JP4889122B2 - Substrate suction transfer device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate suction / conveying device that sucks and holds a workpiece that is a precursor of a printed circuit board in a manufacturing process of the printed circuit board.

In a printed circuit board manufacturing process, for example, when a workpiece after plating is transferred to a dryer, there is a case where the workpiece is sucked and held and conveyed. As described above, as a device for sucking, holding, and transporting a work serving as a printed circuit board precursor, there is a substrate suction transporting device as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.
In the conventional substrate sucking and conveying apparatus, a plurality of suction cups for sucking a work are attached to the main body. A suction nozzle portion is formed inside the suction cup portion, and is configured such that blower suction can be performed from the suction nozzle portion.
And a board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus adsorbs and hold | maintains a workpiece | work by pressing a suction cup part against a workpiece | work and carrying out a blower suction.

However, if the work piece has low rigidity and the suction cup is pressed against the work, the work may be greatly bent. And when it is going to adsorb | suck one of the several workpiece | work accommodated in the rack, there exists a possibility that the workpiece | work may contact the workpiece | work adjacent on the lower side. As a result, the workpiece may be damaged, which may cause defects.
In addition, when the work is warped or undulated, if the plurality of suction cups cannot be moved up and down individually, it becomes difficult to reliably hold the work by the plurality of suction cups.

JP-A-2005-230944

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate suction / conveyance device that can reliably attract and convey a workpiece while sufficiently suppressing deformation of the workpiece.

The present invention is a substrate suction transport device that sucks and holds a workpiece that is a precursor of a printed circuit board in the manufacturing process of the printed circuit board,
A main body provided with a suction flow path connected to the negative pressure generating means; and a plurality of buffer parts having a suction nozzle portion attached to the main body so as to be movable up and down and communicating with the suction flow path; A plurality of suction cups attached to the lower end of each buffer part;
When an external force other than gravity is not acting, the buffer portion is locked to the main body portion at the lowest end, and acts on the buffer portion and the suction cup portion attached thereto. The substrate suction transfer device is configured to be able to move to the main body side when an upward external force having a size substantially equal to gravity is applied (Claim 1).

Next, the effects of the present invention will be described.
The substrate suction transfer device includes the main body portion, a plurality of buffer portions attached to the main body portion so as to be movable up and down, and a plurality of suction cup portions attached to the lower ends of the buffer portions. Thereby, even if some waviness and warp are generated in the workpiece, the suction cups can move up and down to appropriate positions, whereby the plurality of suction cups can be brought into contact with each part of the workpiece. Thereby, a workpiece | work can be reliably adsorbed-held by a some suction cup part.

  In addition, when an external force other than gravity is not acting, the buffer portion is locked to the main body portion at the lowest end, and the buffer portion and the suction cup portion attached thereto are connected to the buffer portion. It is configured to be able to move to the main body side when an upward external force having a size substantially equal to the acting gravity is applied. As a result, when the plurality of suction cups are brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece, the suction cup comes into contact with the workpiece with a force substantially equal to the gravity acting on the buffer and the suction cup. . Therefore, when sucking the workpiece, the suction cup portion can be prevented from pressing the workpiece with an excessive force, and the workpiece can be prevented from being deformed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate suction / conveying device that can reliably suck and transfer a workpiece while sufficiently suppressing deformation of the workpiece.

In the present invention (Claim 1), the substrate adsorption transport device, for example, when transferring the workpiece after plating to a dryer, when transferring the workpiece after exposing the resist film to a developing machine, etc. It can be used in various manufacturing processes for printed circuit boards.
The workpiece may have a thickness of, for example, 0.1 to 5 mm, and the substrate adsorption according to the present invention is particularly suitable for a workpiece having a thickness of 2.2 mm or less, more preferably 0.8 mm or less. When the transport device is used, the effects of the present invention can be more effectively exhibited.

