Loading and unloading device for substrate cassette, substrate cassette system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a loading and unloading device (7) for a substrate cassette (2), the substrate cassette (2) having a plurality of compartments (3) into which a plurality of substrates (4) can be inserted for storage or temporary storage. The loading and unloading device comprises: at least one controllable conveyor belt (8) on which a substrate (4) can be placed; and at least one controllable clamping arm (11) configured to push a substrate (4) from the conveyor belt (8) into a compartment of the substrate cassette or to push a substrate out of a compartment (3) onto the conveyor belt (8), the conveyor belt (8) and the clamping arm (11) being arranged on a movably arranged common carrier (17). The clamping arm (11) is arranged at least substantially below the conveyor belt (8) to clamp the substrate (4) from below, and a movable vacuum gripper (18) is arranged above the conveyor belt (8) and is configured to grip and move a substrate (4) in the substrate cassette (2) or on the conveyor belt (8) from above.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a loading and unloading device for a substrate cassette, wherein the substrate cassette has a plurality of compartments in which a plurality of substrates can be inserted for storage or temporary storage. The loading and unloading device includes: at least one controllable conveyor belt on which a substrate can be placed; and at least one controllable clamping arm configured to push a substrate from the conveyor belt into a compartment or to push a substrate out of a compartment onto the conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt and the clamping arm are arranged on a movably arranged common carrier.

[0002] The present invention further relates to a substrate cassette system, including: at least one substrate cassette having a plurality of compartments in which a plurality of substrates can be inserted for storage or temporary storage; and the loading and unloading device as described above. Background Art

[0003] Loading and unloading devices for substrate cassettes have been disclosed in the prior art. In the production of flat substrates or electrical / electronic modules based on flat substrates, it is known to store substrates in substrate cassettes and automatically supply them to an assembly line by an unloading device. It is also known to store or temporarily store assembled or ready substrates from the assembly line in a substrate cassette during component production to make them available for subsequent work steps. Accordingly, a known loading device can, for example, load a substrate cassette having substrates from an assembly line. In addition, a known combined loading and unloading device can simultaneously unload and load a substrate cassette and, accordingly, supply individual substrates to an assembly line or remove individual substrates from an assembly line and temporarily store them in a substrate cassette.

[0004] Known loading and unloading devices include at least one controllable conveyor belt on which a substrate can be placed. On the conveyor belt, a substrate can be transferred, for example, from a substrate cassette to an assembly line. Additionally, it is also known to provide a controllable clamping arm configured to push a substrate from the conveyor belt into a compartment of a substrate cassette or to push a substrate out onto the conveyor belt. If a substrate cassette is provided with a large number of compartments, for reasons of structural space, the distance in height between adjacent compartments is often chosen to be as small as possible in order to achieve a large number of compartments. In this case, it is difficult or even impossible to introduce the conveyor belt under the substrates of the substrate cassette itself. For greater cost-effectiveness, the conveyor belt is not arranged in a displaceable manner so that it can be fully moved into the substrate cassette. In order to pull a substrate out of one of the compartments, for example, a clamping arm also has to be introduced between two compartments, which can be made much narrower than the conveyor belt. The advantage of the interaction between the clamping arm and the conveyor belt is that loading and unloading can be carried out at low cost, especially in a substrate cassette with very little free space available. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved loading and unloading device, which in particular can also separate substrates from a stack of substrates that can be stored in a substrate cassette.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a loading and unloading device having the features described in claim 1. The advantage of this is that the loading and unloading device can handle both individual substrates and stacks of substrates. This increases the possible uses of the loading and unloading device, overcomes the need for additional loading and unloading devices for substrate stacks, and thus enables an assembly line to be implemented in a cost-effective and space-saving manner overall.

[0007] For this purpose, according to the present invention, it is proposed that the clamping arm is arranged at least substantially below the conveyor belt to clamp the substrate from below, and a movable vacuum gripper is arranged above the conveyor belt to grip and move the substrate in the substrate cassette or on the conveyor belt from above. With the clamping arm, the separated substrates and substrate stacks can be clamped from below, where the lowermost substrate is grasped and pushed in the direction of the conveyor belt. Except for higher acting forces, the configuration of the loading and unloading device remains initially unchanged. By means of the additional vacuum gripper, individual substrates can be removed from the substrate stack from above or substrates can be placed on the substrate stack from above. In this way, substrate stacks and individual substrates can be removed from the substrate stack and transferred into the substrate cassette by means of the loading and unloading device, and vice versa.

