JPH10279050A - Non-contact type displacement of glass base detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the mechanical structure, and to reduce the space by determining the total or part of coordinate data of a side, on the basis of an image signal from an image pick-up means, and detecting the displacement of each glass base in a storage cassette from the correct storing position, on the basis of the coordinate data. SOLUTION: A hand 1 is straightly advanced toward a storing cassette 5, a glass base 61 is held by the hand 1, and the hand 1 is straightly moved backward. A front part of a side of the glass base including a side 61a along an fetching direction of the glass base 61, is passed through a space between a light projecting part and a light receiving part, and an image signal corresponding to a shape of the front part of the side of the glass base is output from a solid image pick-up element of the light receiving part to a controlling device. In an image processing part of the controlling device, the coordinate data of the straight part 61d of the front part of the side of the glass base is determined on the basis of the image signal, and the original storing position of the glass base is determined from the coordinate data. This storing position is compared with the correct storing position, to determine the displacement of the glass base 61 from the correct storing position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-contact type glass for detecting a deviation of a rectangular plate-shaped glass substrate stored in a storage cassette from a correct storage position in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel or the like. The present invention relates to a substrate displacement detection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel or the like, a rectangular plate-shaped glass substrate housed in a storage cassette in a horizontal state is taken out by a transfer robot and set in a processing chamber or placed in another storage cassette. There is a process of storing.

In such a process, it is necessary to perform a predetermined process in a state where the glass substrate is set at a correct setting position in the processing chamber. Therefore, when removing the glass substrate from the storage cassette, the hand of the transfer robot is required. However, it is required that the glass substrate be taken out while holding the correct position.

In order to meet such demands, the following countermeasures are usually taken, that is, prior to the actual process, the glass substrate is first stored in a storage cassette at a correct storage position. Teaching the hand to hold and remove the glass substrate at the correct position, and in the subsequent actual process, detect the deviation of the glass substrate newly stored in the storage cassette from the correct storage position. By correcting the movement of the hand stored by the teaching to a movement adapted to the position of the glass substrate based on the detected deviation, the hand holds the correct position of the glass substrate when removing the glass substrate. Measures have been taken to ensure that they can be removed.

Here, as a conventional example of a glass substrate displacement detecting device, that is, a glass substrate displacement detecting device for detecting a displacement of a glass substrate stored in a storage cassette from a correct storage position in an actual process. 8 and 9 are known.

The glass substrate displacement detecting device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is provided on a top surface of a displacement detecting hand 2 separate from a hand (robot hand) 1 of a transfer robot at a predetermined distance L in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction). And two sets of optical sensors 3 and 4 (each of which is a pair of light emitting element 3a or 4a and light receiving element 3b or 4
b. ), And before the robot hand 1 takes out the glass substrates 61, 62, 63,...
By operating the shift detecting hand 2 in the order from (1) to (n + 2), each of the glass substrates 61, 62, 63,
.., 6 m of angular deviation Δθ are detected.

(1) First, the displacement measuring hand 2 at the stop position is advanced in the X-axis direction so that the uppermost glass substrate 61
In the area below. When the light from each of the light emitting elements 3a, 4a of the two optical sensors 3, 4 is reflected by the lower surface of the glass substrate 61 and received by each of the light receiving elements 3b, 4b, the light receiving elements 3b, 4b are turned on. Then, the forward movement of the displacement detecting hand 2 is stopped.

(2) Next, the deviation detecting hand 2 is moved backward and stopped.

(3) Next, the displacement detecting hand 2 is lowered along the Z-axis direction from below the second-stage glass substrate 62 to a height position at which the displacement detecting hand 2 can enter. Let it.

(4) Next, similarly to the operation performed on the uppermost glass substrate 61, the displacement detecting hand 2 is advanced in the X-axis direction and enters the lower part of the second-stage glass substrate 62 from above. When all of the light receiving elements 3b and 4b are turned on, the forward movement is stopped.

(5) Next, the deviation detecting hand 2 is moved backward and stopped.

(6) Next, the displacement detection hand 2 is lowered along the Z-axis direction from below the third uppermost glass substrate 63 to a height position at which the displacement detection hand 2 can enter. Let it.

