KR100606565B1 - Substrates alignment apparatus having loading/unloading apparatus and loading/unloading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading a substrate on a stage provided inside the flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus, wherein the loading / unloading device is provided in a lower region of the flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus. It provides a loading / unloading device characterized in that the substrate is lifted to the transport position without a separate driving unit in conjunction with the rising height area of the upper chamber opened when the substrate is loaded or unloaded.

Loading / Unloading Device, Substrate, Adsorption, Substrate Contact, Lifting Means, Lifting

Description

Substrate alignment apparatus having loading / unloading apparatus and Loading / Unloading apparatus

1 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a substrate combiner in which a conventional loading / unloading device is provided.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a loading / unloading device and a loading / unloading device provided on a substrate combiner equipped with the loading / unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a plan view illustrating the loading / unloading device of FIG. 2.

4 is a perspective view illustrating the loading / unloading device of FIG. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the substrate combiner of the present invention is partially opened.

6 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the substrate combiner of FIG. 5 is fully opened.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

114, 116: upper, lower chamber 118, 120: upper, lower stage

132: lifting means

150: loading / unloading apparatus

152: frame 154: guide shaft

156: elastic member 158; Wire

160: lifting unit 162: string fixture

164: substrate contact

The present invention relates to a loading / unloading device and a substrate bonding device in which the loading / unloading device is provided. More particularly, the present invention relates to a separate driving unit in a flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus that receives a substrate from a transfer robot and processes the substrate. A loading / unloading device and a substrate adhering device provided with the loading / unloading device, which are receivable without a charge.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms. In response, various flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal devices (LCDs) and plasma display panels (PDPs) have been studied. It is used as a display device in various equipments.

Among the flat panel display devices, LCD is the most widely used, replacing the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for mobile image display devices due to the advantages of excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. In addition to the mobile type of use such as the monitor of the present invention, it has been variously developed such as a monitor of a television and a computer for receiving and displaying a broadcast signal.

As described above, although the flat panel display device has various technical developments to play a role as a screen display device in various fields, the task of improving the image quality as the screen display device is often arranged with the above characteristics and advantages. have. Therefore, in order for a liquid crystal display device to be used in various parts as a general screen display device, development of high quality images such as high brightness and large area while maintaining the characteristics of light weight, thinness, and low power consumption is at stake. have.

Here, the flat panel display device includes a liquid crystal material injected between a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate on which an electrode is formed and a CF (Color Filter) substrate on which a phosphor is applied, and confines the liquid crystal material to two substrate edges. Is bonded by a sealing material and is supported by spacers scattered between the two substrates.

Then, a power is applied to the liquid crystal material having an anisotropic dielectric constant injected between the two substrates by using an electrode, and the intensity of the power is adjusted to adjust the amount of light transmitted through the substrate to display an image.

In order to manufacture the flat panel display device as described above, a lot of equipment is required, and among these, a bonding device for bonding two substrates is also an important equipment.

Here, a loading / unloading device for loading or unloading a substrate into the flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus described above is required.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate bonding device to which the conventional loading / unloading device is applied is largely provided with a lower base 10 and an upper base 12 spaced apart from the lower base 10 described above. And the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 provided in the upper region of the upper base 12 and the upper and lower stages provided in the upper region and the lower region in the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 described above. The upper stage 18 and the lower stage are formed of two substrates (TFT array substrate and a color filter substrate: hereinafter referred to as "substrate" S), each of which is composed of 18 and 20, and is carried in the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 described above. It arrange | positions horizontally to (20), and is a structure which adheres up and down.

In addition, the elevating means 32 for elevating the upper chamber 14 to secure the movement path of the substrate S to be carried in or taken out of the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 described above is provided in the upper chamber 14. Are respectively provided at the bottom edge regions of the substrate.

