JP4673215B2 - Stage equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stage apparatus, and more particularly to a stage apparatus configured to convey a workpiece at a constant speed.

  For example, in a stage device used for processing or inspection processes for workpieces that require flatness accuracy, such as glass substrates for liquid crystals, the stone surface plate is used to ensure the flatness of flat workpieces due to the rigidity of the stone surface plate. A suction plate for sucking the workpiece is provided on the top, and a gantry and a vibration isolation unit are arranged below the stone surface plate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The stone surface plate used in such a stage device includes a step of cutting a rough cut according to the size of the workpiece into a predetermined shape, a plane accuracy of a workpiece mounting surface on which the workpiece is mounted, and a movable part A step of polishing the guide surface that guides with high accuracy is performed.
JP 2005-52823 A

  In the stage apparatus configured as described above, it is desired to cope with an increase in the size of the workpiece (an increase in the area of the glass substrate for liquid crystal). However, if the stone surface plate is enlarged along with the increase in the size of the workpiece, the load of the stone surface plate increases. Therefore, the frame supporting the stone surface plate has a more rigid structure. There is a limit to increasing the size of the device due to the increased weight of the gantry.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a stage apparatus that solves the problem.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following means.

The invention according to claim 1 is a transport mechanism for transporting a workpiece;
A transport gantry that supports the transport mechanism;
A support frame that is provided on the transfer frame in a processing region that performs a predetermined process on the workpiece, and that supports the transfer frame from below the processing region ;
The support frame is
A fixed portion fixed to the floor surface to support the transport cradle;
A pair of struts standing above both ends of the fixed portion;
A horizontal portion that is horizontally placed between the columns,
Wherein the lateral bridging portion, the workpiece conveyed by the conveying mechanism is characterized that you have processing unit is provided for performing predetermined processing in the process of passing through the processing area.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that the transport platform includes an air unit that floats on the workpiece by air pressure in the processing region.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the support frame is disposed on the lower center side of the transfer frame and extends in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that the transport frame is lower in rigidity than the support frame.

The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that the transport platform has a low-rigidity structure in which hollow members are combined in a lattice shape.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the fixing unit has a plurality of plate-like members erected in parallel at a predetermined interval between an upper plate on which the conveyance platform is placed and a lower plate facing the floor surface. It is characterized by a highly rigid structure.

According to the present invention, the weight of the apparatus is reduced by the support frame supporting the transfer frame in the processing region in which the processing unit provided in the horizontal frame of the support frame performs a predetermined process on the workpiece transferred by the transfer mechanism. By reducing the rigidity of the apparatus and increasing the natural frequency, application unevenness can be suppressed, for example, when applying to a workpiece using a stage apparatus.

  In addition, since the air unit that floats the workpiece by air pressure in the processing area is provided, the plane accuracy of the workpiece can be ensured while maintaining the weight reduction in the transfer step of transferring the workpiece by the transfer mechanism. Thus, it is possible to perform precise processing while conveying even a thin plate material.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a stage apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the stage apparatus 10 includes a transport mechanism 20 that transports a workpiece (not shown) made of a glass substrate, a transport base 30 that supports the transport mechanism 20, and a transport base 30 from below. A support frame 40 that supports a processing unit (not shown) that supports and performs a predetermined process on the workpiece is supported above the conveyance frame 30. In the stage apparatus 10, the gantry is assembled by combining the transport gantry 30 and the support gantry 40, and the transport mechanism 20 is provided on the transport gantry 30.

  In the stage apparatus 10, the transport mechanism 20 is provided on the transport base 30, and the support base is provided in the processing area, so that a highly rigid base is not necessary for the entire apparatus, and the weight can be significantly reduced. The rigidity of 30 can be lowered to reduce the manufacturing cost and labor during transportation.

  A pair of transport mechanisms 20 are provided on both sides of the transport base 30 in the X direction, and a slider 22 having a gripping portion 21 that grips both sides of a plate-shaped workpiece, and guides the slider 22 in the transport direction (Y direction). It has a guide rail 24 and a linear motor 26 that moves the slider 22 in the Y direction. The transport mechanism 20 transports the workpiece at a constant speed by moving the slider 22 along the guide rail 24 in the extending direction (Y direction) of the transport base 30. Further, the slider 22 can move with respect to the guide rail 24 in a low friction state where the slider 22 floats through an air layer formed by an air pad (not shown).

  Moreover, the conveyance mount 30 is formed to extend in the Y direction (conveyance direction), and an air unit 50 is provided in the central portion of the extension direction to lift the workpiece by air pressure. The air unit 50 is provided with a plurality of injection holes for injecting air and intake holes for inhaling air on the upper surface, and discharges air toward the work and performs intake to form an air layer of constant pressure. This ensures the plane accuracy of the workpiece.

  Here, if an air unit for discharging air is installed on the upper surface before and after the air unit 50 in the Y direction (conveyance direction) and the workpiece is floated, it is possible to cope with an increase in the size of the glass substrate.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the transport stand 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the transport gantry 30 has a low-rigidity structure in which an X-direction frame 32 and a Y-direction frame 34 that are square pipes having a square cross section are combined in a lattice shape so as to intersect and integrated by welding. is there. In addition, four support columns 36 that support the weight of the transportation platform 30 are provided at the four corners of the transportation platform 30. Each column 36 is coupled to the floor surface via a vibration isolation unit 38.

