JP5111144B2 - Transport device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus.

Conventionally, conveyors, electric or air cylinders, articulated robots, and the like are used as conveying means for moving and transporting articles from a predetermined position. However, in the production process of an organic EL display panel or the like in which it is necessary to transport precision parts such as a glass substrate in a space where outside air is blocked, the conventional transport means has the following problems.
First, it is necessary to install the conveyor in a wide range up to the conveyance destination, and it is difficult to install the conveyor in a limited space such as a production line. In addition, in the production of organic EL display panels and the like, if a part of the transport device remains in the next process as the transport destination, the processing process in the next process is performed on the transport apparatus, and the transport device returns to the previous process. May affect the processing in the previous process. For this reason, a transport device such as an organic EL display panel needs to return to the original position after transport to the transport destination, but the conveyor does not satisfy this condition. Furthermore, there is a problem that the belt or roller of the conveyor comes into contact with the conveyed product, causing scratches or the like, and vibration during conveyance is large.
Further, the cylinder has a structure in which a piston having the same length as that of the outer cylinder advances and retreats, so that the cylinder becomes longer and the installation space becomes larger as the transport distance becomes longer.
An articulated robot is highly versatile, but has a complicated structure and is expensive.

  For this reason, a compact and simple structure has been proposed in which the movable portion slides and protrudes from the non-moving portion, and the article on the movable portion is moved and conveyed (see Patent Document).

JP 2004-238137 A

In the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, one or more movable parts are placed on the non-moving part, and the movable part is sequentially fed forward to increase the transport distance. For example, when three movable parts are mounted on the non-moving part, each movable part can be moved out (moved) by a distance three times the amount of feeding (FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1).
The present invention further improves this technique and proposes a mechanism capable of moving (conveying) a distance three times the feeding amount by simply placing two movable parts on the fixed part. Since the number of movable parts is smaller than the technique described in Patent Document 1 at the transport distance, the structure can be further simplified and the cost can be reduced.
That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport apparatus having a large transport distance, a simple structure, and low cost.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the conveying device of the present invention includes a fixing unit having a first conveyor formed by winding a first belt between a pair of rollers on an upper surface, and a lower portion of the first belt. A support member that is fixed and extends upward from the first belt; and a second conveyor that is supported by the support member and disposed above the fixing portion and in which a second belt is wound between a pair of rollers. A first movable part on the upper surface; and a second movable part fixed on the upper part of the second belt and disposed above the first movable part and capable of placing a transported object, The belt is parallel to the first belt and faces the upper portion of the first belt, and a part of the facing portions is fixed to each other, and the first movable portion moves along the advancing and retreating direction of the first belt. The second movable part is slidable relative to the fixed part, and the second movable part is 2 slidable with respect to the first movable part along the advancing / retreating direction of the belt, and when the first movable part slides with respect to the fixed part by a distance L, the second movable part is moved to the first movable part. The second movable part is slidable by a distance of 3L relative to the fixed part.
With such a configuration, when the lower portion of the first belt is advanced by L, the first movable portion is advanced by L, and the upper portion of the first belt is retracted by L. However, when viewed from the second belt, the amount of retreat on the lower side of the second belt connected to the first belt is increased by 2 L (L + L) by the amount that the first movable portion is relatively advanced. Accordingly, the second movable portion fixed to the upper portion of the second belt advances by 2L with respect to the first movable portion, and advances by a total of 3L (L + 2L) with respect to the fixed portion.

A fixing portion of another transport device may be fixed to the upper surface of the second movable portion.
In such a configuration, the transfer device on the second movable portion of the lower transfer device also has a movement amount of three times the feed amount of the first conveyer generated in the second movable portion. Amount can be produced.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a transport apparatus having a large transport distance, a simple structure, and low cost.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a production line including a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the organic EL display panel production line includes a transfer chamber 300 for transferring a glass substrate 100 serving as a panel, and a process chamber 400 adjacent to the transfer chamber 300 via a door valve 500. A transfer device 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed in the transfer chamber 300, and a glass substrate 100 cut out to a predetermined size in the previous process is placed on the transfer device 50. The transfer device 50 transfers the glass substrate 100 to the process chamber 400 from the exit 310 of the transfer chamber and passes it to the substrate receiving mechanism 410 in the process chamber 400. The glass substrate 100 placed on the substrate receiving mechanism 410 in the process chamber 400 is subjected to process processing such as formation and sealing of pixels and various films.
Since, for example, vacuum deposition or the like is performed in the process chamber 400, the transfer apparatus 50 needs to be completely returned from the process chamber 400 to the transfer chamber 300 after the glass substrate 100 is transferred.