Here, the stage alignment process of aligning the substrate S disposed on the lower stage 20 to the exact position in the X, Y axis linear direction and the θ axis rotation direction before performing the bonding of the substrate S described above is performed. Included, the alignment of the substrate (S) is carried out by the alignment means 36 provided in contact with the three adjacent side walls of the lower chamber (16).

The above-described alignment means 36 is fixed to the upper region of the upper base 12 in a state of directly contacting the lower chamber 16 among the stacked upper and lower chambers 14 and 16, and is provided eccentrically. : 40, and the drive part 38 which provides rotational force to the cam 40 mentioned above.

In addition, the vertical driving unit 30 is provided to adjust the distance between the two substrates S by finely elevating the upper stage 18 described above, and the lifting force of the vertical driving unit 30 described above is increased by the upper stage 18. The support member 18a protruding outward is provided on both sides or all four sides of the upper stage 18 so as to be transmitted to the upper stage 18, and the support member 18a is provided on the vertical driving part 30. .

The vertical driving part 30 partially recesses the upper surface of the lower chamber 16 and inserts it into the recessed part, and the supporting member 18a of the upper stage 18 is positioned on the vertical driving part 30. The inner surface of the upper chamber 14 is recessed in the outward direction so that the upper chamber 14 may be penetrated downwardly so as to communicate with the vertical driving part 30.

The above-described loading / unloading apparatus is provided in the upper space and the lower space in the lower chambers 14 and 16, respectively, in which the upper stage 18 and the lower stage 20 constitute the above-mentioned substrate adhering machine, and are transport robots. The substrate S brought into the chambers 14 and 16 by (not shown) can be joined to the upper and lower sides by the upper and lower stages 18 and 20.

In addition, the lower region of the upper stage 18 and the upper region of the lower stage 20 are provided with electrostatic chucks ESC 26 and 28 for generating an electrostatic force to attract the loaded substrate S. In addition, a plurality of lift pins 22 and 24 are provided to penetrate a plurality of lower stages 18 and 20 in the vertical direction to primarily adsorb and adsorb the substrate S through the through holes. 24) moves uniformly by one plate provided at the upper and lower portions.

Here, the lift pins 22 and 24 described above have a function of absorbing and adsorbing in a state in which the loaded substrate S is supported, and the number thereof is approximately 30.

Such a loading / unloading device is lift pins 22 and 24 which float in the vertical direction in the upper and lower stages 18 and 20 and extend to the lower side of the upper base 12, and the lift pins 22 and 24 described above. Between the plate to integrally fix the lift pins 22 and 24 in the upper region and the lower region of the upper and lower plates, and to surround the lift pins 22 and 24 to be kept airtight. The upper and lower sides are fixed to each other, and the airtight holding member is provided in the circumferential area of the lift pins 22 and 24 so that the airtightness can be maintained, and separate driving means (not shown in the figure) for lifting and lowering the plate described above. .

However, the above-described loading / unloading apparatus allows the substrate S loaded by the transfer robot (not shown in the figure) to be loaded or unloaded to the substrate S by means of air pressure adsorption on the leaf pins 22 and 24. To this end, a separate driving means must be separately provided so that the lift pins 22 and 24 can be raised and lowered to the position of the substrate S, and the cost is added. The airtight member is more difficult to install as the installation space is narrower, and a plurality of lift pins 22 and 24 may be provided to cause interference by a complicated structure. The lift pins 22 and 24 described above may be vacuumed. Since the lift pins 22 and 24 driving means must be provided at atmospheric pressure, there is a problem in that a required sealing process is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is a loading / unloading apparatus which enables lifting and lowering of the upper chamber lifting and loading / unloading apparatus of the substrate adjoiner by one lifting means. And a substrate adhering device provided with the loading / unloading device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading a substrate on a stage provided in the flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus, the loading / unloading device, the flat panel display It is preferable that the substrate is lifted to the transport position without a separate driving unit by interlocking with the rising height region of the upper chamber provided in the lower region of the device manufacturing apparatus and opened when the substrate is loaded or unloaded.

