KR20070093845A - Substrate buffer device, method of buffering substrate, substrate processing apraratus and computer readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate buffer device, a method of buffering a substrate, a substrate processing apparatus, and a computer readable storage medium are provided to prevent the dispersion of particles and to improve a throughput. A substrate buffer device includes a shelf portion(5), an elevator, a controller, a conveyor, and a detector(105). The shelf portion is moved to a conveying line. The shelf portion includes plural loading frames for loading a substrate to the conveying line. The elevator elevates the shelf portion to move one of the plural loading frames to the conveying line. The controller controls an elevation of the shelf portion by the elevator based on a detection signal of the detector. The conveyor conveys the substrate along a conveying direction when the plural loading frames are moved to the conveying line. The detector is provided at an upstream of the conveying direction to be spaced apart from the loading frames, and detects the substrate conveyed to the conveying line.

Description

SUBSTRATE BUFFER DEVICE, METHOD OF BUFFERING SUBSTRATE, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APRARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a resist coating / development processing system for forming a resist film on a glass substrate for FPD equipped with a buffer unit as a first embodiment of a substrate buffer device according to the present invention and developing the resist film after exposure processing. Floor plan.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in the lateral direction of the buffer unit.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the lateral direction showing the main part of the buffer unit.

4 is a cross-sectional view of another side direction of the buffer unit.

5 is a plan view of a mounting table provided in the buffer unit.

6 is a plan view of a mounting table provided in the buffer unit.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a connection portion of the conveyor mechanism and the motor provided in the buffer unit.

8 is a diagram for explaining a substrate evacuation operation of the buffer unit.

9 is a diagram for explaining a substrate discharging operation of the buffer unit.

10 is a diagram for explaining substrate evacuation and delivery operations of a buffer unit.

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining substrate evacuation and delivery operations of a buffer unit.

12 is a plan view showing a modification of the conveyor mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view showing a main part of a modification of the conveyor mechanism.

14 is a diagram showing a modification of the connecting portion of the conveyor mechanism and the motor.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

1: cassette station (processing unit)

4: interface station (processing unit)

5: shelf

6: lifting mechanism

5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f: loading table

8a, 8b: auxiliary conveyor mechanism

26: resist coating unit (processing unit)

27: vacuum drying unit (processing unit)

28, 31: heat processing unit (processing unit)

29, 32: cooling unit (processing unit)

30: developing unit (processing unit)

35: inspection device (processing unit)

36, 37, 38: buffer unit (substrate buffer device)

50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g: conveyor mechanism

51a, 51b: roller member

53: motor (drive source)

55c: conveying belt

100: resist coating and developing processing apparatus (substrate processing apparatus)

104: unit controller (control mechanism)

105: first sensor (detector)

A, B: conveying line

G (G ₁ , G ₂ ,…, G ₁ ′, G ₂ ′,…): substrate

[Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-168713

[Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-304003

The present invention has a substrate buffer device and a substrate buffering method for temporarily evacuating a substrate, such as a glass substrate used for a flat panel display (FPD), to be conveyed in one direction from a conveying line, and such a substrate buffer device. A substrate processing apparatus, a control program for performing such a substrate buffering method, and a computer readable storage medium.

In the manufacture of FPDs, photolithography techniques are used to form circuit patterns on glass substrates for FPDs. The formation of the circuit pattern by photolithography is performed in the order of applying a resist liquid on the glass substrate to form a resist film, exposing the resist film to correspond to the circuit pattern, developing the same, and the like. The manufacturing line which installed each processing unit which performs processing, such as application | coating of resist liquid, image development processing, along a conveyance line, is used. The glass substrate carries out a predetermined | prescribed process in each processing unit, conveying a conveyance line.

By the way, in a production line, when a problem arises in a processing unit normally, it is necessary to stop this processing unit and solve the problem, so that the glass substrate before a process is carried out in the front end or upstream during the stop of this processing unit, A buffer device for temporarily retracting from and storing is provided.

As such a buffer apparatus, what is known is provided with the buffer housing (or buffer unit) which can accommodate the glass substrate in multiple stages provided near the conveyance line, and the conveyance arm which grasps the glass substrate on a conveyance line, and carries it into a buffer housing. (See, eg, Documents 1 and 2). The buffer device is configured to be able to access any height position of the buffer housing by lifting and lowering the transfer arm, and thereby to carry out a plurality of glass substrates contained in the buffer housing back to the transfer line in a desired order.

However, in recent years, the increase in size of FPD has been oriented, and a large glass substrate having one side of 2 m or more has emerged, and the glass substrate has been deteriorated in handling with the enlargement of the size of the FPD. The buffer device is not suitable for processing large glass substrates in consideration of safety aspects. In addition, since the buffer device lifts the glass substrate by the transfer arm as if fanned with a fan, when the glass substrate becomes large, particles are easily scattered, and the scattered particles may adhere to the surface of the glass substrate.

Moreover, the use of the conveyance arm which performs the complex operation which generally requires teaching operation leads to the increase of process number, and as a result, the tact balance of the whole manufacturing line may fall, and it may lead to the fall of a throughput.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if the substrate is large in size, it is excellent in safety and can avoid the scattering of particles, and can improve the throughput. An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate buffer device and a substrate buffering method capable of advancing into a conveying line, a substrate processing apparatus having such a substrate buffer device, and a control program and a computer readable storage medium for carrying out such a substrate buffering method.

MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM In order to solve the said subject, this invention is a board | substrate buffer apparatus for temporarily evacuating the conveyance line the board | substrate conveyed in one direction from a conveyance line, It is possible to advance to the said conveyance line, and conveyed the said conveyance line A shelf having a plurality of stages up and down with a mounting table capable of loading a substrate, and having a shelf portion provided to be capable of lifting and lowering; and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the shelf portion to advance any one of the plurality of loading stages to the conveying line, Each said loading table has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction, when it advances into the said conveyance line, and can function as a part of the said conveyance line, When retracting a board | substrate from the said conveyance line, The machine which conveyed the said conveying line to what is advancing into the said conveying line in the loading table. The board | substrate is mounted, and the said shelf part is lifted up by the said lifting mechanism in that state, and the board | substrate is retracted with the mounting board from the said conveyance line, The board | substrate buffer apparatus is provided.

