TW201617277A - Substrate conveying device and conveying method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention presents a conveying device to let the guide roller have a longer life without meandering. The characteristics of the conveying device comprise a plurality of conveying rollers abutting the lower surface of the substrateto convey the substrate in the predetermined direction. A plurality of guide rollers are disposed along the conveying direction of the substrate to sandwich the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. An adjusting unit of guide rollers is included to adjust its position, the adjusting unit of guide rollers has the first movable member to hold the guide rollers in a rotational manner. A Z-axis adjustment mechanism is included to adjust the height position of the first movable member in the thickness direction of the substrate.

Description

Substrate transfer device and substrate transfer method Field of invention

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a substrate transfer device and a substrate transfer method.

Background of the invention

As a substrate transfer apparatus, there is known a device in which a transfer roller is provided on a shaft extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the substrate, and a lower surface of the substrate is brought into contact with the transfer roller to transport the substrate. Further, in addition to the transport roller, a plurality of guide rollers are disposed along the transport direction of the substrate to be transported, and the guide roller is used to guide the side surface of the substrate to position the substrate transported by the transport roller. The substrate is transferred to the substrate in a meandering manner.

[First technical literature]

[Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-42902

[Summary of the Invention]

Summary of invention

In the field of the liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus, in recent years, the thickness of the substrate to be transported has continued to progress. Conventionally, it is generally carried out while carrying a substrate having a thickness of, for example, about 1 mm. However, in recent years, the case of processing a substrate having a thickness of about 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm has been increased. When the substrate is thinned, the surface area (contact area) of the surface of the guide roller that is in contact with the side surface of the substrate becomes small. Therefore, the substrate is concentrated on the surface of the guide roller and the small surface area is continuously touched. The portion where the substrate on the surface of the guide roller is in contact with each other passes over time (that is, when the number of substrates to be guided is increased), and is gradually worn, so that the thickness of the substrate is a concave shape. In the portion where the guide roller forms the concave groove (concave portion), a gap of a predetermined value or more is generated between the side surface of the substrate and the guide roller. When it is in such a state, the substrate will be meandered and cannot be smoothly conveyed, and thus the corners of the substrate may collide with the guide rolls, and the substrate may be cracked or cracked. Therefore, if the guide roller is worn out like this, it is necessary to replace the guide roller with a new guide roller. In particular, when the thickness of the substrate is thinned, the side surface of the substrate acts on the guide roller as a cutter blade, and since the abrasion of the guide roller becomes severe, it is necessary to replace the guide roller in a short period of time and frequently.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus and a substrate transfer method which are capable of transporting a substrate without causing a substrate to be smoothly grown, in order to extend the life of the guide roller.

The substrate transfer device of the embodiment is a substrate for transporting the substrate The substrate transfer device includes a plurality of transfer rollers that are in contact with the lower surface of the substrate and transport the substrate in a predetermined transport direction, and the guide rollers are disposed to face each other in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. a plurality of the substrates are arranged along the transport direction of the substrate; and a guide roller adjusting portion that adjusts a position of the guide roller, the guide roller adjusting portion has a member that rotatably holds the guide roller, and an adjustment A Z-axis adjustment mechanism for the height position of the member in the thickness direction of the substrate.

The substrate transfer method according to the embodiment is a transfer method for transporting a substrate, comprising the steps of: abutting the lower surface of the substrate, transporting the substrate in a predetermined transport direction, and transporting the substrate in the transport direction a plurality of guide rollers are disposed in the transport direction of the substrate, and the substrate is guided so as to sandwich a side surface of the substrate, and the guide roller is adjusted in a thickness direction of the substrate when the guide roller is worn. Location while continuing to use.

According to the present invention, it is possible to extend the life of the guide roller and prevent the substrate from being smoothly conveyed to the substrate.

1‧‧‧ shaft

2‧‧‧Transport roller

3‧‧‧ Bearing

4‧‧‧ Guide roller

5‧‧‧ shaft

40‧‧‧ Guide roller adjustment unit

41‧‧‧Fixed components

42‧‧‧2nd movable member

42a‧‧‧through hole

43‧‧‧Rally bolt

44A‧‧‧Press bolt

44B‧‧‧Press bolt

45‧‧‧1st movable member

45A‧‧‧Sliding hole

46A‧‧‧Adjustment bolt

46B‧‧‧Adjustment bolt

100‧‧‧Adjustment components

200‧‧‧X-axis adjustment mechanism

300‧‧‧Z-axis adjustment mechanism

400‧‧‧ Guide Roll Adjustment Department

400A‧‧‧Adjustment components

400B‧‧‧Adjustment components

A-A‧‧‧ section line

D‧‧‧ sliding groove

K1‧‧‧ incision

K2‧‧‧ incision

G‧‧‧ scale board

S1‧‧‧ Guides

S2‧‧‧ Guides

W‧‧‧Substrate

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate transfer device according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the substrate transfer device of the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the side surface of the guide roller adjusting portion of the first embodiment, taken along line A-A of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a view showing a plane of a guide roller adjusting portion according to the first embodiment; Show.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a side surface of a guide roller adjusting portion according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a view showing a side surface of a guide roller adjusting portion according to a second embodiment;

