KR102818159B1 - Substrate pickup device and substrate pickup method - Google Patents

Abstract

(Task) In a pickup device, reduce the tracking of other substrates when picking up a substrate.
(Solution) A substrate pickup device (1) is a device that picks up one unit substrate (P1) from among a plurality of unit substrates (P) arranged on a mounting plate (2), and has a suction hand (5) and a controller (51). The suction hand (5) is mounted on a robot arm (3). The suction hand (5) has a pressing bar (9) that presses a first end member (Ma1) and a second end member (Ma2) of a unit substrate (P1) to be picked up from above, and an suction body (7) that can move obliquely upward with respect to the pressing bar (9) and for sucking up the unit substrate (P) to be picked up from above. The control unit executes the steps of causing the pressing bar (9) to press the first section (Ma1) and the second section (Ma2) from above, the step of causing the suction unit body (7) to suction the unit substrate (P1) to be picked up, and the step of moving the suction unit body (7) so that it falls obliquely upward with respect to the pressing bar (9) to pick up the unit substrate (P1) to be picked up.

Description

{SUBSTRATE PICKUP DEVICE AND SUBSTRATE PICKUP METHOD}

The present invention relates to a substrate pickup device and a substrate pickup method, and more particularly, to picking up a substrate and separating it from another substrate.

In general, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel, a large-area laminated glass substrate (mother substrate) on which multiple unit display panels (unit substrates) that serve as manufacturing units are patterned is manufactured, and then it is divided into unit display panels. Specifically, a pair of upper and lower cutter wheels are used to simultaneously scribe two sides of the mother substrate from the upper and lower directions, and then the two sides are simultaneously separated, thereby dividing into unit display panels. An extra portion is formed between the unit display panels, and these become scrap materials after dividing.

When picking up a unit substrate, a single substrate is picked up by sucking it up with a suction hand and lifting it straight up (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-107779

However, in the above pickup method, there was a problem that, depending on the state of the scribe, other adjacent unit substrates would stick to the unit substrate being picked up and be pulled up together.

The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the tracking of other substrates when picking up a substrate in a substrate pickup device.

Below, multiple aspects are described as a means for solving the problem. These aspects can be arbitrarily combined as needed.

A substrate pickup device according to one aspect of the present invention is a device for picking up one substrate from among a plurality of substrates arranged on a flat plate, and comprises a suction hand and a control unit.

The suction hand is mounted on the robot arm. The suction hand has a pressing member that presses a short piece of a substrate to be picked up from above, and a suction part that can move obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member and suctions the substrate to be picked up from above.

The control unit executes the following steps.

◎ A step for pressing the short piece from above by using a pressing member.

◎ A step for causing the suction part to suck up the substrate to be picked up.

◎ A step for picking up a substrate to be picked up by moving the suction part so that it falls obliquely upward against the pressing member.

In this device, the substrate is lifted by pulling the suction hand obliquely upward while pressing the short end of the substrate by the pressing member of the suction hand. This prevents other substrates next to the substrate to be picked up from sticking and being lifted.

As a result, the substrate can be prevented from being scratched or broken during pickup.

The substrate pickup device may further include a driving device for moving the suction portion in an oblique direction with respect to the pressing member.

The driving device may have multiple cylinders.

The pressing member may be L-shaped when viewed in plane.

A substrate pickup method according to another aspect of the present invention is performed using a substrate pickup device. The substrate pickup device is a device for picking up one substrate from among a plurality of substrates arranged on a flat plate, and comprises a pressing member for pressing a short end of a substrate to be picked up from above, and an adsorption hand having an adsorption portion that can move obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member and adsorbs the substrate to be picked up from above.

The substrate pickup method comprises the following steps.

◎ A step for pressing the short piece from above by using a pressing member.

◎ A step for causing the suction part to suck up the substrate to be picked up.

◎ A step for picking up a substrate to be picked up by moving the suction part so that it falls obliquely upward against the pressing member.

In this method, the suction hand is pulled up obliquely while the short end of the substrate is pressed by the pressing member of the suction hand. This prevents other adjacent substrates from sticking to the substrate being picked up and being pulled up. As a result, it is possible to prevent defects such as scratches or breakage of the substrate during pickup.

