JP2023035431A - Holding mechanism and processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to prevent dust from adhering to a sucker of a holding mechanism that is arranged in a processing apparatus and sucks and holds a plate-shaped work. A holding mechanism (24) for sucking and holding a plate-like work, which has a suction cup (245) having a suction port (240) communicating with a suction source (240) at the center, and water is supplied from the suction port (240) with the suction port (240) facing upward. A water ejection mechanism 29 for ejecting water is provided, and water is ejected from a suction port 240 when the plate-like work is not held to prevent dust from adhering to the portion of the suction cup 245 that contacts the plate-like work, or the suction cup. A holding mechanism 24 for removing dust adhering to the portion of 245 in contact with the plate-like work. [Selection drawing] Fig. 3

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a holding mechanism that sucks and holds a plate-shaped work, and a processing apparatus that includes the holding mechanism.

An apparatus for grinding a plate-like work with a grinding wheel, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200010, sucks and holds the upper surface of the plate-like work with a first holding pad and carries the plate-like work into a chuck table. Further, the ground plate-shaped work is washed while being held on the chuck table, and then the upper surface is suction-held by the second holding pad and carried out from the chuck table.

JP 2021-077763 A

The first holding pad and the second holding pad for sucking and holding the upper surface of the plate-like work in this way are provided with a plurality of suction cups. A processing apparatus such as a grinding apparatus includes a temporary placement mechanism for temporarily placing a plate-shaped work. This temporary placement mechanism may be a table or may have a configuration in which a plurality of suction cups are arranged.

When dust adheres to the first holding pad or the suction cup arranged in the temporary placement mechanism, the dust adheres to the lower surface of the plate-like work, and the dust is interposed between the chuck table and the plate-like work, resulting in grinding. There is a problem that the plate-like work that has been covered with dust is thinner than the other parts.

Therefore, when grinding a plate-like work using a grinding device, for example, there is a problem of preventing dust from adhering to the suction cups of the holding pad and the suction cups of the temporary placement mechanism.

The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a holding mechanism for sucking and holding a plate-like work, which has a suction cup having a suction port communicating with a suction source at its center, wherein the suction port is directed upward. Equipped with a water ejection mechanism for ejecting water from the mouth, and when the plate-shaped work is not held, water is ejected from the suction port to prevent dust from adhering to the part of the suction cup that contacts the plate-shaped work. Alternatively, it is a holding mechanism that removes dust adhering to the portion of the suction cup that is in contact with the plate-shaped work.
For example, it is preferable that the water ejecting mechanism has a disc arranged in the center of the sucker, and the disc ejects water radially from the center of the sucker toward the outer periphery.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a chuck table for holding a plate-like work, a processing mechanism for processing the plate-like work held on the chuck table, and a holding pad for sucking and holding the upper surface of the plate-like work. and a conveying mechanism for conveying a plate-like work held by the holding pad, the conveying mechanism having an inversion mechanism for vertically inverting the suction surface of the holding pad, wherein the holding pad includes the holding mechanism. It is a processing device.

The holding mechanism according to the present invention ejects water from the suction port facing upward when the suction cup does not hold the plate-shaped work, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the portion of the suction cup that contacts the plate-shaped work. Alternatively, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the plate-shaped work from the suction cup by removing the dust adhering to the portion of the suction cup that is in contact with the plate-shaped work.
In addition, the water ejecting mechanism can radially eject water from the center of the suction cup toward the outer periphery by arranging the disk in the center of the suction cup.

