KR101243799B1 - cassette transfer apparatus and controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cassette conveying apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a cassette conveying apparatus and a method of controlling the same, capable of smoothly conveying cassettes to respective equipment to improve equipment load ratio and increase process capacity. It is about.

To this end, the present invention has a cassette for accommodating a substrate, a port for storing or shipping the cassette, and a unit for storing the cassette or processing the substrate, and for storing or shipping the cassette from the unit. An automatic transfer apparatus, a host instructing a transfer instruction for loading or unloading the cassette, and an automatic transfer apparatus for receiving a transfer instruction from the host to load or release the cassette, wherein the port is in a transfer request state. According to the present invention, there is provided a cassette conveying apparatus including a control unit for controlling the automatic conveying apparatus to perform the receipt or release of the cassette in advance of the conveyance command of the host.

LCD, Stocker, Cassette, Transfer, Board

Description

Cassette transfer apparatus and controlling method

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of a general liquid crystal display panel

2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a general cassette conveying system;

3 is a conceptual diagram showing the flow of the overall control method of the cassette conveying apparatus;

4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where a cassette conveying apparatus and a control method according to the present invention are applied to a stocker;

5 is a conceptual view showing a specific embodiment to which the cassette transport apparatus and the control method according to the present invention is applied;

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

80: unit 100: host

200: control unit 300: automatic transfer device

500: When both ports of the unit are in the request of wearing

510: Both ports of the unit are in the factory request

520: One of the two ports of the unit is in the request to receive, the other is out of the request

The present invention relates to a cassette conveying apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a cassette conveying apparatus and a method of controlling the same, capable of smoothly conveying cassettes to respective equipment to improve equipment load ratio and increase process capacity. It is about.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms. In response to this, various flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), electro luminescent display (ELD), and vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) have been studied. It is used as a device.

Among them, LCDs, which are excellent in image quality and have advantages of light weight, thinness, and low power consumption, are currently replacing CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes) for mobile image display devices such as monitors of notebook computers. In addition to the use of the mobile display device described above, the LCD has been developed and spread in various ways such as a monitor of a television and a desktop computer for receiving and displaying broadcast signals.

Such a liquid crystal display may be classified into a liquid crystal panel displaying an image and a driving unit for applying a driving signal to the liquid crystal panel. Herein, the structure of the liquid crystal panel will be briefly described. The liquid crystal panel includes a first and second substrates 1 and 2 and a first and second substrates 1 and 2 bonded together with a space as shown in FIG. 1. , 2) and a liquid crystal layer 3 injected therebetween.

Here, the first substrate 1 (TFT array substrate) includes a plurality of gate lines 4 arranged in one direction at regular intervals and at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to the respective gate lines 4. A plurality of data lines 5, a plurality of pixel electrodes 6 formed in a matrix form in each pixel region P defined by crossing the gate lines 4 and the data lines 5, and A plurality of thin film transistors T, which are switched by signals of the gate lines 4 and transfer the signals of the data lines 5 to the pixel electrodes 6, are formed.

The second substrate 2 (color filter substrate) includes a black matrix layer 7 for blocking light in portions other than the pixel region P, and R, G, and B (Red) for expressing color colors. , Green, Blue) The color filter layer 8 and the common electrode 9 for realizing an image are formed. Of course, in the transverse electric field type liquid crystal display device, the common electrode is formed on the first substrate.

The liquid crystal display device having the above structure includes a process of manufacturing a thin film transistor array on the first substrate 1, a process of manufacturing a color filter array on the second substrate 2, and a first substrate and a second substrate ( 1, 2) bonding, the process of injecting and sealing the liquid crystal between the two bonded substrates, the process of testing and repairing each liquid crystal panel injected with liquid crystal, and the back of the good liquid crystal panel It is manufactured through a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display module by mounting a light or the like and a driving circuit.

