JPH02209319A - Carrier device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate contamination of an object to be carried due to dust in the air by a method wherein pressure-applied liquid is sprayed from a pressure-applied liquid region in a liquid reservoir via numerous nozzles so that the object to be carried can be carried while being floated in the liquid. CONSTITUTION:A carrier device 10 supplies liquid 11 applied with pressure to a pressure-applied liquid region 12A of a liquid reservoir 12, sprays it from a carrier nozzle 13a, a stop nozzle 13b and a stop-aiding nozzle 13c of a nozzle member 13, and sprays the liquid 11 from a spray device 14 in order to prevent an object M to be carried from being dried and contaminated. Then, with the object M to be carried supplied to an end of the liquid reservoir 12, the object is moved while being floated with spray in a direction of carrying from the carrier nozzle 13a, and when it reaches the other end, it stops by spray from the stop nozzle 13b and the stop-aiding nozzle 13c. Thus, contamination during transfer can be avoided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (1) Object of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a conveying device, and in particular, to a conveying device that displaces suspended particles in a liquid by ejecting the liquid from a pressurized liquid region of a liquid tank through a nozzle. The present invention relates at least to a conveyance device for conveying an object to be conveyed.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of conveyance technology includes (i) a method in which the conveyed object is directly gripped and conveyed using a bin set, or (ii) a conveyed object is held in the air by jetting compressed air. (iii)
There have been proposals for conveying objects by placing them on a belt conveyor.

[Problems to be Solved] However, with conventional conveyance techniques, there is a drawback that when the conveyed object is gripped and conveyed with tweezers, the conveyed object is contaminated by hair or dander that has fallen off from the human body, and that the conveyed object is contaminated by compressed air. When conveying while floating in the air, compressed air is jetted toward the conveyed object, which has the disadvantage that the conveyed object is contaminated by dust in the compressed air. When the belt conveyor is conveyed, dust in the air adheres to the surface of the belt, which has the disadvantage that the object to be conveyed is contaminated by the dust when the object comes into contact with the belt conveyor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the present invention aims to provide a conveying device in which an object is suspended in a liquid that is free from contamination.

(2) Structure of the invention [Means for solving the problems] The means for solving the problems provided by the present invention are as follows:
a liquid tank comprising a pressurized liquid area for storing liquid under pressure;
and a nozzle that spouts pressurized liquid from a pressurized liquid region of a liquid tank.''

[Function J] The conveying device according to the present invention includes (a liquid tank including a pressurized liquid area for pressurizing and storing an al liquid, and fb) a liquid tank for conveying objects while floating them in the liquid. The nozzle for ejecting pressurized liquid from the pressurized liquid area of fil works to avoid contamination of the transported object by the transport means during transport, and also (
(iii) It serves to clean the transported object during transportation, and (iii) it serves to prevent the transported object from being damaged during transportation.

〔Example〕

Next, the conveying device according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. However, the examples described below are described to facilitate or promote the understanding of the present invention, and are not described to limit the present invention. The elements disclosed in the described embodiments are intended to include all modifications and equivalent substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

First, referring to Figure 1 (al to Figure 1 [dl),
The structure and operation of the first embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

The pressure is 1) A conveying device according to the present invention, in which a liquid 1) without the risk of contamination, such as pure water, is accommodated, and the direction extends from one end to the other along the conveying direction of an object to be conveyed M, which will be described later. A liquid tank 12 made of stainless steel, vinyl chloride, Teflon, or quartz glass is provided. Liquid tank 12
A pressurized liquid region 12A is formed therein to accommodate liquid 1) pressurized by a suitable pressurizing means (not shown). The pressurized liquid region 12A is disposed within the liquid tank 12 so that its upper surface is buried in the liquid 1 to an appropriate depth, and is operated by a flat nozzle member 13 extending along the bottom surface of the liquid tank 12. It is sectioned.

