JP6702065B2 - Glass plate manufacturing method and glass plate manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a glass plate manufacturing method and a glass plate manufacturing apparatus technology, and more particularly to a technology for efficiently changing the attitude of a glass plate from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation.

  Conventionally, in manufacturing a glass plate, as shown in Patent Document 1, a plurality of glass base materials are stacked on a pallet in a vertical posture, and then the glass base materials are taken out one by one from the pallet, A technique of manufacturing a glass sheet by cutting it into a desired size is known.

International Publication 2014/119458

  When manufacturing a glass plate of a desired size by such a method, it is necessary to change the glass substrate for cutting out the glass plate from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, so It was desired to develop a technology that can be reversed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the present situation, and provides a glass plate manufacturing method and a glass plate manufacturing apparatus that enable the attitude of a glass substrate to be efficiently changed from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation. The purpose is to do.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will be described below.

That is, the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention is, by the first transporting device, the first step of transporting the glass substrate while holding the glass substrate in a vertical posture, and after the first step, The glass base material is transferred from the first transfer device to the table unit on a reversing table having a table unit that can be reversed in the direction and the sideways, and the table unit is in a vertical posture. The second step of reversing the portion sideways to change the posture of the glass substrate to the sideways direction, and after the second step, moving the glass substrate in the sideways posture from the reversing table to the second side. A third step of transferring the glass base material in a horizontal posture by the second transfer apparatus after the third step, and a fourth step of transferring the glass base material in a horizontal posture. It is characterized by
With such a configuration, the attitude of the glass substrate can be efficiently changed from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and the glass plate can be efficiently manufactured.

Further, the method for producing a glass plate according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the second step, the arrangement of the table portion in the width direction of the glass substrate is adjusted according to the product information of the glass substrate. And
When manufacturing a glass plate having a desired size, it is necessary to accurately position the glass substrate to be sent to the cutting process. Conventionally, since the positioning was performed by the worker at the stage where the glass base material was inverted to the sideways posture, there was a problem that the time required for positioning the glass plate becomes long. According to the method for manufacturing a glass plate of the present invention, it is possible to accurately position the glass base material.

In the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the table portion further includes a glass base material detection device that detects a position of the glass base material arranged on the table portion, and the second step In the above, the position of the glass base material on the table part is detected by the glass base material detection device, and the arrangement of the table part is adjusted according to the detected position.
With such a configuration, the glass base material can be positioned more accurately.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the table portion includes a first conveyor that conveys while adsorbing the glass base material, and in the third step, by the first conveyor. The glass substrate is transferred to the second transfer device.
According to such a configuration, in the third step, it is possible to transfer efficiently from the table portion to the second transfer device, and it is possible to manufacture the glass plate more efficiently.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the table portion includes an air levitation part for levitating the glass base material, and in the third step, the glass basal part is formed by the air levitation part. Is floated from the table section.
According to such a configuration, in the third step, it is possible to transfer efficiently from the table portion to the second transfer device, and it is possible to manufacture the glass plate more efficiently.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the table portion, in the second step, the air pipe is connected when the table portion is in a horizontal posture, in the third step, Air is supplied to the air floating portion from an air pipe.
According to such a configuration, in the third step, the air is reliably supplied to the air floating portion, the table part can be efficiently transferred to the second transfer device, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently. can do.

Further, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the present invention, the table portion has a sensor for detecting the glass substrate on the table portion, and in the second step, the glass substrate by the sensor. Is detected, and before the entire surface of the glass substrate is aligned with the table portion, the inversion of the table portion is started.
According to such a configuration, in the second step, since the table portion can be inverted at an early stage, the attitude of the glass base material can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently. it can.

Further, the glass plate manufacturing method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the second step, the thicker the plate thickness of the glass base material, the earlier the reversal of the table portion is started.
According to such a configuration, in the second step, since the table portion can be inverted more quickly, the attitude of the glass base material can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently. You can

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, in the second step, the table portion is driven in the width direction of the glass base material by a servomotor, and the width of the glass base material of the table portion. It is characterized by adjusting the arrangement with respect to the direction.
According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the glass base material in the step after the glass base material is inverted, so that the glass plate can be efficiently manufactured.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the second conveyor comprises a second conveyor that conveys while adsorbing the glass substrate, and in the fourth step, the second conveyor The glass base material is conveyed by the conveyor.
According to such a configuration, in the fourth step, the glass base material can be efficiently transported, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, the glass substrate is characterized in that a sheet-shaped cushioning material is arranged on a conveying surface during the first step to the fourth step. ..
According to such a configuration, the glass base material can be efficiently transported without damaging it.

