KR20050058019A - Stocker with multi-access port for automatic guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stocker for temporarily storing a cassette in which a large number of glass substrates are used. The present invention includes a plurality of external receiving ports to which a plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses each approach and receive a cassette respectively; A receipt port having a stacker robot approaching and having one internal receipt port for loading a cassette, which has been transported after being received at the external receipt ports; And one internal shipping port through which the cassette taken out from the shelf by the stacker robot is unloaded; A plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses each approach and provide a stocker comprising a shipping port having a plurality of external shipping ports each capable of leaving a cassette, which are unloaded and transported to the internal shipping port.

Description

Stalker {Stocker with multi-access port for automatic guided vehicle}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an LCD manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a stocker for temporarily storing a cassette containing a plurality of glass substrates used in manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms.In recent years, liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), electro luminescent display (ELD), and vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) have been developed. Various flat panel display devices have been studied, and some are already used as display devices in various devices.

Among them, LCD is the most widely used as a substitute for CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for the use of mobile image display device because of the excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption, and mobile type such as monitor of notebook computer. In addition, it is being developed in various ways, such as a television for receiving and displaying broadcast signals, and a monitor of a computer.

Such a liquid crystal display may be broadly divided into a liquid crystal panel displaying an image and a driving unit for applying a driving signal to the liquid crystal panel, and the liquid crystal panel may have a space and be bonded to each other as shown in FIG. 1. And a liquid crystal layer 3 injected between the second substrates 1 and 2 and the first and second substrates 1 and 2.

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 pixel electrodes 6 and the gate formed in a matrix form in each of the pixel regions P defined by crossing the plurality of data lines 5 and the gate lines 4 and the data lines 5. A plurality of thin film transistors T, which are switched by the signal of the line 4 and transfer the signal of the data line 5 to the pixel electrodes P, 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 color filter layers for expressing color colors. 8 and a common electrode 9 for implementing 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 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 the first and second substrates 1. , 2) adhering the liquid crystal, injecting and sealing the liquid crystal between the two bonded substrates, testing and repairing each liquid crystal panel in which the liquid crystal is injected, and back light on the good liquid crystal panel It is manufactured through a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display module by mounting a lamp and a driving circuit.

As described above, the substrate is subjected to various processes to be completed as a liquid crystal display device, and as shown in FIG. 2, an automatic transfer device (not shown) is used to transport the substrate to equipment 20a and 20b performing each process. 30) (Automatic guided vehicle) is used. In this case, in order to increase the conveyance efficiency of the automatic conveying apparatus 30, after storing the plurality of substrates in a cassette 10 that can accommodate, the automatic conveying apparatus 30 conveys the cassette 10. .

Accordingly, the automatic conveying apparatus 30 may move the cassette 10 to the stocker 40 while reciprocating between the stocker 40 temporarily stored in the cassette 10 and the equipment 20a and 20b performing each process. To each of the equipment (20a, 20b) and from each of the equipment (20a, 20b) to the stocker 40, respectively. 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.

Meanwhile, substrate processing capacity and processing time of the apparatuses 20a and 20b performing each process are different. Therefore, when the cassette 10 is returned from one device to another device, buffering occurs. Therefore, in order to effectively solve the buffering problem, the cassette 10 containing the substrate processed by any one device is stored in the stocker 40 and then returned to another device.

3 and 4 schematically illustrate the structure of the stocker 40, which plays the above-described role. Hereinafter, the stocker 40 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

In the stocker 40, two shelves 41 are arranged in parallel with each other, and the shelves 41 have a stocking port 42 and a shelf 41 for storing a cassette 10 in the stocker 40. Outgoing port 43 for leaving the cassette 10 stored in the outside is provided. Here, each of the goods receipt port 42 and the goods receipt port 43 has one external goods receipt and delivery port 42a and 43a, and one inside goods receipt and shipment port 42 in contact with the external goods receipt and delivery ports 42a and 43a. 42b and 43b are provided.

