KR101286283B1 - Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate transfer method - Google Patents

Abstract

Main conveyor for sheet conveying sheet, branch conveyor horizontally branching from the main conveyor, the main conveyor to the branch conveyor or the branch conveyor while rotating the substrate horizontally so that the direction with respect to the traveling direction of the substrate is maintained. It is a substrate conveyance apparatus provided with the board | substrate accommodation transfer part which accommodates and delivers the said board | substrate to the said main conveyor.

Board, Sheetfed, Conveying, Branching, Rotation, Receiving Delivery, Direction

Description

Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate transfer method

This invention relates to the board | substrate conveying apparatus and board | substrate conveyance method for conveying board | substrates, such as a glass plate for semiconductor wafers and a flat panel display, for example.

This application claims priority about Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-245829 for which it applied on September 11, 2006, and uses the content here.

In a substrate transfer device installed in a factory for manufacturing a semiconductor device or a factory for manufacturing a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal device, a PDP, an EL device, or the like, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass plate is transported and a loader, a robot arm, or the like. Substrate exchange is performed between various processing apparatuses, such as a thin film forming apparatus, an etching apparatus, and a test apparatus, and a conveyance path | route using this. In such a substrate conveyance apparatus, it is common that a board | substrate is conveyed in the state accommodated in the cassette which can accommodate a plurality of board | substrates (refer patent document 1).

By the way, in recent years, a board | substrate is enlarged with the big screen of flat panel displays, such as a liquid crystal television. For this reason, since the cassette etc. which accommodate a board | substrate also become large and weighted and a conveyance speed falls, efficient conveyance, such as causing an increase in manufacturing inventory, for example, becomes difficult.

For this reason, the sheet | leaf conveyance which conveys a board | substrate at high speed one by one is attracting attention (refer patent document 1).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-58844

However, when the board | substrate is single sheet conveyed, the individual number to convey conveys compared with the case of conveying with a cassette. For this reason, it is necessary to convey a board | substrate at high speed more in order to implement | achieve the processing speed equivalent to or more than conventionally.

In particular, the rate of receiving and transferring the substrate between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor which branches horizontally becomes very important in realizing the high speed conveyance of the substrate. For this reason, there is a demand for a technique for improving the substrate transfer speed between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor.

Moreover, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus which conveys a glass plate by sheet | leaf, it may be necessary to receive and convey a board | substrate without changing the direction with respect to a progress direction between a main conveyor and a branch conveyor.

In the conventional substrate conveying apparatus which accommodates and conveys a board | substrate in a cassette, conveyance of the cassette conveyed on a main conveyor, for example, when receiving and conveying a board | substrate without changing the direction with respect to the advancing direction from a main conveyor to a branch conveyor. Is stopped once, and the cassette is rotated and then transferred to the branch conveyor.

By the way, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus which conveys a board | substrate by sheet | seat and conveys a board | substrate by the same method, it is necessary to perform the process of stopping conveyance of a board | substrate, and the process of receiving and conveying a stopped board | substrate to a branch conveyor. It takes time to receive the substrate between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. In the case of receiving and transferring a substrate between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor without changing the traveling direction of the substrate, the transfer speed of the substrate between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor is increased. It aims to improve.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate conveying apparatus of the present invention includes a main conveyor for sheet conveying a substrate, a branch conveyor horizontally branching from the main conveyor, and a direction with respect to a traveling direction of the substrate to be maintained (not changed). And a substrate receiving and transmitting portion for receiving and transferring the substrate from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor or from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor while rotating the substrate horizontally.

According to this substrate conveying apparatus, when the substrate is transferred from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor or from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor, the direction in the traveling direction of the substrate is maintained by the substrate accommodation transfer portion (change). The substrate is rotated horizontally so that the reception transfer of the substrate is performed.

Moreover, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus of this invention, the said board | substrate accommodation conveyance part is a head part which grips the outer periphery of the said board | substrate, the drive part which rotates the said head part horizontally about a predetermined rotational axis, and the said head part It is possible to adopt a configuration in which one end is connected to the drive unit and an arm portion to which the other end is connected to the drive unit.