  It should be noted that “it is configured to be able to move to the main body portion side when an upward external force of approximately the same size as gravity acting on the buffer portion and the suction cup portion attached thereto is applied. `` Has substantially no buffer body and the above without interposing an elastic body or the like between the main body part and the buffer part, applying a magnetic force, or actively generating a frictional force '' It means that it can be moved up and down with respect to the main body only by a force that opposes the weight of the component composed of the suction cup. However, the magnitude of the external force and the magnitude of the gravity acting on the structure composed of the buffer part and the suction cup part may not completely coincide with each other, and the external force is sufficiently smaller than the gravity. It is allowed that there is a difference from the gravity (for example, 10% or less of the gravity). That is, for example, the external force is allowed to exceed the gravitational force by a certain amount of frictional resistance, air resistance, and the like generated when the buffer part moves up and down with respect to the main body part.

The negative pressure generating means is preferably a blower (claim 2).
In this case, deformation of the workpiece can be prevented more effectively.
That is, by using a blower as the negative pressure generating means, the work can be adsorbed even if a slight gap is generated between the work and the suction cup. Therefore, deformation of the workpiece due to the suction cup pressing the workpiece can be more effectively prevented. Further, by using a blower as the negative pressure generating means, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the suction force of the workpiece in the suction cup portion even if a slight gap is generated between the buffer portion and the main body portion. As a result, the occurrence of frictional resistance between the buffer part and the main body part is suppressed, and the buffer part and the suction cup part can be moved up and down reliably with respect to the workpiece by an external force substantially equivalent to gravity acting on both, It is possible to more reliably prevent an excessive force from being applied to the workpiece.
In addition to the blower, for example, a vacuum pump or the like can be used as the negative pressure generating means.

Moreover, it is preferable that the said suction nozzle part is a straight shape with an internal diameter substantially equivalent from the upper end part of the said buffer part to a lower end part (Claim 3).
In this case, since the suction air can pass through the suction nozzle part sufficiently and smoothly, the suction force of the workpiece can be effectively improved.

Further, it is preferable that the plurality of workpieces are accommodated and the workpieces accommodated in a substantially horizontal state in a rack that partially supports each workpiece can be sucked and held from above (claims). Item 4).
In this case, by applying the present invention, which can suppress pressing the suction cup portion against the workpiece with an excessive force when adsorbing the workpiece, the workpiece is deformed downward and the lower portion It is possible to effectively prevent the problem of contact with other workpieces. Therefore, it can greatly contribute to the improvement of the product yield.

A substrate suction transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the substrate suction / conveyance device 1 of this example is a device that sucks, holds, and transports a workpiece 5 that becomes a precursor of a printed circuit board in a printed circuit board manufacturing process.
The substrate adsorption / conveyance device 1 has a main body 2 provided therein with a suction channel 21 connected to a negative pressure generating means (not shown) made of a blower, and is attached to the main body 2 so as to be movable up and down. It has a plurality of buffer parts 3 having a suction nozzle part 31 communicating with the suction flow path 21, and a plurality of suction cup parts 4 attached to the lower end of each buffer part 3.

When an external force other than gravity is not acting, the buffer portion 3 is configured to be locked to the main body portion 2 in the state of the lowermost end as shown in FIG.
Moreover, when the external force of the magnitude | size substantially equivalent to the gravity which acts on the buffer part 3 and the suction cup part 4 attached to this acts on the buffer part 3, the main-body part 2 is shown in FIG. It can be moved to the side.
That is, the buffer portion 3 and the suction cup are substantially not interposed between the main body portion 2 and the buffer portion 3 without interposing an elastic body such as a spring, applying a magnetic force, or actively generating a frictional force. The buffer part 3 and the suction cup part 4 can be moved up and down with respect to the main body part 2 only with a force that opposes the weight of the component composed of the part 4.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the buffer unit 3 is inserted and held in a holding unit 22 fixed to the lower surface of the main body unit 2. The holding portion 22 is provided with an insertion hole 221 penetrating vertically, and is fixed to the main body portion 2 by a bolt 222 at a side of the through hole 221. An upper protrusion 223 protruding upward is formed around the upper opening of the through hole 221, and a lower protrusion 224 protruding downward is formed around the lower opening of the through hole 221. Is formed.

