JPH1135089A - Substrate cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ribless-type substrate cassette based on a structure other than a type where a rib extending from a grooved side plate of a cassette or a rib extending forward from a receive frame at the deepest of the cassette supports a substrate, wherein even on a large-sized or an ultra large-sized glass substrate which causes flection in a horizontal posture, it can be supported with the minimum flection, no fatigue or vibration may be applied to the substrate, and further operation for putting in/out the substrate by a robot fork may not be interfered. SOLUTION: Beam members 2 are bridged in multiple stages at predetermined pitches with a plurality of members 2 used for each stage between opposite right and left side frames 13, 13 of a box-like frame 1 including vertical frames 11, 12 and the side frames 13, 13 for connecting therebetween. The beam member 2 has a slit X with an upper part opened where a robot fork for putting in/out a substrate can come in/out and a substrate support Y located higher than the slit X for supporting the substrate from a rear.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribless type substrate cassette for accommodating a substrate (especially a large or very large glass substrate) which bends when placed in a horizontal position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a substrate cassette for accommodating substrates such as glass substrates separately so as not to contact each other, a pair of opposing side surfaces of a box-shaped frame are formed by grooved side plates. The thing which can make a substrate enter and exit and accommodate between the corresponding grooves of the grooved side plate is widespread. There are various shapes and designs of grooved side plates, but basically all of them have a number of rib-shaped shelf pieces projecting in parallel from the back wall of the side plate at a predetermined pitch toward the inside of the cassette. It has a different shape. A gap between adjacent rib-shaped shelf pieces becomes a groove, into which a substrate enters and leaves and is accommodated.

[0003] Such type (rib type) substrate cassettes include, for example, JP-A-2-295150, JP-A-3-133152, and JP-A-5-147680, which are filed by the present applicant. JP-A-6-24
There are cassettes disclosed in JP-A-7483, JP-A-6-286812, JP-A-8-46022 and the like.

However, as the size of the glass substrate increases, even if the glass substrate is a rigid glass substrate, the amount of deflection increases. If the pitch between the pieces is not considerably large, the glass substrate cannot be smoothly moved in and out, and the number of glass substrates that can be accommodated in one cassette is reduced.

In order to cope with the enlargement of the glass substrate,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-36219 filed by the present applicant discloses a cassette in which the length of rib-shaped shelves on the side plate is significantly longer than that of a conventional cassette. Cassettes with a width of 1/10 to 1/4) have been proposed. This publication also describes a mode in which not only the length of the rib-shaped shelf on the side plate is increased, but also a long rib is extended from the receiving frame (stopper) at the innermost part of the cassette. .

In some imported products from abroad, the rib-shaped shelf of the side plate has a normal length, but a long rib projects forward from the receiving frame at the innermost part of the cassette. Some have done so.

[0007]

The size of the glass substrate is increasing, and the conventional method of supporting the glass substrate at the end thereof by a rib-shaped shelf protruding from the grooved side plate does not allow the amount of deflection. Has become too large to deal with. For example, in the case of a size of 650 mm × 830 mm, the amount of deflection is large even when the thickness is 1.1 mm, and the amount of deflection is more than doubled when the thickness is 0.7 mm.

"Monthly LCD Intelligence 1997.
According to page 5, pages 69 to 71, the deflection y of the glass substrate due to its own weight is given by y = k · L ⁴ / t ² where k is the glass density and Young's modulus, where L is the substrate width and t is the thickness. Determined constant). According to Table 2 on page 70 of this document, the glass density is 2.
The theoretical value (and some actual measured values) of the self-weight deflection when 5 g / cm ³ and Young's modulus are 750,000 g / mm ² are as shown in the following table. It is arranged slightly). It can be seen that the larger the size and the thinner the thickness, the more the self-weight deflection increases.

[0009]

[Table 1] Literature value of self-weight deflection Glass substrate size (mm) Weight (g) Self-weight deflection (mm) 550 x 650 x 1.1 983 3.94 650 x 830 x 1.1 1484 7.69 1000 x 1000 x 1.1 2750 43.0 550 x 650 x 0.7 626 9.92 (9.45) 650 x 830 x 0.7 944 19.0 (18.8) 1000 x 1000 x 0.7 1750 106.3 (Values in parentheses in the column of self-weight deflection are measured values.)

According to the study by the present applicant, in the case where the glass substrate is supported on both sides by the rib-shaped shelf of the grooved side plate, the supporting length from the substrate end is 10 mm or 15 mm.
If the distance is set to just mm, the amount of deflection near the center of the glass substrate is not so different from that in Table 1 above.