Moreover, this invention is the board | substrate buffer apparatus for temporarily evacuating the board | substrate conveyed in one direction of a conveyance line from a conveyance line, It is possible to advance to the said conveyance line, and to load the conveyed board | substrate with the conveyance line A shelf having a plurality of stages up and down possible, the shelf being provided to be capable of lifting and lowering; a lifting mechanism for lifting up and down the shelf, and allowing any one of the plurality of loading platforms to advance to the transfer line; and the shelf by the lifting mechanism. It is provided with the control mechanism which controls a negative elevation, Each said mounting board has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction, when it enters the said conveyance line, and can function as a part of the said conveyance line, The said conveyance When evacuating a substrate from a line, it advances to the said conveyance line among the said several loading boards. The board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line was loaded in the thing, The shelf part is lifted by the said lifting mechanism in that state, and it is comprised so that the board | substrate may be withdrawn from the said conveyance line with the mounting table, The said control mechanism is a And controlling the shelf to be lifted and lowered by the elevating mechanism when the substrate is brought to a predetermined distance after the substrate is conveyed to the loading table that has advanced to the conveying line. It provides a substrate buffer device characterized in that. In this invention, the detection part which detects the board | substrate which conveys the said conveyance line provided with the predetermined distance in the conveyance direction upstream side from the mounting table which advanced into the said conveyance line is provided, The said control mechanism is the said detection part It is preferable to control the lifting of the shelf part by the lifting mechanism based on the detection signal. In this case, it is preferable that the control mechanism controls the lifting of the shelf part by the lifting mechanism so that the substrate, which has been evacuated from the conveying line, advances again from the previously evacuated substrate, in order to advance into the conveying line. Do.

In the above this invention, the board | substrate which the conveyance line was conveyed to the said conveyance line is board | substrate which the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is completed after the elevation of the said shelf part is complete | finished from the start time of the elevation of the said shelf part by the said lifting mechanism, The time until the point at which the shelf portion is elevated again by the elevating mechanism and the substrate loaded on the other loading table advancing into the conveying line is sent out by the conveyor mechanism is set to be shorter than the tact time of the conveying line. It is desirable to have. In this case, the subsidiary conveyor mechanism which has a board | substrate conveyance speed faster than the board | substrate conveyance speed of the said conveyance line provided adjacent to the conveyance direction upstream and downstream of the loading table which advanced to the said conveyance line so that it may function as a part of the said conveyance line It is preferable to further provide.

Further, in the present invention described above, it is preferable that the conveyor mechanism of the respective mounting tables is configured to be driven by the same drive source and to be connected to the driving source when the mounting table enters the conveying line.

Moreover, in the above this invention, it is preferable that the said conveyor mechanism is either one of a roller conveyance system and a belt conveyance system in the said each loading stand.

In addition, in the present invention described above, it is preferable that the uppermost loading stage normally enters the conveying line and functions as a part of the conveying line. In this case, it is preferable that the said conveyor mechanism is a roller conveyance system in the uppermost loading stage, and that the conveyor mechanism is a belt conveyance system in each loading stage other than the said uppermost stage.

Moreover, this invention can be advanced to the conveyance line which conveys a board | substrate to one direction, and has the shelf part provided with the multi-step up / down stage which can load the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line, and is movable up and down; And a lift mechanism for lifting and lowering the shelf portion to advance any one of the plurality of loading tables to the conveying line, wherein each of the loading tables conveys the substrate along the conveying direction when the loading table enters the conveying line. It is a substrate buffering method which uses the board | substrate buffer apparatus comprised so that it can function as a part of the said conveyance line, and the said conveyance line is evacuated the conveyed board | substrate from a conveyance line temporarily, The said conveyance line in the said several loading table The board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is loaded to what is advancing to, and in that state The shelf is lifted by the lifting mechanism and the substrate is retracted from the conveying line along with the loading table, and the lifting of the shelf by the lifting mechanism at the time of evacuation of the substrate is advanced to the conveying line. The substrate buffering method is performed when the board | substrate and the said conveyance line have been conveyed in the state which mounted the board | substrate at the time when the board | substrate became predetermined distance.

Moreover, this invention is provided so that it may be located in the conveyance direction upstream of the said conveyance line rather than the conveyance line which conveys a board | substrate to one direction, the process part which performs a predetermined process to the board | substrate which conveys the said conveyance line, and the said process part, The substrate processing apparatus provided with the buffer apparatus which temporarily retracts the board | substrate which conveys the said conveyance line from a conveyance line when a problem arises in the said process part, The said buffer apparatus can advance to the said conveyance line, The said conveyance line A lifting unit having a plurality of stages up and down a mounting table capable of loading the transferred substrate, the lifting and lowering mechanism provided to move up and down, and the lifting and lowering mechanism to allow any one of the plurality of mounting platforms to advance to the transfer line; And a control mechanism for controlling the lifting of the shelf part by the lifting mechanism. The bed has a conveyor mechanism for conveying the substrate along the conveying direction when entering the conveying line, and can function as a part of the conveying line, and when the problem occurs in the processing section, the The board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is loaded to what is advancing to a conveyance line, and the said shelf part is raised by the said lifting mechanism in that state, and it is comprised so that the board | substrate may be withdrawn from the said conveyance line with the mounting table, And the control mechanism is configured to move the shelf by the lifting mechanism when the substrate is brought to a predetermined distance after the substrate is conveyed to the loading table that has advanced to the conveying line and has been conveyed. Provided is a substrate processing apparatus characterized in that the control is performed such that the additional lifting is performed.

The present invention also provides a control program which operates on a computer and controls the processing apparatus in the computer so that the above-mentioned substrate buffering method is performed at the time of execution.

In addition, the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program operating on a computer, wherein the control program causes the computer to control the processing device so that the above-described substrate buffering method is performed at execution. Provide possible storage media.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows the formation of a resist film on a glass substrate for FPD (hereinafter simply referred to as a "substrate") equipped with a buffer unit according to the first embodiment of the substrate buffer device according to the present invention, and the development of the resist film after exposure treatment. It is a schematic plan view of the resist coating and developing processing system which performs the following.

The resist coating and developing processing apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) 100 includes a cassette station 1 on which a cassette C for accommodating a plurality of substrates G is loaded, and a resist coating and development on the substrate G. It is equipped with the interface station 4 which transfers the board | substrate G between the processing station 2 which performs a series of processes to carry out, and the exposure apparatus 9 which performs exposure processing to the board | substrate G, and a cassette The station 1 and the interface station 4 are disposed on both sides of the processing station 2, respectively. 1, the longitudinal direction of the resist coating and developing processing system 100 is made into the X direction and the direction orthogonal to the X direction on a plane is made into the Y direction.

The cassette station 1 is equipped with the loading table 12 which can load the cassette C in parallel in the Y direction, and the conveying apparatus 11 which carries out the carrying-in of the board | substrate G between the processing stations 2, and loading The conveyance of the cassette C is performed between the base 12 and the exterior. The conveying arm 11a provided in the conveying apparatus 11 is movable along the guide 10 extended in the Y direction, and can be moved up and down, back and forth, and horizontally rotated, and between the cassette C and the processing station 2 Carrying in and out of the substrate G is performed.

The processing station 2 has conveying lines A and B of two parallel rows of substrates G extending in the X direction between the cassette station 1 and the interface station 4. The conveying line A is configured to convey the substrate G from the cassette station 1 side toward the interface station 4 side by so-called horizontal traveling conveyance such as roller conveyance or belt conveyance, and the conveying line B It is comprised so that board | substrate G may be conveyed toward the cassette station 1 side from the interface station 4 side by what is called horizontal advancing conveyance, such as roller conveyance and belt conveyance.