Moreover, the manufacturing method of the glass plate which concerns on this invention arrange|positions the said glass base material in two places in the said 1st step, and from the two places toward the said inversion stand by the said 1st conveyance apparatus. The glass substrate is transported.
With such a configuration, the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

Further, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention has a first transporting device for transporting while holding the glass base material in a vertically oriented posture, and a table portion that can be inverted vertically and horizontally. A reversing table for reversing the attitude of the glass substrate arranged in, and a conveyor, the second conveyor device for conveying by the conveyor the glass substrate having a lateral orientation changed by the reversing table, A glass plate manufacturing apparatus comprising: the table section being rotatably supported by a shaft section; a drive section for rotationally driving the table section around the shaft section; and a shaft section of the shaft section for driving the table section. A displacing section for displacing in a direction, and a control device for controlling the operation of the driving section and the displacing section are provided.
With such a configuration, the attitude of the glass substrate can be efficiently changed from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and the glass plate can be efficiently manufactured.

Further, in the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the control device causes the driving unit to reverse the table unit from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction while the displacement unit causes the shaft unit of the table unit to move. The feature is that the position with respect to the axial direction is adjusted.
According to such a configuration, since the table portion can be inverted at an early stage, the attitude of the glass base material can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

  The effects of the present invention are as follows.

  According to the glass plate manufacturing method and the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the attitude of the glass substrate can be efficiently changed from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and the glass plate can be efficiently manufactured.

The perspective schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The plane schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the control device which constitutes the glass plate manufacturing device concerning a first embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the manufacturing method of the glass plate which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The schematic plan view which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-1) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The side surface schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-1) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The schematic plan view which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-2) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The front schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-2) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The side surface schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-1 to STEP-3) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The schematic plan view which shows the manufacturing condition (STEP-3 to STEP-4) of the glass plate by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The plane schematic diagram which shows the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. The plane schematic diagram which shows the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the glass base material detection apparatus which comprises the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention.

Next, an embodiment of the invention will be described.
The overall configuration of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, for convenience of description, a three-dimensional coordinate system including X, Y, and Z axes orthogonal to each other is defined around the glass plate manufacturing apparatus as shown in FIG. The X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are horizontal, and the Z-axis direction is vertical.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention uses a cutting step (not shown) to manufacture a glass plate (not shown) from a glass substrate G. ) Is a device for changing the attitude of the glass base material G from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction and transferring the glass base material G in the cutting step in the upstream part of FIG. A device 30 is provided.

The glass base material G handled by the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 is a glass plate prepared by cutting a continuously formed glass ribbon into a predetermined length by a downdraw method or a float method and preparing for the cutting step. A buffer sheet S for protecting the transport surface of the glass substrate G is arranged on the glass substrate G, and in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the buffer sheet S is transported in the state in which it is disposed. It
In the following description, the description and illustration of the buffer sheet S may be omitted for the glass base material G on which the buffer sheet S is arranged.

Then, the glass base material G is prepared by stacking the glass base material G in a vertical posture so as to lean against the inclined surface 41 formed on the pallet 40.
The "vertical orientation" referred to in this description includes a wide range of orientations in which the upper end portion of the glass base material G can be conceived and the upper end portion can be grasped. This includes a “generally vertical posture”, which is the posture in which the user is standing.

Here, the first transfer device 10 will be described.
The first transporting device 10 is a device for transporting the glass base materials G stacked in a vertical orientation on the pallet 40 to the reversing table 20 in a vertical orientation, and a plurality of (in the present embodiment, Two chuck parts 11, 11 and a displacement part 12 are provided.

  The chuck portion 11 is a portion for gripping the glass base material G, is provided so as to project downward from the displacement portion 12, and the upper end portion of the vertically oriented glass base material G located below the chuck portion 11. Is configured to be able to be gripped.

  The displacement portion 12 is a portion that supports the chuck portions 11 and 11, and is supported by a displacement device (not shown) such as a traverse device or a robot arm, and is configured to be displaceable in each of the X, Y, and Z axial directions. There is.

Then, the first transport device 10 transports the glass base materials G stacked on the pallet 40 to the reversing table 20 and stops gripping by the chuck portions 11 and 11 so that the glass substrates G are reversed in the vertical posture. It is configured so that it can be transferred to the table 20.
When gripping the glass base material G laminated on the pallet 40 with the chuck portions 11 and 11, an operator assists to finely adjust the relative position between the chuck portion 11 and the glass base material G. Is also good.

Here, the reversing table 20 will be described.
The reversing table 20 is a device for reversing the glass substrate G having a vertical posture to a horizontal posture and transferring the glass substrate G having the changed posture to the second transport device 30, and a table unit. 21, a shaft portion 22, a shaft support portion 23, a shaft displacement portion 24 and the like.

  The table portion 21 is a table-like portion on which an arrangement surface 25 is formed, which is a surface for aligning the glass base material G when the posture of the glass base material G is reversed. The table portion 21 is supported by the shaft portion 22 so as to be rotatable around the axis of the shaft portion 22.

