Panel transition equipment

Abstract

The present invention discloses a panel transition device, comprising a transition chamber and an air extraction component located outside the transition chamber, the air extraction component is arranged at the top of the transition chamber, the transition chamber is connected to the air extraction component through an air extraction channel, a filter is arranged inside the air extraction channel, a through hole is arranged through the filter, the through hole comprises a first hole and a second hole connected to the first hole, the first hole is located above the second hole, and the first hole is connected to the top of the filter, the cross-sectional size of the first hole is larger than the cross-sectional size of the second hole, a blocking member capable of blocking the second hole is arranged inside the first hole, the size of the blocking member is smaller than the size of the first hole, and the size of the blocking member is larger than the size of the second hole, when the blocking member blocks the second hole, the first hole is not connected to the transition chamber, when the air extraction component is exhausting air, the blocking member moves in a vertical direction to the top of the filter, so that the through hole is connected to the transition chamber. The panel transition device can prevent foreign matter inside the air extraction component from falling onto the panel inside the transition chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of display device manufacturing equipment, and in particular to a panel transition device. Background Art

[0002] When processing the panel of the display device, it is necessary to use a panel transition device to transport the panel to a vacuum processing chamber for processing (for example, drying the panel after photolithography, or performing evaporation on the panel surface).

[0003] Reference Figure 1 The panel transition device includes two relatively independent transition chambers 1', the transition chamber 1' is used to place the panel 100' to be processed, the two transition chambers 1' are spaced apart in the vertical direction, the top of the upper transition chamber 1' and the bottom of the lower transition chamber 1' are connected to an exhaust pump 2' and an air suction component 3', the exhaust pump 2' is used to extract the gas in the transition chamber 1', and the air suction component 3' is used to transport clean gas into the transition chamber 1'. After the panel 100' enters the transition chamber 1', the transition chamber 1' is evacuated by the vacuum pump 2', and then the panel 100' is sent into the processing chamber. After the panel 100' is processed, the panel 100' returns from the processing chamber to the transition chamber 1', and then the suction component 3' is used to input clean gas into the transition chamber 1', so that the transition chamber 1' is restored from the vacuum state to the atmospheric state, and then the panel 100' is output from the transition chamber 1'. When the vacuum pump 2' is running, the wear of the internal parts will produce foreign matter such as debris, which will fall from the vacuum port 4' at the top of the transition chamber 1' to the panel 100' inside the transition chamber 1' under the action of gravity, affecting the quality of the panel 100'.

[0004] In the prior art, in order to prevent foreign matter inside the vacuum pump 2' from falling into the upper transition chamber 1', a baffle 5' is provided inside the upper transition chamber 1'. The baffle 5' is located directly below the vacuum port 4', and the foreign matter falling from the vacuum port 4' is intercepted by the baffle 5'. The prior art has the following defects: when the suction component 3' is in operation, under the influence of the airflow in the transition chamber 1', the foreign matter on the baffle 5' is still easy to fall from the edge of the baffle 5' to the panel 100' inside the transition chamber 1', which will also affect the quality of the panel 100'. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a panel transition device, which can prevent foreign matter inside the exhaust component from falling onto the panel inside the transition chamber.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A panel transition device is provided, comprising a transition chamber for accommodating a panel and an exhaust component located outside the transition chamber, wherein the exhaust component is arranged at the top of the transition chamber and is used to evacuate the transition chamber, the transition chamber is connected to the exhaust component through an exhaust channel, a filter is arranged inside the exhaust channel, a through hole is penetrated by the filter, the through hole comprises a first hole and a second hole connected to the first hole, the first hole is located above the second hole, and the first hole is connected to the top of the filter, the cross-sectional size of the first hole is larger than the cross-sectional size of the second hole, so that a limiting step surface is formed at the connection between the first hole and the second hole, a blocking member capable of blocking the second hole is arranged inside the first hole, the size of the blocking member is smaller than the size of the first hole, and the size of the blocking member is larger than the size of the second hole, when the blocking member blocks the second hole, the first hole is not connected to the transition chamber, when the exhaust component exhausts air, the blocking member moves vertically to the top of the filter, so that the through hole is connected to the transition chamber.

[0008] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, a mesh plate is arranged above the filter element. When the blocking member is moved to above the filter element, the blocking member can abut against the lower surface of the mesh plate to limit the blocking member below the mesh plate.

[0009] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, there are multiple through holes, and the multiple through holes are spaced apart on the filter element. The blocking element is provided in the first hole in each of the through holes, the mesh plate covers all the first holes, and two adjacent first holes are connected through a gas channel.