In addition, the loading / unloading device in the present invention, the substrate is provided with a plurality on the lower stage so that the substrate is seated, the substrate contact for supporting the substrate by point contact or line contact; A plate-shaped frame provided in a lower region of the substrate contact portion and having a central portion formed therethrough so as to have a penetrating area larger than that of the lower stage; One end is fixed to each of the corners of the frame and the other end is fixed to the other end is provided with a wire (wire) wound around the inside (lift) is provided in the upper chamber; The ends of the wires, which are fixed to the corner areas and are elastically retracted from the lifts, are fixed to the corner areas of the frame, respectively. It is preferable because no means are required.

In addition, in the present invention, the substrate contact portion is provided with at least one of a string or a lift pin, so that the string is parallel to the above-described frame, so that the substrate is supported by the string or by the lower stage. It is preferable because the substrate is supported by the point support by the lift pins that ooze at

In addition, in the corner region of the frame according to the present invention, a lower end is fixed between the lower chamber and the lower stage, the guide shaft is further provided in the vertical direction along the outer circumferential surface of which the inside is hollow and is provided in the vertical direction is further provided. In this case, since the frame provided with the substrate contact portion is moved up and down along the guide shaft, the frame is guided to allow vertical reciprocating movement.

In addition, the guide shaft in the present invention, the upper end is fixed to the upper end of the guide shaft circumferential surface and the lower end is fixed to the upper surface of the frame opposite to it is provided with an intervening further elastic member for returning the frame position by the restoring force, The raised loading / unloading device is preferable because it can be returned to its original position by its own weight and can be implemented by the restoring force of the elastic member interposed on the upper end of the guide shaft and the upper region of the frame.

In addition, the elevating unit in the present invention is a reel device, and the wire position wound therein is returned by the restoring force, so that the wire is relaxed when the upper chamber and the lower chamber are in contact with each other, and the relaxed wire is It is preferable because the restoring force is prevented from returning inside the lifting unit to interfere with driving of other components.

In addition, the wire provided in the elevating unit in the present invention is capable of adjusting the length of the draw, it is possible to withdraw within the appropriate length, and if the length exceeds the drawout is stopped, it is possible to adjust the draw length of the above-described wire As a result, the maximum lifting height of the substrate contact portion can be adjusted. When the upper chamber is raised to the proper height for the first time, the relaxed wire is slowly tensioned. When the tension of the relaxed wire is completed, the drawing is stopped and the wire is pulled out. It is preferable because the fixed frame is interlocked.

Further, the string in the present invention is preferably fixed to the frame by a string fixture, and by adjusting the stretching force of the string, the substrate is held in a horizontal state by equally adjusting the stretching force of the individually fixed strings in a constant state. Do.

Further, the string in the present invention is preferably formed of a metal material or a synthetic resin material, and is preferably coated on the surface thereof to prevent scratching of the substrate to be seated.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a loading / unloading device of the present invention and a substrate adhering device provided with the loading / unloading device are described as follows.

A loading / unloading device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and a substrate adhering device provided with the loading / unloading device include upper and lower bases 112 and 110 as shown in FIG. 2; Upper and lower chambers 114 and 116; Upper and lower stages 118 and 120; Lifting means 132; Alignment means 136; It consists of a loading / unloading device 150.

Here, the above-described upper and lower bases 112 and 110, upper and lower chambers 114 and 116, upper stage 118 and the alignment means 136 has the same structure and function as that of the prior art, so the detailed description will be made. Omit.

In addition, unlike the integrated electrostatic chuck 126 of the upper stage 118, the electrostatic chuck 128 provided in the upper region of the lower stage 120 is partitioned so as to have the same area spaced at an appropriate interval every front, left, and right. It is provided in a plurality of rectangular shapes which are divided in a line.

