Transport mechanism based on packaged glass substrates

Abstract

This invention discloses a transport mechanism for packaged glass substrates, comprising: a base plate to be transported; a sealing member including a plurality of resin sealing rings arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the top surface of the base plate, with the packaged glass substrate sealed between adjacent resin sealing rings, and at least one suction space in a vacuum state hollowed out in the center of each resin sealing ring; and a side plate arranged on the side of the sealing member, with an inflation / deflation component disposed on the side plate. This invention provides a resin sealing ring structure between adjacent glass substrates, enabling scratch-free stacking of multiple glass substrates, ensuring linear transport of individual substrates, and the resin sealing ring structure has the advantages of central adsorption and side anti-warping, reducing the impact of vibration on the glass substrates during transport and preventing scratches and warping during transport.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of packaged glass substrates, and more particularly to a transport mechanism based on packaged glass substrates. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of material handling equipment, the handling of glass substrates has remained largely unchanged despite numerous reforms. The only significant evolution has been from traditional handling methods to CASET-style handling, which uses specially designed boxes to transport glass substrates. This method offers advantages such as adaptability to the needs of various glass substrate production workshops and flexibility in handling ever-expanding substrate sizes. However, it also presents several challenges, including the large size and heavy weight of the boxes. For example, the eighth-generation CASET specifically designed for glass substrates weighs as much as 1.5 tons and is approximately 2 meters tall. Furthermore, the existing linear storage method for CASET handling limits the smoothness of the actual production process. To address these issues, the leaf-type linear handling method was developed. Compared to the massive and bulky CASET, the leaf-type linear handling method is easier to install and transport. Our company has developed a transport mechanism based on packaged glass substrates to assist in the leaf-type linear handling method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a resin sealing ring structure between two adjacent glass substrates for transporting packaged glass substrates. This enables the stacking of multiple glass substrates without scratches, ensuring the straight-line transport effect of each substrate. Furthermore, the resin sealing ring structure has the advantages of central adsorption and side anti-warping, reducing the impact of vibration on the glass substrates during transport and preventing scratches and warping during transport.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs a conveying mechanism based on a packaged glass substrate, comprising:

[0005] In a preferred embodiment, the base plate to be transported is typically supported by an aluminum plate approximately 10 mm thick, with side plates installed on both sides and a sealing component arranged in the middle. This sealing component includes multiple resin sealing rings arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the top surface of the base plate. The diameter of the contact surface of the suction space decreases sequentially from the contact portion towards the interior of the suction space, reducing the contact area between the resin sealing rings and the packaged glass substrate. The resin sealing rings are made of a soft, vertical material, and the packaged glass substrate is sealed between two adjacent resin sealing rings. At least one suction space in a vacuum state is hollowed out in the middle of the resin sealing rings. Therefore, even if the packaged glass substrate vibrates in the vertical direction, the resin sealing rings can form an air cushion, thereby reducing the vibration and movement of the packaged glass substrate. More specifically, upper vacuum adsorption holes are left on the interval between two adjacent resin sealing rings, and the inflation / deflation channels of the upper vacuum adsorption holes are connected to the inflation / deflation component.

[0006] A side plate is arranged on the side of the sealing member. An inflation / deflation component is arranged on the side plate. The inflation / deflation component is connected to the air intake space. A first inflation valve and a first deflation valve are arranged between the inflation / deflation component and the air intake space.

[0007] The actual packaged glass substrate has the following characteristics: the two edge portions are thicker than the middle portion; the distance between the middle portions of two adjacent resin sealing rings is smaller than the distance between the edges; the outer diameter of the resin sealing ring is larger than the diameter of the packaged glass substrate; of course, the width of the resin sealing ring cannot be too wide. Specifically, the outer diameter of the resin sealing ring is slightly larger than the diameter of the packaged glass substrate. For example, if the outer diameter of the packaged glass substrate is 200 mm, the resin sealing ring is 203 mm.

[0008] Generally, in actual stacking, the number of glass substrates after packaging is usually 10. If the number of layers exceeds this, the vibration during actual handling will be greater, which is not conducive to handling.

[0009] Generally, the working steps of the above structure are as follows: after placing a resin sealing ring, a glass substrate is placed. After the placement is complete, the side plates are installed. After the side plates are installed, since the distance between the two side plates is the same as that between the resin sealing rings, a gap is left between the side plates and the packaged glass substrate. During this process, an inflatable airbag is provided in the gap between the packaged glass substrate and the side plates. The inflatable airbag is connected to the inflation and deflation component through a second inflation valve and a second deflation valve. The gap is filled by the inflated airbag. Specifically, the inflatable airbag is fixed between two adjacent resin sealing rings.

