JP5515923B2 - Levitation transfer device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a levitation conveyance apparatus that levitates and conveys a substrate such as a glass substrate in a conveyance direction.

  In recent years, various developments have been made on levitation conveyance devices in the field of clean conveyance, and the inventors of the present application have already developed levitation conveyance devices. Hereinafter, the configuration and the like of the levitation transport apparatus according to the prior art developed by the inventors of the present application will be described.

  The levitation transfer apparatus according to the prior art includes an apparatus main body (apparatus frame) extending in the transfer direction, and the apparatus main body is provided with a plurality of chambers for storing compressed air as levitation gas. The interior of each chamber is connected to a compressed air supply source (an example of a floating gas supply source) such as a supply fan that supplies compressed air. In addition, on the upper surface of each chamber, a plurality of levitation units that levitate the substrate using the pressure of compressed air are provided along the transport direction, and the interior of each levitation unit communicates with the interior of the chamber. And the nozzle which ejects compressed air is formed in the upper surface of each floating unit.

  A plurality of roller drive units that transport the substrate in the transport direction are disposed along the transport direction in the transport region that is partitioned (delimited) by the plurality of floating units. A plurality of rows are arranged in the conveyance width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. And the concrete structure of each roller drive unit is as follows.

That is, a case is provided in the apparatus main body or the chamber, and this case has an opening on the upper side (upper surface). In addition, a conveyance roller that supports the back surface of the substrate is provided in the case, and the conveyance roller can rotate around an axis parallel to the conveyance width direction. It protrudes upward from the part. A transport motor that rotates the transport roller about an axis parallel to the transport width direction is provided below the transport roller in the case. Further, on the lower surface of the case, the suction fan for sucking air is provided in the case from the opening of the case.

Therefore, the compressed air is supplied into the chambers by the operation of the compressed air supply source, and the compressed air is ejected from the nozzles of the floating units. Furthermore, by sucking the air in each case from the opening of the case by the operation of the suction fan, which both generates a negative pressure in the surrounding area of each of the conveying rollers (peripheral region), each carried by drive of the conveying motor The roller is rotated around an axis parallel to the conveyance width direction. Thus, the substrate can be floated and conveyed in the conveyance direction in a state where the back surface of the substrate and the plurality of conveyance rollers are kept in contact with each other by the negative pressure in the peripheral area of each conveyance roller.

  In addition, there exists what is shown to patent document 1 as another prior art relevant to this invention.

JP 2008-254918 A

  By the way, in order to ensure sufficient straightness of the substrate with respect to the transport direction and to appropriately carry the substrate by floating, when the roller drive unit is disposed in the transport region, the axis of the transport roller with respect to the transport width direction is adjusted. It is necessary to set the parallelism with high accuracy.

  However, it is very troublesome to set the parallelism of the axis of the conveyance roller with respect to the conveyance width direction with high accuracy, and there is a problem that it takes a lot of time and labor to arrange the roller drive unit.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a levitating and conveying apparatus having a novel configuration that can solve the above-described problems.

The present invention is characterized in that, in a levitation transport apparatus that levitates and transports a substrate in the transport direction, a floating gas supply that is disposed in the apparatus main body at an interval in a transport width direction orthogonal to the transport direction and supplies a floating gas inside. A plurality of chambers connected to a source and containing floating gas, and provided on the upper surface of each chamber, the inside of which communicates with the interior of the chamber, and a nozzle for ejecting the floating gas is formed on the upper surface. A plurality of levitation units that levitate the substrate using the pressure of the substrate, and a conveyance region partitioned by the plurality of levitation units, the arrangement state is a plurality of rows in the conveyance width direction, A plurality of roller drive units that transport in the transport direction, each roller drive unit being detachably provided in the chamber, and in the transport direction in the chamber A mounting base having a vertical reference surface capable of contacting the vertical side surface, a case provided on the mounting base and having an opening on the upper side, and the vertical reference of the mounting base received in the case A rotation roller that is rotatable about an axis parallel to a direction perpendicular to the surface, a part of which protrudes upward from the opening of the case, and that is supported in the case, a conveying motor for rotating around center axis parallel to the conveying rollers in a direction the perpendicular, and summarized in that includes a suction fan for sucking air, within the case from the opening of the case.

