JP6804155B2 - Board floating transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a substrate floating transport device that transports a substrate while floating it, and more particularly to a substrate floating transport device that can suppress the formation of coating unevenness.

For flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays and plasma displays, those in which a resist solution is coated on a substrate (referred to as a coated substrate) are used. A coating film is formed on this coated substrate by uniformly coating the resist liquid on the substrate by the coating device while transporting the substrate by the substrate transporting device. After that, it is further conveyed by a substrate transfer device, and is produced by drying the coating film by a drying device or the like.

In recent substrate transfer devices, in order to avoid damage to the back surface of the coated substrate W (the side opposite to the coated surface), a substrate floating transfer device that transports the substrate W while floating the substrate W, such as air levitation or ultrasonic levitation, is used. in use. As shown in FIG. 12, this substrate levitation transport device has a levitation stage portion 100 for levitation of the substrate W, a substrate holding unit 102 for sucking and holding the floating substrate W, and a substrate holding unit 102 for the substrate W. It has a transport drive unit 103 that moves the substrate W in the transport direction, and by driving the transport drive unit 103 to move the substrate holding unit 102, the substrate W floats on the levitation stage unit 100 in the transport direction. It is designed to be transported to.

The substrate W to be conveyed is subjected to a predetermined process by a substrate processing unit (for example, a coating processing unit) 110 provided during the transfer. In order for the substrate processing unit 110 to perform processing with high accuracy, it is necessary to hold the posture of the substrate W horizontally. Therefore, the substrate holding unit 102 is formed so that the substrate W can be held in a state of maintaining a horizontal posture. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, the substrate holding unit 102 has a plurality of substrate support portions 104 arranged along the transport direction, and the substrate support portion 104 attracts the lower surface of the substrate W. It is formed so that it can be held.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 (a), the substrate support portion 104 has a support reference surface portion 104a that abuts on the lower surface of the substrate W, and each support reference surface portion 104a is set at a reference height position. Has been done. Then, as shown in FIG. 14B, the support reference surface portion 104a is provided with a plurality of accommodating portions 105 that open to the support reference surface portion 104a, and the substrate W is attracted to these accommodating portions 105. A substrate suction unit 106 for suction is housed. The substrate suction portion 106 has a suction pad 107 (see FIG. 15) whose tip portion is formed of an elastic rubber member, and the suction pad 107 is formed so as to generate a suction force. There is. Then, as shown in FIG. 13B, when the substrate holding unit 102 is raised to generate a suction force in a state where the suction pad 107 is in contact with the lower surface of the surfaced substrate W, the suction pad 107 is moved to the accommodating portion 105. By contracting to the side, the substrate W is pulled toward the substrate suction portion 106, and the lower surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the support reference surface portion 104a. As a result, the lower surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the support reference surface portions 104a of all the substrate support portions 104, and the entire substrate W is held at a set height position. By moving the transfer drive unit 103 in the transfer direction in this state, the substrate W that has floated on the levitation stage unit 100 is conveyed in the transfer direction while maintaining a horizontal posture as a whole.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-21435

However, the substrate floating transfer device has a problem that it is difficult to make the flatness of the held substrate W uniform. As described above, in the substrate floating transfer device, the substrate W is sucked by the substrate suction portion 106, so that a part of the substrate W is drawn into the accommodating portion 105 and is slightly deformed. That is, as shown in FIG. 15, when the substrate W is pulled into the accommodating portion 105, the lower surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the edge portion 108 (see FIG. 14B) forming the accommodating portion 105 (in FIG. 15). The one-dot chain line portion) is deformed so as to be separated from the support reference surface portion 104a (to be lifted) as the distance from the accommodating portion 105 is increased. In particular, the accommodating portion 105a located at the end end in the transport direction has the other accommodating portion 105 on only one side in the transport direction and no accommodating portion 105 on the other side, so that the amount of deformation of the substrate W on the other side is large. growing. Therefore, in the accommodating portion 105a located at the endmost portion in the transport direction, the amount of deformation of the substrate W due to adsorption is larger than that in the accommodating portion 105 in which the accommodating portions 105 are present on both sides in the transport direction, and particularly at the end end portion in the transport direction. There was a remarkable tendency for the flatness of the substrate W to be impaired at the position of the accommodating portion 105a.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate floating transfer device capable of suppressing the flatness of the substrate from being impaired even if the floating substrate is adsorbed and held.

