JP4371009B2 - Substrate transfer device, substrate storage and transfer device, substrate carry-in system, substrate carry-out system, and substrate carry-in / carry-out system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device installed on a transfer line for thin plate substrates such as liquid crystal glass, a substrate storage and transfer device provided with the substrate transfer device, a substrate carry-in system provided with the substrate storage and transfer device, and a substrate transfer The present invention relates to a system and a substrate loading / unloading system.

This type of substrate storage and transfer device combines a multi-joint robot or horizontal reciprocating hand that handles substrates and a cassette-shaped shelf that can store substrates in multiple stages, and has a function that allows substrates to be arbitrarily loaded and unloaded. A known device is known.
Also known is an apparatus that has a function of carrying out the stored substrates in order from the lower stage while combining the cassette-like shelves that can be moved up and down and a fixed conveyor to carry in and store the substrates in order from the upper stage of the shelf. (For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2002-289678 A JP 2001-253541 A

However, in the technique using the above articulated robot, a substrate can be carried into and out of an arbitrary shelf. However, in order to avoid interference with the robot hand, it is necessary to widen the substrate storage pitch of the shelf. Is difficult to increase. Another problem is that the installation space is large because the robot and the shelf are combined. This problem of installation space is particularly noticeable when used in a clean room.
On the other hand, with the technology that allows the cassette-shaped shelf to be raised and lowered, there is no problem of the installation space as described above, but there is a restriction that the substrate cannot be carried in and out of an arbitrary shelf.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to arbitrarily carry in and out a substrate stored in multiple stages at a high density.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a solution relating to a substrate transport apparatus, in a reciprocating direction in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, with respect to a substrate cassette that can store a plurality of substrates in a vertical direction in a horizontal posture. Substrate carrying-in / out means that is inserted / removed by movement is provided, and the substrate carrying-in / out means is a plurality of pairs of conveyance rollers that can respectively support both side edges of the lower surface of the substrate, and is more orthogonal to the substrate conveyance direction than the conveyance rollers A means that is long in the direction and includes a hand portion that can support the substrate in a non-contact manner is employed .

Further, it is possible to adopt a means that a blowout hole capable of supplying air from an air supply source is opened on the substrate support surface of the hand unit.
Further, the present invention provides a substrate cassette capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a vertical direction in a multi-stage in a horizontal posture, a substrate loading / unloading device having the above structure, and a substrate cassette as a solution for the substrate storage / conveying device. A means is provided that includes a lifting mechanism that moves up and down relatively.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides, as a solution for the substrate carry-in system, the substrate storage / conveyance device provided on the substrate carry-in route, and provided upstream of the substrate storage / conveyance device on the carry-in route. A means is provided that includes a substrate supply device that supplies a substrate in a substrate cassette supplied from the outside, and a transfer device that supplies a substrate discharged from the substrate storage and transfer device on the carry-in path to the process device. .

  Further, the present invention provides, as a solution to the substrate carry-out system, the substrate storage / conveyance device provided on the substrate carry-out path, and the substrate storage / conveyance device provided on the carry-out path downstream of the substrate storage / conveyance device. A means is provided that includes a substrate supply device that stores the supplied substrate in a substrate cassette, and a transfer device that supplies the substrate discharged from the process device to the substrate storage and transfer device.

  Furthermore, the present invention is provided as a solution for the substrate carry-in / carry-out system, the substrate storage / conveyance device provided on the substrate carry-in route and the carry-out route, respectively, and upstream of the substrate storage / conveyance device on the carry-in route. A first substrate supply device for supplying a substrate in a substrate cassette supplied from the outside to the substrate storage / conveyance device, and a substrate storage / conveyance device provided downstream of the substrate storage / conveyance device on the carry-out path; A second substrate supply device for storing the substrate in the substrate cassette and a substrate discharged from the substrate storage / conveyance device on the carry-in route to the process device, and the substrate discharged from the process device on the carry-out route And a transfer device for supplying to the substrate storage and transfer device.