On the conveyance line A, the excimer UV irradiation unit (e-UV) 21, the scrub cleaning unit (SCR) 22, and the preheat unit (PH) from the cassette station 1 side toward the interface station 4 side. 23, the AD unit 24, the cooling unit (COL) 25, the buffer unit (BUF) 36, the resist coating unit (CT) 26, the vacuum drying unit (DP) ( 27, the heat treatment unit (HT) 28, the cooling unit (COL) 29, and the buffer unit (BUF) 37 are arranged in this order.

On the conveying line B, from the interface station 4 side toward the cassette station 1 side, the developing unit (DEV) 30, the heat treatment unit (HT) 31, the cooling unit (COL) 32, Buffer units (BUFs) 38 are arranged in sequence. Moreover, between the cooling unit (COL) 32 and the set station 1, the test | inspection apparatus (IP) 35 which inspects the board | substrate G in which the series of processes including resist coating and image development was performed is provided.

The excimer UV irradiation unit (e-UV) 21 performs the removal process of the organic substance contained in the substrate G, and the scrub cleaning unit (SCR) 22 performs the scrub cleaning treatment and the drying treatment of the substrate G. . The preheat unit (PH) 23 performs the heat treatment of the substrate G, the advance unit (AD) 24 performs the hydrophobization treatment of the substrate G, and the cooling unit (COL) 25 the substrate Cool (G). The resist coating unit (CT) 26 supplies a resist liquid on the substrate G to form a resist film, and the reduced pressure drying unit (DP) 27 is a volatile component contained in the resist film on the substrate G under reduced pressure. The evaporation is carried out to dry the resist film. The heat treatment unit (HT) 28 heats the substrate G, and the cooling unit COL 29 cools the substrate G similarly to the cooling unit COL 25.

The developing unit (DEV) 30 performs application of the developing solution onto the substrate G, rinsing the substrate G, and drying processing of the substrate G in this order. The heat treatment unit (HT) 31 performs the heat treatment of the substrate G similarly to the heat treatment unit (HT) 28, and the cooling unit (COL) 32 is the cooling unit (COL) 25, 29. In the same manner, the substrate G is cooled.

The buffer unit (BUF) 36 is a unit downstream of the X direction, for example, a resist coating unit (CT) 26, a reduced pressure drying unit (DP) 27, a heat treatment unit (HT) 28, or When a problem occurs in the cooling unit (COL) 29, the substrate G is temporarily evacuated from the transfer line A, and the buffer unit BUF 37 is a unit downstream of the X direction, for example. For example, when a problem occurs in the interface station 4, the developing unit (DEV) 30, the heating processing unit (HT) 31, or the cooling unit (COL) 32, the substrate G is temporarily transferred to a transfer line ( A buffer unit (BUF) 38 is used for evacuation from A), and when the unit downstream of the X direction, for example, the inspection apparatus (IP) 35 or the cassette station 1 has a problem, the substrate G ) Is for temporarily evacuating from the conveyance line (B). The buffer units BUF 36, 37, 38 will be described later in detail.

The interface station 4 receives the rotary stage (RS) 44 which is a conveyance part of the board | substrate G in which the buffer cassette which can accommodate the board | substrate G is arrange | positioned, and the board | substrate G which conveyed the conveyance line A. And the conveying arm 43 conveyed to the rotary stage (RS) 44 is provided. The conveyance arm 43 is capable of vertical movement, forward and backward movement and horizontal rotation, and is adjacent to the exposure apparatus 9 provided adjacent to the conveyance arm 43, the conveyance arm 43, and the developing unit (DEV) 30. The external device block 90 provided with the peripheral exposure apparatus EE and the title TITLER is also accessible.

The resist coating and developing processing apparatus 100 is configured to be connected to and controlled by a process controller 101 having a CPU. The process controller 101 visualizes and displays the operation status of the keyboard or each unit or each unit in which the process manager performs an input operation or the like for managing each unit or each unit of the resist coating and developing processing apparatus 100. A recipe in which a user program 102 including a display or the like and a control program or processing condition data for realizing various processes executed by the resist coating and developing processing apparatus 100 under the control of the process controller 101 are recorded. The stored storage unit 103 is connected.

Then, a resist coating / development processing apparatus under the control of the process controller 101 by calling an arbitrary recipe from the storage unit 103 and executing it in the process controller 101 by an instruction from the user interface 102 or the like as necessary. The desired processing is performed at 100. In addition, recipes such as control programs and processing condition data may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a hard disk, a flexible disk, a flash memory, or the like. It can also be used online from time to time via transmission.

In the resist coating and developing apparatus 100 configured as described above, first, the substrate G in the cassette C stacked on the mounting table 12 of the cassette station 1 is the transfer arm 11a of the transfer apparatus 11. Is conveyed to the upstream end part of the conveyance line A of the processing station 2, and conveyed the conveyance line A phase is carried out from the excimer UV irradiation unit (e-UV) 21 to the board | substrate G. The removal process of the organic substance contained is performed. The substrate G on which the organic matter removal process in the excimer UV irradiation unit (e-UV) 21 is finished is conveyed on the conveying line A, and the scrub cleaning process and drying in the scrub cleaning unit (SCR) 22 are carried out. Processing is carried out.

The substrate G on which the scrub cleaning process and the drying process in the scrub cleaning unit (SCR) 22 are finished is conveyed on the conveying line A, and the heat treatment is performed in the preheat unit PH 23. Dehydrated. The board | substrate G by which the heat processing in the preheat unit PH 23 was complete | finished is conveyed on the conveyance line A, and hydrophobization process is performed in the ad hoc unit AD 24. The board | substrate G in which the hydrophobization process in the advise unit AD 24 was complete | finished is conveyed on the conveyance line A, and is cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 25. As shown in FIG.

The board | substrate G cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 25 is conveyed on the conveyance line A, and a resist film is formed in the resist coating unit CT (26). The formation of the resist film in the resist coating unit (CT) 26 is performed by supplying a resist liquid onto the substrate G while the substrate G is conveyed on the conveying line A. FIG.

The substrate G on which the resist film is formed in the resist coating unit (CT) 26 is conveyed on the conveying line A and exposed to a reduced pressure atmosphere in the reduced pressure drying unit (DP) 27, whereby the resist film is dried. .

The substrate G subjected to the drying treatment of the resist film in the reduced pressure drying unit (DP) 27 is conveyed on the conveying line A, and subjected to heat treatment in the heat treatment unit (HT) 28, and applied to the resist film. The solvent contained is removed. The board | substrate G in which the heat processing in the heat processing unit (HT) 28 was complete | finished is conveyed on the conveyance line A, and is cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 29. As shown in FIG.