In order to solve the above problems, the substrate levitation transport device of the present invention includes a levitation stage portion for levitation of the substrate and a substrate holding unit for holding the substrate floated on the levitation stage portion. Is a substrate levitation transport device that transports a substrate on the levitation stage portion in a floating state by moving the substrate in the transport direction, and the substrate holding unit abuts on the lower surface of the levitation substrate to convey the substrate. Has a substrate support portion that holds the substrate at a predetermined height position, and the substrate support portion has a support reference surface portion that abuts on the lower surface of the substrate and is provided at a reference height position, and a housing that opens to the support reference surface portion. It has a portion and a substrate adsorption portion provided in the accommodating portion to attract the lower surface of the substrate, and when the lower surface of the substrate is attracted by the substrate adsorption portion, the lower surface of the substrate comes into contact with the support reference surface portion. The substrate is formed so as to be held at a predetermined height position, and the support reference surface portion is at least an end portion in the transport direction of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the end portion in the transport direction of the substrate support portion. A notch formed lower than the reference height position is formed on the side, and a plurality of the accommodating portions are arranged in the transport direction, and the notch portion is an edge on the side between the accommodating portions. The notch is formed in a portion, and the notch is characterized in that it is formed in connection with a notch formed in an adjacent accommodating portion .

According to the present invention, among the edges of the accommodating portion located at the end of the substrate support in the transport direction, a notch is formed at least on the end side in the transport direction, so that the amount of deformation of the substrate due to adsorption is suppressed. be able to. That is, when a suction force is generated by the substrate suction portion of the accommodating portion, the substrate is pulled into the accommodating portion, and the lower surface of the substrate abuts on the edge portion of the accommodating portion to be deformed, but the accommodating portion is located on the end side in the transport direction. Since a notch is formed on the end side in the transport direction of the portion, it is formed lower than the reference height position of the support reference surface portion. Therefore, there is no edge portion that comes into contact with the lower surface of the substrate that is drawn into the accommodating portion and deforms, and the deformation of the substrate can be suppressed. That is, when the notch is not formed as in the conventional case, the substrate that comes into contact with the edge portion on the transport direction end side (the side without the adjacent accommodating portion) of the accommodating portion located at the end end in the transport direction Although it deforms the most, the notch is formed on the end side in the transport direction, so that the deformation of the substrate due to being drawn into the accommodating portion and contacting the edge can be suppressed, and the floating substrate is adsorbed. It is possible to prevent the flatness of the substrate from being impaired even if the substrate is held. Further, since the notch is provided not only on the end side in the transport direction but also on the inter-accommodation side of the edge portion, it is possible to prevent the back surface of the substrate sucked into the accommodating portion from coming into contact with the substrate. It is possible to suppress the loss of flatness.

Further, the edge portion of the housing portion has a circular shape, and the notch portion is the closest to the transport direction end portion of the substrate support portion among the edge portions of the housing portion located at the end end portion in the transport direction. The configuration may be formed in a portion.

According to this configuration, when the substrate is sucked into the accommodating portion, the back surface of the substrate abuts on the portion of the edge portion closest to the end portion in the transport direction, and the amount of deformation of the substrate increases. By providing the portion, it is possible to prevent the substrates from coming into contact with each other, and it is possible to prevent the flatness of the substrate from being impaired.

Further, the notch may be formed over the entire region of the substrate support portion on the transport direction end side of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the transport direction end end. ..

According to this configuration, the cutout portion is formed over the entire area of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the end end portion in the transport direction on the end portion side in the transport direction, so that the notch portion is formed on the edge portion. The amount of deformation of the substrate on the transport direction end side of the substrate support portion can be suppressed more effectively than when the substrate is partially provided.

Further, the notch portion may be formed so as to extend from the edge portion of the accommodating portion to the end portion of the substrate support portion.

According to this configuration, a notch is formed from the edge of the accommodating portion located at the end end in the transport direction to the end of the substrate support portion, so that the back surface of the substrate sucked into the accommodating portion is supported. It is possible to avoid contacting the reference surface portion (including the edge portion of the accommodating portion), and it is possible to suppress the amount of deformation of the substrate located at the end portion of the contacting substrate in the transport direction.

Further, in the substrate suction portion, the tip portion that is attracted to the back surface of the substrate has elasticity, and the tip portion protrudes from the support reference surface portion when there is no substrate, and when the substrate is placed, the tip portion protrudes from the support reference surface portion. The lower surface of the substrate is formed to come into contact with the support reference surface portion by shrinking while adsorbing the lower surface of the substrate, and when the tip portion is completely contracted, the height position of the tip portion is the support reference surface portion. The configuration may be set at the height position.