In the processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the plate-shaped work from the suction cups by providing the holding pad with the holding mechanism. In addition, since the number of other independent cleaning mechanisms (for example, the cleaning mechanism for cleaning the holding pad) can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the size of the processing apparatus.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of a processing apparatus (grinding apparatus). It is a perspective view explaining the structure of a temporary placement mechanism provided with a holding mechanism. It is a perspective view explaining the suction cup which comprises a holding|maintenance mechanism, and a water ejection mechanism. FIG. 4A is a plan view for explaining the suction cups and the water ejection mechanism that constitute the holding mechanism. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view for explaining the suction cups and the water ejection mechanism that constitute the holding mechanism. It is a perspective view explaining the structure of a holding pad provided with a holding mechanism. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of water ejected from a suction cup by a water ejecting mechanism;

A processing apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as a grinding apparatus 1) shown in FIG. 1 thins a plate-like workpiece 90 held on a chuck table 18 to a desired thickness by a rough grinding mechanism 30 and a finish grinding mechanism 31. It is a device.
The grinding device 1 is configured, for example, by connecting a second device base 11 to the rear (+Y direction side) of the first device base 10 . Above the first device base 10 is a loading/unloading area where the plate-like work 90 is loaded/unloaded. The second device base 11 is a grinding area where a plate-like workpiece 90 held by a chuck table 18 is ground by a rough grinding mechanism 30 and a finish grinding mechanism 31 .

The plate-like work 90 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a board having a rectangular outer shape (for example, a PCB board), and an upper surface 900 of the plate-like work 90 is the surface to be ground. The plate-like workpiece 90 may be a circular silicon semiconductor wafer, or may be a metal substrate or the like.

A cassette stage 150 and a stocker stage 151 are arranged side by side in the X-axis direction on the front side (−Y direction side) of the first device base 10 . A cassette 153 containing plate-like workpieces 90 before processing is placed on the cassette stage 150 . A plurality of similar cassettes 153 containing plate-shaped works 90 before processing can be placed on the stocker stage 151 . Also, a similar cassette 153 that accommodates the plate-like workpiece 90 after processing may be placed on the stocker stage 151 . The cassette 153 has a plurality of stages (shelves) capable of accommodating a plurality of plate-shaped works 90, and one plate-shaped work 90 is accommodated in each stage.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, on the upper surface of the stocker stage 151, for example, four detachable adapter plates 154 interposed between the cassette 153 and the cassette 153 are arranged so as to line up in the X-axis direction. A cassette 153 can be fixed on the upper surface of the adapter plate 154 .

A set of, for example, three plate positioning pins 156 are arranged on the upper surface of the stocker stage 151 to properly position the adapter plate 154 on the stocker stage 151 . Positioning is performed by inserting the plate positioning pin 156 into the lower surface of the adapter plate 154 . An adapter plate 154 and plate positioning pins 156 are also provided on the cassette stage 150 .

The cassette 153 has openings on both sides facing the Y-axis direction. A robot 155 is arranged so as to face the opening on the +Y direction side. The robot 155 carries (stores) the plate-shaped work 90 after processing into a cassette 153 (not shown) for storing processed work. The robot 155 has a robot hand capable of sucking and holding the plate-shaped workpiece 90, and the robot hand can move up and down in the Z-axis direction, turn in a horizontal plane (within the X-axis and Y-axis plane), and move linearly in the X-axis direction. Equipped with an articulated arm. Note that the plate-shaped work 90 after processing may be stored in an empty shelf of the cassette 153 where the plate-shaped work 90 before processing shown in FIG. 1 was stored.

As shown in FIG. 1, the grinding apparatus 1 is provided with a cassette transfer space 108 indicated by a dashed line above the stocker stage 151 and the cassette stage 150 . The cassette transporting space 108 is provided with a cassette transporting mechanism 6 for transporting a cassette 153 containing a plate-shaped workpiece 90 before processing and placed on a stocker stage 151 via an adapter plate 154 to the cassette stage 150 . It is

The cassette transport mechanism 6 includes a support unit 61 that supports an adapter plate 154 on which a cassette 153 is placed, an X-axis moving section 62 that moves the support unit 61 between the stocker stage 151 and the cassette stage 150 in the X-axis direction, and a Z-axis moving portion 63 arranged on the X-axis moving portion 62 .

The X-axis moving part 62 is a movable plate in which an internal nut is screwed into the ball screw 621 by rotating a ball screw 621 attached to a housing plate 629 fixed in the cassette transfer space 108 by a motor 620, for example. The support unit 61 arranged at 622 via the Z-axis moving part 63 is reciprocated in the X-axis direction.

