JPH0831017A - Optical disk carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To reduce the frequency of suction errors and reduce damage to the vacuum pad. [Structure] Support arms 2a to 2c that support vacuum pads 1a to 1c, an adsorption unit 3 to which the support arms 2a to 2c are attached, and an exhaust line 4, the exhaust line 4 including an electromagnetic valve and a vacuum pump (both shown in the drawings). No) is included. Springs 5a to 5c are attached between the support arms 2a to 2c and the suction unit 3, and the height of the vacuum pads 1a to 1c is adjusted by the springs 5a to 5c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical disk carrying device provided with a vacuum pad for adsorbing an optical disk substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The demand for an optical disk capable of recording information by irradiating a laser beam and reproducing the recorded information is rapidly increasing as its application is expanded. The substrate of an optical disk is usually manufactured by an injection molding method in which a molten resin is supplied to a cavity between a fixed mold and a movable mold, and after cooling and solidification, the movable mold is separated from the fixed mold. To be done. The optical disk substrate molded at this time is pushed out by a cylindrical protruding pin provided in the movable mold, and a vacuum pad for suction is brought into contact with the optical disk substrate and is sucked by negative pressure. Further, in order to manufacture a large amount of optical discs of excellent quality at a low price, it is necessary to introduce an automation line, and the substrate is adsorbed to various devices in the production automation line that handle optical disc substrates. The vacuum pad is an essential component,
Currently used in large quantities. FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional optical disk transport device. Vacuum pad for adsorption 11
a to 11c are attached to the vacuum pad support arms 12a to 12c, and the support arms communicate with the exhaust line 14 provided in the adsorption unit 13. The vacuum pads 11a to 11c are attracted to the optical disk substrate 15.
The support arms shown in FIG. 2 are installed at three points on the circumference at equal intervals. The suction unit is usually attached to the moving device of the take-out robot.

[0003]

In order to secure the recording / reproducing area on the optical disk substrate as wide as possible, when the optical disk substrate is adsorbed and conveyed in the optical disk manufacturing line, the adsorption area of the vacuum pad is used. Since the portion that can be used as a pad is small, a small vacuum pad having a pad diameter of 2 to 4 mm must be used. Further, the substrate of the optical disc obtained by the injection molding method has a dimensional variation within the specified dimensional tolerance due to the warp of the substrate, eccentricity, the presence of burrs adhering to the substrate, etc., and the pad diameter is small as described above. Since it is a thing, a suction error may occur. If a substrate suction error occurs and the substrate falls, it may cause a stop of the manufacturing line. Further, if the suction error occurs frequently, not only the operating rate is lowered, but also various non-steady operations including manual repair are performed for the purpose of recovery of the manufacturing line, which causes deterioration of the quality of the optical disc. Therefore, it is necessary to devise a vacuum pad used for various devices in the optical disc manufacturing line so that a suction error does not occur even if the above-mentioned substrate size changes. Various types of vacuum pads such as bellows are selected to have an optimum shape and diameter, and a vacuum pad having an optimum elastic modulus is selected. However, the level of occurrence of adsorption error could not be sufficiently reduced only by these measures.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical disk transporting apparatus capable of extremely reducing the frequency of occurrence of suction errors.

[0005]

According to the invention of claim 1 of the present application which achieves the above object, an elastic body is attached to a support arm for supporting a vacuum pad for adsorbing an optical disk substrate, and the vacuum is provided by the elastic body. The feature is that the height of the pad is adjusted. Further, the invention according to claim 2 of the present application which achieves the above object, is a vacuum pad for attracting an optical disk substrate, a vacuum pad for attracting an optical disk substrate, a support arm for supporting the vacuum pad, and an adsorption unit to which the support arm is attached. When,
A spring mounted between the step portion of the support arm and the suction unit, and for roughly adjusting the position of the vacuum pad,
An optical disk transport device characterized by having a set screw attached to a support arm.

Examples of the elastic body include springs and rubbers, but springs are preferable from the viewpoint of no deterioration of material and convenience in handling.

[0007]

According to the optical disk carrier of the present invention,
Even if there is a variation in the dimensions of the substrate due to warpage of the substrate, eccentricity, the presence of burrs adhering to the substrate, etc., the above-mentioned elastic body alleviates the dimensional unevenness.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an optical disk transport apparatus of the present invention. The optical disk transport apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes support arms 2a to 2c for supporting the vacuum pads 1a to 1c.
2c, an adsorption unit 3 to which the supporting arms 2a to 2c are attached, and an exhaust line 4, which includes an electromagnetic valve and a vacuum pump (neither is shown). Then, springs 5a to 5c are attached between the support arms 2a to 2c and the suction unit 3 (the springs 5a to 5c are held so as not to come off by the step portions 6a to 6c of the support arms 2a to 2c). Further, set screws 7a to 7c having variable positions are provided on the side opposite to the step portions 6a to 6c of the indicating arm.
The position of the vacuum pad is roughly adjusted by 7c. ), The height of the vacuum pads 1a to 1c is adjusted by the springs 5a to 5c. The vacuum pads 1a to 1c are attracted to the optical disk substrate 8. The strength of the spring is determined in relation to the dimensional unevenness of the substrate and the hardness of the suction pad. The vacuum pad is made of fluororesin or fluororubber and has an elastic modulus of 3000 to 16000 at 25 ° C.
Those in the range of (kg / cm ² ) are preferable. Also,
The shape of the vacuum pad is flat, with flat ribs, deep,
Bellows and the like can be mentioned. The support arms 2a to 2c shown in FIG. 1 are installed at three points on the circumference at equal intervals.
According to the optical disk transporting device having the configuration shown in FIG. 1, even if the optical disk is tilted, the amount of tilt is buffered by the spring, and the occurrence of suction errors is reduced. Further, since the force applied to each vacuum pad is averaged, damage to the vacuum pad can be reduced. Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which the number of the indicating arms is three, the number of supporting arms may be four or more.

The above-mentioned optical disk transporting device is used for a take-out robot of an injection molding machine, a protective film coating device and the like.

[0010]

According to the optical disk carrier of the present invention,
It is possible to reduce the frequency of suction errors, and
The damage to the vacuum pad can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical disk transport device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional optical disc transport device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a-1c Vacuum pad 2a-2c Support arm 3 Adsorption unit 4 Exhaust line 5a-5c Spring 6a-6c Step 7a-7c Set screw

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical disk carrying apparatus, wherein an elastic body is attached to a support arm for supporting a vacuum pad for attracting an optical disk substrate, and the height of the vacuum pad is adjusted by the elastic body. 2. A vacuum pad for attracting an optical disk substrate,
A support arm for supporting the vacuum pad, an adsorption unit to which the support arm is attached, a spring attached between the step of the support arm and the adsorption unit, and a support for roughly adjusting the position of the vacuum pad. An optical disk transporting device, comprising: a set screw attached to an arm.