As described above, the substrate is subjected to the various processes described above to be completed as a liquid crystal display device. By the way, in order to increase the work efficiency in the production site, as shown in Figure 2, the equipment (20a, 20b) for performing each process of the substrate 1 using an automatic guided vehicle 30 (Automatic guided vehicle) I am carrying it in the field. At this time, in order to increase the efficiency of the automatic transfer device 30 to transport the substrate 1, several substrates 1 are accommodated in one cassette (10) by the automatic transfer device 30 Is carried.

Accordingly, the automatic transfer device 30 reciprocates between the stocker 40 temporarily stored in the cassette 10 as shown in FIG. 2 and the equipment 20a and 20b performing the process. The cassette 10 is conveyed from the stocker 40 to the respective equipments 20a and 20b and from each of the equipment 20a and 20b to the stocker 40. To this end, a rail 11 is provided at the bottom of the production line to guide the automatic transfer device 30 to move along a predetermined path.

On the other hand, a series of processes for the manufacturing of such a liquid crystal display device is carried out in such a way that the host gives a transfer command and the control unit receives the transfer command to control the automatic transfer device (30).

As an example of the overall control method of the cassette conveying apparatus, as shown in FIG. 3, when the first host 50 instructs the conveying instruction, the second host 60 receives the conveying instruction, and the controller 70 controls the conveying instruction. The process of delivery is shown.

When the conveyance is performed in each unit 80 such as the stocker 40 and the equipments 20a and 20b under the control of the controller 70, the controller 70 returns the result to the second host 60. The second host 60 reports this to the first host 50 again.

In such a conventional cassette conveying apparatus, even if the conveying capacity of the automatic conveying apparatus 30 is limited, there may be a case where more conveying demand is generated than the conveying capacity of the automatic conveying apparatus 30.

For example, even though the transport capacity of the automatic transport device 30 is 70 CST / hr (CST: Cassette), the transport demand amount reaches 80 CST / hr.

By the way, since the transfer order received by the control unit 70 is prioritized according to the priority of the transfer of the cassette 10 and the order in which the transfer command is received by the control unit 70, the stocker 40 and each equipment ( In 20a and 20b), the case where the conveyance cannot be performed depends on the state of the port where the conveyance proceeds.

As such, when the transfer demand is larger than the transfer capacity of the automatic transfer device 30, a transfer delay phenomenon occurs, and the delay factor according to the state of the port overlaps therewith, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency, which is hardware It is very difficult to overcome by changing the structural structure.

The present invention has been made to overcome the problems of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to facilitate the transfer of the cassette to each equipment by software changes without hardware changes to improve the equipment load ratio, process capacity It is to provide a cassette conveying apparatus and a control method thereof that can raise the.

The cassette conveying apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object has a cassette for accommodating the substrate, a port for receiving or shipping the cassette, the unit for storing the cassette, or performs a process of processing the substrate; An automatic conveyance apparatus for receiving or releasing cassettes from the unit, a host for instructing a conveying instruction for receiving or releasing the cassette, and an automatic conveying apparatus for receiving or conveying the cassette from the host. The control unit includes a control unit for controlling the automatic transfer device to perform the receipt or release of the cassette in advance of the transfer command of the host according to the transfer request state of the port.

The control unit controls the automatic transfer device to perform the receipt of the cassette in advance of the other transfer instruction of the host when the transfer request states of the two ports of the unit are both the wear request states.

In addition, the control unit controls the automatic transport apparatus to perform the delivery of the cassette in advance of the other transport instruction of the host when the transport request status of the two ports of the unit is the shipment request status.

And, if the transfer request state of the two ports of the unit is one of the receipt request state, and the other is the release request state, the control unit has a cassette in the port of the receipt request state in preference to the other transfer command of the host The automatic transport apparatus is controlled to perform the automatic transport apparatus, and after the receipt and carrying out of the cassette, the automatic transport apparatus is controlled to perform the cassette release at the port in the shipment request state in preference to the other transport instruction of the host.

On the other hand, the control method of the cassette conveying apparatus according to the present invention includes the step of the control unit accepts a transfer command from the host, the control unit in accordance with the transfer request status of the port prior to the transfer command of the host of the cassette Controlling the automatic transfer device to perform the goods receipt or the goods issue.