[0010] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, it also includes a support plate surrounding the periphery of the mesh plate, and one end of the support plate away from the mesh plate is connected to the filter element.

[0011] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, the support plate is detachably connected to the filter element via a fastener.

[0012] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, the fastener is a fastening screw, and a protrusion is provided on one end of the support plate away from the mesh plate, and the protrusion protrudes toward the side away from the center of the filter element, and a first fastening hole is penetrated by the protrusion, and a second fastening hole is provided on the filter element at a position corresponding to the first fastening hole, and one end of the fastening screw passes through the first fastening hole and is tightened in the second fastening hole.

[0013] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, the blocking member is a blocking ball.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, a guide member is arranged between the mesh plate and the filter element, and guide holes are penetrated at the upper and lower ends of the guide member. The guide hole is connected to the first hole and the first air hole on the mesh plate, and the blocking member can move up and down in the guide hole.

[0015] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, the blocking member is connected to the inner wall of the first hole through an elastic member, one end of the elastic member is fixed to the blocking member, and the other end is fixed to the inner wall of the first hole.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the panel transition device, the filter element is detachably arranged in the air extraction channel via a threaded structure, or the filter element is detachably arranged in the air extraction channel via a screw.

[0017] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that the panel transition chamber of this structure can effectively block foreign matter generated by the exhaust component by using the filter and the blocking member, thereby preventing the foreign matter from the exhaust component from falling onto the panel inside the transition chamber and affecting the quality of the panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention is further described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the vacuum transition equipment in the prior art.

[0020] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a panel transition device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a panel transition device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the filter element, blocking element, mesh plate and support plate according to an embodiment of the present invention (when the blocking element blocks the second hole).

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the filter element, the barrier mesh plate and the support plate according to an embodiment of the present invention (when the barrier is removed to the top of the filter element).

[0025] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a filter element, a barrier mesh plate and a support plate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view of the filter element described in the present invention.

[0027] Fig. 9 This is a structural diagram of the filter element, blocking element, mesh plate, support plate and guide element described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Fig.10 This is a structural diagram of the guide member described in an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] Figure 1 :

[0030] 100', panel; 1', transition chamber; 2', air extraction component; 3', air suction pump; 4', air extraction port; 5', baffle.

[0031] Figures 2 to 10 middle:

[0032] 1. Transition chamber; 2. Exhaust component; 3. Intake component; 4. Exhaust channel; 5. Intake channel; 6. Filter element; 601. Through hole; 6011. First hole; 6012. Second hole; 602. Second fastening hole; 603. External thread; 604. Gas channel; 605. Mounting plate; 6051. First mounting hole; 606. Second mounting hole; 607. Positioning step surface; 7. Mesh plate; 701. First air hole; 702. Main body; 703. Boss; 8. Support plate; 801. Protrusion; 8011. First fastening hole; 9. Guide member; 901. Guide hole; 902. Second air hole; 10. Blocking member; 11. Traction member; 12. Fastening screw; 13. Mounting screw; 100. Panel; 200. Foreign matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms. This embodiment is provided only to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the present invention, and the present invention is limited only by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals represent the same constituent elements throughout the specification.

[0034] In this embodiment, refer to Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 6, a panel transition device is provided, comprising a transition chamber 1 for accommodating a panel 100 and an air extraction component 2 located outside the transition chamber 1, the air extraction component 2 being arranged at the top of the transition chamber 1 for evacuating the transition chamber 1, and the transition chamber 1 being connected to the air extraction component 2 through an air extraction channel 4. A filter 6 is arranged inside the air extraction channel 4, and a through hole 601 is arranged through the filter 6, and the through hole 601 comprises a first hole 6011 and a second hole 6012 connected thereto, the first hole 6011 being located above the second hole 6012, and the first hole 6011 being connected to the top of the filter 6, and the cross-sectional dimension of the first hole 6011 being larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the second hole 6012, so that a limiting step surface 607 is formed at the connection between the first hole 6011 and the second hole 6012. A blocking member 10 capable of blocking the second hole 6012 is arranged inside the first hole 6011, and the size of the blocking member 10 is smaller than the size of the first hole 6011, and the size of the blocking member 10 is larger than the size of the second hole 6012. When the blocking member 10 blocks the second hole 6012, the first hole 6011 is not connected to the transition chamber 1. When the air extraction component 2 extracts air, the blocking member 10 moves vertically to the top of the filter 6 to connect the through hole 601 to the transition chamber 1. In this example, the air extraction component 2 is an air extraction pump. In other examples, the air extraction component 2 can also be an air extraction fan, etc. There is no specific limitation on the air extraction component 2. Any device that can achieve air extraction of the transition chamber is acceptable.

