JP7734031B2 - cassette - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cassette for storing workpieces.

Various plate-shaped workpieces, such as semiconductor wafers, resin package substrates, glass substrates, and ceramic substrates, are ground thinly or divided into individual chips, and are then placed one by one in a cassette and transported to each process. Typically, a cassette has a number of paired guide rails formed on the inner surfaces of the opposing side walls, and the left and right ends of the frame unit, to which the workpiece is attached with adhesive tape or the like, are placed in the opening of the annular frame, are supported by the guide rails (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Special Publication No. 05-071180

Because cassettes are designed to transport 10 or more workpieces at a time, they are often unnecessarily large or excessively heavy for transporting just a few workpieces. Furthermore, with open cassettes, there is a risk of dust and other particles adhering to them during transport. Furthermore, there is a risk that foreign objects falling from the workpieces stored on top may adhere to the workpieces below.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cassette that can reduce size and weight when transporting a small number of workpieces.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the cassette of the present invention is a cassette for storing and transporting plate-shaped workpieces, and comprises a box body with an opening on the side, and a drawer-like tray that is configured to allow the workpiece to be loaded and unloaded from above and is stored in the box body through the opening, and when the tray is stored in the box body, the opening of the box body is closed by the side wall of the tray , and the inside of the box body is provided with a positioning portion that contacts the workpiece supported on the tray and positions the workpiece at a predetermined position on the tray .

In the cassette, the workpiece may be placed on the tray in the form of a frame unit attached to a sheet that covers the opening of the annular frame.

In the cassette, the tray may support one workpiece, and the box may be a single-unit type that can accommodate one tray.

The cassettes may be configured to be stackable on top of each other, and may have connecting units arranged on the sides to secure the cassettes together when stacked.

In the cassette, the tray may have a gripping portion that is gripped when the tray is pulled out of the box, and when the gripping portion is gripped, the locking mechanism that prevents the tray from being removed from the box is disengaged from the box, allowing the tray to be removed from the box.

The present invention has the advantage of being able to reduce the size and weight of workpieces when transporting a small number of workpieces.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a processing device in which a cassette according to a first embodiment is installed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a cassette according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view, partly in section, of the cassette shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the cassette shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a typical locking mechanism of the cassette shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 5 is disengaged. 7 is a plan view of a docking unit for securing the cassettes shown in FIG. 2 together. FIG. 8 is a plan view, partly in section, showing a state in which the clamping portion of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 grips the gripping portion of the cassette. FIG. 9 is a side view, partly in section, showing a state in which the tray of the cassette shown in FIG. 8 is being pulled out from the box. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view, partly in section, showing the cassette shown in FIG. 9 with the tray pulled out from the box. FIG. 11 is a plan view, partially in cross section, schematically illustrating a cassette according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

Modes for carrying out the present invention (embodiments) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that would be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art and those that are substantially identical. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications to the configuration can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Embodiment 1]
A cassette according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a processing device in which a cassette according to the first embodiment is installed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a cassette according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view, partially in cross section, showing the cassette shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a side view, partially in cross section, showing the cassette shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a locking mechanism of the cassette shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 5 is disengaged. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a connecting unit that secures the cassettes shown in FIG. 2 to each other.

(Workpiece)
The cassette 1 according to the first embodiment is used to store the workpiece 200 shown in Fig. 1 and transport the workpiece 200 between the processing apparatuses 100 illustrated in Fig. 1. The workpiece 200 to be transported by the cassette 1 according to the first embodiment is a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, which has a base material such as silicon, gallium arsenide, SiC (silicon carbide), or sapphire. The workpiece 200 has devices 203 formed in areas partitioned in a grid pattern by a plurality of planned division lines 202 formed in a grid pattern on a surface 201.

The device 203 is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), or various types of memory (semiconductor memory device).

The workpiece 200 of the present invention may also be a so-called TAIKO (registered trademark) wafer, which is thinned in the center and thickened around the periphery. In addition to wafers, it may also be a resin package substrate such as a rectangular QFN (Quad Flat No-lead) package substrate having multiple devices sealed with resin, a ceramic substrate, a ferrite substrate, a substrate containing at least one of nickel and iron, a glass substrate, etc.