In the step of controlling the automatic transfer device, when the transfer request states of the two ports of the unit are both the wear request states, the automatic transfer device is controlled to perform the receipt of the cassette in advance of the other transfer instruction of the host. .

The controlling of the automatic transporting device may include the automatic transporting device configured to perform the delivery of the cassette in advance of the other transport command of the host when the transport request state of the two ports of the unit is in the shipment request state. To control.

The controlling of the automatic transfer device may include: when the transfer request state of the two ports of the unit is one of the receipt request state and the other of the shipment request state, the receipt request state in preference to the other transfer instruction of the host. Control the automatic transfer device to perform cassette receipt at the port of the cassette; and control the automatic transfer device to perform cassette release at the port in the delivery request state in advance of another transfer instruction of the host after performing the cassette receipt. It will further comprise a step.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments disclosed herein are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where a cassette conveying apparatus and a control method according to the present invention are applied to a stocker, and FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a specific embodiment to which the cassette conveying apparatus and the control method according to the present invention are applied.

4 and 5, the cassette conveying apparatus according to the present invention has a cassette 350 for accommodating a substrate and a port 420 for loading or leaving the cassette 350, and the cassette 350 is provided. A unit for storing or carrying out the processing of the substrate (not shown), an automatic conveyance apparatus 300 for receiving or discharging the cassette 350 from the unit, and a conveyance for receiving or discharging the cassette 350. The host 100 for instructing a command, and the automatic transfer device 300 to control the automatic transfer device 300 to receive or receive the cassette 350 from the host 100 to receive the transfer command, the transfer request of the port 420 It includes a control unit 200 for controlling the automatic transfer device 300 to perform the receipt or delivery of the cassette 10 in accordance with the transfer command of the host 100 according to the state.

Here, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the stocker 400 storing the cassette 350 among the units.

Two shelves 410 are disposed in parallel in the stocker 400, and each shelf 410 has a port 420 for storing or shipping a cassette 350 to the stocker 400. It is provided.

In addition, a stacker 430 is disposed between the two shelves 410, and although not illustrated, a conveyor is provided between the port 420 and the stacker 430.

Accordingly, the cassette 350 received in the port 420 moves to the stacker 430 by a conveyor, and the stacker 430 finds a position where the cassette 350 is to be stored, and then moves the shelf 410. The cassette 350 is stored.

Then, the cassette 350 to be shipped is moved to the conveyor by the stacker 430, and the conveyor conveys the cassette 350 to the port 420.

Then, the cassette 350 conveyed to the port 420 is conveyed to the equipment 20a and 20b by the automatic transport apparatus 300.

 On the other hand, when the stocker 400 is not able to automatically receive or leave the cassette 350 due to an error of the system, the manual entry and exit port 470 that allows the operator to manually wear or leave the cassette 350. Is provided, a manual guided vehicle (Manual Guided Vehicle) (not shown) used for the manual loading and unloading of the cassette 350 is provided.

The stocker 400 having the above configuration is organically controlled by one control unit 200 as shown in FIG. 4. That is, one stocker 400 having a plurality of shelves 410 and stackers 430 is connected to one control unit 200.

In addition, the control unit 200 receives the transfer command from the host 100 and checks the state of the shelf 410, the port 420, the stacker 430 in the stocker 400, and performs the transfer command. The host 100 is notified of the change in the provision state.

Here, the transfer command of the host 100 is prioritized according to the priority of the transfer of the cassette 350 and the order in which the transfer command is received by the control unit 200.

At this time, the control unit 200 in performing the return command of the host 100, according to the return request state of the port 420 prior to the return command of the host 100, the receipt of the cassette 350 or The automatic transfer device 300 is controlled to perform the delivery.

The state of the port 420 may be a state of a receipt request (LD Request), a release request (ULD Request), and a wait (CST Process).

In this case, when the transfer request state of the two ports 420 is in the wearing request state (500), the automatic transfer device to perform the receipt of the cassette 350 in advance of the other transfer command of the host 100 Control 300.

In addition, when the transfer request state of the two ports 420 is the release request state (510), the automatic transfer device to perform the release of the cassette 350 in advance of the other transfer command of the host 100 Control 300.