According to this configuration, when the suction portion is completely contracted, the height position of the tip portion is set to the height position of the support reference surface portion, so that the height of the substrate is set even if the substrate is pulled into the accommodating portion. The position can be maintained on the support reference plane. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the flatness of the substrate from being impaired even if the floating substrate is attracted and held.

Further, the notch may be formed so as to generate a suction force .

According to this configuration, the floating of the substrate can be suppressed. That is, when a suction force is generated in the accommodating portion, the portion of the substrate corresponding to the accommodating portion is attracted by the accommodating portion and held at the height position of the support reference surface portion. On the other hand, in the notch portion, it is possible to avoid contact with the lower surface of the substrate, but as the distance from the accommodating portion increases, the substrate rises higher than the height position of the support reference surface portion, but by generating an attractive force in the notch portion It is possible to suppress the lifting of the substrate.

Further, a porous member at the same height as the support reference surface portion may be provided on the notch portion, and the porous member may be formed so as to generate an attractive force.

According to this configuration, even when the substrate is pulled into the accommodating portion by generating an attractive force in the accommodating portion and the substrate is lifted, the substrate is attracted by the attractive force of the porous member provided in the notch portion, and this porous portion is formed. Since the member is set at the same height position as the support reference surface portion, the sucked substrate is held at the same height position as the support reference surface portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the flatness of the substrate from being impaired even if the floating substrate is attracted and held.

According to the present invention, even if the floating substrate is adsorbed and held, the flatness of the substrate can be suppressed from being impaired.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the coating apparatus which is combined with the substrate floating transfer apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which looked at the said substrate floating transfer apparatus combined with the coating apparatus in the transfer direction. It is a figure which looked at the state which held the floating substrate in the said substrate floating transfer apparatus in the X-axis direction. It is a figure which looked at the substrate holding unit of the said substrate floating transfer apparatus in the Y-axis direction. It is a figure which shows the substrate support part of the substrate buoyant transfer apparatus, (a) is a view seen from above, (b) is a sectional view of AA in (a), (c) is a state where a substrate is adsorbed. It is a figure which shows. It is a figure which shows the suction pad of the substrate holding part of the substrate floating transfer apparatus, (a) is a figure which shows the state before suction, and (b) is the figure which shows the state which sucked. It is a figure which shows the substrate support part of the substrate floating transfer apparatus, (a) is the figure which shows the state which sucked a substrate, (b) is the figure which shows the state which sucked a substrate in the conventional board support part. It is a figure which shows the substrate support part of the said substrate floating transfer apparatus, (a) is the example which provided the cutout part in the edge part which is closest to the end part of the substrate support part in the accommodation part of the end part in the transport direction. (B) is a diagram showing a shape in which the notch portion of (a) extends to the end portion of the substrate support portion, and (c) is a diagram showing the notch portion in the accommodation portion at the end end portion in the transport direction. The figure which shows the example which provided over the whole area of the part side, (d) is the figure which shows the example which provided the cutout part in a part of the edge part located on the side between accommodating parts, (e) is the figure which supports the cutout part It is a figure which shows the example provided over the whole surface part. It is a figure which shows the example which formed the groove in the cutout part, (a) is the view which looked at the substrate support part from above, (b) is the BB sectional view of (a). It is a figure which shows the example which provided the porous member in the cutout part, (a) is the view which looked at the substrate support part from above, (b) is the BB sectional view of (a). It is a figure which shows the shape of the notch part, (a) is the figure which the notch part was formed in a taper shape, (b) is the figure which the notch part was formed in a curved shape. It is a schematic perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the conventional substrate floating transfer apparatus. It is the figure which looked at the conventional board holding unit in the Y-axis direction, (a) is the figure which shows the state which lowered to the height position which does not hold a board, (b) is the figure which holds the board. It is a figure which shows the state which ascended to the position. It is a figure which shows the conventional substrate support part, (a) is a view seen from the Y-axis direction, (b) is a view seen from above. It is sectional drawing of the conventional substrate support part.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the substrate floating transfer device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a coating device 2 combined with the substrate floating transfer device 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating device 2 combined with the substrate floating transfer device 1 in FIG. is there. In this embodiment, an example in combination with the coating device 2 will be described, but any substrate processing device that processes a floating substrate can be applied to other than the coating device 2.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate floating transfer device 1 that conveys the substrate W is combined with the coating unit 21 of the coating device 2 that forms a coating film on the transferred substrate W to form a series of substrate processing devices. doing. The substrate floating transfer device 1 has a floating stage portion 10 extending in one direction, and the substrate W is conveyed along the extending direction of the floating stage portion 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the levitation stage portion 10 is formed so as to extend in the X-axis direction, so that the substrate W is conveyed from the upstream side (pre-process side) to the downstream side (post-process side) in the X-axis direction. It has become. Then, the coating film is formed on the substrate W by discharging the coating liquid from the coating unit 21.

