Method for manufacturing ground glass plates for displays

Abstract

The main objective of this invention is to provide an efficient method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display. This method is characterized in that, if any glass plate in the third glass plate group of any polishing machine in the first system breaks during polishing, the broken glass plate is not recycled. Then, the other glass plates in the third glass plate group that have completed polishing normally, and the glass plates in the first glass plate group to be polished from this point onward, are simultaneously transported with the same amount of movement. Next, the glass plate to be polished by the polishing machine that malfunctioned is not supplied to the first system, but is transported downstream together with the other glass plates in the third glass plate group that have completed polishing normally. Finally, the glass plate to be polished by the polishing machine that malfunctioned is determined to be insufficiently polished through an inspection process and is then re-polished.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 202110360092.4, filed on January 31, 2018. Chinese patent application No. 202110360092.4 is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 201810094236.4, filed on January 31, 2018. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display. Background Technology

[0003] Regarding polished glass plates used for displays, such as liquid crystal displays, minute bumps or undulations on their surface can cause image distortion. Therefore, polishing is used to remove these minute bumps or undulations.

[0004] In the past, a method called continuous grinding has been used as a representative grinding method (Patent Document 1). Continuous grinding refers to a technology in which multiple grinding machines are set up along a conveyor path and grinding is performed in stages from the upstream side to the downstream side using all the grinding machines.

[0005] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0006] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-98075 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, conventional continuous grinding has the following problems because the grinding mill is set up in parallel with the conveyor path.

[0010] For example, if a glass plate breaks in one of a series of grinding mills, the quality of subsequent glass plates will deteriorate if the broken glass plate is not completely removed from the conveyor. Therefore, the conveyor must be completely stopped until the removal operation is completed. This results in poor efficiency.

[0011] In view of this background, the main objective of the present invention is to provide an efficient method and apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display.

[0012] Solution for solving the problem

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a method for manufacturing a ground glass plate for display, characterized in that...

[0014] Multiple glass plates are conveyed along a conveyor path configured along the first direction.

[0015] Multiple glass plates on the conveyor path are supplied to multiple grinding machines arranged parallel to the conveyor path.

[0016] The plurality of glass plates are ground using any one of the plurality of grinding machines.

[0017] Multiple glass plates, ground by any one of the plurality of grinding mills, are respectively recovered to the conveying path.

[0018] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application provides an apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display, characterized by comprising:

[0019] A conveyor path is configured along a first direction to convey multiple glass plates;

[0020] Multiple grinding mills are arranged in parallel with the conveyor path; and

[0021] Multiple transfer machines supply the multiple glass plates from the conveyor path to any one of the multiple grinding machines and return them from any one of the multiple grinding machines to the conveyor path.

[0022] Invention Effects

[0023] According to the present invention, a highly efficient method and apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 These are top and cross-sectional views of the manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a timeline diagram illustrating the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view showing a first modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Label Explanation

[0029] 101 First Direction

[0030] 102 Conveyor Route

[0031] 102A First Area

[0032] 102B Second Area

[0033] 103 Grinding Machine

[0034] 103A First System

[0035] 103B Second System

[0036] 103c First Grinding Machine

[0037] 103d Second Grinding Machine

[0038] 103X First Position

[0039] 103Y Second Position

[0040] 104 back pad

[0041] 105 Road (Going Against Traffic)

[0042] 106 transfer machine

[0043] 110 attached area

[0044] 111 Grinding Zone

[0045] 112 Separation Zone

[0046] 201 interval

[0047] 301 intermediate transfer machine

[0048] G Glass Plate

[0049] First glass panel group

[0050] b. Second glass panel group

[0051] A Third Glass Panel Group

[0052] B Fourth Glass Panel Group

[0053] a1 First Glass Plate

[0054] b2 Second Glass Plate Detailed Implementation

[0055] Hereinafter, with the aid of accompanying drawings, a method and apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0056] In the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments of the present invention, arrows are used to define coordinates, which are used for explanation as needed. Furthermore, in this specification, "X direction" refers not only to the direction from the root to the tip of the arrow representing the X coordinate, but also to the direction from the tip to the root, reversed by 180 degrees. Similarly, "Y direction" and "Z direction" refer not only to the direction from the root to the tip of the arrow representing the Y and Z coordinates, but also to the direction from the tip to the root, reversed by 180 degrees. In this specification, the Y direction is also referred to as the first direction or the conveying direction. Furthermore, the tip side of the arrow in the Y direction is also referred to as the downstream or downstream side, and the root side of the arrow in the Y direction is also referred to as the upstream or upstream side. Similarly, the tip side of the arrow in the Z direction is also referred to as the upper or upper side, and the root side of the arrow in the Z direction is also referred to as the lower or lower side.

[0057] It should be noted that in the accompanying drawings of this specification, reference numerals are sometimes omitted when the same structural units are continuous, in order to avoid making the drawings complicated.

[0058] It should be noted that in this specification, the term "transfer" is used as a superordinate concept that includes the "supply" and "recycling" of the glass plate.

[0059] Figure 1 These are a top view and a cross-sectional view of the apparatus for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a timeline diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of a polished glass plate for display according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] First, use Figure 1 This is an example illustrating the basic structure of a manufacturing apparatus.