The Z-axis moving part 63 provided on the movable plate 622 is attached to the movable plate 632 in which the nut inside the ball screw 631 is screwed by rotating the ball screw 631 extending in the Z-axis direction by the motor 630 . The supporting unit 61 is reciprocated in the Z-axis direction.

The support unit 61 includes an arm portion 611 whose rear end side is fixed on a movable plate 632, a top plate 612 connected to the lower surface of the tip of the arm portion 611 on the -Y direction side, and a top plate 612 penetrating the top plate. 612 and four support posts 613 depending therefrom.

The lower end sides of the four support columns 613 hanging down in the Z-axis direction are bent toward the inside of the top plate 612 in an L shape. The support column 613 is arranged at a position where the L-shaped lower end can be simultaneously fitted into four fitting grooves 157 formed on the outer periphery of the adapter plate 154 .

The robot 155 takes out the plate-like work 90 before processing from the cassette 153 and conveys it to the temporary placement mechanism 2 for temporarily placing the plate-like work 90 shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a portal bridge 20 is erected on the first device base 10 so as to form a space below which the robot 155 can move. A temporary placement table moving mechanism 21 such as an electric slider is arranged on the upper surface of the portal bridge 20 .

A table tub 25 is arranged on the upper surface of the slide plate 211 of the temporary placement table moving mechanism 21, and a plate-like work 90 carried out from the cassette 153 by the robot 155 is temporarily placed in the table tub 25. A temporary placement table 23 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, a discharge port 250 is formed through the bottom of the table tub 25 in the thickness direction. A drain hose 256 that does not hinder the movement of the fluid is communicated via a joint or the like. The lower end side of the drain hose 256 communicates with a drain tank or the like (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the temporary placement table 23 of the temporary placement mechanism 2 includes a circular plate-shaped base 230 in plan view. Further, the temporary placement table 23 is provided with a holding mechanism 24 which has, for example, a plurality of suction cups 245 having a suction port 240 (see FIG. 3) communicating with a suction source 249 in the center, and which sucks and holds the plate-like workpiece 90 . there is

A plurality of suction cups 245 are arranged vertically and horizontally at regular intervals on the flat upper surface of the base 230 .
The suction cup 245 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is formed by forming an elastic material such as deformable rubber into a circular shape in plan view. It has a middle stage portion 247 which is erected so as to increase in diameter, and a mortar-shaped flange portion 248 which gradually increases in diameter from the outer peripheral region of the middle stage portion 247 and comes into contact with the plate-like workpiece 90 .
The collar portion 248 is made of an elastic material, and deforms following the plate-like work 90 so that the entire periphery of the ring-shaped tip comes into contact with the plate-like work 90 .

As shown in FIG. 4B, the suction port 240 formed through the center of the suction cup 245 in the Z-axis direction includes a circular opening 241 having the largest diameter in the flange portion 248 and a circular flange in a middle step portion 247. It is composed of a support port 242 and a circular through-hole 243 in a suction cup base 246 .

The holding mechanism 24 arranged on the temporary placement table 23 includes a water ejection mechanism 29 that ejects water from the suction port 240 of the suction cup 245 with the suction port 240 facing upward. The mechanism 29 arranges a disk 298 in the center of the suction cup 245, and the disk 298 ejects water radially from the center of the suction cup 245 toward the outer periphery.

A specific structure of the water ejection mechanism 29 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 4B, a substantially cylindrical joint 292 is inserted into the suction port 240 . The joint 292 includes a cylindrical joint base 294, a flange portion 295 whose diameter is expanded radially outward from the upper end of the joint base 294, and a plurality of joints erected on the upper surface of the flange portion 295 at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. (eg, four) support posts 296 . The lower surface of one disk 298 is connected to the upper end surfaces of the plurality of support columns 296 . For example, if the distance L1 in the Z-axis direction between the height position of the upper end of the flange portion 248 and the height position of the upper surface of the disk 298 is set to 1.5 mm to 2 mm, the upper surface of the disk 298 also has It is preferable because it is possible to allow water to reach efficiently.