Even if the method of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-36219 in which the length of the rib-shaped shelf of the grooved side plate is extremely lengthened is adopted, if the size of the glass substrate exceeds a certain limit, the glass substrate will not bend. It cannot always be sufficiently suppressed.

When long ribs are projected forward from the receiving frame at the innermost part of the cassette, the weight of the glass substrate is considerably concentrated on one point near the tip of the long ribs. To support the ratio, the ribs themselves bend, and the glass substrate has not only a simple curl but also a complicated three-dimensional shape, and the coating becomes wrinkled when performing surface treatment on the glass substrate. Trouble easily occurs.

In addition, in any of the above cases, depending on the method of supporting the glass substrate at the tip end of the long rib, once the vibration becomes longer as the rib becomes longer, the vibration is not easily attenuated, and In addition, it causes various troubles and, in extreme cases, causes cracks due to fatigue.

Under such a background, the present invention is directed to a method of supporting with a rib projecting from a grooved side plate of a cassette or a rib projecting forward from a receiving frame at the innermost part of the cassette (rib supporting method). Based on another mechanism, even a substrate (especially a large or very large glass substrate) that bends when it is placed in a horizontal position can be supported with a minimum amount of bending, and the substrate can be fatigued or reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide a ribless type substrate cassette which does not give vibration and which does not hinder the operation of moving a substrate in and out by a fork (hand) of a robot.

[0015]

The substrate cassette of the present invention comprises an upper frame (11), a lower frame (12), and left and right side frames (13) connecting these upper and lower frames (11) and (12). ), (13), and the left and right side frames (13), (13) corresponding to the frame (1).
In between, the beam member (2) is provided in multiple stages at a predetermined pitch, and a plurality of beams are erected for each stage, the beam member (2) is,
It has a gap (X) that is open at the top where the fork of the board entry / exit robot can enter and exit, and a board support (Y) that is higher than the gap (X) and supports the board from the back side. Is characterized in that:

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail.

<Frame of Frame (1)> In the substrate cassette of the present invention, the box-shaped frame (1) is composed of an upper frame (11), a lower frame (12), and upper and lower frames (11). , (12) are provided with left and right side frames (13), (13). The upper and lower frames (11) and (12) are supported by left and right side frames (13) and (13), but also have a vertical frame (14) at the corners of the box and other parts. Is also good. The front side, which is the substrate entrance / exit surface, is open. Usually, a receiving frame (15) as a stopper is provided in the vertical direction on the back side of the frame (1). Of the frames, the upper and lower frames (11) and (12) are often in the form of a lattice, but in order to prevent dust from adhering, the upper frame (11) is made into a A lid may be further provided on the upper frame (11).

An upper frame (11) which forms the skeleton of the frame (1),
Lower frame (12), side frame (13), vertical frame (1
4), The material of the receiving frame (15) can be resin, metal, resin-metal composite or the like. In this case, the place where the substrate comes in contact is a dust-preventing resin (for example, polyetheretherketone, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyacetal, polyamide, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, It is desirable to use a natural product which does not substantially contain a filler such as an elastomer). Other parts, if necessary, at least on the surface side are made of a resin mixed with a conductive material such as metal fiber, metal particles, carbon fiber, carbon black, graphite, ionic polymer, etc. Value is 10 ⁴ to 10
It is preferable to set the resistance to about ¹¹ Ω, especially about 10 ⁶ to 10 ⁹ Ω.

<Beam member (2)> And in the present invention,
The corresponding left and right side frames (13) of the frame (1),
(13) Install the beam member (2) between them. The beam members (2) are provided in multiple stages (for example, 10 to 30 stages) at a predetermined pitch, and a plurality of beams (for example, 3 to 10 stages) are provided for each stage.

The material of the beam member (2) can be resin, metal, a resin-metal composite or the like. Again,
If necessary, at least portions other than the portions where the substrate comes into contact, if at least the surface side is made of a resin containing a conductive material, for example, the volume resistivity is about 10 ⁴ to 10 ¹¹ Ω, particularly 10 ⁶ to 10 ⁹ Ω. It can be set to be about.

Further, in the present invention, the beam member (2)
A gap (X) having an open upper part through which a fork (hand) of a substrate entry / exit robot can enter and exit, and the gap (X)
Board support that supports the board from the back side at a higher position
(Y). The preferred structure of the beam member (2) is as follows.

