JPH11347851A - Polising equipment of thin plate and thin plate carrying method at time of polishing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the carrying in/out of a glass plate to the polishing surface plate for polishing, as this work becomes hard for even a skill man due to the enlargement of the glass plate recently. SOLUTION: On the way of the carrying passage of a glass plate 1, a polishing surface plate 40 for polishing after installing the glass plate 1 is arranged and a moving stand 9 for carrying this into the polishing surface plate 40 under such state that the glass plate 1 is placed and carrying out this from the polishing surface plate 40 after placing the glass plate 1 after polishing is provided movably and in a horizontal direction along the carrying passage and at the time of polishing the glass plate 1, the glass plate 1 is placed on the moving stand 9 and carried.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a thin plate such as a large-sized glass plate.
And a method of transporting a thin plate during polishing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a glass plate is processed to be thin, for example, a liquid crystal panel substrate, a color filter, or a PDP.
(Plasma display panel) and so on.

[0003] A glass plate used for the above-mentioned applications is processed by a worker into a lower polishing platen which has been processed into a rectangle of a predetermined size and then washed with water in advance to remove dust. You. Thereafter, the surface is polished by the movement (rotation, movement) of the lower polishing table and the upper polishing table. At this time, the glass plate is simultaneously washed with water to maintain cleanliness.

The polished glass plate is lifted by an operator and transported to a predetermined place where the next operation is performed. At this time, since the glass sheet bends under its own weight, it is necessary to carefully consider vibration and changes in acceleration so as not to damage the glass sheet.

[0005]

After the glass plate is formed into a predetermined size as described above, the glass plate is transferred to a lower polishing platen by an operator. Alternatively, the glass plate
After the polishing process, the operator removes the lower polishing platen from the surface plate and transports it to a predetermined place where the next operation is performed.

In recent years, the glass plate 1 has become larger and larger (for example, 550 × 650 × 0.7 mm). In addition, the glass plate after the polishing process is wet with water, and is used as a lower polishing platen. Closely adhered.

It is difficult for even a skilled person to carry such a thin glass plate without damage and to remove it from the lower polishing platen. Therefore, the present invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing apparatus for a thin plate such as a glass plate and a method for transporting the thin plate during polishing, which can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems In the present invention, there is provided a polishing platen for placing and polishing a thin plate in the middle of a conveying path of the thin plate. A moving table for loading the thin plate into the polishing platen and loading the thin plate after the polishing process is completed and unloading the thin plate from the polishing platen is provided movably in the horizontal direction along the transfer path. A moving device for moving the moving table is provided, and a holding member for holding the thin plate and transferring the thin plate between the polishing platen side and the moving table side is provided by the polishing platen 40. And a lifting device for raising and lowering the holding member.

In the above construction, the thin plate is placed on a moving table guided in the horizontal direction by the moving device, and the thin plate is moved together with the moving table from the loading side to a position above the polishing platen. In the state where the thin plate is held by the holding member that can be raised and lowered and lifted from the moving table, the moving table is moved to the loading side or the unloading side of the polishing platen and pulled out, and the thin plate is dropped on the polishing platen. After polishing, this is lifted again from the polishing platen by the holding member, and the moving table is horizontally moved to be inserted between the thin plate and the polishing platen, and then the holding member is lowered to move the thin plate. The thin plate is transferred to the table and moved to the carry-out side of the polishing table together with the moving table.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a glass plate (thin plate) polishing apparatus M according to an embodiment of the present invention is separated from a transfer path 2 of a rectangular glass plate 1 into a carry-in side conveyor 3. A carry-out conveyor 4 is disposed, and a polishing device 5 for polishing the surface of the glass plate 1 is disposed between the carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4.

The carry-in side conveyor 3 is composed of a base 6 and a carry-in section 8 provided on the base 6, and the polishing device 5 side on the base 6 is provided with a recess for installing a moving base 9 described later. It is assumed to be 10.