[0061] The first embodiment includes a conveyor path 102 arranged along a first direction 101 for conveying a plurality of glass plates G. Furthermore, a plurality of grinding machines 103 are provided parallel to the conveyor path 102. Additionally, a plurality of transfer machines 106 are provided for supplying the plurality of glass plates G from the conveyor path 102 to any one of the plurality of grinding machines 103 and for recovering them from any one of the plurality of grinding machines 103 back to the conveyor path 102.

[0062] Furthermore, using the manufacturing apparatus of the first embodiment, multiple glass plates G on the conveyor path 102 are supplied to multiple grinding machines 103 arranged parallel to the conveyor path 102. Each of the multiple grinding machines 103 grinds the multiple glass plates G individually, and the glass plates G ground by any one of the multiple grinding machines 103 are then returned to the conveyor path 102. With this structure, the glass plates G can be ground efficiently. That is, even if one grinding machine malfunctions, as in conventional continuous grinding with parallel arrangement, the impact of that one grinding machine will not affect the entire assembly, thus resulting in high efficiency. This is because the multiple grinding machines are arranged parallel to the conveyor path 102, so even if, for example, a glass plate breaks in one grinding machine 103, its removal and subsequent grinding and conveying of the glass plates can be performed in parallel.

[0063] Moreover, from the perspective of the quality of glass plate G, it also has the following advantages.

[0064] In conventional continuous grinding with a linear arrangement, after the broken glass plate is removed from the conveyor, all grinding machines except the one that malfunctioned resume normal operation. The malfunctioning grinding machine must then undergo restoration work, such as pad replacement, in a different work area than the one on the conveyor. Conventional continuous grinding uses all grinding machines to grind in stages from upstream to downstream. Therefore, during the restoration work, the glass plate is ground with one less grinding machine's worth of material, potentially resulting in a lower quality compared to normal operation.

[0065] However, in this embodiment, each glass plate G is ground separately by any one of the grinding machines 103, so even if one grinding machine stops, the glass plates ground by the other grinding machines will not be affected. That is, glass plates of stable quality can be produced.

[0066] Furthermore, it is preferable that any one of the aforementioned grinding machines grinds only one glass plate in a single grinding cycle. This provides the following advantages.

[0067] In other words, there have been grinding methods that use one grinding machine to grind multiple glass plates. In this case, all the glass plates in the same grinding machine are basically ground under the same conditions, making it impossible to adjust the grinding conditions according to the individual glass qualities.

[0068] However, if a single grinding machine is used to grind only one glass plate, various grinding conditions can be adjusted to suit the quality of that single glass plate. For example, grinding time, grinding speed, grinding pressure, slurry supply, and platform angle can be adjusted. Therefore, higher quality glass plates can be provided.

[0069] In addition, when using a single grinder to grind multiple glass plates, the glass plates are prone to clogging during loading and / or recycling, resulting in poor efficiency.

[0070] However, if a single grinding machine is used to grind only one glass plate and there are multiple units of this structure, it is difficult to cause congestion of the glass plates, and efficient production can be carried out.

[0071] It should be noted that if the size of the glass plate is relatively small compared to the size of the grinding platform of the grinder, multiple glass plates can be ground using one grinder.

[0072] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first direction 101 is represented by a straight line, but it is not limited to this. It can also be curved or bent.

[0073] It should be noted that the glass plate can be conveyed in a way that makes the conveyor path 102 run continuously under normal conditions, or it can be conveyed and stopped intermittently in a so-called step feed method.

[0074] It should be noted that parallel connection refers to a connection method where multiple paths are formed by branching paths, similar to the parallel connection of a circuit.

[0075] It should be noted that supply refers to transferring glass plates from the conveyor to the grinding machine, while recycling refers to transferring the finished glass plates from the grinding machine to the conveyor.

[0076] Furthermore, the locations of the multiple grinding mills 103 are preferably different from those on the conveyor path 102. Since grinding is performed at locations different from the conveyor path 102, even if one grinding mill malfunctions, the conveyor path 102 does not need to be stopped, resulting in high efficiency.

[0077] Furthermore, it is preferable that each of the aforementioned grinding machines can be controlled independently. Only the grinding machine that malfunctions needs to be stopped, without stopping the others, thus achieving high efficiency. It should be noted that "can be controlled independently" means that each of the grinding machines 103 can operate independently. That is, the start, stop, and speed adjustment of the movement can be set independently. Specifically, when the flatness of the supplied glass plate G varies greatly, each grinding machine can independently set the grinding conditions according to the flatness of the supplied glass plate. Moreover, in the event of malfunction or maintenance of any of the grinding devices, only one machine can be operated differently from the others. Flexible operation to improve efficiency is possible.

[0078] Here, "abnormal situation" refers to situations such as glass breaking or the grinding machine itself malfunctioning.

