JPH094600A - Vacuum unit - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Prevents the air in the clean room from being contaminated, and prevents the adhesion of grease etc. to the work. Especially, it is suitable for adsorbing liquid crystal parts that require cleanliness. To provide a vacuum unit that can be transported. [Structure] The vacuum unit 10 is a manifold block 1
2, a flow path switching valve portion 14 attached to one side surface of the manifold block 12, a suction filter 92 provided in a passage connecting the negative pressure supply port 22 and a vacuum port, and compressed air supply for vacuum breaking. It has a clean gas filter 96 provided in a passage that connects the port 26 and the vacuum port, and a diaphragm valve 60 that opens and closes a passage that connects the compressed air supply port 26 for vacuum breaking and the clean gas filter 96.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vacuum unit,
In particular, the present invention relates to a vacuum unit or an oil-free vacuum unit that can be used for sucking and transporting liquid crystal components or the like that require cleanliness in a clean room or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a work transfer means,
A vacuum unit is used as a positioning means or the like.
In this vacuum unit, a suction unit such as a pad is connected to the vacuum unit body, the work is sucked by the suction unit under the negative pressure supplied from the vacuum unit body, and the work is displaced while maintaining the suction state. The work is conveyed to the predetermined position by releasing the suction state and moving the work to a predetermined position.

[0003]

However, in the vacuum unit according to the prior art described above, the work in the suction state is separated from the suction means by the vacuum breaking air supplied to the suction means. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the vacuum breaking air containing dust and the like is discharged into the clean room from the suction holes of the suction means, and the air in the clean room is contaminated.

Further, the grease existing in the valve body for switching the supply passage of the vacuum breaking air is mixed with the vacuum breaking air,
When the work is released from the suction means, there is a disadvantage that the air containing the grease is discharged into the clean room or the work adheres with the grease.

The present invention prevents the air in the clean room from being contaminated, and prevents the adhesion of grease or the like to the work, and in particular, it preferably sucks and conveys liquid crystal parts or the like which require cleanliness. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum unit capable of performing or an oil-free specification vacuum unit.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is designed to adsorb a work under the action of a negative pressure and to release the work under the action of releasing the negative pressure state. In a vacuum unit for carrying out, etc., at least a negative pressure supply port connected to a negative pressure generation source, and a vacuum breaking compressed air supply port connected to a compressed air supply source and supplying compressed air for vacuum breaking, A block body having a vacuum port for drawing a negative pressure fluid to the suction means side for sucking a work; a flow path switching valve portion attached to one side surface of the block body; the negative pressure supply port and the vacuum port. A first filter provided in a passage communicating with the first filter; and a second filter provided in a passage communicating the compressed air supply port for vacuum breaking with the vacuum port. And having a diaphragm valve for opening and closing a passage for communicating the compressed air supply port for vacuum release second filter.

[0007]

In the above vacuum unit according to the present invention, the negative pressure fluid is introduced through the negative pressure supply port connected to the negative pressure generating source, and the negative pressure is applied under the flow passage switching operation by the flow passage switching valve section. The fluid is supplied to the vacuum port, and the work is adsorbed by the suction action of the adsorption means communicating with the vacuum port. At that time, the first filter removes dust in the air sucked by the suction means to suck the work.

On the other hand, the vacuum breaking compressed air is introduced into the vacuum port through the vacuum breaking compressed air supply port under the opening action of the diaphragm valve, and the vacuum breaking compressed air is supplied to the adsorption means through the vacuum port. As a result, the suction state of the work by the suction means is released, and the work is separated from the suction means. In this case, the diaphragm valve prevents the lubricating oil and the like from mixing in the passage through which the compressed air for vacuum breaking flows, and the dust contained in the compressed air for vacuum breaking supplied to the adsorption means by the second filter. Etc. are removed.

Therefore, it is possible to preferably suck and convey liquid crystal components without contaminating a place such as a clean room where cleanliness is required.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the vacuum unit according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

The vacuum unit 10 basically has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped manifold block 12 and a flow path switching valve portion 14 mounted on the upper surface of the manifold block 12.
And a filter section 16 adjacent to the flow path switching valve section 14 for removing dust and the like contained in the pressure fluid flowing through the fluid passage.
And a detector 18 for detecting the pressure value of the pressure fluid flowing through the fluid passage. Aluminum is used as the material of the manifold block 12, and in order to prevent dust from being generated from the manifold block 12, the entire surface including the fluid passage defined in the manifold block 12 is anodized with a film thickness of about 30 μm. Should be applied.

