JP7624699B2 - Adsorption device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an adsorption device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional suction device. This suction device includes an adsorption body. The adsorption body includes a deformable portion. When the deformable portion is in contact with an object to be adsorbed, it is deformed by negative pressure suction in a direction away from the object, i.e., into a concave shape toward the inside of the adsorption body. This creates an enclosed space between the deformed portion and the object that is less pressure than the outside. The suction device is able to adsorb the object by utilizing the difference in pressure between the inside of the enclosed space thus created and the pressure in the outside space.

JP 2015-208801 A

In the case of Patent Document 1, if air enters the sealed space from the outside due to a leak or the like, the pressure difference with the outside space is eliminated, and the adsorption state cannot be maintained.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and the problem to be solved is to provide a suction device that can maintain a good state of being suctioned to the surface to be suctioned.

The adsorption device of the present invention is an adsorption device that adsorbs to an adsorbed surface by a pressure difference,
a case member that defines a space therein that is decompressed lower than an external space, and that defines a plurality of cells that communicate with the space and open to an outer surface;
a sheet member having elasticity and covering an outer surface of the case member and having through holes formed therein at a plurality of positions corresponding to each of the plurality of cells, the through holes penetrating the sheet member in a thickness direction;
a stopper member disposed at a position on the inner side of the outer surface of the case member facing each of the plurality of through holes, the stopper member having a contact surface against which the sheet member can come into contact when the sheet member elastically deforms and enters the cell;
The present invention is characterized by comprising:

When this suction device reduces the pressure in the space inside the case member, the reduced pressure in this space acts on the inner surface (cell side) of the sheet member through multiple cells. Because the sheet member has through holes formed at positions corresponding to each cell, the outer surface side of the sheet member is also reduced in pressure through these through holes. This allows the suction device to reduce the pressure between the underside of the sheet member and the surface to be suctioned, creating a pressure difference with the external space.

In addition, even if air does enter between the outer surface of the sheet member and the surface to be attached, it can be sucked into the space inside the case member through the through holes. As a result, the pressure difference with the external space can be well maintained.

In addition, if excessive air flows through a through-hole or crack on the adsorbed surface in any of the multiple cells, the sheet member will elastically deform due to the pressure difference caused by the inflow of air. The elastically deformed sheet member will enter the cell and abut against the abutment surface of the stopper member. This will block the through-hole, maintaining the reduced pressure state in the space and maintaining the pressure difference between the external space in the other cells. As a result, the pressure difference between the external space in the other cells to which air does not flow can be well maintained.

Therefore, the suction device according to the present invention can maintain a good state of being suctioned to the surface to be suctioned.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a suction device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a suction device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a first schematic diagram showing a state in which the suction device according to the first embodiment is suctioned to a target surface; FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing a state in which the suction device according to the first embodiment is suctioned to a target surface; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a suction device according to a second embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining a suction device according to another embodiment.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described.
In the suction device of the present invention, the opening of the cell may be formed to expand outwardly. In this case, when the sheet member elastically deforms and enters the cell, the stress concentration acting on the bent sheet member by the periphery of the cell opening can be alleviated, and as a result, damage to the sheet member can be suppressed.

In the adsorption device of the present invention, it is preferable that the gap area between the cell and the stopper member is larger than the cross-sectional area of the through hole. In this case, pressure loss from the internal space of the case member to the through hole can be suppressed, so that the pressure of the internal space of the case member can be effectively applied to the through hole. In other words, if the gap area between the cell and the stopper member is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the through hole, the gap between the cell and the stopper member becomes a bottleneck, and the pressure of the internal space of the case member cannot be effectively applied to the through hole. In contrast, by making the gap area between the cell and the stopper member larger than the cross-sectional area of the through hole, the pressure of the internal space can be effectively applied to the through hole.

