KR101162517B1 - Walking beam type transportation device - Google Patents

Abstract

assignment

The present invention provides a walking beam type conveying apparatus that is hard to fall off from a beam even when cracking occurs in the object to be conveyed.

Solution

According to the walking beam type conveying apparatus, the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the fixed beam 30 and the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the movable beam 34 overlap each other in the conveying direction A. Since the support range by the fixed beam 30 adjacent to the bottom surface of the board | substrate 16 and the support range by the movable beam 34 overlap each other in a conveyance direction, the board | substrate divided into two by the crack etc. Even if it is (16), it is conveyed as it is preferably.

Description

Walking Beam Transport Device {WALKING BEAM TYPE TRANSPORTATION DEVICE}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is sectional drawing seen from the front which shows the heat processing apparatus provided with the walking beam type conveying apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a heat treatment apparatus for illustrating the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a state in which a substrate is supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a substrate is supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a substrate is supported by the walking beam type conveying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a heat treatment apparatus for illustrating a walking beam type conveying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a view corresponding to FIG. 2.

Explanation of the sign

10: heat treatment device

14: heating furnace

16: substrate (consignment)

18, 58: working beam type conveying device

30: fixed beam (first beam)

34: movable beam (second beam)

52: horizontal support shaft (horizontal support member)

60: fixed beam

64: movable beam

66: horizontal support member

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-18122

The present invention relates to a walking beam type conveying apparatus for conveying thin substrates such as semiconductor substrates and glass substrates.

In order to perform a predetermined | prescribed process to thin board | substrates, such as a semiconductor substrate and a glass substrate, the elongate 1st beam and the 2nd beam by which the relative movement of a longitudinal direction and the relative movement of an up-down direction are alternately provided are provided, The working beam type conveying apparatus for conveying a to-be-carried object by the exchange between the 1st beam and the 2nd beam is known. For example, the heat treatment apparatus provided with the walking beam type conveying apparatus for conveying using a walking beam in the heat processing furnace which heat-processes a board | substrate is it.

However, according to the above-mentioned walking beam type conveying apparatus, during conveyance while being alternately supported by the 1st beam and the 2nd beam, a crack may generate | occur | produce in a board | substrate for some reason, such as a thermal shock and a vibration, and may divide into several pieces. When a plurality of substrates are broken in this manner, the substrate cannot be supported by the first beam and the second beam, so that the substrate is dropped and subsequently the substrate conveyed gradually collides with it and is deposited.

On the other hand, in addition to the plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate only, a walking beam type conveying apparatus in which a plurality of sub support pins lower than the plurality of support pins are formed on the beam, and the substrate is broken, the support beams are also supported by the sub support pins. Proposed. For example, the walking beam for substrate conveyance described in patent document 1 is that. According to this, even if a crack occurs in a board | substrate, since a broken board | substrate can be conveyed continuously, the board | substrate conveyed later to a broken board | substrate collides and deposits.

By the way, according to the said conventional walking beam type conveying apparatus, since the support area by the 1st beam adjacent to each other and the support area by the 2nd beam are mutually different with respect to the back surface of a board | substrate, the divided board | substrate especially from a 1st beam. There was a case of dropping when sending and receiving with the second beam, and it was difficult to obtain a sufficient effect yet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in the light of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a walking beam type conveying apparatus that is hard to fall off from a beam even if a crack occurs in the object to be conveyed.

Means for solving the problem

 The present inventors have made various studies on the basis of the above circumstances, and as a result, if the support range by the 1st beam and the support beam by the 2nd beam which adjoin each other with respect to the bottom surface of a to-be-carried object overlap, it will be broken or the like. Even in the case of a conveyed object divided into a plurality of pieces, it has been found that the conveyed substance is preferably conveyed as it is. This invention is made | formed based on such knowledge.

