JPH0927533A - Pick for taking out substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pick for taking out a substrate for easily and safely taking out the substrate from a substrate cassette. SOLUTION: A pick 1 for taking out substrates 3 from a substrate cassette 2 for housing flexible substrate 3 with a space includes a pair of arms 11 for lifting a site 32 near both edges of the substrate 3 while being arranged below the objective substrate 3 to be taken out being housed in the cassette 2 and a substrate lifting surface 12 of each arm 11 is formed to have a mountain shape in a section which is vertical to the loading/unloading direction for the cassette 2 of the arm 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate takeout pick for taking out a flexible substrate, for example, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device from a substrate cassette which is housed in a plurality of upper and lower stages at intervals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Now, taking a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device as an example, such a glass substrate is usually formed at a stage before a process of forming a transparent electrode film or a thin film transistor thereon. This is housed and stored in a substrate cassette that can be housed in a plurality of upper and lower stages at predetermined intervals.

The glass substrate thus stored and stored is
Usually, it is taken out by a substrate pick-up pick attached to the substrate transfer robot, and is transferred as it is or further to another transfer means toward a predetermined processing position.
The substrate pick-up pick 4 is formed in a T shape in a plan view as shown in FIG. 2A or an I shape in a plan view as shown in FIG. 2B. Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, both ends are supported from below by the shelves 21 on the inner surfaces of both side walls of the cassette 2, and the glass substrates 3 housed in the cassette 2 in a plurality of upper and lower stages are inserted under the substrate 3 to be taken out. Then, the glass substrate 3 is moved to the central portion 31 by the ascending operation of the pick 4, the descending operation of the cassette 2, or both operations.
Is picked up and then pulled out of the cassette 2. Thus, the substrate 3 is taken out.

[0004]

However, as shown in FIG. 2C, the glass substrate 3 has the central portion 3 as shown in FIG.
1 is bent downward by its own weight. The glass substrate is made larger (500 mm square or more) year by year, and the thickness is reduced to reduce the weight (from 1.1 mm to 0.7 mm).
This deflection is becoming larger because there is a tendency to be reduced to about mm). For example, if a glass substrate having a square shape of 500 mm and a thickness of 1.1 mm is taken as an example, the central portion thereof hangs downward by about 3.3 mm. Therefore, when the central portion 31 of the glass substrate 3 is lifted and taken out by the conventional pick 4, the clearance between the lifted substrate 3 and the substrate 3 one step higher than that is small, and there is a high possibility of contact. In order to prevent this, it is only necessary to widen the space between the substrates to accommodate the substrates, but then the size of the cassette becomes larger,
This leads to higher costs.

For example, in the case of a glass substrate having a size of 500 mm square, a thickness of 1.1 mm, and a central portion having a bending amount of 3.3 mm, a cassette containing 20 sheets is compared with a glass substrate having the same size and no bending. If, (20-1)
× 3.3 = 62.7 mm needs to be formed higher. Further, in the conventional T-shaped and I-shaped picks 4, when the substrate 3 is lifted, reverse warpage occurs and both end portions of the substrate hang downward, so that the substrate end portions may not be separated from the cassette 2. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to further increase the substrate accommodating space, and therefore the above-mentioned 62.7 is actually used.
A height of mm or more is required.

In addition, the fact that the cassette 2 has to be made large in size as described above requires that the operation stroke of the substrate transfer robot also be made large, which leads to an increase in the size and cost of the robot. further,
In the conventional T-shaped and I-shaped picks 4, the position where the lowermost glass substrate 3 housed in the cassette 2 is inserted is below the central portion 31 of the bent substrate 3. A large gap is needed here as well.

Furthermore, since the conventional T-shaped and I-shaped picks 4 must be inserted below the central portion 31 of the substrate that hangs downward, the pick insertion position must be adjusted according to the amount of substrate flexure. There is a problem that it takes much time to take out the substrate. Further, since the pick 4 comes into contact with the central portion 31 of the substrate 3, there is a risk that the central portion 31 of the substrate, which is a portion to be processed in a later processing step, may be damaged.

