Workpiece handling device

Abstract

This application provides a workpiece handling device, including a base, a drive module, and an adsorption module. The drive module is used to move the adsorption module horizontally or vertically. The adsorption module includes a connecting rod and a suction cup, and the connecting rod is made of carbon fiber. This application utilizes a carbon fiber connecting rod to connect the drive module and the suction cup, ensuring that the connecting rod itself does not shed debris, emit volatile substances, or attract oil or dust, thereby reducing the probability of workpiece contamination. Furthermore, by positioning the first and second drive units of the drive module outside the projection of the suction cup, contaminants such as debris and oil generated during the operation of the first and second drive units fall onto the outer area of ​​the workpiece rather than directly above it, further reducing the probability of workpiece contamination.

Description

Workpiece handling device WORKPIECE HANDLING DEVICE Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automation equipment technology, and in particular to a workpiece handling device. Prior Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of high-tech products such as semiconductor wafers, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), flat panel displays, and precision optical components, automated equipment is often required to grasp, transport, and precisely position precision workpieces such as wafers, glass substrates, and lenses. These workpieces have extremely high requirements for the cleanliness of the production environment; even micron- or nanometer-level dust or oil can lead to product scrap.

[0003] Traditional adsorption and material handling equipment typically places lifting modules (such as ball screws, screws, gears, etc.) directly above the workpiece. These structures are usually made of metal or plastic, and during operation, friction can easily generate metal shavings or plastic particles. Surface anti-rust oil and lubricating oil can also evaporate and drip, forming oil stains. Dust attracted by electrostatic attraction can also fall off with the movement, thus easily contaminating the workpiece below and causing damage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application proposes a workpiece handling device to reduce the probability of workpiece contamination.

[0005] A workpiece handling device includes a base, a drive module, and an adsorption module. The drive module is disposed on the base and includes a first drive unit, a second drive unit connected to the first drive unit, and a mounting base connected to the second drive unit. The first drive unit drives the second drive unit to move horizontally, and the second drive unit drives the mounting base to move vertically. The adsorption module includes a connecting rod, a mounting plate, and a suction cup. One end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the other end is fixedly connected to the mounting plate. The connecting rod is made of carbon fiber, and the suction cup is fixed to the mounting plate. The orthographic projection of the suction cup does not overlap with the orthographic projections of either the first or second drive unit.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first driving unit includes a first driving member, a first transmission member, a transmission shaft, and a second transmission member. One end of the first transmission member is connected to the first driving member, and the other end is connected to the transmission shaft. The second transmission member is connected to the transmission shaft, and the second driving unit is fixed to the second transmission member.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first driving component includes a servo motor or a stepper motor. The first transmission component includes a conveyor belt, and the second transmission component includes a conveyor belt.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second driving unit includes a housing, a second driving member, a third transmission member, and a fourth transmission member. The second driving member, the third transmission member, and the fourth transmission member are all disposed within the housing, and the housing is fixed to the second transmission member. Both ends of the third transmission member are respectively connected to the second driving member and the fourth transmission member, and the mounting base is connected to the fourth transmission member. The second driving member drives the third transmission member to rotate, and the fourth transmission member drives the mounting base to move along the vertical direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the second drive unit further includes a coupling that connects the fourth transmission component and the mounting base.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second drive unit further includes a slide rail. The slide rail is fixed to the surface of the housing opposite to the second drive member, and the mounting base is configured to move along the slide rail.

[0011] In one embodiment, the second driving component includes a servo motor or a stepper motor. The third transmission component includes a conveyor belt, and the fourth transmission component includes a ball screw.

[0012] In one embodiment, the workpiece handling device further includes a monitoring module. The monitoring module includes a support rod and a sensor, the support rod being fixed to the base. The sensor, including a laser displacement sensor, is fixed to the support rod.

[0013] In one embodiment, there are two driving modules and two adsorption modules. The two driving modules are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the base, and each driving module is connected to one adsorption module.

[0014] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the connecting rod is provided with an antistatic coating.

[0015] The workpiece handling device of this application utilizes a carbon fiber connecting rod to connect the drive module and the suction cup, ensuring that the connecting rod itself produces no debris, no volatile substances, and is free from oil or dust, thereby reducing the probability of workpiece contamination. Furthermore, by positioning the first and second drive units of the drive module outside the projection of the suction cup, contaminants such as debris and oil generated during the operation of the first and second drive units fall onto the outer area of ​​the workpiece rather than directly above it, further reducing the probability of workpiece contamination. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a workpiece handling device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of point A in Figure 1 (with the dust cover removed) from another perspective.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the second drive unit (without the outer shell and dust cover), mounting base and adsorption module of the workpiece handling device shown in Figure 1 from another perspective.