Moreover, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus of this invention, the structure provided with the support part which supports the said board | substrate from below during the accommodation delivery of the said board | substrate by the said board | substrate accommodation delivery part can be employ | adopted.

Moreover, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus of this invention, the structure which the said support part supports while raising the said board | substrate using compressed air can be employ | adopted.

Next, in the substrate conveying method of the present invention, the substrate is sheet-fed by the main conveyor, and the substrate on the main conveyor is rotated horizontally so that the direction with respect to the traveling direction of the substrate is maintained horizontally. Branching is delivered to the branch conveyor.

According to this board | substrate conveying method, while a board | substrate is rotated horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of a board | substrate may change, it will receive and transfer from a main conveyor to a branch conveyor.

Next, the substrate conveying method of the present invention is conveyed by a branch conveyor in which the substrate branches horizontally from the main conveyor, while the substrate on the branch conveyor rotates horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the substrate is maintained. Delivered to the main conveyor.

According to this board | substrate conveying method, while a board | substrate is rotated horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of a board | substrate may change, it will receive and transfer from a branch conveyor to a main conveyor.

According to the present invention, the substrate is horizontally rotated so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the substrate is maintained (not changed), and is transferred from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor or from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor. For this reason, it is not necessary to stop a board | substrate on a main conveyor or a branch conveyor, and it can receive the board | substrate at high speed.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the substrate is transferred between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor without changing the traveling direction of the substrate, it is possible to improve the accommodation transfer speed of the substrate between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor. do.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram which shows the board | substrate conveyance apparatus which concerns on the 1st Example of this invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a main conveyor.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the branch part with the plate guide part of a branch conveyor.

It is a figure which shows operation | movement (when glass plate is pulled from a main conveyor to a branch conveyor) of the board | substrate conveying apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of this invention.

It is a figure which shows operation | movement (when glass plate is pulled from a main conveyor to a branch conveyor) of the board | substrate conveying apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of this invention.

4C is a view showing the operation (when the glass plate is pulled from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor) of the substrate conveying apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4D is a view showing the operation (when the glass plate is pulled from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the operation | movement (in the case of passing a glass plate from a branch conveyor to a main conveyor) of the board | substrate conveying apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of basic invention.

FIG. 5B is a view showing the operation (when the glass plate is passed from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor) of the substrate conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the basic invention.

FIG. 5C is a diagram showing the operation (when the glass plate is passed from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor) of the substrate transport apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the basic invention.

FIG. 5D is a diagram showing the operation (when the glass plate is passed from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor) of the substrate conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the basic invention.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the branch part with the plate guide part of the branch conveyor in the board | substrate conveyance apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Example of this invention.

<Code description>

P ... Glass plate (substrate), 1... Board | substrate conveying apparatus, 10... Main conveyor, 12... Air floating unit (support), 15... Conveyor section 20... Branch conveyor, 40... Plate guide portion (substrate receiving and transmitting portion), 41... Arm part, 42... Head 43... Motor (drive part), 200... Free Roller Unit (Support)

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one Example of the board | substrate conveyance apparatus and board | substrate conveyance method which concern on this invention is described with reference to drawings. In addition, in the following drawings, in order to make each member the magnitude | size which can be recognized, the scale of each member is changed suitably.

(First embodiment)

FIG. 1: is a schematic diagram which shows the board | substrate conveyance apparatus 1 which concerns on this 1st Example.

The substrate conveyance apparatus 1 is an apparatus which conveys the glass plate P sheet by sheet at the factory which manufactures flat panel displays, such as a liquid crystal apparatus, a PDP, and an EL apparatus, one by one, and to the main conveyor 10 and the main conveyor 10. A plurality of branch conveyors 20 branching in the horizontal plane with respect to the plate, plate receiving transfer portion 40 for receiving the glass plate (P) transfer between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20, these collectively A control part (not shown) etc. to control are provided.

The main conveyor 10 is an apparatus for conveying the glass plate P at a constant speed in a direction along its surface while seating the glass plate P horizontally. The air floating unit 12 which floats the glass plate P with air and supports it in a non-contact manner. (Support part), the conveyor part 15, etc. (refer FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). Thus, in this embodiment, the function of the support part in this invention is built in a part of main conveyor 10. As shown in FIG.

