WO2004009472A1

WO2004009472A1 - Method and tray for transporting large glass pane

Info

Publication number: WO2004009472A1
Application number: PCT/JP2003/009038
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuji Fuse; Naotake Maruyama; Shouichi Endo
Original assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
Priority date: 2002-07-22
Filing date: 2003-07-16
Publication date: 2004-01-29
Also published as: AU2003252663A1

Abstract

A method and a tray for transporting a large glass pane, the method comprising the steps of horizontally storing rectangular large glass panes one by one in the tray (1), holding the glass panes in a recess (8) in the state of being positioned in a horizontal plane, and pressing the glass panes from an upper side by the tray (1) in the stacked state of the trays (1); the tray (1) comprising slits (9) allowing the forks of carrying equipment to move therein.

Description

Description Method for transporting large glass sheet and tray for transport

The present invention relates to a method and a tray for transferring a large glass plate such as a large and thin liquid crystal substrate used for a flat panel display. Background art

Conventionally, when transporting glass plates, use a transport pallet or the like that stands up and stores the glass plates, or inserts the glass plate vertically into a box with grooves formed in advance to store the glass plate and stores it It was transported using a glass plate transport box.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional glass plate transport boxes and the like, since the glass plate is transported while holding it in a vertical position, the glass plate to be transported tends to be radiused as the glass plate becomes larger and thinner, as in the conventional case. If only the edge of the glass plate is held, there is a risk that the glass plate may be damaged by vibration during transportation or the glass plate surface may be damaged by interference between adjacent glass plates.

In addition, when storing glass sheets in a transport box, the glass sheets must be vertical, so the size of the glass sheets has been increasing, and in particular, the size of one side is 1 m or more and the thickness is 3 mm or less. When a thin glass plate is used, it becomes difficult to adsorb the glass plate with the arm of the automatic robot and store it in the transport box. In particular, for glass sheets with a thickness of about 1 mm or less, it is extremely difficult to adsorb and transport on one side of the glass sheet and store it vertically.

On the other hand, a liquid crystal panel transport container is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 11-112, in which a liquid crystal plate is horizontally accommodated in a container, and the containers can be stacked in multiple stages to improve handling efficiency and storage space efficiency when transporting a large liquid crystal plate. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4929267.

However, the transport container described in this publication has a large liquid crystal plate. Even if it does, the size is about several tens of centimeters in length and width, so taking into account the loading and unloading of robotic hand (arm) claws when loading and unloading glass plates is not considered. . For this reason, this transport container cannot be directly applied to a larger glass plate with one side of 1 m or more.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and is easy to automate when loading or unloading a large-sized glass plate having a side of 1 m or more with a claw of a transfer device such as a mouth pot hand. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for transporting a large glass plate and a tray for transport, which can improve the workability and storage efficiency of packing and transport, and securely fix and hold the transport during transport to prevent damage. Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in the method for transporting a rectangular large glass plate having a side of 1 m or more, the glass plates are horizontally placed on a box-shaped tray having an open front surface and an open top surface. The glass plates are held in a state where they are positioned in a horizontal plane, and the trays press the glass plates in the lower tray from above in a stacked state, and a glass is placed on the lower side of the glass plates. The present invention provides a method for transporting a large glass sheet, which has a space into which a claw of a sheet transport apparatus enters, and wherein the trays are stacked and transported.

According to this configuration, the glass plate is stored horizontally in the tray, the front and top surfaces of the tray are open, and the space under which the claw of the glass plate transport device such as a robot hand enters the lower side of the glass plate. Since it is formed, loading into and unloading from the tray as it is from the claw of the transfer device can be easily performed, and it is easy to respond to automation of packing and transfer of large glass plates.

When transporting glass sheets, the trays containing the glass sheets are stacked and packed in trucks, etc., and transported to other factories or suppliers or customers or other customers. During this transfer, the glass plate is pressed down from above and held, so that the glass plate does not rattle up and down, and is affected by vibrations during transfer. It is very effective in avoiding. In this case, as a structure for pressing the glass plate from above, a structure in which a holding member for pressing the glass plate of the lower tray can be provided below the upper tray when the trays are stacked. You. Note that there may be a slight gap between the holding member and the glass plate as long as the quality of the glass is not affected. This makes it possible to suppress the rattling of the lower glass plate with the upper holding member and stably hold the lower glass plate, and to minimize the influence on the glass surface.