  Further, since the transport gantry 30 is not configured to support the stone surface plate as in the prior art, it does not have the rigidity necessary to support the weight of the stone surface plate, and the transport mechanism 20 moves horizontally in the Y direction. It only needs to have the necessary rigidity. Furthermore, since the air carrier 50 that holds the workpiece with air pressure is provided in the carrier base 30, it is possible to ensure planar accuracy during workpiece conveyance even in a structure that does not use a stone surface plate. Thereby, not only can the transport gantry 30 be easily manufactured, but the weight of the transport gantry 30 itself is reduced, and transport work by a transport vehicle such as a transport truck is facilitated.

  FIG. 3 is a side view of the stage apparatus 10. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the stage apparatus 10. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support base 40. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the support base 40 is provided in the center of the transport base 30. The support base 40 is fixed to the floor so as to support the transport base 30. It has a pair of support | pillars 44 which stand up from both ends, and the gantry part (horizontal support part) 46 horizontally laid between the support | pillars 44 in the X direction. The fixed portion 42 is formed in a U shape when viewed from the Y direction, and the bottom portion is coupled to the floor surface via the vibration isolation unit 38. The gantry unit 46 is provided with a processing unit for performing a predetermined process such as a processing unit for processing the workpiece and an inspection unit for inspecting the workpiece surface.

  The fixing unit 42 is configured by standing a plurality of plate-like members 48 in a vertical direction at a predetermined interval between an upper plate 42a on which the central portion of the transport frame 30 is placed and fixed and a lower plate 42b facing the floor surface. And has a highly rigid structure against bending in the conveying direction (stress in the θy direction) and torsion (stress in the θx direction). Furthermore, since the plate-shaped member 48 is set to have a large dimension in the height direction, the rigidity is increased.

  FIG. 6 is a view of the support frame 40 as viewed from the Y direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the fixing portion 42 is configured to have higher rigidity than that of the transport gantry 30, and therefore when the central portion of the transport cradle 30 is mounted and fixed, the transport cradle 30 is moved upward. The entire plate 42a can be supported stably.

  As described above, in the stage apparatus 10, the support base 40 has a high rigidity structure and the transport base 30 has a low rigidity structure, thereby ensuring rigidity in a processing region where work is performed on the work and processing the work. The accuracy can be maintained and the weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced. In addition, by reducing the rigidity of the stage device 10 and increasing the natural frequency, for example, when coating the workpiece using the stage device 10, uneven coating can be suppressed.

  Assembling work after transportation from the factory to the installation site is facilitated, and adjustment work after assembling can be performed easily because the precision in the vicinity of the support base 40 is high. Further, when the stage apparatus 10 is transported, since the transport frame 30 and the support frame 40 can be transported separately, the truck can be used even if the transport frame 30 and the support frame 40 are increased in size in response to an increase in the size of the workpiece. It can be transported using a transporting vehicle such as, and the portability is enhanced.

  Further, since the stage device 10 has a severable configuration in which the carrier frame 30 and the support frame 40 are combined to complete the frame, for example, the support frame 40 is shared and the entire length of the conveyance frame 30 is set to the size of the workpiece. It can be changed accordingly. In this case, after the stage device 10 is installed, it can be exchanged with the conveyance platform 30 having a different overall length, and even if the workpiece becomes large, it can be dealt with by exchanging the conveyance platform 30.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the stage apparatus. As shown in FIG. 7, when processing a small-sized workpiece, the stage device 60 has a configuration in which the entire length of the transport frame 30 in the transport direction (Y direction) is shortened and the support column 36 is removed. The support frame 40 of the stage device 60 is the same as in the above embodiment, and supports the entire load of the transfer frame 30 in a state where the transfer frame 30 is placed and fixed on the upper plate 42a of the fixing unit 42.

  Further, in the stage device 60, since the transport gantry 30 is mounted on the support gantry 40, for example, by dividing the transport gantry 30 from the support gantry 40, for example, the entrance can be easily carried in even in a narrow entrance. Can be performed.

  In the stage device 60 of this modified example, the protruding portion of the conveyance frame 30 protruding in the Y direction from the support frame 40 can be short, and the difference in length in the Y direction between the conveyance frame 30 and the support frame 40 is small. The configuration is such that the carrier base 30 does not bend due to the 20 movement operations.

  In the above-described embodiment, it is needless to say that a height adjusting mechanism for raising and lowering the gantry portion 46 in the Z direction may be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows one Example of the stage apparatus by this invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a transport stand 30. 2 is a side view of the stage device 10. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the stage device 10. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support frame 40. It is the figure which looked at the support stand 40 from the Y direction. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of a stage apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

10, 60 Stage device 20 Transport mechanism 22 Slider 24 Guide rail 26 Linear motor 26
30 Transport frame 32 X-direction frame 34 Y-direction frame 40 Support frame 50 Air unit 42 Fixing portion 44 Support column 46 Gantry portion 48 Plate member

Claims (6)

A transport mechanism for transporting workpieces;
A transport gantry that supports the transport mechanism;
A support frame that is provided on the transfer frame in a processing region that performs a predetermined process on the workpiece, and that supports the transfer frame from below the processing region ;
The support frame is
A fixed portion fixed to the floor surface to support the transport cradle;
A pair of struts standing above both ends of the fixed portion;
A horizontal portion that is horizontally placed between the columns,
Wherein the lateral bridging portion, a stage device which is characterized that you have processing unit for performing predetermined processing is provided in the course of the work it passes through the process area conveyed by the conveying mechanism.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer platform includes an air unit that lifts the workpiece by air pressure in the processing region.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support frame is disposed at a lower center of the transfer frame and extends in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport frame has a lower rigidity than the support frame.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport frame has a low-rigidity structure in which hollow members are combined in a lattice shape. The fixing portion has a high-rigidity structure in which a plurality of plate-like members are erected in a vertical direction at a predetermined interval between an upper plate on which the conveyance platform is placed and a lower plate facing the floor surface. The stage apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

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