Specifically, the coating liquid is discharged from the coating unit 21 while the substrate W is transported in the X-axis direction while being floated on the levitation stage portion 10, so that a coating film having a uniform thickness is formed on the substrate W. It is supposed to be formed.

In the following description, the direction in which the substrate W is conveyed is the X-axis direction, and the X-axis direction corresponds to the transfer direction. Further, the direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane is referred to as the Y-axis direction, and particularly the Y-axis direction is also referred to as the river width direction. Then, the direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction will be referred to as the Z-axis direction.

The coating unit 21 coats the coating liquid on the substrate W, and has a frame portion 22 and a coating device 23. The frame portion 22 has columns 22a arranged on both sides of the levitation stage portion 10 in the Y-axis direction, and the applicator 23 is provided on the columns 22a. Specifically, the columns 22a are fixedly provided on both sides in the Y-axis direction (river width direction), and are provided from the traveling path of the substrate holding portion 30 so as not to interfere with the traveling of the substrate holding portion 30 described later. Is also located on the outside. Then, the applicator 23 is bridged over these columns 22a, and the applicator 23 is attached in a state of crossing the levitation stage portion 10. Further, the support column 22a is provided with an elevating mechanism, and the applicator 23 can be moved in the Z direction by operating the elevating mechanism. That is, the elevating mechanism enables the applicator 23 to move in and out of the levitation stage portion 10.

The coating device 23 discharges the coating liquid, and is formed so as to extend in one direction. The coating device 23 is formed with a slit nozzle 23a (see FIG. 2) extending in one direction, so that the coating liquid stored in the coating device 23 can be discharged from the slit nozzle 23a. Specifically, the slit nozzle 23a is formed on a surface facing the levitation stage portion 10, and the applicator 23 is installed with the slit nozzle 23a extending in the river width direction. Then, the coating device 23 is moved up and down with respect to the substrate W to be conveyed, and the coating liquid is discharged from the slit nozzle 23a in a state where the distance between the substrate W and the slit nozzle 23a is adjusted to a predetermined distance in the river width direction. A uniform coating film is continuously formed in the transport direction. Then, by moving the substrate W while discharging the coating liquid from the slit nozzle 23a, a coating film having a uniform thickness is formed on the substrate W.

Further, the substrate floating transport device 1 transports the substrate W in one direction (in the X-axis direction in the present embodiment) while floating the substrate W. The substrate levitation transport device 1 has a levitation stage portion 10 for levitation of the substrate W and a substrate transport unit 3 for holding and transporting the levitation substrate W on the levitation stage portion 10.

The levitation stage portion 10 floats the substrate W, and has an air levitation mechanism in the present embodiment. The levitation stage portion 10 is formed by providing a flat plate portion 12 on the base 11, and a plurality of flat plate portions 12 are arranged and formed along the X-axis direction. That is, the flat plate portion 12 has a smooth substrate floating top surface 12a (see FIG. 3), and the respective substrate floating top surfaces 12a are arranged so as to have a uniform height. Then, the substrate W can be levitated to a predetermined height position by forming an air layer on the substrate floating upper surface 12a with the substrate W to be conveyed. Specifically, the flat plate portion 12 is formed with a minute spout (not shown) and a suction port (not shown) that open in the floating upper surface 12a of the substrate, and the spout and the compressor are connected by piping. , The suction port and the vacuum pump are connected by piping. Then, by balancing the air ejected from the ejection port and the suction force generated in the suction port, the substrate W can be levitated from the substrate floating upper surface 12a in a horizontal posture to a predetermined height. .. As a result, the substrate W can be conveyed while maintaining a flat posture (referred to as flatness) with high accuracy.

Further, the flat plate portion 12 of the levitation stage portion 10 is formed so that its Y-axis direction dimension is smaller than the Y-axis direction dimension of the substrate W to which the levitation stage portion 10 is conveyed. When the substrate W is placed on the substrate levitation top surface 12a, the substrate W is formed. The end portion of the substrate W in the Y-axis direction protrudes from the floating upper surface 12a. By holding the protruding portion (protruding region T) with the substrate transport unit 3 described later, the substrate W can be transported. The Y-axis direction dimension of the flat plate portion 12 is set so that the protruding region T is the minimum necessary dimension that can be held by the substrate holding portion 30. That is, the protruding region T is such that when the protruding region T of the substrate W is held by the substrate holding portion 30, a slight gap that does not come into contact with each other is formed between the substrate holding portion 30 and the flat plate portion 12. Is set to.