  In the specification and claims of the present application, “arranged” means not only directly disposed but also indirectly disposed via an interposed member such as a bracket. The term “provided” means that it is provided directly, as well as indirectly provided via an intervening member such as a bracket and integrally formed. “Floating gas” means compressed air (air), argon gas, nitrogen gas and the like.

According to the characteristics of the present invention, the floating gas is supplied to the inside of each chamber by the operation of the floating gas supply source, and the floating gas is ejected from the nozzle of each floating unit. Furthermore, by sucking the air in each case from the opening of the case by the operation of the suction fan, which both generates a negative pressure in the surrounding area of each of the conveying rollers, wherein the mounting of each of the conveying rollers by the drive of the conveying motor The base is rotated about an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to the vertical reference plane (in other words, the conveyance width direction). Accordingly, the substrate can be floated and conveyed in the conveyance direction in a state where the back surface of the substrate and the plurality of conveyance rollers are kept in contact with each other by the negative pressure in the peripheral area of each conveyance roller.

  In addition to the above operation, the mounting base has the vertical reference surface that can contact the vertical side surface of the chamber, and the transport roller is an axis parallel to the direction perpendicular to the vertical reference surface of the mounting base. Since the vertical reference surface of the mounting base is brought into contact with the vertical side surface of the chamber and the mounting base is mounted on the chamber, the vertical reference surface of the mounting base can be rotated around the center. The direction parallel to the transport width direction (the direction parallel to the transport width direction) can be made coincident, and the parallelism of the axis of the transport roller with respect to the transport width direction can be set with high accuracy.

  According to the present invention, the axis of the transport roller with respect to the transport width direction can be obtained simply by bringing the vertical reference surface of the mounting base into contact with the vertical side surface of the chamber and mounting the mounting base on the chamber. Since the parallelism of the roller drive unit can be set with high accuracy, the work for disposing the roller drive unit is simplified, and the time and labor required for the work for disposing the roller drive unit can be reduced as much as possible.

It is sectional drawing along the II line in FIG. It is sectional drawing along the II-II line in FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of an arrow portion III in FIG. 5. It is an expanded sectional view along the IV-IV line in FIG. It is a schematic top view of the levitation conveyance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic front view of the levitating conveyance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view of the levitating conveyance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the drawings, “FF” indicates the forward direction, “FR” indicates the backward direction, “L” indicates the left direction, and “R” indicates the right direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the levitating and conveying apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention levitates and conveys a substrate W such as a glass substrate in the conveying direction (the front and rear direction in the embodiment of the present invention). And an apparatus main body (apparatus frame) 3 extending in the front-rear direction. In addition, the apparatus main body 3 includes a support base 5 extending in the transport direction, a plurality of support columns 7 provided integrally on the lower side of the support support 5, and a plurality of support members connected to the plurality of support columns 7. The reinforcing member 9 is provided. The apparatus main body 3 may be divided into a plurality along the transport direction.

  In the support 5, a chamber 11 that stores compressed air (air) as a floating gas is spaced in the transport direction and the transport width direction (in the left-right direction in the embodiment of the present invention) perpendicular to the transport direction. The plurality of chambers 11 are arranged in three rows in the transport width direction. Each chamber 11 has a vertical side surface MS extending in the transport direction and parallel to the transport direction. The vertical side surface MS of each chamber 11 has a pair of grooves 13 (recesses) extending in the transport direction. Example) is provided. Further, a plurality of supply fans (fan filter units in the embodiment of the present invention) 15 are provided on the lower surface of each chamber 11 as a floating gas supply source that supplies compressed air to the inside of the chamber 11. Yes.

  On the upper surface of each chamber 11, a plurality of floating units 17 that float the substrate W by using the pressure of compressed air are disposed at intervals in the transport direction and the transport width direction. In FIG. 5, a plurality of floating units 17 are arranged at intervals in the transport direction and the transport width direction via the plurality of chambers 11. Moreover, the front view shape (see FIG. 6) and the side view shape (see FIG. 7) of each levitation unit 17 are each T-shaped, and the interior of each levitation unit 17 is located inside the corresponding chamber 11. Communicated. A rectangular frame-shaped nozzle 19 that ejects compressed air is formed along the outer edge of the upper surface of the floating unit 17 on the upper surface of each floating unit 17. An air reservoir layer (pressure reservoir layer) S can be generated as a floating gas reservoir layer (see FIG. 4). Here, the nozzle 19 of each levitation unit 17 is, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-182563, a unit center side (center side of the levitation unit 17) with respect to the vertical direction (direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the levitation unit 17). ).

