Method for conveying sheet-shaped articles, pallet, and article conveying system
By holding the short side of the sheet-like item horizontally on the pallet and pressing down on the center, combined with the use of spacer paper, the problem of irregular deformation and contact of the sheet-like item during the handling process is solved, thus achieving stable handling and stacking of items.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- YAMATO KOGYO CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2021-04-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
AI Technical Summary
Sheet-shaped items are prone to bending downwards due to their own weight during handling, resulting in irregular deformation and contact with other items, especially when handling thin sheets. Existing technologies struggle to maintain their shape stably and prevent contact.
Multiple holding methods are used to hold the short sides of sheet-like items horizontally on the pallet, and the center of the items is pressed downwards by pressing methods. At the same time, spacers are used to fill the gaps between the items to ensure that the items are stacked stably in a curved state.
It effectively prevents irregular deformation of sheet-like items, ensures stable orientation of items on the pallet, avoids contact between items, and achieves stable handling and stacking.
Smart Images
Figure CN114644228B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a method for transporting sheet-like articles by stacking them one by one, a pallet for holding and transporting sheet-like articles in a stacked state, and an article transport system. In particular, it relates to a method for transporting, stacking, and holding easily elastically deformable rectangular sheet-like articles in a downwardly bent state. Furthermore, it relates to a pallet and article transport system suitable for stacking, holding, and transporting sheet-like articles in a downwardly bent state. Background Technology
[0002] Sheet-like thin plates made of glass, metal, resin, and the aforementioned composite materials are widely used in printed wiring boards (PWB), solar cells, display devices, etc. Among these, PWB, especially copper-clad laminates (CCL), are commercialized through numerous processes, thus requiring frequent handling and transport. Since this sheet material undergoes various surface processing for commercialization, it is essential to prevent contact between devices and items and to protect the surface during handling and handling.
[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a pallet for transporting thin, sheet-like substrates. The pallet of Patent Document 1 has a double-layer structure consisting of a holding portion and a corresponding portion for a moving transport device. In Patent Document 1, the central portion of the substrate is held horizontally and transported while bending downwards due to its own weight. The pallet of Patent Document 1 is particularly suitable for transporting glass substrates.
[0004] [Background Technical Documents]
[0005] [Patent Literature]
[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-203351 Summary of the Invention
[0007] [The problem the invention aims to solve]
[0008] Sheet-shaped articles often bend downwards in the center due to their own weight when held and moved around the periphery. However, very thin sheets can deform irregularly during transport and come into contact with items above and below when stacked. "Snap buckling" during transport is also a cause of irregular deformation. Technology is required to suppress the deformation described above, transport articles in a stable shape, and maintain the articles without contact with equipment or other items.
[0009] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved is the provision of the following technology, which, through a simpler structure, suppresses irregular deformation of sheet-like articles and allows them to be transported and held without contact with the device or other articles.
[0010] [Technical means to solve the problem]
[0011] This invention relates to a method for conveying sheet-like articles, for conveying sheet-like and rectangular articles in a downwardly curved state, stacking them on a pallet and holding them thereon. The article conveying method of this invention includes: holding multiple points along the short sides of the article horizontally above the pallet using multiple holding means; moving the holding means horizontally while holding the article to shorten the distance between the short sides of the article, while simultaneously pressing the central portion of the article downwards using a pressing means; placing the article on the aforementioned pallet; and placing spacer paper on top of the article. In the article conveying method of this invention, the distance the pressing means presses the article is shorter than the distance the central portion of the article moves downwards due to the movement of the holding means.
[0012] The article handling method of the present invention is best suited for handling and maintaining printed wiring boards or copper-clad laminates with a thickness of 0.02 to 1 mm.
[0013] This invention also provides a tray for stacking and holding sheet-like and rectangular articles in a downwardly curved state. The tray of this invention comprises: a frame, a periphery supporting the lower surface of the articles, the frame being rectangular in shape formed by a pair of opposing long-side members and a pair of opposing short-side members; long-side sidewall members fixed to the upper side of each long-side member and protruding in a direction perpendicular to the long-side members; and short-side sidewall members fixed to the upper side of each short-side member and protruding in a direction perpendicular to the short-side members. The tray of this invention has an inclined surface on the upper surface of the short-side members for holding the periphery of the short side of the articles in an inclined state.
[0014] The tray of the present invention may further include a central support body composed of a rod-shaped member fixed to the lower surface of the frame.