And, the stacker robot 45 is disposed between the two shelves 41, although not shown, the receiving port 42 and the shipping port 43 is provided with a conveyor, respectively. The stacker robot 45 reciprocates along a rail 44 provided between the shelves 41.

With the above structure, the cassette 10 received in the external receiving port 42a moves to the stacker robot 45 after passing through the internal receiving port 42b, and the stacker robot 45 moves on the rail. After moving along 44, the cassette 10 is stored in the shelf 41.

And the cassette 10 to be shipped is moved to the internal shipping port 43b by the stacker robot 45, and the internal shipping port 43b moves the cassette 10 to the external shipping port 43a. Will be returned.

And the cassette 10 conveyed to the said external delivery port 43a is conveyed by the said automatic conveying apparatus 30 to equipment 20a, 20b.

On the other hand, when the stocker 40 can not automatically receive or leave the cassette 10 due to a system error or the like, a manual entry / exit port 47 that allows a worker to manually enter or leave the cassette 10. Is provided. Reference numeral 49 in FIG. 3 denotes a manual guided vehicle used for manual entry and exit of the cassette 10. Meanwhile, for convenience of description, the illustration of the manual entry and exit port is omitted in FIG. 4.

However, in the cassette conveying system equipped with the stocker 40 having the above-described structure, as shown in FIG. 4, only one automatic conveying apparatus 30 approaches the receiving port 42 and the leaving port 43, respectively. (10) can be loaded or unloaded.

However, the stacker robot 45 carrying the cassette 10 inside the stocker 40 can work while moving at a high speed, whereas the stacker robot 45 automatically moves back and forth between the stocker 40 and the equipment 20a, 20b. The conveying apparatus 30 is very slow.

Therefore, due to the difference in the working speeds of the stacker robot 45 and the automatic transfer device 30, buffering occurs at the receiving port 42 and the leaving port 43, and a large number of automatic transfer devices 30 are generated. In order to store the cassette 10 in the stocker 40 or to leave the outside, the stand 10 is waited in front of the receiving port 42 and the leaving port 43. Thereby, there exists a problem that conveyance efficiency falls and productivity falls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to increase the cassette conveyance efficiency and productivity by effectively solving the buffering problem occurring at the input and delivery ports due to the difference in the working speed of the stacker robot and the automatic conveying device. .

The present invention for achieving the above object, the plurality of automatic conveying apparatus each of the plurality of external receiving ports that can be approached to receive the cassette; A receipt port having a stacker robot approaching and having one internal receipt port for loading a cassette, which has been transported after being received at the external receipt ports; And one internal shipping port through which the cassette taken out from the shelf by the stacker robot is unloaded; A plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses each approach and provide a stocker comprising a shipping port having a plurality of external shipping ports each capable of leaving a cassette, which are unloaded and transported to the internal shipping port.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the external receiving ports and the external shipping ports are arranged side by side with a rail for guiding the traveling of the automatic transporting device so that a plurality of automatic transporting devices can approach and work at the same time.

According to another feature of the invention, each of the outer and inner receiving port and the inner receiving port is provided with a conveyor for conveying a cassette, respectively.

According to another feature of the invention, the cassette received in the outer receiving port disposed adjacent to the inner receiving port is conveyed directly to the inner receiving port, the cassette received in the outer receiving ports disposed away from the inner receiving port Is conveyed to the said internal receiving port via a conveyance port.

According to another feature of the invention, each of the external shipping port and the internal shipping port is provided with a conveyor for conveying a cassette, respectively.

According to another feature of the present invention, the internal shipping port conveys the cassette directly to an external shipping port disposed adjacent to the internal shipping port, or to a external shipping port disposed away from the internal shipping port. It conveys via diesel.

According to another feature of the invention, the internal input and delivery ports are respectively arranged in line with the respective shelves.

