JPS619104A - Magnetic levitating conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the probability of producing dusts in a clean room by moving a carrier in the state attracted by an attracting magnet disposed movably out of the upper room of the clean room. CONSTITUTION:When an article 4 to be conveyed is placed on a conveying pallet 5 to excite an electromagnet 7 by an electromagnet controller 14, the electromagnet 7 attracts a pole 6 to be attracted and the pallet 5 secured with the pole through a partition wall 3 to magnetically levitate in a clean room 1. A proximity sensor 13 detects a levitating gap of the pallet 5, and an electromagnet controller 14 controls the attracting force of the electromagnet 7 so that a levitating gap coincides with a set gap. When the magnetic levitation of the pallet 5 is completed, a self-traveling truck 8 is driven, and the pallet 5 moves together with the truck while remaining the magnetically levitating state. Power is supplied to the truck 8 by a current collector 15.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a transport device for transporting objects in a space maintained in a highly clean atmosphere, and is used in manufacturing or testing equipment for precision machines, electronic components, etc. It is applied to

[Prior art and its problems] Conventionally, this type of conveyance device is configured to guide movement within a space maintained in a highly clean atmosphere using wheels and sliding guides that are directly attached to the conveyance pallet. Dust generated by friction from these wheels and sliding parts contaminates the space, so many efforts have been made to improve the materials of wheels and sliding mechanisms in the semiconductor and bioindustries. However, since these improvement measures cannot essentially reduce friction to zero, drastic improvements have been desired.

[Object of the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that can make dust generated by guided movement irrelevant to a clean room.

[Means for achieving the object] According to the present invention, a carrier placed inside a clean room maintained in a highly clean atmosphere is attracted by an attraction magnet movably placed outside the upper part of the clean room. The above object is achieved by configuring a transport device to move the transport body.

To be more specific, there is a clean room that is maintained in a highly clean atmosphere and whose ceiling is formed as a partition wall made of non-magnetic material, a transport pallet on which objects to be transported are placed, and a container that is fixed to the pallet and attached to the ceiling. Transport is carried out by a carrier formed from an attracted magnetic pole having magnetic pole faces at facing positions, and a cart with an attraction magnet that is movably disposed outside the upper part of the clean room and attracts the attracted magnetic pole of the carrier through a partition wall. The purpose is to achieve the above object by configuring a device.

[Function] With the above configuration, when an object is to be transported within a clean room, the object is placed on a transport pallet placed at the bottom of the clean room, and then the object is configured as an electromagnet. The transport pallet is held in a floating state in the clean room by energizing the suction magnet, and then the cart on the upper part of the clean room is moved to keep the transport pallet floating, thus creating a space between the transport pallet and the wall of the clean room. moving the carrier without causing frictional contact with the The floating gap of the transport pallet on which the object to be transported is placed is controlled by a suitable sensor and control device so that the magnetic pole to be attracted does not come into contact with the partition wall.

[Embodiment of the Invention] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, which is composed of a clean room 1 and a drive room 2, and has a space between the compartments, that is, a ceiling part of the clean room 1.
is constructed as a partition wall 3 made of a non-magnetic material such as plastic. This partition wall 3 is for preventing dust from moving from the driving chamber 2 to the clean chamber 1. The clean room 1 is called a clean tube or the like, and is maintained in a highly clean atmosphere by a clean unit (not shown).

Inside the clean room 1, there is a transport pallet 5 on which objects 4 to be transported are placed.
is arranged, and an attracted magnetic pole 6 having a magnetic pole surface is fixed to the transport pallet 5 at a position facing the partition wall 3.

On the other hand, in the drive chamber 2 corresponding to the upper exterior of the clean room 1, a self-propelled cart 8 carrying an attraction electromagnet 7 is disposed, and is movable by running wheels 9 and running guide rails 10.

13 is a proximity sensor, and 14 is an electromagnet control device.
In such a configuration, when the object 4 to be conveyed is placed on the conveyor pallet throat 5 and the electromagnet 7 is excited by the electromagnet control device 14, the electromagnet 7 connects to the attracted magnetic pole 6 through the partition wall 3, so that it is fixed. The transported pallet throat 5 is suctioned and magnetically levitated in the clean room l. The proximity sensor 13 detects the proximity of the end of the conveying pallet 5, that is, the floating gap of the conveying pallet 5. Upon receiving this detection signal, the electromagnet control device 14 adjusts the floating gap so that it matches the set gap. Controls the attraction force of the electromagnet 7. When the magnetic levitation of the transport pallet 5 is completed, the self-propelled cart 8 is driven, and the transport pallet 5
moves along with it while remaining magnetically levitated. Power is supplied to the self-propelled cart 8 by a current collector 15.

The drive mechanism of the self-propelled trolley 8 may be one that is accompanied by friction and dust generation due to the presence of the partition wall 3, and in addition to the overhead traveling type as shown in the figure, consideration should be given to the support structure of heavy objects. As long as it is suitable, it may be a ground-driving type.

The partition wall 3 is preferably made of plastic, but may be made of metal or other material as long as it is non-magnetic.

Furthermore, the conveyance body is not limited to what is shown in the drawings; for example, the magnetic pole to be attracted may have a structure that is integral with (or serves also as) the upper part of the conveyance pallet 5. .

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the drive mechanism that causes friction and dust generation is placed outside the clean room via the partition wall, and the carrier can move while being magnetically levitated. The probability of dust occurring in a clean room is extremely small, and the conventional method had a cleanliness level of 1000 to 500 class.
It is now possible to handle cases below class IO.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an equipment layout diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a cross section and (b) shows a partially cut away side surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A clean room that is maintained in a highly clean atmosphere and whose ceiling is formed as a partition wall made of non-magnetic material, a transport pallet on which objects to be transported are placed, and a magnetic pole face fixed to the pallet and located facing the ceiling. It is characterized by comprising a carrier formed from an attracted magnetic pole, and a cart with an attraction magnet that is movably disposed outside the upper part of the clean room and attracts the attracted magnetic pole of the carrier through the partition wall. A magnetic levitation transport device.