KR20130037674A - Substrate cartridge, substrate storage device, and substrate processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

The board | substrate cartridge CTR is equipped with the accommodating part 1, the carrying out opening 3, the carrying in opening 2, and the guide part 4. As shown in FIG. The accommodating part 1 accommodates a strip | belt-shaped board | substrate FB. The carry-out port 3 and the carry-in port 2 are provided in the accommodating part 1, and let the board | substrate FB pass. The guide part 4 guides the board | substrate FB from the delivery opening 2 to the delivery opening 3. The guide portion 4 includes a movable guide plate 45 and moving rollers 47 and 48. The moving rollers 47 and 48 include the elastic part 52b. First, the movable guide plate 45 is kept horizontal, and the expansion and contraction portion 52b is contracted. The tip end of the substrate FB is supported on the guide plate 45. When the board | substrate FB is conveyed by the carrying-in roller 23, the guide plate 45 is rotated in a vertical position. As the board | substrate FB is carried in, the expansion-contraction part 52b is extended | stretched gradually. The cartridge CTR is connected to the substrate processing apparatus FPA.

Description

Substrate Cartridge, Substrate Storage and Substrate Handling System {SUBSTRATE CARTRIDGE, SUBSTRATE STORAGE DEVICE, AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a substrate cartridge, a substrate storage device and a substrate processing system.

This application claims priority based on US Provisional Application 61/322360 for which it applied on April 9, 2010, and US Provisional Application No. 61/423207 for which it applied on December 15, 2010, and uses the content here.

As a display element which comprises display apparatuses, such as a display apparatus, a liquid crystal display element and an organic electroluminescent (organic EL) element are known, for example. At present, as these display elements, active elements (active devices) for forming thin film transistors (TFTs) on the substrate surface corresponding to each pixel have become mainstream.

In recent years, the technique of forming a display element on a sheet-like board | substrate (for example, a film member etc.) is proposed. As such a technique, for example, a method called a roll-to-roll method (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "roll method") is known (see Patent Document 1, for example). The roll method sends out one sheet-like substrate (for example, a strip-shaped film member) wound around the supply roller on the substrate supply side, and winds up the sent substrate with a recovery roller on the substrate recovery side, The desired processing is performed on the substrate by the processing apparatus provided between the supplying roller and the collecting roller.

Then, the substrate is conveyed using, for example, a plurality of conveying rollers or the like from the time when the substrate is sent out to the winding, and the gate electrode and the gate insulating film constituting the TFT using the plurality of processing apparatuses (units). , A semiconductor film, a source / drain electrode, and the like are formed, and the components of the display element are sequentially formed on the target surface of the substrate. For example, when forming an organic EL element, a light emitting layer, an anode, a cathode, an electric circuit, etc. are formed in order on a board | substrate.

When sending out the board | substrate wound by the collection | recovery roller, the part which met at the end at the time of winding becomes a tip, and a board | substrate is sent out. For this reason, when pattern formation etc. are performed repeatedly with respect to a board | substrate, it is considered that the order of a pattern formation process should be reversed at the time of winding up of a board | substrate and the time of sending out a board | substrate. Thus, since it is necessary to manage the head and the end of a board | substrate every time, a management burden may become large.

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2006/100100868 Pamphlet

In the roll-to-roll system, since the length of one board | substrate is long, it is calculated | required to reduce the management burden of a board | substrate.

The aspect which concerns on this invention aims at providing the board | substrate management apparatus, board | substrate cartridge, and board | substrate processing system which can reduce the management burden of a board | substrate.

The board | substrate cartridge by one form is provided with the accommodating part which accommodates the board | substrate formed in strip shape, the carrying-out port provided in the said accommodating part, and carrying out a board | substrate, the carrying-in port which carries in a board | substrate, and is provided in the accommodating part, The guide part which guides the front-end | tip part of the board | substrate accommodated in the accommodating part from a carrying inlet to a carrying out opening is provided.

A substrate processing system of one embodiment includes a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention and a connection portion for connecting the substrate cartridge.

The board | substrate storage apparatus by one form is a board | substrate storage apparatus which forms a strip | belt-shaped, and has a flexible board | substrate folded multiple times in a longitudinal direction, Comprising: The 1st folding part which folds the board | substrate so that the surfaces of board | substrates may mutually face each other. A second folded portion that folds the first portion so that the rear surfaces of the first portions folded to one side of the first folded portion of the substrate face each other, and the second folded portion of the substrate is folded to the opposite side to the first folded portion. The fourth part in which the direction change part which changes a 2nd part toward a 1st folding part, and the part of the 3rd part changed in the direction change part of the board | substrate were folded on the other side with a 1st part by the 1st folding part of a board | substrate. A third fold is provided that folds the third portion along the surface or back side of the portion.

According to the aspect which concerns on this invention, it becomes possible to reduce the management burden of a board | substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The figure which shows the structure of the board | substrate cartridge which concerns on 1st Embodiment.
2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate cartridge according to the present embodiment.
3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a part of the substrate cartridge according to the present embodiment.
4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate processing system according to the present embodiment.
5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a part of the substrate processing system according to the present embodiment.
6 is a view showing an operation of a part of the substrate processing system according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate cartridge according to a second embodiment. FIG.
8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate cartridge according to the present embodiment.
9A illustrates another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
9B is a view showing another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
10 shows another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
11A illustrates another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
11B is a view showing another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
11C shows another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
11D illustrates another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
12A is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
12B illustrates another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
13A is a view showing another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
13B is a view showing another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
14 shows another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
15 shows another configuration of the substrate processing system.
Fig. 16 shows another configuration of the substrate cartridge.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a part of the substrate cartridge according to the third embodiment. FIG.
The perspective view which shows the structure of the board | substrate storage apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment.
19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a substrate storage device according to a fifth embodiment.
20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a substrate storage device according to a sixth embodiment.
21 is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
The figure which shows the other structure of a board | substrate storage apparatus.
The figure which shows the other structure of a board | substrate storage apparatus.
24A is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
24B is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
25 is a diagram illustrating another configuration of the substrate storage device.
The figure which shows the other structure of a board | substrate storage apparatus.
The figure which shows the other structure of a board | substrate storage apparatus.
28 is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
29 is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
The figure which shows the other structure of a board | substrate storage apparatus.
31 is a view showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
32A is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
32B is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.
33 is a diagram showing another configuration of the substrate storage device.

[First Embodiment]

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to drawings, 1st Embodiment is described.

1 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of a substrate cartridge CTR according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate cartridge (or sheet stocker, CTR) includes a housing portion 1 for receiving a sheet substrate (for example, a strip-shaped film member) formed in a strip shape, and Carry-in port 2 which carries in a sheet | seat board | substrate to the accommodating part 1, the carrying out port 3 which carries out a sheet | substrate board | substrate from the said accommodating part 1, and a sheet board | substrate in the accommodating part 1 ( The guide part 4 which guides from 2) to the discharge outlet 3, the control part 5, and the to-be-connected opening 6 are provided. The board | substrate cartridge CTR is mounted and used, for example in the bottom surface F of a manufacturing plant, etc.

In the following description, the positional relationship of each member is demonstrated, setting an XYZ rectangular coordinate system and referring this XYZ rectangular coordinate system. Specifically, the predetermined direction on the plane parallel to the bottom surface F is the X-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction on the plane is Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane is the Z-axis direction. In addition, the rotation (tilt) directions around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are respectively θX, θY, and θZ directions.

As a sheet | seat board | substrate, foil, such as a resin film and stainless steel, can be used, for example. For example, the resin film is polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, vinyl acetate Materials, such as resin, can be used.

The dimension of the Y direction (short direction) of a sheet | seat board | substrate is formed in 50 cm-about 2 m, for example, and the dimension of X direction (length direction) is formed in 10 m or more, for example. Of course, this dimension is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the dimension of the Y direction of a sheet | seat board | substrate may be 50 cm or less, and may be 2 m or more. In this embodiment, even if the sheet | seat board | substrate whose dimension of a Y direction exceeds 2 m is used preferably. Moreover, the dimension of the X direction of a sheet | seat board | substrate may be 10 m or less.

The sheet substrate has a thickness of, for example, 1 mm or less, and is formed to have flexibility. The flexibility here does not disconnect or break even if a predetermined force of at least self-weight is applied to the substrate, for example, and refers to a property capable of bending the substrate. For example, the flexibility to bend by the predetermined force is also included in the flexibility. Moreover, the said flexibility changes with environment, such as the material, size, thickness, or temperature of the said board | substrate. In addition, although a strip | belt-shaped board | substrate may be used as a sheet | seat board | substrate, it is good also as a structure formed by connecting several unit board | substrates in strip shape.

It is preferable that a sheet | seat board | substrate has a small thermal expansion coefficient so that a dimension does not change even if it receives the heat of about 200 degreeC, for example. For example, an inorganic filler can be mixed with a resin film and a thermal expansion coefficient can be made small. As an example of an inorganic filler, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina, silicon oxide, etc. are mentioned.

The accommodating part 1 has the case 10 which has a some wall surface, for example. The said some wall surface is arrange | positioned at the position which comprises each surface of a rectangular parallelepiped, for example. The case 10 may be placed so that, for example, the surface on the -Z side is in direct contact with the bottom surface F, and, for example, even if the configuration is provided on the bottom surface F via a caster or the like. Does not matter. The cover 10 (not shown) which can be opened and closed on the case 10 may be provided.

The delivery opening 2 is formed in the wall surface 10a of the case 10, for example on the + X side. In the delivery port 2, the guide plates 21 and 22 and the carrying roller (drive roller 23) are provided, for example. The guide plates 21 and 22 are provided in the position which sandwiches the surface and back surface of a sheet | seat board | substrate. The guide plate 21 is formed so as to protrude to the + X side with respect to the guide plate 22. The carrying-in roller 23 guides the sheet | seat board | substrate carried in from the carrying in opening 2 to the inside of the accommodating part 1.

The carry-out port 3 is formed in the wall surface 10a of the case X, for example on the + X side. In addition, the delivery port 3 is formed in the upper side (+ Z side) of this wall surface 10a. The carrying out opening 3 is arrange | positioned at the lower side (-Z side) of the carrying in opening 2, for example. Thus, in this embodiment, the delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 are arrange | positioned at the same wall surface 10a of the case 10. As shown in FIG. Moreover, the to-be-connected part 6 with the exterior is provided in this wall surface 10a. The carrying out opening 3 is provided with guide plates 31 and 32 and a carrying out roller (drive roller 33), for example. The guide plates 31 and 32 are provided in the position which pinches | interposes the surface and back surface of a sheet | seat board | substrate. The guide plate 31 is formed so as to protrude to the + X side with respect to the guide plate 32. The carrying out roller 33 guides the sheet | seat board | substrate in the case 10 to the carrying out opening 3.

