JPH11349141A - Substrate carrying device and substrate cutting device using this device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent positional slippage of a substrate by constantly maintaining a state to hold the substrate on a carrier means by a substrate guide means and a substrate holding body. SOLUTION: A carrying means 5 carries a substrate 4 along a plate surface of the substrate 4 by holding one end of the substrate 4. A substrate support means 27 supports the other end of the substrate 4 to be carried by the carrying means 5. A substrate guide means 6 is provided between the carrying means 5 and the substrate support means 27 and guides the substrate 4 in the carrying direction of the carrying means 5. A substrate holding body 7 is provided between the substrate guide means 6 and the substrate support means 27 and holds the substrate 4 at the time when the carrier means 5 stops.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transport mechanism and method for a substrate cutting apparatus, and more particularly to a process for cutting a glass substrate 52 used in a field emission type electron emission device (FED) or a fluorescent display device (VFD). Interposed, the glass substrate 52
The present invention relates to a substrate transfer mechanism and method for a substrate cutting apparatus that can dramatically improve the tact time and substrate position accuracy in the transfer process of (1).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A device for cutting a glass substrate 52 used in an FED or a VFD is provided in a clean room for maintaining a clean atmosphere. The clean room communicates with the ventilation duct via a filter so that air circulates. This maintains a high-purity atmosphere in the clean room.

[0003] This substrate cutting apparatus comprises a substrate transport mechanism and a substrate cutting mechanism. The substrate transport mechanism employs a walking beam method. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a transport table 51 on which a glass substrate 52 to be cut is placed, and a substrate lifting bar 53 which can be raised and lowered by a pneumatic cylinder. It is composed of The substrate cutting mechanism is
It comprises a take-up table 54 for breaking the glass substrate 52 and a cutter section 55 movable in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the transfer table 51.

[0004] The carriage 51 is provided with a linear guide, and is driven by a motor so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. The transfer table 51 has a groove through which the substrate lifting bar 53 penetrates. Due to the groove, even when air circulates on the transfer table 51, air can circulate through the groove and the transfer means can be kept clean.

[0005] A suction unit 56 is provided at an upper end of the transfer table 51 in the direction of travel so that the glass substrate 52 placed on the transfer means is fixed by suction.
A pivot is provided at the end of the take-up table 54 on the side of the transport means, and the take-up table 54 is rotatably supported from the erected state to the take-up state.

Next, a description will be given of a substrate transporting method and a cutting method in the substrate cutting apparatus. First, FIG.
As shown in (a), an unnecessary portion of the glass substrate 52 is
It is placed on the carrier table 51 in a state where it protrudes from the upper end where the suction unit 56 is provided, and is fixed by suction by the suction unit 56. Then, the glass substrate 52 is moved forward to the take-up table 54, and the glass substrate 52 is transferred to the transfer table 51 and the take-up table 54 as shown in FIG.
In a state of being erected.

[0007] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10 (c), a glass substrate 52 erected on a transfer table 51 and a take-up table 54.
A cut is made on the back surface of the intermediate portion with the material of the cutter portion 55, and as shown in FIG. Next, as shown in FIG. 11A, the suction of the suction portion 56 is released, the remaining glass substrate 52 is lifted upward by the substrate lifting bar 53, and the transfer table 51 is retracted to the opposite side to the take-up table 54. Let it.

[0008] Then, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), with the glass substrate 52 placed thereon, the substrate elevating bar 53 above the transfer means is passed through the groove of the transfer table 51, and
2 on the transfer table 51 and the substrate lifting bar 53 is transferred to the transfer table 5.
1 Lower down. Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, the transfer table 51 is advanced to the take-up table 54 side.

By repeating this method, a plurality of strip-shaped glass substrates 52 are cut out from one large glass substrate 52, and the strip-shaped glass substrates 52 are further cut to obtain a plurality of FEDs or FEDs. The glass substrate 52 for VFD is cut off.

However, in the transfer step, after the glass substrate 52 is cut, the suction by the transfer table 51 is released, and the substrate lifting bar 53 is moved up and down with the glass substrate 52 placed. Therefore, when the glass substrate 52 is placed on the transfer table 51 again, the position is shifted from the original position, and it is necessary to position the glass substrate 52 again.