Next, Examples 1 and 2 embodying the suction device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for convenience, the up-down direction of the suction device shown in each of Figs. 1 to 6 will be defined as the up-down direction and the down-down direction. In other words, the up-down direction of the suction device in the following description refers to the up-down direction in the posture when it is attached to a surface to be suctioned that is parallel to a horizontal plane. However, this does not apply to the orientation of the suction device of the present invention when in use.

In addition, in the following embodiments, a printed wiring board S (hereinafter, simply referred to as board S) is exemplified as the object to be attached. As shown in FIG. 1, board S is thin and is attached with top surface A as the surface to be attached. Through holes T (see FIG. 4) that penetrate from top surface A in the thickness direction of board S can be formed at any position depending on the type, for example.

Example 1
As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the suction device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a case member 10, a sheet member 20, and a stopper member 30. The case member 10 has a bottom wall 10A, a top wall 10B, and a side wall 10C, and forms a space R inside. The case member 10 forms a plurality of cells 11 (three in Fig. 1). Each cell 11 communicates with the space R at the upper part and opens to the outer surface of the case member 10 at the lower part. In the suction device 1, the plurality of cells 11 are arranged not only in the left-right direction shown in Fig. 1, but also in directions perpendicular to the left-right direction and the up-down direction.

The case member 10 has an intake hole 12. The intake hole 12 is connected to a pressure reducing means (not shown) such as a vacuum pump or an ejector. The case member 10 sucks in air from the intake hole 12 within the space R, thereby reducing the pressure of the space R below that of the external space.

In this embodiment, the case member 10 is configured to have a case body 13 and a plate 14. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the case body 13 configures the top wall 10B and the side wall 10C of the case member 10, and the plate 14 configures the bottom wall 10A of the case member 10. The case body 13 and the plate 14 are each made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The case body 13 and the plate 14 have a predetermined rigidity that allows them to maintain their shape even when the space R is depressurized and when the case body 13 and the plate 14 are adsorbed to the adsorbed surface.

The case body 13 is rectangular in plan view and is formed with a concave shape that opens downward. The plate 14 is a plate that is rectangular in plan view and has the same size as the case body 13. The plate 14 is attached to the underside of the case body 13 and closes the opening of the case body 13. The case member 10 forms a space R by combining the case body 13 and the plate 14. A sealing member (not shown) is interposed between the case body 13 and the plate 14 to ensure airtightness.

In the case member 10, the multiple cells 11 are formed in the plate 14 that constitutes the bottom wall 10A. The multiple cells 11 are formed as through holes with a circular cross section that penetrate the plate 14 from top to bottom. The size of each cell 11 is approximately 5 mm in diameter. In addition, in the case member 10, the air intake hole 12 is formed by vertically penetrating the portion of the case body 13 that constitutes the top wall 10B.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the bottom opening 11A of each cell 11 is formed to widen downward (outward). Specifically, the bottom opening 11A of each cell 11 is formed to widen in a tapered shape. The bottom opening 11A is formed to widen in a so-called C-chamfered shape, and the inclination angle of the tapered surface is set to about 45° with respect to the axis of the cell 11.

1 and 3, the sheet member 20 covers the outer surface of the lower wall 10A of the case member 10. The sheet member 20 covers the lower opening 11A of each cell 11 in the portion of the case member 10 where each cell 11 is formed. The sheet member 20 has a predetermined elasticity that allows it to enter the cell 11 by elastic deformation. The sheet member 20 has a plurality of through holes 21. The plurality of through holes 21 are formed in the sheet member 20 in the thickness direction at positions corresponding to each cell 11. In this embodiment, the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20 is an adsorption surface that faces and contacts the adsorbed surface when adsorbing to the adsorbed surface. That is, the adsorption device 1 according to the embodiment 1 adsorbs by bringing the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20 into contact with the upper surface A of the substrate S.