  Note that a transport region T for transporting the substrate W is defined by the plurality of floating units 17.

  In the transport region T, a plurality of roller drive units 21 that transport the substrate W in the transport direction are disposed along the transport direction, and the plurality of roller drive units 21 are arranged in two rows in the transport width direction. It has become. And the concrete structure of each roller drive unit 21 is as follows.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11 is provided with a mounting base 23 having an L-shaped section so as to be detachable via a plurality of mounting bolts 25. 23v and a horizontal portion 23h. The vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 has a vertical reference surface RS that can contact the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, and a notch 27 is formed in the horizontal portion 23h of the mounting base 23. . Furthermore, a plurality of engagement protrusions 29 (only one is shown in FIG. 1) that can be engaged with the groove 13 of the chamber 11 are provided on the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 by screwing. Yes. In the case where a protrusion (not shown) is provided on the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, instead of providing the engagement protrusion 29 on the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23 v of the mounting base 23, the chamber 11 An engaging recess (not shown) that can be engaged with the protrusions of the protrusions may be provided.

  A lower case 31 is provided at the lower peripheral edge of the notch 27 in the horizontal portion 23 h of the mounting base 23, and the lower case 31 is appropriately fixed to the vertical portion 23 v of the mounting base 23. Further, an upper case 33 is provided on the upper peripheral edge of the notch 27 in the horizontal portion 23h of the mounting base 23 (in other words, on the upper side of the lower case 31), and the upper case 33 is opened on the upper side (upper surface). A portion 35 is provided. Further, a support plate 37 extending in the vertical direction is provided in the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 via a plurality of mounting bolts 39, and the supporting plate 37 is inserted (penetrated) through the notch 27 of the mounting base 23. Thus, it is accommodated in the lower case 31 and the upper case 33.

  A transport roller 41 that supports the back surface of the substrate W is provided above the support plate 37 via a roller shaft 43, and the transport roller 41 is accommodated in the upper case 33. Further, the transport roller 41 can rotate around an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to the vertical reference plane RS of the vertical portion 23 v of the mounting base 23, and a part of the transport roller 41 is an opening 35 of the upper case 33. It protrudes upward from. Here, in a state where the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 is in contact with the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, the direction perpendicular to the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 is the transport width. The direction is the same as the direction (direction parallel to the conveyance width direction).

  Below the support plate 37 is a transport motor 45 that rotates the transport roller 41 around an axis parallel to the direction perpendicular to the vertical reference plane RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 (in other words, the transport width direction). A plurality of mounting rods 47 are provided, and the transport motor 45 is accommodated in the lower case 31. Further, the output shaft of the transport motor 45 is linked to the transport roller 41 through a main pulley 49, a timing belt 51, and a driven pulley 53.

The lower surface of the lower case 31, a suction fan 55 for sucking air is provided from the opening 35 of the upper case 31 to the lower case 31 and the upper casing 33.

  Then, the effect | action and effect of embodiment of this invention are demonstrated.

By supplying the compressed air to the inside of each chamber 11 by the operation of each supply fan 15, the compressed air is ejected from the nozzle 19 of each floating unit 17. Further, the suction fan 55 operated by the respective lower case 31 and the upper case 33 from the opening 35 of the upper case 33 of sucked air, which both generates a negative pressure in the surrounding area of each of the conveying rollers 41, By driving each conveyance motor 45, each conveyance roller 41 is rotated around an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to the vertical reference plane RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 (in other words, the conveyance width direction). As a result, an air pool layer S is generated between the substrate W and the plurality of floating units 17 in a state where the back surface of the substrate W and the plurality of transport rollers 41 are kept in contact with each other by the negative pressure in the peripheral area of each transport roller 41. In addition, the substrate W can be levitated and conveyed in the conveyance direction.