Further, in the substrate transfer mechanism as described above, the cutting of the glass substrate 52 and the transfer
1, the number of steps leading up to the retreat is large.
It takes time to transport and cut.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.
The purpose is to prevent the displacement of the substrate by maintaining the state in which the substrate is always held by the transport means in the substrate transport process by providing the substrate guide means and the substrate holder. is there.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the tact time by linking the transfer and cutting of the substrate by incorporating the substrate transfer device into the substrate cutting device.

[0014]

In short, a substrate transport apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a transport unit that holds one end of a substrate and transports the substrate along a surface of the substrate, and the transport unit. A substrate supporting means for supporting the other end of the substrate conveyed by the conveying means, provided between the conveying means and the substrate supporting means, for guiding the substrate in the conveying direction of the conveying means. Substrate guiding means, provided between the substrate guiding means and the substrate supporting means,
And a substrate holder for holding the substrate when the transfer means is stopped.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate cutting apparatus, comprising: a substrate transporting device according to the first aspect; and a midway portion of a substrate supported by the substrate guiding means and the substrate supporting means. Cutting means for cutting along a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying means.

In particular, the cutting means is provided so as to face the substrate holder with the substrate interposed therebetween. After the substrate is held by the substrate holder, the pressing means presses one surface of the substrate. Body, provided between the pressing body and the substrate supporting means, a groove forming means for forming a groove on the other surface of the substrate along a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction of the carrying means, Swinging means for swinging the substrate supporting means from the other surface of the substrate to one surface with the position where the pressing body pressed the substrate as a fulcrum, and breaking the substrate at the position of the groove; You may comprise.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The substrate cutting device 1 includes a substrate transfer device 2 and a substrate cutting mechanism 3. The substrate transfer device 2 includes a transfer unit 5 for transferring the glass substrate 4, a substrate guide unit 6 provided between the transfer unit 5 and a substrate support unit 27 described below, and a vertically movable substrate holding unit for holding the glass substrate 4. It is substantially composed of a body 7.

The transport means 5 includes a motor 9 provided on a base 8, a ball screw 10 driven by the motor 9,
Linear guide 1 extending parallel to both sides of ball screw 10
1, a transfer unit 12 provided on the ball screw 10 and the linear guide 11, a substrate holding table 13 for holding one end of the glass substrate 4, and a positioning cylinder 14 for positioning the glass substrate 4.

The transport section 12 is formed in a comb shape, and an L-shaped substrate holding table 13 is formed at the tip of each comb tooth. An adsorbing portion 15 for adsorbing the substrate 4 is provided at the tip of the substrate holding table 13. The back surface of the comb tooth at the center of the transport unit 12 is connected to a nut of the ball screw 10, and the nut slides on the screw of the ball screw 10 extending in the direction of the substrate guide means 6. I have.
A linear guide 11 is provided on the back side of the comb teeth on both sides of the transport section 12.
Guide portion 16 is provided. The guide 16 slides on a guide rail 17 extending in parallel with the thread of the ball screw 10.

On the edge of the base 8, an L-shaped substrate guide means 6 is formed. The support portion 18 of the substrate guide means 6 is vertically provided at the edge of the base 8, and a guide portion 19 is provided from the tip thereof.
Are bent at right angles in the direction of the conveying means 5. Guide 1
A roller 20 is rotatably supported on the roller 9 at equal intervals.

Since the transporting means 5 and the substrate guiding means 6 are configured as described above, the area in contact with the substrate 4 is reduced as shown in FIG. 1, and air is easily circulated. Therefore, in the clean room, the transport unit 5 and the substrate guiding unit 6 maintain a clean state with little dust and the like.

A vertically movable substrate holder 7 is provided between the substrate guide means 6 and the substrate support means 27. The substrate holder 7 includes a driving unit 21 provided on a side surface of the base 8.
And a shaft portion 22 connected to the drive portion 21 and a bearing 23 slidable on the shaft portion 22. At the tip of the bearing 23, a suction nozzle 24 for fixing the substrate 4 is provided.

