JP4534801B2 - Substrate storage container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container that stores and transports a substrate.

In a manufacturing process of a display panel having a substrate, a substrate storage tray is used as a storage body that can store a substrate when the substrate is transported. Various proposals have been made for the substrate storage tray in order to prevent the substrate from being damaged during transportation. For example, the substrate is stored in the substrate storage tray, and the substrate storage trays are stacked to store the substrate between the substrate storage trays, thereby preventing the substrate from being damaged during transportation (Patent Document 1). To 3).
JP 2002-353302 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-059116 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-075175

However, in the conventional substrate storage container, by storing the substrates between the substrate storage trays, the substrate can be prevented from being damaged during transportation, but the same number of substrate storage trays as the substrates are required. The total weight increases by the amount of each substrate storage tray. In addition, the thickness of the substrate storage tray for supporting the substrate is increased, and the total height when the trays are stacked is increased. As a result, only a small amount of the substrate including the substrate storage tray can be transferred at a time, that is, the substrate transfer efficiency deteriorates.
In addition, when storing substrates in the substrate storage tray and when discharging the stored substrates from the substrate storage tray, it is necessary to sequentially stack and unload these substrate storage trays. It takes time and effort.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and can prevent damage to the substrate during transportation, improve the efficiency of transporting the substrate, and improve the efficiency of storing and discharging the substrate. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems. That substrate storage container of the present invention, the interior of the storage container main body, a plurality of shelves for supporting a plurality of substrates each formed, said shelf connecting between opposite sides of the container body at predetermined intervals It is composed of a plurality of support materials, and the front and back surfaces of the storage container main body are opened so that the substrate can be carried into and out of the shelf, and both the end portion of the substrate carried into the shelf and the support member are combined. A fixture for gripping and fixing is attached to the storage container body .

With such a configuration, the weight of the substrate storage container is reduced and the overall height is lowered, so that the substrate can be stored in the substrate storage container and transported in large quantities. In addition, since the operation of sequentially stacking and unloading the substrate storage trays is not required when loading and unloading the substrates, the work of loading and unloading the substrates can be simplified. Furthermore, by fixing the support material together with the substrate by the fixing tool, it becomes difficult to release the fixation of the substrate and the support material at the time of transportation, so that the substrate is prevented from falling off from the substrate storage container, and the substrate and the support material are This will prevent deviation.

Further, the substrate storage container of the present invention, the fixture is characterized in that it is intended to secure the corners of at least one pair of diagonal of the substrate carried on the shelf.

  Since the fixing tool fixes at least one pair of diagonal corners of the substrate or the vicinity thereof, the substrate is more firmly fixed during transport, and thus the substrate is prevented from falling off from the substrate storage container.

  In the substrate storage container of the present invention, each fixture of a plurality of substrates is connected.

  Since the fixtures of the plurality of substrates are connected to each other, it becomes difficult to release the substrates from being fixed at the time of transportation, so that the substrates are prevented from falling off from the substrate storage container.

In the substrate storage container of the present invention, the fixture is movable to the storage container body so as to be displaceable between a fixed position where the substrate is fixed and a non-fixed position where the substrate is not fixed. characterized in that mounted freely.

  A fixture is movably attached, and by fixing or unfixing the substrate, the substrate carried into the shelf is easily and quickly fixed by moving the fixture, and the substrate is carried out of the shelf. Sometimes the fixture is moved and released easily and quickly.

  According to the substrate storage container of the present invention, the substrate can be stored in the storage container main body and transferred in large quantities, and the work of loading and unloading the substrate can be simplified. In addition to preventing the substrate, the efficiency of transporting the substrate can be improved, and the efficiency of storing and discharging the substrate can be improved.

  In addition, according to the substrate storage container of the present invention, the substrate is more firmly fixed during transport and the substrate is prevented from falling off the substrate storage container, so that the substrate can be transported safely and reliably.

  In addition, according to the substrate storage container of the present invention, it becomes difficult to release the substrate from being fixed at the time of transport, and the substrate is prevented from falling off from the substrate storage container, so that the substrate can be transported safely and reliably.

  In addition, according to the substrate storage container of the present invention, since the fixation of the substrate and the support material during transportation is difficult to be released, the substrate is prevented from falling off from the substrate storage container, and the substrate and the support material are prevented from being displaced. Therefore, the substrate can be transported safely and reliably.