The transfer device 50 is disposed above the first movable unit 3, the rectangular plate-shaped fixed unit 2 fixed to the transfer chamber 300, the rectangular plate-shaped first movable unit 3 disposed above the fixed unit 2, and the first movable unit 3. The second movable part 4 having a rectangular plate shape is provided, and a conveyed product (glass substrate) 100 is placed on the second movable part 4.
A first conveyor 20 is installed on the upper surface of the fixing portion 2 along the longitudinal direction, and a box-shaped support member 6 is fixed to a lower portion of a belt (not shown) of the first conveyor 20, and the support member 6 is fixed to the fixing portion 2. It extends above. The lower surface of the first movable part 3 is supported on the upper surface of the support member 6. The first rail 24 is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed portion 2 along the first conveyor 20 and on both sides of the first conveyor 20, and the lower surface of the support member 6 is placed on the first rail 24 to be placed on the first rail. 24 is slidable along the line 24.
Therefore, when the first conveyor 20 advances and retreats along the longitudinal direction of the fixed part 2 by driving the drive gear 320, the first movable part 3 slides in the advancing and retreating direction of the first conveyor 20.

In addition, a second conveyor 30 is installed on the upper surface of the first movable part 3 so as to be parallel to the first conveyor 20 and on the upper side of the first conveyor 20. The lower surface of the second movable part 4 is fixed. Furthermore, the second rail 34 is disposed on the upper surface of the first movable portion 3 along the second conveyor 30 and on both sides of the second conveyor 30, and the lower surface of the second movable portion 4 is placed on the second rail 34. Thus, it can slide along the second rail 34.
Therefore, when the second conveyor 30 advances and retracts along the longitudinal direction of the first movable part 3 by driving the drive gear 320, the second movable part 4 slides in the advance and retract direction of the second conveyor 30. .

  Since the forward and backward directions of the first conveyor 20 and the second conveyor 30 coincide with the transport direction T of the glass substrate 100 from the transport chamber 300 to the process chamber 400, the first movable 20 and the second conveyor 30 move forward and backward. The part 3 and the second movable part 4 slide, and the glass substrate 100 is conveyed. Further, when the first conveyor 20 and the second conveyor 30 return to their original positions, the second movable part 4 is completely returned to the initial position in the transfer chamber 300 and does not remain in the process chamber 400.

Next, a detailed configuration of the transfer device 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the first conveyor 20 has a first belt 23 wound between a pair of rollers 21 and 22, and the lower surface of the support member 6 is fixed to the right end of the lower portion of the first belt 23. . The rollers 21 and 22 are pivotally supported by support legs 21a and 22a, respectively.
The second conveyor 30 has a second belt 33 wound between a pair of rollers 31 and 32, and the left end of the lower portion of the second belt 33 is connected to the first belt 23 via the fixing member 8. It is mutually fixed to the left end of the upper part. Further, the right end of the upper portion of the second belt 33 is fixed to the lower surface of the second movable portion 4 via the attachment member 35. The rollers 31 and 32 are pivotally supported by support legs 31a and 32a, respectively.
In addition, a rectangular cutout 3h is formed in the arrangement portion of the second conveyor 30 in the first movable portion 3 so that the second belt 33 faces the first belt 23 in the vicinity thereof, thereby obstructing the advancement / retraction of the second belt 33. It is supposed not to.