[0019] Figure 4 is a bottom view of the workpiece handling device shown in Figure 1.

[0020] Figure 5 is a left view of the workpiece handling device shown in Figure 1. Implementation

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments of this application pertain. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer are followed. Where the manufacturer of the components used is not specified, they are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0022] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture (as shown in the attached figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly. It will be understood that when a component is referred to as "fixed to," "mounted to," "set on," or "connected to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be a component in between.

[0023] These schematic diagrams are schematic representations of idealized embodiments (or intermediate configurations) of this application. Therefore, variations in the shapes shown in the diagrams due to manufacturing processes and / or tolerances are foreseeable. Consequently, the embodiments of this application should not be construed as limited to the specific shapes of the areas illustrated herein, but should include, for example, deviations in shape due to manufacturing processes. The areas shown in the figures are merely illustrative, and their shapes are not intended to represent the actual shapes of the illustrated devices, nor are they intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0024] It is understood that when describing two components in parallel / perpendicular configuration, the included angle between the two components is allowed to have a tolerance of ±10% relative to the standard parallel / perpendicular configuration.

[0025] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0026] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 3. This application proposes a workpiece handling device 100 for transporting and transferring workpieces (not shown). The workpiece can be a precision thin workpiece such as a film, acrylic sheet, or wafer, but is not limited thereto. The workpiece handling device 100 includes a base 10, a drive module 20, and an adsorption module 30. The base 10 serves as the mounting and supporting mechanism for the workpiece handling device 100. The drive module 20 and the adsorption module 30 are directly or indirectly mounted on the base 10. The drive module 20 includes a first drive unit 21, a second drive unit 22, and a mounting base 23. The first drive unit 21 is disposed on the base 10. The second drive unit 22 is connected to the first drive unit 21, and the mounting base 23 is connected to the second drive unit 22. The first drive unit 21 drives the second drive unit 22 to move horizontally, and the second drive unit 22 drives the mounting base 23 to move vertically. The adsorption module 30 includes a connecting rod 31, a mounting plate 32, and suction cups 33. The connecting rod 31 is made of carbon fiber. One end of the connecting rod 31 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 23, and the other end is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 32. Multiple suction cups 33 can be fixed to the mounting plate 32. The orthographic projection of each suction cup 33 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first driving unit 21, nor with the orthographic projection of the second driving unit 22.

[0027] During operation, the first drive unit 21 is activated, which drives the second drive unit 22 and the mounting base 23 connected to the second drive unit 22 to move horizontally, thereby moving the adsorption module 30 on the mounting base 23 horizontally. After the adsorption module 30 reaches the workpiece position in the horizontal direction, the second drive unit 22 is activated, which drives the mounting base 23 and the adsorption module 30 on the mounting base 23 to move vertically until the suction cup 33 on the adsorption module 30 descends to a suitable position, adsorbing and fixing the workpiece. Since the connecting rod 31 in the adsorption module 30, which connects to the drive module 20 and the suction cup 33, is made of carbon fiber (a material composed of carbon fiber filaments and resin), the surface of carbon fiber is dense and has high hardness. It will not produce debris or particles due to friction even after long-term use. In addition, the surface of carbon fiber is smooth and the material is stable, making it difficult to adsorb dust in the air and leaving no contaminants such as lubricating oil or rust-preventive oil. It does not release gaseous or liquid contaminants at room temperature. Therefore, the connecting rod 31, which is made of carbon fiber, does not produce contaminants, thereby reducing or completely eliminating the probability of workpiece contamination. Furthermore, carbon fiber is lightweight and high-strength, and will not increase the lifting load of the drive module 20, which helps to improve the overall structural stability of the workpiece handling device 100. In addition, the orthographic projection of the suction cup 33 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first drive unit 21 and the second drive unit 22 (that is, the first drive unit 21 and the second drive unit 22 are located on the side and above the suction cup 33). The debris, oil stains and other contaminants generated by the first drive unit 21 and the second drive unit 22 during operation will fall on the outer area of ​​the workpiece rather than directly above it, and the contaminants will not come into contact with the workpiece at all, thereby further reducing the probability of the workpiece being contaminated.

[0028] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the base 10 may include side plates 11, a base plate 12, support columns 13, and foot pads 14. The base plate 12 is connected to the side plates 11, the support columns 13 are connected to the bottom surface of the base plate 12, and the foot pads 14 are connected to the bottom surface of the support columns 13. In this embodiment, the four side plates 11 and the four base plates 12 generally enclose a hollow frame structure, and the six support columns 13 are symmetrically arranged in pairs on the bottom surface of the base plate 12.

