KR101210939B1 - Substrate Transfering Apparatus and FPD Automatic Optical Inspection Using Same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus capable of transferring a large area substrate in a horizontal direction and an inspection apparatus using the same. The present invention provides a substrate transfer apparatus for stable transfer by controlling only the motor at one end by deviating from the existing system for synchronously controlling the motor for supporting and transporting it at both side ends of the substrate. As described above, the present invention has the effect of effectively and stably transferring the flat panel display panel and controlling only the motor at one end, thereby eliminating the control anxiety generated during cost reduction and synchronous control. In addition, there is an effect that can simultaneously exhibit the secondary effect, such as maintenance of the equipment and prevention of damage to the panel.

Inspection device, clamp, inspection part, substrate transfer device, roller device

Description

Substrate Transfering Apparatus and FPD Automatic Optical Inspection Using Same}

1 schematically shows a general inspection equipment.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp device.

3 schematically shows an inspection equipment according to the invention.

4 is a plan view showing the state of aligning the substrate.

5 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate transfer unit according to the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view showing a roller device according to the present invention.

7 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the roller device.

8A to 8C are cross-sectional views illustrating a process in which a substrate is seated on a transfer device.

              <Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawings>

10, 110: transfer table 12, 112a, 112b: transfer robot

14, 114a, 114b: robot arm 20, 120: substrate

22: upper jaw 24, 124: clamp

26, 126: substrate support 28: lower jaw

30: gap adjustment part 32, 132: nozzle

34, 134: inspection section 36, 136: path section

38, 138: linear rail 142: inspection device

144: Aligner 146: substrate device

148: roller device 150: roller

152: roller support

The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate transfer apparatus capable of high-speed transfer of a large area substrate in a horizontal direction, and an inspection apparatus using the same.

In general, a flat panel display (FPD) is an interface between an electronic device and a person. The flat panel display (FPD) converts electrical information output from various electronic devices into optical information signals, so that humans can recognize numbers, letters, A device that displays patterned information such as figures and images. In particular, its thickness is only a few centimeters and only a few millimeters, so it is easy to design light weight and thin, and it has advantages such as high quality and low power consumption.It can be used for liquid crystal display (LCD, Liqiud Crystal Display) or plasma display (PDP, Plasma Display). It is released in various display devices such as Panel.

In the display device, scratches or various stains may be formed on the substrate in a manufacturing process. A display substrate inspection apparatus is used for the purpose of reducing scratch rate by inspecting scratches or various stains. For example, the FPD Automatic Optical Inspection captures an image of an inspection object using an optical lens and a CCD camera while guiding display substrates such as TFT LCD and PDP, color filters, etc., and then applies a vision image processing algorithm to the user. This equipment detects various defects to find. In order to perform a role as an inspection system, such inspection equipment can perform a repair process to accurately locate and size the detected defect and to find and restore the detected defect. In addition, inspection equipment checks the surface of the substrate for defects while moving the large-area substrate at high speed in the horizontal direction. The following substrate transfer apparatus is used for such a substrate transfer operation.

FIG. 1 shows a general inspection equipment, and FIG. 2 shows in cross section a clamp device for fixing a substrate to a transfer device used for such inspection equipment.

Referring to the drawings, the inspection equipment includes a transfer table, a transfer robot, a substrate transfer portion, a substrate support portion, and an inspection portion.

The conveying table 10 extends in the longitudinal direction in which the substrate is conveyed, and serves to guide the substrate 20 and the conveying apparatus 24. The path part 36 is provided in the horizontal direction side surface perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance table 10. The board | substrate conveying apparatus 24 is provided in the path part 36 and guides the movement of the board | substrate 20 to a conveyance direction. That is, the linear rail 38 is provided in the path part 36 to guide the substrate transfer apparatus 24.

The transfer robot 12 is provided in the inlet 16 and the outlet 18 side of the transfer table 10, respectively. The transfer robot 12 takes the uninspected substrate 20 out of the substrate stocker (not shown) and carries it in and out of the transfer table 10 while rotating, moving forward, and retracting by the articulated arm 14.

The substrate transfer part is a component that moves both sides of the substrate 20 and moves it horizontally.