In the substrate pickup device and substrate pickup method according to the present invention, tracking of other substrates can be reduced when picking up a substrate.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a pickup device of the first embodiment.
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the suction hand.
Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view of the suction hand.
Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the substrate.
Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the pickup device.
Figure 6 is a flowchart of the pickup operation of the pickup device.
Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the pick operation of the pickup device.
Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the pick operation of the pickup device.
Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the pick operation of the pickup device.
Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the pick operation of the pickup device.
Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the pick operation of the pickup device.
Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view of the suction hand.
Figure 13 is a schematic plan view of the suction hand.
Figure 14 is a schematic plan view of the suction hand.
Figure 15 is a schematic side view of the suction hand.
Figure 16 is a schematic side view of the suction hand.
Figure 17 is a schematic perspective view of the substrate.

1. First embodiment

(1) Structure of the pickup device

Using FIGS. 1 to 4, the structure of a pickup device (1) (an example of a substrate pickup device) is explained. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a pickup device of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a suction hand. FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of a suction hand. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a substrate.

In this embodiment, the dividing target is a mother board (M). The mother board (M) is, for example, a laminated glass composed of two substrates. A scribe line (S) is formed on the two substrates by upper and lower cutter wheels of a scribe device (not shown).

The mother board (M) has a plurality of unit boards (P), as shown in Fig. 4. Specifically, four unit boards (P) are shown in Fig. 4. A short member is provided around the unit boards (P) (including the boundary with other unit boards (P).

For example, around a unit substrate (P1) as shown in Fig. 4, a first end member (Ma1), a second end member (Ma2), a third end member (Ma3), and a fourth end member (Ma4) are installed. The first end member (Ma1) and the second end member (Ma2) are installed at a boundary with another unit substrate (P). The third end member (Ma3) and the fourth end member (Ma4) constitute the outer edge of the mother substrate (M).

The pickup device (1) is a device that picks up one unit substrate (P) from among a plurality of unit substrates (P) of a mother substrate (M) placed on a mounting plate (2) (Fig. 7), and specifically, performs a substrate dividing operation and a substrate suction and return operation.

The pickup device (1) has a robot arm (3), as shown in Fig. 1. The robot arm (3) can raise and lower the suction hand (5) (described later) and move it laterally by means of an arm drive device (31) (Fig. 5). The arm drive device (31) is made of, for example, a motor or the like.

The pickup device (1) has a suction hand (5) (an example of a suction hand). The suction hand (5) is a device that suctions and returns a mother board (M). The suction hand (5) is mounted on the tip of the robot arm (3).

The suction hand (5) has a suction part main body (7) (an example of a suction part). As shown in Fig. 3, a suction hole (7a) is formed on the lower surface of the suction part main body (7). The suction hole (7a) suctions the mother board (M) to be picked up from above. The suction hole (7a) is connected to a negative pressure generating device (33) (Fig. 5) such as a vacuum pump.

The suction hand (5) has a pressing bar (9) (an example of a pressing member). The pressing bar (9) presses the end material (Ma) of the mother board (M) to be picked up from above, and specifically, it lowers from the suction unit body (7) and presses the end material (Ma) of the mother board (M) against the mounting plate (2).

The push bar (9) is connected so as to be movable in an oblique direction with respect to the suction body (7) (described later). The push bar (9) has a flat bottom surface.

The push bar (9), in this embodiment, is L-shaped when viewed from a plane. Specifically, the push bar (9) is positioned close to or in contact with the outer side of two sides of the rectangular bottom surface of the suction unit body (7).

The pickup device (1) has a tilt drive device (21). The tilt drive device (21) is a device that raises and lowers the suction part main body (7) obliquely with respect to the vertical direction with respect to the push bar (9). In other words, the tilt drive device (21) moves the suction part main body (7) and the push bar (9) obliquely with respect to the vertical direction within a predetermined range with respect to each other (in a first horizontal direction parallel to a straight line connecting one corner of the rectangular bottom surface of the suction part main body (7) to the other corner when viewed from the plan). The tilt drive device (21) is, for example, an air cylinder.