The main conveyor 10 is arrange | positioned substantially linearly on the upper surface in the clean room of a factory. One end of the branch conveyor 20 is horizontally connected to the plurality of places of the main conveyor 10 while being substantially orthogonal to the main conveyor 10.

The branch conveyor 20 is an apparatus which conveys the glass plate P horizontally, like the main conveyor 10, and conveys it at the constant speed in the direction which connects to the surface, The air floating unit 12 (support part) and a conveyor The part 15 is comprised. Thus, in this embodiment, the function of the support part in this invention is built in a part of branch conveyor 20, too.

On the other end side of the branch conveyor 20, various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7, are arrange | positioned and connected. Two branch conveyors 20 are arranged in parallel in various processing apparatuses such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7.

For example, among the branch conveyors 21 and 22 (branch conveyor 20) connected to the thin film forming apparatus 5, the branch conveyor 21 carries the glass plate P into the thin film forming apparatus 5, for example. Is a conveyor, and the branch conveyor 22 is a conveyor for carrying out the glass plate P from the thin film forming apparatus 5.

Similarly, branch conveyors 23 and 25 (branch conveyor 20) are conveyors for carrying glass plate P into etching apparatus 6 and test apparatus 7, and branch conveyors 24 and 26 (branch). The conveyor 20 is a conveyor for carrying out the glass plate P from the etching apparatus 6 and the test apparatus 7.

Moreover, the branch conveyors 21, 23, 25 which carry in glass plate P to various processing apparatuses are main conveyor with respect to the branch conveyors 22, 24, 26 which carry out glass plate P from various processing apparatuses. It is arrange | positioned upstream of (10).

The plate accommodating transmission part 40 is the glass plate P from the upstream of the main conveyor 10, and various processing apparatuses with respect to the branch conveyors 21, 23, 25 which carry in the glass plate P to each processing apparatus. It is provided in each of the downstream side of the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyors 22, 24, and 26 which carry out this.

These plate receiving and transmitting sections 40 rotate from the main conveyor 10 to the branch conveyor 20 or branch while rotating the glass plate P horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the glass plate P does not change. The glass plate P is transferred to the main conveyor 10 from the conveyor 20.

2 is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the main conveyor 10.

As mentioned above, the main conveyor 10 is an apparatus which conveys the glass plate P to one direction of a horizontal direction, floating by air, and is provided with the air floating unit 12, the conveyor part 15, etc. in plurality. .

The air floating unit 12 is a member having a planar upper surface, and a plurality of fluid ejection holes 13 for ejecting compressed air are formed on the upper surface (sitting surface) with a substantially uniform arrangement density. The air floating unit 12 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, and is provided so that its longitudinal direction coincides with the conveyance direction of the glass plate P. As shown in FIG. In addition, the single direction (width direction) of the air floating unit 12 is formed slightly narrower than the width direction (direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction) of the glass plate P. As shown in FIG.

Then, compressed air is supplied from the compressed air supply device (not shown) to the air floating unit 12 so that the compressed air is ejected from each fluid ejection hole 13. Thereby, the glass plate P mounted on the air floating unit 12 is floated by the compressed air which blows out in each fluid ejection hole 13, and it is possible to support noncontact.

The conveyor unit 15 includes a plurality of rollers 16 and a belt 17 mounted around the plurality of rollers 16. Moreover, the some processus | protrusion 18 is provided in the surface of the belt 17 at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the belt 17 (the conveyance direction of the main conveyor 10).

The conveyor part 15 is arrange | positioned along the conveyance direction of the glass plate P on both sides of the air floating unit 12. As shown in FIG. And the arrangement | positioning interval (distance) of a pair of conveyor part 15 becomes substantially the same as the width direction of glass plate P. As shown in FIG.

The upper end of each roller 16 of the conveyor part 15 is arrange | positioned so that it may be located in the same horizontal surface, and the projection 18 provided in the surface of the belt 17 is located slightly above the upper surface of the air floating unit 12 by this. Is arranged to. And the projection 18 is in contact with the outer periphery (both ends of the width direction) of the lower surface of the glass plate P mounted on the air floating unit 12. As shown in FIG.