The guide part 4 is provided inside the case 10. The guide portion 4 includes a fixed guide plate 41, a first roller (drive roller 42), a parallel guide plate 43, a second roller (drive roller 44), a movable guide plate 45, and a plurality of folding mechanisms ( 46). A plurality of folding mechanisms 46 are arranged along the inward direction of the case 10 from the wall surface 10a on which the carry-in port 2 and the carry-out port 3 are arranged.

The fixed guide plate 41 is a plate member fixed horizontally to the inner wall of the case 10 from immediately after the carrying-in roller 23 to just before the 1st roller 42. The fixed guide plate 41 is arrange | positioned parallel to a X direction, for example. Although the dimension of the Y direction of the fixed guide plate 41 is formed so that it may become larger than the dimension of the short direction of a sheet | seat board | substrate, for example, it supports both width sides in the Y direction of a sheet | seat board | substrate, and the center part of the width direction of a sheet | seat board | substrate is supported. It may be a configuration that does not seem to do. The fixed guide plate 41 may be divided into a plurality of guide plates, and the plurality of guide plates may be arranged at equal intervals along the X direction. The fixed guide plate 41 guides the sheet | seat board | substrate carried in by the carrying-in roller 23 to -X direction, for example.

The 1st roller 42 is arrange | positioned in the vicinity of the -X side edge part of the fixed guide plate 41. FIG. The first roller 42 is fixed to the inner wall of the case 10 so as to be rotatable in the θY direction. The first roller 42 conveys the sheet substrate guided by the fixed guide plate 41 to the parallel guide plate 43.

The parallel guide plate 43 is a plate member fixed to the case 10. The parallel guide plate 43 has an inner guide plate 43a disposed on the + X side and an outer guide plate 43b disposed on the -X side. The inner guide plate 43a and the outer guide plate 43b are disposed to face each other in a state of standing up with respect to the horizontal plane, that is, in a state in which the plate plane is parallel to the YZ plane.

The inner guide plate 43a and the outer guide plate 43b are disposed with a gap (gap in the X direction in this embodiment) so that the sheet substrate can pass therethrough. The inner side guide plate 43a and the outer side guide plate 43b are each formed by bending the end portions on the + Z side toward, for example, the + Z side toward the first roller 42, and the end portions on the -Z side, respectively. Is curved toward the + X side toward the second roller 44, for example.

The 2nd roller 44 is an edge part of the inner side (-X side) inside the case 10, and is arrange | positioned in the vicinity of the -Z side edge part of the parallel guide plate 43. As shown in FIG. The second roller 44 is provided to be rotatable in the θY direction. The second roller 44 sandwiches the front surface and the rear surface of the sheet substrate guided by the parallel guide plate 43, and transports it to the movable guide plate 45. The rotation drive mechanism which is not shown in figure is connected to the 1st roller 42 and the 2nd roller 44, for example.

The movable guide plate 45 guides the sheet substrate conveyed by the second roller 44. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration along an AA section in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the recessed part 11 is formed in the inner surface of the wall part 10b of the + Y side of the case 10, and the wall part 10c of the -Y side, respectively. The recessed part 11 is formed so that it may become long in an X direction, for example. The recessed part 11 is provided with the shaft part 12 rotatably mounted in the (theta) X direction, for example.

The movable guide plate 45 is attached to the case 10 via the shaft portion 12. The shaft portion 12 is rotatable in the θX direction. The shaft part 12 is connected to the rotation drive mechanism not shown. In the rotation drive mechanism, the rotation angle, the rotation speed, the timing of rotation, and the like of the shaft portion 12 are adjusted by, for example, the control of the control unit 5, but the basic operation is the movable guide plate 45 as shown in FIG. 2. ) May be rotated between a substantially horizontal state and a substantially vertical state stored in the recess 11.

By adjusting the rotation angle of the shaft part 12, for example, the movable guide plate 45 is a state which is parallel to a Y direction, for example, and a state which is parallel to a Z direction (state which a tip part faces -Z direction), for example. It is supposed to switch to. In the state in which the movable guide plate 45 is parallel in the Y direction, for example, both ends of the sheet substrate conveyed by the second roller 44 in the Y direction are respectively supported. Moreover, the movable guide plate 45 is accommodated in the recessed part 11 in the state parallel to Z direction, for example. In this way, the movable guide plate 45 is provided on the guide path of the sheet substrate so as to be accessible.

As shown in FIG. 1, the some folding mechanism 46 has the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48. As shown in FIG. Each of the folding mechanisms 46 has the same configuration. The 1st moving roller 47 is arrange | positioned in multiple numbers at the -Z side of a sheet | seat board | substrate, for example. The plurality of first moving rollers 47 are disposed at predetermined intervals along the X direction, for example. The 2nd moving roller 48 is arranged in multiple numbers at the + Z side of a sheet | seat board | substrate, for example. The plurality of second moving rollers 48 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the X direction, for example.

Each second moving roller 48 is disposed between the adjacent first moving rollers 47 in the X direction. For this reason, the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 are alternately arrange | positioned, for example in the X direction. For example, the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 are arrange | positioned so that it may not overlap, for example when it sees on XY plane.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the folding mechanism 46.

As shown in FIG. 3, the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 have the same structure, respectively, and the case 10 which shows the folding mechanism 46 of the state shown in FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 1st moving roller 47 is comprised by attaching in the inside), and the folding mechanism 46 of the state shown in FIG. 3 is inverted up and down, and is attached to the upper side of the case 10 shown in FIG. Thereby, the 2nd moving roller 48 is comprised. The 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 have the fixing | fixed part 51, the movable part 52, the support part 53, and the roller part 54, respectively.

The fixing part 51 has a pair of drive source 51a fixed to the inner wall of the case 10, for example, and the rod-shaped guide rod 51b which connects the pair of drive sources 51a. . For example, the pair of drive sources 51a are positioned and fixed so that the guide rod 51b is parallel to the Y axis. As the pair of drive sources 51a, for example, a pneumatic or hydraulic piston or a configuration using pole screws and nuts can be used. In the drive source 51a, the drive amount, drive timing, and the like are controlled by the control unit 5, for example.

The movable part 52 has a pair of slider 52a which can move along the guide rod 51b, and the elastic part 52b which expands and contracts in a Z direction with the movement of the pair of slider 52a. . The pair of sliders 52a are moved by each of the pair of drive sources 51a, for example. In the structure shown in FIG. 3, the pair of slider 52a moves to the center of a left-right direction, for example, and the expansion-contraction part 52b will be extended to + Z side. In addition, by moving the pair of sliders 52a to the end portions in the left and right directions in the drawing, the expansion and contraction portion 52b contracts in the -Z direction.

In addition, let the state in which the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 shrink | contract the most.

The support part 53 is being fixed to the front-end | tip of the + Z side of the expansion-contraction part 52b. The support part 53 is provided so that a movement to a Z direction is possible by the expansion-contraction operation of the expansion-contraction part 52b. The roller part 54 is attached to the support part 53. The roller part 54 is provided so that rotation is possible in (theta) Y direction, for example. The roller part 54 is a part which a sheet substrate hangs, for example. In addition, the diameter of the roller part 54 which folds and bends a sheet | seat board | substrate is set in the range which a sheet | seat board | substrate does not plastically deform when the sheet | seat board | substrate is folded in U shape. For example, even in a sheet substrate of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) having a thickness of about 50 μm, a metal film such as aluminum, a UV curable resin layer, or the like is deposited on the unprocessed state and the surface of the sheet. In the processing state, the minimum radius of curvature that is allowed to be folded in a U-shape also varies, so that the diameter of the roller portion 54 is in the state of the sheet substrate to be stored (for example, the content of a processing process for processing the sheet substrate). Is selected in consideration of

In FIG. 1, FIG. 2, the state which the expansion-contraction part 52b contracts with respect to each of the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 is shown. As the elastic part 52b is extended, the roller part 54 is arrange | positioned with respect to the 1st moving roller 47 in the position 47S, and the 2nd moving roller as shown in FIG. About 48, it is arrange | positioned at position 48S.

4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate processing system SYS according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the substrate processing system SYS performs the processing on the substrate supply unit SU for supplying the sheet substrate FB and the processing surface Fp of the sheet substrate FB. ), A substrate recovery part CL for collecting the sheet substrate FB, and a control device CONT for controlling each part thereof.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned substrate cartridge CTR is used as an apparatus which combines the board | substrate supply part SU and the board | substrate collection | recovery part CL. In substrate processing apparatus PR, connection part CN with board | substrate cartridge CTR is provided. The connection portion CN of the substrate processing apparatus PR is configured to be connected to the connection port 6 of the substrate cartridge CTR, for example. The substrate processing system SYS is provided, for example, in a factory or the like. In this embodiment, the carry-out port 3 of the board | substrate cartridge CTR functions as the board | substrate supply part SU, and the carry-in port 2 functions as the board | substrate collection part CL.

The substrate processing system SYS recovers the sheet substrate FB from the delivery opening 2 of the substrate cartridge CTR after the sheet substrate FB is sent out from the delivery port 3 of the substrate cartridge CTR. Various processes are performed on the surface of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB for the time until. The substrate processing system SYS can be used when forming display elements (electronic devices), such as organic electroluminescent element and a liquid crystal display element, on the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. Of course, when forming elements other than these elements, you may use the substrate processing system SYS.

The board | substrate cartridge CTR sends out and supplies the sheet | seat board | substrate FB accommodated in the accommodating part 1 from the export outlet 3 to the substrate processing apparatus PR. Moreover, the board | substrate cartridge CTR collect | recovers the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from the substrate processing apparatus PR from the delivery opening 2. In addition, the board | substrate cartridge CTR guides the front-end | tip part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB collect | recovered from the delivery opening 2 by the guide part 4 to the delivery opening 3, for example.

The substrate processing apparatus PR conveys the sheet | seat board | substrate FB supplied from the carrying out opening 3 of the board | substrate cartridge CTR to the carrying inlet 2 of the said board | substrate cartridge CTR, and also conveys a sheet in a conveyance process. The process is performed to the to-be-processed surface Fp of the board | substrate FB. The substrate processing apparatus PR has processing apparatus PA, a conveying apparatus CV, an alignment apparatus (not shown), etc., for example.

