JPH11179620A - Base board conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To store a base board selectively in two directions relating to a transfer loaded cassette. SOLUTION: A cassette 32 stores a glass base board 31, and relating thereto an empty cassette 33 arranged in parallel to a Y-axis direction, and an empty cassette 34 arranged in parallel to an X-axis direction are provided. A surface 34b opposed to a surface 34a in/out bringing the glass base board of the cassette 34 is opened in a size sufficient for inserting a base board hold arm 41. The base board hold arm 41 can be freely driven in an X-/Z-axis direction. The glass base board 31 drawn out from the cassette 32 is transfer loaded in the cassette 33 by replacing the cassette 32 with the cassette 33 (forward rotation). On the other hand, the drawn out glass base board 31 is drawn in the cassette 34 and transfer loaded (reverse rotation).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate transfer apparatus for simultaneously transferring glass substrates stored in a multi-stage substrate cassette to another cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when manufacturing a liquid crystal display device,
Various processes are required, such as a process of forming an array substrate and a counter substrate by forming a TFT (thin film transistor) on a substrate, a process of assembling the substrate to manufacture a liquid crystal cell, a cleaning process, and an inspection process. I have. Along with this, a plurality of devices are arranged on the floor to execute each step. For example, in a substrate manufacturing process, plasma CVD is used.
An apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a dry etching apparatus, a wet etching apparatus, a cleaning apparatus, an inspection apparatus, and the like are provided. After a plurality of substrates processed by each device are once stored in a cassette, the substrates are transferred to another device by a transfer robot in cassette units. In each device,
A cassette suitable for the characteristics of the device is used. Further, the standard of the cassette used differs depending on the manufacturer of the apparatus. For this reason, when the glass substrates are transported between the devices, the glass substrates stored in the cassettes for the respective devices are subjected to a predetermined process in the devices, and then temporarily stored in the original cassette. It is necessary to transfer the glass substrate to the cassette for the above device. Conventionally, a collective substrate transfer device as shown in FIG. 3 has been used. That is, the cassette unit base 10 is provided with the cassettes 2 and 3, the setter 4, and the gauging unit 5. The glass substrate 1 is stored in the cassette 2 at a predetermined interval, and one surface thereof is opened to put the glass substrate 1 in and out. Also,
An empty cassette 3 is arranged in parallel with the cassette 2 in the Y-axis direction. The cassettes 2 and 3 are cassettes corresponding to apparatuses having different standards. Below the cassettes 2 and 3, a setter 4 for positioning the cassettes 2 and 3 and fixing the cassettes 2 and 3 during the transfer operation is provided. On the side of the cassette 2, a gauging unit 5 for aligning the glass substrates 1 stored in the cassette 2 before transfer is provided. On the other hand, the substrate holding arm 6, Z
An axis control unit 7 and an X axis control unit 8 are provided. The substrate holding arm 6 is supported by a Z-axis control unit 7, and the Z-axis control unit 7 is connected to an X-axis control unit 8. Therefore, the substrate holding arm 6
Is freely movable in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

In such a substrate transfer apparatus, the following operation is performed during the substrate transfer operation. First, the glass substrates 1 housed in the cassette 2 are collectively aligned by the gauging unit 5. Next, after the substrate holding arm 6 is adjusted to a predetermined position by the Z-axis control unit 7, the substrate holding arm 6 is moved by the X-axis control unit 8 to the forward end on the glass substrate side. At this time, each substrate holding arm 6 is located below the glass substrate 1. Next, the glass substrate 1 is vacuum-sucked by the substrate holding arm 6. Further, the substrate holding arm 6 holding the glass substrate 1 is slightly raised by the Z-axis control unit 7,
The ascent is stopped at a position where each glass substrate 1 is not interfered with by the cassette 2. Subsequently, the substrate holding arm 6 is moved backward by the X-axis control unit 8, and stops at the position where the glass substrate 1 is completely extracted from the cassette 2. Next, the cassettes 2 and 3 are exchanged, and the cassette 3 is arranged at the position where the cassette 2 was arranged. Next, the substrate holding arm 6 holding the glass substrate 1 is again advanced by the X-axis control unit 8 toward the cassette 3 and stopped at a position where the glass substrate 1 can be stored in the cassette 3. Further, the vacuum suction of the substrate holding arm 6 is released, and the substrate holding arm is slightly lowered by the Z-axis control unit 7 and stopped at a position where it does not interfere with the glass substrate 1. In this way, the glass substrate is stored in the cassette 3. Subsequently, the substrate holding arm 6 is moved backward by the X-axis control unit 8 and stopped at a position sufficiently distant from the cassette 3. In this way, the glass substrate 1 is transferred from the cassette 2 to the cassette 3, and this is shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b).