According to another feature of the invention, said internal input and delivery ports are respectively arranged between said respective shelves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention in which the above object can be specifically realized are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, the same names and symbols are used for the same components, and additional description thereof will be omitted below.

First, the cassette conveyance system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The control system for controlling the conveying system according to the present invention comprises first to fifth hosts 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 as shown in FIG. 5.

The first host 101 is the highest host that receives a conveying instruction from the operator to move the cassette 150. When a worker inputs a return command to the first host 101, the first host 101 transmits the return command to the second host 102 and the third host 103.

The second host 102 communicates with the first host 101 and the third host 103 and controls the equipment 200 to perform any process. The return command sent from the first host 101 to the second host 102 is transmitted to the equipment 200.

The third host 103 communicates with the first host 101 and the second host 102 and controls the fourth host 104 and the fifth host 105. The return command transmitted from the first host 101 to the third host 103 is transmitted to the fourth host 104 and the fifth host 105.

The fourth host 104 communicates with the third host 103 and controls the operation of the automatic guided vehicle 300. Of course, the transfer command received by the fourth host 104 is transmitted to the automatic transfer device 300.

The fifth host 105 communicates with the third host 103 and controls a stocker 400 that stores a plurality of cassettes 150 on which a plurality of glasses are mounted. Of course, the return command received at the fifth host 105 is transmitted to the stocker 400.

Meanwhile, in order to process a plurality of cassettes 150 without errors, each cassette 150 has unique ID information, and the stocker 400 checks each ID information of the cassettes 150 and then turns the shelf. Will be stored in.

To this end, the receiving port 420 of the stocker 400 is provided with a reader 405 that can check the ID information of the cassette 150, as shown in FIG. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ID display unit 151 in which ID information of the cassette 150 is recorded on at least one of an upper side and a lower side of the cassette 150. ) Is provided. In the present invention, as an example of the ID display unit 151, a bar code is presented.

With the above structure, the reader 405 reads the ID display unit 151 so that the stocker 400 can check the ID information of the cassette 150. When the cassette 150 is shipped, the storage location of the cassette 150 having the ID information corresponding to the conveying information received by the stocker 400 is checked, and the cassette 150 is taken out from the shelf. Will be transported to port 430.

Meanwhile, the automatic conveying apparatus 300 controls the cassette 150 from the equipment 200 to the receiving port 420 of the stocker 400 and the stocker under the control of the fourth host 104. The shipment port 430 of 400 is returned to the other equipment (200). Here, the fourth host 104 controls at least one or more automatic conveying apparatuses 300, and each of the automatic conveying apparatuses 300 is provided to the automatic conveying apparatus 300 according to the command of the fourth host 104. The control unit for controlling each component of the is provided.

The automatic conveying apparatus 300 is provided on a driving unit 310 for driving a predetermined section under the control of the controller, and on one side, for example, an upper portion of the driving unit 310, and the cassette 150 is The mounting portion 320 is raised. Here, a plurality of wheels 311 driven by the driving motor is provided at the lower end of the driving unit 310 as shown in FIG. 6.

In addition, the mounting unit 320 is provided with a guide block 321 for guiding the cassette 150 to be accurately mounted and fixing the mounted cassette 150 so as not to move when the traveling unit 310 is moved. .

The automatic transfer device 300 may further include a robot arm 330 for loading the cassette 150 into the mounting unit 320 or unloading from the mounting unit 320. Can be. Here, the robot arm 330 is mounted on the upper portion of the running portion 310 and the main shaft 331 that can move or rotate in the vertical direction, and mounted on the main shaft 331 can be stretched in the horizontal direction And a slider 335.

When the robot arm 330 is provided in the automatic transfer device 300 as described above, the automatic transfer device 300 is the equipment 200 and the stocking port 420 and the delivery port 430 of the stocker 400. It is possible to directly load the cassette 150 in the mounting portion 320, or to unload the cassette 150 loaded in the mounting portion 320 to the equipment 200 and the stocker 400.

