JP5128347B2 - Stage equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention particularly relates to a stage apparatus used for manufacturing and inspecting flat panel displays (FPD) such as liquid crystal panels and plasma display panels.

  Conventionally, as a technology in such a field, there is JP-A-2000-116104. The stage device described in this publication includes a pair of left and right linear motors fixed to a surface plate, and the linear motor includes a stator extending in the workpiece transfer direction and a mover that moves along the stator. It consists of. The mover is fixed to one end of a Y guide (moving member) via a connecting member (mounting bracket). The linear motor used in this stage apparatus is a moving magnet type in which an armature unit is used as a stator and a magnet is used as a mover. In addition, a moving coil type linear motor (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-169529) in which a coil is used as a mover can be applied to the stage device.

JP 2000-116104 A JP 2001-169529 A JP 2004-88981 A

  In a stage apparatus to which a moving coil type linear motor that easily generates heat due to energization of the coil is applied, when the heat of the mover is transmitted to the connecting member, the connecting member is twisted or thermally expanded. Is caused, the deformation amount of the connecting member is transmitted to the Y guide, and the Y guide is warped and distorted. Due to such deformation, there has been a problem that a measuring instrument fixed to the Y guide cannot be moved precisely. Further, when the heat of the mover is transmitted to the Y guide via the connecting member, the Y guide itself is also twisted and thermally expanded.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a stage apparatus in which the influence of heat generated by a linear motor is reduced as much as possible when moving a moving member with a desired accuracy.

A stage apparatus according to the present invention is a stage apparatus including a linear motor having a stator extending in a moving direction of a moving member and a mover fixed to the moving member and moving along the stator.
The mover is fixed to the moving member via a mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket has a first seating surface that contacts the moving member and a plurality of second seating surfaces that contact the mover . The length from one end of the moving direction of the seating surface to the other end of the other is shorter than the length from one end of the moving direction to the other end of the plurality of second seating surfaces as a whole. It is characterized by.

In this stage apparatus, the amount of distortion of the mounting bracket is the length (B (B) from one end in the moving direction to the other end in the whole of the plurality of second seating surfaces in contact with the mounting bracket and the mover. ). Therefore, when the length (A) from one extreme end to the other extreme end in the moving direction on the first seating surface is designed in the relationship of A <B when contacting the mounting bracket and the moving member, Since not all of the distortion of the bracket is transmitted to the moving member, the amount of distortion of the mounting bracket is greater than the amount of distortion of the moving member. This can reduce the influence of heat generated by the linear motor as much as possible when moving the moving member with a desired accuracy.

  The mounting bracket is preferably provided with a first seating surface that protrudes toward the moving member, and the first seating surface is formed with a first bolt hole through which the first bolt passes. It is.

  In this case, the first seating surface of the mounting bracket comes into contact with the end of the moving member, and the mounting bracket is fixed to the moving member by a bolt that penetrates the first bolt hole located on the first seating surface. Therefore, it is difficult for heat of the mounting bracket due to heat transmitted from the mover and heat of the mounting bracket to be transmitted to the end of the moving member. Therefore, by minimizing the area of the first seating surface protruding toward the mover, the deformation and heat transmitted from the mounting bracket to the end of the moving member can be minimized. Has an excellent effect. The contact area of the first seating surface is determined in consideration of the strength required when connecting the mounting bracket and the moving member with a bolt that penetrates the first bolt hole.

Further, it is preferable that the mounting bracket is provided with a second seating surface protruding toward the mover, and the second seating surface is formed with a second bolt hole through which the second bolt penetrates. It is.
In this stage apparatus, the second seating surface of the mounting bracket and the mover are in contact with each other, and the mounting bracket is fixed to the mover by a bolt that penetrates the second bolt hole located on the second seating surface. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the heat of the mover to be transmitted to the mounting bracket. Therefore, by minimizing the area of the second seating surface that protrudes toward the mover, the heat transferred from the mover to the mounting bracket can be minimized. The area of the second seating surface is determined in consideration of the strength required when connecting the mover and the mounting bracket with a bolt that penetrates the second bolt hole. Thus, the mounting bracket has the first and second seating surfaces and the first and second bolt holes, so that the mounting measures on the moving member side (the first seating surface and the first bolt holes), Due to the synergistic effect with the mounting measures on the mover side (the second seating surface and the second bolt hole), the deformation caused by the heat generated in the mover and the heat of the mover itself are hardly transmitted to the moving member. As a result, it is possible to extremely reduce an error when precisely moving a measuring device or a nozzle fixed to the moving member. In addition, measures are taken on the mounting bracket, so design changes are easy.