The joint base 294 is inserted into the through hole 243 shown in FIG. are placed. The disk 298 has a diameter smaller than that of the flange support opening 242 of the middle step portion 247 , and an annular gap is formed between the flange support opening 242 and the outer periphery of the disk 298 .

A joint 292 arranged at each suction port 240 of each suction cup 245 has flexibility via flow paths formed in, for example, the base 230, the table tub 25, and the slide plate 211 shown in FIG. A suction pipe 244 made of a resin tube or the like that does not hinder the movement of the slide plate 211 is in communication.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upstream side of the suction pipe 244 is branched into two branches, and a water jetting mechanism 29 is formed in one of the branch pipes, and a water source 299 composed of a pump or the like is connected via a water supply valve. are in communication. One of the branch pipes communicates with a suction source 249 such as an ejector or a vacuum generator via an air suction valve. The temporary placement table 23 of the temporary placement mechanism 2 shown in FIG. 2 holds the lower surfaces 901 of the two plate-shaped works 90 (see FIG. 1) on the holding mechanism 24, for example, in FIG. Two holding surfaces are arranged, which are composed of upper surfaces of a plurality of suction cups 245 each of which consists of 21 suction cups. After the air suction valve is opened, the suction force generated by the suction source 249 passes through the joint 292 shown in FIG. The circular opening 241 in the flange portion 248 made of a member is reached, and the temporary placement table 23 is divided into two while the entire circumference of the ring-shaped upper end of the flange portion 248 is deformed following the lower surface 901 of the plate-shaped work 90. The plate-shaped workpiece 90 can be held by suction without vacuum leak.

A single-wafer spinner cleaning unit 159 for cleaning the plate-like workpiece 90 after processing is disposed within the movable range of the robot 155 below the portal bridge 20 shown in FIG. The spinner cleaning unit 159 rotates the spinner table in a state where the lower surface 901 side of the plate-like work 90 is suction-held by the spinner table that is circular in plan view, and cleansing water is supplied from a swirling cleaning nozzle above the plate-like work 90 . The upper surface 900 of the plate-shaped workpiece 90 is cleaned while being sprayed onto the upper surface 900 to be ground.
The plate-like work 90 cleaned by the spinner cleaning unit 159 is carried by the robot 155 to the cassette 153 placed on the second stocker stage 151, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the second apparatus base 11, two chuck tables 18 are capable of reciprocating in the Y-axis direction, and are positioned below the rough grinding mechanism 30 and the finish grinding mechanism 31, respectively. and a position near the temporary placement mechanism 2. The chuck table 18 is surrounded by a cover 111, and is operated by an electric slider or the like (not shown) provided under the cover 111 and a bellows cover 113 connected to the cover 111 and extending and contracting in the Y-axis direction. It can reciprocate on the base 11 in the Y-axis direction. In addition, the chuck table 18 can be rotated about a rotation axis whose axial direction is the Z-axis direction by a table rotating mechanism (not shown) disposed below.

The chuck table 18 that holds the plate-like work 90 has, for example, a circular outer shape, and has two rectangular holding surfaces 180 formed to match the rectangular plate-like work 90 with suction holes formed on the upper surface. there is A suction source (not shown) communicates with the holding surface 180 . Then, the lower surface 901 side of the plate-like workpiece 90 can be sucked and held by the holding surface 180 to which the suction force is transmitted from the suction source. The chuck table 18 can suck and hold, for example, two plate-like workpieces 90 at a time, but it may be capable of sucking and holding four or more workpieces 90 at a time. It may be.

The grinding apparatus 1 includes a transfer mechanism 7 that has a reversing mechanism 77 that reverses the upper and lower surfaces of the holding pad 4 shown in FIG. Specifically, for example, a conveying space 170 formed between the rough grinding mechanism 30 and the finish grinding mechanism 31 on the second device base 11 and indicated by a broken line in FIG. Two transport mechanisms 7 for the mechanism are provided. The two conveying mechanisms 7 have the same structure, but the conveying mechanism 7 for the finish grinding mechanism is simplified by a dashed line, and the conveying mechanism 7 for the rough grinding mechanism shown in the figure is identical. On the other hand, they are arranged in a state of being reversed 180 degrees in the X-axis direction. That is, the holding pad 4 moving in the Y-axis direction on the conveying mechanism 7 for the rough grinding mechanism specifically illustrated projects horizontally in the +X direction and is positioned above the movement path of the chuck table 18 for the rough grinding mechanism. Also, the holding pad 4 of the conveying mechanism 7 for the finish grinding mechanism, which is shown in a simplified form, projects horizontally in the -X direction and is positioned above the moving path of the chuck table 18 for the finish grinding mechanism.