The substrate transfer part is provided with a clamp 24 which is a substrate fixing means for fixing one side of the substrate 20 by using a magnetic force or a mechanical force, and further includes a clamp transfer part for moving the clamp 24 in the substrate transfer direction. Include. A plurality of the clamps 24 are provided in the paths 36 on both sides of the conveyance table 10, respectively. The clamp transfer part includes a linear motor (not shown) or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the clamp 24 is composed of upper and lower jaws 22 and 28, a gap adjusting part 30, and a horizontal moving part 32.

The upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 are provided to be spaced apart by a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, and any one of them is configured to move in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the substrate 20 is fixed by being bitten in a state where one side of the substrate 20 in the transverse direction is sandwiched therebetween.

The gap adjusting unit 30 is formed on the lower surface of the lower jaw 28, and serves to move any one of the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 in the vertical direction. The gap adjusting unit 30 extends the gap between the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 while the substrate 20 is loaded or unloaded, and fixes the substrate 20 after the loading of the substrate 20 is completed. The gap is reduced so that the substrate 20 is in contact with the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28.

The horizontal moving part 32 is a component for horizontally moving the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 in the substrate direction or the opposite direction. The gap between the clamps 24 on both sides needs to be changed according to the size of the substrate 20 to cope with this situation.

The substrate support part 26 which provides the intermediate part of the board | substrate 20 to the predetermined height from the conveyance table 10 so that the surface of the board | substrate 20 may not be damaged during the conveyance process of the board | substrate 20 is provided. The substrate support 26 includes a plurality of nozzles 32 having a fine diameter formed on the upper surface of the conveying table, and sprays gas upward through the nozzles 32 to raise the substrate 20 to a predetermined height. To support.

The inspection unit 34 is provided on the upper portion of the conveyance table 10, and serves to inspect the abnormality of the substrate 20 transferred from the clamp 24.

As described above, a clamp is used to fix the transverse side end of the panel with a clamp in order to transport the flat panel display panel, and to simultaneously control the transfer of both ends of the substrate. However, there is a control anxiety factor to move both ends of the substrate at the same time, and when moving the substrate using a linear motor, these motors have been very burdensome in terms of cost as well as a control factor that must be controlled synchronously. . In addition, if the synchronous control is destroyed during the transfer of the panels, interruption of the work line results in a loss of productivity of the entire line since the production line must be shut down with serious damage to the panels. In addition, even though the synchronous control is successful, it is difficult to continuously check and repair it. In addition, the synchronous control system is expensive compared to other control systems and must be supported by a high level of technical skills, so the cost of initial installation and equipment operation cannot be ignored. As the size of the panel increases, the distance between the two axes that move the panel and the operating distance of the panel become longer. Therefore, due to the characteristics of the panel production line requiring precise control of several micro units, the repeated operation and positioning of the panel conveying device is required. It is becoming more difficult to ensure degrees and parallelism between two axes.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of achieving an efficient and stable transfer of a substrate such as a flat panel display panel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus that can reduce the equipment cost and maintenance costs by simplifying the apparatus used for transferring the substrate.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in the substrate transfer apparatus, a substrate for lifting the substrate to space the substrate to a certain height and a substrate provided on one side of the transfer stage to hold one end of the substrate to transfer the substrate And a sliding part provided on the other side of the conveying stage. The sliding portion includes a roller device having a roller and a roller support. The roller apparatus is provided in plural in the conveyance direction of a conveyance stage, and the roller is supported by the rolling bearing. In addition, the roller support is composed of a first support and a second support so that the first support is installed to be movable in the direction of the substrate relative to the second support. A pneumatic cylinder is provided between the first support and the second support to move the first support. A belt may be wound around the plurality of roller devices.

3 is a plan view showing a substrate transfer apparatus and an inspection device equipped with the same according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the inspection equipment includes a transfer table, a transfer robot, a substrate transfer portion, a substrate support portion, an inspection portion, and an alignment portion.

The conveyance table 10 is comprised from the conveyance stage 200 and the path part 136. The conveyance stage 200 extends in the longitudinal direction, which is the substrate conveying direction in which the substrate is conveyed, and mounts the loaded substrate 120. The width of the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is the width of the substrate 120. It may be formed slightly shorter. It also serves to guide the loaded substrate 120 in the transport direction. The path part 136 of the conveying apparatus is provided in the horizontal direction one side of the conveyance stage 200, respectively. The path part 136 is extended in the longitudinal direction like the conveyance stage 200, and the width | variety of the lateral direction is shorter than the conveyance stage 200. FIG.