In embodiment 1, the workpiece 200 has a sheet 206 attached to its back surface 204, with an annular frame 205 attached to its outer periphery, and is supported within the opening 207 of the annular frame 205, and is housed in the cassette 1 as a frame unit 210. The frame unit 210 is attached to the sheet 206, with the back surface 204 of the workpiece 200 covering the opening 207 of the frame 205.

(Processing equipment)
The processing device 100 shown in Figure 1 is a cutting device in which a cassette 1 containing a workpiece 200 is installed, the workpiece 200 contained in the cassette 1 is held on a holding table 110, and the workpiece 200 is cut along a planned division line 202 with a cutting blade 121 to divide the workpiece 200 into individual devices 203.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 100 includes a holding table 110 that holds the workpiece 200 by suction on a holding surface 111, a cutting unit 120 that is a processing unit that cuts the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110, an imaging unit 130 that takes images of the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110, and a control unit 190. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 100 is equipped with a pair of cutting units 120, i.e., a two-spindle dicer, a so-called facing dual-type cutting device.

The processing device 100 also includes a moving unit 140 that moves the holding table 110 and the cutting unit 120 relative to one another. The moving unit 140 includes at least a processing feed unit 144 that processes and feeds the holding table 110 in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, an indexing feed unit 145 that indexes and feeds the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X-axis direction, a cutting feed unit 146 that cuts and feeds the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction parallel to the vertical direction and perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and a rotational moving unit 147 that rotates the holding table 110 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. In other words, the moving unit 140 moves the holding table 110 and the cutting unit 120 relatively in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, the Z-axis direction, and around the axis.

The processing feed unit 144 is installed on the device main body 101 and moves the holding table 110 and rotational movement unit in the X-axis direction, which is the processing feed direction, thereby moving the cutting unit 120 and holding table 110 relatively along the X-axis direction. The indexing feed unit 145 is installed on the support frame 102 that stands upright from the device main body 101 and moves the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis direction, which is the indexing feed direction, thereby moving the cutting unit 120 and holding table 110 relatively along the Y-axis direction.

The cutting feed unit 146 is installed on the support frame 102 that stands upright from the device main body 101, and moves the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction, which is the cutting feed direction, thereby moving the cutting unit 120 and the holding table 110 relatively along the Z-axis direction. The rotational movement unit 147 is supported by the processing feed unit, supports the holding table 110, and is arranged to be movable in the X-axis direction together with the holding table 110.

The processing feed unit 144, indexing feed unit 145, and cutting feed unit 146 each include a well-known ball screw rotatable about its axis, a well-known motor that rotates the ball screw about its axis, and a well-known guide rail that supports the holding table 110 or cutting unit 120 so that it can move freely in the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction. The rotational movement unit 147 also includes a motor that rotates the holding table 110 about its axis.

The holding table 110 is disk-shaped, and the holding surface 111 that holds the workpiece 200 is made of porous ceramic or the like. The holding table 110 is movable in the X-axis direction by the processing feed unit 144 between the processing area below the cutting unit 120 and a carry-in/out area spaced from below the cutting unit 120 where the workpiece 200 is carried in and out. The holding table 110 is rotatable around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by the rotational movement unit 147.

The holding table 110 has a holding surface 111 connected to a suction source (not shown), and is sucked by the suction source to suck and hold the workpiece 200 placed on the holding surface 111. In embodiment 1, the holding table 110 sucks and holds the back surface 204 of the workpiece 200 via a sheet 206. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, multiple clamps 112 that clamp a frame 205 are provided around the periphery of the holding table 110.

The cutting unit 120 is a processing unit in which a cutting blade 121 is attached to a spindle 123 and cuts a workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110. Each cutting unit 120 is movable in the Y-axis direction by an indexing feed unit 145 relative to the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110, and is movable in the Z-axis direction by a cutting feed unit 146.