However, the robot arm 330 is not provided in the automatic transfer device 300, and a separate robot arm is provided for loading or unloading the cassette 150 near the stocker 400 and the equipment 200. It may be fine.

On the other hand, the automatic conveying device 300 should be able to accurately position in front of the stock port 420 and the delivery port 430, or the equipment 200 of the stocker 400, when transporting the cassette 150.

To this end, the automatic conveying apparatus 300 is provided with a first sensor 340 as shown in FIG. 6, and the equipment 200 and the stocker 400 have a mark plate 250 as shown in FIG. 5. ) Is provided. Here, the first sensor 340 reads the mark plate to help the automatic conveying device 300 to be accurately positioned in front of the equipment 200 or stocker 400.

In addition, the automatic conveying device 300 accurately positioned in front of the equipment 200 or stocker 400 may communicate with the equipment 200 or stocker 400 to smoothly and accurately load or unload the cassette 150. It should be possible.

To this end, the automatic conveying device 300 is further provided with a second sensor 350 to communicate with the equipment 200 or the stocker 400 as shown in FIG. .

Meanwhile, before the stocker 400 supplies the cassettes 150 on which the substrates of which process is completed to other equipment that performs the next process, the substrate processing capability and the processing time of the equipments that perform each process. In order to solve the buffering (buffering) problem caused by the difference of the, is a facility for temporarily storing the cassette 150. Therefore, the cassettes 150 on which substrates that have completed a predetermined process in any equipment are temporarily stored in the stocker 400 and then supplied to other equipment that performs another process by the automatic transfer device 300.

The stocker 400, which performs the above function, receives a cassette 150 on which a substrate on which a certain process is completed is loaded, and a plurality of shelves storing the cassettes 150. 410, an output port 430 from which the cassette 150 is shipped, and between the receiving port 420 and the shelf 410 and between the shelf 410 and the delivery port 430. It includes a stacker robot 450 (stacker robot) for carrying the cassette 150 in the stocker 400 while moving.

7 to 9 illustrate the structure of the stocker 400 according to the present invention, which will be described below in more detail with reference to these drawings.

First, a plurality of stockers 400 according to the present invention, for example, two shelves 410 are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval. Each shelf 410 has a plurality of cells 411, and each cassette 150 is stored in the cell 411.

The stacker robot 450 is disposed in the space between the shelves 410, and the stacker robot 450 moves along the rail 440 provided between the shelves 410 to move the cassette 150. The cassette 150 stored in the cell 411 of the shelf 410 or stored in the cell 411 is taken out.

On the other hand, the shelf 410 is provided with a receipt port 420 and the delivery port 430. In the stocker 400 according to the present invention, a plurality of automatic transport apparatuses 300 may respectively approach and work on the receiving port 420 and the leaving port 430, respectively.

To this end, the receiving port 420 is provided with a plurality of external receiving ports (421, 422). Accordingly, the plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses 300 may access the respective external receiving ports 421 and 422, respectively, and receive the cassette 150 into each of the external receiving ports 421 and 422, as shown in FIG. Will be.

With this structure, it is possible to effectively solve the buffering problem that occurred in the receiving port 420, that is, the problem that the automatic conveying device 300 is waiting for the cassette 150 in the receiving port 420.

The cassettes 150 received at each of the external receiving ports 421 and 422 are transferred to the internal receiving port 424 which the stacker robot 450 can access and load. Although not shown for this purpose, each of the external receiving port (421, 422) and the internal receiving port 424 is provided with a conveyor, respectively.

In the receiving port 420 of the stocker 400 according to the present invention, one of the inner receiving port 424 is provided. The reason why only one inner receiving port 424 is provided, as compared with the plurality of external receiving ports 421 and 422, is that the operation of the stacker robot 450 is higher than the working speed of the automatic transfer device 300. This is because the speed is very fast.

In addition, when the internal receiving port 424 is provided with a plurality of internal storage port 424 to store the cassette 150 because it must invade at least one of the cells 411 of the shelf 410 The number of cells 411 can be reduced, because if only one inner receiving port 424 is provided, the number of cells 411 can be maintained without violating the cells 411 of the shelf 410.