The transport mechanism 7 includes a pad Y-axis moving section 71 that moves the holding pad 4 in the Y-axis direction, and a pad Z-axis moving section 73 arranged in the pad Y-axis moving section 71 .
The pad Y-axis moving part 71 is, for example, a movable plate in which an internal nut is screwed into the ball screw 711 by rotating the ball screw 711 attached to the housing plate 719 fixed in the transfer space 170 by the motor 710 . The holding pad 4 provided in 712 via the pad Z-axis moving portion 73 is reciprocated in the Y-axis direction.

The pad Z-axis moving portion 73 provided on the movable plate 712 is attached to a movable block 732 in which a nut inside the ball screw 731 is screwed by rotating a ball screw 731 extending in the Z-axis direction by a motor 730 . The holding pad 4 is reciprocated in the Z-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 5, the holding pad 4 is rotatably supported at its rear end by a movable block 732 via a bearing or the like. are connected so as to face each other. Thus, the transport mechanism 7 has at least the rotating shaft 771 and the motor 772, and has the reversing mechanism 77 for vertically reversing the suction surfaces of the two holding pads 4 on which the suction cups 245 are arranged.

Since the two holding pads 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 have the same structure, only the upper holding pad 4 in FIG. 1 will be described. The two holding pads 4 shown enlarged in FIG. 5 are provided with holding mechanisms 24 having suction cups 245 similar to the holding mechanisms 24 arranged on the temporary placing table 23 of the temporary placing mechanism 2 shown in FIG. there is

The holding pad 4 includes a pad base 40 having a rectangular plate shape in a plan view. A plurality of suction cups 245 are arranged vertically and horizontally at equal intervals on the flat upper surface of the pad base 40 . The structure of the suction cup 245 is the same as the structure previously described with reference to FIGS.

The structure of the water ejection mechanism 29 provided in the holding mechanism 24 of the holding pad 4 is substantially the same as the configuration described above with reference to FIGS. 4B), for example, a suction pipe 41 made of a resin tube or the like that is flexible and does not hinder the movement of the holding pad 4 communicates via a flow path formed in the pad base 40. ing.

The upstream of the suction pipe 41 is branched into two branches, and one of the branch pipes communicates with a water source 429 comprising a water ejection mechanism 29 and configured by a pump or the like via a water supply valve. One of the branch pipes communicates with a suction source 439 such as an ejector or a vacuum generator via an air suction valve. The holding pad 4 shown in FIG. 5 holds the upper surface 900 of the two plate-like workpieces 90 (see FIG. 1) on the holding mechanism 24, for example, a plurality of suction cups, each group consisting of a total of 21 suction cups of 3 horizontal×7 vertical. When sucking and holding at 245, one holding pad 4 is set so that the suction cup 245 faces downward, and then descends. 6 of the plurality of suction cups 245 contacts the upper surface 900 of the plate-like workpiece 90 while being deformed, then the air suction valve is opened and the suction source shown in FIG. The suction force generated by 439 passes through the joint 292 shown in FIG. The pad 4 can suck and hold two plate-shaped works 90 without vacuum leak.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first column 12 is erected on the rear side (+Y direction side) of the second apparatus base 11, and a rough grinding feed unit 39 is mounted on the front surface of the first column 12. are arranged. The rough grinding feed unit 39 that raises and lowers the rough grinding mechanism 30 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) is, for example, a ball screw mechanism.