[0008] According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, the vacuum gripper is configured to separate substrates from a substrate stack. For this purpose, the vacuum gripper has, for example, a movable suction head having one or more suction points, which can be placed on the surface of the substrate, in particular on the surface of the uppermost substrate of the substrate stack, to adsorb the substrate and remove or transfer it from the substrate stack. Optionally, the vacuum gripper has a restraint mechanism, which is associated or can be associated with the rear side of the substrate to be gripped, ensuring that the substrate located below it does not get stuck on the substrate being gripped. The restraint mechanism can be, for example, a compressed air device that generates an air flow in the gap between the substrate to be gripped and the substrate below, in order to reliably separate the two substrates from each other. Alternatively, the restraint mechanism preferably has a mechanical configuration that restrains the substrate below when the upper substrate is lifted by the vacuum.

[0009] The vacuum gripper is particularly preferably configured to be moved into the substrate cassette. In this way, the substrate can be separated from the stack of substrates in the substrate cassette, and the separated substrate can be placed on the conveyor belt for further use. Of course, the reverse process can also be achieved, where the vacuum gripper picks up the separated substrate and transfers it into the substrate cassette to establish or continue to form a stack of substrates. As an alternative, the vacuum gripper is preferably configured to separate substrate stacks only on the conveyor belt.

[0010] Particularly preferably, the vacuum gripper is arranged on the carrier in a height-adjustable manner. In this way, independent of the conveying height of the conveyor belt, the vacuum gripper can optimally adapt to the substrate stack.

[0011] More preferably, the clamping arm has at least one clamping hook which can be displaced from a clamping position for pushing the substrate to a release position for retracting the clamping arm independently of the substrate. Clamping the substrate to push it into or out of the substrate cassette is accomplished by displacing the clamping hook. The advantage provided in the release position is that the clamping arm has a very low height, enabling it to be inserted, for example, between two vertically stacked substrates in the substrate cassette. This particularly avoids having to adjust the overall height of the clamping arm to clamp or release the substrate. Particularly preferably, the clamping hook is pivotally arranged on the clamping arm.

[0012] According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, the clamping arm has a plurality of such clamping hooks which are arranged on the clamping arm at intervals from each other in the sliding direction. The clamping hooks in particular have the construction and are arranged on the clamping arm as described above. The advantage brought about by this is that multiple substrates can be clamped and pushed simultaneously by the clamping hooks without causing the substrates to collide with each other. Specifically, the clamping hooks are preferably arranged on the clamping arm such that at least one clamping hook can be inserted between adjacent substrates in the compartment by its displacement, so that all the substrates can be simultaneously pulled out onto the conveyor belt by pushing or pulling the clamping arm. This ensures reliable handling of multiple substrates simultaneously, thereby avoiding damage to the substrates due to mutual collision or pushing during conveyance.

[0013] Particularly preferably, one clamping hook is arranged on the clamping arm in a longitudinally displaceable manner. This enables adjustment of the distance between adjacent clamping hooks so that the clamping arm can, for example, adapt to different substrates stored in the compartments of the substrate cassette, which have different lengths when viewed in the sliding direction. Of course, this also applies to pushing multiple different substrates into the substrate cassette.

[0014] According to an advantageous improvement of the present invention, the clamping arm has at least one sensor for detecting the substrate. The sensor is associated with the clamping arm, so the sensor moves with the clamping arm. In particular, the sensor is arranged on the upper side of the clamping arm, that is, associated with the substrate to be clamped. If the clamping arm moves past the substrate at this time, during the movement, the start point and the end point of the substrate are detected by means of the sensor in particular, whereby the substrate profile and the position of the substrate in the substrate cassette and / or the position of the substrate on the conveyor belt are determined by means of, for example, a control unit. This ensures the easy and reliable transfer of the substrate. In particular, the position to which the clamping hook will be displaced or can be displaced to the clamping position without hitting the substrate from below is determined by means of the data from the sensor. For this purpose, for example, when the clamping arm is pushed into the substrate cassette, the start point of the substrate is detected, and the end point of the substrate is also detected by means of the sensor or the end point of the substrate to be clamped is calculated according to the data known to the control unit, so that the clamping hook is only displaced to the clamping position when the clamping hook has completely passed the substrate. In particular, the conveyor belt is configured to have two conveyor belt running parts, which are arranged at a parallel interval from each other, so that the clamping arm is arranged between the two conveyor belt running parts, so that the corresponding substrate is placed in the substrate cassette and on the conveyor belt with its side edge. The distance between the conveyor belt running parts does not necessarily have to correspond to the distance between the sliding guides forming the compartments in the substrate cassette. On the contrary, the distance between the substrate conveyor belt running parts can also be selected to be smaller.