[0004]

However, in the conventional substrate transfer apparatus as shown in FIG. 3, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the glass substrate with respect to the cassette 3 after the transfer is mounted. Only the transfer in the so-called forward one direction, in which the direction of 1 is the same as the direction with respect to the cassette 2 before transfer, can be performed. Generally, the glass substrate 1 is provided with a cut portion c in which a part of a corner is cut, and the cut portion c determines the position when the glass substrate 1 is carried into each device. In addition, since the detection position of the cut portion c differs depending on the apparatus, the cut portion c of the glass substrate transferred in the normal rotation direction may not be detected. For this reason, it is necessary to transfer the glass substrate in a normal rotation or a reverse rotation according to the characteristics of each device, that is, according to the detection position of the cut portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of selectively storing substrates in two different directions with respect to a transfer cassette. To provide.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-mentioned problems, and has a first storage means for storing a plurality of substrates in a first direction at a predetermined interval;
A second storage means in which the substrate stored in the first storage means is stored in the same direction as the first direction, and a substrate stored in the first storage means being parallel to the substrate surface. A third storing means for storing the substrate in a second direction turned 180 ° in a simple plane and a holding portion for holding the substrate are arranged in a plurality of stages, and the first holding portion is provided by the holding portion. A substrate transporting device, comprising: a substrate transporting device that collectively extracts substrates stored in the storage device and selectively stores the substrate in one of the second and third storage devices. Is what you do.

According to the substrate transfer device of the present invention, the substrate stored in the first storage means can be stored in the second storage means in the first direction, and the third storage means can be stored in the second storage means. The means can be accommodated in a plane parallel to the substrate surface in a second orientation turned 180 °. When the substrate is stored in the second storage unit, the substrate stored in the first storage unit is extracted by the substrate transfer unit, and then the second storage unit is moved to a position where the first storage unit is disposed. Is disposed, and the substrate extracted by the substrate transfer unit is inserted and stored in the second storage unit. Further, when the substrate is stored in the third storage means, the third storage means is provided such that the surface of the third storage means for taking in and out of the substrate faces the first surface of the first storage means for taking in and out of the substrate. The storage means is arranged, and after the substrate transport means is inserted from the second surface of the third storage means opposite to the first surface and the substrate stored in the first storage means is extracted, the third storage means is disposed. The substrate is drawn into the storage means and stored.