The processing apparatus PA has, for example, TFTs and various processing units for forming organic EL elements on the target surface Fp of the sheet substrate FB. As such a processing part, the partition forming apparatus for forming a partition on the to-be-processed surface Fp, the electrode forming apparatus for forming the electrode for driving TFT, or an organic EL element, the light emitting layer forming apparatus for forming a light emitting layer, for example. Etc. can be mentioned. More specifically, film-forming apparatuses, such as a droplet coating apparatus (for example, an inkjet type | mold coating apparatus, a screen printing type | mold coating apparatus, etc.), a vapor deposition apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a developing apparatus, the surface A reforming apparatus, a washing | cleaning apparatus, etc. are mentioned. Each of these apparatuses is suitably provided, for example on the conveyance path | route of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. In addition, as the processing apparatus PA, you may use the reader mounting part which mounts a reader part to the front-end | tip part of the conveyance direction of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, for example.

The conveying apparatus CV has the roller apparatus R which conveys the sheet | seat board | substrate FB to the delivery opening 2 side, for example in substrate processing apparatus PR. The roller apparatus R is provided in multiple numbers along the conveyance path of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, for example. A drive mechanism (not shown) is attached to at least one roller device R among the plurality of roller devices R. FIG. By rotating such a roller apparatus R, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is conveyed to an X-axis direction. For example, some roller apparatuses R of some roller apparatus R may be comprised so that a movement to the direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction is possible. Moreover, when the reader is attached to the front-end | tip of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, the conveying apparatus CV may be a structure which has the reader holding | maintenance part CVL which hold | maintains the said reader.

The conveying apparatus CV conveys the sheet | seat board | substrate FB so that the carrying-in position of a sheet | seat board | substrate FB and a carrying out position may be + X side of substrate processing apparatus PR together. For example, the conveying apparatus CV has the folding roller RR. By this folding roller RR, the conveying apparatus CV conveys the sheet | seat board | substrate FB supplied from the + X side edge part of the substrate processing apparatus PR to -X side, for example, to the folding roller RR. The sheet | seat board | substrate FB is conveyed so that it may be folded to + X side, and it will return to the + X side edge part of this substrate processing apparatus PR.

The alignment apparatus detects alignment marks provided at both ends in the width direction of the sheet substrate FB, for example, and performs the alignment operation of the sheet substrate FB with respect to the processing apparatus PA based on the detection result. The alignment apparatus uses, for example, an alignment camera that detects an alignment mark provided on the sheet substrate FB, or the sheet substrate FB based on a detection result of the alignment camera, for example, in the X direction, the Y direction, the Z direction, the θX direction, and an adjustment mechanism for finely adjusting in at least one direction of the θY direction and the θZ direction.

Substrate processing system SYS comprised as mentioned above manufactures display elements (electronic device), such as an organic electroluminescent element and a liquid crystal display element, by control of the control apparatus CONT. Hereinafter, the process of manufacturing a display element using the substrate processing apparatus FPA of the said structure is demonstrated with reference to FIG.

First, the board | substrate cartridge CTR is attached to the connection part CN of the substrate processing apparatus PR. In the board | substrate cartridge CTR, the carrying in port 2 which carries in the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, and the carrying out hole 3 which carries out the sheet | seat board | substrate FB are provided in the same wall surface 10a. Therefore, what is necessary is just to connect the to-be-connected 6 of the said wall surface 10a to connection part CN. That is, the cartridge CTR can be easily and accurately connected to the processing apparatus PR with the mechanical connection precision of the connection part CN and the to-be-connected opening 6 of the cartridge side.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB accommodated in the board | substrate cartridge CTR is wound by the some 1st roller 42 and the some 2nd roller 44, and is accommodated in the state folded several times. It is. And the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from the board | substrate cartridge CTR is carried out by the method as mentioned later.

After attaching the board | substrate cartridge CTR, the control part 5 rotates the carrying out roller 33 so that the sheet | seat board | substrate FB may be sent out from the carrying out opening 3. The control apparatus CONT is carried out by the conveying apparatus CV of the substrate processing apparatus PR between the sheet board | substrate FB is sent out from the carrying out opening 3, and is collect | recovered to the carrying inlet 2. While appropriately conveying the sheet substrate FB in the substrate processing apparatus PR, the components of the display element are sequentially formed on the sheet substrate FB by the processing apparatus PA.

On the other hand, the control part 5 draws the said sheet | seat board | substrate FB processed by the substrate processing apparatus PR into the cartridge CTR by the carrying-in roller 23 of the delivery opening 2. By the control of such a carrying out roller 33 and the carrying in roller 23, the to-be-processed surface Fp of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB can be conveyed continuously with respect to the substrate processing apparatus PR. In the board | substrate cartridge CTR, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB which passed the board | substrate processing apparatus PR is guided to the fixed guide plate 41 via the carrying-in roller 23. As shown in FIG.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB guided by the fixed guide plate 41 is movable guide plate 45 through the 1st roller 42, the parallel guide plate 43, and the 2nd roller 44. As shown in FIG. ) At this time, the control part 5 keeps a pair of movable guide plates 45 in parallel in the Y direction, and expands and contracts 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the 1st moving roller 47. ) And the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the 2nd moving roller 48 is made to shrink | contract (FIG. 2 state). That is, the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 is made into the initial state.

Then, the front-end | tip part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is guided to the + X direction in the state in which the both ends of the Y direction were supported by the movable guide plate 45. FIG. The control part 5 stops driving of the carrying out roller 33, when the front-end | tip part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB which passed through the carrying out roller 33 was supported by the guide plate 31 (FIG. 5 state).

After stopping the drive of the carrying-out roller 33, the control part 5 temporarily stops the carrying-in roller 23, and supports the tip part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. The control part 5 removes the drive of the 1st roller 42 and the 2nd roller 44 from a drive shaft, and in the state which can be driven rotatably by the movement of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. do. Thereafter, the control unit 5 resumes driving of the carrying in roller 23.

When the driving of the carrying roller 23 is resumed, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is conveyed again from the carrying in opening 2, and the movable guide plate through the carrying roller 23, the 1st roller 42, and the 2nd roller 44 is carried out. Guided to 45. The control part 5 accommodates the movable guide plate 45 in the recessed part 11, and applies excessive tension to the sheet | seat board | substrate FB according to the conveyance amount of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from the 2nd roller 44. FIG. The expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 is extended | stretched so that the 1st moving roller 47 (54) and the 2nd moving roller 48 (54) may move up or down gradually so that it may not hang.

By this operation, the first moving roller 47 gradually pushes the sheet substrate FB in the + Z direction from the surface on the -Z side of the sheet substrate FB. On the other hand, the 2nd moving roller 48 gradually pushes down the said sheet | seat board | substrate FB to -Z direction from the surface of the + Z side of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the 1st moving roller 47, and the 2nd moving roller 48 is shown. ) Will be in a stretched state together. Moreover, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is wound around a part of this 1st moving roller 47, and a part of the 2nd moving roller 48, and is accommodated in the state folded several times in the X direction. After the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 become the state extended to the maximum of a movable range, the control part 5 stops the drive of the carrying-in roller 23. As shown in FIG.

Since the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 are arrange | positioned so that a position may not overlap in a X direction, in the process of moving the said 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48, The sheet substrate FB does not come into contact with the sheet substrate FB and is wound around the first moving roller 47 and the second moving roller 48. For this reason, even in the state which the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 moved to the maximum position in a movable range, the sheet | seat board | substrate FB will not be in contact with each other (non-contact state).

When carrying out the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from this state, the control part 5 stops the drive of the carrying-in roller 23 (with the terminal part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB clamped), The carrying-out roller 33, the 1st roller 42, the 2nd roller 44, etc. are driven. At the same time, the control part 5 moves the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the 1st moving roller 47, and the expansion-contraction part 52b of the folding mechanism 46 which has the 2nd moving roller 48. FIG. The drive source 51a is controlled to contract gradually. In this case, the control part 5 expands | stretches the expansion-contraction part of the folding mechanism 46 from the inner side of the board | substrate cartridge CTR toward the wall surface 10a side among the expansion-contraction part 52b of the several folding mechanisms 46 in order. It is preferable to extend (52). After the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is tensioned almost horizontally between the 2nd roller 44 and the carrying out roller 33, the control part 5 cuts the end of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from the loading roller 23. In FIG. In addition to releasing, the movable guide plate 45 is set in a state parallel to the Y direction, and the end of the sheet substrate FB is guided to the carrying out roller 33. Thus, while processing and supplying the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, it is made to process to the sheet | seat board | substrate FB by the substrate processing apparatus PR.

As mentioned above, according to this embodiment, the accommodating part 1 which accommodates the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, the carrying out opening 3 which is provided in the said accommodating part 1, and carries out the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, and a accommodating part The inlet opening 2 provided in (1) and carrying in the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, and the front-end | tip part Fh of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB accommodated in the accommodating part 1 from the said inlet opening 2 are carried out. Since it is supposed to provide the guide part 4 which guides to the board | substrate, when sending out the sheet | seat board | substrate FB accommodated in the board | substrate cartridge CTR, it sends out so that the front-end | tip part Fh of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB at the time of accommodating may become a front-end | tip. Will be. For this reason, it is not necessary to manage the front end and the end of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB every time. Thereby, also in the substrate processing system SYS, the burden on the management of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment]

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Since the structure of the movable guide plate 45 differs from 1st Embodiment, the board | substrate cartridge which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated centering on the said difference. Since it is the same as that of 1st Embodiment about another structure, description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified.

7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a substrate cartridge CTR2 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8: is a figure which shows the structure along the B-B cross section in FIG.

As shown to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the movable guide plate 45 is divided | segmented in the X direction, and the several plate-shaped member 45a is arrange | positioned in the state separated from each other in the X direction. That is, the movable guide plate 45 is formed in rectangular shape, for example. Each plate-like member 45a may be configured to be rotatable individually, for example, or may be a structure in which a plurality of plate-like members 45a are rotatable integrally. Moreover, you may be a shape (comb-shaped) in which one part of each plate-shaped member 45a was mutually connected.

By forming the movable guide plate 45 in a rectangular shape (or a comb-tooth shape), for example, while the tip portion Fh of the sheet substrate FB is sent from the second roller 44 to the carrying-out roller 33, The roller portion 54 of each first moving roller 47 can be lifted to the position 54F. The position 54F is such that the upper surfaces of the plurality of plate-like members 45a constituting the movable guide plate 45 and the outer circumferential upper surfaces of the rollers 54 are substantially the same height (the position in the Z direction). Location. For this reason, the conveyance guide path | route of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB can be ensured stably.

The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A change can be added suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

For example, in the said embodiment, although the structure in which the delivery opening 2 was arrange | positioned at the + Z side and the delivery opening at the -Z side was demonstrated as an example, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, the structure in which the carry-in port 2 is arrange | positioned at the -Z side (lower side) and the carry-out port 3 at the + Z side (upper side) may be sufficient. In the structure shown to FIG. 9A, after the sheet | seat board | substrate FB carried in from the carry-in port 2 of the -Z side is guided to the -X direction by the fixed guide plate 41 arrange | positioned at the -Z side, 1st roller (Drive roller 42) and parallel guide plate 43 are guided in the + Z direction. The sheet | seat board | substrate FB which passed the parallel guide plate 43 and the 2nd roller (driving roller 44) is guided by the movable guide plate 45 and the folding mechanism 46 arrange | positioned at + Z side, for example.