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

(First embodiment)

The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 .

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the substrate transfer apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment has a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate W (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) (hereinafter also referred to as "the width direction of the substrate W". The shaft 1 that is extended and provided is provided with a plurality of conveying rollers 2 that are provided to abut against the lower surface of the substrate W at a predetermined interval, and a bearing 3 that holds the shaft 1. Further, a plurality of guide rolls 4 are provided through the shaft 5 (see FIG. 2) at a constant interval in the width direction of the substrate W so as to sandwich the substrate W and along the conveyance direction of the substrate W. The guide roller 4 is made of an elastic body such as rubber or a resin, and has a cylindrical shape having a height twice or more the thickness of the substrate W. As described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, each guide roller 4 is constructed. The height position in the thickness direction of the substrate and the horizontal position in the width direction of the substrate W can be adjusted by the guide roller adjusting portion 40 provided in each of the guide rolls 4. Further, in Fig. 3, the width direction of the substrate W is the X direction, the transport direction of the substrate W is the Y direction (the direction orthogonal to the X direction), and the X direction and the Y direction are straight. The direction of intersection (the direction of the surface of the vertical substrate W) is the Z direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the guide roller adjusting unit 40 includes an X-axis adjustment mechanism 200 and a Z-axis adjustment mechanism 300. The X-axis adjustment mechanism 200 adjusts the horizontal position of the guide roller 4 in the width direction (X direction) of the substrate W. The Z-axis adjustment mechanism 300 adjusts the height position of the guide roller 4 in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate W.

The X-axis adjustment mechanism 200 includes a fixing member 41 that is fixedly supported by a gantry (not shown) of the substrate transfer device 100, a first movable member 45 (first member), a second movable member (second member) 42, and an adjustment bolt 46A. And 46B. The first movable member 45 is a plate-shaped member that is supported by the fixing member 41 in the horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the first movable member 45 has a sliding hole 45A in the X direction, and passes the sliding hole 45A to move the adjusting bolts 46A and 46B toward the second. One end side of the movable member 42 is screwed into, so that the first movable member 45 and the second movable member 42 are integrated. Further, the shaft 5 is rotatably supported at the end portion of the first movable member 45 on the substrate W side, and the guide roller 4 is held by the shaft 5. The shaft 5 is disposed along the Z direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the second movable member 42 has a sliding groove D having the same width as the width of the first movable member 45, and is cut along the X direction. Thereby, the first movable member 45 slides in the sliding groove D, and the first movable member 45 can move in the direction along the sliding hole 45A, that is, in the width direction of the substrate.

The Z-axis adjustment mechanism 300 is configured to include a fixing member 41, a second movable member 42, a tension bolt 43, and pressing bolts 44A and 44B provided on both sides of the tension bolt 43, and guiding members S1 and S2. The second movable member 42 is a plate-shaped member that is supported by the fixing member 41 in the horizontal direction. Tension bolt 43 The through hole 42a provided on the other end side of the second movable member 42 is screwed into the fixing member 41. The pressing bolts 44A and 44B are configured to be screwed into the second movable member 42 respectively, and the front end of the bolt abuts against the upper surface of the fixing member 41. Further, a slit K1 and a slit K2 are provided on the other end side surface of the second movable member 42. The rod-shaped guiding member S1 and the guiding member S2 are fixed to the fixing member 41, and the guiding member S1 is abutted against the slit K1, and the guiding member S2 abuts against the slit K2. Further, in the present embodiment, in the width direction of the substrate in plan view (the horizontal direction in FIG. 4) shown in FIG. 4, the slit K1 (the guide S1) is provided between the tension bolt 43 and the pressing bolt 44A. The slit K2 (the guide S2) is provided between the tension bolt 43 and the pressing bolt 44B. When the second movable member 42 ascends and descends the fixing member 41 by the adjustment described later, the second movable member 42 is moved up and down along the guide S1 and the guide S2, so that the second movable member 42 can be prevented. Even the guide roller 4 is swung around the tension bolt 43 while being shaken. Further, the scale plate G having one end fixed to the second movable member 42 may be used.