A positioning cylinder 14 is provided between the transfer means 5 and the substrate support means 27. The positioning cylinder 14 includes a support shaft 2 perpendicular to the direction in which the transporting means 5 moves forward and backward.
5 and a cylinder 26 that slides on the support shaft 25. A plurality of left and right pairs are provided to abut the left and right side surfaces of the substrate 4.

The substrate supporting means 27 is disposed opposite to the transporting means 5 with a predetermined distance between the substrate guiding means 6 and the substrate holder 7. The substrate supporting means 27 supports the other end of the transported substrate 4. The substrate support means 27 is connected to an arm 32 of the swing means 30 described later. The substrate holding table 13 (suction unit 15) and the roller 20 of the substrate guiding means 6
And the surface of the substrate support portion 29 are provided on the same plane.

The substrate cutting mechanism 3 includes a pressing body 28 that presses the substrate 4 up and down, a groove forming unit that forms a groove in the middle of the substrate 4 that has advanced from the substrate guiding unit 6, and a substrate supporting unit 27. And the swinging means 30 provided.

The pressing body 28 is a plate-like member having a longitudinal shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the substrate 4, and its length is determined according to the length of the substrate 4 to be cut. The pressing surface of the pressing body 28 in contact with the substrate 4 is a continuous glass surface along a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate 4.

The groove forming means includes a cutter portion 29 for forming a groove on the back surface of the substrate 4 and a shaft portion (not shown) for supporting the cutter portion 29 so as to be able to move forward and backward. Cutter part 29
Is configured to move in the gap between the substrate guide means 6 and the substrate support means 27 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the substrate 4 advances and retreats by the reciprocating operation of the shaft portion.

The oscillating means 30 includes an arm 31 connected to both ends of the substrate supporting means 27, a base 32, a pair of arc-shaped rails 33 formed on the side surface of the base, and a curved movable bearing 34. And a stopper 35.

Each arm 31 has a curved movable bearing 34
Are attached to the respective rails 33. The center of the arc-shaped rail 33 substantially coincides with the groove formed in the substrate 4.

A stopper 35 is provided at at least one lower end of the rail 33, and the substrate supporting means 27 is adapted to move within a predetermined angle range between a horizontal position and a position above the horizontal position. , Downward movement is regulated.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a substrate position adjusting step is performed. In order to cut out a substrate of a desired size, a large-sized glass substrate 4 is laid on a conveying means 5 and a substrate guiding means 6. At this time, the positioning cylinder 14 allows the substrate 4
The cylinder 2 is set so that the side surface is parallel to the
5 are brought into contact with each other to adjust the position of the substrate 4. Then, one end of the glass substrate 4 placed on the substrate holding table 13 of the transport means 5 is suction-held by the suction unit 15.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the process proceeds to the substrate advance process. First, when the motor 9 is driven, the transfer unit 12 is moved linearly in the direction of the substrate guide means 6 by the converting action of the ball screw 10. At this time, the substrate 4 slides on the guide portion 19 by the roller 20 attached to the guide portion 19 of the substrate guide means 6. Then, the other end of the substrate 4 advances to the substrate cutting mechanism 3 and is placed on the substrate supporting means 27.

When the distance between the linear motion trajectory line of the cutter unit 29 and the other end of the substrate 4 reaches a desired length, the driving of the motor 9 is stopped as shown in FIG.
To rise. When the tip of the substrate holder 7 comes into contact with the back surface of the substrate 4, the suction nozzle 24 provided at the tip of the substrate holder 7.
Thereby, the back surface of the substrate 4 is held by suction.

Next, the process proceeds to a substrate cutting step. First, as shown in FIG. 5, the pressing body 28 facing the substrate holder 7 descends, and presses and supports the substrate with a predetermined external force. That is,
The middle portion of the substrate is held between the pressing body 28 and the substrate holder 7. Then, a groove is formed on the back surface of the substrate 4 by directly moving the cutter unit 29 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the substrate 4 advances and retreats.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
The arm 31 is set with the point where
Activate The arm 31 has a curved movable bearing 34
, And the substrate supporting portion 29 is moved upward from the horizontal position around the groove formed on the back surface of the substrate 4.

By this movement, the substrate 4 is broken at the position of the groove, and a strip-shaped substrate of a desired size is obtained. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressing body 28 is lifted to release the pressing of the substrate 4, and the substrate holding body 7 is lowered, so that the other end of the substrate 4 is newly formed by the breaking of the substrate 4. Is released.