In the previous embodiment, both the first moving roller 47 and the second moving roller 48 disposed on the front side and the rear side of the sheet substrate FB in the folding mechanism 46 are vertically up and down in the Z direction. Although it was a structure which moves, in this embodiment, as shown, for example in FIG. 9A, the loading initial state of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, ie, the front-end | tip part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, is carried out to the discharge opening 3, for example. And the structure which moves the 2nd moving roller 48 located in the upper part of a sheet | seat in the -Z direction when the sheet | seat board | substrate is maintained substantially horizontally between the roller 44 from the carrying out opening 3 I did. Therefore, the 1st moving roller 47 is axially supported by the upper direction (+ Z direction) position in the cartridge CTR so that rotation is possible.

In the structure shown to FIG. 9A, the 1st moving roller 47 is fixed, for example, and only the 2nd moving roller 48 is the both side walls of the cartridge CTR (in-plane sidewall parallel to the surface of FIG. 9A). It is guided to the guide groove formed elongate in the Z direction, and it is a structure which can move to a Z direction. Therefore, at each end of each of the second moving rollers 48, a shaft portion projecting to engage the guide groove is formed in the same manner as the first moving roller 47 shown in Fig. 9A, for example.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9B, the ring-shaped bearing 47B is provided on the first moving roller 47 that is fixedly disposed on each of the shaft portions 47A that protrude to both ends of the roller 47. The upper ends of the movable guide plate 45 are attached to this bearing 47B. For this reason, even if the 1st moving roller 47 rotates in (theta) Y direction, the movable guide plate 45 will be in a substantially horizontal state (nearly parallel to a X direction) as shown by the solid line in FIG. It is switched to the vertical state (nearly parallel in the Z direction). This switching is simultaneously performed with respect to the movable guide plate 45 axially supported by each of the plurality of first moving rollers 47 by a driving mechanism (not shown) according to the conveyance sequence of the sheet substrate FB, or It is done sequentially (sequential).

The movable guide plate 45 is arranged to fill the space between the adjacent first moving rollers 47, for example, in a state in which the movable guide plate 45 is arranged parallel to the X direction (or inclined with a slight upward gradient in the sheet advancing direction). It becomes a state. However, as shown in FIG. 9A, the tip end of the guide plate 45 may be provided with a gap that does not come into contact with the adjacent roller 47. Moreover, in the state arrange | positioned parallel to Z direction, it will be in the state which retracted from between the adjacent 1st moving rollers 47, as shown to FIG. 9B.

Moreover, in the structure shown to FIG. 9A, the slider member 49 which adjusts the timing of the movement to the Z direction of the 2nd moving roller 48 is provided. The slider member 49 has the support part (nail part) which engages with the axial part of both ends of each 2nd moving roller 48, and the guide recess groove which guides the said axial part. For example, two adjacent 2nd moving rollers 48 are demonstrated as an example.

As shown in FIG. 10, the said slider member 49 is a support part (nail parts 49c, 49d) which supports the axial part 48Aa and 48Ab of two adjacent 2nd moving rollers 48, for example, It has guide recessed grooves 49a and 49b for guiding the shaft portions 48Aa and 48Ab. Adjacent support parts 49c and 49d have different dimensions in the X direction, respectively. Specifically, the dimension of the X direction of the support part 49c is formed larger than the dimension of the X direction of the support part 49d.

For this reason, as shown to FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, and FIG. 11D, when moving the slider member 49 to + X direction, the shaft part 48Ab supported by the support part 49d of the shorter dimension of the X direction is supported. The supporting state is removed first, and the second moving roller 48 having the shaft portion 48Ab moves in the -Z direction while pressing down the sheet substrate FB. When the slider member 49 is further moved in the + X direction, the supporting state of the shaft portion 48Aa supported by the support portion 49c having the larger dimension in the X direction is eliminated, and the second moving roller having the shaft portion 48Aa is removed. 48 moves in the -Z direction while pushing down the sheet substrate FB. Thus, since the slider member 49 is formed so that it may have the support part from which the dimension of the X direction differs by predetermined amount, for example, the 2nd movement arrange | positioned in the X direction by moving the slider member 49 to + X direction, for example. The timing of the movement (fall) of the roller 48 in the -Z direction can be adjusted.

Moreover, when holding the shaft part of each 2nd moving roller 48 again by the slider member 49, as shown, for example in FIG. 12A, all the 2nd moving rollers 48 are a 1st moving roller ( In the state which became substantially the same as the position of Z direction of 47), the whole slider member 49 is moved from -Z side to + Z side, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 9A, the sheet substrate FB is unloaded from the state in which all the second moving rollers 48 are positioned at the lowermost side and the sheet substrate FB is received (stock) for the longest. ), The sheet substrate FB is not slipped by the first roller (drive roller) 42 or the second roller (drive roller) 44 in the driving stop state when being sequentially drawn out to the processing apparatus side. And nip, the second moving rollers 48 gradually move to the upper portion (+ Z direction) in accordance with the input amount from the delivery port 3 of the sheet substrate FB, and the state as shown in Fig. 12A. Leads to Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12B, the slider member (such that the guide recess groove 49e and the guide recess groove 49f and the positions of the shaft portions 48Aa and 48Ab of the respective second moving rollers 48) are aligned. 49) is moved in the X direction so that the shaft portions 48Aa and 48Ab are inserted into the guide recess grooves 49e and 49f, respectively. After the slider member 49 is in a state of supporting the shaft portions of all the second moving rollers 48, for example, the second roller 44 and the carrying out roller 33 are driven to carry out the sheet substrate FB. do.

In addition, as shown to FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, it is good also as a structure which provides the engagement edge part 49g in some parts of the slider member 49, for example. In this case, the dimension L1 of the guide recessed groove 49a in the X direction and the dimension L2 of the guide recessed groove 49b in the X direction are formed to have the same dimension. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13B, after all the 2nd moving rollers 48 move to the lowest part of -Z direction, when the slider member 49 is moved to -Z direction as it is, guide recessed groove 49a ), The shaft portion 48Aa, which is engaged with the cross section), can move freely to the + Z side through the guide recess groove 49h at that position. On the other hand, the shaft portion 48Ab engaged with the guide recess groove 49b is moved to the + Z side by the engaging edge portion 49g.

In the above embodiment, since the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is pushed down to the -Z side by the own weight of the 2nd moving roller 48, each 2nd movement when taking out the sheet | seat board | substrate FB from the discharge opening 3 is carried out. Assuming that the rolling friction of the roller 48 is extremely small, the tension according to the weight of the second moving roller 48 is given to the sheet substrate FB. Therefore, by selecting the weight of the 2nd moving roller 48, it becomes possible to set the tension of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB sent to a processing apparatus in an appropriate range.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although it was set as the structure which provides the delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 in the same wall surface 10a of the case 10 of the board | substrate cartridge CTR, it is not limited to this, YES For example, as shown in FIG. 14, you may make it the structure where the delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 are arrange | positioned at the other wall surface of the case 10. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 14, the wall surfaces 10a and 10d are provided in the case 10 of the board | substrate cartridge CTR, for example. Among these, the carry-in port 2 is provided in the wall surface 10a. The outlet port 3 is provided in the wall surface 10d. In addition, although the structure which the carry-out 2 was arrange | positioned at the + Z side and the carry-out 3 at the -Z side is shown in FIG. 14, it is not limited to this, The carry-in 2 and the carry-out 3 are shown. The position on the Z direction can be arbitrarily set (+ Z side, -Z side, the center of Z direction, etc. can be set suitably). Moreover, to-be-connected 6A and 6D are provided in each of the wall surface 10a and the wall surface 10d.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the substrate processing system SYS using the substrate cartridge CTR shown in FIG. 14.

As shown in FIG. 15, in this case, the substrate processing apparatus PR is connected to the substrate cartridge CTR at both ends of the + X side and the -X side. For example, the connection part CN of the edge part at the side of + X is connected to the to-be-connected port 6A of the wall surface 10a side of the board | substrate cartridge CTR. Moreover, the connection part CN of the edge part at the side of -X is connected to the to-be-connected 6D of the wall surface 10d side of the board | substrate cartridge CTR. In this manner, the substrate cartridge CTR may be used separately as the substrate supply unit SU and the substrate recovery unit CL. In this case, the sheet substrate is stored in the substrate cartridge CTR provided in the substrate supply unit SU as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9A, and the empty substrate cartridge CTR is disposed in the substrate recovery unit CL. You may collect the sheet | seat board | substrate processed and processed by the processing apparatus PR in the board | substrate cartridge CTR on the board | substrate collection part CL side.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the structure which provided one each the inlet_port | entrance 2 and the outlet 3 of the board | substrate cartridge CTR was demonstrated as an example, it is not limited to this, The inlet_port | entrance 2 and a half At least one of the outlets 3 may be a structure provided with two or more. For example, in the structure shown in FIG. 16, the some case 10 (for example, two discharge ports 3A and 3B) is provided in one case 10. As shown in FIG. Moreover, the guide part 4 is a path | route switching mechanism (moving guide board etc.) which switches the guide path | route from the sheet | seat board | substrate FB accommodated in the case 10 to the carrying-out port 3A and 3B from the carrying-in port 2 to. , 40). The switching operation of the route switching mechanism 40 can be controlled by the control unit 5, for example. In addition, in the structure shown in FIG. 16, although the structure in which the some outlet 3A, 3B was provided was demonstrated as an example, it is not limited to this, For example, the number of the inlet 2 has a plurality (two or three). It does not matter even if it is set as the structure provided above, and it is good also as a structure which provided three or more discharge ports 3. In addition, although the structure shown in FIG. 16 demonstrated the example which arrange | positioned the delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 (3A and 3B) to the other wall surface 10a, 10d, it is not limited to this, It is good also as a structure in which the some delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 were formed in the same wall surface. Of course, it is good also as a structure in which the some delivery opening 2 and the delivery opening 3 were formed in the some wall surface (for example, each of the wall surfaces 10a and 10d).

In addition, the inlet and the outlet may be provided in the ceiling portion of the case 10 of the substrate cartridge CTR. In this case, when the substrate processing apparatus PR group is installed on the second floor of the manufacturing plant, the first floor The sheet | seat board | substrate can be conveyed efficiently between the board | substrate cartridge CTR provided in the step and the substrate processing apparatus PR on a staircase.

[Third Embodiment]

Next, with reference to FIG. 17, 3rd Embodiment of this invention is described.