The loading / unloading apparatus 150 described above includes the frame 152, the guide shaft 154, the elastic member 156, and the lifting unit 160 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. ), A string fixture 162, and a substrate contact portion 164, and are provided between the upper and lower chambers 114 and 116 and the upper and lower stages 118 and 120.

The above-described frame 152 functions to move up and down along the guide shaft 154, which forms a hole in the corner region of each guide shaft 154 and inserts and guides it through the hole. The central portion is penetrated to be smaller than the inner area of 116 and larger than the outer area of lower stage 120.

The above-described guide shaft 154 has a hollow inside with a stepped shape in which both end diameters are enlarged, and a lower end of the guide shaft 154 is an upper portion of the upper base 112, which is a corner region of the bottom surface of the space between the lower chamber 116 and the lower stage 120. It is provided to be upright in the area.

The elastic member 156 is a compression spring, the upper end is fixed to the upper end of the peripheral area of the guide shaft 154 and the lower end is fixed to the upper area of the frame 152 located on a vertical line.

The elastic member 156 provides a restoring force when the frame 152 lifting and lowering along each guide shaft 154 is raised and returned.

The elevating unit 160 is a reel device, and a wire 158 is formed inside a cord reel provided in a plug to apply power to a conventional vacuum cleaner and electronic products. It is provided in a wound state, and when the wire 158 is pulled and released, it returns to its original position by the restoring force.

The lifting unit 160 is provided in a state of being fixed to the ceiling of the upper chamber 114, which is perpendicular to the center line of each guide shaft 154, respectively.

Here, the tip of the wire 158 that emerges from the inside of the elevating unit 160 is fixed to the frame 152 exposed inside the guide shaft 154.

In addition, the length of the wire 158 described above may be adjusted so that the lifting height of the loading / unloading device 150 is increased or decreased. That is, the wire 158 provided in the elevating part 160 may adjust the length of the drawout, and the draw length may be adjusted to an appropriate length, and if the length exceeds the length, the total length may be adjusted or a separate stopper may be stopped. The drawing length is limited by (not shown in the drawing).

The string fixtures 162 described above are provided in a plurality in a straight line on the frame 152 facing each other in a block shape, and the tension of each substrate contact portion 164 can be adjusted by adjusting the extension force of the string that is the substrate contact portion 164 described above. If the state is identified, the substrate S may be seated in a horizontal state, and if the substrate S is seated in an inclined state, the problem may be solved by adjusting the stretching force of any of the substrate contact portions 164.

Here, the substrate contact portion 164 described above is provided as a string or a lift pin. In the present embodiment, the substrate contact portion 164 is illustrated as a string and when the substrate contact portion 164 is a lift pin, the thickness direction of the lower stage 120 is shown. The substrate S is formed by penetrating a hole through which the lift pin is to be recessed and point-supported on the upper surface of the lift pin that is lifted up and down through the hole.

The substrate contact portion 164 is fixed to both ends of the string fixture 162 facing each other, and is coated on the surface to prevent the substrate (S) formed of a metal material or synthetic resin material and to be scratched and damaged on the upper surface do. On the other hand, the above-described substrate contact portion 164 may be provided in plurality in accordance with the large area of the substrate (S).

Here, the maximum lifting height of the substrate contact portion 164 described above is the same as the transport height of the substrate S.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the upper surface of the lower chamber 116 is recognized as a reference point by the lifting height of the upper chamber 114 lifting up and down from the lower chamber 116 (a), the substrate S When the above-mentioned upper chamber 116 ascends at the maximum conveyance height, the string 164 of the loading / unloading device 150 is raised and lowered accordingly, and (b) is a wire provided in the reel 160 described above. 158 is the maximum extension position of (158), and (c) is the height at which the upper chamber 114, as described above, can be lifted up and down by the lifting means 132, when the upper chamber 114 is positioned at this height. It becomes the conveyance position of the board | substrate S mounted on the apparatus 150. FIG.