In a preferred configuration example, the front surface of the stacked trays is covered with a lid.

According to this configuration, the open front is covered with the lid, so that the inside of the stacked trays is sealed, preventing intrusion of dust during storage and transport, the glass plate surface is kept clean, and the quality of the liquid crystal substrate is maintained. Maintenance is achieved. At the same time, the front of the bottom plate of the tray can be supported by the lid, so that when the bottom plate has a slit through which the claws of the robot hand enter and exit, the bottom plate is radiused and the front side is lowered. Can be prevented.

In a preferred configuration example of the glass plate transfer tray for carrying out such a method of transferring a large glass plate, the tray includes a bottom plate, left and right side plates, and a rear plate, and a glass plate mounting portion is provided on the bottom plate. And a positioning means in front and rear and left and right directions for holding the glass plate on the outside of the glass plate mounting portion, and a lower tray when the tray is stacked below the bottom plate. There is a holding member for holding the stored glass plate, and a space is formed below the glass plate mounting portion where the claw of the glass plate transport device enters.

According to this configuration, the tray is composed of a bottom plate, left and right side plates, and a rear plate. The front plate and the top plate are omitted, and the opening is a box body. When the trays are stacked, the bottom plate also serves as the top plate of the lower tray. In addition to improving the storage efficiency in terms of space, the holding member on the lower side of the bottom plate holds the glass plate stored in the lower tray to securely hold the vibrations and the like of the glass plate being transported in the holding tray.

In a further preferred configuration example, the positioning means is provided on an upper surface side of the bottom plate. The glass plate mounting portion is formed so as to be depressed in accordance with the shape of the glass plate, and a slit is formed in the bottom plate through which the claw passes.

According to this configuration, the glass plate is positioned and securely held in the recess formed in the bottom plate, and the claw of the robot hand can be inserted through the slit of the bottom plate to put the glass plate in and out. it can.

In another preferred configuration example, the glass plate mounting portion is provided by projecting a plurality of columnar pins for supporting the glass plate on the upper surface side of the bottom plate, and has a slit through which the claw is inserted through the bottom plate. It is characterized by being formed.

According to this configuration, the glass plate is supported on the pins projecting above the bottom plate together with the positioning means described above. In addition, the glass plate can be taken in and out through the slits in the bottom plate and through the claws of the robot hand.

In still another preferred configuration example, the glass plate mounting portion is provided with a plurality of glass plate support members on the upper surface side of the bottom plate with an interval through which the claw is inserted.

According to this configuration, since a plurality of glass plate support members are provided at intervals above the bottom plate, a space having a width and a height where a claw or the like of the robot hand can enter and exit is formed by these glass plate support members. This eliminates the need to form a slit in the bottom plate itself to allow the claws of the robot hand to pass through. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention and a partial cross-sectional view of another example of a shape.

FIG. 2 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a stacked state.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a stacked state.

FIG. 5 is a plan view and a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view and a sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a large glass sheet transfer tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A and 2B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view thereof.

The tray 1 includes a bottom plate 2, left and right side plates 3, and a rear plate 4. A step 5 is formed at the upper edge of the side plate 3 and the rear plate 4, and the shape of the bottom plate 2 is formed so as to be drawn in from the side plate 3 and the rear plate 4 so that the step 5 is also formed at the lower edge side. I do. Considering the stability and strength, the amount to be drawn is preferably about 12 of the thickness of the side plate 3 and the rear plate 4. Alternatively, the lower edge of the side plate 3 and the rear plate 4 is formed with a stepped shape 5 corresponding to the upper edge as shown in FIG. 1 (B), and the bottom plate is formed inside the side plate 3 and the rear plate 4. 2 may be fixed by any suitable means. By providing such a step, the trays 1 can be stably stacked. It is preferable that an elastic material such as a foamed resin or rubber is provided as a sealing material at the stepped portion in order to ensure airtightness.