In this embodiment, the sheet member 20 is formed in a substantially rectangular sheet shape having the same size as the planar shape of the case member 10. The sheet member 20 is made of an elastic gel-like polymer material. Examples of gel-like polymer materials include polymer materials composed of hydrocarbons. Specifically, the gel-like polymer material may be a thermoplastic elastomer such as a styrene-based, polyurethane-based, polyester-based, or olefin-based elastomer. The thickness of the sheet member 20 is about 0.5 mm. The through-hole 21 has a diameter of about 1 mm, and is formed with a diameter that is about 0.2 times the inner diameter of the cell 11.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the stopper member 30 is disposed facing the through-hole 21 at a position above (inner side of the case member) the lower surface (outer surface of the case member) of the lower wall 10A of the case member 10. The stopper member 30 has an abutment surface 30A. The abutment surface 30A can be abutted by the sheet member 20 when the sheet member 20 elastically deforms and enters the cell 11.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of stopper members 30 are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of cells 11. Each stopper member 30 covers the corresponding cell 11 from above and is fixed to the inner surface (upper surface) of the bottom wall 10A of the case member 10. Each stopper member 30 is cylindrical and the diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, each stopper member 30 has a head 31 located on the upper side and a leg 32 located on the lower side. The stopper member 30 is attached to the bottom wall 10A of the case member 10 by inserting the leg 32 into the cell 11 and fitting the fitting portion 31A of the head 31 into the upper end of the cell 11.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the head 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the cell 11. A fitting portion 31A is formed at the lower end of the head 31. The fitting portion 31A is formed with a smaller diameter than the upper end portion of the head 31. The head 31 has an inner diameter at the fitting portion 31A that is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the cell 11. The head 31 forms a notch portion 31B. The suction device 1 uses this notch portion 31B to form a gap between the stopper member 30 and the cell 11, ensuring communication between the cell 11 and the space R.

2 and 3, the notch 31B is formed by partially cutting out the lower end of the head 31 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the notch 31B is arranged at four equal positions in the circumferential direction of the head 31, and each is cut out in a fan shape with an angle width of about 45°. The notch 31B allows the suction device 1 of this embodiment to communicate the space in the cell 11 with the space R. The space formed by the notch 31B that communicates the space in the cell 11 with the space R corresponds to the gap between the cell and the stopper member according to the present invention. The cross-sectional area of this gap (gap area) is set to be sufficiently larger than the cross-sectional area of the through hole 21. The notch 31B is formed to have a length approximately twice the axial length of the fitting portion 31A in the axial direction of the stopper member 30.

2 and 3, the leg 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter smaller than both the outer diameter of the head 31 and the inner diameter of the cell 11. Specifically, the outer diameter of the leg 32 is about 3 mm, which is about 0.6 times the inner diameter of the cell 11. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the leg 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the cell 11 is formed to be sufficiently larger than the cross-sectional area of the through hole 21 in the sheet member 20. The leg 32 is provided approximately coaxially with the head 31 and extends downward from the lower end of the head 31. The lower end surface of the leg 32 is the above-mentioned abutment surface 30A.

Next, the operation of the suction device 1 having the above configuration will be described.
3, when the substrate S is adsorbed using the adsorption device 1, first, the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20, which is the adsorption surface of the adsorption device 1, is brought into contact with the upper surface A of the substrate S. Since the sheet member 20 is made of an elastic gel-like polymer material, it easily deforms into a shape that matches the surface shape of the upper surface A of the substrate S, and the airtightness of the space within the cell 11 and, ultimately, the space R communicating therewith can be ensured.

In this state, a vacuum is drawn through the intake hole 12, and the pressure inside the space R is reduced to pressure P1. At this time, the pressure P1 inside the space R acts on the sheet member 20 through each cell 11. Also, since the sheet member 20 has through holes 21 formed at positions corresponding to each cell 11, the pressure P1 inside the space R acts directly on the upper surface A of the substrate S through each cell 11 and the through holes 21. In contrast, the pressure P0, which is the pressure outside the space R, acts on the lower surface of the substrate S, which is the surface opposite to the upper surface A (see FIG. 3). In this way, the suction device 1 can suction the substrate S due to the pressure difference between the pressure P1 inside the space R acting on the upper surface A of the substrate S and the pressure P0 of the external space acting on the surface of the substrate S opposite to the upper surface A.