  Further, according to the substrate storage container of the present invention, the substrate carried into the shelf is easily and quickly fixed by moving the fixture, and the fixture is moved when the substrate is unloaded from the shelf. Since the fixation can be easily and quickly released, it is possible to improve the efficiency of carrying the substrate in and out of the shelf.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate storage container 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The substrate storage container 10 includes a storage container main body 11 and a shelf 12 formed inside the storage container main body 11. Inside the substrate storage container 10, a plurality of substrates P carried from the outside can be stored while being supported in multiple stages by the shelf 12.

  The storage container main body 11 is formed in a frame shape and a rectangular parallelepiped shape by a plurality of rod-like members described later. The bottom portion of the storage container main body 11 is formed in a rectangular shape with two first rod members 13 and two second rod members 14 facing each other, and extends in the same direction as the second rod members 14. A plurality of, for example, nine third rod-like members 15 whose both ends are attached to the first rod-like member 13 are provided at a predetermined interval. The first rod-shaped member 13, the second rod-shaped member 14, and the third rod-shaped member 15 constitute a bottom surface 16 of the substrate storage container 10.

  At each corner of the bottom surface 16, four first pillars 17 extending vertically upward are respectively erected. Further, the upper ends of the first column portions 17 are constituted by the first rod-shaped member 13, the second rod-shaped member 14, and the third rod-shaped member 15, similarly to the bottom surface 16. An upper surface 18 that supports the part is provided. In addition, a plurality of, for example, three first rod-shaped members 13 arranged at a predetermined interval are provided between the first rod-shaped members 13 on the bottom surface 16 and the top surface 18. A plurality of, for example, three second rod-shaped members 14 arranged at a predetermined interval are provided between the bottom surface 16 and the second rod-shaped members 14 on the top surface 18. Between the three rod-shaped members 15, a plurality of, for example, three second rod-shaped members 15 arranged at a predetermined interval are provided.

In addition, a plurality of, for example, nine second column parts 20 are provided at predetermined intervals between the first rod-like members 13 adjacent in the vertical direction.
The first rod-shaped member 13, the second column portion 20, and the first column portion 17 constitute a side surface 19 and a side surface 21 along the longitudinal direction of the storage container body 11. The side surface 19 and the side surface 21 are surfaces facing the near side and the far side in FIG.
Further, the second rod-shaped member 14 and the first pillar portion 17 constitute a front surface 22 and a back surface 22 ′ that face each other along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the storage container body 11.

The shelf 12 is composed of a plurality of wires 12a (support materials) at a predetermined interval, and is between the side surface 19 and the side surface 21 of the opposing storage container main body 11, that is, between the first columnar portions 17 facing each other or the first side facing each other. It is provided so as to connect between the two pillar portions 20. These shelves 12 are arranged so that the number of stages of wires 12a that can accommodate the substrates P is between the opposing first pillar portions 17 and the opposing second pillars so that the individual substrates P to be accommodated can be supported in each stage. Arranged between the portions 20.
Further, the front surface 22 and the rear surface 22 ′ of the storage container body 11 are opened so that the substrate P can be carried in and out of the shelf 12.

  In addition, in each first column portion 17, a fixture unit 23 in which fixtures 23 a that fix the end portions of the substrates P carried into the shelf 12 are arranged for each stage is fixed or non-fixed to the substrates P that are carried in. It is mounted movably so that it can be fixed. These fixture units 23 are arranged for each stage in which the substrate P is stored, and the wire 12a can be fixed together with the substrate P stored in each stage. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, these fixture units 23 are configured such that each fixture 23 a is connected along the first column portion 17 between adjacent second rod-shaped members 14.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the fixture unit 23 includes a fixed portion 24 and a movable portion 25. The fixed portion 24 is attached to the first pillar portion 17 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the first pillar portion 17, and a cylindrical shaft extending along the longitudinal direction of the first pillar portion 17 therein. A portion 26 is provided. In addition, the movable portion 25 includes a through hole 27 that penetrates the shaft portion 26, and opens the substrate P stored in the storage container body 11 while being guided to the shaft portion 26 through the through hole 27. It is rotated 90 ° from the non-fixed position, and can move straight from the rotated position to the substrate P to a fixed position where the substrate P is fixed. Further, the through hole 27 can be moved in the direction opposite to the above-described direction, that is, from the fixed position to the non-fixed position through the rotation position.
The movable portion 25 is provided with a wire gripping portion 28 that can grip the wire 12a when moved to a fixed position, and a substrate gripping portion 29 that can grip the substrate P at this time.