According to the solution means related to the substrate transport apparatus, after the substrate cassette and the substrate loading / unloading means are aligned using the lifting mechanism so that the substrate loading / unloading means can be inserted / removed to / from the stage where the substrate is to be loaded / unloaded, By inserting / removing the taking-out means horizontally into and out of the substrate cassette, the substrate can be arbitrarily carried in / out of the substrate cassette having a narrow substrate storage pitch without using an articulated robot.
Further, since the contact with the substrate at the time of loading / unloading is only on both side edges of the lower surface directly supported by the transport roller, the contamination of the substrate can be reduced. In particular, since the substrate is supported not only by the transport roller but also by a longer hand part, the length of the transport roller that directly contacts the substrate can be reduced as much as possible to minimize substrate contamination. Can be achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments which are the best modes of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings of FIGS.
The substrate storage and transfer apparatus according to this embodiment is a large and thin plate like a glass substrate used for a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), etc., and is also used to prevent contamination. It is suitable for transporting what is required to be transported while supporting both side edges of the substrate. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate cassette 1, the transport roller (substrate loading / unloading means) 24, and the hand The conveyance roller unit 2 including the section 26 and the cassette lifting mechanism (lifting mechanism) 3 are provided.

The substrate cassette 1 has a box shape in which the front side and the rear side in the substrate transport direction (the white arrow in FIG. 1) are the carry-in port 11a and the carry-out port 11b of the glass substrate 4, and the inner space includes glass A large number of shelves for carrying in and out and storing the substrate 4 in a horizontal posture are formed in the vertical direction.
The substrate support parts 12 constituting each shelf are configured by, for example, wires or the like that extend horizontally in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction (that is, the substrate width direction). In the example, 5) are arranged at a predetermined interval in the substrate transport direction.
With the above configuration, the substrate cassette 1 can be stored in multiple stages in the vertical direction while holding the glass substrate 4 in the horizontal posture by the substrate support portion 12.

The substrate cassette 1 is supported at a fixed position in the vertical direction so that the glass substrate 4 can be carried into an arbitrary shelf in the substrate cassette 1 and the glass substrate 4 can be carried out from an arbitrary shelf in the substrate cassette 1. The carriage roller 24 and the hand part 26 can be moved up and down relatively. For that purpose, the cassette lifting mechanism 3 includes a bracket 31 that supports the bottom 11c of the substrate cassette 1, a ball screw 32 (FIG. 3) that moves the bracket 31 up and down by servo drive, a guide 33 that guides the vertical movement of the bracket 31, And a sensor used to position the substrate cassette 1 in the vertical direction.
In FIG. 3, the conveyance roller unit 2 is not shown.

The transport roller unit 2 includes a pair of bases 21 arranged to be opposed to each other in the width direction of the glass substrate 4 as a transported object, in other words, in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the glass substrate. A plurality of (four in this embodiment) conveyor frames 22 are fixed at intervals in the transport direction.
A conveyor roller 24 is rotatably supported on the conveyor frame 22 via a shaft support 23 such as a bearing, and is longer in the direction (substrate width direction) perpendicular to the substrate transport direction than these transport rollers 24. A long plate-like hand portion 26 in a plan view is supported.

A plurality (six in this embodiment) of conveying rollers 24 are arranged in parallel with each other in the substrate conveying direction per conveyor frame 22. The hand portion 26 is supported in a cantilevered state on the conveyor frame 22 so as to be slightly lower than the transport rollers 24.
The transport roller 24 and the hand unit 26 are inserted into and removed from the substrate cassette 1 by moving the base 21 that integrally fixes the conveyor frames 22 in the horizontal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. This is realized by a reciprocating mechanism (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 4, the transport roller 24 includes a cylindrical shaft-shaped roller body 24a, and a substrate transport section 24b and a roller drive gear 25 that are externally inserted at the distal end portion and the base end portion, respectively. A rotational driving force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the conveying roller 24 through the roller driving gear 25. Since the substrate transport force is generated by the frictional force between the substrate transport unit 24b and the glass substrate 4 generated when the transport roller 24 rotates, the material of the substrate transport unit 24b obtains a predetermined friction force against the glass substrate 4. A thing is selected.
The substrate transfer unit 24b is not limited to the cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 4, but is an elastic body 24c such as an O-ring arranged at intervals in the axial direction as shown in FIG. May be.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a plurality of blowing holes 27 a that open to the upper surface (substrate support surface) 26 </ b> A and an air passage 27 b that communicates with these blowing holes 27 a are formed inside the hand portion 26. Yes. The blowout holes 27a are formed at regular intervals over substantially the entire length of the upper surface 26A (the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction), and one row of blowout holes along the length direction has a width of the upper surface 26A. A plurality of rows (5 rows in this embodiment) are arranged in the direction (substrate transport direction).
A pipe line connected to an air supply blower or a compressor (air supply source) is connected to the proximal end of the hand unit 26 through a coupling means such as a coupler.