[0015] According to a preferred improvement of the present invention, at least one travel sensor is associated with the clamping arm. The movement path of the clamping arm can be determined by the travel sensor, and thus the positioning of the clamping hook relative to the substrate to be clamped can be optimally determined and adjusted especially also according to the data from the sensor.

[0016] Also preferably, at least one actuator, especially an electric actuator, is associated with the clamping arm for pushing the clamping arm and / or displacing at least one clamping hook. This ensures the positioning of the clamping arm, especially the positioning of the clamping hook on the clamping arm, or possibly the positioning of multiple clamping hooks, especially taking into account the data from the travel sensor and the sensor. Optionally, the clamping arm has at least one additional electrically operable actuator for displacing the corresponding clamping hook. If the clamping arm has multiple clamping hooks, each clamping hook is associated with its own actuator, or the clamping hooks are mechanically connected to each other by a common actuator, so that the clamping hooks move simultaneously, especially pivot, by means of the actuator.

[0017] Furthermore, the loading and unloading device preferably has a control unit which is connected at least to the actuator, the sensor and the travel sensor on the basis of signal technology and is configured to control at least one actuator according to the data detected by the sensor so as to push the substrates from a specific compartment of the substrate cassette onto the conveyor belt individually or jointly or to push them from the conveyor belt into the compartment. If the positioning of the substrates in the substrate cassette or on the conveyor belt is known, the control unit controls the loading and unloading device to push the substrates from the compartment onto the conveyor belt individually or simultaneously as described above or vice versa. When moving a single substrate, especially by controlling the conveyor belt by the control unit, after each substrate has been picked up, the corresponding substrate is taken out by means of the conveyor belt for further use, or the individual substrates are first collected on the conveyor belt and then supplied for further use.

[0018] The control unit is especially configured to push a single substrate from the conveyor belt into a predetermined position in the compartment or to take it out from a predetermined position in the compartment. For this purpose, the control unit uses the data from the travel sensor, such as the data of the substrate to be pushed detected by the sensor, so as to position the substrate optimally in the compartment or on the conveyor belt. Description of the Drawings

[0019] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 A perspective view of an advantageous substrate cassette system is shown;

[0021] Figure 2 A perspective view of the boosting unit of the substrate cassette system is shown;

[0022] Figure 3A A simplified view of the substrate cassette system when processing a single substrate is shown;

[0023] Figure 3B A simplified view of the substrate cassette system when processing a stack of substrates is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0024] Figure 1 A simplified perspective view of a substrate cassette system 1 for an electrical / electronic component assembly line is shown. The substrate cassette system 1 includes a substrate cassette 2 which has a plurality of compartments 3 for respectively receiving a plurality of substrates 4. For this purpose, the substrate cassette 2 has two side walls 5 which are opposed to each other and parallel to each other in the vertical direction, and each of them has a plurality of guide rails 6 on the opposite sides, and two opposed guide rails 6 form a compartment 3, and the corresponding substrate 4 is placed in the compartment 3 with its side edges. Optionally, a stack of substrates, i.e., a large number of single substrates stacked one above the other, which form a package or a stack, may also be arranged in the substrate cassette 2. The substrate 4 is a printed circuit board, a solar cell or a wafer.

[0025] The substrate cassettes 1 and 2 also have a loading and unloading device 7, which is used to transfer the substrate 4 into the substrate cassette 2, or to pick up the substrate 4 from the substrate cassette 2 and supply the substrate 4 to, for example, the assembly device of the assembly line. For this purpose, the loading and unloading device 7 has a conveyor belt 8, and two conveyor belt running parts 9 of the conveyor belt 8 are arranged parallel to each other and at intervals from each other. The conveyor belt running parts 9 can be controlled as a circulating transmission mechanism so that the conveyor belt is in a rotary motion, and thus the objects placed on the conveyor belt 8 can be conveyed along with the conveyor belt 8. The conveyor belt running parts 9 are arranged close to each other so that the substrates from the substrate cassette 2 rest on the two conveyor belt running parts 9 at their side edges and can then be conveyed by the conveyor belt 8.

