JP2002167034A - Tray storing device for work - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of part items to lower the cost of a tray storing device for work. SOLUTION: A tray carrying means 50 is provided in a movable arm (Y-axis arm 12) of an X-Y carrying means 10 for carrying the works.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for accommodating a work such as a liquid crystal panel in a tray by XY conveyance means, and more particularly, to installing a next empty tray when the tray is full. The present invention relates to a work tray storage device provided with a tray transfer unit for transferring a work to a work unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tray is often used when a predetermined number of works are collectively conveyed to, for example, the next process. FIG.
Fig. 2 shows an example of automatic storage of a work in a tray.
In this example, the work is a relatively small liquid crystal panel.

This automatic storage device comprises an X-axis arm 11 and a Y-axis arm 1
2 is provided. That is,
A Y-axis arm 12 is supported on the X-axis arm 11 so as to be movable along the X-axis direction, and a work holder 13 made of, for example, a vacuum pad is attached to the Y-axis arm 12.

The work holder 13 can be moved in the Y-axis direction via a slider 131, and can also be moved up and down in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) by an elevating means 132 such as an air cylinder. A tray installation unit 20 is provided at a predetermined position within the movable range of the XY transport unit 10, and a tray transport unit (not shown) is moved from an empty tray stock unit 30 provided outside the movable range of the XY transport unit 10. By tray T
Are transported one by one to the tray installation unit 20.

[0005] When a liquid crystal panel P subjected to, for example, a printing process is sent from the conveyor line 40, the XY transfer means 10 picks up the liquid crystal panel P by moving the work holder 13 to the take-out position of the conveyor line 40. Then, the sheet is transported to the tray installation section 20 and stored in an empty section of the tray T.

The transport control by the XY transport means 10 is executed by a computer program, and the empty sections of the tray T are sequentially filled with the liquid crystal panel P. Tray T
Is full, the next empty tray T is transported from the empty tray stock unit 30 to the tray installation unit 20 by tray transport means (not shown).

[0007]

In this way, the liquid crystal panel P as a work is automatically stored in the tray T. Conventionally, the work is transported by the XY transport means 10, Tray setting part 20 of empty tray T
For example, P & P different from the XY conveyance means 10
(Pick and place) unit is carried out by tray transport means called a unit.

[0008] Therefore, since two transfer means dedicated to a work and a tray are required, the number of parts is large, the configuration is complicated, and the equipment cost is considerably high. Will be reflected. Further, the computer program for the transport control must be created in consideration of the matching between the workpiece transport and the tray transport, and must be separately installed, which also causes a cost increase.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an X-axis arm, a Y-axis arm movable along the X-axis arm and one side of the Y-axis arm. XY transfer means including a work holder which is movable and can move up and down in the Z-axis direction, and a tray is transferred from an empty tray stock part to a tray installation part which is installed within the movable range of the XY transfer means. A tray transporter, wherein the workpiece sent from the workpiece transporter is picked up by a workpiece holder of the XY transporter and stored in a tray of the tray installation section. The transfer means is supported on the other side of the Y-axis arm opposite to the workpiece holder.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the tray transport means includes a tray holder that can move along the other side surface of the Y-axis arm and move up and down in the Z-axis direction. Further, for a tray or a work, it is preferable that the tray holder and the work holder are negative pressure suction pads (vacuum pads).

[0011]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components which are the same as or are regarded as the same as those of the conventional device of FIG. 2 described above.

This embodiment also includes an XY transfer means 10 for transferring a work. That is, X
A Y-axis arm 12 is supported movably along the X-axis direction with respect to the axis arm 11, and a work holder 13 made of a vacuum pad
Are provided so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction via a slider 131 and to be able to move up and down in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) by means of an elevating means 132 such as an air cylinder.

A tray installation section 20 is provided at a predetermined position within the movable range of the XY transport means 10, and is provided outside the movable range of the work transport means 10 with respect to the tray installation section 20. The tray T is appropriately brought in from the empty tray stock unit 30.