The carry-out side conveyor 4 comprises a base 7 and a carry-out section 12 provided on the base 7, and the polishing device 5 side on the base 7 is provided with an installation recess 11 of the movable base 9. It has been.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, each of the carry-in section 8 and the carry-out section 12 has a configuration of a roller conveyor, and includes a driving device 13 for driving each roller. The drive unit 13 includes a drive motor (not shown) and rollers 14a and 14b connected to an output shaft of the drive motor.
Are connected via a chain 17 and a sprocket 18, so that each roller 14a
a and 14b are configured to rotate in synchronization with the drive of the drive motor.

The movable table 9 includes a frame 20 detachably mounted on the installation recess 10 and a plurality of rollers 15a, 15 rotatably supported side by side on the frame 20.
b, 15c, each roller 15a, 15b, 15c
A sprocket 19 is attached to the support shafts 16a, 16b, 16c, and the rollers 17a, 15b, 15c rotate in synchronization with each other by a chain 17 wound around the sprocket 19.

As shown in FIG. 1, an end driving roller 14b of the carry-in section 8 closest to the polishing device 5 and an end driven roller 15b of one end of the moving table 9 are rotationally connected. A connection mechanism 22 is provided. The connection mechanism 22 is provided with a drive pulley 23 attached to the end of the support shaft 16b of the end drive roller 14b and a shaft 24 on the base 6 below the drive pulley 23. The relay pulley 25 is mounted on the drive pulley 23 and the first transmission belt 26 wound around the relay pulley 25. 25
, A lower wheel 28 attached to the shaft 27, and the base 6 just above the shaft 27.
An intermediate wheel 31 attached to the lower wheel 28 via a shaft 30 and rotating in contact with the lower wheel 28, and an intermediate wheel 3 attached to the end of the support shaft 16b of the end driven roller 15b.
1 and an upper wheel 32 that rotates in contact with the upper wheel 1.

Then, the upper wheel 32 and the intermediate wheel 31 come into contact with each other by installing the frame 20, that is, the movable base 9 in the installation concave portion 10 in the horizontal direction from the polishing device 5 side.
With the rotation of the end driving roller 14b, the rollers 15a, 15b, and 15c of the moving table 9 become rotatable.

A connecting mechanism 22 having a structure symmetrical to the connecting mechanism 22 includes an end driving roller 12b of the unloading section 12 on the polishing device 5 side and an end driven roller on the other end side of the moving table 9. 15c. That is, by setting the movable table 9 in the installation recess 11 in the horizontal direction from the polishing apparatus 5 side, the rollers 15a, 15b, 15c of the movable table 9 can be rotated with the rotation of the end driving roller 12b. .

A moving device 33 for guiding the moving table 9 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction along the transport path 2 is provided. The moving device 33 is provided in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of guide frames 21 extending horizontally between the installation recesses 10 and 11, a pair of upper and lower guides 34 extending over both side plates 21 a of each guide frame 21,
Between each guide 34, a ball screw 35 arranged in parallel with the guide 34, a drive motor 35A attached to the side plate 21a for driving the ball screw 35 to rotate,
It comprises a guided member 36 slidably fitted to each guide 34 and a guide plate 38 with a nut member 37 screwed to the ball screw 35. A plate-like gripping member 39 for gripping the moving table 9 from both sides is hung down from the guide plate 38. And
For example, an engagement portion that engages with the frame 20 is formed below each of the gripping members 39, whereby the frame 20 is gripped by the gripping members 39.

The polishing apparatus 5 includes a polishing platen 40 for placing the glass plate 1 thereon, and a holding device 46 for holding the glass plate 1 above the polishing platen 40. The polishing platen 40 includes a base body 41 and a mounting plate 42 provided on the upper surface of the base body 41 and having a size corresponding to the size of the glass plate 1, and on both sides of the mounting plate 42. The groove 44 is spaced apart along the length direction B of the glass plate 1 and at a position corresponding to a predetermined distance between the holding members 43 described later.
Are formed, each groove 44 is deeper than the thickness of the claw portion 45 of the holding member 43, is larger than the length of the claw portion 45, and
The width is about twice as large. A plurality (three in the figure) of the holding members 43 are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction B of the glass plate 1.
The claw portion 45 supported from the lower surface of the glass plate 1 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the holding device 46 has an elevating table 47 which can be moved up and down above the table body 41. On the lower surface of the elevating table 47, a plate-shaped suction table 53 is provided with a holding member 43. Are arranged at the same interval as that of the suction table 53, and the lower surface of each suction table 53 is a shape holding surface 47a that is curved so as to protrude downward. The shape holding surface 47a is formed to have a gentle curvature such that the glass plate 1 does not break when the glass plate 1 follows along as described later.

