JP5047545B2 - Levitation transport unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a floating conveyance unit that floats a workpiece such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), and a color filter and conveys the workpiece in a contactless manner.

  Glass substrates used in flat panel displays (FPD) such as LCDs and PDPs tend to increase in size in response to demands for larger screens.

  In a conventional FPD manufacturing process, a glass substrate is transported by a roller. However, due to friction between the glass substrate and the roller, a problem of stress applied to the glass substrate, etc., the glass substrate is floated by compressed air and transported. Is considered.

However, as shown in FIG. 12, the levitation unit as in Patent Document 1 employs a method in which air is blown up from an air blowing hole 204 formed in the ceiling wall 202 of the levitation block 200 to float the glass substrate 206. Therefore, the glass substrate 206 is warped between the air blowing holes 204.
JP 2004-331265 A

  This invention considers the fact which concerns, and makes it a subject to provide the levitation conveyance unit which can be floated and conveyed, without generate | occur | producing a workpiece | work, such as a glass substrate.

The invention described in the first aspect includes a chamber having an airtight space, a groove formed in a ceiling wall of the chamber, a vent hole penetrating through a groove bottom of the groove and communicating with the airtight space, and the ceiling wall And a porous plate fixed to the substrate.

In the invention described in the first aspect , when a gas is supplied to the airtight space of the chamber, the gas is ejected from a vent hole penetrating the groove bottom of the groove portion formed in the ceiling wall. Since the ceiling wall porous plate is fixed, while the gas down along the groove, spreads evenly to the lower surface of the porous plate, it ejected from pores of the porous plate.

  That is, gas is ejected from the entire surface of the porous plate, and the entire surface of the porous plate becomes an air bearing surface, so that the workpiece can be lifted and transported without causing warpage.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of through holes are formed in the porous plate, the airtight space of the chamber is divided into a plurality of rooms, and a ceiling wall of a predetermined room communicates with the through holes. In addition, an air suction hole is formed, and gas is sucked from the predetermined room.

In the invention described in the second aspect , the gas is sucked from the through hole through the suction hole by sucking the gas from the predetermined room. Therefore, the floating height of the workpiece can be stabilized by partially sucking the workpiece floating by the gas ejected from the entire surface of the porous plate.

The invention described in the third aspect is characterized in that the groove portion is formed on a concentric circle, the intake hole is disposed at the center of the concentric circle, and the vent hole is disposed in the groove portion.

In the invention described in the third aspect , the gas that floats the workpiece is ejected in a circular shape from the porous plate, and a suction force that stabilizes the flying height of the workpiece is generated from the center thereof. For this reason, the balance between the floating force and the suction force is achieved, and the workpiece is less likely to warp.

  Since this invention set it as the said structure, it can be floated and conveyed, without giving curvature to workpiece | work, such as a glass substrate.

  1 to 3 show an exposure apparatus 12 in which a floating conveyance unit according to this embodiment is incorporated.

  The exposure apparatus 12 includes an assembly frame 18 configured in a long frame shape with rails 14 and cross members 16. The assembly frame 18 is supported above the frame-like base frame 22 by the post 20. A caster 24 and a stopper 26 are attached to the base frame 22 so that the exposure apparatus 12 can be moved and installed in the work area.

Further, a beam 28 is bridged between the rails 14. On the beam member 28, an air supply box 30 to which negative pressure and positive pressure air is supplied from the first compressor 32 via the tube 34 is disposed. On the air supply box 30, three rows of the levitation transport units 10 according to the first embodiment are set along the rails 14. Note that what is supplied from the compressor is not limited to air, but may be an inert gas such as nitrogen, argon, or helium, or a gas such as carbon dioxide. Moreover, liquids, such as water, may be sufficient.

  The bottom plate of the chamber 36 of the levitation conveyance unit 10 is connected to the air supply box 30 and has three supply ports (not shown) through which negative pressure and positive pressure air are supplied.