Each roller 16 of the conveyor part 15 is rotated in the same direction by the motor (not shown) etc. at the same rotational speed. Thereby, it is possible to convey along the air floating unit 12 by the conveyor part 15, supporting the glass plate P non-contacted by the air floating unit 12. As shown in FIG.

In addition, the conveyor unit 15 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction by a lifting device (not shown).

When the conveyor unit 15 is lifted by the elevating device, the protrusions 18 are positioned slightly above the upper surface of the air floating unit 12. In this case, the projection 18 of the conveyor part 15 abuts on the lower surface of the glass plate P, and can convey the glass plate P. FIG.

On the other hand, when the conveyor unit 15 is lowered, each projection 18 is located below the upper surface of the air floating unit 12. In this case, the conveyor section 15 (each projection 18) is spaced apart from the glass plate P so that the glass plate P is completely in contactless support on the air floating unit 12. Therefore, as long as no external force is applied to the glass plate P, the glass plate P is kept stopped on the air floating unit 12.

And the main conveyor 10 is comprised by connecting the air floating unit 12 and the conveyor part 15 in plurality. That is, each air floating unit 12 and each conveyor unit 15 are arranged in parallel with each other in the horizontal direction. At this time, the upper surface (mounting surface) of each air floating unit 12 is adjusted to be located on the same horizontal surface.

In addition, the branch conveyor 20 is also comprised by the air floating unit 12 and the conveyor part 15 with which the main conveyor 10 is equipped. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the branch conveyor 20 includes a single air floating unit 12 and two conveyor units 15 arranged with the air floating unit 12 interposed therebetween. Although it is comprised by the several air floating unit 12 and the conveyor part 15, you may be comprised.

3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of branch portions of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 21.

As shown in this figure, the plate accommodation transfer part 40 is provided upstream of the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyor 21. As shown in FIG.

The plate receiving and transmitting portion 40 includes an arm portion 41, a head portion 42, and a motor 43 (drive portion).

One end of the arm portion 41 is connected to the head portion 42, and the other end thereof is connected to the motor 43, and is horizontally provided.

The head part 42 is comprised so that the outer peripheral part of the glass plate P, specifically, the one side vicinity of the width direction of the glass plate P can be gripped. The glass plate P may be gripped by holding and holding the side surface of the glass plate P, or the glass plate P may be gripped by clamping the upper and lower surfaces of the glass plate P. FIG.

The motor 43 rotates the head part 42 horizontally about the vertical rotational axis L, and shows the head part 42 in the arrow direction shown in FIG. 3 via the arm part 41 (and Rotate in the opposite direction of the arrow).

And by the plate accommodation transmission part 40 which has such a structure, the branch conveyor 20 rotates so that the glass plate P on the main conveyor 10 may not change the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the glass plate P. Is returned.

Moreover, the plate accommodation transfer part 40 provided upstream of the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyors 23 and 25 has the same structure, and glass plate P on the main conveyor 10 is glass-free. It transfers to the branch conveyor 20 while rotating so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the plate P may not change.

Moreover, the plate accommodation delivery part 40 provided downstream of the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyors 22, 24, and 26 also has the same structure as the plate accommodation delivery part 40 shown in FIG. Plate receiving and delivery portion shown in FIG. 3 in that the glass plate P on the branch conveyor 20 is transferred to the main conveyor 10 while being rotated so that the direction with respect to the traveling direction of the glass plate P does not change. Different from 40.

Next, operation | movement (substrate conveyance method) of the board | substrate conveyance apparatus 1 is demonstrated.

4A to 4D, when the glass plate P conveyed on the main conveyor 10 is received and delivered to the branch conveyor 20 (the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyors 21, 23, 25). The operation of the plate accommodation transfer portion 40 provided on the upstream side of)) will be described.

First, compressed air is supplied to each air floating unit 12 of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 to blow out compressed air from each fluid ejection hole 13. In addition, the conveyor unit 15 is driven to rotate each roller 16 at a constant rotational speed. At this time, each conveyor unit 15 is lifted by a lifting device (not shown).

And glass plate P is conveyed by single sheet by mounting glass plate P one by one on the upstream side of main conveyor 10.

And, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the glass plate P on the main conveyor 10 moves to the position which the head part 42 of the plate accommodation delivery part 40 touches, the plate accommodation delivery part 40 of The head 42 moves to one end of the branch conveyor 20 to grasp the outer circumference of the glass plate P on the main conveyor 10. Thereafter, the conveyor portions 15 of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 are lowered by a lifting device (not shown). At this time, the glass plate P is floated and supported by the compressed air ejected from each fluid ejection hole 13 of each air floating unit 12.

4B and 4C, the head part 42 holding the glass plate P is rotated in the horizontal plane via the arm part 41 by the motor 43, and glass plate P is carried out. ) Is conveyed onto the branch conveyor 20 on the main conveyor 10. At this time, although the advancing direction of the glass plate P changes from the advancing direction of the main conveyor 10 to the advancing direction of the branch conveyors 21, 23, 25, since the glass plate P is rotated, the glass plate ( The head of the traveling direction of P) does not change.

That is, according to the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the branch plate 20 is rotated horizontally so that the glass plate P on the main conveyor 10 may rotate horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the glass plate P may not change. Acceptance is delivered to.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the head part 42 cannot move in the same direction as the rotation direction of the conveyor part 15, in order to prevent the glass plate P and the conveyor part 15 from rubbing, When holding the outer periphery of glass plate P, it is preferable to stop the drive of the conveyor part 15. As shown in FIG. However, when the glass plate P and the conveyor part 15 can be prevented from rubbing (for example, the head part 42 grasps the glass plate P and simultaneously lowers the conveyor part 15). If the head portion 42 can hold the glass plate P after lowering the conveyor portion 15, the head portion can be moved in the same direction as the rotational direction of the conveyor portion 15). It is not always necessary to stop the drive of the conveyor unit 15 when holding the outer circumference of the glass plate P.

And as shown in FIG. 4D, when glass plate P is conveyed on the branch conveyor 20, the conveyor part 15 of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 will be a lifting device (not shown) again. Rises by. Thereafter, the holding of the glass plate P by the head portion 42 of the plate accommodation transfer portion 40 is released, whereby the glass plate P is separated from the main conveyor 10 by the branch conveyor 20. Conveyed in the direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, also when releasing the holding of the glass plate P by the head part 42, the glass plate P and the conveyor are carried out similarly to the case of holding the outer periphery of the glass plate P mentioned above. In order to prevent the part 15 from rubbing, it is preferable that the driving of the conveyor part 15 is stopped.

Moreover, glass plate P is conveyed by the branch conveyor 20, and is accommodated and conveyed to various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7. As shown in FIG.

In addition, the glass plate P accommodated and transmitted to each processing apparatus (thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, the test apparatus 7, etc.) is each processing apparatus after a predetermined process is performed by each processing apparatus. Are taken out of the.

Next, referring to FIGS. 5A to 5D, when the glass plate P is received and transferred from the branch conveyor 20 to the main conveyor 10 (the main conveyor 10 with respect to the branch conveyors 22, 24, and 26). The operation of the plate accommodation delivery portion 40 provided on the downstream side)) will be described.

The operation of receiving and transferring the glass plate P from the branch conveyor 20 to the main conveyor 10 substantially reverses the operation of receiving and transferring the glass plate P from the main conveyor 10 to the branch conveyor 20. will be.

First, compressed air is supplied to each air floating unit 12 of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 to blow out compressed air from each fluid ejection hole 13. In addition, the conveyor unit 15 is driven to rotate each roller 16 at a constant rotational speed. At this time, the conveyor unit 15 is raised by a lifting device (not shown).

Next, the glass plate P is received and transferred to the branch conveyor 20 by various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7. As shown in FIG. The glass plate P is conveyed by the branch conveyor 20, and moves to the position which the head part 42 of the plate accommodation delivery part 40 touches. And as shown in FIG. 5A, the head part 42 of the plate accommodation delivery part 40 grasps the outer periphery of the glass plate P on the branch conveyor 20. As shown in FIG. Thereafter, the conveyor portions 15 of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 are lowered by a lifting device (not shown). At this time, the glass plate P is floated and supported by the compressed air ejected from each fluid ejection hole 13 of each air floating unit 12.