The holding device 46 has a position adjusting means (including a lifting device) 48 for adjusting the position of each of the holding members 43 with respect to the polishing platen 40 (glass plate 1).

The position adjusting means 48 is provided with
A support member 50 provided on the upper surface of the
A lifting piece 51 attached to the end of the glass plate 1 so as to be able to move up and down, a rail 49 for guiding the supporting member 50 along the width direction A of the glass plate 1, and for moving the supporting member 50 along the rail 49. And a cylinder device 59 for moving the elevating piece 51 up and down along the support member 50.

The holding device 46 is provided with suction means 52 for sucking the glass plate 1 on the shape holding surface 47a. The suction means 52 is provided on the suction table 53,
A plurality of suction holes 53a (five in each drawing table 53 in the figure) formed upward from the shape holding surface 47a.
A suction path 54 communicating with each of the suction holes 53a;
An adsorption pump 55 connected to these adsorption paths 54 is provided. The suction path 54 includes a buried portion 54 a that communicates the suction holes 53 a formed in each suction table 53 inside the suction table 53, and a collecting pipe 56 projecting from the upper surface of the suction table 53.
The suction pump 55 is connected to the protrusion 54b via a connection pipe 57, and a concave portion (air) is formed on the lower surface of each suction base 53 at the outer periphery of the suction hole 53a. Pockets) 58 are formed.

A description will be given of a method of transporting the glass plate 1 when the glass plate 1 is polished in the polishing equipment M having the above configuration. The glass plate 1 formed in a rectangular shape is sent onto the moving table 9 by driving the carry-in section 8 of the carry-in side conveyor 3. When, for example, a position detector (not shown) detects that the glass plate 1 has been conveyed to a predetermined position on the movable base 9, the drive motor 35A is driven by this signal, and the ball screw 35 starts rotating.

Then, the nut member 37 screwed to the ball screw 35 moves along the transport path 2, and the guide plate 38 together with the guided member 36 moves along the transport path 2.
, And the movable table 9 gripped by the guide plate 38 via the gripping member 39 starts to move.

When a position detector (not shown) detects that the movable table 9 has been transported to a position above the mounting plate 42, this signal is output to the drive motor 35A,
This stops, and the moving table 9 stops as shown in FIG.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG.
Is lowered, and each of the opposing holding members 43 avoids the glass plate 1 to the side by driving the cylinder device 59 in a state where the claw portions 45 are fully separated in the width direction A of the glass plate 1. Furthermore, the lowermost position, that is, the roller 1 of the moving table 9
It descends to the height position of 5a, 15b, 15c.

Subsequently, the moving device is driven to drive the supporting member 50.
Move along the rail 49, whereby the claw portions 45 of the opposing holding members 43 approach each other, and the holding members 43
Will be located on the lower surface of the glass plate 1.

Here, when the cylinder device 59 is driven to raise each holding member 43, as shown in FIG. 10, each claw portion 45 comes into contact with each edge of the glass plate 1 from the lower surface, and further, the holding members on both sides are held. When the member 43 is raised, as shown in FIG. 11, the other side edges of the glass plate 1 are curved along the shape holding surfaces 47a of the suction tables 53, and the entire glass plate 1 is curved.

Then, when the suction pump 55 is driven, the concave portion 58 becomes a negative pressure, the other two side edges of the glass plate 1 are securely brought into close contact with the shape holding surfaces 47a of the suction tables 53, and the glass plate 1 is bent. In this state, it is held by the holding member 43 and is prevented from falling by the claw portion 45. Further, the center of the glass plate 1 and the center of the suction table 53 are aligned by the holding member 43. Then, the glass plate 1 is separated from the moving table 9 by raising the lifting table 47.

After the glass plate 1 is held and raised as described above, the drive motor 35A is driven in the opposite direction to rotate the ball screw 35, thereby moving the glass plate 1 as shown in FIG. The table 9 is moved in the direction opposite to the previous direction, and is installed in the installation recess 10 on the polishing apparatus 5 side on the base 6. Then, each roller 15a, 15b,
15c becomes rotatable by the coupling mechanism 22.