As described above, only one transfer operation in the uniaxial direction by the substrate transfer means is selectively performed in two directions, that is, the same direction or the 180 ° direction with respect to the first storage means in which the substrate is stored. A plurality of substrates can be collectively stored in the changed direction. In addition, it is possible to avoid an increase in the size of the apparatus without unnecessarily expanding the movable range.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the substrate transfer device shown in FIG. That is, the substrate transfer device 20
It has a cassette base 30 and a transfer base 40. For example, a glass substrate 3 used as an array substrate and a counter substrate constituting a liquid crystal display element
1, a cassette 32 accommodated at a predetermined interval, and cassettes 33 and 34 to which glass substrates are transferred are arranged. The cassette 33 is arranged in parallel with the cassette 32 in the Y-axis direction, and is used when the glass substrate 31 stored in the cassette 32 is transferred in the normal rotation direction. The cassettes 32 and 33 have at least one surface on which a glass substrate is taken in and out.
a and 33a are arranged in parallel. Cassette 34
Is disposed in parallel with the cassette 32 in the X-axis direction, and is used when the glass substrate 31 stored in the cassette 32 is transferred in the reverse direction. The cassette 34 has a surface 34a through which the glass substrate is taken in and out and a surface 34b facing the surface 34a, and is arranged so that the opening surface 34a and the opening surface 32a of the cassette 32 face each other. The opening surface 34b is opened to a size sufficient for a substrate holding arm 41 to be described later to penetrate the cassette 34. The cassette unit base 30 has a first setter 35,
And a second setter 36. First setter 35
Is provided below the cassettes 32 and 33 to position the cassettes 32 and 33 and to fix the cassettes 32 and 33 during the transfer operation. The second setter 36 positions the cassette 34,
It is provided for fixing the cassette 34 during the transfer operation.

The transfer unit base 40 includes a multi-stage substrate holding arm 41, a substrate holding arm 41, and an X-axis control unit 42 for freely moving in the X-axis direction. A Z-axis control unit 43 for freely moving in the direction and an X-axis controller 44 for further moving the Z-axis control unit 43 in the X-axis direction are provided. The substrate holding arm 41 is provided in a plurality of stages in parallel in the Z-axis direction, and has a mechanism for vacuum-sucking and holding the glass substrate when placed below the glass substrate housed in the cassette. ing. The substrate holding arm 41 includes an X-axis control unit 42, a Z-axis control unit 4
3, and can be freely moved in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by the X-axis control device 44.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a case where the glass substrate 31 stored in the cassette 32 is transferred to the empty cassette 33 in the normal rotation direction by the substrate transfer device 20 will be described. Will be described. In this case, it is assumed that the cassette 34 has been removed from the second setter 36. First, the cassette 32 in which the glass substrates 31 are stored at predetermined intervals is arranged on the first setter 35. Subsequently, the glass substrates 31 stored in the cassette 32 are collectively aligned by the substrate gauging unit 37. Next, the cassette 32 is set by the first setter 35.
Is positioned at a predetermined position, the cassette 32 is fixed at that position. Subsequently, each substrate holding arm 41 is
The X-axis control unit 4 is controlled by the Z-axis control unit 43 so as to be located below each glass substrate 31 to be held.
2 is adjusted to a predetermined height. Thereafter, the substrate holding arm 41, together with the X-axis control unit 42 and the Z-axis control unit 43, the cassette 32 by the X-axis controller 44.
Be advanced to the side. When the substrate holding arm 41 is in the second setter 36
When moved to the upper position, the forward operation by the X-axis controller 44 is stopped. Subsequently, the substrate holding arm 41
Is further advanced by the X-axis control unit 42. Each substrate holding arm 41 is disposed below each glass substrate 31, and the forward movement by the X-axis control unit 42 is stopped at a position where the glass substrate can be sucked and held. Next, the substrate holding arm 41 and the X-axis control unit 42 are slightly raised by the Z-axis control unit 43,
1 sucks and holds each glass substrate 31. Further, the substrate holding arm 41 is lifted by the Z-axis control unit 43 while holding the glass substrate 31 by suction.
The lifting operation is stopped at a position where no longer interferes with the cassette 32. Subsequently, the X-axis control unit 42 and X
The substrate holding arm 41 holding the glass substrate 31 is retracted by the axis control device 44, and the retracting operation is stopped at a position where the glass substrate 31 is pulled out of the cassette 32. Next, the cassette 32 and the cassette 33 are exchanged. That is, the cassette 3 in which the glass substrate 31 is stored
Reference numeral 3 denotes a position where the cassette 32 was located. Thereafter, the substrate holding arm 41 holding the glass substrate 31 is advanced again to the cassette 33 side by the X-axis control unit 42 and the X-axis control device 44 again, at a position where the glass substrate 31 can be stored in the cassette 33. This forward operation is stopped. Subsequently, the suction holding of the glass substrate 31 by the substrate holding arm 41 is released, and the Z-axis control unit 43
As a result, the substrate holding arm 41 is lowered. Each glass substrate 31 is held in a cassette 33 and a substrate holding arm 41
The lowering operation is stopped at a position where no longer interferes with the glass substrate. The substrate holding arm 41 is moved to the retreat end by the X-axis control unit 42 and the X-axis control device 44, and is stopped at a position sufficiently distant from the cassette 33. Then, it waits at this position until the next transfer operation. In this way,
The glass substrate 31 is transferred from the cassette 32 to the cassette 33 in the normal rotation direction. This situation is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.
Is shown in FIG. 5A is a diagram in which a glass substrate 31 before transfer is stored in a cassette 32, and FIG. 5B is a diagram in which the glass substrate 31 after transfer is stored in a cassette 33. It is a figure showing a situation.