[0079] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the multiple grinding machines 103 are composed of multiple pairs of grinding machines facing each other across the conveyor path 102, and are arranged side by side with the conveyor path 102. Compared with the structure in which the grinding machines 103 are arranged on only one side, the length of the conveyor path can be reduced to approximately 1 / 2, which can suppress the conveying time of the glass plate and thus improve efficiency. It should be noted that this is not a limitation, and the multiple grinding machines 103 can also be arranged in an alternating configuration across the conveyor path 102.

[0080] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the total number of grinding machines 103 is 22 (11 pairs), but it is not limited to this.

[0081] The following uses Figure 2 and Figure 3 This section describes in detail the process of manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (Compared to the use of...) Figure 2 Along with the explanation, for Figure 1 The labels are also explained.

[0082] exist Figure 2 In the sequence (1) to (6), the passage of time is represented. Moreover, the time elapsed between (5) and (6) is longer than that between the other numbers.

[0083] In each of the states (1) to (6), the conveyor path 102 is represented by a central dashed line, and the direction of the arrow is set to the downstream side of the conveying direction. Furthermore, the grinding machines 103 are arranged opposite each other across the conveyor path 102. The multiple grinding machines 103 arranged on one side of the conveyor path 102 are designated as the first system 103A (the grinding machine group surrounded by dashed lines on the upper side of the paper), and the multiple grinding machines 103 arranged on the opposite side of the first system 103A across the conveyor path 102 are designated as the second system 103B (the grinding machine group surrounded by dashed lines on the lower side of the paper). In (2) and (3), the position of the grinding machines in the first system 103A is represented by the area surrounded by dashed lines.

[0084] Furthermore, the grinding machine 103 located at the upstream side of the conveying direction relative to the conveying path 102 among the multiple grinding machines 103 is designated as the first grinding machine 103c. In this embodiment, the grinding machines 103 are arranged opposite each other, so there are two grinding machines 103 located at the upstream side, but it is sufficient to designate either one as the first grinding machine 103c. Moreover, the area in which the multiple grinding machines 103 in the conveying path 102 are arranged side by side is also called the grinding area 111.

[0085] In addition, a1 is called the first glass plate, and b2, which is conveyed immediately after the first glass plate a1, is called the second glass plate.

[0086] In addition, in (1), the adjacent glass plates with the first glass plate a1 as the last are designated as the first glass plate group a. That is, the glass plate group is arranged in a row from the first glass plate a1 to the right side of the paper. In (6), the adjacent glass plates with the second glass plate b2 as the first are designated as the second glass plate group b. That is, the glass plate group is arranged in a row from the second glass plate b2 to the left side of the paper. Moreover, in (1), the glass plate group ground by the first system 103A is designated as the third glass plate group A. In (1), the glass plate group ground by the second system 103B is designated as the fourth glass plate group B. In principle, the number of glass plates in each glass plate group is the same as the number of grinding machines belonging to one system. However, this restriction does not apply in case of abnormalities such as glass plates breaking during the process.

[0087] The following uses Figure 2 This section details the grinding process for the glass plate.

[0088] exist Figure 2 In (1), the third glass plate group A is ground by the first system 103A, the fourth glass plate group B is ground by the second system 103B, the first glass plate group a is conveyed to the vicinity of any one of the grinding machines 103, and the second glass plate group b with the second glass plate b2 at the front is conveyed immediately after the first glass plate group a.

[0089] Then, in (2), the third glass plate group A, after grinding, is retrieved to the conveyor path 102. During this period, the second glass plate b2 is conveyed to fill the gap 201 between it and the first glass plate a1.

[0090] Then, in (3), the first glass plate group a is conveyed to the transfer preparation position for transfer to any one of the grinding machines 103. In this embodiment, the transfer machine 106 for supplying and recovering is located near the grinding machine 103. Figure 1 In state (3), the first glass plate group a can be supplied to the first system 103A.

[0091] At this time, the third glass plate group A, which is being recovered to the conveying path 102, is also being conveyed to the same extent as the first glass plate group a.

[0092] Then, in (4), the first glass plate group a is supplied to the first system 103A, and then the third glass plate group A and the second glass plate b2 are conveyed to the downstream side.

[0093] Then, in (5), the glass plate (third glass plate group A) on the conveying path 102 is conveyed downstream, and the second glass plate group b, which immediately follows the second glass plate b2, is also conveyed. Here, as Figure 2As in (5), the already ground third glass plate group A can be conveyed downstream quickly by narrowing the gap between adjacent glass plates. That is, the conveyor path 102 narrows the gap between adjacent glass plates among the multiple ground glass plates. As a result, the efficiency of the entire production can be improved.

[0094] Then, in (6), the second glass plate assembly b is conveyed to the vicinity of any one of the grinding machines 103. The second glass plate b2 is conveyed to the vicinity of the grinding machine located on the most downstream side. In this application, the grinding machine for grinding the second glass plate b2 is designated as the second grinding machine 103d. The second grinding machine 103d is located downstream of the first grinding machine 103c. In this embodiment, it is designated as the grinding machine located on the most downstream side.

[0095] Then, the same movement as after (1) is performed on the second system 103B side. That is, the fourth glass plate group B, which has finished grinding, is retrieved to the conveyor path 102, during which time a new next glass plate is conveyed to fill the gap with the second glass plate b2.