Then, when the air blower is operated, the compressed air supplied to each hand part 26 through the pipe line and the coupler is jetted upward through the blowout hole 27a, and the glass substrate carried into and out of the substrate cassette 1 The lower side edges 4a and 4b of the lower surface 4 of the substrate 4, that is, the portion 4c closer to the center of the substrate than the portion supported by the conveying roller 24 is supported in a non-contact manner.
In addition, a connecting means such as a coupler is provided in any one of the plurality of hand portions 26, and the compressed air from the air supply blower is distributed to the other hand portions 26 through distribution pipes extending from the couplers. Also good.

Next, one procedure for carrying the glass substrate 4 into an arbitrary shelf of the substrate cassette 1 in the substrate storage / conveyance apparatus configured as described above will be described.
6A and 6B show a state before the glass substrate 4 is carried into the substrate cassette 1. The substrate cassette 1 is in the most raised position, and the transport roller 24 and the hand portion 26 are in a position extracted from the substrate cassette 1.

From this state, the cassette raising / lowering mechanism 3 is first driven, and the substrate stage (hereinafter, the stage to be carried in) where the glass substrate 4 is to be carried is positioned at the forward movement destination of the transport roller 24 and the hand unit 26. The cassette 1 is moved up and down (FIG. 7). At this time, the substrate support unit 12 corresponding to the planned carry-in stage is positioned slightly lower than the transport roller 24.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the roller reciprocating mechanism is driven, and the transport roller 24 and the hand portion 26 are advanced and inserted into the substrate cassette 1.

  Then, when compressed air is supplied from the air supply blower to the hand portion 26 through the pipe line and the coupler, the compressed air is jetted upward from the blowout hole 27a opened in the upper surface 26A of the hand portion 26. As a result, an air floating layer can be formed between the glass substrate 4 carried in and the upper surface 26 </ b> A of the hand portion 26, and the glass substrate 4 carried in has both side edges on the lower surface supported by the transport roller 24. A portion 4c closer to the center of the substrate than 4a and 4b can be supported in a non-contact manner via the air floating layer.

Thereafter, the drive motor is driven, the rotational driving force is transmitted to the transport roller 24 via the roller drive gear 25, and the transport roller 24 is rotated about its axis.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the glass substrate 4 transferred to the upstream side of the substrate cassette 1 is caused by friction caused by contact of the lower surface side edges 4 a and 4 b with the conveying roller 24. By the force, a transport force toward the front in the transport direction (the white arrow in FIG. 9A) is applied, and the substrate cassette 1 is loaded.

At this time, the lower surface side edges 4a and 4b of the glass substrate 4 are directly supported from below by the conveying roller 24 which is in rolling contact therewith.
On the other hand, the portion 4c closer to the center of the substrate than the contact portion between the conveyance roller 24 and the lower side edges 4a and 4b is conveyed by the compressed air supplied to the hand portion 26 being ejected from the blowout hole 27a. It is supported in a non-contact manner via an air floating layer formed in a gap formed in a step between the top portion of the roller 24 and the upper surface 26A of the hand portion 26 provided at a position slightly lower than the roller 24.