As for the transfer robot 112, the 1st transfer robot 112a and the 2nd transfer robot 112b are provided in the inlet and exit side of the transfer table 10, respectively. The first transfer robot 112a takes the uninspected substrate 120 out of the substrate stocker (not shown) and carries it into the transfer stage 200 while rotating, moving forward, and retracting by the articulated arm 114a. The transfer robot 112b takes out the inspected board | substrate 120 to the board | substrate stocker (not shown).

The inspection unit 134 is installed on the upper portion of the transfer stage 200, and includes a support 140 and an inspection device 142 attached to the support. The inspection device 142 is rotatably installed at a predetermined angle in the front-rear direction with respect to the conveying direction, so that inspection can be made to a minute portion of the substrate.

The aligning device is composed of a five-point type aligner. As shown in FIG. 4, the five-point type aligner 144 is installed at four side surfaces of the substrate 120, and is aligned in a state in which the substrate 120 is raised, thereby wounding the substrate 120. Alignment can be performed reliably without giving a back, etc., and time required for alignment can be reduced.

The substrate support 126 is located on the upper surface of the transfer stage 200. That is, the substrate supporting part 126 includes a plurality of nozzles 132 having minute diameters formed on the upper surface of the conveying stage 200, and injects gas onto the conveying stage 200 through the nozzle 132 to form a substrate. It serves to support 120 to a predetermined height.

5 is a plan view schematically showing a substrate transfer unit according to the present invention. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the roller device.

Referring to FIG. 5, the substrate transfer part 146 includes a clamp 124 that is a substrate fixing means for fixing one end of the substrate 120 and a clamp transfer part that transfers the clamp 124 in the substrate transfer direction. The clamp transfer part includes a linear motor or the like. The structural description of the clamp 124 is the same as that of the conventional invention, and therefore, reference is made to FIG. 2.

The clamp is composed of upper and lower jaws 22, 28, a gap adjusting part 30, and a horizontal moving part 32.

The upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 are provided to be spaced apart by a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, and one side of the substrate 20 is sandwiched between them to fix the substrate 120. And either one of the upper and lower jaw (22, 28) is provided to be able to move in the vertical direction.

The gap adjusting unit 30 moves one of the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 in the vertical direction. The gap adjusting unit 30 extends the gap between the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 while the substrate 120 is loaded or unloaded, and fixes the substrate 120 after the loading of the substrate 120 is completed. The gap is reduced to allow the substrate 120 to contact the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28.

The horizontal moving part 32 is a component for horizontally moving the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 described above in the direction of the substrate 20 or the opposite direction. The distance between the substrate holding means on both sides needs to be changed according to the size of the substrate 20 to cope with this situation. Furthermore, in order to prevent the interference with the substrate 20 in the process of loading and unloading the substrate 20, the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28 are positioned backwards, and after the substrate 20 is loaded, the substrate 20 It also serves to fix the substrate 20 by advancing in the) direction. That is, the horizontal moving part 32 is moved in the direction of the substrate to fix the substrate using the clamp 124, and then the clamp 124 is moved in the transport direction, and even after the inspection is completed, the horizontal moving part 32 is opposite to the substrate. The substrate 20 hatched in the clamp 124 while moving in the direction is unloaded.

In order to move the clamp 124, the path portion 136 is provided with a linear rail 138, which allows the clamp 124 to be moved in the conveying direction by a linear motor (not shown) or the like.

At the other end of the conveying stage 200, which is the position opposite to the clamp 124, a slide part, that is, a roller device 148, is installed to seat the substrate 120 and guide its movement. As shown in FIG. 6, the roller device 148 includes a roller 150 and a roller support 152 supporting the roller. The roller apparatus 148 is provided in plurality in the other path part 136 of the path part 136 provided in the transverse both sides of the conveyance stage 200. FIG. The roller 150 is free to rotate freely in the conveying direction of the substrate, and uses a rolling bearing or the like to reduce friction during rotation. The roller support 152 is comprised by the 1st support 152a and the 2nd support 152b. The roller support 152 is installed in the path portion 136 and the second support 152b is equipped with a pneumatic cylinder or the like so as to be movable to the first support 152a. According to the size of the substrate 120, the first support 152a is movable in the substrate direction of the transfer stage 200.