[0096] Figure 3 It means Figure 2 This is an example of a timeline diagram illustrating the actions of each glass plate assembly. The columns of the table represent the actions of each glass plate assembly. The rows in the table, from top to bottom, represent the passage of time. Within each row, the same moment is indicated. Furthermore, "..." indicates that the glass plate assembly proceeds to the next process in the next grinding zone. Figure 2 (1) to (6) correspond to Figure 3 Lines 1 to 6.

[0097] As explained above, in this embodiment, the following structure is preferred. That is, when the grinding machine located at the upstream side of the conveying direction relative to the conveying path 102 among the plurality of grinding machines 103 is designated as the first grinding machine 103c, the glass plate G ground by the first grinding machine 103c among the plurality of glass plates G is designated as the first glass plate a1, and the glass plate conveyed immediately after the first glass plate a1 among the plurality of glass plates G is designated as the second glass plate b2, it is preferable that when the first glass plate a1 is in any state of being supplied, being ground, or being recycled, the conveying path 102 conveys the second glass plate b2 downstream of the first glass plate a1 in the conveying direction.

[0098] Therefore, the second glass plate b2 can be conveyed downstream during the supply, grinding, or recycling of the first glass plate a1. That is, the subsequent glass plate is conveyed downstream in a time period longer than the preceding glass plate, so the conveying time does not actually become a bottleneck in production, resulting in high efficiency.

[0099] It should be noted that "supplying, grinding, or recycling" refers to the time period from the moment the first glass plate a1 is separated from the conveyor path 102 by the transfer machine 106 to the moment the first glass plate a1 is loaded onto the conveyor path 102 by the transfer machine 106.

[0100] In addition, such as Figure 2 As shown, multiple grinding mills 103 are preferably operated in batches connected in parallel with the conveyor path 102.

[0101] In this embodiment, a dual-system batch operation with a first system 103A and a second system 103B is used, but a single-system batch operation is also possible. That is, preferably, all grinding machines are synchronized and belong to the same system under normal conditions, while at least one grinding machine is controlled independently in case of an abnormality. During normal operation, they operate synchronously and together, thus facilitating control. In case of an abnormality, as described above, it is not necessary to stop the entire line, resulting in high efficiency.

[0102] Here, synchronized motion refers to the result of multiple grinders being controlled independently, allowing their actions to begin and / or end at the same time. Alternatively, a common program can be used to control synchronized grinders. Furthermore, "at the same time" refers to a range within ±3 seconds, based on complete uniformity. Moreover, "motion" encompasses not only grinding but also the setting of the glass plate before grinding and the removal of the glass plate after grinding.

[0103] Furthermore, the batch processing is not limited to the dual-system batch processing shown in this embodiment; the multiple grinding machines 103 can also be configured as a multi-system batch processing system categorized into two or more systems. Normally, within each of the multiple systems, the multiple grinding machines 103 move synchronously. Between the systems, the movement cycles of the multiple grinding machines 103 differ, thereby allowing the transport or preparation of the next glass plate assembly to proceed during the time consumed by other systems, enabling finer control. In case of abnormalities, at least one grinding machine is controlled independently, thus eliminating the need to stop the entire line as described above, resulting in high efficiency.

[0104] Alternatively, a dual-system batch system can be configured as in this embodiment. Normally, multiple grinding machines 103 operate synchronously in the first system 103A and simultaneously in the second system 103B. The operating cycles of the first system 103A and the second system 103B are different, allowing the transport or preparation of the next glass plate group to proceed during the time consumed by other systems. In case of an emergency, at least one grinding machine is independently controlled, thus eliminating the need to stop the entire line as described above, resulting in high efficiency. Furthermore, with a dual system, it is easy to share the transfer machines used for supply or retrieval. Moreover, during the waiting time, such as when grinding a glass plate, it is easy to complete the transfer of all items. In other words, it is easy to achieve a trade-off of minimizing the number of transfer machines and completing the transfer of all glass plates within a permissible time.

[0105] Furthermore, in the case of a dual-system batch system, it is preferable to have only one transfer machine 106 for supplying and recovering glass plates G between any pair of grinding mills. By sharing the transfer machine between a pair of grinding mills, the number of transfer machines 106 can be reduced, and the device structure can be simplified.

[0106] Here is an example of the action taken during an abnormal situation. Figure 2 In (1), it is assumed that in any one of the first systems 103A, any one of the third glass plates A is broken during grinding.

[0107] At this time, Figure 2 In (2), the transfer machine 106 does not retrieve the broken glass plate. As a result, the interval 201 becomes an unfilled vacant state.

[0108] Then, in Figure 2 In (3), the other glass plates that have finished grinding normally (the third glass plate group A) and the glass plates that are being ground from now on (the first glass plate group a) are simultaneously transported by the same amount of movement.

[0109] Then, in Figure 2 In step (4), the glass plates that were ground by the grinding machine that malfunctioned are not supplied to the first system 103A. They are conveyed downstream together with the other glass plates (third glass plate group A) that have completed grinding normally. Then, the glass plates that were ground by the grinding machine that malfunctioned are judged to be insufficiently ground through inspection processes, etc., and are re-ground, etc.