In addition, it is preferable that a bracket installation protrusion protruding toward the stator is provided at the end of the moving member.
By adopting such a bracket installation protrusion, there is an excellent effect that the thermal deformation that may occur at the end of the moving member can be absorbed by the bracket installation protrusion.

Further, it is preferable that the first seating surface of the mounting bracket is provided at substantially the center of the surface facing the end of the moving member.
If such a structure is employ | adopted, an attachment bracket can be fixed to the edge part of a moving member with sufficient balance.

  According to the present invention, when the moving member is moved with desired accuracy, the influence of heat generated by the linear motor can be reduced as much as possible.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a stage apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the stage apparatus 1 is used for manufacturing and inspecting a workpiece such as a flat panel display (FPD). This stage apparatus 1 includes a pair of left and right linear motors 2 and 3 for linearly reciprocating a moving member 10 in a horizontal direction, and a side frame 6 for supporting stators 4 and 5 of the linear motors 2 and 3. , 7, a horizontal stone surface plate 8 that supports a suction device for placing a work such as a flat panel display (FPD), and a gantry 9 for supporting the stone surface plate 8. Note that an XY stage for fine movement may be arranged on the stone surface plate 8 instead of the suction device.

  The moving member 10 includes a long main beam 10a to which a nozzle or an inspection apparatus (not shown) (camera, laser measuring instrument, etc.) is fixed, reinforcing beams 10b and 10c extending in parallel with the main beam 10a, The slider base plate 10d is fixed to both ends of the main beam 10a and the reinforcing beams 10b and 10c. And the housing 12 for accommodating the raising / lowering mechanism 11 which raises / lowers the main beam 10a is being fixed to 10 d of slider baseplates.

  The slider base plate 10 d provided at the end of the moving member 10 has air pads 16 and 17 for sliding on the upper surfaces 13 a and 14 a of the guide stone plates 13 and 14 fixed to both ends of the stone plate 8. It is fixed. Further, an air pad (not shown) for sliding on the side surfaces 13b, 14b of the guide stone surface plates 13, 14 is fixed to the slider base plate 10d.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the slider base plate 10 d located at the end of the moving member 10 is fixed to the mover 19 of the linear motor 2 via the mounting bracket 20. A predetermined coil 19 a is embedded in the mover 19, and an alternating current is passed through the coil 19 a, so that the mover 19 moves along the stator 4 in which the magnets are arranged in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, Occur. Since the same applies to the linear motor 3, the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the steel mounting bracket 20 forming a substantially rectangular block body is provided with a first seating surface 21 at a convex portion 20a protruding toward the slider base plate 10d, and the first seating surface. 21 includes three first bolt holes 23a through which each of the three first bolts 22 penetrates. Since the first bolt through hole 23 communicating with the first bolt hole 23 a extends in the vertical direction, the first bolt 22 is inserted into the first bolt through hole 23 from the upper surface 20 b of the mounting bracket 20. The first bolt 22 is screwed to a female screw portion (not shown) formed in the slider base plate 10d. Thereby, the mounting bracket 20 is firmly fixed to the slider base plate 10d.

  In this stage apparatus 1, the first seating surface 21 of the mounting bracket 20 and the slider base plate 10 d (the end of the moving member) are in contact with each other, and pass through the first bolt hole 23 a located on the first seating surface 21. The mounting bracket 20 is fixed to the slider base plate 10d by the first bolt 22 that performs the above operation. Therefore, the deformation of the mounting bracket 20 due to the heat generated by the coil 19a of the mover 19 and the heat of the mounting bracket 20 are not easily transmitted to the slider base plate 10d.

  Therefore, by minimizing the area of the first seating surface 21, there is an excellent effect that deformation and heat transmitted from the mounting bracket 20 to the slider base plate 10 d can be minimized. The area of the first seating surface 21 is determined by the number of first bolts 22 used when the mounting bracket 20 and the moving member 10 are connected.

  Further, the mounting bracket 20 is provided with a total of eight second seating surfaces 26 on the convex portions 20c projecting toward the mover 19, four in the upper and lower portions at equal intervals. Each second seating surface 26 is formed with a second bolt hole 28a through which the second bolt 27 passes. Since the second bolt through hole 28 communicating with the second bolt hole 28a extends in the horizontal direction, the second bolt 27 is inserted into the second bolt through hole 28 from the side surface 20d of the mounting bracket 20. The second bolt 27 is screwed onto a female screw portion (not shown) formed at the end of the movable element 19. Thereby, the mounting bracket 20 is firmly fixed to the mover 19.

