JPH0536421U - Work positioning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Aim for simplification of configuration and reduction of production cost while ensuring excellent positioning accuracy. A rotary shaft 1a of a rotary actuator 1 is arranged below a center 10c at a predetermined position of a work 10 placed on a base 9, and four links 2 are rotatably attached to the rotary shaft 1a. A slide arm 3 is vertically raised on each link 2. A rail 5 fixed to a support table 6 is slidably fitted to the lower surface of the slide arm 3, and a cassette holding portion 7 capable of contacting a work 10 is formed on the slide arm 3.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a work positioning mechanism for positioning a work such as an LCD substrate at a predetermined position on a base, and particularly to a work positioning mechanism for positioning the center of the work on the base.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Generally, when a predetermined work is performed on a work such as an LCD substrate, the work is positioned on a fixed base before the work is performed. In particular, when the work requires high accuracy such as an LCD substrate, a precise positioning work with a positional error of plus or minus 1 mm is required. Therefore, it is impossible for a transfer robot having a positioning error of about ± 15 mm to perform such work positioning. Therefore, in the past, the manual work of the worker was often used. However, in recent years, the demand for LCD substrates and the like has increased remarkably, and automation of positioning work is strongly desired. Therefore, a work positioning mechanism that automatically performs positioning work has been proposed.

Here, schematic diagrams for explaining an outline of a conventional work positioning mechanism are shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B). When the work 20 is positioned at a predetermined position a on the fixed base 21, it is necessary to position the work 20 in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the work 20 is clamped in the vertical direction (vertical direction in the drawing), and the first movable portion 22 movable in the vertical direction and the work 20 is clamped in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction in the drawing). And a second movable part 23 that is movable. Further, there are provided a first sensor 24 that abuts on the work 20 to detect a vertical position, and a second sensor 25 that abuts the work 20 to detect a lateral position.

In the work positioning mechanism having the above structure, as shown in FIG. 5A, the work 20 is moved in the vertical and horizontal directions by the operation of the first and second movable parts 22 and 23. .. After that, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the first and second sensors 24 and 25 detect the work 20, the first and second movable parts 22 and 23 stop. In this way, the work 20 is positioned.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the conventional example as described above, two moving parts and two sensors are required, so that the structure is mechanically and electrically complicated. Moreover, since there are two movable parts, it is difficult to control the operation, and errors in positioning accuracy are likely to occur. As a result, there are problems that the production cost rises and the positioning accuracy decreases.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to improve positioning accuracy, contribute to simplification of configuration and reduction of production cost. It is to provide a work positioning mechanism.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above problems, the work positioning mechanism of the present invention fixes the base on which the work is placed at a predetermined position, installs a support table in which a fixed point is set in parallel with the base, A plurality of rails that are arranged in the longitudinal direction toward the target point are fixed to the support table, slide arms are slidably fitted to each rail, and each slide arm slides by the same amount of movement. It is characterized in that it is provided with means, and that each slide arm is provided with a work receiving portion for moving the work so that the center of the work coincides with the center of a predetermined position.

In addition, the work positioning mechanism of the present invention is characterized in that a vertical movement mechanism for moving the support table in the vertical direction is provided.

Further, the work positioning mechanism of the present invention is rotatably connected to a rotary actuator attached to a support table so that the rotary shaft is located at the target point, and the rotary shaft and the slide arm. The driving means is composed of a link.

[0010]

[Action]

 In the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, when the work is positioned at the predetermined position of the base, the driving means operates so that each slide arm slides on the rail toward the target point by the same movement amount. To do. At this time, the respective work receiving portions provided integrally with the slide arm move by the same movement amount toward the center of the predetermined position. As a result, the work receiving portion can surely align the center of the work with the center of the predetermined position. As described above, in the present invention, the work can be accurately positioned without using a sensor for detecting the position of the work and by a single driving means. When the positioning of the work is completed, the driving means operates in the opposite direction and each slide arm slides on the rail so as to move away from the target point. At the same time, each work receiving part moves away from the center of the predetermined position.

Further, in the present invention, even when the works are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, the vertical movement mechanism moves the support table in the vertical direction to sequentially pull the works to the base to position the works. be able to. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the work processing of the work.

Further, in the present invention in which the driving means is composed of a rotary actuator and a link, when positioning a workpiece, each link is narrowed around the rotation axis, that is, a target point as the rotary axis of the rotary actuator rotates. To rotate. By the operation of this link, each slide arm slides on the rail toward the rotation axis by the same amount of movement. Therefore, similarly to the above, the work receiving part can accurately position the work. On the other hand, when the positioning of the work is completed, the links are rotated so as to spread around the rotation axis, that is, the target point, simply by rotating the rotation axis of the rotary actuator in the reverse direction. The movement of this link causes each slide arm to slide on the rail away from the target point by the same amount of movement.