In addition, by forming the through holes 21, the suction device 1 can maintain a state in which the pressure between the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20, which is the suction surface, and the upper surface A of the substrate S is reduced to pressure P1. For example, if no through holes are formed in the sheet member as in the conventional case, when air enters the sealed space formed between the sheet member and the suctioned surface due to leakage or the like, the pressure difference with the external space decreases and the suction state cannot be maintained. In contrast, the suction device 1 can maintain the pressure difference between the front and back of the substrate S by sucking the air between the upper surface A of the substrate S and the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20 into the space R through the through holes 21, and continuing to suck in the air leaking between the upper surface A of the substrate S and the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20.

In addition, in the adsorption device 1, the sheet member 20 and the stopper member 30 function as a valve mechanism that prevents excessive air from flowing into the space R. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when a through-hole T is located near one of the multiple cells 11, a flow of air flows from the through-hole T through the through-hole 21 and the space in the cell 11 into the space R. At this time, a pressure difference is generated between the lower surface 20A side of the sheet member 20 and the upper surface side of the sheet member 20 facing the lower opening 11A of the cell 11. The sheet member 20 is elastically deformed by this pressure difference and enters the cell 11.

The elastically deformed sheet member 20 then comes into contact with the contact surface 30A of the stopper member 30, blocking the through-hole 21. This prevents air from flowing into the space R, and maintains the reduced pressure in the space R. In this way, the suction device 1 elastically deforms the sheet member 20 in the cell 11 in which the through-hole T is located nearby, blocking the through-hole 21 and avoiding vacuum breakdown in the space R. The suction device 1 then achieves suction of the substrate S in the other cells 11 in which the through-hole T is not located nearby.

When the sheet member 20 elastically deforms and enters the cell 11 in this manner, bending stress acts on the sheet member 20. In the suction device 1, the bottom opening 11A of the cell 11 is formed to expand downward, so that stress concentration acting on the bent sheet member 20 at the periphery of the bottom opening 11A of the cell 11 is alleviated. In addition, the sheet member 20 that has elastically deformed and entered the cell 11 abuts against the abutment surface 30A of the stopper member 30. This prevents the sheet member 20 from deforming excessively any further. In this way, the suction device 1 prevents the sheet member 20 from being damaged by elastic deformation.

In general, through-holes in a board can be formed in different positions and in different numbers depending on the type of board, etc. Whether cracks or the like occur on the board and where they occur vary depending on the individual board. As described above, the suction device 1 can suction various types of boards by preventing air leakage caused by through-holes or cracks using one of the multiple cells 11 while maintaining the suction state using the other cells 11.

As described above, the suction device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a case member 10, a sheet member 20, and a stopper member 30. The case member 10 forms a space R inside. This space R is decompressed lower than the external space. The case member 10 forms a plurality of cells 11. The plurality of cells 11 communicate with the space R and open to the lower surface of the lower wall 10A of the case member 10. The sheet member 20 covers the lower surface of the lower wall 10A of the case member 10 in a manner that allows elastic deformation within the cells 11. The sheet member 20 forms a through hole 21. The through hole 21 penetrates in the thickness direction at a plurality of positions corresponding to each of the plurality of cells 11. The stopper member 30 is disposed facing each through hole 21 at a position on the inner side of the lower surface of the lower wall 10A of the case member 10. The stopper member 30 has an abutment surface 30A. The contact surface 30A is capable of contacting the sheet member 20 when the sheet member 20 elastically deforms and enters the cell 11.