[0026] A pushing unit 10 is arranged between the conveyor belt running parts 9. The pushing unit 10 has a clamping arm 11 which is especially constructed as a telescopic arm. The clamping arm 11 is located below and parallel to the supporting surface 12 of the conveyor belt 8. The clamping arm 11 has a displaceable clamping hook 13 at its free end. In particular, by pivoting the clamping arm 11 around the longitudinal axis of the clamping arm 11, the clamping hook 13 can be pivoted, as shown by the double arrow 14 in Figure 1 . In this way, the clamping hook 13 can pivot from the Figure 1 shown release position to the Figure 1 rising clamping position shown by the dashed line in. The clamping arm 11 is also associated with an electric actuator 15, as shown by the double arrow 16. The actuator 15 enables the clamping hook 13 to pivot according to the arrow 14. By the actuator 15, the clamping arm 11 and the clamping hook 13 can be longitudinally displaced parallel to the conveyor belt 8. The pushing unit 10 and the conveyor belt 8 are arranged on the same carrier 17 of the loading and unloading device 7.

[0027] Figure 2 The perspective view of the pushing unit 10 separated from the rest of the loading and unloading device 7 is shown. The clamping arm 11 has a first arm part 20 and a second arm part 21. The arm part 20 is arranged on a support carrier 22 fixed to the carrier 17 in a manner that can be longitudinally displaced according to the double arrow 16. In this case, according to this embodiment, the above-mentioned displacement is carried out by a belt drive mechanism 23 that can be electrically driven by an actuator 24. The clamping arm part 21 is pivotally arranged on the clamping arm part 20 around its longitudinal central axis and is fixedly connected to the clamping hook 13 so that it can pivot from the release position to the clamping position by the rotational motion of the clamping hook 13 caused by the actuator 15, and vice versa. In particular, the clamping arm part 21 is pivotally or rotatably arranged on the clamping arm part 20 through a plurality of radial bearings 25.

[0028] In addition, as shown in Figure 1As shown, the loading and unloading device 7 has a vacuum gripper 18. The vacuum gripper 18 has a movable pipetting head 19 which is arranged above the gripping arm 11 and is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable at least parallel to the gripping arm 11 in the direction of the double arrow 16. The pipetting head 19 is arranged above the support surface 12 of the conveyor belt 8 and is optionally arranged on the carrier 17 with adjustable height, so that the distance between the pipetting head 19 or the vacuum device 18 and the conveyor belt can be changed. The substrate 4 can be sucked and transported from above by means of the vacuum device 18. With the aid of the gripping arm 11 and the gripping hook 13, the substrate can be moved in a form-fitting manner. As described above, the gripping hook 13 pivots from below into the gripping position so that a shearing force can be exerted on the substrate 4. For this purpose, at least one control unit 34 controls the actuators of the loading and unloading device 7. For this purpose, the control unit 34 is connected to all the actuators and sensors on a signal technology basis, as will be described in detail below, so that in particular the actuators are also controlled in a targeted manner according to the information from the sensors, so that the loading and / or unloading process of the substrate cassette 2 is carried out by means of the loading and unloading device 7. For this purpose, the control unit 34 includes, for example, a computing unit (in particular a microcontroller) and a data memory, wherein the computing unit can operate the following loading and unloading device 7 by means of a computer program stored in particular in the data memory.

[0029] The working mode of the advantageous substrate cassette system 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 3A and Figure 3B to illustrate.