Therefore, the process of receiving the substrate by the loading / unloading device in the substrate bonding machine of the present invention is performed by the substrate bonding machine by an external transport robot (not shown) as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. The inner substrate S is loaded and the upper substrate S is absorbed by the electrostatic chuck 126 of the upper stage 118 as the lift pin 122 moves up and down in a vacuum state, and the lower substrate S is loaded. Is in the state (a) where the bottom surface of the upper chamber 114 reaches the position (b).

That is, when the upper chamber 114 is raised by the above-described driving of the elevating means 132 to open the upper and lower chambers 114 and 116, the wires 158 of the elevating unit 160 are suspended from the upper chamber 114. When the upper chamber 114 reaches the position (b) when it is wound up in the lifting unit 160 installed in the lifting unit 160 and is released, the substrate S is brought into the chamber by the transfer robot. The frame 152 of the unloading device 150 is not lifted by the elastic force of the elastic member 156 and only the wire 158 is released. At this time, the wire 158 described above is in a state in which the wire 158, which has been wound up to the maximum, is loosened.

Thereafter, when the above-mentioned upper chamber 114 is raised to the position (c) by driving the above-mentioned lifting means 132, the wire 158 in the maximum stretched state does not stretch any longer and the loading / unloading device 150 And the frame 152 of the robot is lifted by interlocking. As a result, the string which is the substrate contact portion 164 fixed to the frame 152 by the string fixture 162 is raised, and the substrate contact portion 164 is moved by the arm of the transfer robot. arm) and receives the board | substrate S located in the height (b), raising from the lower side.

At this time, the above-described frame 152 ascends along each guide shaft 154 to compress the elastic member 156 provided between the guide shaft 154 and the frame 152, the substrate (S) When the reception is completed, the arm of the above-mentioned transport robot is retracted and moved out of the substrate adhering machine, and the upper chamber 114 is also lowered by the driving of the elevating means 132, and the guide shaft 154 and the frame ( The frame 152 is also lowered by the restoring force of the elastic member 156 provided between the 152 and the substrate S is seated on the upper surface of the lower electrostatic chuck 128 and the wire 158 fixed to the frame 152 is It is returned to the lifting unit 160 and gradually wound up, and the upper and lower chambers 114 and 116 are sealed.

Thereafter, the upper and lower substrates S are bonded together in the above-described substrate bonding machine, and the carrying out of the substrates S is performed in reverse as described above.

Therefore, the height of the above-mentioned upper chamber 114 in the process of elevating the upper chamber 114 by the elevating means 132 when the substrate S is brought into or out of the chamber by elevating the above-described upper chamber 114. According to the region, if a proper height is provided without a separate driving means, a loading / unloading device 150 is provided to interlock so that driving means driven when receiving the substrate S is not required.

Such a loading / unloading device of the present invention and a substrate bonding device provided with the loading / unloading device are provided with a loading / unloading device for positioning the substrate at a height to convey the substrate inside the substrate bonding device, which is a flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus. The loading / unloading device secures one end of the wire having a limited length to the frame and has a lifting portion on the ceiling of the upper chamber which is returned when the force applied to the wire is extinguished so that the upper chamber is lifted by the lifting means by an appropriate height. If the wire is further raised in the state of maximum tension, the loading / unloading device is raised and received to the position to receive the substrate, so that a driving device for reaching the substrate to the conveying position is not required, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and having a simple structure.