[0013]

【Example】

 Next, one embodiment of the present invention described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 are a front view and a side view of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a side view and a plan view (however, only one side base 9 is shown) for explaining constituent members above the support table 6. is there. The work to be positioned in this embodiment is a rectangular cassette 10 to which an LCD substrate or the like is fixed, and is arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the cassettes 10 placed on the base 9 are positioned to align the cassettes 10 and are used in a processing device or the like for applying a chemical solution by centrifugal treatment or the like. The present embodiment corresponds to the work positioning mechanism described in claims 2 and 3 of the present invention.

The present embodiment is installed in a processing chamber (not shown), and a plurality of columns 19 and base columns 9a are set up in this processing chamber. The pedestal 18 is horizontally supported by the support column 19. A plate-shaped frame 17 is attached to the gantry 18 in parallel with the gantry 18. On the other hand, bases 9 and 9 which are parallel to each other are horizontally supported by the base support column 9a.

By the way, the guide rail 13, the guide rail support plate 14, and the cylinder bracket 16 are erected on the frame 17. Of these, the cylinder bracket 16 accommodates a vertically movable cylinder 15. A floating joint 15a is attached to the upper end of the cylinder 15. The lower surface of the support table 6 is fixed to the floating joint 15a. The support table 6 is arranged horizontally with respect to the frame 17.

The guide rail 13 is fixed to the outside of the center of the guide rail support plate 14. Further, the vertical slider 12 is fitted on the guide rail 13 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. Further, a slider support plate 11 is attached to the outside of the upper and lower sliders 12. The upper end of the slider support plate 11 is fixed to the lower surface of the support table 6.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotary actuator 1 is attached to the lower surface of the support table 6. The rotary actuator 1 is provided with a rotary shaft 1 a protruding above the support table 6. The rotary shaft 1a is arranged at the center of the diagonal line of the support table 6 and is set at a target point on the support table 6. A boss 1b is attached to the rotary shaft 1a. Further, four rails 5 are fixed on the upper surface of the support table 6 along a diagonal line. These rails 5 are arranged in the longitudinal direction toward the rotation axis 1a which is a target point. Further, two horizontal slides 4 are fitted on the rail 5 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction. A rectangular parallelepiped slide arm 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the horizontal slider 4.

On the boss 1b of the rotary actuator 1, four rotating pins 2a that rotate together with the boss 1b are attached. The link 2 is rotatably attached via the rotating pins 2a. The link 2 is substantially L-shaped, and the rotating pin 2a is provided at the inner end of the link 2. A slide pin 2b is provided at the outer end of the link 2, and the link 2 is rotatably attached to the inner end of the slide arm 3 via the slide pin 2b. That is, the slide pin 2b slides together with the slide arm 3.

A shock absorber 30 is installed on the upper surface of the support table 6, and the shock absorber 30 abuts on the adjacent link 2 to restrict the rotation of the link 2 and, at the same time, collide with the link 2. Absorb the generated shock.

At the outer end of each slide arm 3, a holding portion support plate 7 a is vertically raised with respect to the slide arm 3. A reinforcing plate 7b is obliquely fixed to the slide arm 3 and the receiving portion support plate 7a. Further, a cassette holding portion 7 which is a work receiving portion is attached to the upper end portion of the holding portion support plate 7a.

As shown in FIG. 4, a substantially hexagonal opening 8 is formed in the base 9 at a position facing each other. The planar shape of the cassette holding portion 7 is substantially L-shaped, and the cassette holding portion 7 is inserted into the opening 8 and abuts against the four corners of the cassette 10 to hold the cassette 10. Further, the center 10c, which is the intersection of the diagonal lines of the cassette 10 when positioned at a predetermined position, is arranged right above the rotary shaft 1a of the rotary actuator 1. Therefore, when the present embodiment is viewed from directly above, the center 10c and the rotary shaft 1a (target point) are located on the same perpendicular line to the base 9 and the support table 6.

In the present embodiment having the above-described structure, when the cassette 10 is positioned at a predetermined position on the base 9, the rotary actuator 1 first operates to rotate the rotary shaft 1a and the rotary pin 2a of the link 2. To do. On the other hand, the slide pin 2b of each link 2 slides along with the slide arm 3 and the horizontal slider 4 along the rail 5 toward the rotary shaft 1a (target point).