That is, the summary of the invention which concerns on Claim 1 for achieving the said objective is (a) the elongate 1st beam parallel to each other in which the relative movement of a conveyance direction and the relative movement of an up-down direction alternately are performed, and And a second beam and a plurality of elongated horizontal support members each protruding from the first beam and the second beam in a horizontal direction to each other to alternately support the bottom surface of the object to be conveyed, wherein the first beam The distal end portion of the elongated horizontal support member formed on the second beam and the distal end portion of the elongated horizontal support member formed on the second beam have dimensions of directions crossing in the conveying direction overlap each other in the conveying direction, and the first beam Working beam type conveying apparatus of a heating furnace for conveying through a tunnel-shaped heating furnace which has a heating body for radiant heating of the conveyed object by sending and receiving between and a 2nd beam. (B) the elongated horizontal support member formed in the first beam is inclined to intersect at a predetermined angle smaller than the right angle with respect to the first beam, and the elongated horizontal support member formed in the second beam is formed in the second beam. It is characterized by making it incline so that it may cross | intersect at a predetermined angle smaller than a right angle with respect to 2 beams.

Moreover, what is the summary of this invention which concerns on Claim 2 passes through the inside of the tunnel-shaped heating furnace which has a heating body for radiant heating of the said to-be-carried object, and conveys the to-be-contained object.

Carrying out the invention  Best form for

Here, Preferably, the said to-be-carried object is a thin plate-shaped board | substrate, such as a solar cell, a semiconductor wafer for solar cells, and a glass substrate for LCDs or PDPs.

Preferably, the horizontal support members are arranged at intervals shorter than one half of the dimensions in the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed. In this case, since it is supported by a plurality of horizontal support members in each of the support state by the first beam and the support state by the second beam in the conveying direction, even if the substrate is relatively fragile and fragile, conveyance is preferably performed. It becomes possible. For example, even if a crack occurs in a conveyed object, it is conveyed preferably.

Preferably, the horizontal support member is a solid or hollow elongated rod having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and is preferably made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a transported object such as porous ceramics. This makes the temperature distribution in the object to be conveyed more uniform.

Preferably, the horizontal support member does not necessarily have to be orthogonal to the conveying direction, and may not necessarily have a rod shape but may have a small diameter toward the tip.

Preferably, the horizontal support member is preferably provided with a plurality of small protrusions projecting upward, and supports the object to be conveyed through the small protrusions. Thereby, temperature distribution in a to-be-carried object becomes more uniform.

Preferably, the first beam and / or the second beam supports the horizontal support member via a vertical support shaft protruding in the vertical direction from the first beam and the second beam. In this case, since the vertical support shaft supports the horizontal support member through the furnace wall for heat treatment, the temperature distribution in the object to be conveyed becomes more uniform.

One of the first beam and the second beam may be fixed and the other may be formed to be relatively movable in the conveying direction and the vertical direction, but both may be formed to be relatively movable in the conveying direction and the vertical direction. .

Example

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the following Example, in the range of the objective which demonstrates the specific example of this invention, drawing is simplified or changed suitably, and the dimension ratio, shape, etc. of each part are not necessarily drawn correctly.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the main parts of a heat treatment apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of main parts showing a furnace body of the heating furnace 14 and showing the inside thereof. 1 and 2, the heat treatment apparatus 10 includes a tunnel-shaped heating furnace 14 fixed to a predetermined height position by a frame (frame) 12, and the heating furnace 14. It is provided with the walking beam type conveying apparatus 18 for passing through the board | substrate 16 which is a to-be-transferred object from the inlet side of the heating furnace 14 to the outlet side one by one. The board | substrate 16 is a glass semiconductor substrate used for a large liquid crystal display device or a large plasma display device, for example, and is rectangular, for example, rectangle of about 100 cm x 120 cm. The board | substrate 16 is heat-processed by the said heat processing apparatus 10, for example, in order to bake and adhere | attach film | membrane materials, such as the electrode material paste printed on the surface and the back surface, by heat processing and to make an electrode layer.

The heating furnace 14 includes a furnace body 20 formed of a tunnel-shaped furnace wall opening at an inlet and an outlet, a partition wall 22 for dividing the inside of the heating furnace 14 into a plurality of heating chambers at regular intervals, It is provided in the furnace body 20, for example, is equipped with the heating panel 26 which radiates far-infrared rays with a wavelength of 3 micrometers-4 micrometers or more, and is conveyed sequentially between each heating chamber by the said walking beam type conveying apparatus 18. The substrate 16 is heat treated with a predetermined heat curve. The partition wall 22 is for heating the substrate 16 while maintaining the inside of the substrate 16 at a uniform temperature for each of the heating chambers, and it is necessary and sufficient to pass the substrate 16 and the beam-shaped movable beam 34 to be described later. The through hole 24 of a cross-sectional area is provided. In the case of heating in an oxidizing atmosphere, combustion exhaust of the membrane material in the heating chamber is removed by an air supply pipe and an exhaust pipe (not shown) to keep the atmosphere clean. If it is a non-oxidizing atmosphere, an inert gas such as nitrogen is used instead of the air, and if it is a reducing atmosphere, hydrogen gas is used.