Next, the operation when the glass substrate 31 is transferred in the reverse direction by the substrate transfer device 20 will be described. First, the cassette 32 in which the glass substrates 31 are stored at predetermined intervals is arranged on the first setter 35. Subsequently, the cassette 34 is arranged on the second setter 36 such that the opening surface 34a for taking out the glass substrate in the cassette 34 faces the opening surface 32a of the cassette 32,
After being positioned at a predetermined position, it is fixed at that position. After the cassette 32 is positioned at a predetermined position by the first setter 35, the cassette 32 is fixed at that position. Thus, at this time, the cassette 32
Are normal to the opening surface 32a of the cassette 34, the opening surface 34a of the cassette 34, and the opening surface 34b of the cassette 34.
It is arranged so as to be located on a straight line with respect to one movement direction, that is, the X-axis direction. Next, the substrate gauging unit 3
7, the glass substrate 3 stored in the cassette 32
1 are arranged collectively. Next, each substrate holding arm 41
Is adjusted by the Z-axis control unit 43 to a predetermined height together with the X-axis control unit 42 so as to be positioned below each glass substrate 31 to be held. Thereafter, the substrate holding arm 41 is moved to the cassette 3 by the X-axis controller 44 together with the X-axis control unit 42 and the Z-axis control unit 43.
It is advanced to two sides. The substrate holding arm 41 is the cassette 34
Is inserted into the inside of the cassette 34 from the opening surface 34b, and is moved to a position above the second setter 36, the forward movement by the X-axis controller 44 is stopped. Subsequently, the substrate holding arm 41 is further advanced by the X-axis control unit 42. Each substrate holding arm 41 is connected to each glass substrate 3
The X-axis control unit 42 stops the advancing operation at a position where the X-axis control unit 42 is disposed below the glass substrate 1 and can hold the glass substrate by suction. Next, the substrate holding arm 41 and the X-axis control unit 42 are slightly raised by the Z-axis control unit 43, and each substrate holding arm 41 sucks and holds each glass substrate 31. Further, the Z-axis control unit 43 raises the substrate holding arm 41 while holding the glass substrate 31 by suction, and stops the raising operation at a position where the glass substrate 31 is not interfered by the cassette 32. Subsequently, the substrate holding arm 41 holding the glass substrate 31 is moved backward by the X-axis control unit 42 and the X-axis control device 44.
The glass substrate 31 extracted from the cassette 32 by the retreating operation is moved to the opening surface 34a of the cassette 34, respectively.
From the cassette 34. The retreat operation is stopped at a position where the glass substrate 31 can be stored in the cassette 34. Subsequently, the suction holding of the glass substrate 31 by the substrate holding arm 41 is released, and the Z-axis control unit 4 is released.
3, the substrate holding arm 41 is lowered. Each glass substrate 31 is held in a cassette 34 and a substrate holding arm 4
The lowering operation is stopped at a position where 1 does not interfere with the glass substrate 31. X-axis control unit 42 and X-axis control device 4
4, the substrate holding arm 41 is moved to the retreat end,
It is stopped at a position sufficiently distant from the cassette 34. Then, it waits at this position until the next transfer operation. In this manner, the glass substrate 31 is moved from the cassette 32 to the cassette 34.
Is transferred in the 180 ° reverse direction. This is shown in FIGS. 5 (c) and 5 (d). FIG. 5C is a diagram in which the glass substrate 31 before transfer is stored in the cassette 32, and FIG. 5D is a diagram in which the glass substrate 31 after transfer is inverted and stored in the cassette 34. It is shown that it is being done.