[0110] During this continuous operation, restoration work is carried out on grinding machines and grinding pads that have malfunctioned.

[0111] It should be noted that the transfer machine 106 is installed on the guide member connecting any pair of grinding machines, and is capable of transferring glass plates G to any pair of grinding machines and the conveyor path located between any pair of grinding machines. Thus, transfer to three positions can be performed smoothly.

[0112] In the transfer machine 106 of this embodiment, it can be suspended from a guide rail that connects any pair of grinding machines (one of the first system 103A and one of the second system 103B) along the X direction and moved to three positions: the first system 103A, the conveyor path 102, and the second system 103B. After moving to each position, it moves up and down along the Z direction, and the glass plate G can be transferred using a clamp. This embodiment is not limited to this specific embodiment, but it is preferable that the transfer machine can move only along the X direction. This simplifies the device structure.

[0113] It should be noted that the transfer machine 106 can transport the glass plate G by using an adsorption clamp to hold the glass plate G on the predetermined grinding surface or the ground surface. Moreover, a back pad or carrier, as described later, can also be held using, for example, a claw clamp.

[0114] Furthermore, in the case of a dual-system batch process, it is preferable to stagger the motion cycles by half a cycle in the first system 103A and the second system 103B. That is, multiple grinding mills 103 have a first system 103A and a second system 103B with their motion cycles staggered by half a cycle. Preparation to either system can also be carried out in equal time.

[0115] Here, "offset half-cycle" refers to the concept of a range of ±3 seconds or less, based on a completely offset half-cycle.

[0116] Similarly, in the case of batch processing with multiple systems, it is preferable to stagger the cycles by dividing the time required to grind the glass plate G by the number of systems. Preparation for any system can also be carried out within equal timeframes.

[0117] In addition, preferred, such as Figure 2 As in (5) and (6), when the first glass plate group a is in any of the states of being supplied, being ground, or being recycled, the conveyor path 102 conveys the multiple glass plates G constituting the second glass plate group b to the vicinity of any one of the multiple grinding mills. The second glass plate group b can be conveyed downstream while the first glass plate group a is being supplied, being ground, or being recycled. That is, subsequent glass plates, utilizing the time consumed by the preceding glass plates, are conveyed to the vicinity of the predetermined grinding mill to be ground, exceeding the time consumed by the preceding glass plates. The time consumed in conveying does not substantially become a limiting factor for production speed, thus resulting in high efficiency.

[0118] It should be noted that after the conveying is completed, the second glass plate group b can standby until the first glass plate group a is discharged from the grinder 103.

[0119] In addition, preferred, such as Figure 2 As in (6), when the plurality of glass plates G constituting the second glass plate group b are respectively conveyed to the vicinity of any one of the plurality of polishing machines 103, at least a portion of the plurality of glass plates G constituting the second glass plate group b forms a gap 201. That is, the conveying path 102 preferably conveys the second glass plate group b in such a manner that at least a portion of the plurality of glass plates constituting the second glass plate group b forms a gap. Furthermore, the gap 201 is preferably greater than or equal to the width of any one of the plurality of glass plates.

[0120] Originally, from the point of view of efficiency, it is preferable not to set a gap between glass plates in the glass plate conveying process. However, in state (6), by setting the state with a gap 201, the ground glass plate (e.g., the fourth glass plate group B) can be smoothly recycled to the conveying path 102.

[0121] Here, the portion of the space between multiple glass plates G that is more than the width of a glass plate can be solely for grinding. In other conveying processes, the spacing between multiple glass plates G should be kept as small as possible (less than the width of one glass plate) to enable efficient production.

[0122] Furthermore, the gap 201 is preferably formed during the process of separately conveying the plurality of glass plates G constituting the second glass plate group b to the vicinity of any one of the plurality of grinding machines 103. That is, the gap is preferably formed during the process of separately conveying the plurality of glass plates constituting the second glass plate group to the vicinity of any one of the plurality of grinding machines. Outside the grinding zone 111 of the conveyor 102, the second glass plate group b can be conveyed with adjacent glass plates having no gap between them or with a small gap. The gap is set only when needed, thereby enabling efficient production.

[0123] Here, "small interval" refers to a state where the interval is smaller than the width of any one of the glass plates mentioned above.

[0124] Furthermore, the conveyor path 102 includes a first region 102A and a second region 102B, which are capable of independently controlling the start and / or stop of the conveying and / or the conveying speed. Specifically, in Figure 1In this embodiment, the conveyor (first region 102A) positioned between a pair of grinding machines and the conveyor (second region 102B) positioned between adjacent grinding machines in the same system can be controlled independently. Therefore, for example, even if the transport of the foremost glass plate G stops, subsequent glass plates can be transported to fill the gap during that stoppage time. Furthermore, even if subsequent glass plates are delayed for some reason, the gap with the preceding glass plate can be filled. Moreover, even when forming the gap 201, the size of the gap can be adjusted. This increases the degree of freedom in transporting the glass plate G.