With this configuration, when the suction device 1 reduces the pressure in the space R inside the case member 10, the reduced pressure in this space R acts on the inner side (cell 11 side) of the sheet member 20 through the multiple cells 11. Because the sheet member 20 has through holes 21 formed at positions corresponding to each cell 11, the lower surface 20A side, which is the outer surface side of the sheet member 20, is also reduced in pressure through these through holes 21. This allows the suction device 1 to reduce the pressure between the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20 and the upper surface A of the substrate S, which is the surface to be suctioned, and create a pressure difference with the external space.

In addition, even if air gets between the lower surface 20A of the sheet member 20 and the upper surface A of the substrate S, which is the surface to be attached, it can be sucked into the space R inside the case member 10 through the through holes 21. As a result, the state in which a pressure difference with the external space is generated can be well maintained.

In addition, in a cell 11 where excessive air flow occurs through a through hole T or the like, the sheet member 20 elastically deforms due to the pressure difference caused by the inflow of air, and enters the cell 11 and abuts against the abutment surface 30A of the stopper member 30. This blocks the through hole 21, maintaining the reduced pressure state in the space R, and maintaining the pressure difference between the other cells 11 and the external space. As a result, the pressure difference between the other cells 11 and the external space can be well maintained in the other cells 11 where no air is flowing in.

Therefore, the suction device 1 can maintain a good state of being adsorbed to the surface to be adsorbed.

In addition, in the adsorption device 1, the bottom opening 11A of the cell 11 is formed to expand downward. Therefore, when the sheet member 20 elastically deforms and enters the cell 11, the stress concentration acting on the bent sheet member 20 by the periphery of the bottom opening 11A of the cell 11 can be alleviated. As a result, damage to the sheet member 20 can be suppressed.

In addition, in the adsorption device 1, a notch 31B is formed in the stopper member 30, forming a gap between the cell 11 and the stopper member 30. The area of this gap is larger than the cross-sectional area of the through-hole 21 formed in the sheet member 20. This makes it possible to suppress pressure loss between the space R inside the case member 10 and the through-hole 21, and allows the pressure of the space R to act effectively on the through-hole 21.

Example 2
Next, a suction device 201 according to Example 2 will be described. As shown in Fig. 5, the suction device 201 differs from Example 1 in that it includes a suction surface unit 50 in addition to the configuration of the suction device 1 of Example 1. In the following description, the same components as those in Example 1 are given the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The suction surface portion 50 covers the sheet member 20. Specifically, the suction surface portion 50 covers the lower surface 20A, which is the surface of the sheet member 20 opposite to the surface covering the outer surface of the case member 10. The suction surface portion 50 has a plurality of through holes 51 formed therein. The plurality of through holes 51 are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of through holes 21 formed in the sheet member 20, penetrating the suction surface portion 50 in the thickness direction. The through holes 51 communicate with the through holes 21 of the sheet member 20. As a result, the space R51 inside the through holes 51 communicates with the space R inside the case member 10 through the through holes 21 and the space inside the cell 11. The suction surface portion can be, for example, an elastic body made of elastomer or the like. In this case, it is advantageous in terms of adhesion to the surface to be suctioned. The suction surface portion may also be made of a resin or metal that is harder than the elastomer. It is preferable that the suction surface portion has a strength that does not collapse due to reduced pressure.

The suction device 201 suctions by contacting the lower surface 50A of the suction surface portion 50 with the upper surface A of the substrate S. That is, the suction surface of the suction device 201 is the lower surface 50A of the suction surface portion 50. The suction device 201 contacts the lower surface 50A of the suction surface portion 50 with the upper surface A of the substrate S, and in this state reduces the pressure of the space R inside the case member 10, thereby reducing the pressure of the space R51 inside the through hole 51, and applies the reduced pressure to the upper surface A of the substrate S.