Next, the function and operation of the substrate storage container 10 having the above configuration will be described.
The substrate P loaded from the outside is stored in the substrate storage container 10 and stored in the shelf 12, and then the substrate P is fixed by the fixture unit 23. Further, after the substrate P fixed by the fixture unit 23 and stored in the shelf 12 is released, the substrate P is carried out from the inside of the substrate storage container 10 to the outside. That is, the board | substrate P is carried in / out using the following procedures.

  When the substrate P loaded from the outside is stored in the substrate storage container 10, the substrate P is mounted on a plurality of rollers 31 provided on the upper part of the transfer device 30 as shown in FIG. 6. On the other hand, a plurality of support portions 42 having a flat placement portion 43 at the upper end and movable in the vertical vertical direction are provided at the end portion of the substrate carry-in / out device 40 having the plurality of rollers 41. The substrate storage container 10 transported to a transport carriage (not shown) is placed on the placement part 43 of the support part 42. In this substrate carry-in / out device 40, the concave portions 44 into which the second rod-like members 15 of the substrate storage container 10 can be inserted are formed at predetermined intervals, so that the substrate storage container is located at a position other than the mounting portion 43. No contact with 10.

After placing the substrate storage container 10 on the placement unit 43, the support unit 42 is lowered until the height of the shelf 12 storing the substrate P and the substrate P on the transfer device 30 coincide with each other. The substrate 31 is carried into the uppermost shelf 12 of the substrate storage container 10 by rotating the roller 31. Then, in order to store the next substrate P, the support portion 42 is raised by an amount corresponding to the first shelf 12, and the substrate P is carried into the first shelf 12. In this way, the substrates P are sequentially carried into the shelves 12 of each stage. Then, after the fixture unit 23 is rotated from the non-fixed position to the rotational position, the fixture unit 23 is moved to the fixed position, and the wire gripping portion 28 grips the wire 12a and the substrate gripping portion 29 fixes the substrate P.
After the storage of the substrate P in the substrate storage container 10 is completed, the support portion 42 is further raised by the amount of the nail provided on the transport carriage, and the nail is pushed into the lower portion of the substrate storage container 10 to store the substrate. The container 10 is lifted from the placement unit 43 and moved to a predetermined position.

Further, when the substrate P stored inside the substrate storage container 10 is carried out to the outside, the claw is transferred while being pushed into the lower part of the substrate storage container 10, and the substrate storage container 10 is lowered while lowering the claw of the transfer carriage. It is placed on the placement unit 43. Then, after moving the fixture unit 23 from the fixed position to the rotational position, the fixture unit 23 is rotated to the non-fixed position, so that the wire 12a grasped by the wire grasping portion 28 is released and fixed by the substrate grasping portion 29. The fixed substrate P is released. After that, as shown in FIG. 7, the substrate P stored in the lowest shelf 12 is brought into contact with the roller 31 of the transport device 30, and the roller 31 is rotated and carried out. Then, in order to carry out the next substrate P, the support portion 42 is lowered by an amount corresponding to the first shelf 12, and the substrate P stored in the first shelf 12 is carried out. In this way, as shown in FIG. 7, the substrates P stored in the shelves 12 of each stage are sequentially carried out.
After unloading the substrate P from the substrate storage container 10, the support portion 42 is further raised as much as the nail enters, the nail of the transport carriage is pushed into the lower portion of the substrate storage container 10, and the substrate storage container 10 is removed from the placement portion 43. Lift and move to a predetermined position.