In the board | substrate cartridge which concerns on this embodiment, since the vertical movement mechanism of the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 for folding a sheet | seat board | substrate many times inside is different from previous 1st embodiment, This section focuses on the differences. Since it is the same as that of 1st Embodiment about another structure, description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified.

In the first embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the first moving roller 47 and the second moving roller 48 which are adjacent to each other have a movement in the Z direction that is in phase out of phase (complementary). do. From this, as shown in FIG. 17, the pair of the 1st moving roller 47 and the 2nd moving roller 48 which adjoin each other is cut off at the both ends of timing belt 103A, 103B. The timing belts 103A and 103B are configured to be fastened to the pulleys 100A and 100B rotatably axially supported on the upper sidewall of the cartridge, for example, in an inverted U shape.

The end of each timing belt 103A, 103B is fixed to the bearing 47B, 48B which supports the shaft part of the both ends of the roller 47, 48 so that rotation is possible. If the respective weights of the first moving roller 47 and the second moving roller 48 are substantially the same, the rollers 47, even if no rotational driving force (torque) is applied to the pulleys 100A, 100B in an abnormal state, Each height position of 48) keeps the position.

On one side of the pair of pulleys 100A and 100B configured to be coaxial, for example, on the pulley 100A side, the driving pulleys 102 are fixed coaxially with the pulleys 100A and 100B and are mutually fixed in the X direction. An endless belt 104 is interposed between adjacent drive pulleys 102. Therefore, when the drive pulley 102 at the extreme end of the X direction is driven by a motor, all the drive pulleys 102, that is, all the pulleys 100A and 100B rotate at the same speed, for example, all the first movements. When the rollers 47 move upward all at once, all the second moving rollers 48 move downward all at once.

FIG. 17 shows the state (initial loading state) of FIG. 5 (or FIG. 7) of the foregoing first embodiment, and the sheet substrate FB is each second moving roller 48 as an upper portion of each first moving roller 47. It is loaded in the space below. In that state, when the drive pulley 102 driven by the motor is rotated, all the 1st moving rollers 47 will move to the upper part simultaneously, lifting up to the uppermost position, supporting the back surface of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. At the same time, all the second moving rollers 48 simultaneously move downward to pull down to the lowest position while contacting the surface of the sheet substrate FB, whereby the sheet substrate in the same state as in FIG. (FB) is stored in the cartridge.

[4th Embodiment]

18 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a substrate storage device according to a fourth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 18, the board | substrate storage apparatus STR is formed in strip shape, and accommodates the board | substrate CT which accommodates the board | substrate S which has flexibility, and the several folding part RC on which the board | substrate S is caught. Has The board | substrate storage apparatus STR accommodates the board | substrate S in the container CT mounted on the floor surface FL, for example, and stores it in the state which was opened to the several folding part RC.

Hereinafter, in description of the board | substrate storage apparatus STR, the positional relationship of each member is demonstrated, setting an XYZ rectangular coordinate system and referring this XYZ rectangular coordinate system. In the following figures, the bottom surface FL is made into XY plane among XYZ rectangular coordinate systems. The short direction of the board | substrate S is made into the Y-axis direction among the XY plane, and the direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction is made into the X direction. Moreover, the direction perpendicular | vertical to the floor surface FL (XY plane) is made into the Z-axis direction.

The container CT is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, and has six wall surfaces. Inside the container CT, the storage chamber RM enclosed by the said six wall surfaces is formed. The container CT has two opening parts EN and EX in the same wall surface CTa. One opening part is the board | substrate delivery opening EN which carries in a board | substrate to the storage chamber RM. The other opening part is the board | substrate carrying out port EX which carries out the board | substrate of the storage chamber RM. In this embodiment, although the structure in which the board | substrate delivery opening EN is arrange | positioned at the -Z side of the board | substrate carrying out EX is demonstrated and demonstrated as an example, it may be reverse arrangement | positioning.

The carrying-in roller Rn is provided in the vicinity of the board | substrate delivery opening EN among the storage chambers RM. The carrying-in roller Rn is provided in pair in the position which pinches | interposes the board | substrate S in a Z direction. The carrying-in roller Rn is rotatable so that the board | substrate S carried in from the board | substrate delivery opening EN may be drawn in to the storage chamber RM.

The carrying out roller Rx is provided in the vicinity of the board | substrate carrying out port EX among the storage chambers RM. A pair of carrying-out rollers Rx is provided in the position which pinches | interposes the board | substrate S in a Z direction. The carrying out roller Rx is rotatable so that the board | substrate S carried out from the board | substrate carrying out port EX may be sent to the exterior of the storage chamber RM.

The plurality of folding portions RC have any one of a plurality of rollers R1 to R15 (here, 15) provided in the storage chamber RM. Each roller R1-R15 has the axial part Ra parallel to a Y direction, respectively. Each roller R1-R15 is rotatably supported by the said shaft part Ra, for example in the wall part of the + Y side and -Y side of container CT. In the circumference | surroundings of the shaft part Ra of each roller R1-R15, the cylindrical outer peripheral part Rb which hangs the accommodated board | substrate S is provided.

Each roller R1-R15 is arrange | positioned in the conveyance path | route of the board | substrate S from the board | substrate delivery opening EN to the board | substrate carrying out EX. Hereinafter, arrangement | positioning of roller R1-R15 is demonstrated concretely.

Four rollers R1, R3, R5, and R7 are arranged side by side on a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction among the plurality of rollers R1 to R15. Similarly, three rollers R2, R4 and R6 are also arranged side by side on a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction. The three rollers R2, R4 and R6 are arranged on the -Z side than the four rollers R1, R3, R5 and R7.

Moreover, four rollers R9, R11, R13, and R15 among the rollers R1 to R15 are also arranged side by side on a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction. The four rollers R9, R11, R13 and R15 are arranged adjacent to the + Z side of the four rollers R1, R3, R5 and R7.

In addition, the three rollers R10, R12, and R14 among the rollers R1 to R15 are also arranged side by side on a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction. The three rollers R10, R12, and R14 are disposed closer to the + Z side of the three rollers R2, R4, and R6 as the -Z side than the four rollers R1, R3, R5, and R7. It is.

Thus, the row of rollers arranged in the X direction is provided with four rows in the Z direction.

Of the rollers of four rows, it differs with respect to the roller of two rows (+ Z side edge part: rollers (R9, R11, R13 and R15) and -Z side edge part: rollers (R2, R4 and R6)) arrange | positioned at the both ends of a Z direction. It is formed so that the diameter of a roller may become large compared with 2 rows.

In this way, two of the rollers R1 and R15 having different diameters are arranged side by side so as to be adjacent to each other in the Z direction among the rollers R1 to R15 (however, the diameter of the roller R1 &lt; Diameter, hereinafter only expressed as &quot; R1 &lt; R15 &quot;). Moreover, roller R2 and roller R14 (R14 <R2), roller R3 and roller R13 (R3 <R13), roller R4 and roller R12 (R12 <R4), On each of roller R5 and roller R11 (R5 <R11), roller R6 and roller R10 (R10 <R6), roller R7 and roller R9 (R9 <R7) Also, they are arranged side by side so as to be adjacent to each other in the Z direction.

The board | substrate S is guided to the conveyance path | route from the board | substrate delivery opening EN to the board | substrate delivery opening EX by sequentially hanging by roller R1-R15. The board | substrate S is sequentially caught by the + X direction by each roller from the board | substrate delivery opening EN to roller R7. Specifically, the substrate S is folded in the -Z direction by the roller R1. The downstream side of the roller R1 among the board | substrates S is folded by the roller R2 in + Z direction. The downstream side of roller R2 among the board | substrates S is folded by -R direction by roller R3. In this way, the substrate S is alternately folded in the + Z direction and the -Z direction from the roller R1 to the roller R7.

The board | substrate S caught by the roller R7 is caught by the roller R9 via the roller R8 for direction turning. This board | substrate S is sequentially caught by the rollers R9-R15 from the roller R9 to the board | substrate export outlet EX in the -X direction. Specifically, the substrate S is folded in the -Z direction by the roller R9. The downstream side of roller R9 among the board | substrates S is folded by + Z direction by roller R10. The downstream side of roller R10 among the board | substrates S is folded by -R direction by roller R11. Thus, from the roller R9 to the roller R15, the board | substrate S is alternately folded in a + Z direction and a -Z direction, and is accommodated so that the board | substrate S may overlap in an X direction.

As for the board | substrate S guide | induced from the board | substrate delivery opening EN to the board | substrate delivery opening EX in such a conveyance path | route, in the board | substrate delivery opening EN, the 1st surface Sa faces + Z side, and the 2nd surface (Sb) is in a state facing the -Z side. Moreover, in the board | substrate export outlet EX, the 1st surface Sa is facing to the -Z side, and the 2nd surface Sb is toward the + Z side.

In this embodiment, the board | substrate S is folded by roller R6 so that 1st surface Sa of the board | substrate S may mutually face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R6 by roller R6 among the board | substrates S is described with 1st part S1. Moreover, in the board | substrate S, the part folded by the roller R6 in the opposite direction to the 1st part S1 is described with 4th part S4.

In roller R7, the said 1st part S1 is folded so that 2nd surface Sb of 1st part S1 may face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R7 by roller R7 among the board | substrates S is described with 2nd-part S2.

In roller R8 and roller R9, this 2nd part S2 is turned so that it may face roller R6. In addition, the part changed direction by the roller R8 and the roller R9 among the board | substrates S is described with 3rd part S3.

In roller R10, this 3rd part S3 is folded so that along the 1st surface Sa of 4th part S4. At the same time, for example, so that the third part S3 and the fourth part S4 move in the reverse direction while the substrate S moves, for example, from the substrate inlet EN to the substrate outlet EX. The third portion S3 is folded by the roller R10.

Since the board | substrate S is folded as mentioned above from the roller R6 to the roller R10, the part which catches the rollers R1-R7 among the board | substrates S, and the rollers R9-R15 among the board | substrates S The part caught by) will be arrange | positioned so that it may overlap with a Z direction. In this embodiment, since the diameter of a roller is smaller in the roller row of the center part side than the roller row of the cross section side of Z direction among the storage chambers RM, the part which overlaps in Z direction among the board | substrates S They are not in contact with each other.

The part between roller R1 and roller R2 among the board | substrates S caught by roller R1-R15 is parallel to a YZ plane. Thus, four rollers R1, R3, R5, and R7 constituting the second row of roller rows from the + Z side of the four rows of roller rows, and the three rollers R2, which constitute the roller row on the most -Z side, The position of the X direction of the rollers R1-R7 is adjusted so that the board | substrate S arrange | positioned between R4 and R6 may be parallel to a YZ plane.