The glass substrate for the liquid crystal display device has been described above, but such a problem is a problem common to many flexible substrates. Therefore, the present invention provides a substrate take-out pick for taking out the substrate from a substrate cassette in which flexible substrates are accommodated in a plurality of upper and lower stages at intervals,
It is an object to provide a product having the following advantages. a. Not only when the flexure amount of the substrate accommodated in the substrate cassette is small, but also when the flexure amount is large, the flexure remains substantially in the flexed state, and therefore, the posture is substantially the same as the upper and lower accommodation substrate postures. There is no fear of collision with the upper or lower substrate,
Substrates can be easily taken out with a small lifting amount without the warpage of the substrates as in the conventional pick use, and therefore the cassette can be made small for the number of substrates accommodated in the cassette and the substrate to which the pick is attached The transfer robot can be downsized and the center of gravity can be stabilized, and conversely, the number of substrates accommodated in the cassette can be increased for robots having the same operation stroke. b. There is no risk of damaging the central part of the substrate when the substrate is taken out from the substrate cassette. c. Regardless of the amount of bending of the substrate, it is easy to adjust the pick insertion position into the cassette for taking out the substrate, and the substrate can be taken out from the cassette as easily.

[0009]

The pick of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a pick for picking up a substrate for picking up the substrate from a substrate cassette in which flexible substrates are accommodated in a plurality of upper and lower stages with a space therebetween. And includes a pair of arms arranged below the substrate to be taken out contained in the cassette and for lifting up portions near both ends of the substrate, and the substrate lifting surface of each arm is perpendicular to the direction in which the arm moves in and out of the cassette. It is characterized in that it is formed so as to have a mountain shape in a different cross section.

The pick according to the present invention is attached to an appropriate substrate transfer robot, and is inserted below the substrate to be taken out contained in the substrate cassette. At that time, since the pair of arms forming the pick may be inserted below the portions near both ends of the substrate to be taken out in the vicinity of the substrate support shelf of the cassette in the fixed position regardless of the amount of bending of the substrate, Adjustment of the pick insertion position is so easy, and there is no risk of damaging the center of the substrate with the pick.

After the pick is inserted, the pick can be raised, the substrate cassette can be lowered, or both of them can be used to lift and take out the substrate by the pair of arms. Since the substrate is lifted by the pair of arms by lifting the portions near both ends of the substrate by the arms, there is no fear of reverse warpage of the substrate, and the substrate lifting surface of each arm is formed in a mountain shape. Therefore, the lifted substrate can assume a bending posture that is substantially the same as when it was supported by the cassette, and this posture is similar to the posture of the substrate that is still supported by the cassette one step above and below. Therefore, it can be safely lifted without fear of collision with other substrates with a small lifting amount, and can be taken out as it is. Further, since the lifted substrate is supported by the pair of arms in the vicinity of both ends thereof and the central portion is bent downward, it is difficult to shift to the left and right on the pick, and the substrate can be safely taken out accordingly.

Regarding the mountain-like shape of the substrate lifting surface of each of the arms, it is sufficient if the substrate can be bent when the substrate is lifted by the arm as in the case of accommodating the cassette, but it can be easily and smoothly. It is desirable that the arm cross-sectional shape is formed into a convex curved surface so that the substrate can be bent while suppressing damage. Further, a shift preventing step portion such as a drop step portion may be formed on the substrate lifting surface of each arm in order to prevent the substrate from being displaced in the direction in which the arm moves in and out of the cassette.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 (A) is a plan view of an example of a pick-up board according to the present invention, FIG. 1 (B) is a side view thereof, and FIG. 1 (C) shows a state in which the pick is inserted into a board cassette. FIG. 1D is a diagram showing a state where the substrate is further lifted by the pick.

The illustrated pick 1 comprises a pair of parallel arms 1.
1 and a member 120 that connects one end of each of them to each other, and has a U shape in a plan view. This pick 1 is used here for taking out the glass substrate 3 in a substrate cassette 2 similar to that shown in FIG. The glass substrate 3 is for the liquid crystal display device here,
The shelves 21 provided in the cassette 2 are arranged in a plurality of stages at predetermined intervals above and below. In addition, in this housed state, each substrate 3 has a bending posture in which the central portion 31 hangs downward.

Each arm 11 of the pick 1 is longer than the length of the glass substrate 3 in the cassette depth direction as shown in FIG. 1 (A), and the rear free end portion 13 as shown in FIG. 1 (B). The substrate lifting surface 12 is formed between the front end portion 14 and the front end portion 14, and the lifting surface 12 is provided at the end portions 13 and 14 to prevent the substrate from being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the arm (the direction in which the arm 2 moves into and out of the cassette 2). It has been dropped against. In other words, the end portions 13 and 14 are formed as the substrate shift preventing step portions.

The substrate lifting surface 12 of each arm 11 is formed so as to present an upwardly rounded convex curved surface in an arm section perpendicular to the arm longitudinal direction. The lower portion 15 of each arm 11 is shown in FIGS. 1 (C) and 1 (D).
As shown in, the cross section is formed in a rectangular shape so as to have arm strength. The distance between the pair of arms 11 is
These arms are set so that they can be arranged below the portions 32 near both ends of the in-cassette board 3.

