KR200469263Y1 - Glass substrate transport apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A glass substrate transport device coupled with a movement mechanism for loading and unloading a glass substrate includes a movable seat, a first auxiliary support module located at a first edge of the movable seat and a second edge of the movable seat. And a second auxiliary support module. The movable seat includes a support element that is vertically movable to support the glass substrate. The first and second auxiliary support modules each comprise at least one second power lift unit and at least one auxiliary support member for driving the auxiliary support member to move vertically against the holding platform. Through the auxiliary support modules supporting the edge region of the glass substrate, the glass substrate can be prevented from bending caused by the uneven support force of the support element.

Description

Glass Substrate Transporter {GLASS SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT APPARATUS}

The present application relates to a transport apparatus, in particular to a glass substrate transport apparatus.

The rapid development of flat screen display devices has yielded many kinds of thin panel designs and large size panel technologies. In recent years, tablet computers and small and medium sized products have also become very popular. These all create a great demand for thinner and lighter panels. As a result, a large amount of research and development efforts have been dedicated to making thinner and stronger glass. Filters and transistors must be made on the glass substrate during the fabrication process of the panels, and the glass substrate must be moved and transported over and over. How to transport the glass substrate without damage and to perform precise loading and unloading is very important.

See FIG. 1 for the prior art of transporting the glass substrate 2 through the substrate transport apparatus 1. The substrate conveying apparatus 1 carries the glass substrate 2 through a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck to avoid damage or incorrect positioning of the glass substrate 2 and to prevent the glass substrate 2 from moving or falling during transportation. Keep it. The glass substrate 2 is loaded and unloaded through the mechanical arm 4 and is moved up or down to be positioned on the platform of the substrate transport apparatus 1 via the lift mechanism 3. See also FIG. 2 for the cross section taken along line A-A in FIG. 1. The lift mechanism 3 supports the center of gravity region of the glass substrate 2. When the glass substrate 2 becomes thinner, it more easily bends. This makes the loading and unloading of the mechanical arm 4 more difficult. Moreover, the curved glass substrate 2 shakes more easily during operation, which also increases the possibility of cracking or damaging the glass substrate 2.

The main object of the present invention is to prevent glass substrates from bending caused by uneven forces during vertical movements.

In order to achieve the above object, the present application provides a glass substrate transport apparatus coupled with a moving mechanism for loading and unloading a glass substrate. The glass substrate transport apparatus includes a movable seat, a first auxiliary support module and a second auxiliary support module. The movable seat includes a retaining platform for delivering a glass substrate, a support element located on the retaining platform and a first power lift unit for driving the support element to move vertically against the retaining platform. The first and second auxiliary support modules are respectively located at a second edge and a first edge away from the first edge of the movable seat to assist in supporting the edge region of the glass substrate. The first and second auxiliary support modules each comprise at least one second power lift unit and at least one auxiliary support member for driving the auxiliary support member to move vertically against the holding platform.

By the above-described structure, the first and second auxiliary support modules provide auxiliary support for the edge region of the glass substrate, and the glass substrate is prevented from bending due to the uneven support force of the support element when the glass substrate is moved vertically. And incorrect loading and unloading of the glass substrate by the transfer mechanism can be avoided. In addition, cracking or damage of the glass substrate caused by bending can also be avoided.

In addition to the foregoing in the present application, further objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which will continue with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Are included herein.

1 is a perspective view of the prior art.
Figure 2 shows a support state as a side view of the prior art.
3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present application.
4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present application.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the present application provides for a glass substrate transport apparatus that engages with a moving mechanism 10 to load and unload a glass substrate 20. The purpose. The glass substrate transport apparatus includes a movable seat 30, a first ancillary support module 40, and a second ancillary support module 50. The movable seat 30 is opposed to a holding platform 31 for delivering the glass substrate 20, a support element 32 located on the holding platform 30, and a holding platform 31. And a first power lift unit 33 for driving the support element 32 to move vertically. The retaining platform 31 is at least to retain the support element 32 which can be fully shrunk in the aperture 311 to avoid interfering with the glass substrate 20 when required to be positioned above the retaining platform 31. It has one hole. The first power lift unit 33 is a lift drive that provides a lift signal 61 to the first power lift unit 33 to control vertical movement against the holding platform 31. Electronically coupled to a lift driving module 60. The first power lift unit 33 may be a motor, pneumatic lift equipment, hydraulic lift equipment or the like to move the support element 32 vertically. In addition, in this embodiment, there are four support elements 32 spaced symmetrically from each other at 90 degrees with respect to the center of gravity of the glass substrate 20. The movement mechanism 10 has two arms 11 spaced apart from each other to match the width of the glass substrate 20 so that the glass substrate 20 can be continuously loaded and unloaded.