The cutting unit 120 is mounted on a support frame 102 that stands upright from the device main body 101 via an indexing feed unit, a notching feed unit, and other units. The cutting unit 120 is capable of positioning the cutting blade 121 at any position on the holding surface 111 of the holding table 110 using the indexing feed unit 145 and the notching feed unit 146.

The cutting unit 120 includes a cutting blade 121, a spindle housing 122 that is movable in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions by an indexing feed unit 145 and a cutting feed unit 146, a spindle 123 that is rotatable about its axis on the spindle housing 122 and has the cutting blade 121 attached to its tip, and a spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 123 about its axis.

The cutting blade 121 is an extremely thin cutting wheel with a roughly ring shape. The cutting blade 121 is fixed to the tip of the spindle 123. In embodiment 1, the cutting blade 121 is a so-called hub blade that includes an annular circular base and an annular cutting blade that is disposed on the outer periphery of the circular base and cuts the workpiece 200. The cutting blade is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness. Note that in the present invention, the cutting blade 121 may also be a so-called washer blade that consists only of a cutting blade.

The axes of the cutting blade 121 and spindle 123 of the cutting unit 120 are set parallel to the Y-axis direction.

The imaging unit 130 is fixed to one of the cutting units 120 so that it moves integrally with the cutting unit 120. The imaging unit 130 is equipped with an imaging element that captures an image of the area to be divided of the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110 before cutting. The imaging element is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) imaging element or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) imaging element. The imaging unit 130 captures an image of the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 110 to obtain images for performing alignment between the workpiece 200 and the cutting blade 121, and outputs the obtained images to the control unit 190.

The processing device 100 also includes an X-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the holding table 110 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis position detection unit for detecting the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction. The X-axis position detection unit and Y-axis position detection unit can be configured with a linear scale parallel to the X-axis or Y-axis direction and a reading head. The Z-axis position detection unit detects the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction using motor pulses. The X-axis position detection unit, Y-axis position detection unit, and Z-axis position detection unit output the position of the holding table 110 in the X-axis direction and the position of the lower end of the cutting blade of the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis or Z-axis direction to the control unit 190.

In embodiment 1, the positions in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction of the holding table 110 and cutting unit 120 of the processing device 100 are determined based on a predetermined reference position (not shown). In embodiment 1, the positions in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction are determined by the distance in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction from the reference position. In embodiment 1, the XY coordinates represented by the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction of the processing device 100 (coordinates indicated by the distance in the X-axis direction from the reference position indicating the position in the X-axis direction, and the distance in the Y-axis direction from the reference position indicating the position in the Y-axis direction) may indicate any position of the workpiece 200 held on the holding surface 111 of the holding table 110.

The processing device 100 also includes a cassette elevator 150 on which cassettes 1 containing workpieces 200 before and after cutting are placed, and which raises and lowers the cassettes 1 along the Z-axis direction; a cleaning unit 160 which cleans the workpieces 200 after cutting; a pair of guide rails 170 which position the workpieces 200 before and after cutting; a carry-in/out unit 180 (shown in FIG. 6) which moves the workpieces 200 into and out of the cassettes 1; a first transport unit 182 which transports the workpieces 200 positioned by the pair of guide rails 170 to the holding table 110 and transports the cleaned workpieces 200 to the pair of guide rails 170; and a second transport unit 184 which transports the cut workpieces 200 from the holding table 110 to the cleaning unit 160.

The pair of guide rails 170 are positioned adjacent to the cassette elevator 150 in the Y-axis direction and above the holding table 110, which is positioned in the loading/unloading area, and are spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction. The pair of guide rails 170 are formed in a straight line parallel to the Y-axis direction and include a mounting surface 171 on which the frame 205 is placed, and positioning walls 172 erected from the edges of the mounting surface 171 on opposite sides. The pair of guide rails 170 are movable in the X-axis direction by a drive mechanism (not shown), and are moved toward or away from each other by the movement mechanism.

The loading/unloading unit 180 is movable in the Y-axis direction by a movement mechanism (not shown). The loading/unloading unit 180 includes a clamp 181 (shown in Figure 6) that grips the tray 10 (described below) of the cassette 1.