The nozzle member 13 has an opening inclined in the direction of conveyance of the conveyed object M in order to convey the conveyed object M in a state suspended in the liquid 1), and the nozzle member 13 has an opening inclined in the conveying direction of the conveyed object M, and the liquid 1) is opened from the pressurized liquid region 12A. and a stop nozzle 13b that is opened toward the direction of gravity and that spouts liquid 1) from pressurized liquid region 12A in order to stop the transported object M in a suspended state in liquid 1). and stop nozzle 13
In order to efficiently stop the conveyed object M by b, the opening is inclined in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the conveyed object M, and the liquid 1) is opened from the pressurized liquid region 12A.
and a stop auxiliary nozzle 13c that spouts out. Although the stop nozzle 13b and the stop auxiliary nozzle 13c may be removed if desired, they will be described here assuming that they are included.

The pressure of the conveying device according to the present invention can be adjusted depending on the requirements of the liquid tank 1.
A spraying device 14 may be disposed above 2, whereby the liquid 1) can be sprayed onto the surface of the liquid 1) and the surface of the object M to be transported, so that the object M to be transported can be dried during transportation. It is possible to prevent pollutants from flying into the air. Therefore, the spray device 14 is particularly useful when the object M to be transported is a silicon wafer or the like.

M is a desired object to be transported, such as a mirror-finished silicon wafer, which is transported by the pressure of the transport device according to the present invention, and is suspended by the liquid 1) ejected from the transport nozzle 13a of the nozzle member 13. The liquid is conveyed from one end of the tank 12 to the other end, and stopped at the other end of the liquid tank 12 while being suspended by the liquid 1) ejected from the stop nozzle 13b and stop auxiliary nozzle 13c of the nozzle member 13.

The conveying device pressure according to the present invention operates as follows.

That is, a pressurized liquid 1) is supplied to the pressurized liquid area 12A of the liquid tank 12 by an appropriate pressurizing device (not shown), and the conveying nozzle 13a+stop nozzle 13b and stop auxiliary nozzle 13c of the nozzle member 13 The spray device 14 sprays the liquid 1) so that the pressurized liquid 1) can be spouted from the surface of the object M, and at the same time, the surface of the object M to be transported can be prevented from drying out during transport, and the flying of contaminants can be blocked. Spray.

In this state, the object M to be transported is supplied to one end of the liquid tank 12 by appropriate means (not shown). Since the conveying nozzle 13a is disposed as a conveying means from one end of the liquid tank 12 to the other end, the object M to be conveyed is suspended in the liquid 1) by the liquid 1) jetted from the conveying nozzle 13a. while moving along the iF formed by the spray device 14 in the six directions of arrows.

When the conveyed object M floating in the liquid 1) reaches the other end of the liquid tank 12, a stop nozzle 13b and a stop auxiliary nozzle 13c are disposed there as stopping means, so that the object M is moved as shown by the arrow A. The conveying force in the direction is removed. As a result, the object M to be transported is stopped at the other end of the liquid tank 12. The conveyed object M stopped at the other end of the liquid tank 12 is taken out from the liquid tank 12 by an appropriate taking-out means (not shown).

Next, referring to FIG. 2 (al) to FIG. 2 (dl),
The structure and operation of a second embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

The conveyed object M is moved along the extension direction of the bottom member 23B.
This embodiment has substantially the same structure and operation as the first embodiment, except that a floating nozzle 23d for floating the object is formed to face the direction of gravity.

Therefore, for the convenience of explanation, the same members as those included in the first embodiment will be described below as compared to the first embodiment.
2(at) to FIG. 2(dl) with reference numerals larger than 0", further detailed explanation will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, instead of the pressurized liquid region 12A and the nozzle member 13 included in the first embodiment, a pressurized liquid region 22 is used.
A is expanded along the side surface of the liquid tank 22, and as a result, the nozzle member 23 is formed of a side member 23A along the side surface of the liquid tank 22 and a bottom member 23B along the bottom surface thereof. On the other hand, the above-mentioned conveyance nozzle 23a, stop nozzle 23b, and stop auxiliary nozzle 23 are
c are formed respectively, and furthermore, FIG. 3 (at to third
With reference to FIG.
The structure and operation of the embodiment will be explained in detail.