The suction device 201 having the above-described configuration exerts the same effects as the suction device 1 of the first embodiment.
In addition, since the suction device 201 suctions the upper surface A of the substrate S using the lower surface 50A of the suction surface portion 50 as the suction surface, an suction force corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the through-hole 51 acts on the upper surface A of the substrate S. Meanwhile, when excessive air is about to flow into the space R, the sheet member 20 functions as a valve mechanism for maintaining the reduced pressure state in the space R, similar to the first embodiment. In this way, the suction device 201 can obtain a desired amount of suction force by arbitrarily setting the cross-sectional area of the through-hole 51, while enjoying the function of the valve mechanism provided by the sheet member 20 and the stopper member 30.

The present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, and the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The surface to be attracted by the suction device is not limited to the upper surface of the substrate exemplified in each of the above embodiments. As long as the surface to be attracted according to the present invention can be attracted by a pressure difference, there is no particular restriction on its direction, size, type of product formed thereon, etc.
(2) The size, shape, material, etc. of the case member are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments.
(3) The number, size, cross-sectional shape, arrangement, etc. of the cells are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments. It is not essential that the opening of the cell be expanded outward. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the cell 211 may be expanded on the space R side. That is, the cell 211 may open smaller on the outer surface side of the case member than the opening on the space R side. In this case, the amount of entry of the sheet member into the cell when it elastically deforms can be freely set according to the size of the opening while ensuring the volume inside the cell.
(4) The shape, thickness, material, etc. of the sheet member are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments.
(5) The configuration, shape, size, etc. of the stopper member are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments. For example, the stopper member may be disposed on the inner side of the space from the cell. It is not essential that the stopper member is provided individually for each of the plurality of cells, and for example, the stopper member may be provided integrally with the plurality of cells.
(6) In the case where the opening of the cell is formed by expanding, the shape of the expansion may be, for example, a so-called tapered shape, a R-chamfered shape, or the like, which is a continuous expansion shape, or a stepped expansion shape, such as a countersink shape, or the like.

1, 201... Adsorption device 10... Case member 11, 211... Cell 11A... Bottom opening of cell (cell opening)
20: Sheet member 20A: Lower surface of sheet member 21: Through hole 30: Stopper member 30A: Contact surface A: Upper surface of substrate (adsorbed surface)
R: Space inside the case member

Claims (3)

An adsorption device that adsorbs to an adsorbed surface by pressure difference,
a case member that defines a space therein that is decompressed lower than an external space, and that defines a plurality of cells that communicate with the space and open to an outer surface;
a sheet member having elasticity and covering an outer surface of the case member and having through holes formed therein at a plurality of positions corresponding to each of the plurality of cells, the through holes penetrating the sheet member in a thickness direction;
a stopper member disposed at a position on the inner side of the outer surface of the case member facing each of the plurality of through holes, the stopper member having a contact surface against which the sheet member can come into contact when the sheet member elastically deforms and enters the cell;
Equipped with
the stopper member is attached to the case member while forming a gap between the stopper member and the cell ,
An adsorption device , wherein the openings of the cells are formed so as to expand outward . An adsorption device that adsorbs to an adsorbed surface by pressure difference,
a case member that defines a space therein that is decompressed lower than an external space, and that defines a plurality of cells that communicate with the space and open to an outer surface;
a sheet member having elasticity and covering an outer surface of the case member and having through holes formed therein at a plurality of positions corresponding to each of the plurality of cells, the through holes penetrating the sheet member in a thickness direction;
a stopper member disposed at a position on the inner side of the outer surface of the case member facing each of the plurality of through holes, the stopper member having a contact surface against which the sheet member can come into contact when the sheet member elastically deforms and enters the cell;
Equipped with
A suction device, characterized in that a cross -sectional area of a gap between the cell and the stopper member is larger than a cross-sectional area of the through hole. 3. The adsorption device according to claim 2, wherein the openings of the cells are formed so as to expand outward.

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