[0029] Furthermore, the two drive modules 20 can be respectively mounted on two opposing base plates 12, and the two adsorption modules 30 are each connected to one drive module 20. The two drive modules 20 are staggered in the height direction, that is, the two drive modules 20 are located at different heights, so that the movement of the two drive modules 20 does not affect each other. The structure of each drive module 20 is consistent, and the structure of each adsorption module 30 is consistent. The dual-station design composed of the two drive modules 20 and the two adsorption modules 30 allows the right drive module 20 and adsorption module 30 to simultaneously discharge material while the left drive module 20 and adsorption module 30 are picking up and transferring material. When the left side is discharging material, the right side is picking up material simultaneously, and so on in a cycle without interference. This achieves alternating picking up and discharging (one is transferring material while the other is picking up / discharging material), improving work efficiency.

[0030] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first drive unit 21 includes a first drive member 211, a first transmission member 212, a transmission shaft 213, and a second transmission member 214. The first drive member 211 can be mounted on one of the base plates 12 of the base 10, and can be, but is not limited to, a servo motor or a stepper motor. The first drive member 211 has an output shaft 2111. The first transmission member 212 can be, but is not limited to, a conveyor belt, one end of which is wound around the output shaft 2111, thereby rotating under the drive of the first drive member 211. The other end of the first transmission member 212 is wound around the transmission shaft 213, the axial direction of which is approximately parallel to the axial direction of the output shaft 2111. The transmission shaft 213 can rotate under the drive of the first transmission member 212. The second transmission member 214 can be, but is not limited to, a conveyor belt, one end of which is wound around the end of the transmission shaft 213 away from the second transmission member 214, thereby rotating under the drive of the transmission shaft 213.

[0031] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the second drive unit 22 includes a housing 221, a second drive member 222, a third transmission member 223, and a fourth transmission member 224. The housing 221 is fixed to the second transmission member 214. When the second transmission member 214 rotates, the housing 221 can move along the horizontal direction (i.e., the extension direction of the base plate 12) under the drive of the second transmission member 214. The second drive member 222, the third transmission member 223, and the fourth transmission member 224 are all disposed inside the housing 221, and can move with the movement of the housing 221. A dust cover 2211 (see Figure 1) may be provided on the top of the housing 221 to protect the internal structure of the housing 221 from contamination by dust and other impurities. The second drive member 222 may be, but is not limited to, a servo motor or a stepper motor, and has an output shaft 2221. The third transmission component 223 may be, but is not limited to, a conveyor belt. One end of the third transmission component 223 is wound around the output shaft 2221, and the other end is wound around the fourth transmission component 224. The fourth transmission component 224 may be, but is not limited to, a ball screw (also known as a ball screw or ball bolt). The mounting base 23 is connected to the fourth transmission component 224. The second drive component 222 is used to drive the third transmission component 223 to rotate, and the fourth transmission component 224 is used to convert the rotational motion into linear motion and drive the mounting base 23 connected to it to move in the vertical direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the mounting base 23 may include a first portion 231 and a second portion 232 connected together, the first portion 231 being substantially perpendicular to the second portion 232. The first portion 231 is connected to a fourth transmission member 224, the end of which may extend into the first portion 231, thereby allowing the mounting base 23 to move vertically under the drive of the fourth transmission member 224.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the second drive unit 22 also includes a coupling 225. The coupling 225 is used to connect the fourth transmission component 224 to the first part 231 of the mounting base 23, thereby stably transmitting the movement of the fourth transmission component 224 to the mounting base 23, and has functions of offset compensation, damping and overload protection.

[0034] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the second drive unit 22 further includes a slide rail 226. The number of slide rails 226 can be one or more, and the slide rails 226 can be fixed to the surface of the housing 221 opposite to the second drive member 222 (i.e., the bottom surface of the housing 221). The slide rails 226 can extend vertically. The first part 231 of the mounting base 23 can move along the slide rail 226 under the drive of the fourth transmission member 224, thereby ensuring the directionality and stability of the movement.

[0035] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting rod 31 can be fixed to the second part 232 of the mounting base 23. The extending direction of the connecting rod 31 can be approximately perpendicular to the direction of horizontal movement of the drive module 20, and its shape can be, but is not limited to, rod-shaped. The number of connecting rods 31 can be one or more, and their length, diameter, and other parameters are not limited in this application. In this embodiment, the two connecting rods 31 are arranged approximately parallel. The mounting plate 32 is fixed to the end of the connecting rod 31 away from the mounting base 23, and multiple suction cups 33 can be fixed to the bottom surface of the mounting plate 32. The suction cups 33 can be vacuum suction cups, which can be connected to a vacuum pumping device to ensure the stability of the adsorption.

[0036] Furthermore, the second part 232 of the mounting base 23, facing away from the first part 231, may also be provided with multiple suction cups 33 to further enhance the stability of the adsorption.

