JP2009028863A - Non-contact carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably hold a work W in a non-contact manner by a holding hand 5 by making the surface of the work W parallel along the holding surface of the holding hand, even if the work W with warpage is held in a non-contact manner by the holding hand 5. <P>SOLUTION: This non-contact carrier is provided with a working fluid supplying unit 13 for supplying working fluids to jet holes 11 of a plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9 in the holding hand 5. A plurality of sensors 17 are interspersedly arranged all over the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5. When the fact that an interval between the holding surface of the holding hand 5 and the work W reaches a predetermined approach distance is detected by at least one the plurality of sensors 17, the working fluid supplying unit 13 is controlled so as to start operation for supplying the working fluids. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a non-contact conveying apparatus that conveys a plate-like workpiece such as a wafer or a glass substrate in a conveying direction under a non-contact state.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various developments have been made on non-contact conveying devices, and there are those shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 as prior arts of non-contact conveying devices. Briefly described.

  The non-contact transfer device according to the prior art includes a transfer arm as a moving member movable in the transfer direction, and a plate-like workpiece is held in a non-contact state from above in the leading end of the transfer arm. A holding hand is provided, and this holding hand has a holding surface capable of holding a workpiece on one side. The holding surface of the holding hand is provided with a plurality of Bernoulli chucks that generate a negative pressure between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the work by utilizing the Bernoulli effect. Each has an ejection hole through which air can be ejected. Further, an air supply unit that supplies air to the ejection holes of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks is provided in the vicinity of the transfer arm.

  Therefore, the holding hand is moved closer to the workpiece from above. Then, by supplying air to the ejection holes of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks by the air supply unit, air is ejected from the plurality of Bernoulli chucks, and high-speed air is circulated between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the workpiece. Let Thus, a negative pressure is generated between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the workpiece by the plurality of Bernoulli chucks, and the workpiece can be held in a non-contact manner from above by the holding hand.

  After the workpiece is held in a non-contact manner from above by the holding hand, the transfer arm is moved in the transfer direction.

As described above, the workpiece can be conveyed in the conveyance direction in a state where the workpiece is held in a non-contact manner.
JP 2004-296777 A JP 2006-261377 A

  By the way, in recent years, plate-like workpieces such as wafers and glass substrates have a strong tendency to be thinned, and accordingly, the rigidity of the workpiece has been reduced. For this reason, the workpiece is likely to warp due to process processing, etc. When holding a warped workpiece in a non-contact manner by the holding hand, if the holding hand is approached from above, a part of the workpiece is held by the holding hand. Interference with the surface may cause damage such as cracks in the workpiece.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact conveyance device having a novel configuration that can solve the above-described problems.

  The present invention is characterized in that, in a non-contact conveying apparatus that conveys a plate-shaped workpiece in a non-contact state in the conveying direction, the movable member that is movable in the conveying direction, the moving member is provided on one side A plurality of Bernoulli chucks that generate a negative pressure between the holding surface and the surface of the workpiece by using the Bernoulli effect on the holding surface, and each Bernoulli chuck operates. Holding hands each having ejection holes through which fluid can be ejected and holding the workpiece in a non-contact manner from above, working fluid supply units for supplying working fluid to the ejection holes of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks, and the holding hands It is arranged in a scattered manner on the entire holding surface of the holding surface, and when the holding hand is moved relatively close to the work from above, the distance from the work is a predetermined approach distance. When it is detected that the distance between the plurality of sensors to be taken out and at least one of the plurality of sensors is a predetermined approach distance, the supply of the working fluid is started. The gist is provided with a supply unit control means for controlling the operation supply unit.

  In the claims and specification of the present application, “provided” means provided indirectly through an intermediate member and includes being formed. In addition, in the claims and specification of the present application, “detecting that the predetermined approach distance has been reached” means not only detecting directly that the predetermined approach distance has been reached, Indirect detection of detecting that the approach distance has been reached.

  According to the characteristic of this invention, the said holding hand is made to approach relatively with respect to a workpiece | work from an upper direction. Then, when it is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors that the distance from the workpiece has reached a predetermined approach distance, the supply unit control means starts the supply operation of the working fluid. The working fluid supply unit is controlled to eject working fluid from the ejection holes of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks so that high-speed air is circulated between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the workpiece. Accordingly, a negative pressure can be generated between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the work by the plurality of Bernoulli chucks, and the work can be held in a non-contact manner from above by the holding hand.

  After the workpiece is held in a non-contact manner from above by the holding hand, the moving member is moved in the transport direction.

  As described above, the workpiece can be transported in the transport direction while being held in a non-contact manner.