The first type of beam member (2) has a structure in which a protruding body (2b) projects upward from a linear main member (2a),
For example, the main material (2a) between the adjacent protrusions (2b) and (2b) has a structure as shown in (a) to (c) in Table 2 below.
The space above (space indicated by ↓ in Table 2) is the gap (X) where the fork enters and exits, and each protruding body (2b) is the board support (Y).
It is something that has become.

[0023]

[Table 2]

Here, the protruding body (2b) may be formed integrally with the main material (2a). The protruding body (2b) may be formed on the main material (2a) by using a member different from the main material (2a). You may make it attach. In the latter case, the installation position of the protruding body (2b) can be made variable on the main material (2a). An example of the latter case is the main material (2
a) A pin hole is provided on the side, and a pin-shaped protrusion (2b) is provided in the pin hole.
This is a mode in which the lower part is inserted.

The beam member (2) of the second type has a corrugated main member (2) in a front view in which a plurality of concave portions and hill portions are alternately located.
a), the space surrounded by the concave portion is a gap (X) for the fork to enter and exit, and the additional member (2c) attached to the upper surface of the hill or the hill is the board support (Y). Is what it is. As for the shape of the wave, the concave portion often has an angular waveform, and the hill portion may have an angular waveform or a peak portion having a round waveform.

When the attachment member (2c) is provided, the attachment member
As (2c), for example, a pin-shaped or ring-shaped one can be used and attached to the hill portion of the main material (2a). This attached member
In (2c), the installation position can be made variable on the main material (2a).

The beam member (2) of the third type has a structure in which a linear main member (2a) is cut out at a plurality of positions from above, and the space of the cut-out portion is a gap (X )
An additional member (2) attached to the upper surface of the non-
d) is the substrate support (Y).

When the attachment member (2d) is provided, the attachment member
As (2d), for example, a pin-like or ring-like thing can be used and can be attached to the non-cut portion of the main material (2a). The attachment position of the attachment member (2d) can be changed on the main member (2a).

When using any of the first, second and third types of beam members (2), the beam members (2) are attached to the left and right side frames (13) and (13) at their left and right end faces. When fastening by the bolting method, the left and right end faces of the beam member (2) are formed with very slight slopes that become “/” and “＼” in front view, respectively, and the beam member (2) is It is also preferable that when the bolts are fastened to the frames (13), (13), a force is applied so that the beam member (2) is pulled upward in the direction of an arch.

Projection in the first type of beam member (2)
(2b), the additional members (2
c) the additional member (2d) of the third type of beam member (2)
It is preferable that at least the upper end portion of the first member is made of a dust-preventing resin that hardly generates dust even by friction with the substrate. Further, when the substrate is directly supported on the upper surface of the hill portion of the main member (2a) in the second type beam member (2),
When the substrate is directly supported on the upper surface of the non-notched portion of the main material (2a) in the third type of beam member (2), at least the upper surface of those hill portions and the non-notched portion are connected to the substrate in the same manner as described above. It is desirable to be made of a dust-preventing resin that is unlikely to generate dust even by friction.

The cross section of the beam member (2) can be variously designed in consideration of strength and weight reduction. The fulcrum at which the beam member (2) supports the substrate is to avoid the back surface portion corresponding to the display portion (processing portion) on the front surface of the substrate as much as possible, and the back portion corresponding to the non-display portion (non-processing portion) on the front surface of the substrate. So that
That is, it is desirable to take care of contacting from the back side of a product, such as taking four, six, or nine sheets, so as to avoid a product.

<Substrate> Examples of the substrate accommodated in the cassette having the above-mentioned structure include various substrates including a glass substrate and a ceramic substrate, and a large or super large glass substrate is particularly important. In addition to these rigid substrates, a plastic sheet substrate can be accommodated.

<Operation> In a conventional method in which a glass substrate is supported on both sides by a rib-shaped shelf of a grooved side plate,
The bending increases as the size of the glass substrate increases, and the bending increases as the thickness decreases. If the length of the rib-shaped shelf of the grooved side plate is made extremely long, the amount of deflection will be small, but there will be restrictions on strength, and it will hinder the insertion and removal of the fork (hand) of the robot. There is. If long ribs are projected forward from the receiving frame at the innermost part of the cassette, a considerable percentage of the weight of the glass substrate is concentrated at one point near the tip of the long ribs. The rib itself flexes to support
In addition, the glass substrate has not only a curl but also a complicated three-dimensional shape.

In addition, in any of the above cases, depending on the method of supporting the glass substrate at the tip end of the long rib, once the vibration becomes longer as the rib becomes longer, the vibration is not easily attenuated, and In addition, it causes various troubles and, in extreme cases, causes cracks due to fatigue.