[0125] In addition, Figure 2 In this process, it is preferable to pre-classify glass plates G of similar quality for each glass plate group. For example, if a glass plate group is of relatively good quality, adjustments can be made such as setting a shorter grinding time for that glass plate group. On the other hand, if a glass plate group is of poor quality, grinding of that glass plate group can be prioritized. In this way, the grinding time can be adjusted for each system to achieve optimization.

[0126] Furthermore, downstream of the grinding zone 111, the first glass plate a1 is preferably conveyed downstream of the second glass plate b2. That is, the conveying path 102 conveys the first glass plate a1 downstream of the second glass plate b2. After (6), preferably during the grinding of the second glass plate b2, the first glass plate a1 is retrieved and conveyed downstream. Downstream of the grinding zone 111, the conveying sequence remains the same, thereby facilitating the management or tracking of the quality of the glass plate G.

[0127] By tracking the glass plate G, it is possible to determine which grinding machine 103 ground the glass plate G. Furthermore, by inspecting the quality of the glass plate G, the status of each grinding machine 103 can be monitored, such as the imminent replacement time of the grinding pad, enabling efficient production that prevents the generation of defective products.

[0128] Furthermore, preferably, the conveying path 102 includes a glass supply path and a glass recycling path, with the glass supply path arranged along the glass recycling path. That is, the glass plate G to be ground from this point forward passes through the glass supply path, and the already ground glass plate G passes through the recycling path. The supply path and the recycling path convey the glass plate G in the same direction. Therefore, there is no need for standby during the supply of the glass plate G to be ground to the transfer machine, and the ground glass plate can be conveyed downstream. That is, in Figure 3 In this process, the "standby" status of the third glass plate group A in the supply of the first glass plate group a can be eliminated. Furthermore, in Figure 3In this process, the "standby" status of the fourth glass plate group B in the supply of the second glass plate group b can be eliminated. Moreover, it is also possible to determine whether the glass plate has been ground by looking at its appearance.

[0129] Here, the glass supply path and the recycling path can be arranged vertically along the Z-direction or along the X-direction. If they are arranged vertically along the Z-direction, the installation area of ​​the device can be reduced, which is therefore preferred.

[0130] In addition, multiple glass plates G can also be conveyed by the glass supply path, and after being ground by the first system 103A, they are transferred to the second system 103B for further grinding and then recycled by the glass recycling path.

[0131] Moreover, such as Figure 1 Therefore, in this preferred embodiment, upstream of the plurality of grinders 103 in the conveying path 102, the plurality of glass plates G are respectively attached to any one of the plurality of back pads 104. The plurality of glass plates G are conveyed, supplied, ground, and retrieved while attached to the back pads 104. Downstream of the plurality of grinders 103 in the conveying path 102, the plurality of ground glass plates G are separated from the plurality of back pads 104. The grinding platform has a significant impact on the quality of grinding the glass plates G. However, by setting the grinding platform to be separate from the grinders, such as the back pads 104, if there are defects in the back pads 104, it is only necessary to remove the back pad from the conveying path 102 and correct it, without stopping the operation of the grinders 103 themselves.

[0132] Here, the area in the conveying path 102 where the glass plate G and the backing pad 104 are attached is referred to as the attachment area 110. Furthermore, the area where the glass plate G is separated from the backing pad 104 is referred to as the separation area 112. The attachment area 110 and the grinding area 111, and the grinding area 111 and the separation area 112 may be adjacent to each other, or there may be areas between them where only conveying occurs. The attachment area 110 is located upstream of the grinding area 111, and the separation area 112 is located downstream of the grinding area 111.

[0133] Alternatively, it is preferable to circulate the multiple backing pads 104, which are conveyed downstream of the multiple grinding mills 103, to an upstream position. By reusing the multiple backing pads 104, mass production of glass sheets of the same quality can be achieved. The manufacturing apparatus may also include a reverse path 105 for conveying the backing pads 104 from the separation zone 112 to the attachment zone 110, thereby circulating the multiple backing pads 104.

[0134] Here, in Figure 1In this configuration, the reverse path 105, which allows the back pad 104 to trace upstream, is located below the conveyor path 102. Specifically, the back pad 104, after being separated from the glass plate G by the separation zone 112, is conveyed downwards in the Z-direction by a structure such as an elevator and placed on the reverse path 105. Similarly, upon reaching the attachment zone 110, the back pad 104 is conveyed upwards in the Z-direction by a structure such as an elevator. This reduces the installation area of ​​the device. Furthermore, this configuration is not limited to this structure; it can also be arranged along the same plane as the conveyor path 102.

[0135] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the back pad can also refer to a structure in which a back pad is mounted on a frame, such as a metal frame, called a carrier.

[0136] Furthermore, the number of back pads 104 in circulation is preferably an integer of (number of grinders / number of systems) × (number of systems + n), where n = 1 or more. In the case of parallel batch grinding as in this embodiment, the back pads 104 supplied in each batch of a given grinder 103 are naturally determined to be specific back pad sets. Since slight individual variations occur during the manufacturing process of multiple grinders 103 and back pads 104, there are combinations that can provide glass plates with good compatibility and high quality. Grinding can be performed with each determined combination of grinder 103 and back pad 104 without disassembling this combination.