As described above, the moving table 9 is moved to the polishing platen 4.
The glass plate 1 is moved down together with the elevating table 47 (holding member 43) while moving to the carry-in side of 0 and pulling out. Then, when the center of the glass plate 1 substantially contacts the center of the placing plate 42, the driving of the suction pump 55 is stopped, and the glass plate 1 is stopped.
Is released, and the cylinder device 59 is driven to lower each holding member 43. In addition, the suction pump 55
Is stopped, and the suction of the glass plate 1 is released.

Then, as shown in FIG. 13, as the holding member 43 is lowered, the glass plate 1 slowly returns to a flat shape, and the claw portions 45 of the holding members 43 are
4 is fitted from above, and the glass plate 1 is placed on the placing plate 42. At this time, since the glass plate 1 increases the contact area with the placing plate 42 so as to spread from the center to the outside, an air layer is not formed between the placing plate 42 and the glass plate 1 in a wet state, and the glass plate 1 adheres. .

Then, since the holding members 43 on both sides move in the direction in which they are separated from each other, and the width of each groove 44 is formed to be about twice the width of the claw portion 45, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 45
Are separated from the edges on both sides of the glass plate 1. Therefore, the claw 45 does not hit the edge of the glass plate 1 the next time the holding member 43 moves up.

As described above, the glass plate 1 is placed on the plate 4
2 and with the holding member 43 raised, an upper polishing platen (not shown) is horizontally moved, for example, to a position above the glass plate 1, and the upper polishing platen and the polishing platen 40 are moved. Polishing by the motion of. Further, water cleaning is performed so as to maintain the surface cleanliness.

When the polishing of the glass plate 1 is completed, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 15, the elevating table 47 and the holding members 43 on both sides are again lowered to the lowest position at a position which is maximally separated in the width direction A of the glass plate 1. Then, the holding members 43 on both sides are brought close to each other in the width direction A of the glass plate 1,
When the two side edges of the glass plate 1 are almost held by the holding members 43 on both sides, the elevator 47 rises, and the glass plate 1 rises together with the elevator 47, and separates from the mounting plate 42.

When the suction pump 55 is driven in the same manner as described above, the concave portion 58 has a negative pressure, and the other two side edges of the glass plate 1 are securely brought into close contact with the shape holding surfaces 47a of the suction tables 53. The glass plate 1 is reliably held in a curved state. That is, even if the large glass plate 1 is forcibly bent, the bending vibration of the glass plate 1 can be prevented and held.

Here, the drive motor 35A is driven to move the movable table 9 along the transport path 2 to a position above the mounting plate 42, and the glass plate 1 is lowered on the movable table 9 to move the movable table 9 Then, the glass plate 1 is delivered, and the drive motor 35A is driven. This time, the glass plate 1 is transported along the transport path 2 in the installation concave portion 11 of the moving table 9, that is, in the unloading direction. Then, when the moving table 9 is installed in the installation concave portion 11,
Each roller 15a, 15 of the moving table 9 is connected by the connecting mechanism 22.
The b and 15c become rotatable, and the glass plate 1 is conveyed to a predetermined place by driving the unloading section 12.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the polishing platen 40 for placing and polishing the glass plate 1 is arranged in the middle of the transport path 2 of the glass plate 1, After the plate 1 is placed on the platen 40 for polishing, the platen 1 is carried into the polishing platen 40, and after the polishing process is completed, the moving table 9 for placing the glass plate 1 and carrying it out from the platen 40 for polishing is transported. Route 2
The glass plate 1 is mounted on a movable table 9 and transported to a polishing platen 40 before the glass plate 1 is polished. Even if the plate 1 becomes large, it can be transported easily and without any damage. That is, as the glass plate 1 becomes larger, it is difficult for the holding member 43 (claw portion 45) to be lifted due to its own weight or to be easily broken by the holding mechanism of the holding member 43 alone. When the glass plate 1 is placed on the moving table 9 and the glass plate 1 is conveyed by moving the moving table 9, the glass member 1 can be reliably and safely used by supporting the holding member 43 when conveying the plate 1. The board 1 can be held and transported.