Claims (18)

A loading / unloading apparatus for loading / unloading a substrate on a stage provided inside a flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus, The loading / unloading device, A loading / unloading apparatus, which is provided in a lower region of the flat panel display device manufacturing apparatus and moves up and down the substrate to a transport position without a separate driving unit by interlocking with a rising height region of the upper chamber opened when the substrate is loaded or unloaded. . The method of claim 1, wherein the loading / unloading device, A substrate contact portion provided on the lower stage so that the substrate is seated and supporting the substrate by point contact or line contact; A plate-shaped frame provided in a lower region of the substrate contact portion and having a central portion formed therethrough so as to have a penetrating area larger than that of the lower stage; One end is fixed to each of the resilient edge of the frame is fixed and the other end is provided with a wire (wire) of the wound state inside the lifting portion is fixed to the upper chamber; loading / unloading Device. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate contact portion, A loading / unloading device, characterized in that it is provided with at least one of a string or a lift pin. The method of claim 3, wherein the corner region of the frame, A lower end is fixed between the lower chamber and the lower stage, the inside of the hollow is formed and the guide shaft for lifting the frame in the vertical direction along the outer peripheral surface provided in the vertical direction is further provided. The method of claim 4, wherein the guide shaft, The upper end is fixed to the upper end of the guide shaft circumferential surface and the lower end is fixed to the upper surface of the frame opposite to the loading / unloading device, characterized in that the elastic member for returning the frame position by the restoring force is further provided. The method of claim 5, wherein the lifting unit, A reel device, wherein the wire position wound therein is returned by a restoring force. The method of claim 6, The wire provided in the elevating unit is capable of adjusting the withdrawal length, it is possible to withdraw within the appropriate length, the loading / unloading apparatus, characterized in that the withdrawal is stopped. The method of claim 7, wherein the string is, Both ends are fixed to the frame by a string fixture, the loading / unloading device, characterized in that for adjusting the stretching force of the string. The method of claim 8, wherein the string, A loading / unloading device, which is formed of a metal material or a synthetic resin material, and is coated on a surface of the substrate to prevent scratching of the substrate. In the substrate adhering apparatus, which is a flat panel display manufacturing equipment having upper and lower chambers in which a substrate is adsorbed onto a stage and a bonding operation is performed, Upper and lower stages in the upper and lower regions of the upper and lower chambers, respectively; A loading / unloading device which is provided in an area between the lower chamber and the lower stage and moves up and down the substrate to a transport position without a separate driving unit by interworking according to an elevated height region of the upper chamber opened when the substrate is loaded or unloaded. A substrate adhering machine, characterized in that provided. The method of claim 10, wherein the loading / unloading device, A substrate contact portion provided on the lower stage so that the substrate can be seated thereon and supporting the substrate by point contact or line contact; A plate-shaped frame provided in a lower region of the substrate contact portion and having a central portion formed therethrough so as to have a penetrating area larger than that of the lower stage; One end is fixed to each of the resilient edge of the frame is fixed and the other end is provided with a wire (wire) of the wound state inside the lifting portion is fixed to the upper chamber; loading / unloading Device. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate contact portion, A loading / unloading device, characterized in that it is provided with at least one of a string or a lift pin. The method of claim 12, wherein the corner region of the frame, A lower end is fixed between the lower chamber and the lower stage, the inside of the hollow is formed and the guide shaft for lifting the frame in the vertical direction along the outer peripheral surface provided in the vertical direction is further provided. The method of claim 13, wherein the guide shaft, The upper end is fixed to the upper end of the guide shaft circumferential surface and the lower end is fixed to the upper surface of the frame opposite to the loading / unloading device, characterized in that the elastic member for returning the frame position by the restoring force is further provided. The method of claim 14, wherein the lifting unit, A reel device, wherein the wire position wound therein is returned by a restoring force. The method of claim 15, The wire provided in the elevating unit is capable of adjusting the withdrawal length, it is possible to withdraw within the appropriate length, the loading / unloading apparatus, characterized in that the withdrawal is stopped. The method of claim 16, wherein the string, Both ends are fixed to the frame by a string fixture, the loading / unloading device, characterized in that for adjusting the stretching force of the string. The method of claim 17, wherein the string, A loading / unloading device, which is formed of a metal material or a synthetic resin material, and is coated on a surface of the substrate to prevent scratching of the substrate.

Images