Specifically, the tilt drive device (21) has three air cylinders. The tilt drive devices (21) are installed at each corner of the suction unit body (7) and at each of the edges on both sides.

The inclined driving device (21) has a cylinder body (23), a first rotational connecting portion (25) that freely connects the upper portion of the cylinder body (23) and the suction part body (7), and a second rotational connecting portion (27) that freely connects the lower portion of the cylinder body (23) and the push bar (9). The rotational axes of the first rotational connecting portion (25) and the second rotational connecting portion (27) extend in the second horizontal direction (the horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction). Therefore, by the operation of the cylinder body (23), the push bar (9) can move between an upper position (Figs. 7 and 8) in which the lower surface is higher than the lower surface of the suction part body (7), and a lower position (Figs. 10 and 11) in which the lower surface is lower than the lower surface of the suction part body (7).

(2) Control configuration of the pickup device

Using Fig. 5, the control configuration of the pickup device (1) is explained. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the pickup device.

The pickup device (1) has a controller (51) (an example of a control unit).

The controller (51) is a computer system having a processor (e.g., CPU), a memory device (e.g., ROM, RAM, HDD, SSD, etc.), and various interfaces (e.g., A/D converter, D/A converter, communication interface, etc.). The controller (51) performs various control operations by executing a program stored in a memory unit (corresponding to part or all of a memory area of a memory device).

The controller (51) may be composed of a single processor, but may also be composed of multiple independent processors for each control.

The functions of each element of the controller (51) may be partially or completely realized as a program executable in a computer system constituting the controller (51). In addition, some of the functions of each element of the controller (51) may be configured by a custom IC.

An arm drive device (31), a negative pressure generating device (33), and a slope drive device (21) are connected to the controller (51).

The controller (51) is connected to a sensor for detecting the size, shape and position of the substrate, a sensor and switch for detecting the status of each device, and an information input device, although not shown.

(3) Pick-up and substrate division operation of the pickup device

Using Figures 6 to 16, the pickup and substrate dividing operations of the pickup device are explained.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the pickup operation of the pickup device. Figs. 7 to 11 are schematic diagrams showing the pick operation of the pickup device. Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view of the suction hand. Figs. 13 and 14 are schematic plan views of the suction hand. Figs. 15 and 16 are schematic side views of the suction hand. Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the substrate.

The control flow chart described below is an example, and each step can be omitted or replaced as needed. In addition, multiple steps can be executed simultaneously, or some or all of them can be executed overlappingly.

Additionally, each block of the control flowchart is not limited to a single control operation, but can be replaced with multiple control operations expressed by multiple blocks.

Additionally, the operation of each device is the result of commands from the control unit to each device, and these are expressed by each stage of the software application.

In step S1, a preparatory operation of the suction hand (5) is performed. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, the suction hand (5) is moved upwards on the mounting plate (2) by the robot arm (3). At this time, the push bar (9) is in the upper position. In addition, the mother board (M) is placed on the mounting plate (2). In addition, in Figs. 7 to 11, for simplicity, only the unit board (P1), the first end member (Ma1), and the second end member (Ma2) are shown.

In step S2, as shown in Fig. 8, the suction hand (5) is lowered so that the lower surface comes into contact with the mother substrate (M). Specifically, the suction hole (7a) comes into close contact with the target unit substrate (P) of the mother substrate (M).

In step S3, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 9, FIG. 13, and FIG. 15, the pressing bar (9) presses the short piece (Ma) from above. Specifically, the pressing bar (9) descends relative to the suction body (7) and moves to a lower position. More specifically, the pressing bar (9) presses the first short piece (Ma1) and the second short piece (Ma2) of FIG. 4.

In step S4, as shown in Fig. 9, the suction hole (7a) sucks the unit substrate (P) of the pickup target of the mother substrate (M). Specifically, the suction hole (7a) sucks the unit substrate (P) by the negative pressure generating device (33).

In step S5, as shown in FIGS. 10, 12, 14, and 16, the incline driving device (21) moves the suction body (7) so that it falls obliquely upward with respect to the pressing bar (9). At this time, the pressing bar (9) is pressing the first end member (Ma1) and the second end member (Ma2) of the mother board (M) from above. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 17, the unit board (P) is reliably separated from the first end member (Ma1) and the second end member (Ma2).