(7) Next, similarly to the operations performed on the uppermost and second glass substrates 61 and 62 from the top, the shift detecting hand 2 is advanced in the X-axis direction and the third When the light receiving elements 3b and 4b are all turned on, the forward movement is stopped.

(8) Next, the deviation detecting hand 2 is moved backward and stopped. Thereafter, the shift detecting hand 2 is operated in the same manner as described above for the fourth and subsequent glass substrates from the top.

(N) Then, the shift detecting hand 2 is advanced in the X-axis direction with respect to the lowermost glass substrate 6m to penetrate below the lowermost glass substrate 6m, and the light receiving elements 3b,
When all the switches 4b are turned on, the forward movement is stopped.

(N + 1) Next, the shift detecting hand 2 is moved backward and stopped.

(N + 2) Finally, the displacement detection hand 2 is raised along the Z-axis direction and stopped at the original stop position.

In the above description, (1), (2), (3),
(4), (5), (6), (7), (8),... (N), (n + 1), (n + 2) are the operations of the displacement detecting hand 2 shown in FIG. The same sign indicating the order and 1
It corresponds to one.

During the above-described series of operations of the shift detecting hand 2, the glass substrates 61, 62, 63,.
The detection signals of the light receiving elements 3b and 4b are input to a control circuit (not shown). The control circuit includes the light receiving elements 3b, 4
The timing when b is turned on and the distance L between the optical sensors 3 and 4
The glass substrates 61, 62, 63,...
The angle deviation Δθ of m is calculated.

At the start of taking out the glass substrate for each stage, the θ-axis and the X-axis of the robot hand 1 are corrected based on the calculated angular deviation Δθ of the glass substrate.

Further, when the robot hand 1 is linearly moving toward the storage cassette 5 from the corrected posture, the reflection type optical sensor 7 (a pair of light emitting element and light receiving element) provided on the robot hand 1 is provided. ) To detect the front end position of the glass substrate 61, for example, and determine the end position of the linear movement of the robot hand 1 based on the front end position. When the robot hand 1 reaches the end position of the linear movement, The linear movement is stopped, and the glass substrate, for example, 61
And take it out of the storage cassette 5. As described above, the optical sensor 7 on the hand 1 has the glass substrates 61, 62, 63,
.., The displacement of 6 m in the Y-axis direction is corrected.

[0022]

However, according to the above-described conventional glass substrate displacement detecting apparatus, the displacement detecting hand 2 makes the complicated movement as described above, and therefore, the machine for driving the displacement detecting hand 2 is used. And the displacement detection hand 2 moves in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) with respect to the hand 2, so that the displacement detection device for the glass substrate is used. There is a problem that the space occupied is relatively large.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and cannot determine the posture of the robot hand and the end position of the linear movement when removing the glass substrate from the storage cassette. A non-contact type glass substrate displacement detection device which can be set at a correct set position in a room or stored in a correct storage position in another storage cassette, and has a simple mechanical structure and a small space. It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device capable of performing the above-mentioned operations. Also,
When it is necessary to hold the glass substrate at the correct position of the hand, this can be achieved by providing a stage on a robot or the like and holding the glass substrate again.

[0024]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device having a rectangular plate shape which is horizontally stored in a plurality of stages in a storage cassette. A non-contact type glass substrate displacement detection device that detects a displacement of each glass substrate in the storage cassette from a correct storage position while taking out the glass substrates one by one by a transfer robot, wherein the four sides of each glass substrate are An image pickup unit for picking up an entire side or a part including an end point of the side along the extraction direction is arranged at a fixed predetermined position, and all or a part of the side is imaged by an image signal from the image pickup unit. It is characterized in that coordinate data is obtained, and a deviation from a correct storage position of each glass substrate in the storage cassette is detected based on the coordinate data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device, wherein the imaging means is provided on the transfer robot side. Features.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting apparatus, wherein the imaging means is provided on the storage cassette side. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting apparatus, wherein the image pickup means includes a CCD line sensor. It is characterized by the following.