Further, a support plate 38 is bridged between the rails 14 on the right side of the rails 14 shown in FIG. The levitation conveyance unit 40 according to the second embodiment is set on the support plate 38. An air supply box 42 is attached to the lower surface of the support plate 38, and negative pressure and positive pressure air are supplied from the second compressor 44 through the tube 46. Then, negative pressure and positive pressure air are supplied to three supply ports (not shown) formed in the bottom plate of the chamber 48 of the levitation conveyance unit 40.

  Further, a linear transport device 50 is mounted on the rail 14 on the near side. The transport device 50 includes a plurality of vacuum suction cups 52, and chucks the lower surface of the floated glass substrate P and transports it in the direction of the arrow.

  The glass substrate P levitated above the levitation conveyance unit 10 is levitated and conveyed in the direction of the levitation conveyance unit 40 by the conveyance device 50. The glass substrate P that has been levitated and conveyed is exposed by an exposure means (not shown) while the levitated state is maintained above the levitating and conveying unit 40 to form a predetermined circuit pattern.

  Next, a specific configuration of the levitation transport unit 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, the chamber 36 of the levitation transport unit 10 is a long cylindrical body having a rectangular cross section, and the inner space of the two partition walls 54 provided inside is a substantially triangular cross section at the center. Are divided into a suction chamber 56 and ejection chambers 58 and 60 having trapezoidal cross sections. Then, by joining the side plate 62 to the end face of the chamber 36, the suction chamber 56 and the ejection chambers 58, 60 of the chamber 36 become an airtight space.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a pedestal portion 152 in which a screw hole 150 is formed is provided on the end surface of the chamber 36. Further, a mounting hole 154 is formed in the side plate 62. The screw hole 150 and the attachment hole 154 are formed in a positional relationship where the screw hole 150 and the attachment hole 154 face each other when the side plate 62 is overlapped on the end face of the chamber 36. Then, the screw 36 is inserted into the mounting hole 154 and the screw hole 150 with the screw hole 150 and the mounting hole 154 facing each other, whereby the chamber 36 and the side plate 62 are screwed.

  The chamber 36 and the side plate 62 can be joined by other means such as an adhesive in addition to screwing with the screw 156.

  However, when the chamber 36 and the side plate 62 are bonded together with an adhesive, the curing time of the adhesive is required, so that the manufacturing efficiency cannot be improved, and it is difficult to disassemble after the bonding. Therefore, it is difficult to perform maintenance or replacement of parts. Therefore, it is preferable to join the chamber 36 and the side plate 62 with the screw 156 as described above.

  Negative pressure air is supplied to the suction chamber 56 from the aforementioned supply port, and positive pressure air is supplied to the ejection chambers 58 and 60.

  A long groove 64 is formed on the side surface of the chamber 36 along the longitudinal direction in order to reduce the weight.

  On the other hand, the ceiling wall of the chamber 36 is divided into four sections, and concentric circle groove portions 66 and lattice-like lattice groove portions 68 are formed on both sides of the circle groove portions 66, respectively. The reason why the circle groove portions 66 and the lattice groove portions 68 are formed separately is that air can be uniformly supplied to the porous plate 76 joined to the ceiling wall. However, in the present invention, the number of sections in which the circle groove section 66 and the lattice groove section 68 are formed is not limited, and the chamber 36 may be configured by one section.

  A plurality of ventilation holes 74 pass through the groove bottom of the lattice groove 68 and are arranged in a straight line. The vent hole 74 communicates with the ejection chamber 58. An intake hole 70 is formed at the center of the circle groove 66 and communicates with the suction chamber 56. Further, on the concentric circle of the intake hole 70, a vent hole 72 is formed at the groove bottom side by side in the radial direction. The vent hole 72 communicates with the ejection chamber 60.

  A porous plate 76 processed into a plate shape is joined to the ceiling wall of the chamber 36 in which the groove portion is formed in this way. For example, porous carbon, sintered metal, porous ceramics, porous resin, and the like can be used for the porous plate 76. However, when porous carbon is used, improvement in weight reduction, improvement in mechanical strength, The manufacturing cost can be reduced, the flatness of the surface can be improved, and damage to the glass substrate P can be reduced when it comes into contact with the glass substrate P.