Outside the left and right side plates 3, a handle plate 6 for carrying by a transfer device such as a robot hand or other handling is provided. Note that, instead of the handle plate 6, a pin-shaped protrusion or a recess may be provided outside the side plate 3. A recess 8 is formed on the upper surface side of the bottom plate 2 in correspondence with the shape of the glass plate 7 to be housed (dashed line in FIG. 2 (B)). The recess 8 constitutes a glass plate mounting portion, and holds the glass plate 7 in a state where the glass plate 7 is positioned in the front, rear, left and right directions. The height of the recess 8 is preferably about 0 to 3 mm higher than the thickness of the glass plate to be stored. Instead of the recess 8, a positioning piece may be projected along the four corners or the periphery of the glass plate 7.

The glass plate 7 is a large-sized glass plate for a display substrate, for example, having a side of 1 m or more and a thickness of 3 mm or less, and particularly a thin type having a thickness of 0.3 mm or more and 1.1 mm or less. For example, a glass plate for a liquid crystal substrate.

A slit 9 is formed on the bottom plate 2 so that a claw (not shown) of a mouth pot hand can enter from the front and can be inserted vertically. This slit 9 Thereby, a space in the width direction corresponding to the claw of the robot hand is formed on the bottom plate 2. The front end of the intermediate piece 10 of the bottom plate 2 divided by the slit 9 is bent upward in an L-shape. By engaging this L-shaped portion with a front cover 16 (FIG. 4) described later, the rigidity of the intermediate piece 10 of the elongated and flexible bottom plate 2 can be increased.

The number of slits 9 is not limited to three, but it is preferable that the number of slits is two or more. The entire central portion of the bottom plate 2 may be collectively opened as one slit.

A cushion material 12a made of an elastic material such as rubber or an elastic film material is adhered to the inside of the recess 8 of the bottom plate 2 (glass plate mounting portion). When using an elastic film material for receiving the glass, it is desirable that the film surface has a small amount of moisture and organic degassing to protect the glass plate itself, and that the film surface be clean so that dirt is not transferred to the glass plate. Specifically, for example, Shiku Kakusai Refpolymer is preferred.

A substantially U-shaped (see the dotted line in Fig. 2 (A)) holding member 11 protrudes from the lower side of the bottom plate 2 on both the left and right sides of the upper glass plate mounting portion (inside the recess 8). Can be A cushion material 12b is attached to the lower surface (holding surface) of each holding member 11 on both sides. When the trays 1 are stacked, the holding members 11 hold the glass plates placed on the lower tray to prevent vertical vibration and popping out during transportation.

As shown in the figure, the holding member 11 extends over the edge of the recess 8 (FIG. 2) or the positioning guide 18 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the bottom plate 2 so as to protrude outside the glass plate. , And the elasticity of the cushioning material 12b can be used to press the edge of the recess 8 (Fig. 2) or the positioning guide 18 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the bottom plate 2 together with the periphery of the glass plate. Or, a configuration in which this holding member 11 is provided along the inside of the recess 8 (FIG. 2) or the positioning guide 18 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the bottom plate 2 to hold only the peripheral edge of the glass plate It may be.

The combined height of the holding member 1 1 and the cushioning material 1 2 b is set to be almost the same as the height from the bottom of the step 5 of the side plate 3 to the surface of the glass plate 7. However, considering the elastic deformation of the cushion material 12b, the cushion material may be installed longer by the elastic deformation.

For example, in the case of a glass plate used as a liquid crystal substrate, the pressing member 11 is disposed in a non-use area around the glass plate, and presses the non-use area. When the unused area is suppressed, the cushion material 12b can be omitted. However, the presence of the cushion material 12b is preferable in terms of preventing scratches and preventing the progress of cracks. When the cushion material 12b is omitted, it is preferable to provide a polyethylene terephthalate-based or polyurethane-based protective film or the like at the tip of the holding member 11 instead.