[0137] For example, if there are 20 grinding machines 103, and the system is set to a dual system, then if n=1, the number of circulating back pads 104 becomes 30; if n=2, the number of circulating back pads 104 becomes 40; if n=3, the number of circulating back pads 104 becomes 50; and if n=4, the number of circulating back pads 104 becomes 60. If the number of back pads 104 is 30 (n=1), then, for example, in the first grinding machine 103c, three types of back pads 104 are supplied alternately between batches. That is, by preparing three back pads 104 that are well compatible with the first grinding machine 103c, a continuous supply of glass plates G with stable quality can be achieved.

[0138] Similarly, if the number of backing pads 104 is 40 (n=2), then, for example in the first grinding machine 103c, two types of backing pads 104 are supplied alternately between batches. That is, by preparing two backing pads 104 that are well compatible with the first grinding machine 103c, it is possible to continuously supply glass plates G with stable quality.

[0139] Similarly, when n=3, 5 types of back pads are supplied in turn, and when n=4, 3 types of back pads are supplied in turn.

[0140] Here, in order to minimize the number of compatible back pads 104 that must be prepared, n=2 is more preferable than n=1, and n=4 is more preferable than n=3. That is, the number of back pads 104 is particularly preferably set to an integer multiple of the number of grinding machines.

[0141] Furthermore, in order to avoid disassembling the assembly of the back pads 104 suitable for the grinding machine 103, even when no glass plate G is attached, it is preferable to perform the same normal operation as other back pads (glass plates) in the same system when the back pads are empty. That is, even if any one of the circulating back pads 104 is not attached to any one of the glass plates, it is preferable to perform the same operation as when any one of the multiple back pads 104 is attached. Regarding the case where no glass plate G is attached, consider situations such as the glass breaking during attachment, which could cause the glass plate to be out of stock.

[0142] Furthermore, in the event of any malfunction of the back pad, i.e., when repair is required, it is preferable to insert another back pad as a replacement into the position of the malfunctioning back pad. This allows for the assembly of the back pad 104 group suitable for the grinder 103 without disassembling it.

[0143] Furthermore, in the event of any malfunction of the back pad, i.e., when repair is required, it is preferable that after removing the malfunctioning back pad from the cycle, subsequent back pads do not fill the gap, and the cycle continues as if the malfunctioning back pad is still present. This allows for the assembly of the back pad 104 group suitable for the grinder 103 without disassembling.

[0144] It should be noted that if one of the above-mentioned abnormal actions is performed, the combination with the back pad 104 assembly suitable for the grinder 103 can be maintained even when the back pad is used.

[0145] Furthermore, in the separation zone 112, preferably after one glass plate G out of a plurality of glass plates G separates from one of a plurality of back pads 104, a new back pad with a new glass plate attached is conveyed to the grinding zone. After confirming that the separation in the separation zone is successful and that no failures such as breakage of the glass plate G have occurred, a new glass plate is conveyed from the upstream side. This suppresses collisions of the glass plates G on the conveying path 102.

[0146] Furthermore, the time when all glass plates of the same system are separated from the backing pad 104 is preferably earlier than the time when the glass plates G ground by the next system begin to be conveyed to the separation zone. For example, in the case of a dual-system batch system, the time when all glass plates G of the first system 103A are separated from the backing pad 104 is preferably earlier than the time when the glass plates G ground by the second system 103B begin to be conveyed to the separation zone. As a result, the separation of the previous batch (e.g., the first system 103A) of glass plates can be completed within the time consumed by the next batch (e.g., the second system 103B), and the congestion caused by the speed limit in the conveying of glass plates G can be prevented.

[0147] Furthermore, at least a portion of the multiple glass plates are preferably ground multiple times using different backing pads. This reduces not only the individual variations in the grinding machine 103 but also the quality deviations caused by individual variations in the backing pads 104. As a specific structural example, glass plates that were not sufficiently ground after the first grinding cycle at the separation zone 112 can be selected and traced back to the attachment zone 110, where they are attached to a different backing pad for a second grinding cycle. Alternatively, a new attachment zone 110, grinding zone 111, and separation zone 112 can be provided downstream of the separation zone 112 for a second grinding cycle.

[0148] Furthermore, in this embodiment, four or more grinding machines are preferably used. This allows for the efficient production of a large number of high-quality glass plates. Moreover, 40 or fewer machines are preferably used as an upper limit. When there are more than 40 machines, there is a tendency for the length of the grinding zone 111 of the transport path 102 to become excessively long. In this case, the glass plate G consumes time passing through the grinding zone 111, and the grinding process may become a significant speed limit compared to other processes. This situation can be suppressed.

[0149] Furthermore, the surface of the polished glass plate G is activated, so when the moisture from the polishing process evaporates from the glass surface and it becomes dry, dirt easily adheres and it becomes contaminated. If the number of polishing machines is 40 or less, the conveyor path will not be too long, thus preventing this situation.

[0150] Furthermore, the length of the grinding zone 111 is preferably 100m or less, more preferably 80m or less, and even more preferably 70m or less. This can suppress the aforementioned speed limiting problem and contamination problem. The lower limit of the length of the grinding zone 111 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10m or more.