  The shaft portion 22 is a shaft-shaped portion for rotatably supporting the table portion 21, and is supported by the shaft support portion 23 such that the axial center direction thereof is parallel to the X-axis direction. The table portion 21 is configured to be rotatable around the axis of the shaft portion 22.

  The shaft support portion 23 is a portion that rotatably supports both ends of the shaft portion 22, and includes a motor M1 that rotationally drives the shaft portion 22, as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaft displacement portion 24 is a portion that supports the shaft support portion 23 so as to be displaceable in the X-axis direction, and the shaft support portion 23 (therefore, the shaft portion 22 and the table portion 21). Are configured to be displaceable in the X-axis direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the shaft displacing section 24 includes a servo motor M2 that displaces the shaft supporting section 23 in the X-axis direction.

  The reversing table 20 has a plurality of air ejection holes 26, 26,... Formed on the arrangement surface 25 as air floating portions for floating the glass base material G. An air supply source (not shown) is connected to the plurality of air ejection holes 26, 26... By ejecting the air supplied from the air supply source from the plurality of air ejection holes 26, 26. The glass substrate G can be floated from the arrangement surface 25.

Further, the reversing table 20 is provided with first conveyors 27, 27 for conveying the glass base material G arranged on the arrangement surface 25.
The first conveyor 27 is composed of an endless belt that is rotationally driven in the circumferential direction by a drive source such as a motor (not shown).
Further, the endless belt is formed with a plurality of suction holes 28,... As shown in FIG. A suction means such as a vacuum pump (not shown) is connected to the suction hole 28. By sucking air from the suction hole 28 by the suction means, the glass base material G in contact with the suction hole 28 is sucked. Is configured to be able to.

  Then, the first conveyor 27 is configured to be able to adsorb and hold the glass base material G arranged on the arrangement surface 25 by the suction holes 28, 28... By rotating the endless belt in the sucked state, the glass base material G can be conveyed in the Y-axis direction (the rotation direction of the endless belt).

  The width direction of the glass substrate G transferred onto the arrangement surface 25 of the reversing table 20, which is in the vertical orientation, is oriented in the X-axis direction. Further, when the reversing table 20 is in the horizontal posture, the glass base material G on the placement surface 25 has the width direction facing the X-axis direction, the length direction facing the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction facing the glass substrate G. It faces the Z-axis.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the reversing table 20 is provided with a sensor 29 for detecting that the glass base material G is placed on the placement surface 25.

Further, the reversing table 20 is connected to the control device 50 as shown in FIG.
The control device 50 is a device for controlling the operations of the shaft support portion 23 and the shaft displacement portion 24 that form the reversing table 20, and the shaft support portion 23, the shaft displacement portion 24, and the sensor 29 are connected to the control device 50. Has been done. The sensor 29 is configured to detect that the glass base material G is placed on the placement surface 25 and output a signal to that effect to the control device 50.

  In the reversing table 20, when the sensor 29 detects that the glass base material G is placed on the placement surface 25, a signal to that effect is input to the control device 50, and the signal is used as a trigger to cause the control device 50 to move the axis. It is configured to control the operations of the support portion 23 and the axial displacement portion 24.

The reversing table 20 is configured such that the table portion 21 is rotated by rotating the shaft portion 22 by the motor M1 provided in the shaft support portion 23, and the posture of the table portion 21 is changed according to a command from the control device 50. It can be changed to portrait and landscape.
In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the shaft portion 22 is rotated by the motor M1 and the table portion 21 is rotated is illustrated, but for example, an actuator is used to extend and retract the actuator connected to the table portion 21. The table portion 21 may be rotated around the shaft portion 22 by contraction, and the configuration is not limited to the configuration illustrated in the present embodiment.

The shaft displacement unit 24 is configured by combining a servo motor M2 provided in the shaft displacement unit 24 and a linear motion guide (not shown), and by operating the servo motor M2 according to a command from the control device 50, The shaft support portion 23 can be displaced in the X-axis direction.
With such a configuration, the reversing table 20 can displace the table portion 21 in the X-axis direction with high accuracy by the axial displacement portion 24, and can dispose the glass base material G in the X-axis direction. It is possible to adjust.

  Further, the reversing table 20 is configured to adjust the arrangement position of the glass base material G according to the product information of the glass base material G (size and defect position of the glass base material G).

  Further, the reversing table 20 is configured so that the shaft displacing portion 24 can be operated while the shaft portion 22 is being rotated by the shaft supporting portion 23. The glass base material G arranged alongside is inverted by the table portion 21 to be changed to a horizontal posture, and at the same time, the arrangement in the X-axis direction can be adjusted.