[0015] The present invention further provides an article conveying system. The article conveying system of the present invention includes: an article conveying device for conveying sheet-like and rectangular articles; a pallet for stacking and holding the sheet-like and rectangular articles in a downwardly bent state; and spacers inserted between the articles and disposed on the pallet. The pallet of the article conveying system of the present invention includes: a frame supporting the periphery of the lower surface of the article, forming a rectangular shape from a pair of opposing long side members and a pair of opposing short side members; long side wall members fixed to the upper side of each long side member and protruding in a direction perpendicular to the long side members; and short side wall members fixed to the upper side of each of the aforementioned short side members and protruding in a direction perpendicular to the short side members. Furthermore, the upper surface of the short side members is provided with an inclined surface for holding the periphery of the short side of the article in an inclined state.
[0016] [The effects of the invention]
[0017] The article conveying method of the present invention moves the article by shortening the distance between its short sides using a holding means, while simultaneously pressing the central portion of the article downwards using a pressing means, thereby bending the article downwards. This step reliably prevents irregular deformation of the article. The article is oriented in the correct direction by being pressed downwards, and its shape is defined by the distance between its short sides, thus allowing it to be regularly stored on the tray.
[0018] The article conveying method of the present invention involves placing spacer paper between articles. The spacer paper is bent into the same shape as the articles and stacked between the articles without gaps. As a result, there are no large gaps between the articles, and the articles do not touch each other, thus holding the articles stably.
[0019] The tray of the present invention, by providing a central support body in the central part supporting the lower surface of the article, can stably stack articles in a fixed state even when holding larger sheet-shaped articles. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the general configuration of an article conveying system used in the article conveying method of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 2(a) is a perspective view of the pallet, Figure 2(b) is a front view of the pallet, and Figure 2(c) is a side view of the pallet.
[0022] Figure 3(a) is a top view showing an example of spacer paper, and Figure 3(b) is a top view showing an example of an item.
[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic front view showing the state of the spacer paper and the items on the pallet.
[0024] Figures 5(a) and 5(b) are top views of the pallet in the alternative example.
[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0026] 1, 70, 80: Pallet
[0027] 2: Frame
[0028] 2a: Long side component
[0029] 21a: Surface
[0030] 2b: Short-side component
[0031] 21b: Inclined surface
[0032] 3: Long side wall components
[0033] 4: Short side wall components
[0034] 10: Item transport device
[0035] 11: Head
[0036] 12: Arms
[0037] 13: Adhesive pad (holding method)
[0038] 14: Pressing technique
[0039] 30: Spacer paper
[0040] 40: Flat items
[0041] 50: Conveyor belt
[0042] 60: Spacer Paper Storage Container
[0043] 70a, 80a: Central support components. Detailed Implementation
[0044] The following description, using the article conveying method and pallet of the present invention, details the optimal embodiment for conveying and maintaining curved articles, such as copper-clad laminates, with reference to the accompanying drawings. A copper-clad laminate is a substrate material formed by stacking prepregs (made by impregnating a substrate such as paper, glass, or carbon fiber with resin) and subjecting them to pressure and heat treatment, with copper foil disposed on both sides of the laminate. Generally, copper-clad laminates with a thickness of 0.02 to 1 mm can be flexibly bent within their elastic range. The article conveying method and pallet of this embodiment are applicable to all sheet-shaped rectangular articles having material properties and shapes similar to copper-clad laminates, especially printed circuit boards.
[0045] In the following description, the horizontal plane refers to the plane that is approximately the same as the ground surface of the stationary tray. Regarding copper-clad laminates, the surface that becomes the upper side when stored on the tray is called the upper surface, and the surface that becomes the lower side is called the lower surface. The left-right and longitudinal directions of the copper-clad laminate are shown in Figure 3(b), which are defined as the directions when the copper-clad laminate is placed horizontally and viewed from the upper surface.
[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a general configuration of an article conveying system applicable to the article conveying method of the present invention. The article conveying system includes a conveying device 10 and a pallet 1.
[0047] The conveying device 10 is a robot equipped with a head 11 that holds and alternately conveys copper-clad laminate 40 and spacer paper 30 one by one, and a multi-jointed arm 12. The head 11 is equipped with multiple holding means 13 for holding copper-clad laminate 40 or spacer paper 30, and a pressing means 14 for pressing copper-clad laminate 40 downward for orientation.
[0048] The head 11 has multiple holding means 13. Preferably, the holding means 13 is an adsorption pad 13 that contacts the surface of the copper-clad laminate 40 and holds the copper-clad laminate 40 by attraction.
[0049] In a preferred embodiment, multiple adsorption pads 13 are positioned to hold a pair of short sides of the copper-clad laminate 40 at multiple points. The number and position of the adsorption pads 13 can be varied and the holding interval adjusted according to the size and rigidity of the copper-clad laminate 40, allowing for holding at multiple points. The adsorption pads 13 hold the copper-clad laminate 40 in a position that avoids areas where the surface of the copper-clad laminate 40 will be processed. Generally, the adsorption pads 13 are arranged in a row longitudinally, with a predetermined distance from the short side of the copper-clad laminate 40 between them.