The third embodiment is a stop nozzle 1 included in the first embodiment.
3b and a liquid instead of the stop auxiliary nozzle 13c? ! 32
This embodiment has substantially the same structure and operation as the first embodiment except that a take-out device 30A is provided at the other end.

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the extraction device 30 will be described below.
Except for the detailed description of A, the same members as those included in the first embodiment were made “20
The detailed explanation will be omitted by illustrating them in FIGS.

That is, the extraction device included in the conveyance device 4 according to the present invention is moved in the direction of arrow B by a drive device 35 disposed outside the other end of the liquid tank 32 and an output shaft 36 of the drive device 35.
a cassette 38 made of quartz glass or the like that is held by the holding member 37 and placed in the liquid 31 at the other end of the liquid tank 32;
By spouting the liquid 31 from the pressurized liquid region 32A formed at the rear end of the nozzle member 33 to the lower surface of the housing of the cassette 38, the front end of the conveyed object M is appropriately floated, and the housing part thereof is lifted up. A take-out nozzle 39A is used to press the rear end of the transported object M by spouting the liquid 31 from above the liquid tank 32 toward the front end of the storage section of the cassette 38 to facilitate storage of the transported object M. It includes another take-out nozzle 39B for ensuring accommodation in the section.

Therefore, when the conveying object M is conveyed to the other end of the liquid tank 32 by the conveying nozzle 33a, the extracting device included in the conveying device 30 according to the present invention ejects the liquid ejected from the extracting nozzle 39A. 31 to appropriately float the front end thereof, and press the rear end appropriately by the liquid 31 intermittently jetted from the take-out nozzle 39B.
Thereby, the object M to be transported is suitably accommodated in the accommodating portion of the cassette 38.

When the object M to be transported is stored in the cassette 38, the take-out device 30A causes the drive device 35 to rotate the output shaft 36 and lower the holding member 37 in the direction of arrow B.
As a result, the cassette 38 is lowered in the direction of the arrow B and waits for the subsequent conveyed object M to be conveyed.

In addition, while referring to Figure 4 fat to Figure 4 (cl),
The configuration and operation of the fourth embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

Further, with reference to FIG. 5 (at to FIG. 5+d), the structure and operation of a fifth embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention will be explained in detail.

The fourth embodiment is a stop nozzle 2 included in the second embodiment.
3b and the stop auxiliary nozzle 23c, a take-out device outlet having the same configuration and function as the above-described take-out device outlet is provided at the other end of the liquid tank 42. It has the same structure and function as .

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the same members as those included in the second embodiment will be compared with "2" in comparison with the second embodiment.
0" larger reference numerals and the same members as those included in the third embodiment compared to the third embodiment"
10" in FIG. 4 (al to FIG. 4 fcl), further detailed explanation will be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment, instead of the pressurized liquid area 12A included in the first embodiment, two pressurized liquid areas 52A are divided by a drain groove 528 extending in the longitudinal direction of the liquid tank 52.
This embodiment has substantially the same structure and operation as the first embodiment except that it contains 52Ab.

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the drain groove 52B will be described below.
"40" compared to the first example for the same members as those included in the first example, except for detailed explanations.
Figure 5 fal to 5 with larger reference numerals
By illustrating it in Figure (d), detailed explanation will be omitted.

That is, the conveyance device 50 according to the present invention is capable of transporting the conveyed object M
The transport nozzle 53 is opened at an angle toward the transport direction.
The object to be conveyed M is suspended in the liquid 51 by the liquid 51 ejected from the liquid 51 and is conveyed from one end of the liquid tank 52 to the other end, and stops at the other end of the liquid tank 52 by the nozzle 53b.
The object M to be transported is suspended in the liquid 51 by the liquid 51 ejected from the stop auxiliary nozzle 53c.

At this time, the liquid 51 ejected from the transport nozzle 53a, the stop nozzle 53b, and the stop auxiliary nozzle 53c, respectively, overflows into the drain groove 52B via the protrusions 52Ba and 52Bb, so that the pressurized liquid areas 52Aa and 52Ab
(The object M to be transported should not be moved into the liquid tank 52.)
It can be conveyed along the center part to the other end.