Further, the substrate transport unit 3 transports the floating substrate W, and has a substrate holding unit 30 that holds the substrate W and a transport drive unit 31 that runs the substrate holding unit 30.

The transport drive unit 31 is configured to move the substrate holding unit 30 in the transport direction, and has a transport rail portion 31a extending in the transport direction along the levitation stage portion 10 and a base traveling on the transport rail portion 31a. It is formed by the portion 31b. Specifically, bases 31c (see FIG. 2) provided so as to extend in the transport direction are arranged on both sides of the levitation stage portion 10 in the river width direction, and transport rail portions 31a are provided on each base 31c. Has been done. That is, the transport rail portion 31a is continuously provided along the levitation stage portion 10 without interruption. Further, the base portion 31b is a plate-shaped member formed in a concave shape, and is provided so as to cover the upper surface of the transport rail portion 31a as shown in FIG. Specifically, the base portion 31b is provided so as to cover the transport rail portion 31a via an air pad (not shown), and by driving a linear motor (not shown), the base portion 31b becomes the transport rail portion. It is designed to run on 31a. That is, by driving and controlling the linear motor, the base portion 31b can travel on the transport rail portion 31a without contacting and can be stopped at a predetermined position.

Further, the substrate holding unit 30 holds the substrate W and is attached to the base portion 31b. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the substrate holding unit 30 has a holding frame portion 40 extending in the transport direction and a substrate supporting portion 41 attached to the holding frame portion 40, and the holding frame portion 40 is held. The frame portion 40 is connected to the base portion 31b via the elevating portion 42. Then, the holding frame portion 40 moves up and down by driving the elevating portion 42, and the substrate support portion 41 can be brought into contact with and separated from the back surface (also referred to as the lower surface) of the substrate W.

The holding frame portion 40 is for attaching the substrate support portion 41, and has a long flat plate shape. The holding frame portion 40 is arranged on each of the base portions 31b, and is arranged on the base portion 31b via the elevating portion 42. The holding frame portion 40 is arranged so as to sandwich the floating stage portion 10 in the river width direction, and is arranged so that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the transport direction. Then, when the transport drive unit 31 is driven, the two holding frame units 40 are synchronized and travel along the levitation stage unit 10.

Further, the length of the holding frame portion 40 in the longitudinal direction is formed according to the length of the substrate W to be conveyed in the conveying direction, and a plurality of substrate supporting portions 41 are arranged at the upper end portion of the holding frame portion 40. Has been done. That is, when the elevating portion 42 is driven to raise the holding frame portion 40, all the board support portions 41 are raised at once, and when the holding frame portion 40 is lowered, all the substrate support portions 41 are lowered at once. As a result, the configuration becomes easier as compared with the case where each board support portion 41 has an elevating portion 42, and it is possible to avoid complicating control.

Further, in the present embodiment, the respective substrate support portions 41 are arranged at equal intervals in the holding frame portion 40, and the dimension from one side end portion to the other side end portion in the transport direction is the transport direction of the substrate W. It is set to be less than or equal to the length. That is, when the holding frame portion 40 is raised while the substrate W is floating on the levitation stage portion 10, all the substrate supporting portions 41 come into contact with the lower surface of the substrate W and the holding frame portion 40 is lowered. , All the substrate support portions 41 are separated from the substrate W.

Further, the substrate support portion 41 sucks and holds the substrate W, and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped block shape. The board support portions 41 are arranged in the longitudinal direction along the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the substrate W, and a plurality of board support portions 41 are arranged in a row along the transport direction. The substrate support portion 41 includes a support reference surface portion 41a that comes into contact with the lower surface of the substrate W, an accommodating portion 5 formed by opening the support reference surface portion 41a, and a lower surface of the substrate W provided in the accommodating portion 5. It has a substrate adsorption portion 6 for adsorption (see FIGS. 5 to 7).

The support reference surface portion 41a is located on the upper surface portion of the substrate support portion 41 and is formed in a flat planar shape. The support reference surface portion 41a is set to the same height (referred to as a reference height position) in each substrate support portion 41. Therefore, each support reference surface portion 41a also moves up and down in accordance with the raising and lowering operation of the holding frame portion 40, and the position where the holding frame portion 40 rises and comes into contact with the lower surface of the raised substrate W, that is, the holding frame portion 40 lowers and the substrate The support reference surface portions 41a of all the substrate support portions 41 can be located at positions away from W. Therefore, the substrate W can be held at a predetermined height position by attracting the substrate W and bringing the lower surface of the substrate W into contact with the support reference surface portion 41a.