When the glass substrate 4 is completely loaded into the substrate cassette 1 (FIG. 10), the cassette lifting mechanism 3 is driven to raise the substrate cassette 1, and the loaded glass substrate 4 is moved to the substrate support portion 12 of the substrate cassette 1. The air supply from the air supply blower to the hand unit 26 is shut off.
When the glass substrate 4 is separated from the conveying roller 24, that is, when the glass substrate 4 is completely deposited on the substrate support portion 12, as shown in FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b), a roller reciprocating mechanism is provided. Driven, the transport roller 24 and the hand unit 26 are retracted and extracted from the substrate cassette 1. The above is an example of the carrying-in operation.

  Next, one procedure when carrying out the glass substrate 4 of an arbitrary shelf stored in the substrate cassette 1 will be described.

First, the cassette raising / lowering mechanism 3 is driven, and a substrate cassette (hereinafter referred to as an unloading stage) storing a glass substrate 4 to be unloaded is positioned at the forward movement destination of the transport roller 24 and the hand unit 26. Move 1 up and down. At this time, the substrate support unit 12 corresponding to the planned carry-out stage is positioned slightly higher than the conveyance roller 24.
Next, the roller reciprocating mechanism is driven, the transport roller 24 and the hand portion 26 are advanced and inserted into the substrate cassette 1 (FIG. 12), air supply is started, and the cassette lifting mechanism 3 is driven to drive the substrate. The cassette 1 is lowered and the lower side edges 4a and 4b of the glass substrate 4 to be carried out are deposited on the transport roller 24 (FIG. 13).

  When compressed air is supplied from the air supply blower to the hand part 26 through the pipe line and the coupler, the compressed air is jetted upward from the blowout hole 27a opened in the upper surface 26A of the hand part 26. As a result, an air floating layer is formed between the glass substrate 4 to be carried out and the upper surface 26A of the hand portion 26, so that the portions closer to the center of the substrate than the lower side edges 4a, 4b supported by the transport roller 24 are formed. 4c is supported by the hand part 26 through this air floating layer in a non-contact manner.

  Thereafter, when the drive motor is driven to rotate the transport roller 24 about its axis, the glass substrate 4 to be unloaded that has been stored in the substrate cassette 1 has both side edges on its lower surface as shown in FIG. Due to the frictional force generated by the contact with the transport roller 24 with respect to 4a and 4b, a transport force toward the front in the transport direction (the white arrow in FIG. 14) is applied and carried out of the substrate cassette 1. At this time, the lower surface side edges 4a and 4b of the glass substrate 4 are directly supported from below by the transport roller 24 which is in rolling contact with the glass substrate 4, but the contact portion between the transport roller 24 and the lower surface side edges 4a and 4b. Further, the portion 4c closer to the center of the substrate is supported in a non-contact manner through the air floating layer by the compressed air supplied to the hand portion 26 being jetted from the blowout holes 27a.

  When the glass substrate 4 is completely carried out of the substrate cassette 1, the air supply from the air supply blower to the hand unit 26 is shut off, and as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, a roller reciprocating mechanism is provided. Is driven, the transport roller 24 and the hand part 26 are moved backward and extracted from the substrate cassette 1. The above is an example of the carry-out operation.

  As described above, according to the substrate storage / conveyance apparatus according to this embodiment, the substrate cassette 1 is used by using the cassette lifting / lowering mechanism 3 so that the transport roller 24 and the hand portion 26 can be inserted / removed to / from the shelf where the glass substrate 4 is to be loaded / unloaded. After the height position of the transfer roller 24 and the transfer roller 24 are aligned, the transfer roller 24 is inserted into and removed from the substrate cassette 1 in the horizontal direction, so that the substrate cassette 1 having a narrow substrate storage pitch can be used without using an articulated robot. The glass substrate 4 can be carried in and out arbitrarily.