The furnace body 20 and the partition wall 22 are made of a ceramic fiber board which is excellent in heat insulation and lightweight by ceramic fibers being hardened by, for example, impregnating with silica gel and molded into a block shape of a thick plate. At least the inner wall surface side of the surface of the fiber board is subjected to silica coating. For this reason, not only heat insulation can be obtained, but dust generation from a ceramic fiber board is prevented and cleanness is raised.

The working beam type conveying apparatus 18 includes a plurality of relatively thin beams each fixed in the heating chamber in the furnace body 20 in parallel or parallel to each other in the conveying direction A (in this embodiment, parallel to each other and of the same length). A second beam of elongated shape or longer, i.e., a plurality of movable beams, supported by a fixed beam 30 as four first beams and a plurality of struts 32 penetrating the furnace wall below the furnace 20; 34 and the movable beam 34 are provided with the beam drive device 36 which alternately performs the relative movement of the row length direction with respect to the fixed beam 30, and the relative movement of an up-down direction. In this embodiment, three movable beams 34 parallel to each other and longer than the furnace body 20 are disposed between the four fixed beams 30. In addition, even if the movable beam 34 is divided into a plurality in the longitudinal direction, it is not a problem if it is driven in synchronization with each other.

The beam drive device 36 is formed by a pair of horizontal rails 37 so as to be movable in the conveying direction A, and is provided with a plurality of moving tables arranged in a plurality of places in the furnace length direction below the furnace body 20 ( 38, a common reciprocating drive device 40 for reciprocating the moving table 38, and a common cam having a plurality of upper and lower cams 42 rotatably supported on each moving table 38; By the axis 44, the rotation drive device 46 arrange | positioned at one of the movement tables 38, and rotationally drive the cam shaft 44, and the up-and-down guide apparatus 48 formed in the movement table 38, It is fixed to the movable beam 34 with the up-and-down board 50 guided in the up-down direction and driven up and down by the up-and-down cam 42, and through the support | pillar 32 standing perpendicular to the up-and-down board 50. Ascending movement, forward movement, descending movement, retraction linkage for beam 30 By repeating embodiment, the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam (34) by carrying out handover between toward the exit of the heating furnace 14, the substrate 16 is sequentially conveyed in a predetermined conveying stroke. This conveyance stroke corresponds to the arrangement pitch of the said heating chamber, for example. In addition, the dashed-dotted line of FIG. 1 has shown the position where the horizontal support shaft 52 fixed to the movable beam 34 was lowered.

A plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 are fixed to each of the fixed beams 30 and the movable beams 34 at regular intervals that cross at right angles to the conveying direction A and are parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. Since the arrangement | positioning space | interval of this support shaft 52 is set to 1/8 with respect to the dimension B of the conveyance direction A of the board | substrate 16, in the support state by the fixed beam 30, and the movable beam 34, Is supported by eight and nine horizontal support shafts 52, respectively. When the arrangement | positioning interval of this support shaft 52 is set to 1/2 or less with respect to the said dimension B, an effect can be acquired once. In addition, the arrangement pitch of this support shaft 52 does not necessarily need to be constant. The horizontal support shaft 52 is, for example, a solid or hollow rod having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the substrate 16 such as porous ceramics.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in this embodiment, among the four fixed beams 30, the support shaft 52 fixed to the pair of fixed beams 30 located on the inner side is positioned outside. The length dimension is larger than that of the support shaft 52 fixed to the pair of fixed beams 30. In addition, the support shaft 52 fixed to the one movable beam 34 located inside of the three movable beams 34 is the support shaft 52 fixed to the pair of movable beams 34 located outside. The length dimension is larger than). And the tip part of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the said fixed beam 30, and the tip part of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the movable beam 34 overlap each other in the direction orthogonal to the said conveyance direction A, The length of the horizontal support shaft 52 is set. 2, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, and d6 overlap the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the fixed beam 30 and the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the movable beam 34. The dimensions are shown respectively. Just before the horizontal support shaft 52 faces from one side of the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 to the other so that their overlapping dimensions d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6 become as large as possible. It protrudes to the position. These support shafts 52 function as a support member for supporting the substrate 16.