However, in the substrate cassette of the present invention, a method of supporting a substrate based on a ribless method, which is a mechanism different from the conventional rib supporting method, that is, a beam supporting method is employed. Therefore, even on a substrate (especially a large or ultra-large glass substrate) that bends when it is placed in a horizontal position, it can be supported with a minimum amount of deflection, without giving the substrate fatigue or vibration. Further, there is no hindrance to the operation of moving the substrate in and out by the fork (hand) of the robot.

[0036]

The present invention will be further described with reference to the following examples. Even if the substrate cassette of any of the following embodiments is used, there is no hindrance for the fork (hand) of the robot to enter and exit.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one example of a substrate cassette of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the beam member (2).

Reference numeral (1) denotes a box-shaped frame body. A peripheral frame-shaped upper frame (11), a peripheral frame-shaped lower frame (12), and left and right connecting these upper and lower frames (11) and (12). 3 side frames each
(13), (13), a total of four vertical frames (14) provided at corners of the box, and two receiving frames (15) provided in the vertical direction on the back side.

In FIG. 1, between the corresponding left and right side frames (13) and (13) of the frame (1), the beam members (2) are arranged in three steps at a predetermined pitch and three steps for each step. It is erected individually.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram and shows the simplest structure. However, in actuality, the upper and lower frames (11), (1)
Regarding 2), use a structure combining beams and ribs in addition to the peripheral frame, increase the number of left and right side frames (13), (13), and use a beam member (2) of about 10 to 30 steps. It is usual to increase the number of stages or to increase the number of beam members (2) in each stage.

One example of the beam member (2) has a structure in which four projecting bodies (2b) project upward from the linear main member (2a) as shown in FIG. In the schematic diagram of FIG. 1, three protrusions (2b) are shown overhanging, but FIG. 2 is more practical). The space above the main material (2a) between the adjacent protrusions (2b), (2b) is the gap where the fork enters and exits.
(X), and each protruding body (2b) is a board support (Y).

The protrusions (2b) are obtained, for example, by injection molding of natural products of polyetheretherketone, polyetherimide or elastomer. In this case, the two protrusions (2b) at the left and right end portions in FIG. 2 are formed of an elastomer to prevent the glass substrate from slipping, and the two protrusions (2b) at the center are polyetheretherketone. Alternatively, the material can be different, such as a molded article of polyetherimide.

In this embodiment, the projecting body (2b) is a separate member from the main material (2a), and the lower part of the pin-shaped projecting body (2b) is inserted into a pin hole formed in the main material (2a). It is designed to be inserted. Since an extra pin hole can be provided, the installation position of the protrusion (2b) can be changed, or the number of protrusions (2b) can be increased.

The substrate cassette shown in FIG. 1 (however, the beam member (2)
Is the one shown in Fig. 2), thickness 0.7mm, width 100
The maximum amount of deflection when a large-sized glass substrate having a depth of 0 mm and a depth of 1000 mm was accommodated was 1.1 to 1.2 mm.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another example of the substrate cassette of the present invention, in which a half of the upper frame (11) is cut out. FIG. 4 is a front view of the substrate cassette of FIG. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the substrate cassette of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 shows FIGS.
It is a front view of the beam member (2) used by 5.

The upper and lower frames (11) constituting the frame (1),
(12) has a lattice shape with a combination of “well” shaped crosspieces on the peripheral frame, and the number of left and right side frames (13) and (13) is 4
There is a book. Two receiving frames (15) as stoppers are provided. The beam members (2) described below are provided in multiple stages at a pitch of 30 mm, and four beams are provided for each stage.

The beam member (2) is made of a main material (2a) having two concave portions and a hill portion alternately positioned and having a square waveform in a front view. The space surrounded by the concave portion is the gap (X) into and out of which the fork enters and exits. As shown in FIG. 6, a pin-shaped attachment member (2c) is fitted on the upper surface of the hill portion.
The upper surface of c) is the substrate support (Y).

The beam member (2) is bolted to the left and right side frames (13) and (13) at its left and right end faces.
The left and right end faces of the beam member (2) are "/"
Slightly inclined surface (“゜” taper surface)
It is formed in. Therefore, when the beam (2) is bolted to the left and right side frames (13), (13), the beam
(2) A pulling force is applied in the direction in which the upwardly convex arch is formed.

When the beam member (2) shown in FIG. 6 is incorporated into the frame (1) shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the maximum amount of deflection when a large-sized glass substrate having a thickness of 0.7 mm, a width of 1000 mm and a depth of 1000 mm is accommodated. Was 1.1 to 1.2 mm.