After the board | substrate G cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 29 is conveyed on the conveyance line A to a downstream end part, the rotary stage RS (by the conveyance arm 43 of the interface station 4) ( 44). Next, the board | substrate G is conveyed by the conveyance arm 43 to the peripheral exposure apparatus EE of the external device block 90, and removes the outer peripheral part (unnecessary part) of a resist film by the peripheral exposure apparatus EE. An exposure process is performed. Subsequently, the board | substrate G is conveyed to the exposure apparatus 9 by the conveyance arm 43, and the exposure process of a predetermined pattern is performed to a resist film. In addition, the board | substrate G may be conveyed to the exposure apparatus 9 after temporarily accommodated in the buffer cassette on the rotary stage (RS) 44. FIG. The substrate G on which the exposure process is completed is conveyed to the titler TITLER of the external device block 90 by the transfer arm 43, and predetermined information is recorded by the titler TITLER.

The board | substrate G in which predetermined | prescribed information was recorded by the titler TITLER is conveyed on the conveyance line B, and the application | coating process, rinse process, and drying process of a developing solution are performed in the developing unit DEV 30 in order. As for the coating process, the rinse process, and the drying process of a developing solution, the developing solution accumulates on the board | substrate G, for example, as the board | substrate G conveys on the conveyance line B, and conveyance is stopped once, and a board | substrate is predetermined, for example. As the angle is inclined, the developer flows and falls, and in this state, the rinse liquid is supplied onto the substrate G, and the developer is washed. Then, the substrate G is returned to the horizontal posture and conveyed again to dry the substrate G. Is blown, and so on.

The substrate G on which the coating, rinsing, and drying processing of the developing solution in the developing unit DEV 30 is completed is conveyed on the conveying line B so that the heating treatment is performed in the heating processing unit HT 31. The solvent and water contained in the resist film are removed. An i-ray UV irradiation unit for decolorizing the resist film may be provided between the developing unit (DEV) 30 and the heat treatment unit (HT) 31. The board | substrate G by which the heat processing in the heat processing unit (HT) 31 was complete | finished is conveyed on the conveyance line B, and is cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 32. As shown in FIG.

The board | substrate G cooled by the cooling unit (COL) 32 is conveyed on the conveyance line B, and is examined by the inspection unit IP 35. The board | substrate G which passed the test | inspection is accommodated in the predetermined | prescribed cassette C mounted on the mounting table 12 by the conveyance arm 11a of the conveying apparatus 11 provided in the cassette station 1.

Next, the buffer unit (BUF) 36 will be described in detail. The buffer units BUF 37 and 38 also have a structure very similar to that of the buffer units BUF 36.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in the lateral direction of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 (substrate buffer device) according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the lateral direction showing its main part, and Fig. 4 is a buffer unit (BUF) ( 36 is a cross-sectional view of another side direction.

The buffer unit (BUF) 36 is capable of advancing to the conveying line A and having a shelf portion having a plurality of mounting tables 5a to 5f capable of loading the substrate G conveyed with the conveying line A at the upper and lower ends thereof. (5) and the elevating mechanism 6 which raises and lowers this shelf part 5, and advances any one of the several stage loading tables 5a-5f to conveyance line A, the shelf part 5, and elevating. Auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8a provided so as to be adjacent to the X-direction upstream and downstream in either of the housing | casing 7 provided so that the mechanism 6 may be accommodated, and the loading tables 5a-5f which advanced to the conveyance line A, respectively. , 8b).

The mounting tables 5a to 5f are each provided with conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f capable of carrying the substrate along one side in the X direction, and the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f are driven when entering the transfer line A. It is comprised so that it can function as a part of conveyance line A by doing so. Moreover, at the time of normal conveyance or at the time of normal conveyance as conveyance line A, the uppermost loading stage 5a which the board | substrate G is relatively easy to receive airflow has advanced to conveyance line A by opening up.

5 is a plan view of the mounting table 5a provided in the buffer unit BUF 36. As shown in Fig. 5, the conveyor mechanism 50a provided on the uppermost mounting table 5a has a plurality of substantially cylindrical roller members 51a and 51b having a rotation axis extending in the Y direction at intervals in the X direction. Have The roller members 51a and 51b are each formed from the ultra high molecular polyethylene material, and are rotatably supported by the bearing 52 provided in the side wall which opposes the Y direction of the shelf part 5. The roller members 51a and 51b rotate by the drive of the motor 53 as a drive source mentioned later, respectively, and the conveyor mechanism 50a is comprised so that the board | substrate G may roller convey in the X direction. Here, the driving force transmission belt 54 hangs between all the roller members 51a and 51b, for example, at one end in the Y-direction, and the motor 53 is one of these roller members 51a and 51b. For example, it is connectable to the roller member 51a of a X direction center part, and it is comprised so that all the roller members 51a and 51b may be rotated simultaneously through the drive force transmission belt 54 by rotating this roller member 51a. By making a conveyor mechanism into a roller conveyance system, durability can be improved compared with the belt conveyance system like the conveyor mechanisms 50b-50f mentioned later.

The roller member 51a and the roller member 51b are alternately arrange | positioned in the X direction. The roller members 51a and 51b have the small diameter rotary shaft 51c extended in a Y direction, respectively, and the large diameter contact part 51d provided in the Y by the space | interval at this rotation shaft 51c, and a contact part Although 51d is formed in contact with the substrate G to support the substrate G, in the roller member 51a and the roller member 51b so that the supporting force to the substrate G is distributed approximately evenly in the Y direction. It is comprised so that the Y-direction position of the contact part 51d may differ.

6 is a plan view of the mounting tables 5b to 5f provided in the buffer unit BUF 36. As shown in Fig. 6, the conveyor mechanisms 50b to 50f provided on the mounting tables 5b to 5f are respectively provided with coarse pulleys 55a provided at the central portion in the X direction, for example, and at both ends in the X direction, for example. The driven pulley 55b, the main pulley 55a, and the conveyance belt 55c extended between each driven pulley 55b are provided. The main pulley 55a is formed in the substantially cylindrical shape extended in the Y direction, and is rotatably supported by the bearing 56 provided in the side wall which opposes the Y direction of the shelf part 5. The driven pulley 55b is provided in multiple numbers at intervals, for example in the Y direction, and is rotatably supported on the partition plate 57 which partitions between the loading tables 5b-5f. The conveyance belt 55c is formed in thin strip | belt shape so that it may correspond to the driven pulley 55b, and is provided in multiple numbers at intervals in a Y direction. In the conveyor mechanisms 50b to 50f, the coarse pulley 55a is rotated by the drive of the motor 53, and the respective conveyer belts 55c and the driven pulleys 55b are rotated, whereby the substrate G is rotated. Is conveyed to the belt in the X direction. By making a conveyor mechanism into a belt conveyance system, the number of members can be reduced compared with the roller conveyance system like the conveyor mechanism 50a.

Moreover, in order to prevent meandering of the conveyance belt 55c, the conveyance belt 55c is made into Y by forming the insertion groove of the conveyance belt 55c in the main pulley 55a and the driven pulley 55b, etc. It is preferable to position in the direction. In addition, in order to prevent the bending of the conveyance belt 55c, a warpage prevention member (not shown) may be provided so as to penetrate the inside of the conveyance belt 55c and contact the conveyance surface of the conveyance belt 55c.