[0010] Considering that the glass substrate may warp in the middle due to the vacuum suction space during actual handling, in the structure of the present invention, a temporary warping layer is provided in the middle of the resin sealing ring. This temporary warping layer is connected to the inflation / deflation component and is connected to the inflation / deflation component through a third inflation valve and a third deflation valve. The temporary warping layer is applied to the middle of the glass substrate after packaging to temporarily induce warping. The inflation airbag and the upper vacuum suction hole form a correction structure to correct the temporary induced warping. The temporary induced warping in the middle is aimed at the downward bending of the center under the action of gravity. Combined with the correction structure on the side, it is aimed at the upward bending of the side. This ensures that the force that causes the glass substrate to warp is eliminated during actual handling, and the glass substrate is kept in a horizontal state to complete the handling.

[0011] The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0012] The present invention provides a resin sealing ring structure between two adjacent glass substrates to achieve scratch-free stacking of multiple glass substrates, ensuring the straight-line transport effect of the leaflets. Furthermore, the resin sealing ring structure has the advantages of central adsorption and side anti-warping, reducing the impact of vibration on the glass substrates during transport and preventing scratches and warping during transport.

[0013] Specifically, the arrangement of the suction space and resin sealing rings allows the resin sealing rings to form an air cushion even if the glass substrate vibrates in the vertical direction after packaging, thereby reducing the vibration and movement of the glass substrate after packaging. More specifically, upper vacuum adsorption holes are left on the gap between the sides of two adjacent resin sealing rings, and the inflation and deflation channels of the upper vacuum adsorption holes are connected to the inflation and deflation components.

[0014] A temporary warp layer is applied to the middle of the glass substrate after packaging to temporarily induce warping. The inflatable airbag and the upper vacuum adsorption hole form a correction structure to correct the temporary induced warping. The temporary induced warping in the middle is aimed at the downward bending of the center under the action of gravity. Combined with the correction structure on the side, it is aimed at the upward bending of the side. This ensures that the force that causes the glass substrate to warp is eliminated during the actual handling process, so that the glass substrate is kept in a horizontal state for handling. In this process, the inflatable airbag not only has a correction function, but also has the function of filling gaps, while the upper vacuum adsorption hole not only has a correction function, but also has the function of adsorbing and fixing the side of the glass substrate.

[0015] Specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in detail with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, indicating how the principles of the present invention can be adopted. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in scope as a result, and the embodiments of the present invention include many changes, modifications and equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a single-pallet handling system.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a transport mechanism based on a packaged glass substrate;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a second preferred embodiment of a transport mechanism based on a packaged glass substrate;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a third preferred embodiment of a transport mechanism based on a packaged glass substrate;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the glass substrate after packaging in this invention;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the resin sealing ring in this invention.

[0022] In the figure: 1. Base plate; 3. Glass substrate; 4. Side plate; 5. Inflation / depression component; 6. Inflation airbag; 7. Temporary warpage layer; 21. Resin sealing ring; 22. Suction space; 51. First inflation valve; 52. First deflation valve; 221. Contact surface. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0024] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "set on" or "provided with" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as "connected to" or "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. "Fixed connection" means fixed connection. There are many ways of fixed connection, which are not within the scope of protection of this document. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this document are only for illustrative purposes and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in the specification herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0026] Please refer to the attached instruction manual. Figure 1 The attached diagram shows a traditional single-pallet handling structure. In this handling method, adjacent glass substrates cannot be transported in a straight line by stacking pallets. The diagram clearly shows that the pallet structure includes a pallet body and countersunk holes. These countersunk holes are voids to prevent the glass substrates from popping out. The thick edge of the glass substrate is placed in this control. Furthermore, multiple countersunk holes can be opened on the pallet, and one glass substrate can be placed in each countersunk hole. Since the glass substrates are thin and brittle, packaging resin is stacked between two pallets and filled. The inside of the packaging resin is vacuumed to prevent the glass substrates from sliding before transportation.

[0027] However, in actual packaging processes, such as those mentioned in JP2015-173238A, the back side of the glass substrate often comes into contact with the countersunk hole of the tray. Therefore, there is a risk that the back side of the glass substrate may be scratched or soiled, which leads to an increase in the defect rate of the glass substrate.

[0028] In response to this, such as Figure 2 As shown, the present invention proposes the above-mentioned pallet improvement scheme, namely the first preferred embodiment, to realize a leaf handling method based on the original pallet structure.

[0029] In this embodiment, the transport mechanism for the packaged glass substrate includes a base plate 1 to be transported, which is made of the original pallet. The base plate is made of aluminum straight plate and the thickness of the pallet is about 10 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the countersunk hole for placing the glass substrate is not provided. Instead, a resin sealing ring 21 is used on the base plate 1. Then, the packaged glass substrate 3 and the resin sealing ring 21 are arranged alternately to form a sealing member. In this preferred embodiment, the resin sealing ring 21 is annular and hollowed out in the middle to form an air suction space 22. After the packaged glass substrate 3 is placed, the air suction space 22 is evacuated to make the air suction space 22 a vacuum state, so as to better fix the packaged glass substrate 3.