  In addition to the above-described operation, the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 has a vertical reference surface RS that can contact the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, and the transport roller 41 has a vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23. Since the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 is brought into contact with the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, a plurality of mounting bases 23 are placed in the chamber 11. Only by mounting the mounting bolt 39, the direction perpendicular to the vertical reference plane RS of the vertical portion 23v of the mounting base 23 is made to coincide with the transport width direction (the direction parallel to the transport width direction), and with respect to the transport width direction. The parallelism of the axis of the transport roller 41 can be set with high accuracy.

  Further, when the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23 v of the mounting base 23 is brought into contact with the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, the engagement protrusion 29 of the mounting base 23 is engaged with the groove 13 of the chamber 11, thereby 11, the roller drive unit 21 can be positioned in the vertical direction easily and with high accuracy.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention, the vertical reference surface RS of the vertical portion 23 v of the mounting base 23 is brought into contact with the vertical side surface MS of the chamber 11, and the mounting base 23 is mounted on the chamber 11 via the plurality of mounting bolts 39. Therefore, the parallelism of the axis of the transport roller 41 with respect to the transport width direction can be set with high accuracy, so that the disposition work of the roller drive unit 21 is simplified, and the time required for the disposition work of the roller drive unit 21 is reduced. Time and effort can be reduced as much as possible. In particular, since the roller drive unit 21 can be positioned in the vertical direction with respect to the chamber 11 easily and with high accuracy, the above-described effects can be further enhanced.

  In addition, this invention is not restricted to description of the above-mentioned embodiment, It can implement in a various aspect. Further, the scope of rights encompassed by the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

W Substrate MS Vertical side RS Vertical reference surface S Air reservoir (pressure reservoir)
T transfer area W substrate 1 levitation transfer device 3 device body 5 support base 11 chamber MS vertical side surface of chamber
13 Groove (concave)
15 Supply fan 17 Floating unit 19 Nozzle 21 Roller drive unit 23 Mounting base 23h Horizontal portion 23v Vertical portion RS Reference surface 25 of vertical portion of mounting base Mounting bolt 27 Notch 29 Engaging projection 31 Lower case 33 Upper case 35 Opening portion 37 Support Plate 41 Conveying roller 43 Roller shaft 45 Conveying motor 49 Main pulley 51 Timing belt 53 Followed pulley 55 Suction fan

Claims (4)

In a levitation transport device that floats and transports a substrate in the transport direction,
A plurality of chambers arranged in the apparatus main body at intervals in the transport width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, connected to a floating gas supply source for supplying the floating gas inside, and containing the floating gas;
A plurality of levitation units provided on the upper surface of each chamber, the interior of which is in communication with the interior of the chamber, a nozzle for ejecting levitation gas is formed on the upper surface, and the substrate is levitated using the pressure of the levitation gas; ,
A plurality of roller drive units that are disposed in a transport region partitioned by the plurality of floating units, the disposed states are arranged in a plurality of rows in the transport width direction, and transport the substrate in the transport direction. ,
Each roller drive unit
An attachment base having a vertical reference surface that is detachably provided in the chamber and is capable of contacting a vertical side surface parallel to the transport direction in the chamber;
A case provided on the mounting base and having an opening on the upper side;
The case is accommodated in the case and is rotatable about an axis parallel to a direction orthogonal to the vertical reference plane of the mounting base, and a part protrudes upward from the opening of the case, and A conveying roller to support;
A transport motor that is housed in the case and rotates the transport roller around an axis parallel to the orthogonal direction;
Levitation transportation device characterized by comprising a suction fan for sucking air into the casing through the opening of the case.   A recess or protrusion is provided on the vertical side surface of the chamber, and an engagement protrusion that can be engaged with the recess or an engagement recess that can be engaged with the protrusion is provided on the vertical reference surface of the mounting base. The levitation conveyance apparatus according to claim 1. Each roller drive unit is provided on the mounting base, and includes a support plate accommodated in the case ,
The levitation transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport roller is provided on an upper part of the support plate, and the transport motor is provided on a lower part of the support plate. The said case consists of a lower case provided in the said attachment base, and an upper case provided in the upper side of the said lower case in the said attachment base. The levitation conveyance apparatus according to item 1 .

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