The first transport unit 182 is movable in the Y-axis direction by a movement mechanism (not shown), and is also movable up and down along the Z-axis. The first transport unit 182 has a suction portion 183 that suctions the frame 205 that supports the workpiece 200 within the opening 207.

The second transport unit 184 is movable in the Y-axis direction by a movement mechanism (not shown), and is also movable up and down along the Z-axis. The second transport unit 184 has a suction section 185 that suctions the frame 205 that supports the workpiece 200 within the opening 207.

The control unit 190 controls each component of the processing device 100, causing the processing device 100 to perform processing operations on the workpiece 200. The control unit 190 is a computer that includes an arithmetic processing device with a microprocessor such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device with memory such as ROM (read only memory) or RAM (random access memory), and an input/output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit 190 performs arithmetic processing in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the processing device 100 to each component of the processing device 100 via the input/output interface device.

The control unit 190 is connected to a display unit (not shown) consisting of an LCD display or the like that displays the status of the machining operation and images, and an input unit (not shown) that the operator uses to register machining content information, etc. The input unit consists of at least one of a touch panel provided on the display unit and an external input device such as a keyboard.

(cassette)
The cassette 1 is a single-sheet type cassette that accommodates a single workpiece 200 in the form of a frame unit 210, and is transported between processing devices 100 to transport the accommodated workpiece 200 between processing devices 100. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the cassette 1 includes a flat, box-shaped box body 2 and a tray 10. The box body 2 and the tray 10 are made of resin or metal, and are preferably made of a conductive material as a countermeasure against static electricity. Note that the device 203 is omitted from Figure 3.

The box body 2 comprises a bottom plate 3 that is rectangular in plan view and parallel to the horizontal and is installed on the cassette elevator 150; a pair of side plates 4 that stand upright from the outer edge of the bottom plate 3 installed on the cassette elevator 150, spaced apart along the X-axis direction; a rear plate 5 that stands upright from the outer edge of the bottom plate 3 installed on the cassette elevator 150, along the Y-axis direction, on the side farther from the pair of guide rails 170; and a ceiling plate 6 that is connected to the upper ends of the pair of side plates 4 and rear plate 5 and is parallel to the horizontal direction.

When the box body 2 is installed in the cassette elevator 150, an opening 7 is formed that faces a pair of guide rails 170. The opening 7 is surrounded by the bottom plate 3, a pair of side plates 4, and the ceiling plate 6, connecting the inside and outside of the box body 2. Thus, the box body 2 has an opening 7 on the side that faces the pair of guide rails 170. One tray 10 can be freely inserted and removed through the opening 7 in the box body 2, and one tray 10 is stored therein.

The tray 10 is formed in a drawer shape and can be inserted and removed from the box body 2 through the opening 7. It includes a flat support plate 11 that is placed on the bottom plate 3 when housed in the box body 2, and side walls 12 that stand upright from the outer edge of the support plate 11 and close the opening 7 when the support plate 11 is housed in the box body 2. In the first embodiment, the width of the side walls 12 is the same as the width of the support plate 11. A buffer sheet 13 is attached to the upper surface of the support plate 11, on which the workpiece 200 is placed.

The support plate 11 is configured so that the workpiece 200 is placed on the upper surface as a frame unit 210 via a buffer sheet 13, allowing the workpiece 200 to be loaded and unloaded from above. For this reason, the tray 10 supports one workpiece 200. The support plate 11 is housed in the box body 2 through the opening 7. When the support plate 11 is housed in the box body 2, the side wall 12 closes the opening 7, thereby housing the support plate 11 in the box body 2. In this way, when the tray 10 is housed in the box body 2, the opening 7 of the box body 2 is closed by the side wall 12 of the tray 10.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the tray 10 also has a gripping portion 14 that is gripped when pulling the tray 10 out of the box body 2. The gripping portion 14 is located in a recess 15 provided in the center of the thickness and width directions of the side wall 12. The recess 15 is recessed from the outer surface of the side wall 12.

