JPH06330315A - Holding method for planar material and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To mechanize mounting and removing of glass plates for display and to improve the yield of production by positioning a pair of pawl members in such a manner that the pressing force of a pair of these pawl members on a planar material attains the desired pressing force in accordance with the pressing force calculated by the distortion quantity. CONSTITUTION:A pawl moving mean 11 has a pair of the pawl members 26A, 26B disposed to face each other and moves a pair of these pawl members in a direction where the members approach each other and the direction where the members are apart from each other. A detecting means detects the holding force of a pair of the pawl members in accordance with the strain quantity of a strain sensor 52 disposed on a pair of the pawl members. A control section controls the pawl moving mean 1 in such a manner that a pair of the pawl members 26A, 26B clamp the planar member 42 with the desired holding force in accordance with the signal indicating the holding force of a pair of the pawl members outputted from the detecting means. Then, a pair of the pawl members 26A, 26B are positioned in the positions where the planar material 42 is pressed by the desired pressing force and, therefore, the planar material 42 is held by a pair of the pawl members 42.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plate-shaped material holding method and apparatus for handling a plate-shaped material in a manufacturing process or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electrode is vapor-deposited on the surface of a glass plate for a display used for a liquid crystal display. A sputtering method is known as a method for depositing electrodes on a glass plate for display. The sputtering method includes a batch method and an in-line method. For example, when an electrode is vapor-deposited on a glass plate for display by the in-line method, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the sputter device 1 is arranged on the transfer line 2. The carrier 3 is provided in the carrier line 2, and the carrier 3 moves when the carrier 3 moves along the carrier line 2.
The glass plates 4, 4, ... Electrodes are vapor-deposited by the sputtering device 1 on the glass plates 4, 4, ...
The glass plate on which the electrodes are vapor-deposited is discharged from the sputtering device 1 together with the carrier 3.

On the other hand, the conveying line 2 is provided with a glass plate supplying / discharging unit 5 for carrying in a glass plate before vapor deposition and carrying out the glass plate after vapor deposition.
An operator manually carries in the glass plates 4, 4, ... Before vapor deposition and unloads the glass plate after vapor deposition. That is, the operator manually attaches the glass plate 4 that has been transported from the previous process of the vapor deposition process to the supply / discharge unit 5 to the carrier 3 of the transport line 2. Also,
The glass plate on which the electrodes are vapor-deposited by the sputtering device 1 provided on the transfer line 2 is removed from the carrier 3 by the operator when it is transferred to the supply / discharge unit 5. As a result, electrodes are deposited on the surface of the glass plate for display.

Electrodes are sequentially deposited on new glass plates by sequentially repeating the above steps.

[0005]

However, since the operator manually attaches the glass plate to the carrier or removes the glass plate from the carrier, the glass plate is damaged when the glass plate is attached or removed. May be attached. Therefore, there is a problem that the production yield of the glass plate for display is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for gripping a plate-shaped material which can improve the yield of productivity.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises a step of pressing both end edges of a plate-like material with a pair of claw members, and a distortion of the pair of claw members caused by the pressing. A step of detecting the amount, a step of calculating a pressing force of the pair of claw members against the plate-shaped member based on the detected strain amount, and a pair of the claw members based on the calculated pressing force A method for gripping a plate-shaped material, comprising the step of positioning the pair of claw members so that the pressing force on the plate-shaped material becomes a desired pressing force and gripping the plate-shaped material with the pair of claw members,
And a device for implementing it.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the claw moving means has a pair of claw members provided so as to face each other, and moves the pair of claw members in a direction toward each other and a direction away from each other. The detection means detects the gripping force of the pair of claw members based on the strain amount of the strain sensor provided on the pair of claw members. Further, the control unit controls the claw moving means so that the pair of claw members grips the plate-shaped material with a desired gripping force, based on the signal indicating the gripping force of the pair of claw members output from the detection means. Therefore, since the pair of claw members are positioned at the positions for pressing the plate-shaped material with a desired pressing force, the plate-shaped material is gripped by the pair of claw members.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A method and apparatus for gripping a plate-like material according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a perspective view of a plate-shaped material gripping device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the plate-shaped material gripping device, FIG. 3 is a connection diagram of a detection means used in the plate-shaped material gripping device, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which has arrange | positioned the holding device of a plate-shaped material in the arm of a robot. As shown in FIG. 1, the plate-shaped gripping device 10 includes a claw moving unit 11, a detecting unit 51, and a control unit 56. A bracket 14 is fixed to the support plate 12 of the claw moving means 11, and a drive motor 16 is fixed to the bracket 14. The drive motor 16 is arranged substantially at the center of the support plate 12. Each of the drive shafts 16A and 16B of the drive motor 16 has a ball screw 1
8A and 18B are coaxially connected. Ball screw 1
Both ends of 8A are rotatably supported by blocks 20 and 20, and the blocks 20 and 20 are fixed to a support plate 12. Further, both ends of the ball screw 18B are rotatably supported by the blocks 20, 20 like the ball screw 18A. The blocks 20, 20 supporting the ball screw 18B are also fixed to the support plate 12.