The lifting mechanism 6 is provided below the shelf 5 so as to support the shelf 5. The lifting mechanism 6 has a plurality of ball screw mechanisms provided around the air cylinder mechanism 61 provided in the substantially center portion of the bottom surface of the shelf part 5 and the air cylinder mechanism 61 of the bottom surface of the shelf part 5. It is comprised so that the air cylinder mechanism 61 and the ball screw mechanism 62 may expand and contract in synchronism, and the shelf part 5 may be raised and lowered.

The housing | casing 7 has the space which the shelf part 5 can raise and lower inside, and opposes the delivery opening 71 and the delivery opening 72 of the board | substrate G which conveyed the conveyance line A to the X direction, respectively. It has on the side wall.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a connection portion between the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f provided in the buffer unit (BUF) 36 and the motor 53 as a drive source. As shown in FIG. 7, the motor 53 is provided to be movable in the Y direction by a slide mechanism 73 slidable in the Y direction, provided on one side of the side wall facing the Y direction of the housing 7, For example, the front end of the rotary shaft has a protrusion 53a. On the other hand, in the axial one end of the roller member 51a of the X direction center part of the conveyor mechanism 50a, and the axial one end of the coarse pulley 55a of the conveyor mechanisms 50b-50f, respectively, the loading table 5a-5f. When () enters the conveying line A, a hole-shaped locking portion 53b which can be engaged with the engaging portion 53a of the motor 53 in the circumferential direction, for example, the engaging portion 53a is inserted and inserted into It is prepared. Then, the motor 53 is moved by the slide mechanism 73 to approach the shelf portion 5, whereby the engaging portion 53a and the locking portion 53b are coupled to each other and the loading table 5a has entered the transfer line A. Any one of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f of the to 5f is connected to the motor 53 (see the imaginary line in FIG. 7), and the motor 53 is separated from the shelf portion 5 by the slide mechanism 73. By moving so that the coupling portion 53a and the engagement portion 53b are released, any one of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f of the mounting tables 5a to 5f that enters the conveying line A and the motor 53 are released. Is disconnected.

With such a configuration, the plurality of conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f can be driven separately by one motor 53, thereby reducing the cost of the apparatus. The engaging part 53a provided in the rotating shaft of the motor 53 and the locking part 53b provided in the roller member 51a and the coarse pulley 55a, respectively, comprise a clutch mechanism. The rotation shaft of the motor 53 and the roller member 51a or the coarse pulley 55a may be connected by a magnet drive mechanism using a magnetic force or the like.

The conveyance speed (normal or normal conveyance speed) of the board | substrate G of the conveyor mechanisms 50a-50f by the motor 53 is the tact time of the conveyance line A (substrate which conveys the conveyance line A). (G) is appropriately set according to the time until the next board | substrate G which conveys the conveyance line A after reaching | attaining a predetermined position reaches a predetermined position, but here, it raises to the lifting mechanism 6 It is set faster than the conveyance speed of the board | substrate G of the conveyance line A in order not to destroy the tact balance of the whole system in consideration of the lifting time of the shelf part 5 by this.

The subsidiary conveyor mechanisms 8a and 8b each use the tact time of the conveying line A, the conveying time of the substrate G of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f by the motor 53 and the elevating mechanism 6. It is for adjusting the elevating time of the shelf part 5, and is comprised by the roller conveyance system which roller-conveys the board | substrate G to an X direction by the drive source, such as a motor which is not shown in figure, or the belt conveyance system which carries out belt conveyance (in the figure) Roller conveying method) It functions as a part of conveyance line A. FIG.

The conveyance speed of the board | substrate G of the subsidiary conveyor mechanism 8a, 8b is respectively faster than the conveyance speed of the board | substrate G of the conveyance line A, for example, the board | substrate G of the conveyor mechanisms 50a-50f. It is set to approximately the same as the conveying speed (normal or normal conveying speed). Thereby, the conveyance line A from the conveyance line A which conveyed the board | substrate G to the loading table 5a-5f which advanced into the conveyance line A from the conveyance line A, and advanced into the conveyance line A. Since the transfer of the substrate G to the substrate can be carried out quickly, the tact time of the transfer line A can be shortened.

Lifting of the shelf part 5 by the lifting mechanism 6, movement of the motor 53 by the slide mechanism 73, operation of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f by the motor 53, and auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8a. 8b) is controlled by the unit controller 104 (control mechanism) which has received commands from the process controller 101, respectively. The conveying line (a) is provided at an upstream side in the conveying direction or a conveyance direction upstream side at a predetermined distance from the mounting table 5a advancing into the conveying line A, for example, at the X-direction upstream end of the auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8a. The 1st sensor 105 (detection part) which detects the board | substrate G conveyed A is provided, and the conveyance line (A) is provided in the X direction upstream end part and downstream end part of each loading table 5a-5f, respectively. The 2nd sensor 106 and the 3rd sensor 107 which detect the board | substrate G which conveys A) are provided. When the 1st sensor 105, the 2nd sensor 106, and the 3rd sensor 107 detect a board | substrate G, respectively, they transmit a detection signal to the unit controller 104. FIG. The 1st sensor 105, the 2nd sensor 106, and the 3rd sensor 107 can be comprised by the stock sensor which detects the stock of the board | substrate G, for example.

The unit controller 104 is a unit downstream of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 in the X direction, for example, a resist coating unit (CT) 26, a reduced pressure drying unit (DP) 27, and a heat treatment unit (HT). Board | substrate which conveyed the conveying line A when the X direction downstream of the conveying line A stops rather than the buffer unit BUF 36 when the (28) or the cooling unit (COL) 29 has a problem. The conveyor mechanism 50a is stopped so that (G) is loaded on the mounting table 5a which has advanced to the conveying line A. FIG. Here, the unit controller 104, upon receiving the detection signal from the second sensor 106, decelerates the drive of the motor 53, that is, the operation of the conveyor mechanism 50a, and detects the detection signal from the third sensor 107. Receiving the operation stops the driving of the motor 53, that is, the operation of the conveyor mechanism 50a. By such control, the board | substrate G is mounted on the mounting table 5a. In addition, in the state in which the board | substrate G is mounted on the mounting table 5a, the unit controller 104 detects the next board | substrate G which conveyed the conveyance line A, and the 1st sensor 105 detects. That is, when the conveyance line A has been conveyed and then the substrate G is close to the mounting table 5a by a predetermined distance, the problem of the unit downstream in the X direction is solved and the conveyance line A can be recovered. The conveying line A is conveyed until the shelf part 5 is raised by the elevating mechanism 6 so that the subsequent board | substrate G may be sequentially loaded to the mounting tables 5b-5f from the board | substrate G. The loading tables 5b to 5f are advanced to the conveying line A. FIG. Here again, the unit controller 104 uses the second sensor 106 and the first sensor so that the substrate G is sequentially stacked on the mounting tables 5b to 5f, as in the case of loading the substrate G onto the mounting table 5a. The drive of the motor 53 is controlled based on the detection signal from the three sensors 107. In addition, the distance from the mounting table 5a advancing to the conveying line A to the 1st sensor 105 is based on the conveyance speed of the conveying line A, the auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8a, etc., and the elevating mechanism 6, and so on. It is set according to the lifting speed and the like of the shelf part 5.

