounted inside the base 21 of the groove jig 5 and the magnet 71 is mounted. Is indirectly driven by the magnet 73 embedded in the driving device 72, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of contamination due to the driving mechanism. At that time, it is possible to drive the groove jig by using the attraction force of the two magnets, and it is also possible to drive the groove jig by using the repulsive force of the two magnets. In the latter case, the base 21 of the groove jig 5 and the driving device 7
2 can also avoid the friction that occurs between
Cleaner operation can be performed.

FIGS. 9 to 13 show other embodiments for holding and fixing the semiconductor wafer 4 constructed according to the present invention in the groove 23 of the groove jig 5, respectively.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which protruding fasteners 83 and 84 are provided on the comb teeth 81 and 82 of the groove jig 5. For convenience of description, the comb teeth 81 show the fasteners 83 in a protruding state, and the comb teeth 82 show the fasteners 84 in a retracted state. As shown, the fasteners 83 and 84 are provided with cavities 8 formed in the respective comb teeth 81 and 82.
5 is configured so as not to be detached from the cavity 85 by the flange portion 86 in the cavity 85. A magnet 86 is installed in each of the fasteners 83 and 84, and a magnet 87 movable in the front-rear direction is also installed on the base 21.

With this configuration, the magnets 87 are moved in accordance with the usage mode, and the fasteners 83, 84 are accommodated in the wall surfaces of the grooves by the attraction of the magnets 86, 87.
It is possible to protrude from the wall surface. For example, when accommodating the semiconductor wafer 4, the fastener 84 is accommodated in the wall surface of the groove as shown by the comb teeth 82, so that the interval (W) is sufficiently larger than the thickness (D) of the semiconductor wafer 4. ) Is secured, so that the semiconductor wafer 4 can be easily inserted. On the other hand, when the semiconductor wafer 4 is fixed, the comb 87 is moved by moving the magnet 87.
By projecting the fastener 83 from the wall surface of the groove by a predetermined distance (δw) as shown in (2), the semiconductor wafer 4 can be fixed and the transfer operation can be performed stably.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a plurality of interlocking fasteners 92 are mounted in the wall on one side of the plurality of comb teeth 91, so that each groove is formed when the semiconductor wafer 4 is fixed. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which the fasteners 92 are simultaneously projected from the wall surface to fix the semiconductor wafer 4.

As shown in FIG. 12, a fastener 94 is pivotally supported on a shaft 95 in the wall on one side of the comb teeth 93, and the operating point 96 is moved back and forth so that the shaft 95 is fixed around the shaft 95. It is also possible to make the tool 94 protrude or retract from the wall surface of the groove to receive or fix the semiconductor wafer 4.

As shown in FIG. 13, the comb teeth 93 are provided with a cavity 97 which is opened on one side wall surface of the groove, and an elastically deformable expansion / contraction member 98 such as a diaphragm bellows is provided in the opening. Airtightly, and air is supplied and exhausted into the cavity 97 from an air supply passage 99 communicating with the cavity 97, thereby causing the bellows 98 to protrude from the wall surface or to be retracted, thereby causing the semiconductor wafer 4 to operate. Or a structure in which the semiconductor wafer 4 is fixed by the bellows 98 can be adopted.

The apparatus and method for transferring a thin plate member according to the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but is described in the appended claims. Various changes can be made without departing from the described technical idea. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been given in connection with the cleaning apparatus. However, the transfer apparatus of the present invention can be applied to various processing apparatuses for semiconductor wafers. Further, the transfer device of the present invention is not limited to a semiconductor wafer,
It can be applied to various thin plate members such as a compact disk and a glass substrate.

[0041]