In the walking beam type conveying apparatus 18 comprised as mentioned above, the board | substrate 16 is supported by the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the fixed beam 30, and the board | substrate 16 moves as shown in FIG. The board | substrate 16 is conveyed by carrying out the state supported by the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the beam 34 alternately. Here, the front end portion of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the fixed beam 30 and the front end portion of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed in the movable beam 34 are configured to overlap each other with respect to the predetermined substrate 16. A support area (area comprising a plurality of contact points with the horizontal support shaft 52) supported by the plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 of the fixed beam 30 and a plurality of horizontal supports of the movable beam 34. Since the support areas supported by the shaft 52 overlap each other, even if the board | substrate 16 is divided | segmented and separated in the process of conveyance, it is conveyed as it is as a whole.

As described above, according to the walking beam type conveying apparatus of the heat treatment apparatus 10 of this embodiment, it is formed in the fixed beam (first beam) 30 and the movable beam (second beam) 34, respectively, and conveys. A plurality of horizontal support shafts 52 for supporting the bottom surface of the substrate (carried object) 16 that are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the direction A, and formed in the fixed beam 30 The tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 and the tip of the horizontal support shaft 52 formed on the movable beam 34 overlap each other with respect to the bottom surface of the substrate 16 at the point of overlapping each other in the conveying direction A. Since the support range by the fixed beam 30 and the support range by the movable beam 34 overlap each other in a conveyance direction, even if it is the board | substrate 16 divided into two by the crack etc., it conveys as it is. Therefore, even if a crack occurs in the substrate 16 and is divided into a plurality, the subsequent substrate 16 does not collide with it and is deposited, and the defective rate decreases, and the operation rate of the processing equipment of the substrate 16 increases.

In addition, according to the working beam type conveying apparatus 18 of the present embodiment, the substrate 16 passes through the inside of the tunnel-shaped heating furnace 14 having the heating panel (heating body) 26 for radiant heating of the substrate 16. In order to convey 16, even if a crack generate | occur | produces and the board | substrate 16 divides in the heating furnace 14, the subsequent board | substrate 16 will not collide with it and accumulate, and the defective rate will fall, The operation rate of the heating furnace 14 which is a facility for heat-processing the board | substrate 16 becomes high.

In addition, in the present Example, since the horizontal support shaft 52 is arrange | positioned at intervals shorter than half of the dimension of the conveyance direction of the board | substrate 16, in the conveyance direction A, the fixed beam 30 In each of the support state by the ()) and the support state by the movable beam 34, it is supported by the plurality of horizontal support shafts 52, so that even if the substrate 16 is relatively fragile and fragile, it can be preferably conveyed.

In the present embodiment, the horizontal support shaft 52 is a solid or hollow rod having a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, and is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the substrate 16 such as porous ceramics. The temperature distribution of becomes more uniform.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, in the following description, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is common in the Example mentioned above, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, in the movable beam 34, the vertical support shaft 54 is attached to the movable beam 34 via the horizontal support shaft 52. That is, the movable beam 34 supports the horizontal support shaft 52 via the vertical support shaft 54 which protruded from it in the vertical direction. The vertical support shaft 54 is made of the same material as the horizontal support shaft 52. According to this embodiment, since the vertical support shaft 54 supports the horizontal support shaft 52 through the furnace body (furnace wall) 20 for heat treatment, the temperature distribution of the substrate 16 becomes more uniform. . The vertical support shaft 54 may be formed in the fixed beam 30.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the horizontal supporting shafts 52 formed on the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 are provided with a plurality of small protrusions 56 protruding upward. This small protrusion 56 is for supporting the board | substrate 16 with a small contact area as much as possible, and is comprised from the same material as the horizontal support shaft 52. As shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the horizontal support shaft 52 includes a plurality of small protrusions 56 protruding upward, and supports the substrate 16 via the small protrusions 56, so that the substrate 16 The temperature distribution in) becomes more uniform.