Next, the operation of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a substrate evacuation operation of the buffer unit (BUF) 36, and FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a substrate discharging operation of the buffer unit (BUF) 36.

In the buffer unit (BUF) 36, the unit controller (control mechanism) 104 drives the auxiliary conveyor mechanisms 8a and 8b when the resist coating and developing processing apparatus 100 is operating normally or in normal operation. While serving as part of (A), the conveyor mechanism 50a of the mounting table 5a is driven by the motor 53 so that the mounting table 5a functions as part of the conveying line A (see Fig. 2). ).

If a problem occurs in a unit on the X-direction downstream side of the buffer unit (BUF) 36, the unit controller 104 which has received a command from the process controller 101 first of all the auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8b on the downstream side in the X-direction. At the same time as the driving is stopped, the first substrate G ₁ which has been conveyed from the upstream side of the mounting table 5a to the conveying line A passes through the carrying-in port 71 of the housing 7, The conveyor mechanism 50a is stopped so as to be loaded on 5a) (see Fig. 8A). Further, even in this case it may control the transport line of the first substrate (G _1), the unit controller 104 so that the load on the secondary conveyor mechanism (8b) which has been carrying the (A).

When the substrate G ₁ is loaded on the mounting table 5a, the unit controller 104 causes the conveyor when the first sensor 105 detects the substrate G ₂ after the conveying line A has been conveyed. The mechanism 50a is disconnected from the motor 53, and any one of the mounting tables 5b to 5f is connected to the lifting mechanism 6 such that the mounting table 5b enters the transfer line A, for example. by the conveyor mechanism by a motor 53 so that the rising was loaded on the loading table (5b) and drive to connect the conveyor mechanism (50b) to the motor (53), the substrate (G _2), the shelving unit (5), (50b ) Is stopped (see Fig. 8B). As a result, the substrate (G ₁₎ is kept in the retracted from the conveying line (A) together with the mounting table (5a). Moreover, any one of the mounting tables 5a-5f in which the board | substrate which conveyed the conveyance line A advances in the conveyance line A from the time when the shelf part 5 is elevated by the elevating mechanism 6 is lifted. The time until loading in is set shorter than the tact time of the conveying line A. FIG.

By such process, a buffer unit (BUF) (36) substrate in a subsequent one is transferred to the unit of the problem is solved conveying line (A) up to the X-direction downstream side _{(G 3, G 4, ...} ) is, Each of them is stored on the mounting tables 5c, 5d, ... (see Fig. 8 (c)). Further, the mounting tables 5a, 5b, ... are placed on the shelf 5 by the same number as the number of substrates G that can carry the X-direction upstream side than the buffer unit BUF 36 of the conveying line A. In the case where a problem occurs in the unit on the downstream side of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 in the X-direction, it is configured to stop the feeding of the substrate G from the cassette station 1 to the transfer line A. desirable. Thereby, all the board | substrate G which conveyed the conveyance line A can be mounted on a mounting table.

When the problem of the unit in the X-direction downstream of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 is solved, the buffer unit (BUF) 36 sends the evacuated substrates G ₁ , G ₂ ,... To the transfer line A. do. Here, the unit controller 104 which has received the command from the process controller 101 is, for example, the elevating mechanism 6 so as to be sent to the conveying line A in order of the previously-recovered substrates G ₁ , G ₂ ,... Lifting and lowering of the shelf portion 5 by the slide mechanism, movement of the motor 53 by the slide mechanism 73, driving of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f by the motor 53, and of the auxiliary conveyor mechanisms 8a and 8b. Each drive is controlled. Moreover, when the problem of the unit of the X direction downstream of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 is eliminated, the input of the board | substrate G from the cassette station 1 to the conveyance line A is comprised so that it may start again. It is preferable.

The unit controller 104 first drives the auxiliary conveyor mechanism 8b, lowers the shelf portion 5 by the elevating mechanism 6, and advances the loading table 5a to the conveying line A, and the motor. The conveyor mechanism 50a is driven by the 53 to feed the substrate G ₁ on the mounting table 5a from the outlet 72 of the housing 7 to the downstream side of the conveying line A (Fig. 9). See (a) of]. The unit controller 104 then raises the shelf portion 5 by the elevating mechanism 6 to advance the loading table 5b to the conveying line A, and the conveyor mechanism 50b by the motor 53. To drive the substrate G ₂ on the mounting table 5b to the downstream side of the transfer line A (see FIG. 9B). Similarly, under the control of the unit controller 104, it is sent out to the substrate prior to evacuation in which (G _3, G _4, ...) and then the conveying line (A) [see (c) of Fig. Since so-called first-in-first-out of the board | substrate C is performed by this, the fluctuation | variation of the process of the board | substrate G in the resist coating / development processing apparatus 100 can be suppressed.

Mounting table (5a, 5b, ...) when each of the substrate was stacked on the _{(G 1, G 2, ...} ) are all sent out to the conveying line (A), the unit controller 104 is a shelf by the elevating mechanism 6 The lower part 5 is lowered to advance the loading table 5a to the conveying line A, and the conveyor mechanism 50a is driven to function the loading table 5a again as part of the conveying line A (Fig. 2).

10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining the substrate evacuation and delivery operation of the buffer unit (BUF) 36.