[0035] The panel transition device further includes an air suction component 3 located outside the transition chamber 1, the air suction component 3 is arranged at the top of the transition chamber 1, and the air suction component 3 is connected to the transition chamber 1 through the air suction channel 5. The air suction component 3 is used to draw clean gas into the transition chamber 1, so that the transition chamber 1 switches from a vacuum state to an atmospheric state. Specifically, the air suction component 3 can also be an air suction pump or a fan.

[0036] It is understandable that foreign matter 200 (such as debris, etc.) generated inside the air extraction component 2 under the influence of gravity will fall into the air extraction channel 4. A filter element 6 is arranged inside the air extraction channel 4, and a movable blocking element 10 is arranged inside the filter element 6. The blocking element 10 has a certain gravity. When the air extraction component 2 is not in operation, the blocking element 10 blocks the position where the first hole 6011 is connected to the second hole 6012. At this time, the first hole 6011 is not connected to the transition chamber 1, and foreign matter 200 dropped from the air extraction component 2 is intercepted in the first hole 6011 and cannot pass through the second hole 6012 to enter the transition chamber 1. When the air extraction component 2 is in operation (that is, when the air extraction component 2 is exhausting air), the intercepted foreign matter 200 is extracted to the outside of the air extraction channel 4 along with the air flow. At the same time, the air flow also causes the blocking element 10 to move upward, so that the first hole 6011, the second hole 6012 and the transition chamber 1 are connected, so as to realize vacuuming the interior of the transition chamber 1. After the vacuuming of the transition chamber 1 is completed, the blocking element 10 descends into the first hole 6011 under the action of gravity and blocks the second hole 6012. The panel 100 transition chamber 1 of this structure can effectively block the foreign matter 200 generated by the vacuum component 2 by using the filter 6 and the blocking member 10, so as to prevent the foreign matter 200 of the vacuum component 2 from falling onto the panel 100 inside the transition chamber 1 and affecting the quality of the panel 100.

[0037] Preferably, the blocking member 10 is a blocking ball, and the surface of the spherical body has no edges and corners, so as to prevent the foreign matter 200 from adhering to the surface of the blocking member 10. In other examples, the blocking member 10 may also be other structures, such as a cube or a cylinder.

[0038] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 4 and Figure 6 , mesh plates 7 are arranged above the filter element 6 at intervals. When the blocking member 10 moves out to the top of the filter element 6, the blocking member 10 can abut against the lower surface of the mesh plate 7 to limit the blocking member 10 below the mesh plate 7. The mesh plate 7 is provided with a plurality of first air holes 701, and the gas is discharged from the first holes 6011 through the first air holes 701 and enters the position of the air extraction channel 4 located above the mesh plate 7. The mesh plate 7 is arranged above the filter element 6. When the blocking member 10 moves out to a certain distance above the filter element 6, the blocking member 10 abuts against the lower surface of the mesh plate 7, and the mesh plate 7 limits the height of the blocking member 10 to rise, thereby limiting the travel of the blocking member 10 in the vertical direction, and facilitating the resetting of the blocking member 10.

[0039] Preferably, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 8There are multiple through holes 601, and the multiple through holes 601 are distributed at intervals on the filter element 6. A blocking member 10 is provided in the first hole 6011 in each through hole 601, and the mesh plate 7 covers the openings of all the first holes 6011. When multiple through holes 601 are provided, the gas inside the transition chamber 1 can be discharged at multiple positions on the filter element 6 when the air extraction component 2 is exhausting gas. When some through holes 601 are blocked, the filter element 6 continues to be used normally through the remaining through holes 601. Covering all the first holes 6011 with the mesh plate 7 can reduce the number of mesh plates 7 and facilitate the assembly of the mesh plates 7.

[0040] Furthermore, two adjacent first holes 6011 are connected through the gas channel 604. When the communication port of one of the two adjacent through holes 601 is blocked, gas can enter the first hole 6011 of the blocked through hole 601 through the gas channel 604 at the first hole 6011 of the other through hole 601, so that the gas is discharged from the top of the filter element 6 through the first hole 6011, so that the filter element 6 has good ventilation performance.