  In a state where the chamber 36 and the porous plate 76 are joined, the suction hole 70 formed in the chamber 36 and the suction hole 78 formed in the porous plate 76 communicate with each other so as to face each other.

  As a joining method, the surface which becomes the air bearing surface of the porous plate 76 is placed on the surface plate, the adhesive is applied to the ceiling wall of the chamber 36, and the weight is placed on the porous plate 76. An example is a method of fixing. The adhesive is preferably applied so as not to protrude into the circle groove portion 66 and the lattice groove portion 68.

  Here, the circle groove portion 66 and the lattice groove portion 68 are not formed on the back surface of the porous plate 76 but formed on the ceiling wall of the chamber 36 in comparison with the case where the groove portion is formed on the back surface of the porous plate 76. This is because the groove portion can be easily formed with high accuracy when the groove portion is formed in the ceiling portion of the chamber.

In particular, in order to reduce the variation in the flying height of the glass substrate P and stably float it, it is necessary to make the flatness of the air bearing surface of the porous plate 76 small (more flat). If a groove is formed on the back surface of 76, it becomes difficult to reduce the flatness of the air bearing surface of the porous plate 76.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, since the groove is not formed on the back surface of the porous plate, the flatness of the bearing surface of the porous plate can be reduced. It is possible to float stably with less variation.

  Here, a mechanism in which air is ejected from the gap of the porous plate 76 to make the entire surface an air bearing surface will be briefly described.

In the porous plate 76, a plurality of fine voids communicating with each other are formed. Air ejected from the circle groove portion 66 and the lattice groove portion 68 passes through the air gap formed by the circle groove portion 66, the lattice groove portion 68, and the lower surface of the porous plate 76, passes through the voids of the porous plate 76, and is porous. It ejects from the air bearing surface of the material plate 76 toward the outside. At this time, since the minute gaps communicate with each other, the fine gaps are ejected not only above the air passage but also from the entire surface of the air bearing surface.

  Next, the operation of the levitation transport unit 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  From the first compressor 32, positive pressure air (for example, 50 to 400 kPa) is supplied to the ejection chambers 58 and 60, and negative pressure air (for example, 0 to −50 kPa) is supplied to the suction chamber 56 (air is supplied from the suction chamber 56). Suction.

  The air supplied to the ejection chambers 58, 60 is ejected from the vent holes 72, 74, travels through the air passage formed by the lower surface of the porous plate 76 and the circle grooves 66 or the lattice grooves 68, and the porous plate 76. It spreads evenly on the lower surface of the porous plate 76 and is ejected from the gap of the porous plate 76.

  That is, since air is ejected from the entire surface of the porous plate 76 and the entire surface of the porous plate 76 becomes an air bearing surface, the glass substrate P is levitated without generating warpage and is not in contact with the porous plate 76. It becomes possible to convey with. The sucker 52 chucks the floated glass substrate P, and the transport device 50 transports it in the direction of the arrow.

  The negative pressure air supplied to the suction chamber 56 generates a force for sucking the glass substrate P into the suction hole 78 formed in the porous plate 76 through the suction hole 70. The suction force generated by the intake holes 70 regulates the flying height of the glass substrate P that has been floated by the air ejected from the porous plate 76. Therefore, the flying height of the glass substrate P can be controlled by controlling the suction force.

  In the upper periphery of the intake hole 70, the glass substrate P that has been levitated by the suction force generated by the intake hole 70 is bent downward (in the direction of the porous plate 76).

  However, a circle groove portion 66 is formed concentrically around the intake hole 70, and positive pressure air is ejected from the circle groove portion 66 to the porous plate 76. It is pressed upward (in the direction opposite to the porous plate 76).

  Accordingly, the glass substrate P can be transported in a flat state. In particular, when the size of the glass substrate P is increased, it becomes difficult to transport the glass substrate P flat without bending. However, according to the present invention, even the enlarged glass substrate P is bent. It is possible to convey without any problems.

  The pressure P1 of the air ejected from the vent hole 72 is preferably larger than the pressure P2 of the air ejected from the vent hole 74 (P1> P2), and P1 is twice as large as P2 (P1 = 2P2). preferable.