6 is a horizontal sectional view of a heat treatment apparatus for illustrating a walking beam type conveying apparatus 58 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the working beam type conveying device 58 of FIG. 6, the fixed beam 60 and the movable beam 64 are the same as the fixed beam 30 and the movable beam 34 described above, but the fixed beam 60 and the movable beam are movable. The shape of the horizontal support member 66 formed in the beam 64 is different from the horizontal support shaft 52 described above. That is, in the present embodiment, the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the movable beam 64 is in the shape of a plate having a rectangular cross section, and is directed in the direction opposite to the conveying direction A as it faces the movable beam 64 from both ends. It is formed so as to intersect with the movable beam 64 at an angle smaller than orthogonal to the movable beam 64, and is formed on the three movable beams 64, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A. The horizontal support members 66 of the portions overlapping each other are parallel to each other. In addition, the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the four fixed beams 60 is approximately left and right, but fixed to the fixed beam 60 so as to face the conveying direction A from both ends toward the fixed beam 60. It is formed so as to intersect at an angle smaller than the right angle with respect to the beam 60, and is parallel to the horizontal support member 66 fixed to the fixed beam 60. Moreover, in the part which protrudes outward from the pair of fixed beams 60 among the horizontal support members 66 fixed to the pair of fixed beams 60 located in the outer side of the four fixed beams 60, Branching projections 66b located on a straight line are formed with respect to the portion protruding inward from the fixed beam 60. According to this embodiment, the length of the horizontal support member 66 is longer than that of the support shaft 52 of the embodiment described above, and the branching projection 66b is formed. Since the support length of the horizontal support member 66 becomes long, even if it is the board | substrate 16 divided | segmented into two by the crack etc., it is conveyed more preferably as it is.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in detail with reference to drawings, this invention can be implemented also in another aspect, and various changes can be added in the range which does not deviate from the range and the objective.

According to the walking-beam conveying apparatus of the invention according to claim 1, each of which is formed in the first beam and the second beam, and supports the bottom surface of the conveyed object, which is parallel to each other in a horizontal direction intersecting with the conveying direction. And a plurality of elongated horizontal support members, wherein the distal end of the elongated horizontal support member formed on the first beam and the distal end of the elongated horizontal support member formed on the second beam overlap each other in the conveying direction. Since the support range by the 1st beam and the support range by the 2nd beam which mutually adjoin each other with respect to the bottom surface of a to-be-carried object overlap each other in a conveyance direction, even if it is a conveyed object divided into several by a crack etc. Preferably it is conveyed as it is. Therefore, even if a crack occurs in a to-be-carried object and it divides into a plurality, the following to-be-carried object will not collide with it and will be deposited, a defective rate will fall and the operation rate of the processing apparatus of a to-be-carried object will become high.

Further, according to the walking beam type conveying apparatus, since the conveyed object is conveyed through a tunnel-shaped heating furnace having a heating body for radiant heating of the conveyed object, the cracked object is not broken in the heated furnace. Even if it is generated and divided into a plurality, subsequent conveyed objects do not collide with it and are not deposited, and the defective rate decreases, and the operation rate of the heating furnace which is a facility for heat-treating the conveyed objects becomes high.

Claims (2)

Protruding in parallel to each other in the horizontal direction from the first and second beams of the elongate shape parallel to each other in which the relative movement in the conveying direction and the relative movement in the vertical direction are alternately performed; And a plurality of elongated horizontal support members for alternately supporting the bottom surface of the object to be conveyed, the front end portion of the elongated horizontal support member formed on the first beam and the elongated horizontal support member formed on the second beam. The tip portion has a tunnel shape in which dimensions in directions intersecting in the conveying direction overlap each other in the conveying direction and have a heating body for radiant heating of the conveyed object by exchanging between the first beam and the second beam. As a walking beam type conveying apparatus of a heating furnace for conveying through the inside of a heating furnace, The elongated horizontal support member formed on the first beam is inclined to intersect at a predetermined angle smaller than the right angle with respect to the first beam, and the long developing horizontal support member formed on the second beam is perpendicular to the second beam. The working beam type conveying apparatus characterized by inclining to cross at a predetermined angle smaller than. delete

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