Here, the second transport device 30 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the second transfer device 30 moves the glass base material G, which has been turned upside down by the turnover table 20, in the Y-axis direction toward the subsequent step (cutting step in this embodiment). It is a conveyor device for carrying, and includes a second conveyor 31 and a chamber 32.
The second conveyor 31 is composed of an endless conveyor belt 33 and a pulley 34, and a plurality of through holes 35 are formed on the surface of the conveyor belt 33. The chamber 32 is arranged at a position corresponding to the plurality of through holes 35 on the back side of the transport belt 33. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, only one pulley 34 is shown, but the conveyor belt 33 is wound between a plurality (at least one pair) of pulleys 34.

The second transfer device 30 is arranged such that the upper surface of the transfer belt 33 is horizontal, and the inside of the chamber 32 is exhausted by an exhaust facility (not shown) to cushion the through holes 35. It is configured to be able to adsorb the sheet S.
In the second transport device 30, it is possible to eject air from the through holes 35, 35... By supplying air to the chamber 32, whereby the buffer sheet S on the transport belt 33 is ejected. And the glass substrate G can be floated. Therefore, the second transfer device 30 can be configured so that the exhaust and the air supply to the chamber 32 can be switched according to the work situation.

The conveyor belt 33 is configured to be rotationally driven in the circumferential direction when the pulley 34 is rotationally driven by a drive source such as a motor (not shown).
Then, the second transport device 30 is configured to be able to suck and hold the buffer sheet S (and the glass base material G) placed on the upper surface of the transport belt 33, and also suck the buffer sheet S. In this state, the transport belt 33 is rotated to transport the glass base material G.

Next, a method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, first, one glass substrate G laminated in a vertical posture on the pallet 40 is gripped by the chuck portion 11. Then, the first transfer device 10 transfers the glass base material G from the first transfer device 10 to the predetermined position of the reversing table 20 and transfers the glass base material G to the reversing table 20 in the vertical orientation (STEP). -1).

  At this time, the "predetermined position" on which the glass base material G of the reversing table 20 is conveyed is preferably always the same position. It is more preferable to convey the base material G so that the center position of the base material G in the width direction coincides with the “predetermined position”.

  The glass base material G transferred to the reversing table 20 is adsorbed and held on the arrangement surface 25 by the first conveyors 27, 27, and is arranged on the arrangement surface 25 while maintaining the vertical orientation.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, in (STEP-1), when the glass base material G is transferred from the first transfer device 10 to the reversing table 20, the ground contact area of the glass base material G with respect to the placement surface 25 is gradually increased. To increase. In the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the sensor 29 can detect the glass base material G when the lower half of the glass base material G is grounded to the placement surface 25. Is configured as follows.
Note that the arrangement position of the sensor 29 in the present embodiment is an example, and for which part of the glass base material G is to be detected by the sensor 29, an optimum position is appropriately selected according to the specifications of the glass base material G and the like. To do.

As described above, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the glass substrate G (more specifically, the glass substrate G) is detected after a short time has elapsed after the glass substrate G was detected by the sensor 29. The entire surface of the cushioning sheet S) arranged in G contacts the arrangement surface 25.
In the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, in consideration of the time from when the sensor 29 detects the glass base material G until the entire surface of the glass base material G contacts the placement surface 25, the sensor 29 is used. The rotation of the table portion 21 is started a predetermined time after the glass base material G is detected and before the glass base material G is entirely in contact with the placement surface 25. ..

  The "predetermined time" at this time is changed according to the thickness of the glass base material G. Specifically, the larger the thickness of the glass base material G, the shorter the "predetermined time". The table part 21 is started to be inverted at an earlier timing after the glass substrate G is detected by the sensor 29.

  With such a configuration, it becomes possible to start the rotation of the table portion 21 before the glass base material G is entirely in contact with the arrangement surface 25, so that the glass base material G is inverted. Work efficiency can be improved.

That is, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the table portion 21 has the sensor 29 for detecting the glass base material G on the table portion 21, and in (STEP-2), the sensor is provided. The inversion of the table part 21 is started after the glass base material G is detected by 29 and before the entire surface of the glass base material G is aligned with the table part 21.
According to such a configuration, in (STEP-2), since the table portion 21 can be inverted at an early stage, the attitude of the glass base material G can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently. can do.

In addition, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, in (STEP-2), as the thickness of the glass substrate G is larger, the inversion of the table portion 21 is started at an earlier timing.
According to such a configuration, in (STEP-2), since the table portion 21 can be inverted more quickly, the posture of the glass base material G can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be more efficiently. It can be manufactured.

Next, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the table portion 21 is inverted as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 to 9 (STEP-2).
Specifically, the detection of the glass base material G on the placement surface 25 by the sensor 29 (see FIG. 3) is used as a trigger to rotate the shaft portion 22 by the shaft support portion 23 to move the table portion 21 in the “vertical orientation”. To the “horizontal orientation” to reverse the glass substrate G from the “vertical orientation” to the “horizontal orientation”.