The first and second auxiliary support modules 40 and 50 are remote from the first edge 34 of the movable seat 30 to assist in supporting the edge area 21 of the glass substrate 20. Located at the second edge 35 and the first edge 34, respectively. The first and second auxiliary support modules 40 and 50 are at least one second power lift unit 42 for driving the auxiliary support member 41 or 51 to move vertically against the holding platform 31. 52) and at least one auxiliary support member 41 or 51, respectively. The second power lift units 42 and 52 may be motors, air lift equipment, hydraulic lift equipment and the like to move the auxiliary support members 41 and 51 vertically. To move the support element 32, the first auxiliary support module 40 and the second auxiliary support module 50 vertically and simultaneously, and to avoid the glass substrate 20 from being subjected to uneven forces, The application lifts to the first power lift unit 33 and the second power lift units 42 and 52 such that the first and second auxiliary support modules 40 and 50 simultaneously move the support element 32 vertically. And further comprising a signal acquisition module 90 electronically connected to the second power lift units 42 and 52 and the lift drive module 60 to obtain a lift signal 61 sent by the drive module 60. .

In this embodiment, the first and second auxiliary support modules 40 and 50 have two auxiliary support members 41 or 51, and two second power lift units 42 or 52, respectively. . The two auxiliary support members 41 and 51 are spaced apart from each other at a distance smaller than the width of the glass substrate 20. In order to avoid the auxiliary support members 41 and 51 from interfering with the loading and unloading of the glass substrate 20 via the movement mechanism 10, the two auxiliary support members 41 and 51 have two arms. The sub support members 41 and 51 are spaced apart from each other at a smaller distance than between them, ie to prevent interference between the arms 11 and the sub support members 41 and 51. 11) is placed between.

In order to increase the loading and unloading diversity of the movement mechanism 10, the glass substrate 20 can also be loaded and unloaded in other directions. The movable seat 30 further has a third edge 36 perpendicular to the first edge 34 and a fourth edge 37 away from the third edge 36. The third auxiliary support module 70 and the fourth auxiliary support module 80 are located at the third edge 36 and the fourth edge 37, respectively, to help support the edge region 21 of the glass substrate 20. do. The third and fourth auxiliary support modules 70 and 80 are constructed like the first and second auxiliary support modules 40 and 50, and also have the auxiliary support member 71 or 81 and the second power lift unit ( 72 or 82), respectively. The glass substrate 20 is shown to be rectangular. When the glass substrate 20 is loaded into the movable seat 30 through the first edge 34, the first and second auxiliary supports without contacting the third and fourth auxiliary support modules 70 and 80. Auxiliary support is received from modules 40 and 50. However, when entering the movable seat 30 via the third or fourth edge 36 or 37, the glass substrate 20 receives auxiliary support from the third and fourth auxiliary support modules 70 and 80.

In conclusion, the present application provides the following features:

Through the first, second, third and fourth auxiliary support modules supporting the edge region of the glass substrate, the bending of the glass substrate during the vertical movement caused by the uneven support force of the support element can be prevented and the movement The problem of incorrect loading and unloading of the glass substrate by the mechanism can also be avoided.

Cracking or damage of the glass substrate caused by bending can be avoided.

By acquiring the lift signal via the signal acquisition module, the first and second power lift units can be moved up and down at the same time to avoid the glass substrate from being subjected to uneven forces during vertical movements.

Briefly, this application provides significant improvements over prior art.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present application have been described for the disclosure, it is not a limitation of the present application, and other embodiments as well as variations of the disclosed embodiments of the present application may appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

10: moving mechanism
11: cancer
20: glass substrate
21: edge area
30: movable seat
31: maintenance platform
32: support element
33: first power lift unit
34: first edge
35: second edge
36: third edge
37: fourth edge
311: hole
40: first auxiliary support module
41, 51, 71, 81: auxiliary support member
42, 52, 72, 82: second power lift unit
50: second auxiliary support module
60: lift drive module
61: lift signal
70: third auxiliary support module
80: fourth auxiliary support module
90: signal acquisition module

Claims (8)

A movable seat comprising a retaining platform for delivering a glass substrate, a support element positioned on the retaining platform and a first power lift unit for driving the support element to move vertically against the retaining platform; And
A first auxiliary support module and a second auxiliary support module, respectively positioned at a second edge and a first edge away from the first edge of the movable seat to assist in supporting an edge region of the glass substrate, the first and Second support modules each include at least one second power lift unit and at least one auxiliary support member for driving at least one auxiliary support member to move vertically against the holding platform;
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A glass substrate transport apparatus in combination with a movement mechanism for loading and unloading the glass substrate. The method of claim 1,
And a lift drive module electrically connected to the first power lift unit to control vertical movements. 3. The method of claim 2,
And a signal acquisition module electrically connected to the lift drive module and the second power lift units to send to the first power lift unit and the second power lift units and obtain a lift signal from the lift drive module. , Glass substrate transport device. The method of claim 1,
And the first power lift unit and the second power lift unit are selected from the group consisting of motors, air lift equipment and hydraulic lift equipment. The method of claim 1,
And the movable seat includes four support elements spaced symmetrically from each other at 90 degrees with respect to the center of gravity of the glass substrate. The method of claim 1,
The first auxiliary support module and the second auxiliary support module each comprise two auxiliary support members and two second power lift modules, the two support members being each other at a distance less than the width of the glass substrate. Glass substrate transport apparatus spaced apart from the substrate. The method of claim 1,
The movable seat further comprises a third edge perpendicular to the first edge and a fourth edge remote from the third edge, wherein the third edge and the fourth edge of the movable seat are located on the glass substrate. And a third auxiliary support module and a fourth auxiliary support module, respectively, to assist in supporting the edge region. The method of claim 1,
And the glass platform includes at least one hole to hold the support element.

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