And as shown to FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C, and FIG. 5D, the head part 42 holding the glass plate P is rotated in the horizontal plane via the arm part 41 by the motor 43, and is glass The plate P is conveyed onto the main conveyor 10 on the branch conveyor 20. At this time, the advancing direction of the glass plate P changes from the advancing direction of the branch conveyors 22, 24, 26 to the advancing direction of the main conveyor 10, but since the glass plate P is rotated, the glass plate P The head for the direction of travel of) does not change.

That is, according to the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the glass plate P on the branch conveyor 20 rotates horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the glass plate P may be changed horizontally, and the main conveyor 10 It is delivered to).

As explained above, the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 which concerns on a present Example is the main conveyor 10 which carries out glass sheet P single sheet conveying, the branch conveyor 20 which branches to the main conveyor 10 horizontally, and glass. From the main conveyor 10 to the branch conveyor 20 or from the branch conveyor 20 to the main conveyor 10 while rotating the glass plate P horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the plate P does not change. Plate accommodating part 40 which accommodates and conveys glass plate P is provided.

According to the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 and the board | substrate conveying method which concerns on such a present Example, while the glass plate P rotates horizontally so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of glass plate P may not change, the main conveyor 10 Is transferred to the branch conveyor 20 or from the branch conveyor 20 to the main conveyor 10. For this reason, it is not necessary to stop the glass plate P on the main conveyor 10 or the branch conveyor 20, in order to match the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the glass plate P, and to receive the glass plate P and receive it. This can be done at high speed.

Therefore, according to the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 and the board | substrate conveying method which concern on a present Example, glass plate P between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20, without changing the advancing direction of glass plate P. FIG. ), It is possible to improve the accommodation transfer speed of the glass plate P between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20.

Moreover, in the board | substrate conveying apparatus 1 which concerns on a present Example, the glass plate accommodated and conveyed between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 using each air floating unit 12 which blows compressed air ( P) was supported from below.

In this way, by supporting the glass plate P at the time of receiving delivery below, it becomes possible to suppress the bending of the glass plate P. FIG.

In addition, by floatingly supporting the glass plate P by using the compressed air, the glass plate P is accommodated and transferred between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 in a state in which there is no frictional resistance. For this reason, even when the accommodation transfer speed is increased, damage to the glass plate P due to the impact is not caused.

(Second Embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, in description of this 2nd Example, the description about the part similar to the said 1st Example is abbreviate | omitted or simplified.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of branch portions of the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 21 in the substrate conveying apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, in this embodiment, the spherical free roller 300 (supporting part) is replaced with the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 21 instead of the air floating unit 12 in the first embodiment. It is comprised including the free roller unit 200 arranged in multiple numbers.

According to the substrate conveyance apparatus of this embodiment which has such a structure, when carrying out glass container P transfer between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20, the glass plate P is spherical free roller ( 300 is supported from below.

Therefore, also in the substrate conveyance apparatus of this embodiment, when carrying out delivery of glass plate P between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 like the substrate conveyance apparatus 1 of the said 1st Example, It is possible to suppress the bending of the glass plate P.

In addition, various shapes, combinations, or operation procedures of the respective constituent members shown in the above-described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the configuration in which the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 are arranged at right angles has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20 may be applied to a configuration in which they are arranged at different angles.

In addition, in the said embodiment, when the conveyor part 15 descends by a lifting device (not shown), when the glass plate P is received and conveyed between the main conveyor 10 and the branch conveyor 20, it is carried out. And glass plate P were made into the structure which can prevent the conveyor part 15 from contacting. However, this invention is not limited to this, You may prevent the glass plate P and the conveyor part 15 from contacting because the air floating unit 12 raises instead of the conveyor part 15 descending. In this case, the upper surface of the air floating unit 12 of the conveyor on the receiving transfer side is positioned to coincide with the upper surface of the air floating unit 12 after being raised.

In the said Example, although the case where sheet glass conveying the glass plate P was demonstrated, it is not limited to this. For example, what is necessary is just a thin plate-like member, such as a semiconductor wafer.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, the test apparatus 7, etc., were arrange | positioned and connected to the other end side of the branch conveyor 20 was demonstrated. It is not limited. The case where the branch conveyor 20 is further connected to the downstream side (the other end side) of the branch conveyor 20 may be sufficient.