  In the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, when the sensor 29 detects that the glass base material G is arranged on the arrangement surface 25, after a predetermined time, based on a command from the control device 50. The shaft support portion 23 is configured to rotate the shaft portion 22.

  Information regarding the plate thickness of the glass base material G is input to the control device 50, and the "predetermined time" is changed according to the plate thickness of the glass base material G. Specifically, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the thinner the glass substrate G is, the longer the "predetermined time" is.

  Further, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 8, during (STEP-2) (that is, the glass base material G is inverted from the vertical posture to the horizontal posture). (Between), the table portion 21 is displaced by the axial displacement portion 24, and the arrangement position of the glass base material G arranged on the arrangement surface 25 in the X-axis direction is adjusted.

  For example, when the glass base material G laminated on the pallet 40 has a defective portion (not shown) and the position of the defective portion is known, a glass plate is cut out from a portion not covered by the defective portion. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the arrangement of the glass base material G in consideration of the position of the defective portion.

  In the method for manufacturing the glass base material G using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the product information of the glass base material G is input to the control device 50 so that the glass plate is cut out from a portion that does not cover the defective portion, and the glass base material G is then cut. The arrangement position of the glass base material G in the X-axis direction can be adjusted according to the product information.

  Note that lot information can be used as the product information of the glass substrate G, and the defect position may be investigated in advance for each lot, and the arrangement position may be changed for each lot.

  In the method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, the adjustment of the position of the table part 21 in the X-axis direction is completed while the table part 21 is rotated. The adjustment of the arrangement does not extend the time required for the work of reversing the posture of the glass base material G, and does not require the operator to adjust the arrangement of the glass base material G.

  That is, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, the glass material G is held by the chuck portions 11 and 11 in a vertical posture by the first transport device 10 having the chuck portions 11 and 11. While the first step (STEP-1) of transporting while carrying out, (STEP-1), after the (STEP-1) The glass base material G is transferred from the first transfer device 10 to the table portion 21 in a state where the portion 21 is in the vertical orientation, and the table portion 21 is inverted horizontally so that the orientation of the glass base material G is oriented horizontally. After (STEP-2) which is the second step of changing, and (STEP-2), the third step of transferring the glass substrate G in the horizontal posture from the reversing table 20 to the second transfer device 30. A barrel (STEP-3), and a fourth barrel (STEP-4) for transporting the glass substrate G in a horizontal posture by the second transport device 30 after (STEP-3). There is.

  Further, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has the chuck portions 11 and 11, and conveys the glass base material G while gripping the glass base material G in the vertical posture by the chuck portions 11 and 11. The first transfer device 10, the table portion 21 that can be vertically and horizontally inverted, and has a reversing table 20 for reversing the posture of the glass base material G arranged on the table portion 21, and a second conveyor 31, An apparatus including a second transfer device 30 that transfers a glass substrate G whose posture has been changed to a horizontal direction by the reversing table 20 by a second conveyor 31, wherein the table part 21 is rotatably supported by a shaft part 22. A shaft support portion 23 that is a drive portion that rotationally drives the table portion 21 around the shaft portion 22, a shaft displacement portion 24 that is a displacement portion that displaces the table portion 21 in the axial direction of the shaft portion 22, and a shaft support portion. 23 and a control device 50 for controlling the operation of the axial displacement unit 24.

  According to the glass plate manufacturing method and the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 having such a configuration, the attitude of the glass substrate G can be efficiently changed from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and the glass plate can be manufactured efficiently.

In addition, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, in (STEP-2), the table portion with respect to the width direction (X-axis direction) of the glass substrate G according to the product information of the glass substrate G. The arrangement of 21 is adjusted.
According to the method for manufacturing a glass plate having such a configuration, the glass base material G can be accurately positioned.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, in (STEP-2), the table portion 21 is driven in the width direction (X axis direction) of the glass base material G by the servo motor M2, The arrangement of the table portion 21 in the width direction of the glass base material G is adjusted.
According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the glass base material G in the step after the glass base material G is inverted, so that the glass plate can be efficiently manufactured.

Further, the control device 50 configuring the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention uses the shaft displacing portion 24 while reversing the table portion 21 from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction by the shaft supporting portion 23. The position of the shaft portion 22 of the table portion 21 with respect to the axial direction is adjusted.
According to such a configuration, since the table portion can be inverted quickly, the attitude of the glass base material G can be efficiently changed, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

  Next, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, the inversion table 20 adjusts the arrangement of the glass substrate G in the X-axis direction, and The glass base material G is transferred from the reversing table 20 to the second transfer device 30 by the one conveyor 27, 27 (STEP-3).

  In (STEP-3), the glass base material G is transferred from the reversing table 20 to the second transfer device 30 by the plurality of suction holes 28, 28... It is carried out in a state of being adsorbed on 27, and can be transferred smoothly without causing slippage or the like between the glass base material G and the first conveyor 27.