[0050] Furthermore, the head 11 is equipped with a pressing means 14 for directional pressing of the copper-clad laminate 40 downwards. For example... Figure 1 As shown, one or more pressing means 14 are arranged along the longitudinal axis to press the center of the copper-clad laminate 40. Figure 1 Although the diagram shows a configuration with two pressing means 14, the number and position of the pressing means 14 can be varied depending on the size and rigidity of the copper-clad laminate 40. For example, a plunger can be used as a pressing means 14.
[0051] Figure 2(a) shows a perspective view of the tray, Figure 2(b) shows a front view of the tray, and Figure 2(c) shows a side view of the tray. The tray 1 of this embodiment can hold rectangular copper-clad laminates 40, especially those with a thickness of 0.02 to 1 mm, stacked in a bent state. The tray 1 includes a frame 2 forming the bottom surface. The frame 2 is rectangular in shape, formed by a pair of opposing long-side members 2a and a pair of opposing short-side members 2b.
[0052] Furthermore, the pallet 1 has a long side wall member 3 and a short side wall member 4. The long side wall member 3 is fixed to the long side member 2a and protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the long side member 2a. The short side wall member 4 is fixed to the short side member 2b and protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the short side member 2b.
[0053] The shape of the frame 2 of the tray 1 will be described in more detail. A convex curved surface 21a is formed on the lower side of the inner side of the upper surface of the long side member 2a of the frame 2. The shape of the curved surface 21a is approximately consistent with the bending shape of the copper-clad laminate 40 during placement, and the curved surface 21a supports the periphery of the long side of the copper-clad laminate 40. Furthermore, an inclined surface 21b is formed on the inner edge of the upper surface of the short side member 2b of the frame 2 to support the periphery of the short sides of the copper-clad laminate 40 on both sides. The inclined surface 21b can be formed as a curved surface in a manner consistent with the shape of the placed copper-clad laminate 40. Alternatively, when the placed copper-clad laminate 40 is bent with a very large radius, the inclined surface 21b can also be formed as a straight line.
[0054] The long sidewall member 3 serves as a guide for alignment when held in a state where the copper-clad laminate 40 and the spacer paper 30 are alternately laminated. The long sidewall member 3 can also be a wall-shaped member. Furthermore, for example... Figures 2(a) to 2(c) As shown, in the case of rod-shaped components, it is preferable that the same number of rod-shaped components 2a are arranged facing each other. More preferably, the long sidewall components 3 are arranged facing each other with a gap between them on the copper-clad laminate 40, forming a pair. The distance between the pair of long sidewall components 3 corresponds to the length of the copper-clad laminate 40 in the longitudinal direction.
[0055] Furthermore, the short-side sidewall member 4 also serves as a guide for alignment when the copper-clad laminate 40 and the spacer 30 are bent downwards and stacked for support. Preferably, the short-side sidewall members 4 are arranged in the same number on each of the short-side members 2b. More preferably, the short-side sidewall members 4 are arranged opposite each other across the copper-clad laminate 40, forming a pair. The distance between a pair of short-side sidewall members 4 corresponds to the lateral dimension of the copper-clad laminate 40 and the spacer 30 in the bent state.
[0056] The frame 2, long side wall members 3, and short side wall members 4 of the tray 1 are preferably formed of resin in the portions that contact the copper-clad laminate 40, for example, polyvinyl chloride or polyetheretherketone. On the other hand, the tray 1, which is required to be strong, can be constructed by forming the skeleton of each member with metal and then bonding the resin members to the inside.
[0057] Figure 3(a) shows an example of a spacer 30 arranged between two copper-clad laminates 40 when the copper-clad laminate 40 is laminated on the tray 1. The spacer 30 is paper arranged to protect the copper-clad laminate 40 and has a frame shape with the same external dimensions as the copper-clad laminate 40. Figure 3(b) shows an example of a rectangular copper-clad laminate 40 housed in the tray 1. The width of the long side of the spacer 30 is equal to or greater than the width of the curved surface 21a of the frame 2. The width of the short side of the spacer 30 is equal to or greater than the width of the inclined surface 21b of the frame 2. By optimizing the width of the spacer 30, the tray 1 can properly support both the spacer 30 and the copper-clad laminate 40, avoiding contact between the copper-clad laminates 40 and each other. That is, in this embodiment, the goods conveying system can also be described as a system that includes the goods conveying device 10, the pallet 1, and the spacer 30.
[0058] The following is a reference again. Figure 1 The following describes a conveying method in which the copper-clad laminate 40 is conveyed using the conveying device 10 and the copper-clad laminate 40 and spacer paper 30 are stacked alternately on the pallet 1.
[0059] Initially, a spacer paper 30 is placed on the upper surface of the frame 2 on the tray 1.