The first belt 23 and the second belt 33 can be, for example, a steel belt or a resin belt. The first belt 23 and the support member 6 can be fixed, the second belt 33 and the second movable part 4 can be fixed, and the first belt 23 and the second belt 33 can be fixed with bolts or the like. Not limited.
Further, the support member 6 forms an arm portion 6a that extends horizontally outward from both side ends of the first belt 23 from a fixed position with the first belt 23, and then rises upward. The first movable portion is formed at the upper end of the arm portion 6a. The lower surface of 3 is supported. Therefore, the support member 6 does not disturb the advance / retreat of the first belt 2.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. In this figure, a recess is provided in the two legs 6 b on the lower surface of the support member 6, and this recess covers the first rail 24. Similarly, a recess is provided in the two legs 4 b on the lower surface of the second movable portion 4, and this recess covers the second rail 34. For example, a roller or a bearing is disposed in each of the recesses, so that rolling friction with each rail can be reduced and smooth sliding can be performed.
Since the first belt 23 and the second belt 33 are fixed by the fixing member 8, when the driving gear 320 drives one of the rollers 21 and 22 or the side surface of the first movable portion 3, the first belt The second belt 33 advances and retreats according to the advance and retreat of 23. Therefore, it is not necessary to control the driving of the rollers 31 and 32.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing a state in which the first movable unit 3 and the second movable unit 4 advance and retreat (slide) as the first conveyor 20 and the second conveyor 30 advance and retreat. In FIG. 4, the movement in the left direction is appropriately referred to as “forward”, and the movement in the right direction is appropriately referred to as “reverse”.
First, in the initial position, the support member 6 is positioned at the right end of the first conveyor 20, the fixing member 8 is positioned at the left end of the first conveyor 20, and the attachment member 35 is positioned at the right end of the second conveyor 30. The position at this time is used as a reference (FIG. 4A).
Next, the first conveyor 20 is driven so that the lower portion of the first belt 23 advances to the left by L / 2 (FIG. 4B). At this time, the support member 6 and the first movable portion 3 advance by L / 2 as the lower portion of the first belt 23 advances. On the other hand, since the upper part of the first belt 23 is retracted to the right by L / 2, the fixing member 8 is also retracted by L / 2. However, as the lower part of the first belt 23 advances, the first movable part 3 fixed by the fixed member 8 advances L / 2, so that the upper side of the second belt 33 moves from the original position to L (first movable part). Will move to the left by 2 times the travel distance of 3). Accordingly, the attachment member 35 (and the second movable portion 4) fixed to the upper portion of the second belt 33 moves forward by L.

That is, when the first belt 23 is driven by L / 2, the first movable portion 3 moves forward by L / 2, and the second movable portion 4 moves to the first by moving the second belt 33 forward and backward by L. Since the movable part 3 moves forward relatively by L, the second movable part 4 moves forward by 3 / 2L (L / 2 + L) with respect to the fixed part 2. When the first belt 23 is further driven by the drive amount L, the second movable portion 4 moves forward by 3L relative to the fixed portion 2 by the same discussion as above (FIG. 4C).
In this way, the uppermost second movable portion has a movement (conveyance) amount that is three times the feed amount (drive amount) L of the first conveyor, by simply placing the two movable portions on the fixed portion. can get.

  Moreover, in this invention, you may fix the fixing | fixed part of another conveying apparatus which concerns on this invention on the upper surface of a 2nd movable part. In this way, the transfer device on the second movable portion of the lower transfer device also generates a movement amount of three times the feed amount L of the first conveyor in the second movable portion, so that the total movement is six times. Amount can be produced. Further, three or more transfer devices may be stacked.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and extends to various modifications and equivalents included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It is a perspective view of a production line including a conveyance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the structure of the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which follows the III-III line of FIG. It is process drawing which shows the state which a 1st movable part and a 2nd movable part slide.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Fixed part 3 1st movable part 4 2nd movable part 6 Support member 20 1st conveyor 21, 22 Roller 23 1st belt 30 2nd conveyor 31, 32 Roller 33 2nd belt 50 Conveyance apparatus 100 Conveyed material (glass substrate)

Claims (2)

A fixed part having a first conveyor formed by winding a first belt between a pair of rollers on the upper surface;
A support member fixed to the lower portion of the first belt and extending upward from the first belt;
A first movable part supported by the support member and disposed above the fixed part, and having a second conveyor formed on a top surface by a second belt wound between a pair of rollers;
A second movable part that is fixed to the upper part of the second belt and is disposed above the first movable part, and on which a conveyed product can be placed;
The second belt is parallel to the first belt and faces the upper portion of the first belt, and a part of the facing portions are fixed to each other.
The first movable portion is slidable with respect to the fixed portion along the advance / retreat direction of the first belt, and the second movable portion is the first movable portion along the advance / retreat direction of the second belt. Is slidable against
When the first movable part slides with respect to the fixed part by a distance L, the second movable part slides with respect to the first movable part by a distance of 2L, and the second movable part moves with respect to the fixed part. A transport device that can slide by a distance of 3L. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein a fixed portion of another transport device is fixed on an upper surface of the second movable portion.

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