According to the present invention, the tray conveying means 50 is provided.
Are incorporated in the XY transport means 10. In this embodiment, the tray carrying means 50 includes a frame 51 having a substantially H shape, and a tray holder 52 made of a vacuum pad like the work holder 13 is attached to the four corners.

The frame 51 is supported on the other side surface (the side surface opposite to the work holder 13) of the Y-axis arm 12 via a slider 511 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction in a state parallel to the XY plane. In addition, it can be moved up and down in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) by elevating means 512 such as an air cylinder.

That is, the tray conveying means 50 can be moved in any of the X, Y, and Z directions similarly to the work holder 13, but when the Y-axis arm 12 is moved toward the empty tray stock unit 30 side, the empty state is reached. It is arranged on the tray stock unit 30.

When a liquid crystal panel P, for example, subjected to a printing process, is sent from the conveyor line 40, the XY transport means 10 moves the work holder 13 to the take-out position of the conveyor line 40 as in the above-described conventional apparatus. At the same time, the liquid crystal panel P is picked up and transported to the tray installation section 20,
The tray T is stored in an empty section of the tray T, but during this operation, the tray transporting means 50 is held at a height such that it does not hit the tray T stacked on the tray installation part 20.

When the uppermost tray T of the tray installation section 20 is full, the movement of the Y-axis arm 12 moves the tray transport means 50 onto the empty tray stock section 30. Then, the empty tray T is lowered by the lifting / lowering means 512 to pick up the empty tray T by the tray holder 52, and is again raised to a predetermined height. Stack them on the installation unit 20.

As described above, according to the present invention, the XY transfer means 10 can be provided without separately providing a tray transfer means.
The empty tray T of the empty tray stock unit 30 can be carried into the tray setting unit 20 by a series of operations described in (1).

In the above embodiment, the tray transport means 50 is movable in the Y-axis direction. However, if the positional relationship between the empty tray stock section 30 and the tray transport means 50 is predetermined, the tray transport means 50 can be moved. Transfer means 50
It is possible to move up and down only in the axial direction, and it is not always necessary to move in the Y-axis direction.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing the tray transfer means on the movable arm (Y-axis arm) of the XY transfer means for transferring the work, the configuration can be simplified and the apparatus cost can be reduced. In addition, the operation control program may be configured by adding a tray transfer program to a part of the work transfer program, thereby reducing the design load.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a conventional apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 XY conveyance means 11 X-axis arm 12 Y-axis arm 13 Work holder 131 Slider 132 Elevation means 20 Tray installation part 30 Empty tray stock part 40 Conveyor line 50 Tray conveyance means 51 Frame 511 Slider 512 Elevation means 52 Tray holder P LCD panel T tray

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3E054 AA02 CA08 DC03 DC12 EA03 FA05 GA01 GB01 GC03 HA04 HA07 JA02 3F072 AA09 AA14 GD01 GE09 GG04 KD03 KD12 KD22 KD30 5F031 CA05 DA05 FA03 FA15 GA25

Claims (3)

[Claims] An X-axis arm, a Y-axis arm movable along the X-axis arm, and a work holder movable along one side surface of the Y-axis arm and capable of moving up and down in the Z-axis direction. -Y transport means, and a tray transport means for transporting the tray from the empty tray stock section to a tray installation section installed within the movable range of the XY transport means, wherein the work sent from the workpiece transport means is provided. In the tray storage device for a workpiece that picks up the workpiece by the work holder of the XY transfer means and stores it in the tray of the tray installation section, the tray transfer means is on the side of the Y-axis arm opposite to the work holder. A work tray storage device supported on the other side surface. 2. The work tray storage device according to claim 1, wherein the tray transport means includes a tray holder that can move along the other side surface of the Y-axis arm and move up and down in the Z-axis direction. . 3. The work tray storage device according to claim 2, wherein the tray holder and the work holder are formed of a negative pressure suction pad.