  The buffer part 3 has a flange part 32 protruding outward at the upper end part thereof. On the other hand, a notch groove portion 33 is formed at the lower end portion of the buffer portion 3 so as to be cut out over the entire circumference, and the suction cup portion 4 is fitted in the notch groove portion 33. In this example, the suction cup part 4 is made of rubber such as urethane, the buffer part 3 is made of aluminum, and the main body part 2 is made of stainless steel.

  The buffer portion 3 has a cylindrical shape having the same outer diameter at portions other than the flange portion 32 and the notch groove portion 33. The buffer portion 3 is loosely fitted and held in the insertion hole 221 of the holding portion 22 at a portion between the flange portion 32 and the notch groove portion 33, so that the main body portion is within a predetermined range as shown in FIGS. 2 can move up and down freely.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the buffer portion 3 is at the lower end position with respect to the main body portion 2, the flange portion 32 of the buffer portion 3 is in contact with the upper protruding portion 223 of the holding portion 22. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, when the buffer portion 3 is at the upper end position with respect to the main body portion 2, the upper surface of the suction cup portion 4 attached to the lower end portion of the buffer portion 3 contacts the lower protrusion 224 of the holding portion 22. It will be in contact.
In addition, the suction nozzle portion 31 formed inside the buffer portion 3 has a straight shape with substantially the same inner diameter from the upper end portion to the lower end portion of the buffer portion 3. An opening 41 having a diameter substantially the same as that of the suction nozzle portion 31 is formed in the suction cup portion 4 attached to the lower end portion of the buffer portion 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the main body 2 includes four branch pipes 201 arranged in parallel to each other and a connecting pipe 202 that connects them at one end of the four branch pipes 201. A suction channel 21 is formed in each of the branch pipe 201 and the connecting pipe 202, and the suction channel 21 of each branch pipe 201 communicates with the suction channel 21 of the connecting pipe 202. The connection pipe 202 is provided with a suction port 203 for connection to a negative pressure generating means (blower).

  A plurality of suction cups 4 are attached to the branch pipe 201 via the buffer part 3. As shown in FIG. 6, two suction cups 4 arranged adjacent to each other are arranged at three locations of each branch pipe 201, respectively. That is, a total of six suction cups 4 are attached to one branch pipe 201 via the buffer part 3. Therefore, a total of 24 suction cups 4 are attached via the buffer unit 3 in the entire main body 2 having the four branch pipes 201.

In attracting and holding the workpiece 5 by the substrate adsorption / conveyance device 1 of this example, first, the substrate adsorption / conveyance device 1 is positioned above the workpiece 5. At this time, all the buffer parts 3 exist in the position used as a lower end with respect to the main-body part 2 (FIG. 1). Thereafter, by lowering the main body portion 2, the buffer portion 3 and the suction portion 4 are also lowered toward the workpiece 5, and the plurality of suction cup portions 4 abut against the surface of the workpiece 5 as shown in FIG. 7. Since each buffer part 3 can move up and down with respect to the main body part 2, the buffer part 3 and the suction cup part 4 move relative to the main body part 2 relative to the main body part 2 at this time (FIG. 2, (See FIG. 3).
Further, as described above, the buffer unit 3 is configured to be able to move to the main body unit 2 side when an upward external force having a size substantially equal to the gravity acting on the buffer unit 3 and the suction cup unit 4 is applied. Therefore, at this time, the suction cup portion 4 does not press the workpiece 5.