The board | substrate which the buffer unit (BUF) 36 started raising and lowering of the shelf part 5 by the lifting mechanism 6, and since the lifting of the shelf part 5 is complete | finished and conveyed the conveyance line A is carried out. (G) is loaded on any one of the mounting tables 5a to 5f advancing to the conveying line A, and the shelf part 5 is lifted again by the elevating mechanism 6, and the conveying line A It is more preferable that the time until the time of sending out the board | substrate G loaded in any one of the other loading boards 5a-5f advancing is set shorter than the tact time of the conveyance line A. FIG. Thereby, while storing the board | substrate G which conveyed the conveyance line A, it becomes possible to send out the other board | substrate G previously stored to the conveyance line A. FIG. For example, the occurrence and resolution of problems of the unit downstream of the buffer unit (BUF) 36 in the X-direction are intermittent, and as shown in Fig. 10A, the loading table 5c, 5d,... The substrates G ₃ , G ₄ ,... Are respectively loaded onto the substrate G, and the substrate G ₁ ′ is removed after the conveying line A has been conveyed before the substrate G ₃ is fed to the conveying line A. FIG. If the first sensor 105 is detected, the unit controller 104 to the shelf portion 5 by the conveying line (a) once the tissue a dispatch operation, and to the lifting mechanism (6) of the substrate (G ₃₎ entering the loading table is empty is lowered (5a) to the conveying line (a) and, thereby loading the substrate (G ₁ ') of the mounting table (5a) [(b) refer to Fig. 10. The unit controller 104 then raises the shelf portion 5 by the elevating mechanism 6, retracts the substrate G ₁ ′ together with the mounting table 5a, and conveys the mounting table 5c. line of the substrate (G ₃₎ on the entry to the (a) and, the mounting table (5c) is sent out to the conveying line (a) [see (c) of Fig. Then the next one is transferred to the conveying line (A) a substrate (G ₂ '), the first because as the sensor 105 is detected, the unit controller (104) [(a), see Fig. 11 is a lifting mechanism ( 6) the shelf 5 can be lowered to advance the empty loading table 5b to the conveying line A, and the substrate G ₂ 'can be loaded on the loading table 5b (Fig. 11). (b)]. Similarly, the unit controller 104 is assigned to G ₄ , G ₅ ,... Subsequent substrates G ₃ ′, G ₄ ′… conveyed with the conveying line A can be evacuated from the conveying line A while sending the conveying line A to the conveying line A (FIG. 11C). Reference]. Moreover, you may control the unit controller 104 so that the board | substrate may be conveyed and the board | substrate is mounted on the mounting board, without raising the mounting board which sent out the board | substrate to the conveying line A.

Next, modifications of the parts constituting the buffer unit (BUF) 36 will be described.

12 is a plan view showing a modification of the conveyor mechanism, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part thereof. In addition, about the same site as before deformation, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

In each of the mounting tables 5a to 5f, a conveyor mechanism 50g may be provided instead of the conveyor mechanisms 50a to 50f (see Figs. 5 and 6). 50g of conveyor mechanisms have the drive roller part 110 in the X direction center part, and the free roller part 111 and the drive roller are in turn toward the X direction both ends in the X direction both sides of this drive roller part 110, respectively. The part 112, the free roller part 111, the drive roller part 113, and the free roller part 114 are provided.

The roller member 51b is provided in the drive roller parts 110, 112, and 113. As shown in FIG. In addition, two roller members 51b are arranged in the driving roller part 112 in the X direction. At one end in the Y direction of the roller member 51b of the drive roller 110, a locking portion 53b that can engage with the engaging portion 53a of the motor 53 is provided, and a driving force between all the roller members 51b. The transmission belt 54 is straddled, and by rotating the roller member 51b of the drive roller part 110 by the motor 53, it is comprised so that all the roller members 51b may rotate simultaneously through the drive force transmission belt 54. FIG. It is.

The free rollers 111 and 114 respectively contact the substrate G and freely support the free roller 115 and the free roller 115 which rotate with the rotation of the roller member 51b at the time of conveyance. It has the support part 116 to make. The free roller 115 is formed short in the Y direction by the ultra high molecular polyethylene material, and is arranged in multiple numbers in the Y direction so that the free roller 115 may correspond to the Y direction position of the contact part 51d of the roller member 51b. More specifically, the free rollers 115 are arranged in a zigzag shape, and are arranged one by one in the same Y direction position as the contact portions 51d of the roller members 51b, and between the contact portions 51d of the roller members 51b. Two are arranged in the X direction at the position in the Y direction. The support part 116 is rotatably provided with the base material 117 fixed to the side wall facing the Y direction of the shelf part 5, and the free roller 115 fixed to the base material 117 via the color 118. It has bearing members 119a and 119b. The base materials 117 are formed in a thin L-shape extending in the Y direction, and are provided in two so as to oppose both ends of the X direction. The bearing member 119a is provided in the same Y-direction position as the contact part 51d of the roller member 51b, and the bearing member 119b is provided between the bearing members 119a. The bearing members 119a and 119b are each formed in the thin convex shape extended in the X direction, and the bottom surface part is being fixed to the bottom surface part of each base material 117 by the fastener, such as a bolt which is not shown in figure. The bearing members 119a and 119b each have an opening 120 at the upper surface portion (one bearing member 119a and two bearing members 119b), and the free roller 115 has an opening 120. It is rotatably provided in the side part facing X direction so that it may protrude upward from ().

In addition, 50g of conveyor mechanisms are comprised so that removal of the free roller part 114 in consideration of carrying property is possible (refer the symbol C position of FIG. 12, a virtual line). Since the free roller part 114 is provided in the X direction both ends, it can be attached or detached without requiring removal, adjustment, etc. of the drive force transmission belt 54. FIG.

The conveyor mechanism 50g has a smaller number of roller members 51b (roller members 51a) than the above-mentioned conveyor mechanism 50a, but a large number of free rollers 115 are provided to support the free rollers 115. The supporting portion 116 is composed of an L-shaped substrate 117 and convex bearing members 119a and 119b, thereby ensuring a thin and excellent strength. For this reason, by using the conveyor mechanism 50g for the mounting tables 5a-5f, the weight of the whole apparatus is reduced and low cost, without lowering the support strength of the board | substrate G compared with the case where the conveyor mechanism 50a is used. Can get angry. Moreover, compared with the case where the above-mentioned conveyor mechanisms 50b-50f by belt conveyance are used for the mounts 5a-5f, the whole apparatus can be reduced in weight, and dust etc. are hard to adhere.

14 is a diagram showing a modification of the connecting portion of the conveyor mechanism and the motor 53. The shock absorbing roller 121 may be provided at the distal end of the engaging portion 53a of the motor 53. The buffer roller 121 is provided to have a rotating shaft passing through the center of the rotating shaft of the motor 53. As a result, when the motor 53 moves so as to approach the shelf portion 5 by the slide mechanism 73, when the position of the engaging portion 53a and the locking portion 53b does not match, the buffer roller 121 is provided. Is made to contact the one end of the roller member 51a or the coarse pulley 55a in the axial direction to soften the impact, thereby preventing the occurrence of dust or the like at the time of contact. In addition, when the shock absorbing roller 121 drives the motor 53 in contact with the roller members 51a and 51b or one end of the coarse pulley 55a in the axial direction, the motor ( Since the rotating shaft of 53 can rotate smoothly, the positional matching of the engaging part 53a and the locking part 53b becomes easy.

This invention is not limited to the said Example, A various deformation | transformation is possible. For example, any one of the mounting tables 5b-5f other than the upper mounting table 5a may function as a conveyance line at normal, and the some board | substrate G retracted from the conveying lines A and B is carried out. The order of sending to the conveyance lines A and B of () may be arbitrary or random.

According to the present invention, the substrate is particularly suitable when the substrate is large, such as a glass substrate for FPD. However, the present invention is not limited to the glass substrate and can be widely applied to the buffering of other substrates such as semiconductor wafers.