The gripping unit 14 comprises a fixed gripping member 141, a movable gripping member 142, and a biasing member 143. The fixed gripping member 141 is fixed within the recess 15 and is formed as a plate with its upper and lower surfaces parallel to the horizontal direction, and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the recess 15. The movable gripping member 142 is formed as a plate with its upper and lower surfaces parallel to the horizontal direction, and is disposed above and parallel to the fixed gripping member 141. It is supported by a support mechanism (not shown) so that it can be raised and lowered vertically. The support mechanism supports the movable gripping member 142 so that it can be raised and lowered while remaining parallel to the fixed gripping member 141. The biasing member 143 is composed of an elastically deformable spring and is disposed between the fixed gripping member 141 and the movable gripping member 142, biasing the movable gripping member 142 upward.

The cassette 1 also has a locking mechanism 16 shown in Figures 5 and 6. The locking mechanism 16 has a locking hole 161 provided in the top panel 6 and a locking protrusion 162 provided on the movable gripping member 142. The locking hole 161 is provided at the end of the top panel 6 closer to the opening 7, and is recessed from the inner surface of the top panel 6. The locking protrusion 162 is protruded from the movable gripping member 142 toward the inner surface of the top panel 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the side wall 12 closes the opening 7 and the movable gripping member 142 is biased by the biasing member 143, the locking mechanism 16 engages the locking protrusion 162 with the locking hole 161, preventing the tray 10 from being removed from the box body 2. As shown in FIG. 6, when the locking mechanism 16 is gripped by the clamp portion 181 of the processing device 100 and the movable gripping member 142 is brought closer to the fixed gripping member 141 against the biasing force of the biasing member 143, the locking protrusion 162 comes out of the locking hole 161, disengaging the locking mechanism 16 from the box body 2 and allowing the tray 10 to be removed from the box body 2.

In the present invention, the locking mechanism 16 may also be formed by providing a locking protrusion 162 on the inner surface of the ceiling plate 6 of the box body 2 that protrudes toward the movable gripping member 142, and providing a locking hole 161 on the top surface of the movable gripping member 142 that is recessed from the top surface and into which the locking protrusion 162 can engage.

The cassette 1 also includes a positioning unit 20 inside the box body 2, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The positioning unit 20 is made of an elastic resin such as sponge or rubber. It is also preferable that the positioning unit 20 be made of a conductive material as a countermeasure against static electricity. In embodiment 1, the positioning unit 20 is attached to the inner surfaces of the pair of side plates 4 and the inner surface of the rear plate 5. In embodiment 1, the positioning unit 20 contacts the outer edge of the frame 205 of the frame unit 210 supported on the tray 10 housed in the box body 2, elastically deforms in a direction approaching the inner surfaces of the side plates 4 and the rear plate 5, and positions the frame 205, i.e., the workpiece 200, at a predetermined center position on the support plate 11 of the tray 10 due to its elastic restoring force.

The positioning unit 20 contacts the outer edge of the frame 205 of the frame unit 210 supported by the tray 10 housed in the box body 2, and thereby contacts the outer edge of the workpiece 200 via the frame 205. In embodiment 1, the positioning unit 20 attached to the inner surface of the pair of side plates 4 has an inclined surface 21 against which the frame 205 abuts, which is gradually inclined in a direction away from the inner surface of the side plate 4 as it moves from the opening 7 toward the rear plate 5. In addition, in the present invention, it is desirable that the positioning unit 20 restricts the up and down movement of the workpiece 200 within the box body 2 by the elastic restoring force when elastically deformed.