  If the relationship between P1 and P2 is configured in this way, it is possible to effectively suppress the occurrence of bending of the glass substrate P and to stably float the glass substrate P.

  In addition, since the suction hole 70 and the suction hole 78 are located at the center of the circular jet air that floats the glass substrate P, it is easy to balance the flying force and the suction force, and the flying height of the glass substrate P. Can be easily regulated.

  Next, the levitation transport unit 40 according to the second embodiment will be described.

  Since the basic configuration of the levitation conveyance unit 40 is the same as that of the levitation conveyance unit 10 of the first embodiment, the configuration of the groove portion of the chamber 80 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 and the shape of the porous plate 82 will be described.

  On the ceiling wall of the chamber 80, four vertical groove portions 97 in the longitudinal direction and a plurality of horizontal groove portions 102 are formed in the width direction, and a plurality of islands 86 are formed at predetermined intervals by the vertical groove portions 97 and the horizontal groove portions 102. Has been. A vent hole 92 is formed in the groove bottom of the lateral groove portion 102. The vent hole 92 communicates with an ejection chamber (not shown). The remote island 86 has an intake hole 90 communicating with the suction chamber.

  On the other hand, an air intake hole 96 is formed on the surface of the porous plate 82 at a position corresponding to the air intake hole 90 when overlapped with the ceiling wall of the chamber 80. Further, through holes 101 are formed on both sides of the porous plate 82, and the porous plate 82 can be fixed to the chamber 80 by inserting screws into the mounting holes 94 formed in the chamber 80. Yes.

  In the levitation conveyance unit 40 having the above-described configuration, the through holes 101 are formed on the surface of the porous plate 82 so that screws can be secured. Further, since the groove is not formed in the porous plate 82, the flatness of the porous plate 82 can be maintained. Furthermore, by arranging the intake holes at equal intervals, the flying height of the glass substrate P can be regulated in a well-balanced manner.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the levitation transport unit 10 is configured by joining four porous plates 76 to the ceiling wall of the chamber 36. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the levitation conveyance unit 40 has a single porous plate 82 bonded to the ceiling wall of the chamber 80. However, in the present invention, the number of porous plates is not limited.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, the levitation transport units 10 and 40 of the present invention are incorporated in the exposure apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other than the exposure apparatus. It can be used in an apparatus for conveying a glass substrate.

  Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, the glass substrate has been described as an example of the transported body transported by the levitation transport units 10 and 40, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, In addition, a transported object other than the glass substrate such as a resin plate or a metal plate may be transported.

It is a perspective view which shows the exposure apparatus with which the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment were assembled | attached. It is a side view which shows the exposure apparatus with which the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment were assembled | attached. It is a top view which shows the exposure apparatus with which the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment were assembled | attached. It is a perspective view of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment structure of the side plate of the levitation conveyance unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an enlarged plan view of the levitation transport unit according to the first embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a top view of the chamber of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a top view of the porous board of the levitation conveyance unit concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional levitation conveyance unit.

32. First compressor (air supply means)
36 Chamber 66 Circle groove (groove)
68 Lattice groove (groove)
70 Intake hole 72 Vent hole 74 Vent hole 76 Porous board

Claims (2)

A chamber with an airtight space;
A groove formed on the ceiling wall surface of the chamber;
A vent hole penetrating the groove bottom of the groove portion and communicating with the airtight space;
A plurality of fine voids fixed to the ceiling wall and communicating with each other, and a porous plate whose upper surface is an air bearing surface of the workpiece;
Have
A plurality of through holes are formed in the porous plate, the airtight space of the chamber is divided into a plurality of rooms, and an air inlet hole communicating with the through hole is formed in a ceiling wall of a predetermined room, and Aspirating gas from a given room,
A levitation conveyance unit , wherein the groove is formed concentrically, the intake hole is disposed at the center of the concentric circle, and the vent hole is disposed in the groove . The levitation conveyance unit according to claim 1, wherein the groove portion is a circle groove portion, the lattice groove portion is formed on both sides of the circle groove portion, and the air holes are arranged in each lattice groove portion.

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