A moving block 22A is attached to the ball screw 18A.
Are screwed together. The moving block 22A is slidably supported by a guide rail 24A, and the guide rail 24A is fixed to the support plate 12. further,
A right claw 26A is attached to the moving block 22A via a distortion block 50A described later. Therefore,
When the drive motor 16 is driven, the moving block 22A moves along the guide rail 24A, so the right claw 26A
Moves in the arrow direction (left-right direction) on FIG.

Further, the ball screw 18B and the moving block 2
2B, guide rail 24B, strain block 50B described later
The left claw 26B and the left claw 26B are a ball screw 18A, a moving block 22A, a guide rail 24A, and a strain block 5, respectively.
The left and right claws 26A are symmetrically configured.
Therefore, when the drive motor 16 is driven, the moving block 22
B is a moving block 22A along the guide rail 24B.
Moves in the direction opposite to the moving direction of. As a result, the left and right claws 26A and 26B move in opposite directions.

As shown in FIG. 3, the detecting means 51 has strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52C and 52D and a detecting portion 54. Strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52C, 52
D is provided in the above-mentioned distortion blocks 50A and 50B. That is, the strain blocks 50A and 50B are formed in a rectangular tube shape, and the strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52C, and 52D are provided on the opposing surfaces of the strain block 50A (see FIG. 2). Strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52C,
52D forms a Whiston bridge. In this Whiston bridge, each strain gauge 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D is adjusted so that the potential difference between BD is zero when the strain block 50A is not strained. When distortion occurs in the distortion block 50A, B
A potential difference occurs between -D. The detection unit 54 detects the potential difference generated between B and D, and outputs the detected potential difference signal to the control unit 56.
Output to.

Further, the strain gauges 52A, 52B, and 5 are provided on the facing surface of the strain block 50B, similarly to the strain block 50A.
2C and 52D are provided, and strain gauges 52A and 5D are provided.
2B, 52C and 52D form a Whiston bridge. Therefore, like the strain block 50A, when no strain is generated in the strain block 50B, the strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52 are adjusted so that the potential difference between B and D becomes zero.
C and 52D are adjusted. And distortion block 5
When distortion occurs in 0B, a potential difference occurs between BD. The detection unit 54 detects the potential difference generated between B and D, and outputs a signal of the detected potential difference to the control unit 56. Note that FIG. 3 shows a state in which the Hoiston bridge circuit of the strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52C, and 52D provided in the strain block 50B is omitted.

The control unit 56 includes distortion blocks 50A and 50B.
The signal of the potential difference generated between each BD is input from the detection unit 54. The control unit 56 calculates the strain amount of each of the blocks 50A and 50B based on the input potential difference signal, and based on the calculated strain amount, the left and right claws 26
The pressing force for the plate-shaped materials A and 26B is calculated. Then, the control unit 56 controls the drive motor 16 of the claw moving means 11 based on the calculated pressing force so that the pressing force of the left and right claws 26A and 26B against the plate-shaped material becomes a desired pressing force. As a result, the left and right claws 26A and 26B are positioned at the optimum positions, and the glass plate 42 is moved to the left and right claws 26A and 26B.
It is grasped by B.