Third Embodiment FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a substrate cassette similar to the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 to 6).

The substrate cassette of the third embodiment (FIG. 7) is different only in the shape of the upper and lower frames (11) and (12).
Others are almost the same as those in the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 to 6),
As (2), one having the same shape and structure as in FIG. 6 is used. In FIG. 7, the illustration of the receiving frame (15) is omitted. In FIG. 7, the beam member (2)
Are provided in five stages, but actually 10 to 3
Usually, it is set to about 0 steps. In FIG. 7, (G) is a substrate (glass substrate).

Embodiment 4 FIG. 8 is a front view showing another example of the beam member (2).

This beam member (2) is used in the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 to 5).
The frame (1) is made of a main material (2a) having a corrugated shape in front view, in which two concave portions and hill portions are alternately located, as in FIG. I have. A shallow groove is provided in the hill portion, and a ring-shaped attaching member (2c) made of an elastomer is fitted into the groove.

Embodiment 5 FIG. 9 is a front view showing still another example of the beam member (2).

This beam member (2) is used in the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 to 5).
And has a structure in which a main material (2a) made of a linear plate is cut out at two places from above. The space of the notch is the gap (X) into and out of which the fork enters and exits. A pin-shaped attachment member (2d) is fitted into the upper surface of the non-cut portion, and the attachment member (2d) serves as a board support (Y).

When the beam member (2) shown in FIG. 9 is incorporated in the frame (1) shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the maximum deflection amount when a large-sized glass substrate having a thickness of 0.7 mm, a width of 1000 mm, and a depth of 1000 mm is accommodated. Was 1.1 to 1.2 mm.

[0057]

The substrate cassette of the present invention employs a ribless system, which is a different mechanism from the conventional rib supporting system, that is, a system for supporting a substrate based on a beam supporting system. Therefore, even a substrate (especially a large or ultra-large glass substrate) that bends when placed in a horizontal position can be supported with a minimum amount of bending, thereby giving the substrate fatigue and vibration. In addition, there is no hindrance to the in / out operation of the substrate by the fork (hand) of the robot. It is also advantageous in terms of industrial productivity and manufacturing cost of the cassette.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a substrate cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a beam member (2).

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another example of the substrate cassette of the present invention, in which a half of the upper frame (11) is cut out and displayed.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the substrate cassette of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the substrate cassette of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a beam member (2) used in FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a substrate cassette similar to the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 to 6).

FIG. 8 is a front view showing another example of the beam member (2).

FIG. 9 is a front view showing still another example of the beam member (2).

[Explanation of symbols]

(1)… frame, (11)… upper frame, (12)… lower frame, (1
3) ... side frame, (14) ... vertical frame, (15) ... receiving frame, (2) ... beam member, (2a) ... main material, (2b) ... projecting body, (2
c) ... attached member, (2d) ... attached member, (X) ... void, (Y) ...
PCB support, (G)… PCB

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A box-shaped frame comprising an upper frame (11), a lower frame (12), and left and right side frames (13), (13) connecting between the upper and lower frames (11), (12). The left and right side frames (13), (1) corresponding to the frame (1).
Between 3), the beam members (2) are laid in multiple stages at a predetermined pitch, and a plurality of beams are erected for each stage. The beam members (2) allow the fork of the robot for loading and unloading the substrate to enter and exit. A gap (X) whose upper part is open, and the gap (X)
Board support that supports the board from the back side at a higher position
(Y). 2. A beam member (2) having a structure in which a protruding body (2b) projects upward from a linear main material (2a), and a space between adjacent protruding bodies (2b) and (2b). The space above the main material (2a) is a gap (X) for the fork to enter and exit, and each protruding body (2b) is a board support (Y). Substrate cassette. 3. A beam member (2) is made of a main material (2a) having a plurality of concave portions and hill portions alternately positioned and corrugated in a front view, and a space surrounded by the concave portions is a fork. A space (X) that enters and exits and is an attached member attached to the upper surface of the hill or the hill
2. The substrate cassette according to claim 1, wherein (2c) is a substrate support (Y). 4. A beam member (2) has a structure in which a linear main material (2a) is cut out from above at a plurality of positions, and the space of the cutout portion becomes a gap portion (X) into and out of which a fork enters and exits. The attachment member (2d) attached to the upper surface of the non-cut portion or the non-cut portion is
The substrate cassette according to claim 1, wherein (Y) is satisfied.