[0060] Typically, copper-clad laminates 40 are transported one by one by a conveyor belt 50. The transport device 10, using suction pads 13 to adhere to and support the copper-clad laminates 40 at multiple points, lifts the laminates 40 and transports them above the pallet 1, maintaining them horizontally (step 1). Next, while maintaining the copper-clad laminates 40 horizontally, the suction pads 13 of the transport device 10 move horizontally, shortening the distance between the short sides of the laminates 40. In other words, the suction pads 13 move horizontally towards the center of the copper-clad laminate 40 in a direction parallel to the long side of the laminate. Simultaneously with this horizontal movement, the pressing means 14 descends, pressing the central portion of the copper-clad laminate 40 downwards (step 2).
[0061] The purpose of pressing the copper-clad laminate 40 by the pressing means 14 is to prevent irregular deformation of the copper-clad laminate 40 at the top. Once the copper-clad laminate 40 begins to bend downwards, it slowly and elastically deforms downwards as the adsorption pad 13 moves. In the initial stage of deformation, the pressing means 14 only needs to press the copper-clad laminate 40 as a trigger, and the distance that the pressing means 14 presses the copper-clad laminate 40 is shorter than the distance that the central part of the copper-clad laminate 40 moves downwards through the movement of the adsorption pad 13.
[0062] The conveying device 10 places the downwardly bent copper-clad laminate 40 onto the pallet 1 (step 3). The lower surface of the copper-clad laminate 40 is supported by the curved surface 21a and inclined surface 21b of the frame 2 through the spacer paper 30. Furthermore, the long side of the copper-clad laminate 40 is guided and positioned on the long side wall member 3, and the short side is guided and positioned on the short side wall member 4, and is stably held in a bent state.
[0063] Next, the conveying device 10 picks up the spacer paper 30 from the spacer paper storage container 60, conveys it to the tray 1, and places it on the copper-clad laminate 40 (step 4). The spacer paper 30 has lower strength than the copper-clad laminate 40, so it will not deform irregularly. The spacer paper 30 is bent and laminated without gaps on the copper-clad laminate 40 placed on the tray 1.
[0064] By repeating steps 1 to 4 above, the copper-clad laminate 40 can be transported, and the copper-clad laminate 40 and spacer paper 30 are alternately stacked one by one on the tray 1. Figure 4 This represents a front view of the tray 1 holding the copper-clad laminate 40 and the spacer 30. A space corresponding to one spacer 30 is ensured between the copper-clad laminates 40, thereby stably holding them without the copper-clad laminates 40 contacting each other.
[0065] Figure 5(a) shows an alternative example of a tray 70 for holding sheet-like articles. The tray 70 has a central support 70a, which is composed of a rod-shaped member that is parallel to the short side member and joined to the center of the long side member of the frame. Figure 5(b) shows another alternative example of a tray 80. The frame of the tray 80 has a central support 80a in which the rod-shaped member is arranged in a cross bar shape. The central support 70a and 80a can support the central portion of the copper-clad laminate 40 in a bent state.
[0066] When using tray 70, the spacer paper placed between the articles, in addition to the outer frame portion, also has a rectangular portion with a width equal to or greater than that of the central support 70a. When using tray 80, the spacer paper placed between the articles, in addition to the outer frame portion, also has a cross-shaped portion with a width equal to or greater than that of the central support 80a. Even when holding larger sheet-like articles using the alternative trays and spacer paper, the articles can be stably stacked in a fixed state.
[0067] The above description, based on specific embodiments, details concrete examples of the present invention. However, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the application. The technology described in the application scope includes various modifications and alterations to the specific examples described above. The configuration of each conveying device and pallet can be freely changed without impairing the original functions of conveying, stacking, and holding the articles. Furthermore, while the embodiments have been described in detail for conveying and stacking copper-clad laminates, as previously mentioned, the article conveying method and pallet of the present invention are applicable to any curved, sheet-like article. In particular, it is generally suitable for flexible printed circuit boards.
Claims
1. A method for conveying sheet-like articles, wherein sheet-like and rectangular articles are conveyed in a downwardly curved state, stacked on a pallet and held thereon, characterized in that, have: The steps involve holding the aforementioned item horizontally above the aforementioned tray at multiple points along its short side using various holding methods. While holding the aforementioned item, the aforementioned holding means is moved horizontally to shorten the distance between the short sides of the aforementioned item, and at the same time, the central part of the aforementioned item is pressed downward by the pressing means. The step of placing the aforementioned items onto the aforementioned pallet; and The step of placing spacer paper on the aforementioned items; The distance at which the aforementioned pressing means presses the aforementioned item is shorter than the distance at which the central part of the aforementioned item moves downwards due to the movement of the aforementioned holding means.
2. The method for conveying sheet-like articles as described in claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned items are printed wiring boards or copper-clad laminates with a thickness of 0.02~1mm.