Moreover, during this loading / unloading, since the portion 4c near the center of the glass substrate 4 is air-lifted by the hand portion 26 and supported in a non-contact manner, the conveyance roller 24 is inserted into the glass substrate 4 for contact. Only the lower side edges 4a and 4b are provided. Furthermore, since the glass substrate 4 is supported not only by the transport roller 24 but also by the hand portion 26 longer than that, the length of the transport roller 24 that directly contacts the glass substrate 4 should be reduced as much as possible. You can also.
Therefore, the substrate contamination can be minimized.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, A various design change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary.
For example, the substrate carrying-in / out means is an external drive provided with a clamp that grips both side edges of the glass substrate 4 and a slide mechanism that moves the clamp in the substrate transport direction instead of the conveyor device such as the transport roller 24. It may be a device.
Further, by making each shelf in the substrate cassette 1 a removable cassette, it is possible to make it function as a cassette refilling device for the glass substrate 4.

[Additional technical matters]
Further, a substrate carry-in / carry-out system using the above-described substrate storage / conveyance device will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those already described.

  FIG. 16 is a system configuration diagram of the substrate carry-in / carry-out system. This substrate loading / unloading system is arranged between a substrate transfer device such as AGV and a process device that performs a predetermined process on the glass substrate 4, and transfers the substrate cassette 1 that has been transferred by the substrate transfer device to the process device. Delivery (substrate carry-in) and delivery (substrate carry-out) of the substrate cassette 1 collected from the process apparatus to the substrate transfer apparatus are performed. As shown in FIG. 16, this substrate carry-in / carry-out system is composed of a crane K, first-in / last-out devices F1, F2 (substrate supply devices), substrate storage and transfer devices H1, H2, and a transfer device P. Among these components, the first-in / out-out device F1 and the substrate storage / conveyance device H1 are provided on the substrate carry-in route, while the first-in / post-out device F2 and the substrate storage / conveyance device H2 are provided on the substrate carry-in route.

  The crane K supplies the substrate cassette 1 taken out from the substrate transfer device to the first-in / out-out device F1, and delivers the substrate cassette 1 collected from the first-in / out-out device F2 to the substrate transfer device. The substrate cassette 1 supplied by the crane K to the first-in / out-out apparatus F1 contains the glass substrate 4 before the processing, while the substrate cassette 1 taken out from the first-in / out-out apparatus F2 by the crane K has the processed glass. A substrate 4 is accommodated.

  The first-in / out-out device F1 pays out the one stored later among the plurality of glass substrates 4 stored in the substrate cassette 1 to the substrate storage / conveyance device H1 first. On the other hand, the substrate storage / conveyance device H1 functions as a random access buffer relating to the dispensing of the glass substrate 4 to the transfer device P, and the glass substrate 4 supplied from the first-in / last-out device F1 is used as its substrate cassette. The glass substrates 4 are sequentially stored in the substrate cassette 1, and out of the plurality of glass substrates 4 stored in the substrate cassette 1, any glass substrate 4 according to the request of the transfer device P is paid out to the transfer device P. The transfer device P is a transfer device that transfers the glass substrate 4 by moving on the rails. The transfer device P transfers the glass substrate 4 supplied from the substrate storage and transfer device H1 to the process device, and also transfers the glass substrate 4 ( Collected) and delivered to the first-in last-out device F2.

  The substrate storage / conveyance device H2 functions as a random access buffer related to the dispensing of the glass substrate 4 to the first-in / last-out device F2, and uses the glass substrate 4 (processed) supplied from the transfer device P as its own substrate cassette 1. Are sequentially stored, and among the plurality of glass substrates 4 stored in the substrate cassette 1, any glass substrate 4 according to the request of the first-in / last-out device F2 is paid out to the first-in / out device F2. The first-in / after-out device F2 sequentially stores the glass substrates 4 supplied from the substrate storage / conveyance device H2 in its own substrate cassette 1.

  FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a substrate loading flow in such a substrate loading / unloading system. As shown in the upper row (a), the plurality of glass substrates 4 accommodated in the substrate cassette 1 of the first-in / out-out device F1 are first taken out from the ones stored later and the substrate cassette 1 of the substrate storage / conveyance device H1. The arbitrary glass substrate 4 stored in the substrate cassette 1 of the substrate storage and transfer apparatus H1 is processed through the transfer apparatus P in response to the request of the transfer apparatus P or the process apparatus. To be supplied.