A rough grinding mechanism 30 for grinding a plate-like workpiece 90 held on a chuck table 18 has a grinding wheel 304 connected via a mount 303 to the lower end of a spindle 300 whose axial direction is the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). there is The grinding wheel 304 includes a wheel base 305 and a plurality of roughly rectangular parallelepiped rough grinding wheels 306 annularly arranged on the bottom surface of the wheel base 305 . The rough grinding wheel 306 is, for example, a wheel containing relatively large abrasive grains. For example, a grinding water flow path extending in the Z-axis direction is formed inside the spindle 300, and a grinding water supply unit (not shown) communicates with the grinding water flow path. Grinding water supplied from the grinding water supply unit to the spindle 300 passes through the mount 303 and the wheel base 305 from the opening at the lower end of the grinding water flow path and jets downward toward the rough grinding wheel 306 . and the plate-shaped work 90 are reached.

A second column 13 is erected on the rear side of the second device base 11 so as to be aligned with the first column 12 in the X-axis direction. A unit 36 is provided. The finish grinding feed unit 36 is a ball screw mechanism, and can move the finish grinding mechanism 31 up and down in the Z-axis direction. The finish grinding mechanism 31 includes a finish grinding wheel 315 containing relatively small abrasive grains, and has the same configuration as the rough grinding mechanism 30 except for the finish grinding wheel 315 .

As shown in FIG. 1, in the vicinity of the rough grinding mechanism 30 or the finish grinding mechanism 31 lowered to the height position for grinding the plate-like work 90, for example, the plate-like work 90 is ground. A thickness measuring section 38 is provided for measuring the thickness in a contact or non-contact manner.

The operation of the grinding apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 when grinding the plate-like workpiece 90 held on the chuck table 18 will be described below.
First, the robot 155 draws out one plate-shaped work 90 from the cassette 153 and moves the plate-shaped work 90 to the temporary placement table 23 of the temporary placement mechanism 2 . For example, two plate-shaped works 90 are temporarily placed on the temporary placement table 23 and held by suction. 4 is positioned directly above the two plate-shaped works 90 temporarily placed.

As the holding pad 4 is lowered by the pad Z-axis moving portion 73, the suction cup 245 of the holding pad 4, which is enlarged in FIG. Thereafter, the suction force generated by the suction source 439 passes through the joint 292 (see FIG. 4B) and is transmitted to the suction cups 245, whereby the upper surface 900 of the plate-like work 90 is suction-held by the plurality of suction cups 245. be done.

Next, the holding pad 4 conveys the two plate-like works 90 onto the chuck table 18 so that the two rectangular holding surfaces 180 of the chuck table 18 and the two plate-like works 90 are substantially aligned. Alignment is performed in the horizontal plane. Thereafter, after the plate-like work 90 is placed on the chuck table 18 , the chuck table 18 suction-holds the plate-like work 90 on the holding surface 180 . The chuck table 18 holding the plate-like work 90 moves in the +Y direction to below the rough grinding mechanism 30 . The center of rotation of the rough grinding wheel 306 is horizontally displaced from the center of rotation of the chuck table 18 by a predetermined distance, and the locus of rotation of the wheel 306 for rough grinding passes through the center of rotation of the chuck table 18 .

Then, the rough grinding mechanism 30 descends, and the rotating rough grinding grindstone 306 comes into contact with the upper surface 900 of the plate-like workpiece 90 to perform grinding. During grinding, the chuck table 18 rotates at a predetermined rotational speed, and the two plate-like works 90 held on the holding surface 180 also rotate, so that the rough grinding wheel 306 is brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the two plate-like works 90. The entire surface of 900 is ground. Grinding water is supplied to the contact portion between the rough grinding wheel 306 and the plate-like workpiece 90 to cool and wash the contact portion. After the plate-like work 90 has been ground to a desired thickness, the rough grinding mechanism 30 is lifted upward, and the rough grinding wheel 306 is separated from the plate-like work 90 to complete rough grinding.