On the other hand, the cassette 150 received in each of the external receiving port (421, 422) is automatically transferred to the internal receiving port 424 by a conveyor as described above. In Fig. 7, the direction in which the cassette 150 received at each of the external receiving ports 421 and 422 is conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 is shown by an arrow.

Referring to FIG. 7, the cassette 150 received at the external receiving port 421 disposed adjacent to the internal receiving port 424 is directly conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 and the internal receiving port 424. The cassette 150 transferred to is transferred to the stacker robot 450 side after the conveyance direction is changed.

Then, the cassette 150 received by the external receiving port 422 disposed apart from the internal receiving port 424 is conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 after passing through the conveying port 423. That is, the cassette 150 received at the external receiving port 422 is transferred to the conveying port 423, and the conveying port 423 changes the conveying direction to the cassette 150 at the inner receiving port 424. To return.

Each cassette 150 received at each of the external receiving ports 421 and 422 is conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 through the above conveying process. The cassette 150 conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 is stored in the cell 411 of the shelf 410 after being loaded by the stacker robot 450.

On the other hand, when the cassettes 150 are simultaneously received in each of the external receiving ports 421 and 422, the cassettes 150 are received one by one by controlling the driving of the conveyors provided in the receiving ports 420. To be forwarded to port 424.

On the other hand, the structure of the delivery port 430 is very similar to the structure of the receiving port 420. That is, the shipping port 430 is provided with a plurality of external shipping ports 431 and 432 to which a plurality of automatic transfer devices 300 can approach and work, respectively, and the stacker robot 450 is a shelf 410. One internal shipping port 434 is provided for unloading the cassette 150 taken out from it. Of course, there is also a conveying port 433 for conveying the cassette 150 unloaded in the inner shipping port 434 to the outer shipping port 432 arranged to be separated from the inner shipping port 434.

As described above, since the structure of the delivery port 430 is similar to that of the goods receipt port 420, further description thereof will be omitted. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the internal shipping port 434 is an external shipping port in which the cassette 150 unloaded by the stacker robot 450 is disposed adjacent to the internal shipping port 434. The transfer may be performed directly to the 431 or via the transfer port 433 to the external release port 432 disposed to be separated from the internal release port 434.

In the stocker 400 according to the present invention having the above-described structure, the receiving port 420 and the leaving port 430, more specifically, the outer receiving ports 421 and 422 and the outer leaving ports 431 and 432. As shown in FIG. 7, it is preferable to be disposed side by side with the rail 301 for guiding the traveling of the automatic conveying apparatus 300. With such a structure, a plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses 300 can simultaneously approach and work on the external receiving ports 421 and 422 and the external leaving ports 431 and 432, respectively.

On the other hand, the stocking port 420 and the delivery port 430 in the stocker 400 may be provided on the shelf 410 in a variety of arrangements. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the inner receiving port 424 and the inner leaving port 434 are disposed in line with the respective shelves 410, or as shown in FIG. 8, the inner receiving port 424. And an internal shipping port 434 may be disposed between the respective shelves 410.

In the case of the structure as shown in Figure 7, the conventional stocker 40 described with reference to Figure 4, the external receiving port 422 and the conveying port 423, the external leaving port 432 and the conveying port ( 433) by additionally mounting only has the advantage that can implement the stocker 400 of the improved structure according to the present invention. Therefore, the installation cost is low and space utilization can be increased.

In the case of the structure as shown in FIG. 8, an external goods receipt port 421 and an internal goods receipt port 424, and an external goods receipt port 431 and an external goods receipt port 434 are respectively located between the shelves 410. Should be equipped with more. Therefore, in the case of the stocker 400 narrowly designed between the shelves 410, a design change is required to widen the spaces between the shelves 410.