In this pickup device (1), the unit substrate (P) is lifted by pulling up the suction part main body (7) of the suction hand (5) obliquely upward while pressing down the first end (Ma1) and the second end (Ma2) of the mother substrate (M) by the pressing bar (9) of the suction hand (5). As a result, other substrates next to the unit substrate (P) to be picked up are prevented from sticking and being lifted up. As a result, defects such as scratches or breakage of the unit substrate (P) during pickup can be prevented.

In step S6, the unit substrate (P1) is taken out from the pickup device (1). Specifically, as shown in Fig. 11, the suction unit main body (7) moves further upward to further raise the unit substrate (P1). At this time, the push bar (9) rises together with the suction unit main body (7) and falls upward from the first end material (Ma1) and the second end material (Ma2).

As described above, after the division of the short material (Ma), the suction hand (5) can suction the unit substrate (P) of the mother substrate (M) and return it to another device. That is, the unit substrate (P) can be picked up from the mother substrate (M) without installing a drive device dedicated to removing the short material.

2. Other embodiments

Above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention. In particular, multiple embodiments and modified examples described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as needed.

(1) Variation of the push bar

The number, shape and position of the push bars are not limited to the first embodiment.

(2) Modification of the slope driving device

The type, number, and location of the inclined drive devices are not particularly limited.

(3) Example of substrate deformation

The bonded brittle material substrate, which is a composite of two brittle material substrates, includes a flat display panel such as a liquid crystal panel, a plasma display panel, or an organic EL display panel bonded to a glass substrate, and a semiconductor substrate bonded to a glass substrate such as a silicon substrate or a sapphire substrate.

The type of substrate is not particularly limited. The substrate includes single-plate glass, semiconductor wafers, and ceramic substrates.

(4) Variations of scribe lines

The shape of the scribe line is not limited. In the above embodiment, the scribe line is a straight line, but it may have a curve in part or in whole.

The present invention can be widely applied to a substrate pickup device and a substrate pickup method for picking up a substrate and separating it from another substrate.

1: Pickup device 2: Tactile stand
3: Robot arm 5: Suction hand
7: Adsorption body 7a: Adsorption hole
9: Push bar 21: Incline drive device
23: Cylinder body 25: First rotary joint
27: Second rotary joint 31: Arm drive device
33: Negative pressure generating device 51: Controller
M: Motherboard Ma1: First stage
Ma2: Second stage Ma3: Third stage
Ma4: 4th section P: Unit substrate
S: Scribe line

Claims (5)

A device for picking up one substrate from among a plurality of substrates listed on a flat surface,
A robot arm is mounted on a robot arm, and includes a pressing member that presses the end material between a substrate to be picked up and a substrate adjacent to the substrate from above, and an adsorption hand that is capable of moving obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member and has an adsorption portion for adsorbing the substrate to be picked up from above.
A substrate pickup device having a control unit that executes the steps of causing the pressing member to press the short member from above, the step of causing the suction member to suction the substrate to be picked up, and the step of picking up the substrate to be picked up by moving the suction member to fall obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member. In claim 1,
A substrate pickup device further comprising a driving device for moving the above-described suction part in an oblique direction with respect to the above-described pressing member. In claim 2,
The above driving device is a substrate pickup device having a plurality of cylinders. In any one of claims 1 to 3,
A substrate pickup device, wherein the above pressing member has an L-shape when viewed from a plane. A device for picking up one substrate from among a plurality of substrates listed on a flat surface, comprising: a pressing member for pressing a gap between a substrate to be picked up and a substrate adjacent to the substrate from above; an adsorption member capable of moving obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member for adsorbing the substrate to be picked up from above; and a substrate pickup device having an adsorption hand mounted on a robot arm, as a method for picking up a substrate;
A step of causing the pressing member to press the short member from above,
A step of causing the above-mentioned adsorption part to adsorb the substrate of the above-mentioned pickup target,
A substrate pickup method comprising a step of picking up a substrate as a pickup target by moving the suction part so that it falls obliquely upward with respect to the pressing member.