The accommodating portion 5 accommodates the substrate suction portion 6 and is formed by opening into the support reference surface portion 41a. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, five accommodating portions 5 are provided on the support reference surface portion 41a of each substrate support portion 41. These accommodating portions 5 are arranged in a row along the transport direction, and are arranged at equal intervals from the end side of the substrate support portion 41. All of these accommodating portions 5 have the same shape, and in the present embodiment, they are formed in a cylindrical shape that opens into the support reference surface portion 41a. That is, the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5 is formed in a circular shape on the support reference surface portion 41a. Here, when the accommodating portion 5 refers to the accommodating portion 5 (accommodating portion 5 located at the endmost portion in the transport direction) located closest to the end portion of the substrate support portion 41 to be distinguished from other accommodating portions 5. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish each of the accommodating portions 5a, it is simply referred to as the accommodating portion 5.

The substrate suction portion 6 sucks the substrate W and is accommodated and provided in the accommodating portion 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate suction portion 6 is provided with a bellows-shaped suction pad 61 that can be elastically deformed at its tip, and the suction pad 61 is housed in the storage portion 5 in an upright state. There is. The suction pad 61 is connected to the vacuum pump in communication with each other, and the substrate W can be sucked and held by generating a suction force at the tip portion thereof. That is, as shown in FIG. 6A, the tip portion of the substrate suction portion 6 is set to stand by in a state of slightly protruding from the accommodating portion 5 in a normal state (a state without the substrate W). .. When the substrate W is placed on the floating upper surface 12a of the substrate, a portion (protruding region T) protruding from the floating upper surface 12a of the substrate in the river width direction comes into contact with the suction pad 61. When a suction force is generated in the suction pad 61 in this state, the lower surface of the substrate W is sucked by the suction pad 61, and the suction pad 61 itself contracts into the accommodating portion 5 while maintaining the suction state, and the substrate W The lower surface of the substrate W is in contact with the support reference surface portion 41a, and the substrate W is held at a predetermined height position formed by the respective support reference surface portions 41a (see FIG. 6B).

Further, the substrate support portion 41 is formed with a notch portion 7. The cutout portion 7 is for suppressing the flatness of the substrate W from being impaired due to the substrate W being pulled into the accommodating portion 5 and deformed when the substrate W is attracted and held. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the notch portion 7 is provided at the end portion in the longitudinal direction (transportation direction), and is formed so as to be lower than the reference height position of the support reference surface portion 41a. .. In the present embodiment, the notch portion 7 is provided from the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5a located at the end end in the transport direction to the end portion of the substrate accommodating portion 5. That is, the cutout portion 7 is provided so as to include a half-circle portion on the end portion side in the transport direction of the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5a located at the end end portion in the transport direction, and the half circle portion of the edge portion 51. The height position of the part is lower than the reference height position.

The cutout portion 7 may be formed so as to be lower than the reference height position as described above, and may be formed so as to be lower than the reference height position with a linear step. Good. Further, as shown in FIG. 11A, the notch portion 7 may be formed by forming the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5a in a tapered shape, or may be formed in a curved shape as shown in FIG. 11B. .. Further, the notch portion 7 may be formed in a groove shape, or may be formed so that the formed groove penetrates the bottom surface of the substrate support portion 41.

The notch 7 can suppress the deformation of the substrate W when it is attracted and held. That is, when the floating substrate W is sucked and held by the substrate suction portion 6, the suction pad 61 of the substrate suction portion 6 contracts in the accommodating portion 5, so that the substrate W is slightly pulled into the accommodating portion 5. When the substrate W is slightly pulled into the accommodating portion 5, as shown in FIG. 7B, the lower surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5, so that the substrate W is lifted and the flatness of the substrate W is flat. Is impaired. Here, when the accommodating portion 5 is present next to the accommodating portion 5, the raised substrate W is attracted to the accommodating portion 5, so that the substrate W can be substantially aligned with the support reference surface portion 41a. On the other hand, in the accommodating portion 5a located at the endmost portion in the transport direction, the accommodating portion 5 does not exist on the end portion side in the transport direction and becomes a free end, but the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5 is cut off by the notch portion 7. Therefore, there is no edge portion 51 that abuts on the lower surface of the substrate W, and as shown in the conventional FIG. 7B, the substrate W abuts on the edge portion 51 and separates from the support reference surface portion 41a as the substrate W separates from the accommodating portion 5. It is possible to avoid such deformation (the one-dot chain line portion in FIG. 7).