Next, the chuck table 18 is moved in the -Y direction and positioned near the temporary placement table 23 . A plate-shaped workpiece 90 sucked and held by the holding pad 4 for the rough grinding mechanism is placed on the temporary placement table 23 and held by suction. After that, the temporary placing table 23 is sent in the -X direction by the temporary placing table moving mechanism 21 and carried out by the carrying mechanism 7 for the finish grinding mechanism. Since the transfer of the plate-like work 90 onto the chuck table 18 by the transfer mechanism 7 for the finish grinding mechanism to the finish grinding of the plate-like work 90 is performed in substantially the same manner as the rough grinding, the description is omitted.

A plate-shaped workpiece 90 that has been finish-ground to the finish thickness is sucked and held from the chuck table 18 by the holding pad 4 of the transfer mechanism 7 for the finish-grinding mechanism, and then transferred to the spinner cleaning unit 159 . After being washed and dried, it is carried into the cassette 153 by the robot 155 .

In the grinding apparatus 1, for example, one plate-like work 90 is held by the chuck table 18 and ground in order to improve the throughput of grinding the plate-like works 90 stored in the cassette 153 in a shelf shape. During this process, a new plate-like work 90 is pulled out from the cassette 153 by the robot 155 and held on the temporary placement table 23 by suction, or held by the holding pad 4 of the transfer mechanism 7 and transferred.

However, since there is a timing when the holding pad 4 does not suck and hold the plate-shaped work 90 and the temporary placement table 23 does not hold the plate-shaped work 90, the temporary placement table 23 shown in FIG. The holding mechanism 24, or the holding mechanism 24 of the holding pad 4 shown in FIG. A cleaning operation is performed to prevent dust from adhering to the portion of the suction cup 245 in contact with the plate-like work 90 or to remove dust adhering to the portion of the suction cup 245 in contact with the plate-like work 90 . The cleaning operation will be described below.

The water ejection mechanism 29 ejects water from the suction port 240 of the suction cup 245 with the suction port 240 facing upward. The suction port 240 of the suction cup 245 of the holding mechanism 24 of the temporary placement table 23 shown in FIG. 2 always faces upward. On the other hand, one of the two holding pads 4 shown in FIG. The reversing mechanism 77 causes the holding pad 4 that performs the operation to face upward. In addition, since the holding pad 4 does not want the dust-laden water to adhere to the plate-like workpiece 90, it is preferable to perform the washing operation at a place where the dust-laden water can be treated. The location is, for example, above the table tub 25 in which the temporary table 23 is accommodated, or drain outlets connected to the cover 111 and communicating with water cases formed inside the second device base 11 on both sides. is preferably above the bellows cover 113 where is formed or inside the cleaning case of the spinner cleaning unit 159 .

Washing with water of the suction cups 245 in a state in which the suction port 240 faces upward and does not hold the plate-shaped work 90 is substantially the same for both the holding mechanism 24 of the temporary placement table 23 and the holding mechanism 24 of the holding pad 4. Therefore, cleaning of the suction cups 245 of the holding mechanism 24 arranged on the temporary placement table 23 with water will be described below.

First, with the water supply valve shown in FIG. 2 or 3 opened, the water source 299 feeds water M1 (for example, pure water) shown in FIG. The water M1 passes through the joint 292 and, as shown in FIG. flow.

Next, the water M1 reaches the circular opening 241 in the flange portion 248 through the annular gap between the flange support port 242 and the outer circumference of the disc 298, as shown in FIG. Then, the water M2 that has reached flows radially outward while washing the mortar-shaped inner slope of the brim portion 248, which is the portion that contacts the plate-shaped work 90. As shown in FIG. Except when the plate-like work 90 is being held, the water M2 continuously overflowing from the suction cup 245 prevents dust from adhering to the tip portion that contacts the plate-like work 90 . That is, even if dust such as grinding dust adheres to the flange portion 248, it is washed away before it solidifies.
Also, dust such as grinding dust adhering to the tip portion contacting the plate-shaped work 90 flows down from the suction cup 245 together with the water M2, flows down to the bottom of the table tub 25, and is discharged from the discharge port 250.