  Here, when the first-in / last-out device F1 finishes supplying all the glass substrates 4 in its substrate cassette 1 to the substrate storage / conveying device H1, the empty state of the first-in / last-out device F1 becomes empty as shown in the middle row b). The substrate cassette 1 is removed by the crane K and replaced with the substrate cassette 1 in which the glass substrate 4 is accommodated. During this replacement, the substrate storage / conveying device H1 is buffered on its own substrate cassette 1. The substrate 4 is continuously supplied to the process apparatus. When the next substrate cassette 1 is transferred to the first-in / last-out device F1 by the crane K as shown in the lower section c), the first-in / out device F1 supplies the glass substrate 4 to the substrate storage / conveyance device H1. To resume. That is, since the substrate storage / conveyance device H1 exists, even if the supply of the glass substrate 4 from the first-in / last-out device F1 is interrupted, the supply of the glass substrate 4 to the process device is continuously performed without interruption.

  FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a substrate carry-out flow in such a substrate carry-in / out system. First, the left substrate unloading flow (1) will be described. When the substrate is unloaded, the processed glass substrate 4 is transferred from the process device via the transfer device P to the substrate storage / conveying device H2 as shown in the upper stage (a). Are sequentially stored in the substrate cassette 1. Then, the substrate storage / conveyance device H2 sequentially supplies the glass substrates 4 in its own substrate cassette 1 to the first-in / last-out device F2.

  Here, when the substrate cassette 1 of the first-in / out-feed apparatus F2 is filled with the glass substrate 4, the substrate cassette 1 is removed by the crane K and replaced with an empty substrate cassette 1. Since the substrate storage / conveying apparatus H2 continuously takes the glass substrate 4 collected from the process apparatus, the collection of the glass substrate 4 from the process apparatus is continuously performed without interruption.

Next, the right substrate carry-out flow (2) will be described.
The glass substrate 4 collected from the process apparatus (for example, an inspection apparatus) and stored in the substrate cassette 1 of the substrate storage / conveyance apparatus H2 includes a good product and a defective product. Since defective products are discharged from the process apparatus at random timing, non-defective products and defective products are randomly stored in the substrate cassette 1 of the substrate storage / conveyance device H2. Here, since the substrate storage / conveying device H2 can pay out an arbitrary glass substrate 4, only a non-defective product is selected and supplied to the first-in / last-out device F2 as shown in the upper stage b), and the defective products are temporarily stored. Hold on. Then, as shown in the middle row (b), when the payout of the non-defective products is completed, the defective products are collectively supplied to the first-in / last-out device F2. Then, while the substrate cassette 1 in the first-in / out-out device F2 is full and replaced, the substrate storage / conveyance device H2 continues to store non-defective products and defective products.

  According to such a substrate loading / unloading system, since the substrate storage / conveying devices H1, H2 temporarily store the glass substrate 4 and function as a random access buffer for arbitrarily discharging the stored glass substrate 4, the glass substrate 4 can be carried in and out continuously, and good products and defective products can be separated and discharged.

  Note that only one of the substrate storage and transfer devices H1 and H2 may be provided as necessary. In the substrate carry-in / carry-out system, first-in / last-out devices F1, F2 are used as substrate supply devices, but the substrate supply device is not limited to the first-in / out devices F1, F2. Equivalent to the substrate storage / conveyance devices H1 and H2 may be used as the substrate supply device.