  In this state, the work 5 is sucked by the negative pressure generating means via the suction flow path 21 and the suction nozzle portion 31. Subsequently, after raising the substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus 1, it moves to a desired position. As a result, the workpiece 5 is pulled up and conveyed to a desired position. Then, by releasing the suction by the negative pressure generating means at a desired position, the workpiece 5 is detached from the substrate suction transfer device 1, and the workpiece 5 is placed at a desired position.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, when the work 5 has waviness or warpage, when the suction cup 4 is brought into contact with the work 5, each buffer part 4 is moved toward the main body 2 by a stroke different from each other. Moving. Thereby, the plurality of suction cups 4 can be brought into contact with the workpiece 5 in response to the undulation or warpage of the workpiece 5.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 9-12, the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus 1 of this example accommodates several workpiece | work 5 and is accommodated in the rack 6 which supports each workpiece | work 5 in the substantially horizontal state. Can be adsorbed from above and held and transported.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the rack 6 includes a pair of edge support portions 61 that support a pair of opposite edges of the workpiece 5 from below, and a center support portion that supports the center of the workpiece 5 from below. 62. The pair of edge support portions 61 and one central support portion 62 are configured to support one workpiece 5. The rack 6 is formed with a plurality of groups of a set of support parts each including a pair of edge support parts 61 and a single center support part 62. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, a plurality of workpieces 5 can be stored in the rack 6 in the vertical direction and in the thickness direction of the workpieces 5.

  When the workpiece 5 housed in the rack 6 as described above is sucked and held by the substrate sucking and conveying apparatus 1 of this example, as shown in FIGS. Then, it is inserted into the space above the work 5 in the rack 6 from the opening 63 side of the rack 6. Then, by lowering the main body 2, the suction cups 4 are brought into contact with the surface of the work 5 and are sucked. Thereby, the some suction cup part 4 adsorb | sucks the workpiece | work 5 in several places. Next, the work body 5 is lifted from the edge support portion 61 and the center support portion 62 by raising the main body portion 2 in the space in the rack 6.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12C, the work 5 is discharged from the rack 6 by sliding the substrate adsorption transport device 1 out of the rack 6. And the workpiece | work 5 is conveyed to a desired position by the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus 1. FIG.
This operation is sequentially performed on the plurality of workpieces 5 stored in the rack 6 from the upper workpiece 5.

Next, the function and effect of this example will be described.
The substrate suction transfer device 1 includes a main body 2, a plurality of buffer parts 3 attached to the main body part 2 so as to be movable up and down, and a plurality of suction cups 4 attached to the lower ends of the buffer parts 3. Have. Thereby, even if some waviness or warpage (for example, a measurement value based on JIS C6481 of about 10 mm) occurs in the work 5, each sucker portion 4 moves up and down to an appropriate position to The suction cup 4 can be brought into contact with each part of the work 5. Thereby, the workpiece | work 5 can be reliably adsorbed-held by the some suction cup part 4. FIG.

  In addition, when an external force other than gravity is not applied, the buffer unit 3 is locked to the main body unit 2 in the state of the lowermost end (FIG. 1), and the buffer unit 3 and a suction cup attached thereto It is configured to be able to move to the main body 2 side when an upward external force having a size approximately equal to the gravity acting on the portion 4 is applied (FIGS. 2 and 3). As a result, when the plurality of suction cups 4 are brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece 5, the suction cups 4 are brought into contact with the workpiece 5 with a force substantially equal to the gravity acting on the buffer 3 and the suction cup 4. You will be in touch. Therefore, when the workpiece 5 is sucked, the suction cup portion 4 can be prevented from pressing the workpiece 5 with an excessive force, and the workpiece 5 can be prevented from being deformed.

  Further, since the negative pressure generating means is a blower, the deformation of the workpiece 5 can be prevented more effectively. That is, by using a blower as the negative pressure generating means, the work 5 can be adsorbed even if a slight gap is generated between the work 5 and the suction cup portion 4. Therefore, the deformation | transformation of the workpiece | work 5 by the suction cup part 4 pressing the workpiece | work 5 can be prevented more effectively. Further, by using a blower as the negative pressure generating means, even if a slight gap is generated between the buffer portion 3 and the main body portion 2, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the suction force of the work 5 in the suction cup portion 4. it can. As a result, the occurrence of frictional resistance between the buffer part 3 and the main body part 2 is suppressed, and the buffer part 3 and the suction cup part 4 are reliably applied to the workpiece 5 by an external force substantially equivalent to gravity acting on both. It becomes possible to move up and down, and it is possible to more reliably prevent an excessive force from being applied to the workpiece 5.

  Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the suction nozzle portion 31 has a straight shape with substantially the same inner diameter from the upper end portion to the lower end portion of the buffer portion 3, so that the suction air sufficiently and smoothly moves the suction nozzle portion 31. Therefore, the suction force of the workpiece 5 can be effectively improved.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 12, the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus 1 is comprised so that the workpiece | work 5 accommodated in the rack 6 in the substantially horizontal state can be adsorb | sucked and hold | maintained from upper direction. That is, the present invention that can suppress the suction cup portion 4 from being pressed against the workpiece 5 with an excessive force when the workpiece 5 is sucked is applied to the above configuration. Thereby, the malfunction that the workpiece | work 5 deform | transforms below and contacts the other workpiece | work 5 below can be prevented effectively.

That is, when the work 5 accommodated in the rack 6 in a substantially horizontal state is sucked and held from above, if the suction cup 4 presses the work 5 with a large force, the work 5 is greatly bent, There is a risk of contacting with another workpiece 5 adjacent to the lower side of the workpiece 5. As a result, problems such as scratches on the workpiece 5 may occur, and the product may become defective.
Therefore, in such a case, by using the substrate suction conveyance device 1 according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the workpiece 5 during the suction holding of the workpiece 5 and to improve the product yield.

  As described above, according to this example, it is possible to provide a substrate suction transfer device that can reliably suck and transfer a workpiece while sufficiently suppressing deformation of the workpiece.

Sectional drawing of the buffer part and suction cup part of a board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus when a buffer part exists in a lower end position in an Example, and its periphery. Sectional drawing of the buffer part of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus when a buffer part exists in an intermediate position in an Example, a suction cup part, and its periphery. Sectional drawing of the buffer part of a board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus when a buffer part exists in an upper end position in an Example, a suction cup part, and its periphery. The side view of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus in an Example. The front view of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus in an Example. The bottom view of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus in an Example. The side view of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus which adsorbed and hold | maintained the workpiece | work in an Example. Side surface explanatory drawing of the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus which adsorbed and hold | maintained the workpiece | work which the curvature generate | occur | produced in the Example. The vertical sectional view which looked at the rack which stored the work in the example from the side. The horizontal sectional view which looked at the rack which accommodated the workpiece | work in an Example from upper direction. The front view of the rack which accommodated the workpiece | work in an Example. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing which shows the procedure in the Example in which the workpiece | work accommodated in the rack was picked up by the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus and taken out.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus 2 Main-body part 21 Suction flow path 3 Buffer part 31 Suction nozzle part 4 Suction cup part 5 Workpiece

Claims (4)

A substrate suction transport device that sucks and holds a workpiece that becomes a precursor of a printed circuit board in a manufacturing process of the printed circuit board,
A main body provided with a suction flow path connected to the negative pressure generating means; and a plurality of buffer parts having a suction nozzle portion attached to the main body so as to be movable up and down and communicating with the suction flow path; A plurality of suction cups attached to the lower end of each buffer part;
When an external force other than gravity is not acting, the buffer portion is locked to the main body portion at the lowest end, and acts on the buffer portion and the suction cup portion attached thereto. A substrate adsorption / conveyance device configured to be able to move to the main body when an upward external force having a size substantially equal to gravity is applied.   2. The substrate suction transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure generating means is a blower.   3. The substrate suction transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle portion has a straight shape having substantially the same inner diameter from the upper end portion to the lower end portion of the buffer portion.   The workpiece accommodated in a substantially horizontal state in a rack that accommodates a plurality of the workpieces and partially supports each workpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 3 can be adsorbed and held from above. It is comprised so that the board | substrate adsorption | suction conveyance apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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