On the other hand, the support plate 12 has a plate 3 at its upper end.
0 and 32 are fixed, and a plate 34 is fixed to the lower end of the support plate 12. Each plate 3
The first, second, and third ultrasonic sensors 3 are provided at 0, 32, and 34.
6, 38, 40 are attached. The first and second ultrasonic sensors 36 and 38 are horizontally arranged at a predetermined interval (L), and the third ultrasonic sensor 40 is the first and second ultrasonic sensors 36 and 38. A predetermined distance (H) vertically downward from the center position of 38 (that is, the position of L / 2)
It is arranged at.

The above-mentioned control unit 56 includes the first, second and third control units.
Glass plate 4 measured by the ultrasonic sensors 36, 38, 40 of
The measured distance up to 2 is entered as distance data. In addition, the control unit 56 has the first, second, and
The distance between the third ultrasonic sensors 36, 38, 40 and the glass plate 42 is input as a set value. And the control unit 5
Reference numeral 6 outputs a drive signal to the driving means 52 of the robot arm for causing the first and second ultrasonic sensors to reach the preset input value based on the input distance data and the preset value input. (See FIG. 1).

Further, the control unit 56 sets the third ultrasonic sensor to the third ultrasonic sensor after the first and second ultrasonic sensors have the same preset values.
The ultrasonic sensor outputs a drive signal to the robot arm drive means 52 so that the ultrasonic sensor attains a preset input value.
The drive means 52 of the robot arm is based on the drive signal output from the controller 56, and the robot arm 46 (see FIG. 2).
(See). As a result, the left and right claws 26A, 2
6B are respectively positioned at equal intervals with respect to the glass plate 42.

The support plate 12 is provided at the tip of the arm 46 of the robot 44 as shown in FIG. The operation of the plate-shaped material holding device configured as described above will be described. First, the left and right claws 26A and 26B are moved toward or away from each other, and are positioned in accordance with the width dimension of the glass plate 42. Next, the distance between each of the first, second and third ultrasonic sensors 36, 38, 40 and the glass plate 42 is set to a desired value, and this set value is input to the control unit 50. Here, it is assumed that the set value is 100.

Next, the arm 46 of the robot 44 is operated to bring the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 close to the glass plate 42. In this case, the first, second and third ultrasonic sensors 36,
38 and 40 are positioned so as to face the glass plate 42. Next, the first and second ultrasonic sensors 36, 38
The distance from each position to the glass plate 42 is measured. The measurement result is, for example, the distance 110 mm from the first ultrasonic sensor 36 to the glass plate 42, and the second ultrasonic sensor 3
Assume that the distance from 8 to the glass plate 42 is 104 mm.

In this case, the first and second ultrasonic sensors 3
The distance between the center position C1 between 6 and 38 and the glass plate 42 is calculated from (110 + 104) / 2 = 107, and is 107 mm. Therefore, the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 has a distance from the first ultrasonic sensor 36 to the glass plate 42, and a distance from the second ultrasonic sensor 38 to the glass plate 4.
Move so that the distance to 2 is 107 mm each. As a result, the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 moves the glass plate 42.
Are positioned parallel to each other in the horizontal direction.

Next, the distance from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 40 to the glass plate 42 is measured. For example, the measurement result is 1
Assuming 20 mm, the distance from the center position C1 between the ultrasonic sensors 36 and 38 and the center position C2 between the ultrasonic sensors 40 to the glass plate 42 is calculated from (107 + 120) /2=113.5, 113. It will be 5 mm.

Therefore, the plate-shaped material holding device 10 is moved so that the distances from the first, second and third ultrasonic sensors 36, 38 and 40 to the glass plate 42 are 113.5 mm, respectively. Thus, the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 is positioned parallel to the glass plate 42 at a position 113.5 mm away from the glass plate 42. Subsequently, the first, second and third ultrasonic sensors 36, 38 and 41 are parallel to each other so that the distance from the first, second and third ultrasonic sensors 36 to the glass plate 42 is 100 mm, respectively. Moving.

In this manner, the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 is further brought closer to the glass plate 42 while the plate-shaped material gripping device 10 is maintained parallel to the glass plate 42. In this state, the drive motor 16 is driven to drive the left and right claws 26A, 26
B in the direction to bring them closer to each other, the left and right claws 26A,
26B is brought into contact with the left and right edges of the glass plate 42, respectively.