7 and 8 illustrate an example in which the external receiving ports 421 and 422 and the external leaving ports 431 and 432 are provided at the receiving port 420 and the leaving port 430, respectively. . However, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a plurality of external receiving and leaving ports may be provided in succession in each of the receiving and receiving ports 420 and 430.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the stocker 40 may be directly connected to a device for performing an LCD manufacturing process, that is, an inline device 500. As such, when the inline equipment 500 is connected to the stocker 400, the stacker robot 450 may directly supply the cassette 150 to the inline equipment 500, thereby increasing the transfer efficiency and increasing productivity.

The cassette conveying system according to the present invention having the structure as described above conveys the cassette 150 to the stocker 400 or the equipment 200 through the following process.

First, when an operator confirms the ID of the cassette 150 to be conveyed and then inputs a conveyance command of the cassette 150 to the first host 101, the first host 101 transmits the second host. The transfer command is issued to 102 and the third host 103.

The second host 102 having received the return command forwards it to the equipment 200, and the third host 103 forwards it to the fourth host 104 and the fifth host 105. In addition, the fourth host 104 transmits the conveyance command to the automatic conveyance device 300, and the fifth host 105 transmits the conveyer command to the stocker 400.

The stocker 400 having received the transfer command controls the stacker robot 450 and transports the cassette 150 to the internal warehouse port 434 of the warehouse port 430. When the stacker robot 450 unloads the cassette 150 to the internal delivery port 434, the cassette 150 is directly transported to the external delivery port 431 or via the transport port 433. After that, it is returned to the external shipping port 432.

In addition, the automatic conveying apparatus 300 having received the conveyance command moves in front of the stocker 400 and loads the cassette 150 placed at the delivery port 430 into the mounting unit 320. In this case, when the cassette 150 is present in both the external shipping ports 431 and 432, the automatic transfer device 300 has two units as the external shipping ports 431 and 432, respectively, as shown in FIG. From the cassette 150 is loaded.

The automatic conveying device 300 loaded with the cassette 150 moves to the equipment 200. With the aid of the first sensor 340, the automatic conveying device 300 correctly positioned in front of the equipment 200 is correctly unloaded into the equipment 200 with the aid of the second sensor 350. do.

When the cassette 150 is completely unloaded into the equipment 200, the equipment 200 reads the ID display unit 151 of the cassette 150 using the reader 210. The ID information of the cassette 150 read by the reader 210 of the device 200 is transmitted to the second host 102, and the second host 102 receives the information from the first host 101. The transport information transmitted to the equipment 200 is compared with the ID information of the cassette 150.

As a result of comparison, when the conveyed information transmitted to the equipment 200 and the ID information of the cassette 150 match, the equipment 200 takes out the substrates mounted on the cassette 150 and performs a predetermined process.

However, since the equipment 200 and the stocker 400 are controlled by different hosts, when any one of the control lines causes a malfunction, the conveyance information and the cassette ( ID information of 150 may be inconsistent. Therefore, when the comparison result, the conveying information transmitted to the equipment 200 and the ID information of the cassette 150 is inconsistent, the conveying system generates an alarm sound, and the automatic conveying device 300 is the equipment 200 The cassette 150, which is unloaded in, is loaded into the mounting unit 320 again.

The automatic conveying apparatus 300 reloading the cassette 150 reloads the cassette 150 to the stocker 400 and then unloads the stock 150 to the receiving port 420 of the stocker 400. When the operator finds a control line in which an error occurs and solves the problem, the operator inputs a transfer command to the first host 101 again, and the transfer procedure of the cassette 150 of the above process is performed again.

On the other hand, when the receipt command of the cassette 150 is issued, the automatic conveying apparatus 300 receives the cassette 150 in any one of the external receipt ports 421 and 422. Of course, when the amount of the cassette 150 to be stored in the stocker 400 is large, as shown in FIG. 7, two automatic conveying apparatuses 300 each have the cassette 150 at the external receiving ports 421 and 422. Unload each).