7 is an example of a deformation roller device in the substrate transfer device according to the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, a belt may be mounted on the rollers so that the plurality of rollers 150 may be interlocked with each other and the contact area with the substrate may be increased. The belt may be one as shown in the figure, and may be equipped with a plurality of belts.

The following describes the operation of the substrate inspection equipment to which the substrate transfer apparatus of the above-described configuration is applied. Referring to FIG. 3, after the transfer robot 112a removes the substrate from the substrate stocker (not shown), the substrate 120 is brought to the transfer table 110 entrance. When the board | substrate 120 is loaded in the conveyance table 110, the board | substrate support part 126 in which the several nozzle 132 which has a minute diameter is formed raises the board | substrate 120 through this nozzle 132 at predetermined intervals. The clamp 124 is then located at one end of the substrate 120. The clamp 124 moves in the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction to clamp the substrate 120 between the upper and lower jaws 22 and 28, and fixes the substrate 120. In addition, the roller device 148 on the opposite side of the clamp 124 is positioned adjacent thereto at the same height as the other end of the substrate 120, as shown in FIG. 8A, depending on the size of the substrate 120. At this time, the clamp 124 is slightly raised to prevent the roller device 148 from interfering, and then moves toward the roller device 148 to position the substrate 120 on the roller device 148. The clamp 124 is lowered to seat the substrate 120 on the upper surface of the roller device 148 safely. After the substrate 120 is seated, the substrate 120 is aligned using a 5-point aligner provided in the path portion and the transfer stages 136 and 200.

When the substrate 120 is stably aligned and seated by the substrate transfer unit, the clamp 124 starts to move in the transfer direction, and the roller 150 of the roller device 148 freely moves in the direction in which the substrate 120 moves. Start to rotate When the substrate 120 reaches the inspection unit 134, the substrate 120 moves at a constant speed and is inspected. Pattern inspection, defect inspection, etc. of the board | substrate 120 are performed using the inspection apparatus 142, such as an optical lens and a CCD camera. After the inspection, the substrate 120 moves to the exit of the transfer stage 200 by the substrate transfer unit, and the transport robot 112b for carrying out raises the hand arm 114b and rotates and advances the hand arm 114b. And retracted, the inspected substrate 120 is taken out of the transfer stage 200 and stored in a substrate stocker (not shown). After the transfer of the substrate 120, the clamp 124 starts to move in the reverse direction of the conveyance direction and is placed in its original position to complete the process.

As described above, the substrate transfer unit of the substrate inspection equipment according to the present invention transfers the substrate in a state in which only one end of the substrate is held, thereby effectively and stably transferring the flat panel display panel.

In addition, there is an effect of eliminating the control anxiety generated during cost reduction and synchronous control by controlling the motor located only on one side of the conveying stage by deviating from the existing system for synchronous control of the motor located on the opposite side of the conveying stage. .

Moreover, side effects such as maintenance of equipment and prevention of panel damage can be simultaneously exhibited.

Claims (8)

In the substrate transfer apparatus, A conveying stage which floats the substrate to space the substrate at a predetermined height, A clamp installed at one side of the transfer stage and holding one end of the substrate to move the substrate in a transfer direction; It includes a slide having a roller device provided on the other side of the conveying stage, The sliding support has a roller support having a first support provided to be movable in the direction of the substrate Substrate transfer apparatus comprising a. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion includes a roller supported by the roller support and rotating in a conveying direction of the substrate. The substrate conveyance apparatus of Claim 2 in which the said roller apparatus is provided in plurality in the conveyance direction of a conveyance stage. The substrate conveying apparatus of Claim 2 or 3 whose roller of the said roller apparatus is supported by the rolling bearing. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 2, wherein the roller support comprises a second support connected to the first support. The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 5, wherein a pneumatic cylinder is provided between the first support and the second support to move the first support. A substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a belt is wound around said plurality of roller apparatuses. An inspection equipment comprising the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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