  In the stage device 1, the second seating surface 26 of the mounting bracket 20 and the end of the mover 19 are in contact with each other, and the second bolt hole 28 a located on the second seating surface 26 is penetrated. Since the mounting bracket 20 is fixed to the mover 19 by the bolts 27, it is difficult for the heat of the mover 19 to be transmitted to the mounting bracket 20.

  Therefore, by minimizing the area of the second seating surface 26 protruding toward the mover 19, the deformation and heat transmitted from the mover 19 to the mounting bracket 20 can be minimized. . The area and number of each second seating surface 26 are determined in consideration of the strength required when the movable element 19 and the mounting bracket 20 are connected by the second bolt 27.

  Thus, the mounting measures on the slider base plate 10d side (first seating surface 21 and first bolt hole 23a) and the mounting measures on the mover 19 side (second seating surface 26 and second bolt hole 28a) As a result, the heat and thermal deformation caused by the heat generation of the coil 19a of the mover 19 become extremely difficult to be transmitted to the slider base plate 10d. As a result, the measuring instrument and nozzle fixed to the moving member 10 are precisely The error at the time of moving to can be made extremely small. Furthermore, since the mounting measures described above are applied to the mounting bracket 20, a design change is easy.

  Further, the slider base plate 10 d is provided with a bracket installation protrusion 30 that protrudes toward the stators 4 and 5, and the bracket installation protrusion 30 has substantially the same length as the mounting bracket 20. . Adopting such a bracket installation protrusion 30 has an excellent effect that the bracket installation protrusion 30 can absorb thermal deformation that may occur in the slider base plate 10d.

  Further, the first seating surface 21 is provided at a substantially central position of the surface 20e facing the slider base plate 10d. By adopting such a configuration, the mounting bracket 20 can be fixed to the slider base plate 10d with good balance.

As shown in FIG. 3, the length (A) from one extreme end to the other extreme end in the moving direction of the first seating surface 21 is one of the moving directions of the plurality of second seating surfaces 26 as a whole. It is shorter than the length (B) from the extreme end to the other extreme end . The amount of distortion of the mounting bracket 20 is the length (B) from one end to the other end in the movement direction of the plurality of second seating surfaces 26 in contact with the mounting bracket 20 and the mover 19. Depends on. Therefore, when the mounting bracket 20 and the moving member 10 are brought into contact with each other, the length (A) from one extreme end to the other extreme end in the moving direction of the first seating surface 21 should be designed so that A <B. For example, since not all of the distortion of the mounting bracket 20 is transmitted to the moving member 10, the relationship of the distortion amount of the mounting bracket 20> the distortion amount of the moving member 10 is satisfied. This can reduce the influence of heat generated by the linear motor as much as possible when moving the moving member 10 with a desired accuracy.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Although the moving magnet type linear motor is used in the above-described embodiment, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the moving magnet type linear motor because heat is generated in the mover.

It is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a stage device concerning the present invention. It is a principal part expansion perspective view of the stage apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows an attachment bracket.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Stage apparatus, 2, 3 ... Linear motor, 4, 5 ... Stator, 10 ... Moving member, 10d ... Slider base plate (end part of moving member), 19 ... Movable element, 20 ... Mounting bracket, 20e ... Opposite surface 21 ... first seating surface, 22 ... first bolt, 23a ... first bolt hole, 26 ... second seating surface, 27 ... second bolt, 28a ... second bolt hole, 30 ... bracket Projection for installation.

Claims (5)

In a stage apparatus including a linear motor having a stator extending in a moving direction of a moving member and a mover fixed to the moving member and moving along the stator,
The mover is fixed to the moving member via a mounting bracket,
The mounting bracket has a first seating surface that contacts the moving member, and a plurality of second seating surfaces that contact the mover,
The length from one extreme end to the other extreme end of the moving direction on the first seating surface is the length from one extreme end to the other extreme end of the plurality of second seating surfaces. Stage device characterized in that it is shorter than the length up to.   The stage device according to claim 1, wherein a first bolt hole through which the first bolt passes is formed in the first seating surface.   The stage device according to claim 1, wherein a second bolt hole through which a second bolt passes is formed in the second seating surface.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bracket installation protrusion that protrudes toward the stator is provided at an end of the moving member.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first seating surface of the mounting bracket is provided at substantially the center of the surface facing the end of the moving member.

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