Similarly, four rollers R9, R11, R13, and R15 constituting the roller row of the + Z side among the four rows of rollers, and three rollers R10, R12 constituting the second roller row from the -Z side. And the position in the X direction of the rollers R9 to R15 are adjusted so that the substrate S disposed between and R14 is parallel to the YZ plane.

In addition, in the above description, the case where the board | substrate S moves the storage chamber RM toward the board | substrate export opening EX from the board | substrate delivery opening EN has been demonstrated as an example, For example, the board | substrate S is a board | substrate. The same explanation is possible even when the storage chamber RM is moved from the carrying out port EX toward the board carrying in EN. In this case, since the moving direction of the board | substrate S becomes inverse to the said description, it demonstrates with the board | substrate carrying out EX side as an upstream, and the board | substrate carrying inlet EN side as a downstream side.

As shown in FIG. 18, the board | substrate S is folded, for example in roller R10 so that 2nd surface Sb of the board | substrate S may mutually face each other. In addition, the part folded by the roller R10 downstream of the said roller R10 among the board | substrates S is described with the 1st part T1. Moreover, the part folded in the opposite direction to the 1st part T1 by roller R10 among the board | substrates S is described with 4th part T4.

In roller R9, the said 1st part T1 is folded so that the 1st surface Sa of 1st part T1 may mutually face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R9 by roller R9 among the board | substrates S is described with 2nd part T2.

In roller R9 and roller R8, this 2nd part T2 is turned so that it may face roller R10. In addition, the part changed direction by the roller R8 and the roller R9 among the board | substrates S is described with 3rd part T3.

In roller R6, this 3rd part T3 is folded so that along 2nd surface Sb of 4th part T4. At the same time, for example, so that the third part T3 and the fourth part T4 move in the reverse direction in the state where the substrate S moves, for example, from the substrate carrying out EX to the substrate carrying in EN. The third portion T3 is folded by the roller R6.

Thus, even when the board | substrate S moves to the board | substrate delivery opening EN from the board | substrate carrying out EX, the board | substrate S will be folded as mentioned above from the roller R10 to the roller R6. . For this reason, the part which catches the rollers R1-R7 among the board | substrates S, and the part which catches the rollers R9-R15 among the board | substrates S are arrange | positioned so that they may overlap in a Z direction.

As mentioned above, according to this embodiment, since the board | substrate S is accommodated in the accommodating chamber RM in the state arrange | positioned so that it may be folded so that it may overlap in a X direction, and it may overlap in a Z direction, the accommodation chamber RM The board | substrate S can be accommodated efficiently with respect to the limited space of (). Thereby, the board | substrate storage apparatus STR with high capacity of the board | substrate S is obtained.

[Fifth Embodiment]

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 19: is a figure which shows the structure of board | substrate storage apparatus STR2 which concerns on this embodiment. In this embodiment, since the structure of several folding part RC is different from 4th embodiment, it demonstrates centering on this point. In addition, about another structure, it is the same as that of 4th Embodiment. About the structure similar to 4th Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified. In addition, in this embodiment, it demonstrates using XYZ rectangular coordinate system similarly to 4th Embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 19, in the board | substrate storage apparatus STR2, the some folding part RC is comprised so that the board | substrate S may be arrange | positioned triple in a Z direction. Folding part RC has either one of some roller R21-the roller R44.

Eleven rollers are arrange | positioned at the -Z side with respect to the Z direction center part of the storage chamber RM among rollers R21-R44. Among them, four rollers R21, R23, R25, and R27, four rollers R29, R31, R33, and R35, and three rollers R37, R39, and R41 are each lined up in the X direction. .

Moreover, 13 rollers are arrange | positioned at the + Z side with respect to the Z direction center part of the storage chamber RM among rollers R21-R44. Among these, three rollers R22, R24 and R26, four rollers R28, R30, R32 and R34, and four rollers R36, R38, R40 and R42 are each lined up in the X direction. . Moreover, roller R43 and R44 are provided along the inner wall of the + Z side of container CT.

As described above, in this embodiment, the row of rollers arranged in the X direction is configured to have six rows in the Z direction. These six rows of roller rows are provided in three rows on the + Z side and three rows on the -Z side from the Z direction center part of the storage chamber RM. The diameter of a roller becomes small step by step from the roller row of the edge part side of Z direction in the storage chamber RM to the roller row of the center part side.

The board | substrate S is carried in to the storage chamber RM through the carrying-in roller Rn from the board | substrate delivery opening EN, and is folded by + R direction by roller R21. The downstream side of roller R21 among the board | substrates S is folded by -R direction by roller R22. The board | substrate S is similarly folded by + Z direction and -Z direction by roller R23-R27.

The downstream side of the roller R27 among the board | substrates S is folded by the direction change roller R28, and a direction is changed. The downstream side of the roller R28 among the board | substrates S is alternately folded by + Z direction and -Z direction by roller R29-R34, and is folded by the direction change roller R35, and a direction is switched again.

The downstream side of the roller R35 among the board | substrates S is alternately folded in + Z direction and -Z direction by roller R36-R41, and is folded by direction changing rollers R42 and R43, and a direction is changed. Thus, the board | substrate S is arrange | positioned in the state which overlapped in the X direction. Moreover, the downstream side of the roller R43 among the board | substrates S faces the board | substrate export outlet EX, and after being caught by the roller R44, it is carried out from the board | substrate export outlet EX via the carrying roller Rx. .

In the board | substrate S caught by roller R21-R42, the part between roller R21 and roller R22, for example is parallel to a YZ plane. Thus, the position of the X direction of the rollers R21-R42 is adjusted so that the part which hangs across the center part of the Z direction of the storage chamber RM in the board | substrate S may be parallel to a YZ plane.

In this embodiment, the board | substrate S is folded by roller R26 so that 2nd surface Sb of the board | substrate S may mutually face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R26 by roller R26 among the board | substrates S is described with 1st-part S21. Moreover, the part of the board | substrate S folded by the roller R26 in the opposite direction to the 1st part S21 is described with 4th part S24.

In roller R27, the said 1st part S21 is folded so that 1st surface Sa of 1st part S21 may face each other. In addition, the part folded by the roller R27 downstream of the said roller R27 among the board | substrates S is described with 2nd-part S22.

In the roller R28 and the roller R29, this 2nd part S22 is turned so that it may face the roller R26. In addition, the part changed direction by the roller R28 and the roller R29 among the board | substrates S is described with 3rd-part S23.

In roller R30, this 3rd part S23 is folded so that along the 1st surface Sa of 4th part S24. At the same time, for example, so that the third part S23 and the fourth part S24 move in the reverse direction while the substrate S moves, for example, from the substrate inlet EN to the substrate outlet EX. The third portion S23 is folded by the roller R30.

Since the board | substrate S is folded as mentioned above from the roller R26 to the roller R30, the part caught by the rollers R21-R27 among the board | substrates S, and the rollers R29-R35 of the board | substrate S. The part caught by) will be arrange | positioned so that it may overlap in a Z direction.

In the roller R33, the substrate S is folded so that the second surfaces Sb of the substrate S face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R33 by the roller R33 among the board | substrates S is described with the 1st part T21. Moreover, the part folded in the opposite direction to the 1st part T21 by roller R33 among the board | substrates S is described with 4th part T24.

In roller R34, the said 1st part T21 is folded so that the 1st surface Sa of 1st part T21 may mutually face each other. In addition, the part folded in the downstream of the said roller R34 by roller R34 among the board | substrates S is described with 2nd part T22.

In roller R35 and roller R36, this 2nd part T22 is turned so that it may face roller R33. In addition, the part changed direction by the roller R35 and the roller R36 among the board | substrates S is described with 3rd part T23.

In roller R37, this 3rd part T23 is folded so that along the 1st surface Sa of 4th part T24. At the same time, for example, so that the third part T23 and the fourth part T24 move in the reverse direction while the substrate S moves, for example, from the substrate inlet EN to the substrate outlet EX. The third portion T23 is folded by the roller R37.

Since the board | substrate S is folded as mentioned above from roller R33 to roller R37, the part which catches roller R29-R35 among the board | substrates S, and the rollers R36-R42 of board | substrate S. The part caught by) will be arrange | positioned so that it may overlap in a Z direction.

In this embodiment, since the diameter of a roller becomes small step by step from the roller row of the end surface side of Z direction among the storage chambers RM, the part which overlaps in Z direction among the board | substrates S is Do not touch.

In addition, the determination method of the diameter of a roller with a small diameter is as having demonstrated in 1st Embodiment mentioned above.

As mentioned above, according to this embodiment, since the board | substrate S is accommodated in the accommodating chamber RM in the state arrange | positioned so that it may be folded in a wave and triple in the Z direction so that it may overlap in an X direction, the accommodating chamber RM The board | substrate S can be accommodated efficiently with respect to the limited space of (). Thereby, the board | substrate storage apparatus STR2 with high capacity of the board | substrate S is obtained.

[Sixth Embodiment]

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 20: is a figure which shows the structure of board | substrate storage apparatus STR3 which concerns on this embodiment. In this embodiment, it differs from the said 5th embodiment in that the board | substrate delivery opening EN and the board | substrate carrying out EX are provided in the other surface of container CT. In addition, with this, the structure of folding part RC differs from 5th Embodiment. About another structure, it is the same as that of 5th Embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, it demonstrates using XYZ rectangular coordinate system similarly to the said embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 20, the board | substrate delivery opening EN is provided in wall part CTa of the -X side among containers CT. On the other hand, the board | substrate export outlet EX is provided in the wall part CTb of the + X side in container CT. Thus, the board | substrate delivery opening EN and the board | substrate carrying out EX are provided in the other wall part on the X direction among containers CT.

Arrangement | positioning of roller R21-R42 is the same as that of 5th Embodiment. Therefore, the positional relationship of the 1st part S21-the 4th part S24, and the 1st part T21-the 4th part T24 of the board | substrate S is also the same as that of 5th Embodiment. In this embodiment, the rollers R43 and R44 in the fifth embodiment are not provided, and the space of the storage chamber RM can be made smaller by that amount.

Moreover, since there is no folding of the board | substrate S in the roller R43, the positional relationship of the 1st surface Sa and the 2nd surface Sb of the board | substrate S carried in from the board | substrate delivery opening EN, and The positional relationship of the 1st surface Sa and the 2nd surface Sb of the board | substrate S carried out from the board | substrate export opening EX can be made the same. Specifically, the first surface Sa of the substrate S faces the + Z side and the second surface Sb faces the -Z side both at the substrate inlet EN and at the substrate outlet EX. It becomes.

The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A change can be added suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

For example, in the said 5th Embodiment and 6th Embodiment, the rollers R21-R42 of the board | substrate S so that the part which hangs over the center part of the Z direction of the storage chamber RM become parallel to a YZ plane. Although the structure which adjusted the position of the X direction was demonstrated as the example, it is not limited to this.