As described above, in the substrate transfer apparatus, the cassettes can be arranged along the Y-axis direction such that the opening surfaces of the cassettes containing the glass substrates are parallel to each other. The cassettes can be arranged along the X-axis such that their opening faces face each other. For this reason, the glass substrate extracted from the cassette by the multi-stage substrate holding arm is moved in the same direction by exchanging the positions of the cassette arranged along the Y-axis direction and the cassette from which the glass substrate is extracted. That is, the glass substrates can be collectively transferred in a so-called normal rotation direction. Further, the glass substrates can be collectively transferred to a cassette arranged along the X-axis direction in a so-called reverse direction that has been turned 180 °. As described above, it is possible to collectively transfer a plurality of glass substrates to another cassette by rotating or reversing the plurality of glass substrates only by the transfer operation in the uniaxial direction along the X-axis direction by the substrate holding arm. . Therefore, in the process of manufacturing the liquid crystal display element, the glass substrate is placed in a cassette suitable for each device in a direction suitable for the characteristics of the device, for example, in a direction in which the cut portion c for positioning the glass substrate in the device can be reliably detected. Can be stored. In addition, it is possible to avoid an increase in the size of the apparatus without unnecessarily expanding the movable range.

It should be noted that the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention is not only used for transferring a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display element as shown in this embodiment, but can be applied to other substrates. .

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, two kinds of directions are selectively provided with respect to the cassette to be transferred, that is, the same direction with respect to the cassette in which the substrates are stored.
Alternatively, it is possible to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of collectively storing substrates in a direction turned 180 °.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the substrate transfer device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing an example of a conventional substrate transfer device.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing a glass substrate transferred in a normal rotation direction by a conventional substrate transfer device.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing a glass substrate transferred in the normal rotation direction by the substrate transfer device shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5C and 5D. () Is a diagram showing a glass substrate transferred in a reverse direction by the substrate transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 substrate transfer device 30 cassette unit base 31 glass substrate 32, 33, 34 cassette 35 first setter 36 second setter 40 transfer unit base 41 substrate holding arm 42 X-axis control unit 43 Z axis control unit 44 ... X axis controller

Claims (3)

[Claims] A first storage unit that stores a plurality of substrates in a first direction at a predetermined interval; and a substrate stored in the first storage unit is the same as the first direction. The second storage means stored in the first storage means, and the substrate stored in the first storage means is stored in a second direction which is turned 180 ° in a plane parallel to the substrate surface. A third storage means and a holding section for holding the substrate are arranged in a plurality of stages, and the holding section pulls out the substrates stored in the first storage means at once, and And a substrate transporting means which can be selectively stored in any one of the third storing means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first storage means and the second storage means have at least one opening for taking in and out the substrate, and the third storage means has a third means for taking in and out the substrate. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one surface and a second surface facing the first surface are opened so as to be able to penetrate the substrate transport means. 3. When the substrate is stored in the second storage means, after the substrate stored in the first storage means is extracted by the substrate transfer means, the first storage means is removed. When the second storage means is disposed at the position where it was disposed, the substrate extracted by the substrate transport means is stored in the second storage means, and when storing the substrate in the third storage means, The third storage means is arranged so that the first surface of the third storage means faces the opening surface of the first storage means, and the substrate transfer means is inserted from the second surface of the third storage means. First
After the substrate stored in the storage means is extracted, the third
3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is drawn into the storage means and stored.