If one of the two port 420 conveying request state is a wear request state and the other is a release request state (520), the return request state is given priority over other return orders of the host 100. The automatic transport apparatus 300 is controlled to perform the receipt of the cassette 350 from the port 420.

Then, after the receipt of the cassette 350, the automatic transport apparatus 300 is controlled to perform the cassette release at the port 420 in the shipment request state in advance of another transfer command of the host 100.

This is because when the automatic transfer device 300 carries the cassette 350 to the port 420 first by carrying out the transfer at the port 420 which is in the state of wearing request as described above, the cassette 350 is placed on the automatic transfer device 300. Since the () is exited, if there is a shipping request of the immediately next port 420 is carried out before other transport to minimize the moving distance of the automatic transporting device 300 and to improve the transport efficiency.

Although the above has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art to various modifications and changes to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims described below You can do it. It is therefore to be understood that the modified embodiments are included in the technical scope of the present invention if they basically include elements of the claims of the present invention.

According to the cassette conveying apparatus and the control method thereof according to the present invention described above, it is possible to smoothly convey the cassette to each piece of equipment without changing the hardware, thereby improving the equipment load ratio and increasing the processing capacity.

In addition, since the return processing time is reduced, productivity is increased, and the constraints are only overcome by programming for changing the processing priority without changing the hardware, thereby reducing the cost.

Claims (10)

A cassette containing a substrate; A unit having a port for receiving or shipping the cassette, for storing the cassette, or performing a processing step of the substrate; An automatic transport device for receiving or shipping cassettes from the unit; A host instructing a return instruction for putting in or leaving the cassette; And An automatic transport apparatus is controlled to receive a return order from the host and to receive or release the cassette, wherein the automatic transfer device prioritizes the port request status of the port over the transfer command of the host, thereby receiving or receiving the cassette. Cassette conveying apparatus comprising a control unit for controlling to perform. The method of claim 1, And the control unit controls the automatic transfer device to perform the receipt of the cassette in advance of the other transfer instruction of the host when the transfer request states of the two ports of the unit are both the wear request states. Device. The method of claim 1, And the control unit controls the automatic transfer device to perform the delivery of the cassette in advance of the other transfer command of the host when the transfer request state of the two ports of the unit is the release request state. Conveying device. The method of claim 1, The control unit performs cassette receipt at the port in the receipt request state in preference to another return instruction of the host when the return request state of the two ports of the unit is one of the receipt request state and the other is the shipment request state. And a cassette conveying apparatus for controlling the automatic conveying apparatus. 5. The method of claim 4, And the control unit controls the automatic transfer device to perform a cassette release at a port in the shipment request state in advance of another transfer instruction of the host after the cassette is received. In the control method of the said cassette conveyance apparatus of Claim 1, Accepting, by the controller, a return command from the host; And Controlling the automatic conveying apparatus by the control unit; The controlling of the automatic conveying apparatus may include controlling the automatic conveying apparatus to perform the receipt or release of the cassette by prioritizing the conveying request state of the port over the conveying instruction of the host. Control method. The method of claim 6, The controlling of the automatic transfer device may include controlling the automatic transfer device to perform receipt of the cassette in advance of another transfer command of the host when the transfer request status of the two ports of the unit is in the receipt request state. A control method of a cassette conveying apparatus, characterized in that. The method of claim 6, The controlling of the automatic transporting device may include controlling the automatic transporting device to perform the delivery of the cassette in advance of the other transport command of the host when the transport request statuses of the two ports of the unit are both outgoing request conditions. A control method of a cassette conveying apparatus, characterized in that. The method of claim 6, The controlling of the automatic transfer device may include: when the transfer request state of the two ports of the unit is one of the receipt request state and the other of the shipment request state, the port of the receipt request state in preference to the other transfer instruction of the host. The control method of the cassette conveying apparatus, characterized in that for controlling the automatic conveying device to perform the cassette receiving. The method of claim 9, And controlling the automatic transporting device to perform the cassette release at the port in the shipment request state prior to the other transfer command of the host after the cassette is received. .

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