Next, the operation of the substrate transfer apparatus 100 will be described.

First, when the substrate W is carried into the substrate transfer device 100 in the preparation stage, the substrate W is placed on the transfer roller 2. At this time, the plurality of guide rollers 4 disposed to the both ends in the width direction of the substrate W are respectively positioned in a direction away from the side surface of the substrate with respect to a predetermined position (a position on the side surface of the guide substrate W), that is, the positioning becomes a ratio The substrate W has a wide interval in the width direction. This adjustment will be described later.

Next, the side of the guide roller 4 opposite to the both ends in the width direction of the substrate W is made The surface is moved so that the substrate W is sandwiched in the direction from the both end sides in the width direction of the substrate W toward the center side of the substrate W. Further, the guide roller 4 is also adjusted and moved in the Z direction so that the side surface of the substrate W abuts on the upper side than the half (the center in the height direction) of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction, and the preparation phase is completed. However, such adjustments will be described later.

When the position adjustment of the guide roller 4 is completed, the conveyance roller 2 rotates, and the substrate W is carried in from the apparatus of the previous process, and the substrate W is conveyed in the conveyance direction by the conveyance roller 2, and is guided by the guide roller 4 without being meandering. lead. A processing tool (for example, a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid or an air knife for supplying a drying gas) is provided above the conveying device 100, and the substrate W is sequentially processed while being conveyed by the substrate conveying device 100.

As described above, the plurality of guide rollers 4 are respectively adjustable in position by the guide roller adjusting portion 40, and the X-axis adjusting mechanism 200 and the Z-axis adjusting mechanism 300 can adjust the position as follows.

First, the position adjustment by the X-axis adjustment mechanism 200 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first movable member 45 for holding the shaft 5 of the guide roller 4 is detached by loosening the adjusting bolts 46A and 46B screwed into the second movable member 42. It is guided to the sliding groove D and moves in the X direction in which the sliding hole 45A extends. In this state, after the guide roller 4 is adjusted to abut against the side surface of the substrate W, the position adjustment of the X direction is performed by locking and fixing the adjustment bolts 46A, 46B (the surface of the guide roller 4 and the substrate) Adjustment of the distance of W).

Next, the position adjustment by the Z-axis adjustment mechanism 300 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first movable roller 40 is movable. The member 45 is attached and fixed to the second movable member 42. That is, by adjusting the height of the second movable member 42 in the Z direction, the first movable member 45, that is, the Z direction adjustment of the guide roller 4 is performed.

The tension bolt 43 is provided with a thread in the lower half of the longitudinal direction and is fixed to the fixing member 41, whereas the pair of movable members 42 are unconstrained. The two pressing bolts 44A and 44B are provided with threads in the upper half of the longitudinal direction. Further, the front ends of the pressing bolts 44A and 44B abut against the upper surface of the fixing member 41.

In the state of FIG. 3, when the number of sheets of the substrate W guided by the guide roller 4 is increased, the guide roller 4 is worn. Then, in the present embodiment, the second movable member 42 for holding the guide roller 4 is raised upward by 5 mm in the Z direction every time a predetermined time elapses after the start of the conveyance of the virtual substrate W.

First, the tension bolt 43 is loosened and raised upward by about 2 cm in a visually measured amount. Next, the pressing bolts 44A, 44B are equally locked. By locking the pressing bolts 44A, 44B, the second movable member 42 moves in a direction away from the fixing member 41. That is, the second movable member 42 rises in the Z direction along the guides S1 and S2. When the position of the second movable member 42 in the Z direction is raised with reference to the scale plate G, and the position is raised to the target 5 mm, the tension bolt 43 is next locked to the fixing member 41. In this case, when the tension bolt 43 is locked by about 1.5 cm, the second movable member 42 is fixed to the fixing member 41. As described above, when the second movable member 42 is raised, the first movable member 45 fixed to the second movable member 42 and the guide roller 4 held by the first movable member 45 also follow the rise. When the guide roller 4 is to be lowered, the first After the tension bolts 43 are loosened, the pressing bolts 44A and 44B are loosened, and after the movable member 42 is lowered, the tension bolts 43 are locked and fixed.

Further, although the guide roller adjusting portion 40 of one guide roller 4 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the guide roller adjusting portion 40 is also disposed in plural in the Y direction, and is also disposed to face each other with the substrate W interposed therebetween. The guide roller 4 is configured. That is, the guide roller adjusting portion 40 is provided for each of the guide rollers.