That is, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the table portion 21 is provided with the first conveyors 27, 27 that are first conveyors that convey the glass base material G while adsorbing it (STEP 3), the glass base material G is transferred to the second transfer device 30 by the first conveyor 27.
According to such a configuration, in (STEP-3), it is possible to transfer efficiently from the table portion 21 to the second transfer device 30, and the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

  The transfer of the glass base material G from the reversing table 20 to the second transfer device 30 in (STEP-3) is performed by ejecting air from the plurality of air ejection holes 26. The buffer sheet S is floated from the arrangement surface 25, and the glass substrate G can be transferred smoothly by sliding on the arrangement surface 25.

That is, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, the table portion 21 is provided with a plurality of air ejection holes 26, 26,... In STEP-3), the glass base material G is floated from the table portion 21 by the plurality of air ejection holes 26.
According to such a configuration, in the third step, it is possible to transfer efficiently from the table portion 21 to the second transfer device 30, and it is possible to manufacture the glass plate more efficiently.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 includes an air pipe 60 for supplying air below the reversing table 20, and an end portion of the air pipe 60 is opened upward. Has been done. Further, the reversing table 20 includes an air connecting portion 61, which is an end portion of an air pipe communicating with the air ejection hole 26, on the lower surface of the table portion 21.
The air pipe 60 is fixed to a stay 62 provided on the shaft support portion 23, and is configured to be displaced together with the shaft support portion 23 when the shaft support portion 23 is displaced by the shaft displacement portion 24. ing. With such a configuration, the positional relationship between the air pipe 60 and the air connection portion 61 does not change when the shaft support portion 23 is displaced.
Further, the air pipe 60 is connected to a flexible pipe member (not shown) such as a hose on the upstream side in the air supply direction with respect to the portion fixed to the shaft support portion 23, The flexible pipe member absorbs the displacement of the shaft support portion 23, thereby preventing the air pipe 60 from being damaged.

And in (STEP-2), the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 is comprised so that the air connection part 61 may be connected to the air piping 60, when the reversing stand 20 is reversed to the sideways posture. The connection and disconnection of the pipe 60 and the air connection portion 61 are efficiently performed.
As described above, the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured so that the air can be easily and reliably supplied to the air ejection holes 26 by the reversing operation of the reversing table 20, and in (STEP-3), Air can be reliably supplied to the air ejection holes 26.

That is, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the table portion 21 is connected to the air pipe 60 when the table portion 21 is in the horizontal posture in (STEP-2). In 3), air is supplied from the air pipe 60 to the plurality of air ejection holes 26.
According to such a configuration, in (STEP-3), the air is surely supplied to the plurality of air ejection holes 26, 26,..., And efficiently transferred from the table portion 21 to the second transfer device 30. Therefore, the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

Next, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. It conveys toward a process (a cutting process in this embodiment) (STEP-4).
In the second transport device 30, since the glass 32 can be transported while adsorbing the glass base material G by sucking air from the through holes 35 formed in the transport belt 33 by the chamber 32, the glass is slipped. The glass base material G can be efficiently conveyed without causing

  As described above, in the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1, at the time of being transferred to the second transfer device 30 (at the time of STEP-4), the arrangement position of the glass substrate G in the X-axis direction. Has already been adjusted, so that the second transfer device 30 simply transfers the glass substrate G to the subsequent step (cutting step) without changing the position of the glass base material G in the subsequent step, and the defective position is removed. You can avoid it and cut out the glass plate.

That is, in the glass plate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the second transfer device 30 includes the second conveyor 31 that is a second conveyor that transfers the glass base material G while adsorbing the glass base material G (STEP). In -4), the glass base material G is conveyed by the second conveyor 31.
According to such a structure, in (STEP-4), the glass base material G can be efficiently conveyed, and a glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, the glass substrate G has a cushioning sheet S, which is a sheet-like cushioning material, arranged on the conveyance surface between (STEP-1) to (STEP-4). It has been done.
With such a configuration, the glass base material G can be efficiently transported without being damaged.

  Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is more preferable to arrange the pallets 40 for preparing the glass base material G in two places. Therefore, in the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the pallet 40 is arranged at two places. The glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2 has a movable range of the first transfer device 10 so that the first transfer device 10 can transfer the glass base material G from either the left or right pallet 40 toward the reversing table 20. Is set. The glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2 has the same configuration as the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except for the number of arranged pallets 40 and the setting of the movable range of the first transfer device 10.

  In the glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2, when the pallets 40 are arranged at two positions, when the glass base material G on one of the pallets 40 is lost. The glass base material G can be immediately supplied from the other pallet 40 without stopping the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2. Therefore, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2, it becomes possible to manufacture the glass plate more efficiently by omitting the time required for the setup change of the pallet 40.