A vacuum pump 20 (see FIG. 3) is provided on one side of the manifold block 12 via a tube (not shown).
(Refer to FIG. 3), a negative pressure supply port 22 to which a negative pressure fluid having a predetermined pressure is supplied from the vacuum pump 20, a pilot pressure supply port 24 for supplying a pilot pressure to a pilot valve described later, and a work W adsorption state. A compressed air supply port for vacuum breaking 26 for supplying compressed air for vacuum breakage and a compressed air discharge port 28 for discharging pilot pressure supplied into the chamber of the two-way valve described later. To be done.

The compressed air discharged from the compressed air discharge port 28 is discharged to the outside of the clean room through a tube (not shown). Further, a vacuum port 32 to which a suction means 30 such as a pad is connected via a tube is defined on the side surface opposite to the one side surface (see FIG. 3).

In this case, the manifold block 12
A pair of mounting holes 34a, 34b are defined by penetrating one wide side surface of each of the plurality of manifold blocks 12 by inserting a connecting shaft (not shown) into the mounting holes 34a, 34b. By connecting to the vacuum unit 10, the vacuum unit 10 can be made into a manifold.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flow passage switching valve portion 14 is a vacuum for switching the flow passage of the first passage 36 communicating with the negative pressure supply port 22 under the urging action of the solenoid A or the solenoid B. A switching valve 38, a two-way valve 42 that opens and closes a second passage 40 that communicates with the vacuum breaking compressed air supply port 26 under the action of a diaphragm valve described later, and a third valve that communicates with the pilot pressure supply port 24. A pilot pressure is supplied through the passage 44, and a pilot valve 48 that supplies the pilot pressure to the two-way valve 42 through the fourth passage 46 under the urging action of the solenoid C is included. The pilot valve 48 communicates with the compressed air discharge port 28 via the fifth passage 50.

As shown in FIG. 5, the two-way valves 42 each have a flat plate shape, and the manifold block 12
A first housing 52a and a second housing 52b that are integrally connected to the upper surface of the vehicle, and a pilot pressure supplied into a chamber 54 defined inside the first and second housings 52a and 52b. And a piston 56 that is displaced.

Further, the two-way valve 42 is provided in a hole defined in the central portion of the piston 56, and has an annular seat 5 formed on the upper surface of the manifold block 12.
8 seated on the diaphragm valve 60 and the piston 56
Of the adjusting nut 6 which is formed with a flange portion which engages with the annular step portion of the diaphragm valve 60 and which is screwed into the screw portion 62 of the diaphragm valve 60.
4 and a spring member 66 that is interposed between the first housing 52a and the second housing 52b and presses the adjustment nut 64 downward.

In this case, a pilot pressure is introduced into the chamber 54 through the fourth passage 46, and a force for pushing the piston 56 upward is applied by the pilot pressure, so that the pushing force repels the spring member 66. The force is overcome to displace the piston 56 upward. As a result, the adjusting nut 64 and the diaphragm valve 60 that engage with the piston 56 via the flange portion are integrally displaced upward. Eventually, the diaphragm valve 60 is separated from the seat portion 58 and the second
The passage 40 is opened, and the second passage 40 communicates with the adjacent annular passage 68.

As shown in FIG. 5, the diaphragm valve 60 comprises a valve main body 70 having a threaded portion 62 and a skirt 72 formed integrally with the valve main body 70 and expanding into a trumpet shape. It is configured. As the material of the diaphragm valve 60, Teflon may be used in order to prevent dust generation from the diaphragm valve 60 main body. In this case, the outer peripheral edge portion 74 of the skirt portion 72 is formed thick and fixed to the annular groove of the second housing 52b. Although lubricating oil such as grease is adhered to the inner wall surface of the chamber 54 in order to smoothly displace the piston 56, the outer peripheral edge portion 74 of the diaphragm valve 60 has the outer peripheral edge portion 74.
Since it is fixed to 2b, the lubricating oil is prevented from being mixed into the pressure fluid flowing from the second passage 40 toward the annular passage 68 side under the valve opening action of the diaphragm valve 60, and the pressure fluid It becomes possible to maintain cleanliness.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the vacuum switching valve 38 includes a housing 76 and a spool 80 which is slidably displaced in a chamber 78 defined in the housing 76 along a longitudinal direction thereof. Have. In the spool 80,
The O-rings 82a and 82b and the first to third seal members 84a to 84c are mounted, and an annular groove 86 is defined between the second seal member 84b and the third seal member 84c.