When the driving motor 16 is further driven to press the edge of the glass plate 42 with the left and right claws 26A and 26B, the repulsive force of the glass plate 42 is generated on the left and right claws 26A and 26B, and the distortion block 50A, Distortion occurs at 50B. Therefore, a potential difference is generated between BD of the Hoiston bridge circuits of the distortion blocks 50A and 50B, and a signal of these potential differences is output from the detection unit 54 to the control unit 56.
Entered in. The control unit 56 calculates the strain amount of each of the blocks 50A and 50B based on the input potential difference signal, and based on the calculated strain amount, the left and right claws 26
The pressing force for the plate-shaped materials A and 26B is calculated. Then, the control unit 56 outputs a signal for controlling the drive motor 16 of the claw moving means 11 based on the calculated pressing force so that the pressing force of the left and right claws 26A and 26B against the plate-shaped material becomes a desired pressing force. Is output. As a result, the left and right claws 26
Since A and 26B are positioned at the optimum positions, the glass plate 42 is gripped by the predetermined pressing force of the left and right claws 26A and 26B.

In the above embodiment, the strain blocks 50A, 5
Strain gauges 52A, 52B, 52 provided in 0B
The temperature correction gauge is not used in the C and 52D Hoiston bridge circuits, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the temperature correction gauge may be used to perform temperature correction. Although the case where the glass plate is gripped for handling has been described in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to general handling other than the glass plate.

In the above embodiment, the case where the three ultrasonic sensors 36, 38 and 41 are used has been described.
Not limited to this, one, two, or other number of sensors may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the set value (predetermined value) between the ultrasonic sensor and the glass plate 42 is input in advance has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the setting between the ultrasonic sensor and the glass plate 42. You may input a value at the time of measurement of an ultrasonic sensor and dual time.

In the above embodiment, the case where the glass plate 42 is gripped has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to the case where a metal or resin plate-shaped material is gripped. In this case, not only the ultrasonic sensor but also a laser sensor or the like can be used.

[0028]

As described above, according to the method and apparatus for gripping a plate-shaped material according to the present invention, since the pair of claw members are positioned at the positions for pressing the plate-shaped material with a desired pressing force, The material is gripped by the pair of claw members. In this way, by grasping the plate-shaped material with the pair of claw members, the work of attaching the plate-shaped material to the carrier for coating and the operation of removing it from the carrier can be mechanized, so that the plate-shaped material can be manually operated. Damage can be prevented. Therefore, the yield of the plate-shaped material for display can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plate-shaped material gripping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of a plate-shaped material gripping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a connection diagram of a detection means used in the plate-shaped material gripping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the plate-shaped material gripping device according to the present invention is arranged on an arm of a robot.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a step of depositing an electrode on a glass plate by an in-line sputtering method.

[Explanation of Codes] 10 ... Plate-shaped material gripping device 11 ... Claw moving means 26A, 26B ... Claw (claw member) 42 ... Glass plate (plate-shaped material) 51 ... Detecting means 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D ... Strain gauge (Strain sensor) 56 ... Control unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A step of pressing both end edges of a plate-like material with a pair of claw members, a step of detecting a strain amount of the pair of claw members caused by the pressing, and a step of detecting the strain amount based on the detected strain amount. Calculating the pressing force of the pair of claw members on the plate-shaped material, and adjusting the pressing force of the pair of claw members to the plate-shaped material to a desired pressing force based on the calculated pressing force. And a step of positioning the pair of claw members and gripping the plate-shaped material with the pair of claw members. 2. A pair of claw members provided to face each other, and a pair of claw moving means for moving the pair of claw members toward and away from each other, and a strain provided on the pair of claw members. Based on the amount of strain of the sensor, a detection unit that detects the gripping force of the pair of claw members, and a pair of the claw members based on a signal that is output from the detection unit and that indicates the gripping force of the pair of claw members. Controls the pawl moving means so as to grip the plate-shaped material with a desired gripping force,
A plate-shaped material gripping device, comprising: a controller that positions the pair of claw members at a gripping position.