In addition, the water ejection mechanism 29 in this embodiment has a disk 298 arranged in the center of the suction cup 245, so that the disk 298 can radially eject the water M2 from the center of the suction cup 245 toward the outer periphery. Become. Therefore, even when the suction cup 245 is tilted at a predetermined angle, etc., it is possible to uniformly clean the entire mortar-shaped inner slope surface of the flange portion 248 of the suction cup 245 that contacts the plate-like workpiece 90 . becomes.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, by setting the diameter of the disk 298 to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the flange support opening 242, the flange support opening 242 and the outer periphery of the disk 298 The water M3 shown in FIG. 6, which is part of the water M1 that has reached the circular opening 241 in the flange 248 from the annular gap between The upper surface of the plate 298 is also sprayed with water M3, which prevents dust such as grinding dust from adhering to the upper surface of the disk 298, and removes the dust adhering to the upper surface by washing.

As described above, the holding pad 4 has the holding mechanism 24 having the plurality of suction cups 245 for sucking and holding the upper surface 900 of the plate-shaped workpiece 90, and the holding pad 4 having the reversing mechanism 77 for reversing the suction surface of the holding pad 4 upside down. 4, and a temporary placement table 23 including a holding mechanism 24 having a plurality of suction cups 245 and sucking and holding the plate-like work 90. , the holding mechanism 24 of the holding pad 4 or the holding mechanism 24 of the temporary placement table 23 is provided with a water jetting mechanism 29 for jetting water from the suction port 240 with the suction port 240 facing upward, whereby the plate-like workpiece can be Dust can be prevented from adhering to 90 . In addition, since the number of other independent cleaning mechanisms (for example, a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the holding pad 4) can be reduced, the size of the grinding apparatus 1 can be reduced.

It goes without saying that the processing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the grinding apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, and may be implemented in various forms within the scope of the technical idea. In addition, the holding mechanism 24 according to the present invention may also be disposed in a cutting device, a polishing device, a tool cutting device, etc., other than the grinding device, and can be appropriately changed within the range where the effects of the present invention can be exhibited. be.

1: Grinding device (processing device) 10: First device base 11: Second device base 150: Cassette stage 151: Stocker stage 153: Cassette 154: Adapter plate 155: Robot 18: Chuck table 180: Holding surface 2: Temporary Placement Mechanism 20: Portal Bridge 21: Temporary Placement Table Moving Mechanism
23: Temporary table
24: Holding mechanism
240: Suction port 241: Circular opening 242: Flange support port 243: Through port 245: Suction cup 246: Suction cup base 247: Middle part 248: Collar part 244: Suction pipe 249: Suction source 25: Table tub 29: Water ejection mechanism
292: Joint 294: Joint Base 295: Flange 296: Support Column 298: Disc 299: Water Source 30: Rough Grinding Mechanism 31: Finish Grinding Mechanism 36: Finish Grinding Feeding Unit
38: Thickness measuring unit 39: Rough grinding feed unit 4: Holding pad 40: Pad base 41: Suction pipe 429: Water source 439: Suction source 6: Cassette transport mechanism 61: Support unit 62: X-axis moving unit 63: Z-axis Moving part 7: transport mechanism 71: pad Y-axis moving part 73: pad Z-axis moving part 77: reversing mechanism 771: rotating shaft 772: motor 90: plate-like work

Claims (3)

A holding mechanism for sucking and holding a plate-shaped work, comprising a suction cup having a suction port communicating with a suction source at the center,
A water ejection mechanism for ejecting water from the suction port with the suction port facing upward is provided, and when the plate-like work is not held, water is ejected from the suction port to hit the plate-like work of the suction cup. A holding mechanism that prevents dust from adhering to the contact portion, or removes dust adhering to the contact portion of the suction cup with the plate-shaped work. 2. The holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said water ejecting mechanism has a disc arranged in the center of said sucker, and said disc ejects water radially from the center of said sucker toward the outer periphery thereof. A chuck table for holding a plate-like work, a processing mechanism for processing the plate-like work held by the chuck table, a holding pad for sucking and holding the upper surface of the plate-like work, and a suction surface of the holding pad that is turned upside down. and a conveying mechanism having a reversing mechanism and conveying a plate-shaped work held by the holding pad, wherein the holding pad comprises the holding mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2. Device.

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