Moreover, you may arrange | position the stocker which temporarily stores several board | substrates, such as glass plate P, in addition to various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7. As shown in FIG.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the branch conveyors 21, 23, 25 and glass plate which carry in the glass plate P to various processing apparatuses, such as the thin film forming apparatus 5, the etching apparatus 6, and the test apparatus 7, etc. Although the case where the branch conveyors 22, 24, 26 which carry out (P) were arrange | positioned was demonstrated, it is not limited to this. The case where one branch conveyor 20 carries in and carries out glass plate P may be sufficient.

In addition, in the said 1st Example, although the case where the glass plate P was floated and supported using compressed air was demonstrated, it is not limited to this. For example, the glass plate P may be floated and supported by applying a vibration wave propagating through the space to the glass plate P. FIG.

The substrate conveying apparatus and substrate conveying method according to the present invention provide a substrate transfer speed between a main conveyor and a branch conveyor when the substrate is conveyed between the main conveyor and the branch conveyor without changing the traveling direction of the substrate. It can be used to improve.

Claims (6)

A main conveyor for moving the substrate horizontally to convey the sheet; A branch conveyor that horizontally branches from the main conveyor and moves the substrate horizontally; A substrate receiving and transferring unit for holding a side of the substrate and receiving and transferring the substrate from the main conveyor to the branch conveyor or from the branch conveyor to the main conveyor; And A support portion for supporting the substrate from below during the acceptance transfer of the substrate by the substrate receiving transfer portion; And, The substrate accommodation transfer unit, A head portion for holding a side of the substrate; An arm portion to which one of the head portions is connected; The other end of the arm portion is connected, the drive unit for rotating the arm portion along the horizontal plane including the substrate during the transfer around the other end, and rotates the head portion along the horizontal plane around the other end ; And, The substrate moved horizontally from one of the main conveyor and the branch conveyor is supported from below by the support portion at the branch portions of the main conveyor and the branch conveyor, The side surface of the substrate in the state supported from below by the support portion is gripped by the head portion, By the rotation operation of the head portion, the substrate is rotated horizontally in an arc shape around the other end so that the direction with respect to the advancing direction of the substrate is maintained so that the direction of the substrate is the same as the advancing direction of the substrate. The board | substrate conveying apparatus which accommodates and delivers the said board | substrate to the other from one of the said main conveyor and the said branch conveyor, changing a. delete The substrate conveyance apparatus of Claim 1 whose said support part is a spherical free roller. The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support portion is an air floating unit that supports the substrate while using the compressed air to lift the substrate. The substrate is moved horizontally by the main conveyor to be sheet fed, The substrate is supported from below by a support portion, A head portion for holding a side of the substrate; An arm portion having one end connected to the head portion; The other end of the arm portion is connected, the drive unit for rotating the arm portion along the horizontal plane including the substrate during the transfer around the other end, and rotates the head portion along the horizontal plane around the other end The head portion of the substrate accommodation transfer portion having a side surface of the substrate, The substrate on the main conveyor is rotated horizontally in an arc shape around the other end such that the substrate on the main conveyor is maintained in a direction with respect to the traveling direction of the substrate by a rotation operation along the horizontal plane including the substrate during the conveyance of the head portion, And a direction of the substrate being changed so as to be in the same direction as the traveling direction of the substrate, and being transferred to a branch conveyor that branches horizontally from the main conveyor. The substrate is moved horizontally and conveyed by a branch conveyor which horizontally branches from the main conveyor, The substrate is supported from below by a support, A head portion for holding a side of the substrate; An arm portion having one end connected to the head portion; The other end of the arm portion is connected, the drive unit for rotating the arm portion along the horizontal plane including the substrate during the transfer around the other end, and rotates the head portion along the horizontal plane around the other end The head portion of the substrate accommodation transfer portion having a side surface of the substrate, The substrate on the branch conveyor is rotated horizontally in an arc shape centering on the other end such that the substrate on the branch conveyor is maintained by the rotational operation along the horizontal plane including the substrate during the conveyance of the head portion. And transferring the substrate to the main conveyor while changing the direction of the substrate to be in the same direction as the traveling direction of the substrate.

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