  According to the present invention, when it is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors that the distance from the work has reached a predetermined approach distance, the operation of supplying the working fluid is started. In order to control the fluid supply unit, a negative pressure is generated between the holding surface of the holding hand and the surface of the workpiece by the plurality of Bernoulli chucks immediately before a part of the workpiece interferes with the holding surface of the holding hand. be able to. Therefore, even when a warped workpiece is held in a non-contact manner by the holding hand, the surface of the workpiece is placed on the holding surface of the holding hand while sufficiently suppressing the occurrence of damage such as cracking on the workpiece. The workpieces can be stably held in a non-contact manner by the holding hands so as to be parallel to each other.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

  Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact conveyance device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view of the non-contact conveyance device according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the holding surface of a holding hand, FIG. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a state in which the holding hand is positioned above the workpiece support base, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a state in which the holding hand is brought close to the workpiece.

  As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the non-contact conveying apparatus 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is a conveyance direction in the state which hold | maintained circular plate-shaped workpiece | work W, such as a wafer and a glass substrate, for example, non-contactingly. The specific configuration of the non-contact conveying apparatus 1 that is a conveying apparatus is as follows.

  That is, the non-contact transfer device 1 includes a multi-joint transfer arm 3 as a moving member that can move in an arbitrary direction (including the transfer direction). The non-contact transfer device 1 may include another moving member that can move in the transfer direction instead of the articulated transfer arm 3 that can move in any direction.

  A holding hand 5 that holds the workpiece W in a non-contact manner from above is provided at the tip of the transfer arm 3. The holding hand 5 has a holding surface 7 that can hold the workpiece W on one side. is doing. Further, on the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5, a plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9 that generate negative pressure between the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 and the surface of the workpiece W by utilizing the Bernoulli effect are a plurality of concentric circles having different diameters. The Bernoulli chucks 9 are respectively provided at intervals, and each Bernoulli chuck 9 has an ejection hole 11 through which air as a working fluid can be ejected.

  In the vicinity of the transfer arm 3, an air supply unit 13 that supplies air to the ejection holes 11 of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9 is provided, and the ejection holes 11 of each Bernoulli chuck 9 are connected to the air supply unit 13 with an air pipe 15. Are connected to each other. As the air supply unit 13, an air compressor or a blower is used.

  A plurality of sensors 17 that detect that the distance between the holding hand 5 and the workpiece W is a predetermined approach distance when the holding hand 5 is approached to the workpiece W from above are provided on the entire holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5. Specifically, one sensor 17 is arranged at the center of the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5, and a plurality of sensors 17 are arranged around the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5. The sensors 17 are arranged at equal intervals. Here, the predetermined approach distance refers to a distance slightly longer than the clearance between the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 and the surface of the work W when the work W is held in a non-contact manner by the holding hand 5. Note that a photoelectric sensor, a proximity sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like is used as the sensor 17.

  A controller 19 is disposed in the vicinity of the air supply unit 13. The controller 19 includes a memory that stores a control program and the like, and a CPU that executes processing of the control program, and the air supply unit. 13 and a plurality of sensors 17 are electrically connected. The CPU of the controller 19 starts the air supply operation when it is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors 17 that the distance from the workpiece W has reached a predetermined approach distance. It has a function as a supply unit control unit 21 that controls the air supply unit 13.

  Then, the effect | action and effect of embodiment of this invention are demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the transfer arm 3 is moved in an appropriate direction so that the holding hand 5 is positioned above the work support base 23 that supports the work W. Next, the transfer arm 3 is moved downward to bring the holding hand 5 closer to the workpiece W from above. When it is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors 17 that the distance from the workpiece W has reached a predetermined approach distance, the CPU (supply unit controller 21) of the controller 19 supplies air. The air supply unit 13 is controlled to start the operation, and air is ejected from the ejection holes 11 of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9, so that high-speed air is generated between the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 and the surface of the workpiece W. Circulate. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, negative pressure is generated between the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 and the surface of the work W by the plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9, and the work W is moved upward by the holding hand 5. Can be held in a non-contact manner. In addition, the clearance which balances the pressure which acts on the workpiece | work W, and the weight of the workpiece | work W is between the holding surface 7 of the holding | maintenance hand 5 in the state which hold | maintained the workpiece | work W in the non-contact state, and the surface of the workpiece | work W.

  After holding the workpiece W from the upper direction in a non-contact manner by the holding hand 5, the transfer arm 3 is moved upward to lift the workpiece W to a predetermined transfer height position. Then, the transfer arm 3 is moved in the transfer direction.

  As described above, the workpiece W can be conveyed in the conveyance direction in a state where the workpiece W is held in a non-contact manner.

  Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when at least one of the plurality of sensors 17 detects that the distance from the workpiece W has reached the predetermined approach distance, the air supply operation is started. In order to control the air supply unit 13 so that a part of the workpiece W interferes with the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 immediately before the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 and the surface of the workpiece W are separated by a plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9. A negative pressure can be generated. Therefore, even when the warped workpiece W is held by the holding hand 5 in a non-contact manner, as shown in FIG. The surface of the work W can be parallel to the holding surface of the holding hand, and the work W can be stably held in a non-contact manner by the holding hand 5.

(First modification)
A first modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact conveyance device according to a first modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the non-contact transport apparatus 1A according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention has substantially the same configuration as the non-contact transport apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Only in the point, it differs from the structure of the non-contact conveying apparatus 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  That is, in the non-contact conveyance device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of sensors 17 are directly disposed on the peripheral portion of the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5. On the other hand, in the non-contact conveyance device 1A according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of sensors 17 are indirectly arranged on the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 via the bracket 25. Has been.

  Note that the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention also exhibits the same operations and effects as the embodiment of the present invention.

(Second modification)
A second modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact conveyance device according to a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the non-contact transport apparatus 1B according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention has substantially the same configuration as the non-contact transport apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It differs from the structure of the non-contact conveyance apparatus 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention only in a point.

  That is, in the non-contact conveyance device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ejection holes 11 of each Bernoulli chuck 9 are connected to the air supply unit 13 via the air pipe 15. On the other hand, in the non-contact transport apparatus 1B according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention, a chamber 27 capable of containing air is formed inside the holding hand 5, and this chamber 27 is supplied with air. The unit 13 is connected via an air pipe 29, and the ejection holes 11 of the Bernoulli chucks 9 communicate with the chambers 27, respectively.

  And in the 2nd modification of embodiment of this invention, in addition to having the effect | action and effect similar to embodiment of this invention, there exist the following special effects and effects.

  That is, since the chamber 27 is connected to the air supply unit 13 via the air pipe 29 and the ejection holes 11 of each Bernoulli chuck 9 communicate with the chamber 27, even if the number of Bernoulli chucks 9 increases. The air pressure loss from the air supply unit 13 to the ejection hole 11 of each Bernoulli chuck 9 is not varied.

  Accordingly, even when the negative pressure of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9, in other words, the holding force of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks 9 becomes substantially uniform, the holding hand 5 holds an extremely thin workpiece W from the upper direction in a non-contact manner. The deformation of the workpiece W can be suppressed and interference between a part of the workpiece W and the holding surface 7 of the holding hand 5 can be avoided.

  The present invention is not limited to the description of the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other modes, for example, using water or various treatment liquids instead of air as a working fluid. Further, the scope of rights encompassed by the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

It is sectional drawing of the non-contact conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which looked at the non-contact conveyance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the holding surface of the holding hand. FIG. 3A is a view showing a state where the holding hand is positioned above the work support base, and FIG. 3B is a view showing a state where the holding hand is brought close to the work. It is sectional drawing of the non-contact conveying apparatus which concerns on the 1st modification of embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the non-contact conveying apparatus which concerns on the 2nd modification of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Non-contact conveyance apparatus 1A Non-contact conveyance apparatus 1B Non-contact conveyance apparatus 3 Conveyance arm 5 Holding hand 7 Holding surface 9 Bernoulli chuck 11 Injection hole 13 Air supply unit 17 Sensor 19 Controller 21 Supply unit control part 25 Bracket 27 Chamber

Claims (2)

In a non-contact conveyance device that conveys a plate-shaped workpiece in the conveyance direction under a non-contact state,
A movable member movable in the conveying direction;
A plurality of Bernoulli chucks provided on the moving member and having a holding surface capable of holding a workpiece on one side, and generating a negative pressure between the holding surface and the surface of the workpiece using the Bernoulli effect on the holding surface Each of the Bernoulli chucks has an ejection hole through which the working fluid can be ejected, and holds the work in a non-contact manner from above.
A working fluid supply unit for supplying a working fluid to the ejection holes of the plurality of Bernoulli chucks;
It is arranged in a scattered manner over the entire holding surface of the holding hand, and when the holding hand is moved relatively close to the work from above, the distance from the work is a predetermined approach distance. A plurality of sensors to detect;
Supply that controls the operation supply unit to start the supply operation of the working fluid when it is detected by at least one of the plurality of sensors that the distance from the workpiece has reached a predetermined approach distance A non-contact transfer device comprising a unit control means.   2. The chamber according to claim 1, wherein a chamber capable of containing a working fluid and connected to the working fluid supply unit is formed in the holding hand, and the ejection holes of the Bernoulli chucks communicate with the chamber. The non-contact conveying apparatus as described.

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