According to this invention, the shelf part which can advance to a conveyance line and which can load the board | substrate which conveyed the conveyance line up and down is provided so that lifting and lowering of the shelf part which has multiple stages is possible, Since the board | substrate which conveyed the conveyance line was loaded to what is advancing, the shelf part is lifted in that state, and the board | substrate is evacuated from the conveyance line with the mounting board, and it does not require a conveyance arm itself, Even in this large size, the substrate can be transported between the transfer line and the retracted position safely and with a small number of steps while avoiding particle scattering. In addition, since the substrate is configured with a conveyor mechanism for conveying the substrate along the conveying direction so as to function as part of the conveying line when entering the conveying line, the substrate can be moved in and out of an arbitrary loading table. The plurality of substrates thus evacuated can be advanced to the conveying line again in a desired order.

Claims (13)

It is a board | substrate buffer apparatus for temporarily evacuating the board | substrate conveyed to a conveyance line in one direction from a conveyance line, A shelf portion which is capable of advancing into the conveying line and having a plurality of stages in which the conveying line is capable of loading the substrate conveyed, up and down, and which can be elevated; An elevating mechanism for elevating the shelf to advance any one of the plurality of mounting tables to the conveying line; Each said loading table has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction, when it advances into the said conveyance line, and can function as a part of the said conveyance line, When evacuating a board | substrate from the said conveyance line, the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is loaded in what is advancing into the said conveyance line of the said several loading table, The shelf part is lifted by the said lifting mechanism in that state, and the And a substrate is retracted from the conveying line together with the mounting table. It is a board | substrate buffer apparatus for temporarily evacuating the board | substrate conveyed to a conveyance line in one direction from a conveyance line, A shelf portion which is capable of advancing into the conveying line and having a plurality of stages in which the conveying line is capable of loading the substrate conveyed, up and down, and which can be elevated; An elevating mechanism for elevating the shelf to advance any one of the plurality of mounting tables to the conveying line; A control mechanism for controlling the lifting of the shelf portion by the lifting mechanism; Each said loading table has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction, when it advances into the said conveyance line, and can function as a part of the said conveyance line, When evacuating a board | substrate from the said conveyance line, the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is loaded in what is advancing into the said conveyance line of the said several loading table, The shelf part is lifted by the said lifting mechanism in that state, and the Configured to withdraw the substrate from the conveying line together with the mounting table; The said control mechanism makes the said shelf by the said elevation mechanism when the board | substrate has conveyed the said mounting board and the said conveyance line, and the board | substrate became a predetermined distance in the state in which the board | substrate was mounted in the loading board which advanced to the said conveyance line. Substrate buffer device, characterized in that the control to be elevated. The detection part of Claim 2 provided with the detection part which detects the board | substrate which conveys the said conveyance line provided with the predetermined distance in the conveyance direction upstream from the mounting table which advances into the said conveyance line, And the control mechanism controls the lifting of the shelf part by the lifting mechanism based on the detection signal of the detection unit. The said control mechanism is a shelf part of the said shelf mechanism of Claim 2 or Claim 3 which moves so that a board | substrate evacuated from the said conveyance line may advance from a board | substrate previously evacuated in order when it advances again to the said conveyance line. Substrate buffer device, characterized in that the lifting control. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein from the start time of the lifting of the shelf by the lifting mechanism, the lifting of the shelf is finished and the substrate has been conveyed to the conveying line. The time until the time when the board | substrate which is loaded on the loading table which is carried out, the said shelf part is raised and lowered again by the said lifting mechanism, and the board | substrate loaded on the other loading board which advances to the said conveying line is sent out by the said conveyor mechanism is the said conveyance. The board | substrate buffer apparatus characterized by being shorter than the tact time of a line. The auxiliary | substrate which has a board | substrate conveyance speed faster than the board | substrate conveyance speed of the said conveyance line of Claim 5 provided adjacent to the conveyance direction upstream and downstream of the loading table which advanced into the said conveyance line so that it may function as a part of the said conveyance line. A substrate buffer device, further comprising a conveyor mechanism. The conveyor mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveyor mechanism of each of the mounting tables is driven by the same driving source and is connected to the driving source when the mounting table enters the conveying line. A substrate buffer device. The substrate buffer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the mounting tables has any one of a roller conveying method and a belt conveying method. The substrate buffer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the uppermost loading table normally enters the conveying line and functions as part of the conveying line. 10. The substrate buffer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said conveyor mechanism is a roller conveyance system, and said conveyor mechanism is a belt conveyance system in each of said loading mechanisms other than said uppermost stage. The shelf part which can advance to the conveyance line which conveys a board | substrate to one direction, and which has the loading table which can load the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line up and down in multiple stages, and is provided so that elevating is possible, and elevates the said shelf part And elevating mechanism for advancing any one of the plurality of mounting tables to the conveying line, Each said loading table has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction when it enters the said conveyance line, and uses the board | substrate buffer apparatus comprised so that it can function as a part of the said conveyance line, It is a board | substrate buffering method which temporarily returns the board | substrate which conveys the said conveyance line from a conveyance line, The board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is mounted in what is advancing into the said conveyance line among the said several loading stand, In that state, the said lifting mechanism raises and lowers the said shelf part, The board | substrate with the said mounting stand Evacuate from As for the lifting of the said shelf part by the said lifting mechanism at the time of evacuation of a board | substrate, the board | substrate and the said conveyance line after conveying the board | substrate in the state which mounted the board | substrate to the loading board which advanced to the said conveyance line, the predetermined distance The substrate buffering method characterized in that it is performed when it becomes a. A conveying line for conveying the substrate in one direction, A processing unit that performs a predetermined process on the substrate to be transported with the transfer line; It is provided so that it may be located in the conveyance direction upstream of the said conveyance line rather than the said process part, The board | substrate processing apparatus provided with the buffer apparatus which temporarily retracts the board | substrate conveyed by the said conveyance line from a conveyance line when a problem arises in the said process part, The buffer device, A shelf portion which is capable of advancing into the conveying line and having a plurality of stages in which the conveying line is capable of loading the substrate conveyed, up and down, and which can be elevated; An elevating mechanism for elevating the shelf to advance any one of the plurality of mounting tables to the conveying line; A control mechanism for controlling the lifting of the shelf portion by the lifting mechanism; Each said loading table has a conveyor mechanism which conveys a board | substrate along a conveyance direction, when it advances into the said conveyance line, and can function as a part of the said conveyance line, When a problem arises in the said processing part, the board | substrate which conveyed the said conveyance line is loaded in what is advancing into the said conveyance line of the said several loading stages, In the state, the said shelf part is elevated by the said lifting mechanism, and the board | substrate is moved. It is configured to withdraw from the conveying line with the mounting table, The said control mechanism makes the said shelf by the said elevation mechanism when the board | substrate has conveyed the said mounting board and the said conveyance line, and the board | substrate became a predetermined distance in the state in which the board | substrate was mounted in the loading board which advanced to the said conveyance line. The substrate processing apparatus characterized by controlling so that the addition lifting. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program running on a computer, The control program causes the computer to control the processing device so that, when executed, the substrate buffering method according to claim 11 is performed.

Images