It is a top view which shows the principal part of the board | substrate storage conveyance apparatus by one Example of this invention. It is a front view of the board | substrate storage conveyance apparatus shown in FIG. It is a side view of the board | substrate storage conveyance apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating an example of a conveyance roller illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing another embodiment of the conveying roller shown in FIG. 1. (A) is a top view which shows the state which is going to carry in a glass substrate to the substrate cassette shown in FIG. (B) is a front view of the same state. It is a front view which shows the state which has lowered | hung the cassette raising / lowering apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in board | substrate carrying-in operation | movement. (A) is a front view which shows the state which has inserted the conveyance roller and hand part shown in FIG. 1 in a board | substrate cassette in board | substrate carrying-in operation | movement. (B) is a principal part expanded sectional view of the same state. (A) is a top view which shows the state which is carrying in the glass substrate in the substrate cassette shown in FIG. (B) is a principal part expanded sectional view of the same state. It is a top view which shows the state which finished carrying in the glass substrate to the substrate cassette shown in FIG. (A) is a top view which shows the state which extracted the conveyance roller and the hand part from the substrate cassette following the state of FIG. (B) is a front view of the same state. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which a transport roller and a hand unit shown in FIG. 1 are inserted into a substrate cassette in a substrate carry-out operation. FIG. 13 is an essential part enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the substrate cassette is lowered following the state of FIG. 12. It is a top view which shows the state which is carrying out the glass substrate from the substrate cassette shown in FIG. (A) is a top view which shows the state which finished carrying out a glass substrate from the substrate cassette shown in FIG. 1, and extracted the conveyance roller and the hand part from the substrate cassette. (B) is a front view of the same state. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a substrate carry-in / carry-out system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the board | substrate carrying-in flow in the said board | substrate carrying in / out system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the board | substrate carrying out flow in the said board | substrate carrying in / out system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Substrate cassette 3 Cassette lifting mechanism (lifting mechanism)
4 Glass substrate
4a, 4b Bottom side edges
24 Conveying roller (substrate loading / unloading means)
26 Hand part
26A Top surface (substrate support surface)
27a outlet
F1, F2 First-in / last-out device H1, H2 Substrate storage and transfer device K Crane P Transfer device

Claims (6)

With respect to a substrate cassette capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a vertical orientation in a horizontal position, a substrate carrying-in / out means that is inserted / removed by reciprocation in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction is provided.
The substrate carry-in / out means is a plurality of pairs of transport rollers that can respectively support both side edges of the lower surface of the substrate , and is longer in the direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction than the transport rollers, and does not contact the substrate And a hand portion that can be supported on the substrate. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a blowout hole capable of supplying air from an air supply source is formed in the substrate support surface of the hand unit. A substrate cassette capable of storing a plurality of substrates in a horizontal posture in multiple stages in the vertical direction;
    The substrate carrying-in / out means according to claim 1 or 2,
    A substrate storage / conveying apparatus, comprising: an elevating mechanism for moving the substrate cassette relative to the substrate carrying-in / out means. The substrate storage / conveyance device according to claim 3 provided on a substrate carry-in path;
  A substrate supply device that is provided upstream of the substrate storage and transfer device on the carry-in path, and that supplies the substrate in the substrate cassette supplied from the outside to the substrate storage and transfer device;
  A transfer device for supplying a substrate discharged from the substrate storage and transfer device on a carry-in path to a process device;
  The board | substrate carrying-in system characterized by comprising. The substrate storage / conveyance device according to claim 3 provided on a substrate carry-out path;
  A substrate supply device that is provided downstream of the substrate storage and transfer device on the carry-out path, and stores the substrate supplied from the substrate storage and transfer device in a substrate cassette;
  A transfer device for supplying the substrate discharged from the process device to the substrate storage and transfer device;
  A substrate carry-out system comprising: The substrate storage and conveyance device according to claim 3 provided on each of a substrate carry-in route and a carry-out route;
  A first substrate supply device that is provided upstream of the substrate storage / conveyance device on a carry-in path, and that supplies the substrate in the substrate cassette supplied from the outside to the substrate storage / conveyance device;
  A second substrate supply device that is provided downstream of the substrate storage and transfer device on the carry-out path and stores the substrate supplied from the substrate storage and transfer device in a substrate cassette;
  A transfer device that supplies the substrate discharged from the substrate storage and transfer device on the carry-in path to the process device and supplies the substrate discharged from the process device to the substrate storage and transfer device on the transfer path;
  A substrate loading / unloading system comprising:

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