[0030] Figure 3AShows an application example of a substrate cassette system 1 for processing a single substrate. In this embodiment, separate substrates 4 are arranged in compartments 3 of a substrate cassette 2. This figure shows a simplified diagram of the substrate cassette system. There are multiple substrates 4 adjacent to each other at intervals in some compartments, while only one substrate 4 may be arranged in other compartments 3. In order to remove a substrate for further use, for example, in an assembly line, a clamping arm 11 is pushed into the substrate cassette 2 therefrom by means of an actuator 24. The clamping arm 11 has at least one sensor 26 on its upper side, which is, for example, configured as an optical sensor or a distance sensor. In particular, the sensor 26 is arranged close to the clamping hook 13 at the clamping arm 11, especially at the second clamping arm portion 21. When the clamping arm 11 is pushed into the substrate cassette 2, the sensor 26 is also pushed past the substrate 4 located therein, and the substrate 4 is located above the clamping arm 11 in the compartment 3. The clamping arm 11 is also associated with a travel device 27, which monitors the movement path of the clamping arm 11. From this, the start and end points of the substrate 4 above the clamping arm 11 can be detected by using the sensor 26, and the position of the clamping arm 11 can be determined by means of the travel device 27. In particular, after the end point of the substrate 4 to be clamped is detected by the sensor 26, the movement of the clamping arm 11 stops and the clamping hook 13 pivots to the clamping position as shown in Figure 3, so that the clamping hook 13 reversely grabs the substrate 4 to be detected. If the clamping arm 11 is removed from the substrate cassette 2 at this time, the clamping hook 13 will push the substrate 4 onto the conveyor belt 8 or the support surface 12 of the conveyor belt 8. The substrate 4 can be further conveyed by the conveyor belt 8. In this way, multiple substrates 4 can be successively moved from the compartment 3 to the conveyor belt 8. Advantageously, the height of the carrier 17 is adjustable, as shown by the double arrow 28 in Figure 3, so that all compartments 3 of the substrate cassette 2 can be reached by adjusting the height of the carrier 17 by means of the clamping arm 11.

[0031] For the loading process of the substrate cassette 2, reverse the movement of the clamping arm, first place the substrate on the conveyor belt 8, and then push the substrate into one of the compartments 3 in the direction of the substrate cassette 2 by means of the clamping hook 13.

[0032] Figure 3B Shows the same substrate cassette system 1 in the operation of separating the substrate 4 from a substrate stack 29 or a substrate stack 29 composed of individual substrates 4.

[0033] According to this embodiment, the substrate stack 29 is stored in the substrate cassette 2. For this purpose, for example, an adapter plate 30 is pushed into the compartment 3, and the substrate stack 29 is located on the adapter plate 30.

[0034] Instead of the gripper arm 11, the vacuum device 18 is used at this time to grasp the top substrate 4 of the substrate stack 29. For this purpose, the pipetting head 19 travels to the substrate cassette 2 to position itself above the substrate stack 29. Preferably, the pipetting head 19 is associated with an additional sensor 33 that points downward to detect, for example, the start of the substrate stack and optionally also the end of the substrate stack. In this way, the pipetting head 19 can be optimally positioned above the substrate 4 to be grasped using a simple mechanism. In particular, the pipetting head 19 is also associated with a travel device 27 that detects the path of the pipetting head 19 and determines, for example, the center point of the substrate stack 29 based on the start and end of the substrate stack 29, and centers the pipetting head 19 for picking up the substrate 4 above the substrate stack 29. Subsequently, the suction head 19 is guided downward to the top substrate 4, and the top substrate 4 is adsorbed onto the suction head 19 by the vacuum device 18. Preferably, the pipetting head 19 is then slightly raised to separate the substrate 4 from the substrate 4 below it. Subsequently, as shown by the arrow 32, the pipetting head 19 is removed from the substrate cassette 2, thereby separating the substrate 4 from the substrate stack 29, and in particular, the substrate 4 is placed on the conveyor belt 8 by the pipetting head 19.

[0035] Particularly preferably, the picking up of a single substrate from the substrate cassette 2 starts from below, i.e., from the substrate 4 in the bottommost compartment 3 of the substrate cassette 2, so that the gripper arm 11 has the highest possible degree of freedom when introducing the substrate cassette 2. In addition, it is ensured that there is no substrate below the gripper arm, otherwise the gripper arm may damage the substrate above it during gripping. This also prevents dirt particles, etc. from falling onto the substrate 4 below when the substrate 4 is displaced in the substrate cassette. In this way, advantages are achieved in terms of the cleanliness of the substrate 4 and the degree of freedom of movement of the gripper arm 11.