By the way, when the link 2 and the slide arm 3 are arranged in a substantially straight line (the state of the link 2 shown by the solid line in FIG. 4), the distance between the sliding pin 2b and the rotary shaft 1a is the largest. It is in a state of Regardless of which direction the rotation shaft 1a rotates, the rotation pin 2a moves away from the slide arm 3 facing the rotation pin 2a. In FIG. 4, the state of the link 2 when the rotating shaft 1a and the rotating pin 2a rotate in the clockwise direction in the figure is shown by a chain line.

As shown in the figure, the link 2 rotates so as to be wound around the rotary shaft 1a, and the distance between the sliding pin 2b and the rotary shaft 1a becomes shorter. Therefore, the sliding pin 2b, the slide arm 3, and the cassette holding unit 7 all move integrally toward the rotary shaft 1a and the center 10c with the same movement amount. As a result, the cassette holding portion 7 holds the four corners of the cassette 10 and surely matches the center of the cassette 10 before positioning with the center 10c of the predetermined position.

Further, when the positioning of the cassette 10 is completed, the rotary actuator 1 operates in the opposite direction and the rotary shaft 1a rotates in the reverse direction, so that the sliding pin 2b, the slide arm 3 and the cassette holder 7 are rotated. And move away from the center 10c.

Further, in the present embodiment, even if the cassettes 10 are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, the cylinder 15 can move the support table 6 in the vertical direction and take it in the base 9 of the cassette 10 to sequentially position it. it can. Therefore, the processing work on the substrate fixed to the cassette 10 can be performed quickly, and the work efficiency is improved.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the sensor for detecting the position of the cassette 10 is not required, the structure is mechanically and electrically simplified, and the production cost is reduced. Moreover, since the positioning can be automatically performed by one rotary actuator, it is possible to prevent the positioning accuracy from deteriorating.

The work positioning mechanism of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the driving means may be any one that slides each slide arm toward the target point by the same amount of movement, and the wire fixed to the inner end and the outer end of the slide arm and this wire are wound. It also includes a drive means composed of a drive unit for taking. That is, if the inner wire is wound evenly by the drive unit, each slide arm slides toward the target point by the same amount of movement, and if the outer wire is wound, the slide arm moves away from the target point. ..

Further, the target point set on the support table and the center of the work at the predetermined position do not necessarily have to be provided on the same perpendicular line, and for the reason of design, the support plate that supports the work receiving portion is not provided. Even if it is obliquely attached to the slide arm, it does not matter as long as each work receiving part moves so that the center of the work coincides with the center of the predetermined position.

Further, it goes without saying that the work can be appropriately selected including not only the above-mentioned cassette but also the LCD substrate.

[0031]

As described above, according to the workpiece positioning mechanism of the present invention, when each slide arm slides on the rail toward the target point by the same movement amount by the driving means, the slide arm is not moved. Each interlocking work receiving part can surely align the center of the work with the center of the predetermined position to accurately position the work. Therefore, while maintaining excellent positioning accuracy, the structure is simplified and the production cost is reduced. Promoted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a work positioning mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a main part of this embodiment.

5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of a conventional workpiece positioning mechanism, in which FIG. 5A shows a positioning operation and FIG. 5B shows a completed state of the positioning operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Rotary Actuator 1a Rotating Shaft 2 Link 3 Slide Arm 4 Horizontal Slider 5 Rail 6 Support Table 7 Work Receiving Section 8 Opening 9 Base 10 Work 11 Slider Support Plate 12 Vertical Slider 13 Guide Rail 14 Guide Rail Support Plate 15 Cylinder 16 Cylinder Bracket 17 frame 18 pedestal 19 stanchion 30 shock absorber

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An LCD at a predetermined position on a fixed base.
In a work positioning mechanism for positioning a work such as a substrate, a support table installed parallel to the base and having a target point set as a fixed point, and a support table fixed to the support table and arranged in the longitudinal direction toward the target point A plurality of rails, a slide arm slidably fitted to the rails, a drive unit that slides each slide arm by the same amount of movement, and a slide arm attached to the slide arm, A work positioning mechanism, comprising: a work receiving portion that moves a work so that a center thereof coincides with the center of the predetermined position. 2. The work positioning mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a vertical movement mechanism for moving the support table in a vertical direction. 3. A rotary actuator, wherein the drive means is provided with a rotary shaft, and is attached to the support table so that the rotary shaft is located at the target point, and the rotary shaft and the slide arm are rotatable. The work positioning mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the work positioning mechanism includes a link to be connected.