The cassettes 1 are also configured to be stackable, and as shown in Figure 2, are equipped with positioning protrusions 30 and positioning recesses 31 that position the side panels 4 and rear panels 5 on the same plane when stacked. In embodiment 1, the cassettes 1 have concave positioning recesses 31 at the four corners of the bottom panel 3 extending from the underside of the bottom panel 3, and convex positioning protrusions 30 at the four corners of the top panel 6 extending from the upper surface of the top panel 6; the positioning protrusions 30 engage with the positioning recesses 31, thereby positioning the cassettes relative to one another when stacked.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cassettes 1 are also provided with fixing protrusions 40 for securing the cassettes 1 together when stacked. The fixing protrusions 40 comprise an upper fixing protrusion 41 and a lower fixing protrusion 42 provided on the outer surface of each side plate 4. In embodiment 1, the upper fixing protrusion 41 and the lower fixing protrusion 42 are arranged side by side in the thickness direction of the box body 2. The upper fixing protrusion 41 is used to secure the cassette 1 stacked above, and the lower fixing protrusion 42 is used to secure the cassette 1 stacked below.

The upper fixed protrusions 41 and the lower fixed protrusions 42 have the same configuration, and therefore the same parts will be described with the same reference numerals. The upper fixed protrusions 41 and the lower fixed protrusions 42 each have a cylindrical small diameter portion 43 that protrudes from the outer surface of the side plate 4 toward the side of the box body 2, and a large diameter portion 44 that is connected to the tip of the small diameter portion 43 and has a larger diameter than the small diameter portion 43. The small diameter portion 43 and the large diameter portion 44 are arranged coaxially. Furthermore, two upper fixed protrusions 41 and two lower fixed protrusions 42 are provided on each side plate 4, spaced apart along the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cassettes 1 are provided with connecting units 50 on the outer surfaces of the side plates 4, which secure the cassettes 1 together when stacked on top of each other. In embodiment 1, the connecting units 50 include connecting portions 51 that are placed on the outer surfaces of the side plates 4, and gripping portions 52 that are bent from the upper ends of the connecting portions 51, as shown in FIG. 7. The thickness of the connecting portions 51 is equal to or less than the length of the small diameter portions 43.

The connecting portion 51 is formed into a rectangular plate-like shape in plan view, with an upper fixing hole 53 and a lower fixing hole 54 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction. The upper fixing hole 53 is used to secure the cassette 1 stacked above, and the lower fixing hole 54 is used to secure the cassette 1 stacked below. The upper fixing hole 53 and the lower fixing hole 54 have the same configuration, so the same parts will be described with the same reference numerals.

The upper fixing hole 53 and the lower fixing hole 54 penetrate the connecting portion 51. As shown in FIG. 7, each of the upper fixing hole 53 and the lower fixing hole 54 has a large diameter hole 55 that allows the large diameter portion 44 to pass through to the inside, and a small diameter hole 56 that connects to the inner edge of the large diameter hole 55 and allows the small diameter portion 43 to pass through to the inside while restricting the large diameter portion 44 from passing through. Two small diameter holes 56 are provided for each large diameter hole 55, and are positioned in line with the large diameter holes 55 in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 51.

The connecting unit 50 is placed on the outer surface of the side plate 4 with its large diameter portion 44 passing through the large diameter hole 55 of the fixing holes 53, 54, and moves downward relative to the cassettes 1 to position its small diameter portion 43 within the upper small diameter hole 56 as shown by the solid line in Figure 7, thereby securing multiple cassettes 1 together in a stacked state. Furthermore, even if only the upper cassette 1 of multiple cassettes 1 secured together in a stacked state is lifted, the connecting unit 50 moves upward relative to the cassettes 1 to position its small diameter portion 43 within the lower small diameter hole 56 as shown by the dotted line in Figure 7, thereby preventing the multiple cassettes 1 from being released from their mutual fastening.

(Machining operation)
Next, the processing operation of the processing device 100 will be described. Fig. 8 is a plan view, partially in section, showing a state in which the clamping portion of the cutting device shown in Fig. 1 is gripping the gripping portion of the cassette. Fig. 9 is a side view, partially in section, showing a state in which the tray of the cassette shown in Fig. 8 is being pulled out from the box. Fig. 10 is a plan view, partially in section, showing a state in which the tray of the cassette shown in Fig. 9 is being pulled out from the box. Note that the device 203 is omitted from Figs. 8 and 10.