In the above embodiment, the mechanism for forcibly bending and holding the glass plate 1 using the suction table 53 having the curved shape holding surface 47a is provided.
For the glass plate 1 having a size that does not break or be damaged by the influence of bending vibration due to its own weight when lifted from the holding member 2, the holding member 43 is not provided without a configuration for forcibly bending the glass plate 1. A configuration may be adopted in which a holding mechanism using the (claw portion 45) is used.

In the above embodiment, after the glass plate 1 has been moved to the position above the placing plate 42, the movable table 9 is transported again to the loading side. However, the present invention is not limited to this. After the glass plate 1 is moved to a position above the mounting plate 42, the moving table 9 may be pulled out to the unloading side. In this case, when the glass plate 1 after polishing is unloaded, Then, the moving table 9 is moved from the unloading side to a position facing the mounting plate 42 above, and the moving table 9 is moved to the unloading side again.

In the above embodiment, the loading and unloading of the glass plate 1 is performed by a single movable table 9; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and the loading and unloading of the glass plate 1 is performed. Each can be configured to be performed on its own mobile platform.

[0043]

As is evident from the above description, the present invention provides a polishing platen for placing and polishing a thin plate in the middle of a thin plate transporting path, A moving table for loading the thin plate after carrying the polishing platen and finishing the polishing process and carrying it out from the polishing platen,
Since the thin plate is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction along the transport path, the thin plate can be carried into the polishing platen easily and without damage even if the thin plate is large in size.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a polishing facility showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing the coupling mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the moving device.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a base body of the polishing table.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an adsorption means of the polishing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a state in which the glass plate is placed on a moving table.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a state where the shape holding member is similarly lowered and brought into contact with a glass plate.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a state where the glass plate is held along the shape holding surface.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state where the glass plate is in contact with the mounting plate.

FIG. 13 is a front view of a state in which a glass plate is placed on a mounting plate.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a state in which the glass plate is placed on the placing plate and the shape holding member is located above the glass plate.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a state in which a glass plate is to be held.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass plate 2 Conveyance path 3 Carry-in side conveyor 4 Carry-out side conveyor 5 Polishing device 9 Moving table 10 Installation recess 11 Installation recess 12 Delivery unit 13 Drive unit 22 Connecting mechanism 33 Moving unit 35A Drive motor 39 Gripping member 40 Polishing surface plate 42 Mounting plate 43 Holding member 45 Claw portion 46 Holding device 47 Lifting table 47a Shape holding surface 48 Position adjusting means 52 Suction means 53 Suction table M Suction table M Polishing equipment

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kuyasu Higashi 1-7-89 Minami Kohoku, Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Hitachi Zosen Corporation (72) Inventor Katsunori Tamiya 1 Minami-Kohoku, Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 7-89 Hitachi Zosen Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A polishing platen for placing and polishing a thin plate is disposed in the middle of a transport path of the thin plate, and the thin plate is loaded on the polishing platen to be polished. A moving table for placing the thin plate after the processing is finished and carrying it out of the polishing platen is provided movably in the horizontal direction along the transfer path, and a moving device for moving the moving table is provided. A holding member for holding the thin plate and transferring the thin plate between the polishing platen side and the moving table side is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the polishing platen; A thin plate polishing facility, comprising a lifting device for lifting and lowering. 2. A transport for transferring a thin plate to a polishing platen for polishing a thin plate which is arranged in the middle of a transport path of the thin plate, and for removing the thin plate from the polishing platen after the polishing process is completed. In the method, a thin plate is placed on a moving table guided in a horizontal direction by a moving device, and the thin plate is moved from the loading side to a position above the polishing platen together with the moving table, and is transferred to the polishing platen. On the other hand, while holding the thin plate with a vertically movable holding member and lifting it from the moving table, move the moving table to the loading side or the unloading side of the polishing platen and pull it out, and lower the thin plate on the polishing platen for polishing. After that, the holding table is lifted again from the polishing plate with the holding member, and the moving table is moved in the horizontal direction to be inserted between the thin plate and the polishing plate, and then the holding member is lowered to move the thin plate to the moving table. And transfer the thin plate to the carry-out side of the polishing table A method of transporting a thin plate during polishing, characterized by moving.