[0036] With the advantageous substrate cassette system 1, different loading and unloading processes can be achieved. In a conventional substrate cassette system, the substrate can only be traveled to a separate end position where it can be introduced or until it stops by the gripper arm, but the design of the substrate cassette system 1 of the present invention allows the substrate to be pushed to a predetermined position inside the compartment in a targeted manner. The pushing position can be freely programmed or, for example, set by the control unit 34 according to the size of the corresponding substrate. Depending on the available seats in the compartment 3, a plurality of end positions of the gripper arm 11 can be programmed and set according to the desired number of substrates 4. The position of the clamping hook 13 and thus the position of the substrate being moved is monitored by means of the travel device 27, so that the substrate 4 remains in the desired position. In particular, in this way, the individual substrates can be placed in the compartment 3 at freely selectable mutual distances. This avoids the substrates 4 from sliding or relatively sliding against each other.

[0037] Optionally, a plurality of clamping hooks 13 may be pivotally arranged on the clamping arm. The clamping hooks 13 are arranged at a fixed distance from each other, and this distance corresponds to the desired distance between adjacent substrates 4 in the substrate cassette 2. If the clamping arm 11 is fully inserted into the substrate cassette 2, all the substrates 4 in the relevant compartment 3 can be simultaneously pulled out of the compartment onto the conveyor belt 8 or onto the support surface 12 of the conveyor belt 8 by means of the clamping hooks 13. For the reverse process, first, the substrates 4 are positioned on the conveyor belt 8 according to the distance of the clamping hooks or pushing fingers, and then all the substrates 4 are simultaneously pushed into the desired cassette slot or the desired compartment 3 by the clamping arm 11.

[0038] Optionally, the clamping arm 11 is also associated with a force sensor, which monitors the moving force of the clamping arm 11, so as to interrupt the process to avoid damaging the substrate 4 if the moving force exceeds the expected value, for example, the substrate is stuck in the corresponding compartment 3. The sensors 26, 33 are in particular configured as optical sensors or distance sensors.

[0039] When unloading the substrate 4 from the compartment 3 of the substrate cassette 2, the following possibilities also occur: on the one hand, each individual substrate 4 pushed onto the conveyor belt 8 can immediately continue to move with the conveyor belt 8 and be available for further use.

[0040] It is also possible to first successively position all the substrates 4 from the compartment 3 on the conveyor belt 8 by means of the clamping arm. In particular, after each positioning of the substrate, the conveyor belt 8 operates so that the clamping arm always places the substrate removed from the substrate cassette 2 in the same position, and then the corresponding substrate is further conveyed from this position by the conveyor belt 8 until all the substrates 4 are placed on the conveyor belt 8 from the compartment 3. Only then are the substrates supplied further, either individually or jointly, by the conveyor belt for use. As described above, the advantageous substrate cassette system 1 also allows a plurality of substrates 4 to be simultaneously pulled out of the compartment 3 by means of a plurality of clamping hooks 13 and placed adjacent to each other on the conveyor belt 8.

[0041] If there is a substrate stack 29 in the substrate cassette 2, the substrate stack 29 is separated according to the process of the Figure 3B embodiment. The dimensions of the substrates 4 that are generally known as the substrate stack 29 located in the substrate cassette 2 are used. These values are used to determine the positions of the clamping arm and the suction head 19. Although the length of the substrate 4 in the sliding direction is generally known, it is not necessarily known where the substrate stack 29 is located in the substrate cassette 2. Usually, the substrate stack 29 is inserted into the cassette by hand, so it can be assumed that the substrate stack 29 is located in the substrate cassette 2 in an uncontrolled position. In order to safely pick up the substrate 4 or separate the substrate 4, the position of the substrate stack 29 should be determined first.

[0042] To determine the exact position, the pipette head 19 is associated with a sensor 33 which observes the substrate to be picked up from top to bottom and is especially configured like the sensor 26. If the pipette head 19 travels above the substrate stack 29, the sensor 33 detects the leading edge of the substrate stack 29. The control unit 34 automatically adds one half of the substrate length known to the control unit 34, thereby centering the pipette head 19 above the topmost substrate 4 of the substrate stack 29. Then the substrate 4 is grasped as described above and removed from the substrate cassette 2. The substrate cassette 2 can also be loaded by means of the vacuum device 18. In this case, for example, the position of the substrate on the conveyor belt 8 is detected by means of the sensor 33, and optionally the vacuum head 19 is controlled to grasp the substrate 4.