[0030] According to the above structure, the packaged glass substrate 3 is stacked between two resin sealing rings 21. This prevents interference between adjacent packaged glass substrates 3, and the resin sealing rings 21 act as buffers to reduce vibration of the packaged glass substrates. Therefore, scratches or dirt on the back of the packaged glass substrate 3 can be prevented, thereby reducing the defect rate of the packaged glass substrate. In addition, scratches or dirt on the device structure on the front of the packaged glass substrate 3 can also be prevented, reducing electrical and appearance defects of the packaged glass substrate 3. Furthermore, since the present invention achieves leaf handling through three-dimensional stacking, it occupies a small area during transportation, reducing transportation costs. Compared with CASET-type handling, it is easier to assemble and disassemble, and lighter, making it easier to handle. Therefore, the transport mechanism based on packaged glass substrates in this embodiment has the advantages of high reliability and low-cost transportation.

[0031] For sealing the conveying mechanism based on the packaged glass substrate, a side plate 4 is arranged on the side of the sealing member, and an inflation / deflation component 5 is installed on the side plate 4. The inflation / deflation component 5 is connected to the above-mentioned suction space 22, and a first inflation valve 51 and a first deflation valve 52 are arranged between the inflation / deflation component 5 and the above-mentioned suction space 22.

[0032] In some preferred embodiments, the side plate 4 is annular and wraps around the entire side of the sealing structure.

[0033] In some preferred embodiments, a top plate is fastened to the top surface of the side plate 4, and the top plate, side plate 4 and bottom plate 1 constitute a sealing structure.

[0034] In some preferred embodiments, since the center of the packaged glass substrate 3 is thinner than the side of the packaged glass substrate 3, in order to better install the packaged glass substrate 3 between two adjacent resin sealing rings 21, the present invention designs the spacing between the middle of the two adjacent resin sealing rings 21 to be smaller than the spacing between the sides.

[0035] The operation of the transport mechanism based on the packaged glass substrate is described in detail. Multiple resin sealing rings 21 and packaged glass substrates 3 are stacked alternately and vertically in the transport mechanism. Specifically, the resin sealing rings 21 are first placed on the base plate 1, then the packaged glass substrates 3 are stacked, then the resin sealing rings 21 are stacked, and this stacking sequence continues until the top is a resin sealing ring 21. During this stacking process, the resin sealing rings 21 and the packaged glass substrates 3 are stacked alternately to prevent adjacent packaged glass substrates 3 from contacting and affecting each other.

[0036] Of course, for the above stacking method, multiple resin sealing rings 21 can also be installed between two adjacent packaged glass substrates 3 to increase the spacing between two adjacent packaged glass substrates 3.

[0037] A second preferred embodiment of the transport mechanism based on the packaged glass substrate is shown below. This second preferred embodiment is an improvement upon the first preferred embodiment. See details below. Figure 3 ,Should Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a transport mechanism based on a packaged glass substrate is shown in a second preferred embodiment. In this example, the structure of the first preferred embodiment is omitted. In this case, the diameter of the resin sealing ring 21 is similar to the diameter of the packaged glass substrate 3. Preferably, in this embodiment, the width of the resin sealing ring 21 should not be too wide. Specifically, the outer diameter of the resin sealing ring 21 is slightly larger than the diameter of the packaged glass substrate 3. For example, if the outer diameter of the packaged glass substrate 3 is 200 mm, the resin sealing ring is 203 mm. Preferably, the difference between the diameter of the packaged glass substrate 3 and the diameter of the resin sealing ring 21 is 1-3 mm, preferably 3 mm. It should not be too wide or too narrow. If it is too wide, the packaged glass substrate 3 will easily move during the transport process after placement, while if it is too narrow, it will be difficult to stack the packaged glass substrate 3 on the resin sealing ring 21.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the packaged glass substrate 3 in a transport mechanism based on the packaged glass substrate. Figure 4 In the process, the packaged glass substrate is a thin plate in the shape of a disc after processing, and has a basically circular shape. The effective area thickness of the packaged glass substrate 3 is generally 50-400μm. In the actual processing, the back of the glass substrate is generally thinned by grinding only the inner periphery and retaining the edge portion. Therefore, the center of the back side of the glass substrate is thinner than the edge side. The main purpose of this thinning is to prevent the edge of the glass substrate from warping, but the problem of warping in the middle of the glass substrate is ignored. In the actual stacking process, the edge of the packaged glass substrate 3 is mostly pressed on two adjacent resin sealing rings, while the center of the packaged glass substrate 3 is in direct contact with the suction space 22. Since the gap between the middle of two adjacent packaged glass substrates 3 is only slightly larger than the thickness of the resin sealing ring 21, and the thickness of the resin sealing ring 21 is limited, the diameter of the suction space is large, that is, it has a large lateral area. Therefore, the contact area between the packaged glass substrate 3 and the suction space is large. During the handling process, there is a risk that the center of the packaged glass substrate 3 will fall.