The vacuum switching valve 38 has first to fifth ports 88a to 88e defined in the housing 76. Of the five ports 88a to 88e, there are two ports, a second port 88b and a third port 88c. Vacuum port 32
To the first port 88a and the fourth port 8
Two ports 8d are connected to the negative pressure supply port 22, respectively. The fifth port 88e is formed so as to communicate with the air exhaust port 28. Like this, 5
By using the port valve as a substantially three-port valve, the effective cross-sectional area in the chamber 78 can be increased and the width in the lateral direction can be narrowed to reduce the vacuum unit 1.
There is an advantage that the overall size can be reduced.

Next, the filter section 16 includes a vacuum switching valve 38.
And a suction filter 92 for removing dust and the like contained in the air sucked when the work W is sucked by the suction means 30 connected to the vacuum port 32, which is provided in the middle of the sixth passage 90 that connects the vacuum port 32 with the suction port 92. , The two-way valve 42 and the vacuum port 32 are provided in the middle of a seventh passage 94, and the dust and oil contained in the compressed air for vacuum breaking flowing through the seventh passage 94 are removed to remove the vacuum. Port 3
2 has a clean gas filter 96 for delivering clean pressure fluid. The material of the clean gas filter 96 is composed of Teflon and polyethylene, and the filtration accuracy thereof is capable of completely removing particles of 0.01 μm. A membrane filter may be used as the clean gas filter 96. A variable throttle valve 98 for controlling the flow rate of the compressed air for vacuum breaking supplied from the compressed air supply port for vacuum breaking 26 is provided between the pilot valve 48 and the clean gas filter 96.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the suction filter 92 is a filter case 100 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, a substantially cylindrical filter element 102 housed in the filter case 100, and the filter. A holding metal fitting 104 for air-tightly connecting the case 100 to the manifold block 12 is provided. On the other hand, the clean gas filter 96 has a filter body 106 having an opening defined on the upper surface, a filter element 108 housed in the opening of the filter body 106, and a filter cover 110 closing the opening. . The suction filter 92 and the clean gas filter 9
6 is a filter case 100 and a filter cover 11
It is possible to remove the 0 and replace the filter elements 102, 108.

The detection unit 18 is substantially a digital vacuum switch, has a substantially cubic casing 112, and a plurality of operation buttons 114 provided on the upper surface of the casing 112 for setting a desired pressure value and the like. , And a digital display unit 116 for displaying the set pressure value and the like.

The vacuum unit 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is basically constructed as described above.
The operation and effects will be described with reference to the circuit configuration diagram shown in FIG.

First, the case where the work W is sucked through the suction means 30 connected to the vacuum port 32 will be described.

Vacuum pump 2 via negative pressure supply port 22
A negative pressure fluid is introduced from 0. In this case, the vacuum switching valve 38
When the solenoid B is turned off and the solenoid A is turned on, the valve switching action is performed, and the first passage 36 and the sixth passage 90 communicate with each other. Therefore, the first passage 3
The negative pressure fluid supplied to the vacuum switching valve 38 via 6 reaches the vacuum port 32 through the sixth passage 90, and the suction means 3
The work W is adsorbed under the negative pressure action of 0. The work W is transported to a desired position by a transporting means (not shown) while holding the suctioned state by the suctioning means 30.
When the work W is sucked by the suction means 30, dust in the sucked air is removed by the suction filter 92.

Next, the case where the work W held in the suction state by the suction means 30 is detached from the suction means 30 and the work W is placed at a predetermined position will be described.

First, the compressed air for vacuum breaking is introduced in advance through the compressed air supply port 26 for breaking vacuum under the driving action of a compressed air supply source (not shown). Then, the pilot pressure is introduced into the pilot valve 48 via the third passage 44 communicating with the pilot pressure supply port 24. And
The solenoid C is turned on to connect the third passage 44 and the fourth passage 46. The pilot pressure is applied to the fourth passage 46.
Is introduced into the two-way valve 42 via the, and the piston 56 arranged in the chamber 54 is displaced upward under the action of the pilot pressure. Therefore, the diaphragm valve 60 is displaced integrally with the piston 56 via the adjusting nut 64, and the diaphragm valve 60 is separated from the seat portion 58. As a result, the second passage 40 closed by the diaphragm valve 60 is opened, and the second passage 40 is closed by the adjacent annular passage 6.
Communicate with 8. In this case, the diaphragm valve 60 prevents the lubricating oil adhering to the inside of the chamber 54 from leaking out, and it is possible to prevent the lubricating oil from mixing with the compressed air for vacuum breaking flowing in the second passage 40.