The conveyed object M that has been conveyed to the other end of the liquid tank 52 is taken out by an appropriate taking out device (not shown) as in the first embodiment.

Incidentally, the liquid 51 in the drain groove 52B is removed by appropriate means.

The structure and operation thereof will be explained in detail.

The sixth embodiment is based on the pressurized liquid region t included in the second embodiment.
In place of ii22A, drain groove 62B and pressurized liquid areas 62Aa, 62 have the same configuration and function as the above-mentioned drain groove 52B and pressurized liquid areas 52Aa, 52Ab.
Substantially the second embodiment contains Ab and except that the floating nozzle 23d included in the second embodiment is removed.
It has the same structure and operation as the embodiment.

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the same members as those included in the second embodiment will be compared with "4" compared to the second embodiment.
0" larger reference numerals and the same members as those included in the fifth embodiment have "0" in comparison with the fifth embodiment.
10" in FIG. 6 (al to FIG. 6 fdl), and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Furthermore, while referring to FIGS. 6 fat to 6 Tdl, the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. The structure and operation of the seventh embodiment of the transport device will be described in detail.

In the seventh embodiment, instead of the pressurized liquid region 12A included in the first embodiment, there is a pressurized liquid region sandwiched between two drain grooves 72Ba and 72Bb extending in the longitudinal direction of the liquid tank 72. 72A, substantially the first
It has the same structure and operation as the embodiment.

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the drain groove 72B will be described below.
a.? Except for the detailed description of 2Bb, the same members as those included in the first embodiment are given reference numerals larger by "60" than those in the first embodiment, and are shown in FIG. 7(a).
1 to 7 (dl), detailed explanation will be omitted.

The feed object M is conveyed from one end of the liquid tank 72 to the other end while being suspended in the liquid 71, and is covered by the liquid 71 spouted from the stop nozzle 73b and the stop auxiliary nozzle 73c at the other end of the liquid tank 72. The conveyed object M is suspended while being suspended in the liquid 71.

At this time, the liquid 71 ejected from the conveyance nozzle 73a, the stop nozzle 73b, and the stop auxiliary nozzle 73c, respectively, passes through the protrusions 72Ba and 72Bb to the pressurized liquid area 72A.
Since the liquid overflows into the drain grooves 728a and 72Bb on both sides of the liquid tank 72, the object M to be transported can be transported along the center of the liquid tank 72 to the other end without contacting the sides of the liquid tank 72.

The conveyed object M that has been conveyed to the other end of the liquid tank 72 is taken out by an appropriate taking out device (not shown) as in the first embodiment.

That is, the conveyance device 4 according to the present invention has a conveyance nozzle 73a that is opened at an angle toward the conveyance direction of the conveyed object M.
Finally, the liquid 71 ejected from the
) to FIG. 8(dl), the structure and operation of the eighth embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

The eighth embodiment is a drainage groove 62B included in the sixth embodiment.
, except that it includes two drain grooves 828a and 82Bb divided by a pressurized liquid region 82Ac extending in the longitudinal direction of the liquid tank 82 and in which a floating nozzle 83d is formed. This embodiment has the same structure and operation as the sixth embodiment.

Therefore, for convenience of explanation, the first embodiment will be described with respect to the same members as those included in the sixth embodiment, except that the pressurized liquid region 82Ac and the drain grooves 82Ba and 82Bb will be described in detail below. Figure 8 fat to Figure 8 fdl are given reference numerals larger by °'20'' than in the example.
The detailed explanation will be omitted by illustrating it in FIG.

That is, the conveyance device 80 according to the present invention is capable of transporting the conveyed object M
A transport nozzle 83 is opened at an angle toward the transport direction.
The object to be transported M is suspended in the liquid 81 by the ejected liquid 81, and is transported from one end of the liquid tank 82 to the other end, and stops at the other end of the liquid tank 82 by the nozzle 83b.
The object M to be transported is suspended in the liquid 81 by the liquid 81 ejected from the stop auxiliary nozzle 83c and stopped.