By pressing only the peripheral portion other than the central portion of the glass plate in this way, the glass plate can be fixedly held without contacting the use surface side of the liquid crystal glass substrate on which the electrode pattern and the like are formed.

If the surface of the substrate is covered with a protective film such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyurethane, attach the cushioning material 12b to the holding member 11 and then attach the holding member 11 to the glass plate. It is also possible to arrange it in the central part other than the unused area on the periphery. The glass plate can be more securely fixed and held in the recess 8 if the pressing member 11 to which the cushion material 12 b is adhered also presses the central portion as well as the peripheral portion of the glass plate.

Even if the surface of the substrate is not covered with a protective film or the like, the surface of the cushioning material 12 b attached to the holding member 11 has the function as a protective film, and the holding member 11 You may arrange | position in a center part.

With this pressing member 11, a space in the height direction corresponding to the movement of the claw of the robot hand is formed below the bottom plate 2.

The material of the tray 1 is a foamed resin or a metal material. In the case where the tray is formed into a molded article of a foamed resin, a polyolefin resin is preferable as the base resin. In particular, polyethylene is preferable in terms of dust resistance, and polypropylene is preferable in terms of rigidity. In the case of a metal material, aluminum or an alloy thereof is preferable in terms of weight reduction.

When loading a glass plate, place it on the claw (or arm) of the robot hand. After lowering the horizontally supported glass plate from the tray, placing it in the recess 8 of the bottom plate 2, let the claw of the robot hand pass through the slit 9 of the bottom plate 2 as it is, and pass it downward. Overtake. As a result, the glass plate is placed in the tray and remains, and only the claws of the robot hand are pulled out. At this time, the height of the claw of the robot hand is secured below the bottom plate by the holding member 11, so that the robot hand can be easily inserted and removed without any trouble.

When loading or unloading glass plates, insert the claw of the robot hand from the bottom of the bottom plate 2 of the tray 1 with the top open, lift the glass plate through the slit 9 and remove it from the tray 1.

When the entire tray 1 is transported, stacked or unloaded, the left and right handle plates 6 of the tray 1 are supported by the claws of the robot hand.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the trays 1 are stacked.

As shown in the figure, the tray 1 containing the glass plates 7 is stacked in a plurality of stages by fitting the upper and lower steps 5 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of each tray. An upper lid 13 is provided on the upper side of the uppermost tray 1 to cover the upper surface, and the holding plate 11 presses the glass plate 7 of the uppermost tray 1. At the bottom, receiving trays 14 are provided. The receiving Bok lay first pressing member 1 1 in 4 can accommodate glass plates to _c receiving tray 1 4 not Sonawara.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the stacked trays 1.

A front cover 16 is attached to the front face of the stacked package 15 of the tray 1 to cover the opening on the front face of each tray 1. The front lid 16 may be fixed to the uppermost upper lid 13 and the lowermost tray 14 by a suitable fixing means (not shown). Also, a projection 17 is formed on one of the front cover 16 at the front surface of the bottom plate of each intermediate tray 1 and a position corresponding to the bottom plate, and a recess (not shown) is provided on the other to fit the protrusion. In addition to positioning and holding 16, the rigidity of the intermediate piece 10 of the bottom plate 2 of each tray 1 may be reinforced by the front lid 16 to prevent the intermediate piece of the bottom plate from bending and falling forward. .

The laminated package 15 of the tray 1 with the front lid 16 attached is a suitable band (not (Shown). Using a suitable means other than a band, the stacked trays may be fixed to each other to form a stacked package.

In this embodiment, a plurality of columnar pins 20 are provided to protrude on a bottom plate 2 (including an intermediate piece 10 of the bottom plate 2), and the pins 20 receive the glass plate 7 to reduce the contact area. It was done. The material of the pin is not particularly limited, but is preferably the same as the material of the other members of the tray. The tip of the pin is preferably flat or convex. The number of pins is not particularly limited as long as the glass can be stably held. A cushion material 12c is attached to the upper end (receiving surface) of the pin 20. Positioning guides 18 are provided at four corners of the glass plate mounting portion on which the glass plate 7 is mounted, and fixedly hold the position of the glass plate 7 in the front-rear and left-right directions. In this embodiment, since the pins 20 supporting the glass plate protrude above the bottom plate 2, the lower holding member 11 on the bottom plate 2 can be shortened by the height thereof. This will ensure stability. Other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment of FIGS.