  In this case, since the substrate storage container 10 includes the storage container main body 11 and the shelf 12 composed of the wires 12a, the weight of the substrate storage container 10 is reduced and the overall height of the storage container main body 11 is reduced. The substrate P can be stored in the substrate storage container 10 and transferred in large quantities. Further, when loading / unloading the substrate P, it is not necessary to sequentially stack and unload the substrate storage trays as in the prior art, so that the work of loading / unloading the substrate P can be simplified. Therefore, the substrate P can be prevented from being damaged during transportation, the transportation efficiency of the substrate P can be improved, and the efficiency of storing and discharging the substrate P can be improved.

  In addition, since the fixture unit 23 is configured to be connected along the first column portion 17 between the adjacent second rod-like members 14, the fixation of the substrate P during transportation is difficult to be released. This prevents the substrate P from falling off the storage container 10. Therefore, the substrate P can be transported safely and reliably.

  Further, by fixing the wire 12a together with the substrate P by the fixture unit 23, it becomes difficult to release the fixation of the substrate P and the wire 12a at the time of transport, so that the substrate P is prevented from dropping from the substrate storage container 10, A shift between the substrate P and the wire 12a is prevented. Therefore, the substrate P can be transported safely and reliably.

  In addition, the fixture unit 23 is movably attached, and by fixing or non-fixing the substrate P, the substrate P carried into the shelf 12 is fixed easily and quickly by moving the fixture unit 23. At the same time, when the substrate P is unloaded from the shelf 12, the fixing unit 23 is moved so that the fixation is released easily and quickly. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of loading and unloading the substrate P with respect to the shelf 12.

  In the above embodiment, the fixture unit 23 only needs to fix at least a pair of diagonal corners of the substrate P carried into the shelf 12 or the vicinity thereof. Since the fixture unit 23 fixes at least a pair of diagonal corners of the substrate P or the vicinity thereof, the substrate P is more firmly fixed during transport. Therefore, the substrate P is removed from the substrate storage container 10. Will be prevented. Therefore, the substrate P can be transported safely and reliably.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the front 22 and back 22 'of the storage container main body 11 are opened so that the board | substrate P can be carried in / out of the shelf 12, at least any one of the front 22 and back 22' One side should just be opened.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, each fixing tool 23a may be connected along the 1st pillar part 17, and the fixing device unit 23 does not need to be comprised. That is, each fixing tool 23a may be independently attached to the first pillar portion 17. Further, the wire 12a may not be fixed together with the substrate P, and only the substrate P may be fixed.
In addition, the fixture unit 23 does not have to be fixed or unfixed by rotating the fixture unit 23 in a direction approaching the substrate P after being rotated. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a fixed portion 50 to which a plurality of, for example, two magnets 51 are attached, and a detachable metal flat plate 52 are attached to each of the magnets 51 and attached to the fixed portion 50 so as to be rotatable. The movable portion 53 is configured to rotate the fixing portion 50 in the direction of the substrate P, and then the magnet 51 and the flat plate 52 are joined by magnetic force to prevent the fixing unit 23 from rotating. P may be fixed by the fixture unit 23.

It is a perspective view of the substrate storage container concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the fixture unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the fixture unit located in an unfixed position. It is the elements on larger scale of the fixture unit located in a rotation position. It is the elements on larger scale of the fixture unit located in a fixed position. It is a figure explaining carrying in / out of the board | substrate with respect to a board | substrate storage container. It is a figure explaining carrying in / out of the board | substrate with respect to a board | substrate storage container. It is a perspective view of another fixing tool unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Substrate storage container 11 Storage container main body 12 Shelf 12a Wire (support material)
16 bottom surface 18 top surface 19 side surface 21 side surface 22 front surface 22 'back surface 23 fixing device 23a fixing device unit

Claims (4)

Inside the storage container main body, a plurality of shelves for supporting a plurality of substrates each formed,
The shelf is composed of a plurality of support members that connect between opposing side surfaces of the storage container body at a predetermined interval,
The front and back of the storage container body are opened so that the substrate can be carried in and out of the shelf,
A substrate storage container, wherein a fixture for gripping and fixing both the end portion of the substrate carried into the shelf and the support member is attached to the storage container body . The fixture substrate storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that for fixing the corners of at least one pair of diagonal of the substrate carried on the shelf.   3. The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the fixtures of the plurality of substrates are connected. The fixture, features and fixed position that secures the substrate, to be displaceable between an unlocked position without immobilized substrate, that is mounted movably in the storage container main body The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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