In the processing device 100 configured as described above, processing conditions are set in the control unit 190, and a cassette 1 containing workpieces 200 is placed in the cassette elevator 150. The processing device 100 begins processing operations when the control unit 190 receives a command to start processing operations from an operator or the like. When processing operations begin, the control unit 190 controls the loading/unloading unit 180 to grip the gripping portion 14 of the cassette 1 with the clamping portion 181, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, and releases the engagement of the locking mechanism 16.

In addition, during processing operations, the control unit 190 of the processing apparatus 100 controls the processing feed unit 144 to position the holding table 110 in the loading/unloading area, and controls the movement mechanism to move the pair of guide rails 170 away from each other. During processing operations, the control unit 190 of the processing apparatus 100 controls the loading/unloading unit 180 to pull the tray 10 out of the box body 2 onto the mounting surfaces 171 of the pair of guide rails 170, as shown in FIG. 9.

10, in the processing operation, the processing apparatus 100 pulls out the entire tray 10 from within the box body 2 onto the mounting surface 171 of the pair of guide rails 170, and then the control unit 190 controls the movement mechanism to move the pair of guide rails 170 closer to each other, positioning the tray, i.e., the workpiece 200, in the X-axis direction. In the processing operation, the control unit 190 controls the first transport unit 182 to cause the suction portion 183 to adsorb the frame 205 on the tray 10, causing the first transport unit 182 to lift the workpiece 200. In the processing apparatus 100, the control unit 190 controls the carry-in/out unit 180 to place the tray 10 on the guide rails 170 into the cassette 1, and then the control unit 190 controls the first transport unit 182 to place the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 111 of the holding table 110 in the carry-in/out area via the sheet 206.

In the processing operation, the control unit 190 of the processing device 100 controls the holding table 110 to suction-hold the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 111 via the sheet 206, and clamps the frame 205 with the clamp section 112. The control unit 190 of the processing device 100 controls the movement unit 140 to move the holding table 110 to below the imaging unit 130, and the imaging unit 130 captures an image of the workpiece 200 suction-held on the holding table 110, thereby performing alignment.

In the processing operation, the control unit 190 of the processing device 100 controls the movement unit 140 and other components based on the processing conditions, and while rotating the spindle 123 around its axis, the cutting blade 121 and the workpiece 200 are moved relatively along the planned dividing lines 202, causing the cutting blade 121 to cut into the planned dividing lines 202 of the workpiece 200 until it reaches the sheet 206, thereby performing cutting processing. The processing device 100 cuts the planned dividing lines 202 of the workpiece 200 in accordance with the processing conditions, dividing the workpiece 200 into individual devices 203. Once all planned dividing lines 202 of the workpiece 200 have been cut, the processing device 100 moves the holding table 110 from the processing area toward the loading/unloading area.

In the processing apparatus 100, the control unit 190 controls the moving unit 140 to stop the movement of the holding table 110 in the loading/unloading area, and the control unit 190 controls the holding table 110 to stop suction holding of the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 111, and releases the clamping of the clamping section 112. In the processing apparatus 100, the control unit 190 controls the second transport unit 184 to transport the workpiece 200 from the holding table 110 to the cleaning unit 160. In the processing apparatus 100, the control unit 190 controls the cleaning unit 160 to clean the workpiece 200.

Furthermore, during the processing operation, the control unit 190 of the processing device 100 controls the loading/unloading unit 180 to pull out the tray 10 onto the guide rails 170, and controls the first transport unit 182 to transport the cleaned workpiece 200 from the cleaning unit 160 to the tray 10 on the pair of guide rails 170. The control unit 190 of the processing device 100 controls the loading/unloading unit 180 to store the tray 10 on the guide rails 170 inside the box body 2, thereby completing the processing operation.

The cassette 1 according to the first embodiment described above has a tray 10 that supports one workpiece 200 and is formed like a drawer that can be easily inserted and removed from the box 2. This makes it possible to transport a small number of workpieces 200 in a high-mix, small-lot manufacturing process, while also preventing dust and other foreign matter from adhering to the workpieces 200 while they are stored in the cassette 1.