  That is, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention, in (STEP-1), the glass base material G is arranged at two locations, and the first transport device 10 directs the glass from two locations toward the reversing table 20. It is characterized in that the base material G is conveyed, and with such a configuration, the glass plate can be manufactured more efficiently.

  Further, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is more preferable that the method includes a step of detecting the position of the glass base material G transferred onto the table portion 21 of the reversing table 20. ..

  In the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the table portion 21 is provided with a glass base material detection device 70 that detects the position of the glass base material G on the arrangement surface 25. The glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 has the same configuration as the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except for the glass base material detection device 70.

  The glass base material detection device 70 is a device that detects the arrangement position of the glass base material G on the arrangement surface 25, and as shown in FIG. 13, the guide rail 71, the main body case 72, the shaft member 73, and the contact member 74. , A spring member 75, a position detection sensor 76, and the like.

  The guide rail 71 is a member that linearly reciprocally supports the main body case 72, and is parallel to the width direction of the table portion 21 at the upstream end of the reversing table 20 in the transport direction of the glass base material G. It is attached to the table portion 21 in the following manner.

  The main body case 72 is a portion for displaceably supporting the contact member 74, which is a portion for contacting with the glass base material G, and for accommodating the position detection sensor 76, and drives a servo motor (not shown). As a source, it is reciprocally displaceable along the guide rail 71.

The shaft member 73 is a member that supports the contact member 74, is inserted into a pair of holes 77, 77 formed in the main body case 72, and is configured to be displaceable in parallel to the displacement direction of the main body case 72. ing.
A contact member 74 is fixed to one end of the shaft member 73.

  The contact member 74 is a member that contacts the glass base material G, and is made of a material (for example, resin) that does not damage the glass base material G when contacting the glass base material G. There is. The contact member 74 is arranged with its position adjusted such that the lower end position of the contact member 74 is closer to the arrangement surface 25 than the position of the surface of the glass base material G on the arrangement surface 25.

The shaft member 73 is inserted through the spring member 75. The spring member 75 is arranged between the main body case 72 and the collar portion 78 fixed on the shaft member 73.
In the glass base material detection device 70, when the contact member 74 is displaced toward the main body case 72 side, the spring member 75 is pressed and contracted by the flange portion 78, and the contact member 74 is attached to the glass base material G. The glass member G is prevented from being damaged by absorbing the impact of the contact with the spring member 75.

  In the glass base material detection device 70 according to the present embodiment, the position detection sensor 76 is configured by a linear encoder and includes a sensor unit 76A and a scale unit 76B. The sensor unit 76A includes a light source that irradiates the scale unit 76B with light, and a light receiving element that receives the light reflected by the scale unit 76B. The position detection sensor 76 is configured to detect the amount of movement of the contact member 74 by capturing the scale of the scale portion 76B with the sensor portion 76A. The configuration of the position detection sensor 76 in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 is not limited to this, and a configuration without a linear encoder may be used.

Here, the operation of the glass base material detection device 70 will be described.
When the glass base material detection device 70 detects that the glass base material G (and the buffer sheet S) is arranged on the arrangement surface 25 of the table portion 21 by the sensor 29 of the reversing table 20, the glass base material detection device 70 follows the guide rail 71. The main body case 72 is displaced toward the glass base material G. At this time, the target position for displacing the main body case 72 is a position where the end surface of the glass base material G can be pressed by the contact member 74 (that is, a position slightly above the position where the glass base material G is in contact).

  Here, when the glass base material G is present at the predetermined position on the arrangement surface 25, the contact member 74 and the glass base material G come into contact with each other, and the contact member 74 and the glass base material G are separated from each other. After the contact, the main body case 72 is further displaced toward the glass base material G side, whereby the contact member 74 is displaced toward the main body case 72 side, and the spring member 75 is compressed.

  When the contact member 74 is displaced toward the main body case 72, the position detection sensor 76 detects the amount of movement of the contact member 74 and obtains information regarding the position of the end of the glass base material G.

Then, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 according to the third embodiment, based on the position of the glass base material G detected by the position detection sensor 76 at this time, the current position of the glass base material G is determined by a post-process (for example, cutting). It is determined whether or not the position is suitable for machining in the process).
Then, if the current position of the glass base material G is not a position suitable for processing in the post-process, the position information of the glass base material G is fed back to the axial displacement section 24 of the reversing table 20, and the glass base material G is returned. The position of is adjusted appropriately. If the current position of the glass base material G is a position suitable for the processing in the post process, the processing proceeds as it is.

  When the position detection sensor 76 cannot detect the movement of the contact member 74, it means that the glass base material G does not exist at the planned position. At this time, since it is assumed that the transfer of the glass base material G has failed, the glass base material G is damaged, the arrangement of the glass base material G is misaligned, etc. 3 is configured to stop.