The cassette 150 unloaded to the external receiving ports 421 and 422 is directly conveyed to the internal receiving port 424 or to the internal receiving port 424 after passing through the conveying port 423. .

The cassette 150 that enters the internal receiving port 424 finds a cell 411 of the shelf 410 on which the cassette 150 is to be stored after being loaded by the stacker robot 450, and stores the cell 411 in the cell 411. The cassette 150 is stored.

Although several embodiments have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in many other forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and all embodiments within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents are included within the scope of the present invention.

As described above, in the stocker according to the present invention, a plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses may access the input and output ports at the same time, and may receive or store a cassette. Therefore, even if a large amount of cassettes are conveyed, no buffering phenomenon occurs at the input and exit ports due to the difference in the working speeds of the stacker robot and the automatic conveying apparatus. Therefore, a large number of automatic conveying apparatuses do not have to wait for receipt and delivery at the input port and the output port of the stocker, thereby improving the conveyance efficiency and productivity.

On the other hand, the input port and the shipping port according to the present invention can be easily implemented by adding a simple component to the input and output port of the conventional stocker. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an improved stocker without major design changes, thereby reducing the installation cost.

In addition, the input port and the shipping port according to the present invention are provided with one internal input port and one shipping port, respectively, to which a stacker robot approaches and loads or unloads a cassette. Therefore, in order to implement the input port and the shipping port according to the present invention, it is not necessary to invade the cell in which the cassette is stored, so that the cassette storage space can be maintained as it is.

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 front view of the stocker of FIG. 2;

4 is a plan view schematically showing the stocker of FIG. 2;

5 is a schematic view for explaining a cassette conveying system according to the present invention;

6 is a front view showing the automatic conveying device of FIG.

7 is a plan view schematically showing a stocker according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a plan view schematically showing a stocker according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a plan view schematically illustrating a stocker according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

101: first host 102: second host

103: third host 104: fourth host

105: fifth host 150: cassette

200: equipment 300: automatic conveying device

310: driving unit 320: mounting unit

340: first sensor 350: second sensor

400: stocker 410: shelf

420: receipt port 421, 422: external receipt port

423, 433: return port 424: internal receiving port

430: Shipping port 431, 432: External shipping port

434: internal shipping port 450: stacker robot

500: inline equipment

Claims (8)

A plurality of external receiving ports through which a plurality of automatic conveying apparatuses can respectively approach and receive a cassette respectively; A receipt port having a stacker robot approaching and having one internal receipt port for loading a cassette, which has been transported after being received at the external receipt ports; And One internal shipping port to unload the cassette taken out from the shelf by the stacker robot; A stocker comprising a delivery port having a plurality of external delivery ports, each capable of leaving a cassette, each of which is accessed by a plurality of automatic conveying devices, unloaded into the internal delivery port, and then transported. The method of claim 1, The external receiving ports and external shipping ports, And a plurality of automatic conveying apparatus arranged side by side with the rail for guiding the traveling of the automatic conveying apparatus so that each of the automatic conveying apparatus can simultaneously approach and work. The method of claim 1, The stocker, characterized in that each of the outer receiving port and the inner receiving port is provided with a conveyor for conveying a cassette. The method of claim 3, wherein Cassettes received in the outer receiving port disposed adjacent to the inner receiving port are returned directly to the inner receiving port, And a cassette received at the outer receiving ports disposed away from the inner receiving port is conveyed to the inner receiving port via a conveying port. The method of claim 1, The stocker, characterized in that each of the external shipping port and the internal shipping port is provided with a conveyor for conveying a cassette. The method of claim 5, The inner shipping port is the cassette, Or directly to an external shipping port disposed adjacent to the internal shipping port, The stocker for conveying via the transport port to the external shipping port disposed to be separated from the internal shipping port. The method of claim 1, Wherein said internal input and delivery ports are arranged in line with said respective shelves. The method of claim 1, Wherein said internal input and delivery ports are each disposed between said shelves.