[0043] The substrate cassette system 1 preferably has a plurality of substrate cassettes 2, at least two of which preferably have different configurations. For example, one substrate cassette is configured to receive individual substrates and another substrate cassette is configured to receive substrate stacks. Preferably, each substrate cassette 2 has at least one readable identification member, such as a printed one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code (especially a QR code) or a readable chip (especially an RFID chip). Then, the loading and unloading device 7 preferably has a reading device for detecting the corresponding code or chip and determines the operation of the substrate cassette 2 being detected, especially its type, and optionally determines its substrate occupancy based on the detected code. This means that the loading and unloading device 7 can automatically process any type of substrate cassette and can be fully utilized at any time.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading device (7) for a substrate cassette (2), wherein, The substrate cassette (2) has a plurality of compartments (3) into which a plurality of substrates (4) can be inserted for storage. The loading and unloading device (7) includes: at least one controllable conveyor belt (8) on which a substrate (4) can be placed; and at least one controllable clamping arm (11) configured to push the substrate (4) from the conveyor belt (8) into the compartment (3) of the substrate cassette or to push the substrate (4) out of the compartment (3) onto the conveyor belt (8). Wherein, the conveyor belt (8) and the clamping arm (11) are arranged on a movably arranged common carrier (17). It is characterized in that The clamping arm (11) is arranged below the conveyor belt (8) to clamp the substrate (4) from below; and a movable vacuum gripper (18) is arranged above the conveyor belt (8), and the vacuum gripper (18) is configured to clamp and move the substrate (4) in the substrate cassette (2) and / or on the conveyor belt (8) from above.

2. The handling device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum gripper (18) is configured to separate the substrate (4) from the substrate stack (29).

3. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum gripper (18) is configured to move into the substrate cassette (2).

4. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum gripper (18) is arranged on the common carrier (17) with adjustable height.

5. The handling device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping arm (11) has at least one clamping hook (13) that can be displaced from a clamping position for pushing the substrate (4) to a release position below the substrate (4), so as to push the clamping arm (11) independently of the substrate (4).

6. The handling device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping arm (11) has a plurality of clamping hooks (13), and the clamping hooks (13) are arranged at intervals along the sliding direction on the clamping arm (11).

7. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, At least one of the clamping hooks (13) is arranged on the clamping arm (11) so as to be longitudinally displaceable.

8. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping arm (11) has at least one sensor for detecting the substrate (4).

9. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 8, characterized in that, At least one travel sensor (27) is associated with the clamping arm (11).

10. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 9, characterized in that, At least one actuator (15, 24) is associated with the clamping arm (11) for pushing the clamping arm (11) and / or displacing the at least one clamping hook (13).

11. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 10, characterized in that, A control unit (34) is at least connected to the actuator (15), the sensor for detecting the substrate (4), and the travel sensor (27) based on signal technology, and is configured to control the actuator (15) according to the data detected by the sensor for detecting the substrate (4) to push the substrate (4) singly or jointly from the compartment (3) of the substrate cassette (2) onto the conveyor belt (8) or to push the substrate (4) from the conveyor belt (8) into the compartment (3).

12. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The control unit (34) is configured to push a single substrate (4) from the conveyor belt (8) to a predetermined position in the compartment (3) or to pick up a single substrate (4) from a predetermined position in the compartment (3).

13. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The control unit (34) is configured to arrange a plurality of substrates (4) in the compartments (3) of the substrate cassette (2) at intervals from each other.

14. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The control unit (34) is configured to control the actuator (15) and the conveyor belt (8) such that the substrates (4) are positioned on the conveyor belt (8) at intervals from each other.

15. The loading and unloading device (7) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The at least one actuator (15, 24) is an electric actuator.

16. A substrate cassette system (1) for an assembly line of a substrate (4), comprising at least one substrate cassette (2), the substrate cassette (2) having a plurality of compartments (3), each of the compartments (3) being capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates (4) and / or at least one substrate stack (29) for storage, characterized in that, The substrate cassette system (1) for the assembly line of substrates (4) comprises a loading and unloading device (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. The substrate cassette system (1) for an assembly line for a substrate (4) according to claim 16, characterized in that, The substrate (4) is a printed circuit board, a solar cell or a wafer.

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