[0028]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Since the dimensions of each glass substrate are known in advance, the glass in the storage cassette is stored on the basis of the coordinate data of all or some of the four sides of each glass substrate along the glass substrate removal direction, including the end points of the sides. The displacement of the substrate from the correct storage position can be detected. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the imaging means is moved to a fixed predetermined position corresponding to the extraction path of the side, for example, a predetermined position on the transfer robot side as described in claim 2 or to a third position. By arranging at a predetermined position on the storage cassette side as described, it becomes possible to detect a deviation from the correct storage position for each of all the glass substrates in the storage cassette, thereby simplifying the mechanical structure and reducing the space. Can be achieved.

Here, by arranging the image pickup means on the transfer robot side, it is not necessary to arrange the image pickup means for each storage cassette, and the image pickup means is provided in each storage cassette. Can be used in common.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting apparatus according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a main part of the apparatus, and FIG. The configuration diagrams of the means are shown respectively.

1 to 3, in the storage cassette 5, a plurality of rectangular plate-shaped glass substrates 61 are stored in a plurality of stages in a horizontal state.

The transfer robot 10 includes a main body 11, an arm 12, and a hand 1. The hand 1 is a storage cassette 5
When the glass substrates 61 are taken out from the inside, the glass substrates 61 linearly advance toward the storage cassette 5 from the state shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 to the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
Then, the operation is performed so as to linearly retreat from the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 to the state shown by the broken line in FIG.

The θ axis 13 of the transfer robot 10 is
The arm 12 and the hand 1 are integrally rotated in the θ-axis direction with respect to 1 and moved up and down in the Z-axis direction. Further, a holder 15 for holding the image pickup means 14 is extended on the θ axis 13.

When the hand 1 moves backward while holding the glass substrates 61,... From the storage cassette 5, sides 61a along the taking-out direction of the glass substrates 61,.
Are arranged so as to be able to image the shape of a part 61d of the glass substrate 61. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the front part (side 61a) of the side of the glass substrate including the side 61a along the direction in which the glass substrate 61 is taken out. Linear part 6 from the end point 61b to the intermediate point 61c
1d) is the light projecting portion 21 and the light receiving portion 2
2 so that the light passes through the space between the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 2.
2 are arranged.

The light projecting unit 21 includes a light source 211, for example, a laser light source, and a lens 212 for diverging the light from the light source 211 and converting the light into parallel light.

The light receiving section 22 includes a filter 221 for cutting disturbance light from the light projecting section 21 and a solid-state image sensor 222 for receiving parallel light filtered by the filter 221 and outputting an image signal to a control device (not shown). A CCD line sensor.

Next, the operation of the non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device configured as described above will be described.

When taking out the glass substrate 61 stored in the storage cassette 5, as shown in FIG.
The transfer robot 10 is positioned in front of the storage cassette 5,
The hand 1 is linearly advanced toward the storage cassette 5,
The glass substrate 61 is held by the hand 1 and the hand 1 is receded linearly this time.

When the hand 1 retreats, the front part of the glass substrate side including the side 61a along the take-out direction of the glass substrate 61 passes through the space between the light projecting part 21 and the light receiving part 22, and An image signal corresponding to the shape of the front portion of the glass substrate side is output from the solid-state imaging device 222 to a control device (not shown). In the image processing unit of the control device, the solid-state imaging device 2
Based on the image signal from 22, the coordinate data of the straight portion 61d at the front of the glass substrate side is obtained, the original storage position of the glass substrate 61 is obtained from the coordinate data, and the storage position and the correct storage position are determined. Are compared to determine the deviation from the correct storage position of the glass substrate 61. The controller unit of the control device obtains the image processing unit as described above when setting the removed glass substrate 61 in the processing chamber or when storing the removed glass substrate 61 in another storage cassette. The posture of the transfer robot 10 is corrected based on the displacement of the glass substrate 61, and the glass substrate 61 is set at the correct set position in the processing chamber or stored at the correct storage position in the storage cassette.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a main part of a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting apparatus according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a side view showing a main part of the apparatus.