According to the substrate floating transfer device of the above embodiment, the notch 7 is formed at least on the end side in the transfer direction of the edge 51 of the accommodating portion 5a located at the end end in the transfer direction of the substrate support 41. Therefore, the amount of deformation of the substrate due to adsorption can be suppressed. That is, when the cutout portion 7 is not formed as in the conventional case, the edge portion 51 is formed on the transport direction end portion side (the side where there is no adjacent accommodating portion 5) of the accommodating portion 5a located at the end end portion in the transport direction. The abutting substrate W is most deformed, but the notch 7 is formed on the end side in the transport direction, so that the substrate W is pulled into the accommodating portion 5 and abuts on the edge 51 of the substrate W. Deformation can be suppressed, and even if the surfaced substrate W is attracted and held, the flatness of the substrate W can be suppressed from being impaired.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the notch portion 7 is formed from the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5a to the end portion of the substrate support portion 41 at the endmost portion in the transport direction has been described, but FIGS. 8A and 8B have been described. As shown in the above, the cutout portion 7 (hatched portion) may be partially provided at a position closest to the end portion of the substrate support portion 41 among the edge portions 51. That is, the deformation of the substrate W due to adsorption becomes remarkable when the back surface of the substrate W comes into contact with the edge portion 51 closest to the end portion of the substrate support portion 41, and therefore the edge closest to the end portion of the substrate support portion 41. By providing the notch 7 in the portion 51, it is possible to prevent the back surface of the substrate W from coming into contact with the edge portion 51, and it is possible to prevent the substrate W from being deformed so as to float. Of the edge 51 of the accommodating portion 5 at the end end in the transport direction, the substrate W may be deformed by coming into contact with the edge 51 located on the end side of the substrate support 41. As shown in c), it may be formed over the entire region of the substrate support portion 41 on the transport direction end side of the edge portion 51 of the accommodating portion 5 at the transport direction end end.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the notch portion 7 is provided on the end side of the substrate support portion 41 among the edge portions 51 of the accommodating portion 5 at the end end portion in the transport direction has been described, but it is located on the side between the accommodating portions 5. It may also be provided on the edge portion 51. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 (d), a notch 7 may be provided in a part of the edge portion 51 located on the side between the accommodating portions 5, or as shown in FIG. 8 (e). The cutout portion 7 may be provided over the entire support reference surface portion 41a including the edge portion 51 on the side between the accommodating portions 5. That is, the notches 7 formed in the adjacent accommodating portions 5 may be connected to each other. By providing the notch 7 between the accommodating portions 5, it is possible to prevent the substrate W located between the accommodating portions 5 from being lifted when the substrate W is adsorbed.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the tip portion of the substrate suction portion 6, that is, the suction pad 61 contracts into the accommodating portion 5 when attracted to the substrate W has been described, but the tip portion of the suction pad 61 in the most contracted state has been described. The height position of the support reference surface portion 41a may be adjusted so as to be flush with the support reference surface portion 41a. By being adjusted in this way, the height position of the substrate W of the portion attracted to the suction pad 61 coincides with the support reference surface portion 41a, so that the substrate W is brought into contact with the edge portion 51 at the accommodation portion 5 position. It is possible to suppress the deformation of the substrate W and prevent the flatness of the substrate W from being impaired when the substrate W is attracted and held.

Further, in the above embodiment, the example in which the suction force is not generated in the notch portion 7 has been described, but the substrate W is formed so as to generate the suction force in the notch portion 7 to prevent the substrate W from being deformed and lifted. May be good. For example, the notch 7 in FIG. 8 may be formed in a groove shape, and the groove and the vacuum source may be connected to generate a suction force, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. In addition, a groove 71 may be further formed in the notch 7, and a suction force may be generated from the groove 71. Further, a porous member 8 or the like may be installed in the notch 7, and the porous member 8 and the vacuum device may be connected to generate a suction force. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, by installing the porous member 8 in the notch 7 and generating a suction force, the substrate on the end side in the transport direction and on the side between the accommodating portions 5 It is possible to suppress the floating of W. Then, by setting the height position of the porous member 8 to the same height position as the height position of the support reference surface portion 41a, the substrate W is supported by the support reference while preventing the substrate W from being deformed and lifted. Since it can be held at the height position of the surface portion 41a, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the flatness of the substrate W as much as possible. In particular, when the accommodating portions 5 (board suction portions 6) are provided apart from each other in the transport direction, the intervals between the accommodating portions 5 are extended, so that the substrate W tends to float during adsorption. By providing the notch 7 so as to generate a suction force, the flatness of the substrate W can be suppressed from being impaired even in the accommodating portion 5 having a wide interval, and the substrate W can be held accurately. Can be done.