As described above, with the substrate transfer device having the guide roller adjusting portion 40, even if the plurality of substrates W abut against the surface of the guide roller 4, the surface of the guide roller 4 is worn and guided. The surface of the roller 4 is formed with a concave portion, and thereby, the distance between the side surface of the substrate W and the guide roller 4 and the positioning of the guide roller 4 are changed at first, and it is also easy to perform in either of the X direction and the Z direction. Since the position of the guide roller 4 is adjusted, it is not necessary to immediately use the guide roller 4 for a new product, so that the life of the guide roller can be extended.

Further, by constantly adjusting the height of the guide roller 4, even if the thin substrate is conveyed, it is possible to prevent the substrate from collectively colliding with the same region of the surface (surface in contact with the substrate) of the guide roller 4, and can prevent The guide roller 4 is partially worn, so that the guide roller can be extended in life.

Further, the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction is twice or more the thickness of the substrate W as described above, and is adjusted and moved so that the side surface of the substrate W abuts on the upper side than the half of the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction. Further, the Z-direction position of the guide roller may be adjusted so that the guide roller 4 abuts on the lower side than the half of the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction when the concave portion is formed on the surface of the guide roller 4. Moreover, it is also possible to use the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z-axis direction first. On the lower side of the half, if it is worn, use the upper side of half the length in the Z-axis direction. Either one of them is marked in advance by the fact that the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction is exactly half, and the adjustment can be favorably performed even if the scale plate G is not properly adjusted. In other words, if it is above (or below) the mark, no matter where it is in a state where no recess is formed, as long as the side surface of the substrate W is adjusted to abut the area, all of them are The guide roller may not be accurately adjusted in the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the substrate W to be conveyed. However, in the embodiment, the contact area of the guide roller 4 with respect to the side surface of the substrate W is not divided into the upper side and the lower side of the length of the guide roller 4Z direction, and even when the guide roller 4 forms the concave portion, even if only By using the Z-axis adjustment mechanism 300, the contact area between the substrate W and the guide roller 4 is changed in the height direction (Z direction) of the guide roller 4, and the effect of the so-called guide roller extending the life can be sufficiently obtained.

Moreover, when the contact area of the substrate W and the guide roller 4 is changed by changing the position of the height direction (Z direction) of the guide roller 4, as described earlier, since the new contact area is an unused area, Therefore, the position in the Z direction can be accurately adjusted, and the position adjustment in the width direction (X direction) of the substrate can be performed without performing the preparation step. In this regard, in the case where the guide roller 4 has formed the concave portion, the guide roller 4 is moved in the X direction to re-adjust the contact state with the side surface of the substrate, at the point of workability. Extremely beneficial.

However, at this time, in the guide roller, at least a plurality of regions which are in the height direction (Z direction) which is in contact with the side surface of the substrate need to have the same diameter from the rotation center of the shaft 5. For example, it will also guide The entire roller is formed in a cylindrical shape, and only a region in contact with the side surface of the substrate may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and other portions may be formed in a conical shape or the like.

(Second embodiment)

The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 .

The second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and the same portions as those described in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate transfer apparatus of the second embodiment includes a guide roller adjusting unit 400. The X-axis adjustment mechanism of the guide roller adjusting unit 400 is the same as the X-axis adjustment mechanism 200 of the first embodiment. The Z-axis adjustment mechanism is different from that of the first embodiment, and an adjustment member (spacer member) 400A is provided between the fixed member 41 and the second movable member 42. The adjustment member 400A is prepared in advance in a plurality of sizes having a plurality of levels, and the positions of the guide rollers 4 in the Z direction can be adjusted by replacing them to adjust the position of the second movable member 42. That is, the adjustment member is different in length from the longitudinal direction of the tension bolt.

Hereinafter, a method of adjusting the Z-axis adjustment mechanism of the guide roller adjusting unit 400 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

First, when the second movable member 42 is raised, the tension bolt 43 is released, and the adjustment member 400A and the second movable member 42 are removed from the fixing member 41. The other adjustment member 400B (see FIG. 6 ) having a length in the Z direction longer than the removed adjustment member 400A is interposed between the fixed member 41 and the second movable member 42 , and is fixed to the fixing member 41 using the tension bolt 43 . Z direction Adjustment.

When the second movable member 42 is to be lowered, the adjusting member 400C (not shown) having a shorter length in the Z direction than the fixing member 400A may be attached by using the tension bolt 43.