[0041] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The panel transition device further includes a support plate 8 surrounding the periphery of the mesh plate 7, and one end of the support plate 8 away from the mesh plate 7 is connected to the filter element 6. The support plate 8 provides support for the mesh plate 7, so that the mesh plate 7 is arranged above the filter element 6 at intervals, and the mesh plate 7 is connected to the filter element 6 through the support plate 8, so that the mesh plate 7, the support plate 8 and the filter element 6 form a group of bodies. When installing, the mesh plate 7 and the filter element 6 are first fixed to form a combination through the support plate 8, and then the combination is fixed as a whole inside the air extraction channel 4 for easy assembly.

[0042] Preferably, the support plate 8 is detachably connected to the filter element 6 via fasteners. Such a connection between the support plate 8 and the filter element 6 facilitates assembly.

[0043] Specifically, refer to Figure 5 The fastener is a fastening screw 12, and a protrusion 801 is provided at one end of the support plate 8 away from the mesh plate 7, and the protrusion 801 protrudes toward the side away from the center of the filter element 6, and a first fastening hole 8011 is provided through the protrusion 801, and a second fastening hole 602 is provided at a position of the filter element 6 corresponding to the first fastening hole 8011, and one end of the fastening screw 12 passes through the first fastening hole 8011 and is tightened in the second fastening hole 602. The protrusion 801 provides space for the assembly of the support plate 8 and the filter element 6, and is convenient for opening a hole on the protrusion 801.

[0044] In other examples, the mesh plate 7 is welded to the inner wall of the exhaust channel 4 between the exhaust component 2 and the filter 6. The mesh plate 7 is fixed in the exhaust channel 4 by welding, and the mesh plate 7 is not easy to loosen under the drive of the airflow, and the reliability is high.

[0045] In another embodiment, referring to Figure 7 The mesh plate 7 includes a body 702 and protruding columns 703 which are spaced apart and protruded from the lower surface of the body 702. The body 702 is provided with a plurality of first air holes 701 through the upper and lower surfaces. One end of the protruding column 703 is connected to the mesh plate 7, and the other end extends toward the filter element 6, and the protruding column 703 is spaced apart from the top of the filter element 6. When the blocking member 10 moves to the lower surface of the mesh plate 7, the blocking member 10 abuts against the protruding lower end, so that the blocking member 10 is prevented from being pressed against the lower surface of the body 702 and blocking the first air holes 701, so that when the blocking member 10 abuts against the lower surface of the mesh plate 7, there is a ventilation space between the body 702 and the blocking member 10, so as to ensure that the transition chamber 1 is quickly evacuated.

[0046] Preferably, the protruding column 703 is made of an elastic material (such as elastic rubber, etc.), so that the protruding column 703 has a certain elastic deformation ability to prevent the blocking member 10 from being damaged.

[0047] In one embodiment, the blocking member 10 is connected to the inner wall of the first hole 6011 through the traction member 11, and the traction member 11 is used to limit the blocking member 10 so that the blocking member 10 can move within a certain range. In this way, the blocking member 10 will not move to an area far away from the mesh plate 7 and the opening of the first hole 6011 under the drive of the airflow, which facilitates the resetting of the blocking member 10.

[0048] Preferably, the traction member 11 is an elastic member, one end of which is fixed to the blocking member 10, and the other end is fixed to the inner wall of the first hole 6011. In this example, the elastic member is a compression spring. The elastic member is a member with a certain elastic deformation ability. When the vacuum member 2 is evacuated, the airflow drives the blocking member 10 to move out to the top of the filter element 6, and the elastic member is gradually stretched. The elastic force of the elastic member can buffer the movement of the blocking member 10, preventing the moving speed of the blocking member 10 from damaging the mesh plate 7.

[0049] In another example, the traction member 11 may also be a flexible traction rope or the like.

[0050] In another embodiment, a guide member 9 may be provided between the mesh plate 7 and the filter member 6, and the guide member may replace the traction member 11. Fig. 9 and Fig.10The upper and lower ends of the guide member 9 are penetrated with guide holes 901, which are connected with the first hole 6011 and the first air hole 701 on the mesh plate 7. The blocking member 10 can move up and down in the guide hole 901, which is in a trumpet shape, with the small end of the guide hole 901 connected to the top of the first hole 6011, and the large end of the guide hole 901 connected to the lower surface of the mesh plate 7. When the air extraction component 2 is running, the blocking member 10 moves along the vertical direction under the action of the air flow, and the blocking member 10 sequentially passes through the small end and the large end of the guide hole 901 from the first hole 6011 and abuts against the mesh plate 7. After the air extraction component 2 stops extracting air, the blocking member 10, under the action of gravity, sequentially passes through the large end and the small end of the guide hole 901 from the lower surface of the mesh plate 7 to enter the first hole 6011 to block the communication port, so that the blocking member 10 is smoothly reset.