Thereafter, the above-described substrate advancing step and substrate cutting step are repeated to obtain a plurality of strip-shaped substrates from the substrate 4 set first. Here, since the transport section 12 of the transport means 5 is formed in a comb-teeth shape, a concave portion between the comb teeth forms a slit portion. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, even if the width of the substrate in the retreating direction is reduced by cutting the substrate, the slit portion and the column 1
8 can be fitted and cut to the minimum breaking width of the substrate.

Next, the process proceeds to the substrate retreating step. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the substrate of a desired size can no longer be discharged from the substrate 4, that is, when the minimum breaking width is reached, the motor 9 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction to convert the ball screw 10. By the action, the transport section 12 is moved linearly in the direction opposite to the direction of the substrate sliding section. At this time, the substrate 4 slides on the guide portion 19 by the roller 20 attached to the guide portion 19 of the substrate guide means 6. Then, when the transport means 5 retreats to a predetermined position, the suction of the suction unit 15 is released, and the remaining substrate is removed from the substrate holding table 13.

Thereafter, the flow returns to the above-described substrate position adjusting step. Here, one end of the already processed strip-shaped substrate is aligned and held so that the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the transport direction of the transport unit 5 and held by the transport unit 5, and the other end is supported by the substrate guide unit 6. . Thereafter, the substrate advancing process and the substrate cutting process are alternately repeated, and when the strip-shaped substrate reaches the minimum breaking width, the process proceeds to the substrate retreating process, and the remaining substrate is removed.
The above operation is performed for all strip-shaped substrates, and the FED
And a substrate of a predetermined size for VFD is mass-produced.

[0040]

As described above, in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention, the state in which the substrate is always held by the transfer means is maintained in the substrate transfer step by providing the substrate guide means and the substrate holder. Thereby, the effect that the displacement of the substrate can be prevented can be obtained.

In addition, by incorporating the substrate transfer device into the substrate cutting device, there is obtained an effect that the transfer and the cutting of the substrate are linked and the tact time can be reduced.

[0042]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a substrate cutting step showing an embodiment of a substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a substrate position adjusting step showing the embodiment of the substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a substrate advancing process showing an embodiment of the substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a substrate advancing process showing an embodiment of the substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a substrate cutting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where a substrate is held and grooves are formed.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a substrate cutting step showing an embodiment of the substrate cutting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a substrate cutting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a substrate holding released state.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, in a substrate transfer state at a minimum breaking width in a substrate advancing process.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the embodiment of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention in a transfer state of the substrate at a minimum breaking width in a substrate advancing process.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a substrate advancing process and a substrate cutting process of a conventional substrate transport device.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a substrate retreating process of the conventional substrate transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Substrate cutting device 2 ... Substrate transfer device 4 ... Substrate (glass substrate) 5 ... Transport means 6 ... Substrate guide means 7 ... Substrate holder 27 ... Substrate support means 29 ... Pressing body 30 ... Swing means

Claims (3)

[Claims] A transport unit that holds one end of the substrate and transports the substrate along a plate surface of the substrate; a substrate support unit that supports the other end of the substrate transported by the transport unit;
A substrate transport device having: a substrate guide unit provided between the transport unit and the substrate support unit, for guiding the substrate in a transport direction of the transport unit; and a substrate guide unit and the substrate support unit. A substrate holder provided between the substrate holder and holding the substrate when the transport unit is stopped. 2. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a middle part of the substrate supported by the substrate guide means and the substrate support means is cut along a direction orthogonal to a transfer direction of the transfer means. And a cutting means for cutting the substrate. 3. The cutting means is provided to face the substrate holder with the substrate interposed therebetween. After the substrate is held by the substrate holder, a pressing means for pressing one surface of the substrate is provided. A body, provided between the pressing body and the substrate supporting means, a groove forming means for forming a groove on the other surface of the substrate along a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction of the carrying means, Swinging means for swinging the substrate supporting means from the other surface of the substrate to one surface with the position where the pressing body pressed the substrate as a fulcrum, and breaking the substrate at the position of the groove; The substrate cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate cutting device is configured.