Diameter of the rollers R36, R38, R40, and R42 arranged in the X direction from the end side in the Z direction to the central portion side of the storage chamber RM, and the rollers R28, R30, R32, and R34 arranged in the X direction. Diameters, the diameters of the rollers R22, R24, R26 arranged in the X direction decrease in stages, and the rollers R37, R39 arranged in the X direction from the center portion side of the storage chamber RM toward the bottom direction. , The diameter of R41, the diameters of the rollers R35, R33, R31, and R29 arranged in the X direction, and the diameters of the rollers R21, R23, R25, and R27 arranged in the X direction are increased stepwise. For example, as shown in FIG. 21, the structure which rollers R21-R42 arrange | position so that the part which hangs over the center part of the Z direction of the storage chamber RM among the board | substrate S may incline with respect to a YZ plane may be sufficient. In this case, compared with the said 5th embodiment and 6th embodiment, the distance of the roller in the X direction becomes small. For this reason, the container CT can be made compact in the X direction.

In addition, in FIG. 21, the limitation of the diameter of the minimum diameter rollers R24 and R37 is as having demonstrated in 1st Embodiment mentioned above. The same applies to the limitation of the diameters of the plurality of rollers of the minimum diameter in FIG. 20.

In addition, although the board | substrate S between the rollers R23, R33, and R37 and the rollers R24, R32, and R38 is demonstrated in FIG. 21, the same description is possible in other parts. Also in the fourth embodiment, the rollers are arranged from the rows of the rollers R36, R38, R40, and R42 on the end side in the Z direction in the storage chamber RM to the rows of the rollers R22, R24, and R26 on the central portion. Since the diameter becomes smaller step by step, the same explanation is possible.

Moreover, in each structure of the said embodiment, after carrying in the board | substrate S from the board | substrate delivery opening EN, the guide which guides the said board | substrate S so that the board | substrate S may be caught by each roller R21-R42. It is good also as a structure provided suitably in the additional accommodation chamber RM. Thereby, the board | substrate S can be reliably fastened to each roller R21-R42.

Moreover, as a modification of the said embodiment, for example, the roller shown in FIG. 22 can also be arrange | positioned. Three rollers R43, R28, R42, three rollers R27, R29, R41, three rollers R26, R30, R40, and three rollers R25, R31, which are adjacent in the Z direction among the plurality of rollers R39, an axis Ra extending in the Y direction with respect to each of the three rollers R24, R32, and R38, the three rollers R23, R33, and R37, and the three rollers R22, R34, and R36. ) Are connected to both ends by a connecting member 210 (the connecting member 210 is movable in the Z direction). That is, the three rollers R43, R28, and R42 are mounted to the connecting member 210a, the three rollers R27, R29, and R41 are mounted to the connecting member 210b, and the three rollers R26, R30, R40 is mounted on the connecting member 210c, three rollers R25, R31, R39 are mounted on the connecting member 210d, and three rollers R24, R32, R38 are mounted on the connecting member 210e. The three rollers R23, R33, R37 are attached to the connecting member 210f, and the three rollers R22, R34, R36 are attached to the connecting member 210g. And the connection member 210a-210g is arrange | positioned so that two of each three rollers may side by side in the X direction, and the other one roller may alternately protrude on the + Z side and -Z side. That is, the rollers R42, R29, R40, R31, R38, R33, R36 are arranged side by side in the X direction, and the rollers R28, R27, R30, R25, R32, R23, R34 are arranged side by side in the X direction. Moreover, the rollers R41, R39, and R37 are protruded to the + Z side, and the rollers R43, R26, R24 and R22 are protruded to the -Z side. Of the two rows of rollers arranged in the X direction, the fixing roller 220A is disposed on the + X side of the rows of the rollers R28, R27, R30, R25, R32, R23, and R34, and the rollers R42, R29, R40, R31, and R38. , The fixing roller 220B is arranged on the -X side of the rows of R33 and R36.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 22, first, the board | substrate S is conveyed linearly in + X direction from the loading roller Rn, and between roller R34 and roller R22, roller R32 and roller It reaches to the fixing roller 220A of the + X side so that it may pass between the roller R30 and the roller R26, and between the roller R28 and the roller 43 between R24, and the fixing roller 220A. ) To fold in the -X direction. Next, between the roller R28 and the roller 42, between the roller R29 and the roller R27, between the roller R40 and the roller R30, between the roller R31 and the roller R25 To the fixed roller 220B on the -X side so as to pass out between the roller R38 and the roller R32, between the roller R33 and the roller R32, and between the roller R36 and the roller R34. To be folded in the + X direction by the fixing roller 220B. Thereafter, the carrying-out roller Rx is reached so as to pass out between the roller R37 and the roller R33, between the roller R39 and the roller R31, and between the roller R41 and the roller R29. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 23, the connection members 210a, 210c, 210e, and 210g are moved to + Z side, and the connection members 210b, 210d, 210f are moved to the -Z side. By this operation | movement, the board | substrate S is caught by each roller. By this structure, the board | substrate S can be hung on each roller in a short time.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although it is the structure which has the shaft part Ra and the outer peripheral part Rb about the structure of each roller, and demonstrated the example in which the outer peripheral part Rb was formed in the cylindrical form as an example, it is not limited to this. .

For example, as shown in FIG. 24A and FIG. 24B, the roller R22 of the folding part for folding the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is provided, and the disk roller 233 which has the axial part 231 and the some flange part 232 is provided. The configuration may be. In this case, the shaft portion 231 serves as a connecting portion for connecting the plurality of flange portions 232 to each other. In addition, although the rollers R22, R32, and R36 of 5th Embodiment and 6th Embodiment are shown and shown in FIG. 24A and 24B, other rollers can be made the same structure. Moreover, even if it is a roller of 4th Embodiment, it is good also as a same structure.

As shown in FIG. 24B, the plurality of flange portions 232 are arranged side by side at intervals in the Y direction. The interval between the flange portions 232 connected to the central portion of the shaft portion 231 in the Y direction is wider than the interval between the flange portions 232 connected to the end portions in the Y direction of the shaft portion 231. Moreover, the dimension (thickness) of the Y direction of the flange part 232 connected to the center part of the Y direction of the axial part 231 becomes larger than the thickness of the flange part 232 connected to the edge part of the Y direction of the axial part 231, and becomes larger. have. This configuration is an example to the last, and for example, the flange portions 232 may be arranged at equal pitches in the Y direction, or the thicknesses of the flange portions 232 may be the same. Does not matter.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, two disc rollers 233 having a shaft portion 231 and a plurality of flange portions 232 may be disposed in combination with respect to a location where the diameter of the folded portion increases. Okay. In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 26, the two disk rollers 233 are shifted in the Y direction, and the two disk rollers 233 are disposed between the flange portions 232 of one of the two disk rollers 233. ), The flange part 232 which the other has can push in. In this case, by adjusting the space | interval of the two disk rollers 233 in the X direction, the diameter of a folding part can be set to a desired value. For this reason, it can suppress that the dimension of a Z direction becomes large.

Moreover, in the sheet | seat board | substrate FB, the disk roller 233 of the same structure can be used for all the folding parts which have a different diameter. In addition, since the spacing P between the shaft portions 231 can be made narrower than the diameter of the flange portion 232, the width of the design becomes wider.

In addition, in FIG. 25, although the structure in which the tank of the disk roller 233 adjoins three sets in the Z direction is taken as an example, it is not limited to this, For example, the disk roller 233 is 2 in the Z direction. The same explanation is possible even if the structure adjacent to a pair and the structure adjacent to four or more pairs are similar. In addition, in the structure shown in FIG. 25, although the space | interval of the disk roller 233 adjacent in a Z direction is the same, it is good also as another space | interval.

Also in this case, the minimum diameter of the flange part 232 is set in the range which does not plastically deform even if the sheet | seat board | substrate FB is folded in U shape.

Incidentally, the disk roller 233 shown in Figs. 24A, 24B, 25, and 26 may have a configuration in which the shaft portion 231 and the flange portion 232 are fixed, and the shaft portion 231 and the flange portion 232 may be used. May be configured to rotate independently.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the structure made into the air turn bar using the fluid pad 240 may be sufficient. FIG. 28: is a figure which shows the structure along the AA cross section in FIG. In the structure shown to FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the pair of roller 244 is provided in the position which supports the both ends of the Y direction of the board | substrate S. FIG. The roller 244 has the outer peripheral surface 244a formed in cylindrical shape. The pair of rollers 244 are rotatably supported by the side wall 245 via the shaft 242.

A plurality of fluid pads 240 are provided between the pair of rollers 244. The plurality of fluid pads 240 are arranged at intervals in the Y direction, for example. The fluid pad 240 is supported by the shaft 242 via the bearing 241. The fluid pad 240 has a pad surface 240a formed in an arc shape. The diameter of the pad surface 240a is set to correspond to the diameter of the outer circumferential surface 244a of the roller 244. The pad surface 240a and the outer peripheral surface 244a are in a state where the positional relationship is fixed. The fluid pad 240 is configured such that the locking pin 246 fixed to the side wall 245 hardly rotates around the shaft 242.

The groove part 240b is formed in the pad surface 240a of the fluid pad 240. The groove part 240b is connected to the gas supply part 248 via the flow path 247 provided in the fluid pad 240, and the tube 249 connected to this flow path 247. As shown in FIG. The gas supply part 248 can supply a compressed gas. The gas from the gas supply part 248 is supplied to the groove part 240b through the flow path 247, and is blown out on the pad surface 240a.

In the structure shown in FIG. 27, the both ends of the Y direction of the board | substrate S are supported by friction contact with the outer peripheral surface 244a of the roller 244. When the roller 244 rotates in this state, the rotation of the roller 244 is transmitted to the board | substrate S through the outer peripheral surface 244a, and the board | substrate S is made to move. When gas is supplied from the gas supply part 248 while the substrate S is caught by the roller 244, the fluid layer 250 is formed between the sebum surface of the substrate S and the pad surface 240a. . In addition, although the diameter which defines the pad surface 240a of the said fluid pad 240 is substantially the same as the diameter of the roller 244, it is slightly considering the thickness (a few micrometers-several tens micrometer) of the fluid layer 250. It may be small.

The length of the circumferential direction (rotational direction of the shaft 242) of the fluid layer 250 formed by the fluid pad 240 is about the same as the length of the circumferential direction of the roller 244 in friction contact with the substrate S. Is set to be. In the example shown in FIG. 27, it is set so that it may be nearly 180 degrees.