That is, in the method for manufacturing a glass plate using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3, the table part 21 further includes a glass base material detection device 70 for detecting the position of the glass base material G arranged on the table part 21. In (STEP-2), the glass base material detection device 70 detects the position of the glass base material G on the table portion 21, and the arrangement of the table portion 21 is adjusted according to the detected position. And
With such a configuration, the glass base material G can be positioned more accurately.

According to the glass plate manufacturing method and the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 having such a configuration, since the position of the glass base material G can be detected by the glass base material detection device 70, the glass base material G on the arrangement surface 25. It is possible to determine whether or not the arrangement is appropriate, the glass base material G can be positioned with respect to the table portion 21 with higher accuracy, and it is possible to prevent improper processing from being performed in a subsequent step.
Further, according to the glass plate manufacturing method and the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 3 having such a configuration, the glass base material detection device 70 fails to transfer the glass base material G or the glass base material G is damaged. Since it is possible to detect such a thing, it is possible to take appropriate measures immediately and shorten the production suspension period.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass plate manufacturing apparatus 10 1st conveyance apparatus 20 Inversion stand 21 Table part 22 Shaft part 23 Shaft support part 24 Shaft displacement part 26 Air ejection hole 27 1st conveyor 30 2nd conveyance device 31 2nd conveyor 60 Air piping 70 Glass base Material detection device G Glass base material S Buffer sheet

Claims (14)

By the first transport device, the first step of transporting while holding the glass substrate in a vertical posture,
After the first step, the glass base material is transferred from the first transfer device to a reversing table having a vertically and horizontally reversible table part in a state in which the table part is in a vertically oriented posture. A second step of transferring to the table portion, flipping the table portion sideways, and changing the attitude of the glass substrate to sideways;
After the second step, the glass substrate in a lateral orientation, a third step of transferring from the reversing table to the second transfer device,
After the third step, a fourth step of transporting the glass substrate in a lateral posture by the second transport device,
And a method for manufacturing a glass plate. In the second step,
According to the product information of the glass substrate, adjust the arrangement of the table portion in the width direction of the glass substrate,
The method for producing a glass plate according to claim 1, wherein The table portion is
Further comprising a glass base material detection device for detecting the position of the glass base material arranged on the table portion,
In the second step,
By the glass substrate detection device,
Detecting the position of the glass base material in the table portion, and adjusting the arrangement of the table portion according to the detected position,
The method for producing a glass plate according to claim 2, wherein The table portion is
It is equipped with a first conveyor that conveys while adsorbing the glass substrate,
In the third step,
By the first conveyor, the glass substrate is transferred to the second transfer device,
It is characterized by the above-mentioned, The manufacturing method of the glass plate as described in any one of Claims 1-3. The table portion is
Equipped with an air levitation unit that floats the glass substrate,
In the third step,
The glass substrate is floated from the table portion by the air floating portion,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that. The table portion is
In the second step, the air pipe is connected when the table portion is in a horizontal posture,
In the third step, air is supplied from the air pipe to the air floating portion,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to claim 5, wherein. The table portion is
It has a sensor for detecting the glass base material on the table portion,
In the second step,
After detecting the glass base material by the sensor, and before the entire surface of the glass base material along the table portion, inversion of the table portion is started,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that. In the second step,
As the plate thickness of the glass substrate is thicker, the inversion of the table portion is started at an earlier timing,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to claim 7, wherein In the second step,
The table portion is driven in the width direction of the glass base material by a servomotor,
Adjusting the arrangement of the table portion in the width direction of the glass substrate,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The second transfer device,
It is equipped with a second conveyor that conveys while adsorbing the glass substrate,
In the fourth step,
The second conveyor conveys the glass substrate,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that. The glass substrate is
Between the first step and the fourth step, a sheet-shaped cushioning material is arranged on the transport surface,
It is characterized by the above-mentioned, The manufacturing method of the glass plate as described in any one of Claims 1-10. In the first step,
Place the glass substrate in two places,
The first transport device transports the glass base material from two locations toward the reversing table,
The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that. A first transfer device for transferring while holding the glass base material in a vertical posture,
A table having a table portion that can be reversed vertically and horizontally, and a reversing table that reverses the posture of the glass substrate arranged on the table portion,
With a conveyor, a second transfer device for transferring the glass substrate whose orientation is changed to the sideways by the reversing table by the conveyor,
A glass plate manufacturing apparatus comprising:
The table portion is rotatably supported by a shaft portion,
A drive unit that rotationally drives the table unit around the shaft unit;
A displacement portion that displaces the table portion in the axial direction of the shaft portion,
A control device for controlling the operation of the drive unit and the displacement unit,
With
A glass plate manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above. The control device is
By the drive unit,
While reversing the table section from portrait to landscape,
By the displacement section,
Adjusting the position of the shaft portion of the table portion in the axial direction,
The glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

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