At this time, the floating nozzle 83 formed on the nozzle member 83c
The liquid 81 ejected from d flows down from the surface of the nozzle member 83c toward the drain grooves 82Ba and 82Bb,
In addition, the liquid 81 ejected from the transport nozzle 83a, stop nozzle 83b, and stop auxiliary nozzle 83c, respectively, passes through the protrusions 82Ba and 82Bb to the drain grooves 828a and 82.
Since the direction is overflowing Bb, the conveyance device according to the present invention moves the object M to be conveyed along the center of the liquid tank 82 to the other end without contacting the sides of the pressurized liquid areas 82Aa and 82Ab. It can be transported to the department.

The conveyed object M that has been conveyed to the other end of the liquid tank 82 is taken out by an appropriate taking out device (not shown) as in the first embodiment.

(3) Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the conveyance device according to the present invention comprises: so that it can be transported by floating on
Since it is equipped with a nozzle that ejects pressurized liquid from the pressurized liquid region of the liquid tank, it has the effect of avoiding contamination of the transported object by the transport means during transport, and also (iii) It has the effect of cleaning the transported object during transportation, and (iii) It has the effect of preventing the transported object from being damaged during transportation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 fa) to (dl are lines 1.-1., respectively, indicating the first embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention. 1, -IIl line, 1e-IC!!, and I, -1, line. A cross-sectional view and a plan view taken along the line, and FIG.
, -n, line, ■ゎ-■, line, ■ゎ■. line and n, -n
, a cross-sectional view taken along the line, and FIGS.
n, line, IIl, -IIIb line and ■. -■ Sectional view and partial plan view along line 2, Figure 4 fal to fc
l indicates the fourth embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention, respectively IV, -IV, line, IVb-IVb line and IV
5 (fat to fd) are cross-sectional views taken along the line C-IVC, lines V, -V, and lines, respectively, showing a fifth embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention. VIl-V. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line Vc-Vc and the line V, -V, and FIG. -Vl, line, Vl, -VlcL
'i! and vr, -■ cross-sectional view along the a line, Fig. 7 (
al -1cl are ■, -■, cotton, and ■, respectively, indicating the seventh embodiment of the conveying device according to the present invention. −■. Cotton and■
. −■. A cross-sectional view taken along the line, FIG.
−■, line, ■. -■, line, ■6-■C line and ■, -■
, is a cross-sectional view taken along the line. LQ: practice; concave; 赳; view; view; leak; U Transport device 1); 21;
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Liquid 12; 22
32; 42; 52; 62; 72; 82 liquid tank 12A; 22A; 32A; 42A; 52Aa, 52A
b; 62Aa, 62Ab; 72A; 82Aa, 82
Ab, 82Ac pressurized liquid region 52B; 2B; 72Ba, 72Bb...
...Drain grooves 52Ba, 52Bb; 62Ba, 62B
b; 82Ba, 82Bb protrusion 13; 23; 33; 43; 53; 63; 73; 83...
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Nozzle member 23
^;43A;53^;63^:83A...Side member 23B;43B;53B;63B:83B...Bottom member 13a;23a;33a;43a;53a;63a
;73a;83a conveyance nozzle 13b;23b;33b;43b:53b:63b;7
3b;83b・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・Stop nozzle 13c; 23c; 33c; 43c; 53c
;63c;73c;83c Stop auxiliary nozzle 13d;23d;33d:43d;53d:63d;7
3d; 83d floating nozzle 14; 24; 34; 44; 54; 64; 74; 84...
・・・Spray device・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・Drive device Drive device output shaft holding member cassette・・・・・・・・・Take-out nozzle concave or out 35.45 36.46 37.47 38.48 39A, 39B, 49A, 49B Transported object No. Figure 1 (b)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) (a) A liquid tank comprising a pressurized liquid area that pressurizes and stores liquid; (b) A liquid tank configured to transport an object by suspending it in the liquid;
A conveyance device comprising: a nozzle that spouts pressurized liquid from a pressurized liquid region of a liquid tank. (2) The conveyance device according to claim (1), comprising a spray device disposed above the liquid tank and spraying liquid onto the surface of the object being conveyed.