As described above, according to the apparatus and method for transferring a thin plate member according to the present invention, when the thin plate member is received, the groove is sufficiently wider than the thickness of the thin plate member. Therefore, the thin plate member can be easily received. When the thin plate member is fixed, the groove width is relatively narrowed by relatively moving at least one comb tooth member, and the thin plate member can be sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the grooves, so that the thin plate member is in a vertical state. It is possible to fix to. In particular, according to the invention, between the grooves
The distance (W) is at least predetermined than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member.
Because the spacing (δw) is wide, each comb tooth member is
Relatively moved to the gripping position shifted by the fixed interval (δw)
In some cases, the wall on one side of the groove inevitably cut into the comb
Between the surface and the other wall surface of the groove formed in the other comb member
The distance is substantially equal to the thickness (D) of the thin plate member.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the thin plate member is provided between the opposing surfaces of the groove.
When excessive pressure is applied to the thin plate member when
There is a feature that there is no distribution. Further , according to the present invention, since the comb-shaped members arranged in parallel are relatively moved to sandwich the thin-plate member between the opposing surfaces of the grooves formed on each comb-tooth member, the front and back surfaces of the thin-plate member are formed. The opposing surfaces of the grooves contact at different positions. For this reason, compared with a case where the thin plate member is sandwiched at the same position on the front and back surfaces, the force for pressing the thin plate member from both sides is small, the contact pressure between the thin plate member and the opposing surface of the groove is significantly reduced, and the contact area is also reduced. Can be smaller. Therefore, friction between the thin plate member and the opposing surface of the groove is hardly generated, and generation of particles can be suppressed to a minimum.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sketch of a transfer device configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a cleaning device mounted with a transfer device configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of still another embodiment of a cleaning apparatus equipped with a transfer apparatus configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation mode of a groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation mode of the transfer device configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a driving mechanism of a groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

11 is a side view of the groove jig shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing still another embodiment of the groove jig configured based on the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a state of a conventional groove jig.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing a state of a conventional groove jig.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 transfer device 2 cleaning device 3 wafer cassette 4 wafer 5 groove jig 5a central support portion 5b, 5c left and right support portion 6 transfer device 7 wafer chuck 8 cleaning processing portion 9 cassette mounting table W groove width D semiconductor wafer thickness δw margin Breadth

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-64-22742 (JP, A) JP-A-62-4142 (JP, A) JP-A-62-262440 (JP, A) JP-A-3-143837 (JP) JP-A-6-232239 (JP, A) JP-A 62-154646 (JP, U) JP-A 62-26034 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB Name) B65G 1/00-1/20 H01L 21/68

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] Claims: 1. An arrangement in a receiving jig at a constant pitch in a thickness direction.
A state where multiple thin plate members are arranged at a constant pitch
While holding it up, remove it from its storage jig
OutAnd transfer it to the transfer deviceFor transferring thin plate members
Therefore, at least a predetermined time interval is greater than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member to be transferred.
Separation (δw) A plurality of grooves extending in the lateral direction at a wide interval (W)
At least three strips cut at a constant pitch in the longitudinal direction
Comb members are arranged in parallel in the lateral direction,When the thin plate member is stored in the storage jig and delivered to the transfer device
When you The interval (W) between grooves cut on each comb tooth member is uniform
UThe thickness (D) of the thin plate member
Grooves with regular intervals (δw) and wide intervals (W) are formed
ToThin plate member storage positionThen, move each comb tooth member relative to When pushing up, Carved into at least one comb member
The distance (W) between the grooves formed is between the grooves carved in other comb teeth members
Deviates from the interval (W) by the predetermined interval (δw)This
With this, a groove having the thickness (D) of the thin plate member is formed.
ToGripping positionToMove each comb member relativelyDriveEquipped with a mechanism
A thin plate member transfer device. 2. A method in which a plurality of thin plate members arrayed at a constant pitch in a thickness direction in an accommodation jig are pushed up from below while keeping a state of being arranged at a constant pitch, taken out of the accommodation jig, and transferred. A plurality of grooves extending in the lateral direction at a predetermined interval (δw) wider than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member to be transferred at a predetermined interval (δw) are cut at a constant pitch in the longitudinal direction. the juxtaposed transversely, in particular groove spacing Article engraved on each comb tooth member (W) is aligned
At least a predetermined interval (δ) than the thickness (D) of the thin plate member.
w) relatively moving each comb tooth member to a thin plate member accommodating position where a groove shape having a wide interval (W) is formed, and accommodating the thin plate member in the groove shape, and then at least one comb tooth member The gap (W) between the grooves formed in the other comb teeth member is shifted by the predetermined distance (δw) from the space (W) between the grooves formed in the other comb-shaped members.
Each of the comb-tooth members is relatively moved to a gripping position where a groove having a thickness (D) of the plate member is formed, and the thin plate member housed in the groove is sandwiched. After the plurality of thin plate members are pushed up from the accommodation jig and another jig grips the thin plate member, each comb tooth member is relatively moved again to the thin plate member accommodation position to release the thin plate member. And transferring the sheet to another jig.