[0051] To prevent the guide member 9 from blocking the airflow, the guide member 9 may be configured as a hollow structure so that the side wall of the guide hole 901 has a plurality of second air holes 902 to ensure smooth airflow between the mesh plate 7 and the filter element 6 .

[0052] As the filter element 6 is used for a long time, the holes on the filter element 6 may be blocked. In order to facilitate the removal and cleaning of the filter element 6 from the air suction channel 4, the filter element 6 is detachably arranged in the air suction channel 4 during actual design.

[0053] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 2 The filter 6 is detachably arranged in the air extraction channel 4 through a threaded structure, and an external thread 603 is arranged on the side of the filter 6, and an internal thread is arranged on the inner wall of the air extraction channel 4, and the external thread 603 is screwed together with the internal thread. The threaded structure is arranged to detachably connect the filter 6 with the inner wall of the air extraction channel 4, which is convenient for assembly, and the filter 6 is reliably connected to the inner wall of the air extraction channel 4.

[0054] In another embodiment, referring to Figure 3 A mounting plate 605 is provided at the bottom of the filter element 6, and the mounting plate 605 protrudes toward the axis line away from the exhaust channel 4. A first mounting hole 6051 is provided through the mounting plate 605, and a second mounting hole 606 is provided on the inner wall of the transition chamber 1 adjacent to the exhaust channel 4. The mounting screw 13 passes through the first mounting hole 6051 and is tightened in the second mounting hole 606. The filter element 6 of this structure can also be detachably arranged in the exhaust channel 4.

[0055] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be manufactured in various forms, and those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or basic features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and not restrictive in all aspects.

Claims

1. A panel transition device, comprising a transition chamber for accommodating a panel and an exhaust component located outside the transition chamber, wherein the exhaust component is arranged on the top of the transition chamber and is used to evacuate the transition chamber, and the transition chamber is connected to the exhaust component through an exhaust channel, characterized in that: A filter is provided inside the air extraction channel, and the filter is penetrated by a through hole, wherein the through hole includes a first hole and a second hole connected with the first hole, the first hole is located above the second hole, and the first hole is connected with the top of the filter, the cross-sectional size of the first hole is larger than the cross-sectional size of the second hole, so that a limiting step surface is formed at the connection between the first hole and the second hole, and a blocking member capable of blocking the second hole is provided inside the first hole, the size of the blocking member is smaller than the size of the first hole, and the size of the blocking member is larger than the size of the second hole, when the blocking member blocks the second hole, the first hole is not connected with the transition chamber, and when the air extraction component is exhausting air, the blocking member moves in a vertical direction to the top of the filter to connect the through hole with the transition chamber; A mesh plate is arranged above the filter element at intervals, and when the blocking element is moved to the top of the filter element, the blocking element can abut against the lower surface of the mesh plate to limit the blocking element below the mesh plate; There are a plurality of through holes, which are spaced apart and distributed on the filter element. The blocking element is disposed in the first hole in each of the through holes. The mesh plate covers all the first holes, and two adjacent first holes are connected through a gas channel.

2. The panel transition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a support plate surrounding the periphery of the mesh plate, and one end of the support plate away from the mesh plate is connected to the filter element.

3. The panel transition device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support plate is detachably connected to the filter element via a fastener.

4. The panel transition device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fastener is a fastening screw, and a protrusion is protruding from one end of the support plate away from the mesh plate. The protrusion protrudes toward the side away from the center of the filter element, and a first fastening hole is penetrated by the protrusion. A second fastening hole is provided at a position of the filter element corresponding to the first fastening hole, and one end of the fastening screw passes through the first fastening hole and is tightened in the second fastening hole.

5. The panel transition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The blocking member is a blocking ball.

6. The panel transition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guide member is arranged between the mesh plate and the filter element, and guide holes are arranged through the upper and lower ends of the guide member. The guide hole is connected with the first hole and the first air hole on the mesh plate, and the blocking member can move up and down in the guide hole.

7. The panel transition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The blocking member is connected to the inner wall of the first hole through an elastic member, one end of the elastic member is fixed to the blocking member, and the other end of the elastic member is fixed to the inner wall of the first hole.

8. The panel transition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The filter element is detachably arranged in the air extraction channel via a threaded structure, or the filter element is detachably arranged in the air extraction channel via a screw.

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