According to the substrate transfer device having the guide roller adjusting portion 400, the plurality of substrates W are brought into contact with the surface of the guide roller 4, etc., and the concave portion, the substrate W, and the guide roller 4 are formed on the surface of the guide roller 4. Even if the positioning of the guide roller 4 is changed at the beginning, the guide roller 4 can be used without further replacement, and the positional adjustment of the guide roller 4 can be easily performed. Thereby, the life of the guide roller can be extended.

Moreover, since the position adjustment of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction is performed by exchanging the adjustment member, it is possible to adjust without other members such as an adjustment plate.

(other examples)

In the first embodiment, the side surface of the substrate W is brought into contact with the lower side (or the upper side) of the half of the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction, and then the side surface of the substrate W is brought into contact with the guide roller. The upper side (or the lower side) of the half of the length of the Z direction of 4, but is not limited thereto, and it is also possible to use a region such as the lower half (or the upper half) of the length of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction to guide the substrate. After the time, the guide roller 4 itself is reversed up and down, and the Z-axis adjustment is performed using the lower half (or upper half) region of the Z-direction length of the inverted guide roller 4. At this time, although it is necessary to perform the operation of reversing the guide roller 4, the movement adjustment range of the guide roller 4 in the Z direction is half the length of the Z direction, because the Z-axis adjustment mechanism can be made small because of the narrowing. And reduce Since the guide roller 4 is adjusted for the time, the substrate can be efficiently transported. Further, even in this case, since the distance between the substrate W and the guide roller 4 and the positioning of the guide roller 4 are changed at the beginning due to the abrasion of the guide roller 4, the guide roller 4 may be replaced without being replaced immediately, and The life of the guide rolls is long.

Further, although the guide roller adjusting portions 40 and 400 have both the X-axis adjusting mechanism and the Z-axis adjusting mechanism, they may have at least one of them.

Further, the guide roller adjusting portions 40 and 400 may adjust a plurality of guide rollers by one adjustment portion 40, 400, or may be provided for each of the guide rollers. When one guide roller is provided, the guide roller to be adjusted can be selectively adjusted even when there is a difference in the wear condition of the guide roller.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention and its modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention and the scope of the invention.

4‧‧‧ Guide roller

5‧‧‧ shaft

100‧‧‧Adjustment components

W‧‧‧Substrate

Claims (8)

A substrate transfer device for transporting a substrate, comprising: a plurality of transfer rollers that are in contact with a lower surface of the substrate to transport the substrate in a predetermined transport direction; and a guide roller that is orthogonal to the transport direction a direction in which the plurality of substrates are disposed along the transport direction of the substrate; and a guide roller adjusting portion that adjusts a position of the guide roller, the guide roller adjusting portion rotatably holding the guide roller The member and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height position of the member in the thickness direction of the substrate. The substrate transfer device of claim 1, wherein the substrate transfer device includes an X-axis adjustment mechanism for adjusting a distance between a surface of the guide roller held by the member and the substrate. The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide roller has a height twice or more the thickness of the substrate. The substrate transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the X-axis adjustment mechanism includes a first movable member that rotatably holds the guide roller, and has a sliding hole in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, and a second movable member The first movable member is fixed through the sliding hole. The substrate transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the Z-axis adjustment mechanism comprises: The tension bolt fixes the member and the fixing member, and the pair of pressing bolts are screwed into the member in a state where the front end abuts against the fixing member, and are disposed to sandwich the tension bolt. The substrate transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the Z-axis adjustment mechanism includes: a tension bolt that fixes the member and the fixing member; and an adjustment member interposed between the member and the fixing member, the aforementioned The plurality of the aforementioned adjustment members whose adjustment member replacement lengths are different from the longitudinal direction of the tension bolts. A substrate transfer method is a transfer method for transporting a substrate, comprising the steps of: abutting the lower surface of the substrate, transporting the substrate in a predetermined transport direction, and transporting the substrate in the transport direction a plurality of guide rollers are disposed in the transport direction of the substrate, and the substrate is guided so as to sandwich the side surface of the substrate, and the position of the guide roller is adjusted in the thickness direction of the substrate when the guide roller is worn. And continue to use. A substrate transfer method for transporting a side surface of the substrate by a guide roller having a height twice or more the thickness of the substrate, and including a step of contacting the side surface of the substrate when the guide roller conveys the substrate The conveyance is performed above or below the center of the guide roller in the height direction. At the time of abrasion of the guide roller, by changing the vertical direction of the guide roller, the position of the side surface of the substrate and the contact roller are changed, and the use is continued.