The substrate pick 1 described above is
It is attached to an appropriate substrate transfer robot (not shown), and as shown in FIG. 1 (C), it is inserted below the take-out target substrate 3 accommodated in the substrate cassette 2. At that time, regardless of the bending amount of the substrate 3, the pair of arms 11 forming the pick 1 are inserted below the portions 32 near both ends of the substrate 3 to be taken out in the vicinity of the substrate support shelf 21 in the fixed position. Since it is sufficient, adjustment of the pick insertion position is as easy as that and there is no risk of damaging the substrate central portion 31 with the pick 1.

After the pick 1 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 1 (D), the pick 1 (and therefore the arm 11) is raised, the substrate cassette 2 is lowered, or both of them are performed. Lift the substrate 3 at 11,
Can be taken out. The substrate is lifted by the pair of arms 11 by lifting the portions 32 near both ends of the substrate 3 by the arms, so that there is no fear of occurrence of reverse warp of the substrate 3, and the substrate lifting surface 12 of each arm 11 is prevented.
Is formed on the convex curved surface, the substrate 3
Can smoothly assume a bending posture substantially similar to that when it is supported by the cassette 2, and this posture is close to the posture of the substrate 3 which is still supported by the cassette one step above and below. Therefore, it can be lifted safely without fear of collision with another substrate 3 with a small lifting amount, and can be easily taken out as it is. Further, since the substrate 3 lifted is supported by the pair of arms 11 in the vicinity of both ends thereof and the central portion 31 is bent downward,
It is hard to shift to the left and right on the pick 1, and since the substrate lifting surface 12 of each arm 11 is formed so as to be recessed with respect to the arm end portions 13 and 14, it does not shift in the arm longitudinal direction, so that it can be safely taken out.

Further, as described above, since the substrate 3 can be taken out with a small lifting amount, the cassette 2
The cassette 2 can be made small for the number of substrates to be accommodated, and a substrate transfer robot (not shown) to which the pick 1 is attached can be downsized and the center of gravity can be stabilized. For the robot, the number of substrates 3 accommodated in the cassette 2 can be increased.

Although the pick 1 described above takes out the glass substrate for the liquid crystal display device from the cassette, the pick of the present invention is not limited to such a glass substrate.
It can be widely applied to the case where the flexible substrate is taken out from the substrate cassette in which the flexible substrate is housed in a plurality of upper and lower stages at intervals.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate picking pick having the following advantages. a. Not only when the flexure amount of the substrate accommodated in the substrate cassette is small, but also when the flexure amount is large, the flexure remains substantially in the flexed state, and therefore, the posture is substantially the same as the upper and lower accommodation substrate postures. There is no fear of collision with the upper or lower substrate,
The substrate can be easily taken out with a small lifting amount without the warp of the substrate as in the conventional pick use, and therefore, the cassette can be made small for the number of substrates accommodated in the cassette, and the pick can be attached. It is possible to downsize the board transfer robot and stabilize the center of gravity.
On the contrary, the number of substrates accommodated in the cassette can be increased for robots having the same operation stroke. b. There is no risk of damaging the central part of the substrate when the substrate is taken out from the substrate cassette. c. Regardless of the amount of bending of the substrate, it is easy to adjust the pick insertion position into the cassette for taking out the substrate, and the substrate can be taken out from the cassette as easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a plan view of an example of a substrate pick-up pick according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a side view thereof.
FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the pick is inserted into the substrate cassette, and FIG. 6D is a diagram showing a state where the substrate is further lifted by the pick.

2A is a plan view of an example of a conventional pick for picking up a substrate, FIG. 2B is a plan view of another example of a conventional pick, and FIG. 2C is a plan view of a substrate cassette by a conventional pick. It is explanatory drawing of a board | substrate removal operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pick-up for picking up substrate 11 Arm of pick 1 120 Arm connecting member of pick 1 12 Board lifting surface of arm 11 13 14 End of arm 11 Lower part of arm 11 2 Substrate cassette 21 Substrate supporting shelf 3 Glass substrate 31 Substrate 3 Center part of the substrate 32 Area near the edge of the substrate 3 Conventional pick

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pick-up tool for picking up a substrate from a substrate cassette that accommodates flexible substrates in a plurality of upper and lower stages with a space between them, the pick-up picking substrate being placed under the substrate to be taken out stored in the cassette. And a pair of arms for lifting up portions near both ends of the substrate, and the substrate lifting surface of each arm is formed so as to have a chevron shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the arms move in and out of the cassette. Pick for picking up the substrate.