[0037] Furthermore, the outer surface of the connecting rod 31 may be provided with an antistatic coating. The antistatic coating can prevent dust from adsorbing, thereby further reducing the probability of the workpiece being contaminated.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the workpiece handling device 100 further includes a monitoring module 40, which may include support rods 41 and sensors 42. The support rods are fixed to two opposing side plates 11 of the base 10, and their extension direction may be perpendicular to the extension direction of the connecting rod 31. In this embodiment, the two support rods 41 are arranged substantially parallel to each other, and the sensors 42 are fixed to the two support rods 41. The material of the support rods 41 may be, but is not limited to, carbon fiber. The sensors 42 may be, but are not limited to, laser displacement sensors, which can be used to monitor the position of the workpiece. When the workpiece is detected to be in place, the drive module 20 and the adsorption module 30 can be instructed to perform operations.

[0039] The workpiece handling device 100 provided in this application embodiment uses a carbon fiber connecting rod 31 to connect the drive module 20 and the suction cup 33. This ensures that the connecting rod 31 itself has no falling debris, no volatile substances, and is free from oil or dust, thereby reducing the probability of workpiece contamination. Furthermore, by positioning the first drive unit 21 and the second drive unit 22 of the drive module 20 outside the projection of the suction cup 33, the debris, oil, and other contaminants generated during the operation of the first drive unit 21 and the second drive unit 22 fall onto the outer area of ​​the workpiece rather than directly above it, further reducing the probability of workpiece contamination.

[0040] The above description describes some specific embodiments of this application, but in actual applications, the application should not be limited to these embodiments. For those skilled in the art, other modifications and alterations made based on the technical concept of this application should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0041] 100: Workpiece handling device 10: Base 20: Drive Module 30: Adsorption Module 40: Monitoring Module 11: Side panel 12: Base Plate 13: Support column 14: Foot pads 21: First drive unit 22: Second drive unit 23: Mounting bracket 211: First driving component 2111, 2221: Output shafts 212: First transmission component 213: Drive shaft 214: Second transmission component 221: Outer shell 2211: Dust Cover 222: Second drive unit 223: Third transmission component 224: Fourth transmission component 225: Coupling 226: Slide rail 231: Part One 232: Part Two 31: Connecting rod 32: Mounting plate 33: Suction Cup 41: Support rod 42: Sensor

Claims

1. A workpiece handling device, improved in that it comprises: Base; A driving module, disposed on the base, includes a first driving unit, a second driving unit connected to the first driving unit, and a mounting base connected to the second driving unit; the first driving unit drives the second driving unit to move horizontally, and the second driving unit drives the mounting base to move vertically; and an adsorption module, including a connecting rod, a mounting plate, and a suction cup; one end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the other end is fixedly connected to the mounting plate; the connecting rod is made of carbon fiber; the suction cup is fixed to the mounting plate; the orthographic projection of the suction cup does not overlap with the orthographic projections of the first driving unit and the second driving unit.

2. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first driving unit includes a first driving component, a first transmission component, a transmission shaft, and a second transmission component; one end of the first transmission component is connected to the first driving component, and the other end is connected to the transmission shaft; the second transmission component is connected to the transmission shaft, and the second driving unit is fixed to the second transmission component.

3. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 2, wherein, The first driving component includes a servo motor or a stepper motor, the first transmission component includes a conveyor belt, and the second transmission component includes a conveyor belt.

4. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 2, wherein, The second drive unit includes a housing, a second drive component, a third transmission component, and a fourth transmission component; the second drive component, the third transmission component, and the fourth transmission component are all disposed within the housing, and the housing is fixed to the second transmission component; the two ends of the third transmission component are respectively connected to the second drive component and the fourth transmission component, and the mounting base is connected to the fourth transmission component; the second drive component is used to drive the third transmission component to rotate, and the fourth transmission component is used to drive the mounting base to move along the vertical direction.

5. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 4, wherein, The second drive unit further includes a coupling that connects the fourth transmission component and the mounting base.

6. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 4, wherein, The second drive unit further includes a slide rail fixed to the surface of the housing opposite to the second drive member, and the mounting base is configured to move along the slide rail.

7. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 4, wherein, The second driving component includes a servo motor or a stepper motor, the third transmission component includes a conveyor belt, and the fourth transmission component includes a ball screw.

8. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 1, wherein, The workpiece handling device further includes a monitoring module, which includes a support rod and a sensor. The support rod is fixed to the base, and the sensor is fixed to the support rod. The sensor includes a laser displacement sensor.

9. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 1, wherein, The number of driving modules and adsorption modules are two each. The two driving modules are respectively located on opposite sides of the base, and each driving module is connected to an adsorption module.

10. The workpiece handling device as described in claim 1, wherein, The outer surface of the connecting rod is provided with an antistatic coating.

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