JP2003321119A - Floating equipment for floating flat panel by relatively high pressure zone between plate and flat panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce high running cost of the panel non-contact sheet conveying system by lowering the cost of the panel floating equipment, which constitutes most of the system, and by reducing consumption of gas, such as clean air, and fluid so as to solve the problem that if a panel is carried in a cassette during the production process as before, the panel sags under the weight of the panel. <P>SOLUTION: A surface plate unit, which constitues part of a pressure room which discharges gas and liquid, has porous material smaller than the surface plate unit in terms of gross area. This floating device floats the flat panel using relatively higher pressure zone than outside between the surface plate unit with the porous material and the flat panel by discharging gas and liquid from inexpensive and compact porous material which requires relatively less frequent processes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a floating device for non-contact transport of flat panels such as liquid crystals and plasma display panels. In the production of the panel, the panel is enlarged in order to increase the production efficiency of the product, and it is becoming difficult to transport the panel in a cassette as in the related art due to the deflection of the panel itself. Is desired. The panel needs to be conveyed without contact except for the edge of the panel due to the quality of production. From the porous material for transporting other than the edge of the panel in a non-contact manner, from the porous material, the panel is levitated by ejecting a gas such as air, and the conveyed panel supporting the edge of the panel is used to lift the panel. Can be transported. A floating device made of a porous material for floating the panel can be used for gas or liquid, and furthermore, the amount of gas or liquid to be consumed is minimized, and the floating height of the panel from the surface plate portion can be freely adjusted. It is a floating device characterized by being settable. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a method for ejecting air or water from a porous material such as ceramics to float a panel for transportation in a clean room. However, in the conventional method using a porous material, the gas or liquid is ejected from the entire surface of the porous material constituting the pressure chamber, and a large amount of air or water is ejected to float a panel such as a liquid crystal. In addition, a large-capacity compressor was required, and the amount of clean air and pure water consumed thereby was economically disadvantageous. There is also a method in which a large number of small holes are formed in a metal plate and air is blown out of those holes to float the panel. However, this method also has a difficulty in maintaining the cleanliness of the room because the flow velocity of the jetted air for floating the panel is high and the laminar flow in the clean room is disturbed. In addition, since expensive machining is required to process the air ejection plate, there is also an economic disadvantage that the cost is high. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In order to levitate and convey a panel such as a liquid crystal panel, it is necessary that the price and running cost of a levitating device occupying a main part thereof become economical. In order to lower the running cost by lowering the unit price of the floating equipment and reducing the amount of gas or liquid to be consumed, a method in which a small amount of gas or liquid is ejected from the porous material to efficiently use the gas or liquid. Is valid. According to the present invention, the panel is levitated by maintaining a relatively high pressure range from the outside with a small amount of gas or liquid consumption between the panel to be levitated and the plate incorporating the porous material. [Means for Solving the Problems] A pressure chamber (4) for storing gas and liquid sent from a transport pipe (6) at a constant pressure is provided. One or more porous materials (3, 3 ') having a total surface area smaller than the total surface area of the surface plate portion on the surface plate portion (2) constituting one surface of the pressure chamber are flush with the plate surface. Alternatively, it is provided on the same surface or lower. The size and shape of the porous material in the surface plate portion (2), the number and the individual surface area of the porous material, and the ejection amount of gas or liquid are set according to the following conditions. 1) Dimensions and weight of a flat panel such as a liquid crystal to be floated 2) Floating dimensions of the panel from the surface of the plate portion (2) The present invention is a flat panel floating device having the above configuration. [Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Gas or liquid is supplied from the transport pipe (6) so that the pressure in the pressure chamber (4) becomes constant to float a flat panel such as a liquid crystal. The gas or liquid blows out of the pressure chamber through the porous material (3, 3 ′) provided in the surface plate portion (2) on the surface of the pressure chamber (4). Where the panel is located above the levitation device (10), the gas or liquid ejected is diffused by the panel to the outside of the surface plate portion (2). A relatively high pressure region (5) is formed between the entire surface and the panel portion than the gas or liquid outside the surface plate portion (2). The panel is levitated by the relatively high pressure zone.
At the time of transporting the panel, the levitation devices are arranged along a driving conveyor, and the panel is floated by the levitation device, and the conveyor keeps non-contact portions other than the end face of the panel by the conveyor. Can be transported. [Effects of the Invention] The present invention is structured as described above. The flat panel such as a liquid crystal is made horizontal, the floating devices are continuously arranged and floated, and both end faces of the panel are received by a conveyor and conveyed. Or, it is possible to carry out non-contact transportation other than the end face of the panel, such as lifting the panel with the levitation device in an obliquely vertical state and carrying the panel in an oblique state with the bottom surface of the panel placed on a conveyor. Become. Since the panels are becoming larger and larger in order to reduce the manufacturing cost, it is becoming difficult to transport the panels in a cassette as in the past because of the bending of the panels themselves during the manufacturing process. Single-sheet non-contact conveyance of panels using the levitation device of the present invention, which realizes lower installation costs and lower running costs than in the past, meets the needs of the times.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a surface panel portion of a floating device. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a floating device. [Description of References] 1 flat panel 2 surface plate portion 3, 3 ′ porous material 4 pressure chamber 5 Relative high pressure area 6 Transport pipe 10 Levitation equipment

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. At the time of floating a flat panel such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display, one or more porous materials are smaller in total value than the surface area of a plate, and are flush with the plate surface or below the same surface. Said plate comprising a material,
A pressure chamber that constitutes one surface for the plate to levitate the panel; in which a gas or a liquid is ejected from the porous material, and between the plate and the panel surrounding the porous material, an external A panel flotation device, wherein the panel is levitated by creating a pressure region relatively higher than a gas or a liquid.