When the diaphragm valve 60 is opened, the second passage 40 communicating with the compressed air supply port 26 for vacuum breaking and the seventh passage 94 communicate with each other, and the compressed air for vacuum breaking communicates through the vacuum port 32. It is supplied to the adsorption means 30 and the negative pressure action is released. As a result, the work W is detached from the suction means 30, and the work W can be placed at a desired position.

When the compressed air for vacuum breaking flows through the seventh passage 94 reaching the vacuum port 32, the compressed air for vacuum breaking passes through the clean gas filter 96, so that the clean gas filter 96 breaks the vacuum breaking air. Dust, lubricating oil, and the like mixed in the compressed air can be removed, and clean compressed air can be sent to the vacuum port 32 side. As a result, the vacuum unit 10 can be used while maintaining cleanliness without polluting the air in the clean room.

Although the vacuum unit 10 according to the present embodiment employs a structure in which the vacuum pump 20 is connected to the negative pressure supply port 22, the structure is not limited to this, and an ejector (not shown) is provided in the manifold block 12. ) Is attached,
Of course, the negative pressure fluid may be supplied by the ejector. Regarding the method of setting the pressure of the vacuum unit 10, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-26861 proposed by the applicant of the present application.
The content is the same as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.

Next, a vacuum unit 120 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.

The vacuum unit 120 includes an adjusting knob 1
The vacuum unit 10 is different from the vacuum unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 in that a regulator 126, in which 22 and a vacuum pressure gauge 124 are integrally assembled, is attached to one side surface of the manifold block 12. In this case, the compressed air supply port 128 provided in the regulator 126 serves as both the pilot pressure supply port 24 and the vacuum breaking compressed air supply port 26 in the above-described embodiment. The supplied compressed air is supplied to the pilot valve 48 via the third passage 44 and the two-way valve 4 via the second passage 40.
Introduced in 2. The rest of the configuration and operation are the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the vacuum unit 120 according to this embodiment,
By attaching the regulator 126, it is possible to improve the pressure setting accuracy of the compressed air for vacuum breaking for releasing the suction state of the work W, and for example, the work W having a thin plate shape such as a semiconductor component is not damaged. There is an effect that the work W can be detached from the suction means 30 and placed at a desired position.

[0037]

According to the vacuum unit of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, since the dust and the like contained in the negative pressure fluid that exerts a negative pressure action for sucking the work and the compressed air for vacuum breaking that releases the negative pressure action are removed, cleanliness of a clean room or the like is required. The vacuum unit can be preferably used without polluting the place.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a two-way valve forming the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing an off state of a vacuum switching valve which constitutes the vacuum unit.

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing an ON state of a vacuum switching valve which constitutes the vacuum unit.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a vacuum unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a circuit configuration diagram of the vacuum unit shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 120 ... Vacuum unit 12 ... Manifold block 14 ... Flow path switching valve section 16 ... Filter section 18 ... Detection section 20 ... Vacuum pump 22 ... Negative pressure supply port 24 ... Pilot pressure supply port 26 ... Vacuum break compressed air supply port 28 ... Compressed air discharge port 30 ... Adsorption means 32 ... Vacuum port 36, 40, 44, 46, 50, 90, 94 ... Passage 38 ... Vacuum switching valve 42 ... Two-way valve 48 ... Pilot valve 56 ... Piston 60 ... Diaphragm valve 92 ... Suction filter 96 ... Clean gas filter 102, 108
... filter elements

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum unit for transporting a work by adsorbing the work under the action of negative pressure and releasing the work under the action of releasing the negative pressure, at least connected to a negative pressure generation source. A negative pressure supply port, a compressed air supply port for supplying vacuum breaking compressed air, which is connected to a compressed air supply source, and a vacuum port for drawing a negative pressure fluid to the adsorption means for adsorbing a workpiece. A block body having: a flow path switching valve portion attached to one side surface of the block body; a first filter provided in a passage that connects the negative pressure supply port and the vacuum port; A second filter provided in a passage that connects the air supply port and the vacuum port, and the flow path switching valve unit connects the compressed air supply port for vacuum breaking and the second filter. Vacuum unit, characterized in that it comprises a diaphragm valve for opening and closing a passage for. 2. The vacuum unit according to claim 1, wherein the first filter is a suction filter for removing dust and the like in the air sucked when adsorbing the work, and the second filter is compressed air for vacuum breaking. A vacuum unit comprising a clean gas filter for removing dust and the like contained in. 3. The vacuum unit according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm valve is displaced integrally with the piston operated by pilot pressure, and the outer peripheral edge of the diaphragm valve is fixed to the housing to lubricate into the fluid passage. A vacuum unit that blocks the entry of oil.