Furthermore, because the cassette 1 has a tray 10 that supports one workpiece 200 and is formed like a drawer that can be easily inserted and removed from the box 2, the size and weight of the cassette 1 itself can be reduced. As a result, the cassette 1 according to embodiment 1 has the advantage of being able to reduce the size and weight when transporting a small number of workpieces 200.

In addition, the cassettes 1 are configured to be stackable on top of each other and are secured in a stacked state by the connecting unit 50. This allows the number of cassettes 1 to be set according to the required number of workpieces 200 to be transported, thereby preventing the cassettes 1 from becoming excessively large or heavy.

Furthermore, the cassette 1 is equipped with a locking mechanism 16 that prevents the tray 10 from separating from the box body 2 during transport, eliminating the risk of the workpiece 200 falling during transport. Also, because the cassette 1 is equipped with a locking mechanism 16, the engagement of the locking mechanism 16 can be released by gripping the gripping portion 14 of the tray 10, meaning the engagement of the locking mechanism 16 can be released without any unnecessary movement.

[Modification]
A cassette according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a schematic partial cross section of the cassette according to the modification of the first embodiment. In Fig. 11, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. In Fig. 11, the device 203 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the cassette 1 according to the modified example is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the width of the side wall 12 of the tray 10 is wider than the width of the support plate 11. In the modified example, it is desirable that the width of the side wall 12 of the tray 10 be as narrow as possible. Also, in the modified example, the travel distance of the guide rails 170 and the installation area between the guide rails 170 and the tray 10 may be changed as appropriate. In the modified example, when the side wall 12 of the tray 10 pulled out of the box body 2 is no longer positioned between the pair of guide rails 170, the processing device 100 desirably moves the pair of guide rails 170 closer to each other to position the tray 10, i.e., the workpiece 200.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In other words, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the present invention, for example, a gasket such as an O-ring may be provided on the outer periphery of the side wall 12 of the tray 10 to seal the inside of the tray 10. In this case, an exhaust port with a filter may be formed in the box 2. In this way, even if the atmosphere inside the processing device 100 is clean and the cleanliness level outside the processing device 100 is low, the atmosphere inside the cassette 1 during transport can be kept clean. Furthermore, an exhaust port that can exhaust the internal atmosphere through a filter may be provided in the box 2.

In addition, in the present invention, a tag such as an RFID (radio frequency identifier) may be attached to the cassette 1 so that the cassette 1 can be individually identified.

In addition, in embodiment 1, the processing device 100 is a cutting device, but the present invention is not limited to cutting devices and may be various processing devices, such as a grinding device that grinds the workpiece 200, a polishing device that polishes the workpiece, or a laser processing device that laser processes the workpiece 200. In addition, in the present invention, by stacking multiple cassettes 1 on the cassette elevator 150, multiple workpieces 200 can be loaded into the processing device 100 and processed continuously, just as in the case of using cassettes with multiple guide rails.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cassette 2 box 7 opening 10 tray 12 side wall 14 gripping portion 16 locking mechanism 20 positioning portion 50 connection unit 200 workpiece 205 frame 206 sheet 207 opening 210 frame unit

Claims (5)

A cassette for storing and transporting plate-shaped workpieces,
A box body having an opening on a side thereof;
a drawer-like tray configured to allow workpieces to be put in and taken out from above and accommodated in the box body through the opening,
When the tray is housed in the box, the opening of the box is closed by the side wall of the tray ,
The cassette is characterized in that the box is provided with a positioning portion inside the box that comes into contact with the workpiece supported on the tray and positions the workpiece at a predetermined position on the tray. A cassette as described in claim 1, in which the workpiece is placed on the tray as a frame unit attached to a sheet that covers the opening of the annular frame. A cassette as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tray supports one workpiece, and the box is a single-unit type that accommodates one tray. A cassette according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cassettes are configured to be stackable on one another and have connecting units arranged on the sides to secure the cassettes to one another when stacked. 5. A cassette as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tray has a gripping portion that is gripped when the tray is pulled out of the box body, and when the gripping portion is gripped, the engagement of a locking mechanism that prevents the tray from being removed from the box body with the box body is released, allowing the tray to be removed from the box body .