In addition, as the roller 244, even if it is a structure as a driven roller which rotates freely by the frictional contact with the board | substrate S, when moving the board | substrate S in the state which applied the desired tension to the board | substrate S, it does not matter. It does not matter, and it may be a structure as a drive roller which the drive mechanisms, such as a motor which are not shown in figure, connected to the shaft 242.

For example, as shown in FIG. 29, you may make it the structure which arranges the structure of the said fluid pad 240 and the roller 244 in X direction, and adjusts the diameter of the folding part of the sheet | seat board | substrate FB. . In such a configuration, the entire region in the circumferential direction of the pad surface 240a of the fluid pad 240 is not opposed to the substrate S, and as shown in FIG. Only a region of 1 is opposite to the substrate (S). To this end, the groove 240b is formed only in a quarter of the area on the pad surface 240a. Thereby, the range of the circumferential direction of the fluid layer 250 can be adjusted.

For example, as shown in FIG. 30, the structure which uses the air bearing mechanism 260 may be sufficient. The air bearing mechanism 260 includes a pair of guide members 261, a holding member 262 for holding the pair of guide members 261, and an air supply unit for supplying air to the guide member 261. Has (263)

The guide member 261 is formed of the porous member made from ceramics, etc., for example. The surface (guide surface) 261a of the guide member 261 is formed as a part (about 90 degrees) of a cylindrical surface. In the guide surface 261a, the air from the air supply part 263 is blown off, for example. The holding member 262 holds the pair of guide members 261. In the holding member 262, a pair of guide members 261 facing the guide surface 261a are held at intervals in the X direction on the + X side and the -X side.

FIG. 31: shows the structure which used the said air bearing mechanism 260 in the folding part. As shown in FIG. 31, although the air bearing mechanism 260 is used adjacent to a Z direction, the dimension of the X direction of the holding member 262 differs for every folding part. Specifically, the dimension in the X direction of the holding member 262A of the air bearing mechanism 260 most disposed on the + Z side is the largest, and the holding member 262B on the -Z side is held with respect to the holding member 262A. The member 262C and the holding member 262D are formed in this order so that the dimension in the X direction gradually decreases.

In this way, the diameter at the folded portion can be changed by adjusting the dimension of the holding member 262. Moreover, since the dimension of Z direction becomes about half compared with the case of using a roller, it can be set as a compact structure. For this reason, many folding parts can be provided in a Z direction, and the dimension of the Z direction of a container can also be made small.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, when using the roller as a folding part, although the structure which made the diameter of the roller in a Y direction constant was demonstrated as an example, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown to FIG. 32A, the diameter may become large as it reaches the center part from the edge part of the outer peripheral part Rb in the Y direction. In addition, as shown in FIG. 32B, the diameter may become small as it reaches the center part from the edge part of the outer peripheral part Rb of the Y direction.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, in the structure which uses a roller as a folding part, the structure where the diameter of a roller becomes small step by step from the roller row of the end side of Z direction in the storage chamber RM to the roller row of the center part is taken as an example. Although it demonstrated, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 33, the structure which makes the diameter of all the rollers the same may be sufficient.

In this case, what is necessary is just to enlarge the pitch L3 in the X direction of the roller jaws adjacent to a Z direction compared with the said pitch in the said embodiment. Moreover, what is necessary is just to arrange the roller jaws adjacent in the Z direction at a predetermined distance L4 in the X direction. Thus, even if all the diameters of a roller are the same, this invention can be applied.

CTR… Substrate cartridge FB... Sheet substrate
SYS… Substrate processing system PR. Substrate processing equipment
CONT ... Control unit CN... Connection
Fh… Tip 1. Receiving portion
2 … Port 3, 3A, 3B. Exit
4 … Guide 5. The control unit
S… Substrate Sa. First side
Sb… Second surface S1, S21, T1, T21... The first part
S2, S22, T2, T22... Second part
S3, S23, T3, T23... Third part
S4, S24, T4, T24... 4th part
CT… Containers CTa, CTb... Wall panel
FL… Bottom surface RM. Accommodation
EN… Substrate carrying inlet EX... Board Outlet
Rn… Carry-on roller Rx; Take-out roller
R1 to R15, R21 to R44, 244... roller
Ra ... Shaft portion Rb... Outer part
231. Shaft portion 232. Flange portion
233. Disc roller 240... Fluid pads
240a... Pad surface 240b... Groove
248. Gas supply section 250... Fluid layer
260... Air bearing mechanism 261. The guide member
261a... Guide surface 262. Retaining member
263. Air supply section STR, STR2, STR3... Board Storage Device

Claims (34)

An accommodation portion accommodating a substrate formed in a band shape,
An outlet for being provided in the accommodation portion, for carrying out the substrate;
An inlet provided in the accommodating part and carrying in the substrate;
And a guide portion for guiding the distal end portion of the substrate accommodated in the accommodation portion from the inlet to the outlet. The method according to claim 1,
And the guide portion folds the substrate a plurality of times in the housing portion. The method according to claim 2,
And the guide portion holds the substrate such that the folded substrates are in a non-contact state. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The guide portion,
A plurality of first guide members capable of contacting the surface side of the substrate;
A plurality of second guide members disposed between the first guide members and capable of contacting the back surface side of the substrate;
The plurality of first guide members and the plurality of second guide members are moved relatively so that the first guide member is brought into contact with the front side and the second guide member is brought into contact with the back side. A substrate cartridge having a mechanism. The method of claim 4,
The said moving mechanism is a board | substrate cartridge which has a 1st adjustment mechanism which adjusts the movement timing of each of the said 1st guide member. The method according to claim 4 or 5,
The said moving mechanism is a board | substrate cartridge which has a 2nd adjustment mechanism which adjusts the movement timing of each of the said 2nd guide member. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6,
The said guide part has a 3rd guide member which can enter and exit on the guide path of the said board | substrate. The method of claim 7,
The said guide part has a board | substrate cartridge which has a switching mechanism which switches in and out of a said 3rd guide member according to the guide situation of the said board | substrate. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
And the guide portion is disposed in a guide path of the substrate, and has a pair of guide plates disposed to face each other at an interval through which the substrate can pass. The method according to claim 9,
The pair of guide plates includes a first guide plate provided in a state standing up with respect to a horizontal plane, and the second guide plate disposed to face the first guide plate. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The accommodation portion has a plurality of wall surfaces,
The said carrying out opening and the said carrying in opening are arrange | positioned at the same wall surface among the said some wall surface. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The accommodation portion has a plurality of wall surfaces,
The said carrying out opening and the said carrying in opening are each arrange | positioned at the other wall surface of the said several wall surface. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
At least one of the said carrying out opening and the said carrying in opening is provided in plurality in the said accommodating part,
And the guide portion has a path switching mechanism for switching and guiding a plurality of guide paths. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 13,
The said 1st guide member and the said 2nd guide member are board | substrate cartridges formed in the cylindrical shape. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 13,
And the first guide member and the second guide member are rotatably supported in the circumferential direction. The board | substrate cartridge of any one of Claims 1-15,
A substrate processing system having a substrate processing apparatus having a connecting portion for connecting with the substrate cartridge. 18. The method of claim 16,
The said substrate cartridge has a to-be-connected part connected to the said substrate processing apparatus,
The said carrying out opening and the said carrying in opening are provided in the to-be-connected part. 18. The method of claim 17,
The to-be-connected portion has a first surface facing the substrate processing apparatus,
The said delivery opening and the said delivery opening are provided in the said 1st surface. 19. The method of claim 18,
The to-be-connected portion has a second surface facing the substrate processing apparatus,
At least one of the said carrying out opening and the said carrying in opening is provided in the said 2nd surface. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 19,
The substrate processing apparatus has a reader mounting portion that mounts a reader at a tip of a substrate to be supplied to the carry-in port of the substrate cartridge. The method of claim 20,
The substrate processing apparatus has a reader holding portion for holding a reader mounted to a tip of the substrate coming out of the carrying out port of the substrate cartridge. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 21,
The substrate processing apparatus is provided in plurality,
And a conveying apparatus for conveying the substrate cartridge to each of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses. A substrate storage device that is formed in a band shape and holds a substrate having flexibility in the longitudinal direction a plurality of times,
A first folding part for folding the substrate so that the surfaces of the substrate face each other;
A second folded portion that folds the first portion such that the rear surfaces of the first portions folded to one side with respect to the first folded portion of the substrate face each other;
A direction changer for redirecting a second portion of the substrate, which is folded to the opposite side of the first folded portion by the second folded portion, toward the first folded portion;
The third portion such that a portion of the third portion turned in the direction change portion of the substrate is along the surface or the rear surface of the fourth portion folded on the other side from the first portion by the first folding portion in the substrate; A substrate storage device having a third folded portion for folding a portion. 24. The method of claim 23,
An accommodation portion accommodating the first folded portion, the second folded portion, the third folded portion, and the redirection portion;
An import unit for carrying the substrate into the accommodation unit;
A carrying out portion for carrying out the substrate from the containing portion;
A first guide part for guiding the substrate from the carrying-in part to one of the first folding part and the third folding part;
And a second guide portion for guiding the substrate to the carry-out portion from the other of the first folded portion and the third folded portion. 27. The method of claim 24,
The accommodation portion has a plurality of wall surfaces,
The said carrying in part and the said carrying out part are the board | substrate storage apparatuses which are provided in the same wall surface among the said several wall surfaces. 27. The method of claim 24,
The accommodation portion has a plurality of wall surfaces,
The said carrying in part and the said carrying out part are each provided in the other wall surface of the said several wall surface. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 26,
And said first folded portion, said second folded portion, said third folded portion, and said redirection portion each have at least one substrate locking portion on which said substrate is held. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 27,
At least three of the said board | substrate latching parts are arrange | positioned in a straight line. 29. The method of claim 27 or 28,
The board | substrate latching | locking part is a board | substrate storage apparatus formed in the cylindrical shape. The method of claim 29,
The substrate holding part is formed so that the diameter gradually decreases along one direction of the straight line. 32. The method of claim 30,
The substrate engaging portion,
A plurality of flanges arranged in a short direction of the substrate so as to coincide with a central axis, each supporting a portion of the substrate on an outer circumferential surface thereof;
The board | substrate storage apparatus which has a connection part which connects several said flange parts. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 31,
The substrate engaging portion,
And a fluid pad disposed between the area where the substrate is caught and the substrate, the fluid pad supporting at least a portion of the substrate via the fluid. The method according to claim 32,
The fluid pad is provided to be separable in the longitudinal direction of the substrate in a locked state,
Each of the separated portions of the fluid pad is provided with a substrate storage device that is movable in the longitudinal direction. The method according to claim 32 or 33,
The said fluid pad is provided in plurality in the short direction of the said board | substrate, and each is arrange | positioned so that a part of said board | substrate may be arrange | positioned.

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