1 Substrate levitation transfer device 2 Coating device 5 Accommodating section 6 Substrate suction section 7 Notch section 8 Porous member 10 Floating stage section 30 Board holding unit 31 Transfer drive section 41 Board support section 41a Support reference surface section

Claims (7)

The floating stage part that floats the board and
A substrate holding unit that holds the substrate floated on the levitation stage portion and
A substrate levitation transfer device for transporting a substrate on a levitation stage portion in a levitation state by moving the substrate holding unit in a transport direction.
The substrate holding unit has a substrate supporting portion that holds the substrate at a predetermined height position by contacting the lower surface of the floating substrate.
This substrate support portion includes a support reference surface portion provided at a reference height position in contact with the lower surface of the substrate, an accommodating portion opened in the support reference surface portion, and a substrate adsorption portion provided in the accommodating portion to adsorb the lower surface of the substrate. It is formed so that when the lower surface of the substrate is attracted by the substrate suction portion, the lower surface of the substrate abuts on the support reference surface portion and the substrate is held at a predetermined height position.
The support reference surface portion is formed with a notch formed lower than the reference height position at least on the transport direction end side of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the transport direction end end of the substrate support portion. It has been,
A plurality of the accommodating portions are arranged in the transport direction, and the notch portions are formed at the edge portion on the side between the accommodating portions.
The substrate levitation transport device , wherein the cutout portion is formed by being connected to a cutout portion formed in adjacent accommodating portions . The floating stage part that floats the board and
A substrate holding unit that holds the substrate floated on the levitation stage portion and
A substrate levitation transfer device for transporting a substrate on a levitation stage portion in a levitation state by moving the substrate holding unit in a transport direction.
The substrate holding unit has a substrate supporting portion that holds the substrate at a predetermined height position by contacting the lower surface of the floating substrate.
This substrate support portion includes a support reference surface portion provided at a reference height position in contact with the lower surface of the substrate, an accommodating portion opened in the support reference surface portion, and a substrate adsorption portion provided in the accommodating portion to adsorb the lower surface of the substrate. It is formed so that when the lower surface of the substrate is attracted by the substrate suction portion, the lower surface of the substrate abuts on the support reference surface portion and the substrate is held at a predetermined height position.
The support reference surface portion is formed with a notch formed lower than the reference height position at least on the transport direction end side of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the transport direction end end of the substrate support portion. It has been,
A substrate levitation transport device , wherein the notch portion extends from an edge portion of the accommodating portion to an end portion of the substrate support portion . The floating stage part that floats the board and
A substrate holding unit that holds the substrate floated on the levitation stage portion and
A substrate levitation transfer device for transporting a substrate on a levitation stage portion in a levitation state by moving the substrate holding unit in a transport direction.
The substrate holding unit has a substrate supporting portion that holds the substrate at a predetermined height position by contacting the lower surface of the floating substrate.
This substrate support portion includes a support reference surface portion provided at a reference height position in contact with the lower surface of the substrate, an accommodating portion opened in the support reference surface portion, and a substrate adsorption portion provided in the accommodating portion to adsorb the lower surface of the substrate. It is formed so that when the lower surface of the substrate is attracted by the substrate suction portion, the lower surface of the substrate abuts on the support reference surface portion and the substrate is held at a predetermined height position.
The support reference surface portion is formed with a notch formed lower than the reference height position at least on the transport direction end side of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the transport direction end end of the substrate support portion. It has been,
A substrate levitation transport device is provided on the notch portion at the same height as the support reference surface portion, and is formed so that an attractive force is generated in the porous member. .. The edge portion of the accommodating portion has a circular shape, and the notch portion is located at the end portion of the accommodating portion located at the most end portion in the transport direction and is closest to the end portion of the substrate support portion in the transport direction. The substrate floating transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the substrate is formed. The claim is characterized in that the cutout portion is formed over the entire region of the substrate support portion on the transport direction end portion side of the edge portion of the accommodating portion located at the end end portion in the transport direction. The substrate floating transfer device according to any one of 1 to 4 . In the substrate suction portion, the tip portion that is attracted to the back surface of the substrate has elasticity, and the tip portion protrudes from the support reference surface portion in the absence of the substrate, and in the state where the substrate is placed, the substrate The lower surface of the substrate is formed to come into contact with the support reference surface portion by shrinking while adsorbing the lower surface, and when the tip portion is completely contracted, the height position of the tip portion is the height of the support reference surface portion. The substrate floating transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the board is set at a position. The substrate floating transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the cutout portion is formed so as to generate a suction force .

Images