[0039] In view of the above, in Embodiment 3, the anti-warping structure is optimized based on the transport mechanism of the packaged glass substrate 3. Basically, an upper vacuum adsorption hole is left on the interval between the two adjacent resin sealing rings 21, and the inflation and deflation channel of the upper vacuum adsorption hole is connected to the inflation and deflation component 5. An inflation airbag 6 is provided in the gap between the packaged glass substrate 3 and the side plate 4. The inflation airbag 6 is connected to the inflation and deflation component 5 through a second inflation valve and a second deflation valve. A temporary warping layer 7 is provided in the middle of the resin sealing ring 21. The temporary warping layer 7 is connected to the inflation and deflation component 5 through a third inflation valve and a third deflation valve. The temporary warping layer 7 is applied to the middle of the packaged glass substrate 3 to temporarily induce warping.

[0040] In fact, during transportation, the temporary warp layer 7 in the middle is inflated and provides an upward temporary induced warp for the packaged glass substrate 3, thereby reducing the risk of the packaged glass substrate 3 falling from the center. At the same time, the upper vacuum adsorption hole adsorbs the side of the packaged glass substrate 3, thereby fixing the side of the packaged glass substrate 3 and providing a correction function for the side of the packaged glass substrate 3, preventing the side of the packaged glass substrate 3 from warping. In addition, the inflatable airbag 6 not only has the function of filling the gap, but also assists the upper vacuum adsorption hole, so that the inflatable airbag 6 and the upper vacuum adsorption hole form a correction structure for correcting the temporary induced warp, thereby realizing the correction function for the packaged glass substrate 3.

[0041] Furthermore, in the actual stacking process, the number of the above-mentioned packaged glass substrates 3 is generally 10. If the number of layers exceeds this number, the vibration during actual handling will be greater, which is not conducive to handling.

[0042] In summary, the transport mechanism for packaged glass substrates of the present invention provides a resin sealing ring structure between two adjacent glass substrates, enabling scratch-free stacking of multiple glass substrates, ensuring the straight-line transport effect of the substrates, and the resin sealing ring structure has the advantages of central adsorption and side anti-warping, reducing the impact of vibration on the glass substrates during transport and preventing scratches and warping during transport.

[0043] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A conveying mechanism for packaged glass substrates, characterized in that, include: The base plate to be transported (1); The sealing component includes a plurality of resin sealing rings (21) arranged sequentially from top to bottom along the top surface of the base plate (1), and a packaged glass substrate (3) is sealed between two adjacent resin sealing rings (21). At least one air intake space (22) in a vacuum state is hollowed out in the middle of the resin sealing rings (21). Side plate (4), which is arranged on the side of the sealing member, and an inflation / deflation component (5) is arranged on the side plate (4). The inflation / deflation component (5) is connected to the suction space (22) and a first inflation valve (51) and a first deflation valve (52) are arranged between the inflation / deflation component (5) and the suction space (22). A vacuum adsorption hole is left on the side gap between two adjacent resin sealing rings (21); An inflatable airbag (6) is provided in the gap between the glass substrate (3) and the side plate (4) after packaging. A temporary warp layer (7) is provided in the middle of the resin sealing ring (21). The temporary warp layer (7) is applied to the middle of the glass substrate (3) after packaging to temporarily induce warping; The aforementioned inflatable airbag (6) not only has the function of filling gaps, but also assists the upper vacuum adsorption hole, so that the aforementioned inflatable airbag (6) and the upper vacuum adsorption hole construct a correction structure to correct temporary induced warping.

2. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the resin sealing ring (21) is larger than the diameter of the glass substrate (3) after packaging.

3. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 2, characterized in that: The interval between the middle of two adjacent resin sealing rings (21) is smaller than the interval on the side.

4. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 3, characterized in that: The gas filling and discharging channel of the upper vacuum adsorption hole is connected to the gas filling and discharging component (5).

5. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 4, characterized in that: The number of glass substrates (3) after packaging is 10.

6. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inflatable airbag (6) is connected to the inflation / deflation component (5) via a second inflation valve and a second deflation valve.

7. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 6, characterized in that: The aforementioned inflatable airbag (6) is fixed between two adjacent resin sealing rings (21).

8. The conveying mechanism based on packaged glass substrates according to claim 7, characterized in that: The temporary warped layer (7) is connected to the inflation / deflation component (5) via the third inflation valve and the third deflation valve.

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