6 (A) and 6 (B) are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a plurality of glass plate supporting members 19 are provided on the upper surface side of the bottom plate 2 at intervals so that claws or the like of a mouth pot hand can be inserted. The height of the glass plate supporting member 19 is such that a nail or the like of a rod hand can enter and move up and down. A cushion material 12 a is attached to the upper surface of the glass plate supporting member 19. At four corners where the glass plate 7 is placed, a positioning guide 18 is provided integrally with or separately from the glass plate support member 19.

In this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG. 5, since the glass plate supporting member 19 protrudes above the bottom plate 2, the lower holding member 11 of the bottom plate 2 can be shortened by the height thereof. it can. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6 (C), the holding member 11 is omitted, and only the cushion material 1 2 d is arranged below the bottom plate 2, and the cushion material 1 2 d is used to attach the lower tray to the lower tray. It may be configured to hold the placed glass plate. Further, in this embodiment, the glass plate supporting member 1 The height of 9 secures a space through which the claw of the mouth pot hand can pass, so that it is not necessary to form the slit 9 in the bottom plate 2. The claw of the robot hand can be inserted and removed from the front surface of the tray through a space formed on the side surface of the glass plate supporting member 19, so that the glass plate can be taken in and out. The other configurations, functions and effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Industrial applicability

As described above, in the present invention, a large glass plate is stored horizontally in a tray, the front and top surfaces of the tray are open, and a glass plate transfer device such as a robot hand is provided below the glass plate. Since a space is formed for the claws to enter, it is easy to load and unload the tray directly from the claws of the transfer device. In particular, it can easily respond to the automation of packing and transporting of large glass plates with a side of 1 m or more, and can improve the operability and storage efficiency of packing and transporting.

In addition, by simply stacking trays, the glass plate can be fixed and held, facilitating the packaging operation. For example, in the case of a glass plate used as a liquid crystal substrate, if the non-use area of the glass plate is pressed by a pressing member (cushion material), the used surface side of the liquid crystal glass substrate can be pressed in a non-contact state. The surface protection of the glass plate used as such is achieved.

Claims

Claims In the method for transporting a large rectangular glass plate having a side of 1 m or more, each of the glass plates is horizontally stored in a box-shaped tray having an open front surface and an upper surface.

While holding the glass plate positioned in a horizontal plane, the tray presses the glass plate in the lower tray from above in a stacked state,

There is a space below the glass plate where the claw of the glass plate transport device enters,

A method for transporting large glass sheets, wherein the trays are stacked and transported.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a front surface of the stacked trays is covered with a lid.

The tray includes a bottom plate, left and right side plates, and a rear plate, and has a glass plate mounting portion on the bottom plate,

Having positioning means in the front and rear and left and right directions for holding the glass plate outside the glass plate mounting portion,

On the lower side of the bottom plate, there is a pressing member for pressing down the glass plate stored in the lower tray when the trays are stacked,

3. A method for carrying a method for transporting a large glass sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a space into which a claw of the glass sheet transport device enters is formed below the glass plate mounting portion. Tray for transporting large glass plates.

4. The positioning means, wherein the upper surface of the bottom plate is formed by recessing the glass plate mounting portion corresponding to the shape of the glass plate, and a slit through which the claw is inserted is formed in the bottom plate. 4. A tray for transporting a large glass plate according to item 1.

The glass plate mounting portion includes a plurality of support members for supporting the glass plate on the upper surface of the bottom plate. 4. The tray for transporting a large glass plate according to claim 3, wherein several columnar pins are provided so as to protrude, and a slit is formed in the bottom plate so that the claw can pass therethrough.

4. The tray according to claim 3, wherein the glass plate mounting portion is provided with a plurality of glass plate support members on an upper surface side of the bottom plate with a space between the claws.