The non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the image pickup means 14 is provided on the transfer robot 10, but the image pickup means is provided on one side of the storage cassette. It is characterized in that it is arranged at a predetermined position in front, and the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

That is, when the hand 1 retreats while holding the glass substrates 61 from the storage cassette 5, all the sides 61a of the sides 61a along the taking-out direction of the glass substrates 61,. Are arranged so as to be able to image the shape of the glass substrate 61. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the entirety of the glass substrate side portion including the side 61a along the take-out direction of the glass substrate 61 (from the front end point 61b of the side 61a to the rear side). End point 61f
The light projecting portion 21 and the light receiving portion 22 are arranged so that the straight line portion 61e through the light transmitting portion 21 passes through the space between the light projecting portion 21 and the light receiving portion 22.

Next, the operation of the non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device according to the second embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

When taking out the glass substrate 61 stored in the storage cassette 5, as shown in FIG.
The transfer robot 10 is positioned in front of the storage cassette 5,
The hand 1 is linearly advanced toward the storage cassette 5,
The glass substrate 61 is held by the hand 1 and the hand 1 is receded linearly this time.

When the hand 1 is retracted, the side of the glass substrate including the side 61a along the direction in which the glass substrate 61 is taken out passes through the space between the light projecting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22, and
An image signal corresponding to the shape of the glass substrate side is output from the solid-state imaging device 222 to a control device (not shown).
In the image processing unit of the control device, based on the image signal from the solid-state imaging device 222, the linear portion 61e (6
The coordinate data of 1a) is obtained, the original storage position of the glass substrate 61 is obtained from the coordinate data, and the storage position is compared with the correct storage position to determine the deviation of the glass substrate 61 from the correct storage position. The controller unit of the control device obtained the image processing unit as described above when setting the removed glass substrate 61 in the processing chamber or when storing the removed glass substrate 61 in another storage cassette. The posture of the transfer robot 10 is corrected based on the displacement of the glass substrate 61, and the glass substrate 61 is set at the correct set position in the processing chamber or stored at the correct storage position in the storage cassette. If the position of holding the glass substrate 61 of the robot hand 1 during storage is a problem,
This can be achieved by providing a stage on the robot 10 or the like and replacing the glass substrate 61.

As described above, the first embodiment and the second embodiment
According to the embodiment, since the dimensions of each of the glass substrates 61,... Are known in advance, all of the sides 61a,. .. In the storage cassette 5 can be detected from the correct storage position based on the partial coordinate data. Therefore, the image pickup means 14 is moved to a fixed predetermined position corresponding to the take-out path of the side 61a, for example, a predetermined position on the transfer robot 10 side as in the first embodiment or a predetermined position on the storage cassette 5 side as in the second embodiment. .. Can be detected from the correct storage position for each of all the glass substrates 61 in the storage cassette 5, and the mechanical structure can be simplified and the space can be reduced. .

Here, as in the first embodiment, the image pickup means 1
By arranging the imaging unit 14 on the side of the transfer robot 10, the imaging unit 14 does not have to be provided for each of the storage cassettes 61,. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an imaging unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a front portion of a side portion of a glass substrate imaged by an imaging unit;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main part of a non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining all the side portions of the glass substrate imaged by the imaging means.

8 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 Storage cassette 61 Glass substrate 61a Side 61b End point 61c Part 61e All 10 Transfer robot 14 Imaging means 222 Solid-state imaging device (CCD line sensor)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A process in which rectangular glass substrates, which are horizontally stored in a plurality of stages in a storage cassette and are taken out one by one by a transfer robot, is carried out from a correct storage position of each glass substrate in the storage cassette. A non-contact type glass substrate displacement detection device for detecting displacement, wherein a fixed image capturing means for capturing all or a part of the four sides of each glass substrate along an extraction direction including an end point of the side. It is arranged at a predetermined position, the coordinate data of all or a part of the side is obtained by the image signal from the imaging means, and the deviation from the correct storage position of each glass substrate in the storage cassette is determined based on the coordinate data. A non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device for detecting. 2. The non-contact glass substrate displacement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup means is provided on the transfer robot side. 3. The non-contact type glass substrate displacement detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup means is provided on the storage cassette side. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image pickup means includes a CCD line sensor.
3. The non-contact type glass substrate displacement detection device according to item 1.