[0151] Furthermore, it is preferable to have a moisture supply device for supplying moisture to the surface of the glass plate G within the grinding zone 111 on the conveying path 102 and / or downstream of the grinding zone 111. Moreover, it is preferable to supply moisture to the surface of the ground glass plate within the grinding zone 111 and / or downstream of the grinding zone 111. This can suppress the aforementioned contamination problem. It is preferable to supply moisture before the surface of the ground glass plate dries. It should be noted that the moisture supply device can also function as a cleaning device.

[0152] Additionally, using Figure 3 This section describes a first variation of this embodiment. It should be noted that... Figure 3 Only a portion of the first grinding machine 103c is shown in enlarged form. In this modified example, the grinding machine 103 has a first grinding position 103X and a second grinding position 103Y, through which the glass plate G is ground.

[0153] Specifically, glass plate G is supplied from conveyor 102 to first position 103X by transfer machine 106. After grinding at first position 103X, it is supplied to second position 103Y by intermediate transfer machine 301. After grinding at second position 103Y, it is recycled back to conveyor 102 by transfer machine 106.

[0154] At this time, the residence time of glass plate G at the first position 103X and the second position 103Y is the same.

[0155] By configuring the structure in this way, the glass plate G is ground from two positions, which reduces the quality deviation caused by individual differences in the grinding machine 103 compared to the grinding based on one position in the first embodiment.

[0156] In addition, if the dwell time is the same, the glass plate G will not have a waiting time, thus improving production efficiency.

[0157] In this specification, the first position 103X and the second position 103Y are defined as belonging to the concept of one grinding machine. Even if the control systems or structures of the devices at the first position 103X and the second position 103Y are independent of each other, grinding is performed by one grinding machine during the period from when the feed from the conveyor 102 is recovered.

[0158] Moreover, "same dwell time" refers to the concept of allowing a range of ±3 seconds based on being exactly the same.

[0159] Additionally, "same residence time" can also mean the same grinding time. It should be noted that, after grinding at the first position 103X, if the glass plate G can achieve the desired quality, it can also be left to stand at the second position 103Y without grinding.

[0160] It should be noted that the intermediate transfer machine 301 can also be a robotic arm that does not move along the Y direction itself. Furthermore, it can also be a type where the intermediate transfer machine itself moves along the Y direction, as exemplified by transfer machine 106.

[0161] Furthermore, the second grinding amount at the second grinding position 103Y is preferably less than or equal to the first grinding amount at the first grinding position 103X. By using the second grinding position 103Y for fine grinding, the quality of the glass plate G can be improved.

[0162] Furthermore, in this modified example, the number of grinding machines is preferably 10 or more. By having multiple such grinding machines 103, it is possible to efficiently produce a large quantity of high-quality glass plates. From the viewpoint of suppressing the aforementioned problems of speed limitation and contamination, the maximum number of grinding machines is preferably 20 or less.

[0163] In addition, as a second variation, it can also be compared to Figure 3 The structure shown has one more position added. That is, it has a first grinding position 103X, a second grinding position 103Y and a third grinding position, so that the glass plate G is ground by passing through the first grinding position 103X, the second grinding position 103Y and the third grinding position. Preferably, the residence time of the glass plate G at the first grinding position 103X, the second grinding position 103Y and the third grinding position is the same.

[0164] The glass plate G is ground in three positions, which reduces the quality deviation caused by individual differences in the grinding machine 103 compared to the grinding based on one position in the first embodiment.

[0165] Moreover, if the dwell time is the same, the glass plate G will not have a waiting time, thus improving production efficiency.

[0166] It should be noted that, regarding the second modification, since only the third grinding position and the second intermediate transfer machine were added to the first modification, the illustration is omitted.

[0167] Furthermore, it is preferable that the third grinding amount at the third grinding position is less than or equal to the second grinding amount at the second grinding position 103Y, and the second grinding amount is less than or equal to the first grinding amount at the first grinding position 103X. By performing fine grinding in stages at the second grinding position 103Y and the third grinding position, the quality of the glass plate G can be improved.

[0168] Furthermore, in the second variation, it is preferable to have two or more grinding machines. By having multiple such grinding machines 103, it is possible to efficiently produce a large quantity of high-quality glass sheets. From the viewpoint of suppressing the aforementioned speed limitation and contamination issues, the maximum number of grinding machines is preferably 14 or less.

[0169] It should be noted that all grinding machines 103 in the first embodiment can have a first position 103X and a second position 103Y as in this modified example. By unifying the structure (number of positions) of the grinding machine 103, control becomes easier.

[0170] Alternatively, in the first and second modifications, the backing pad 104 can be used in the same structure as in the first embodiment. In this case, it is preferable to use different backing pads for grinding at the first grinding position 103X and the second grinding position 103Y. This reduces not only the individual variations of the grinding machine 103, but also the quality deviations caused by the individual variations of the backing pad 104.

[0171] It should be noted that at this time, a backing pad replacement area is set up in the area where the intermediate transfer machine 301 is located. After grinding is completed at the first grinding position 103X, the glass plate G is peeled off from the backing pad 104 and replaced with a new backing pad. Then grinding is performed at the second grinding position 103Y.

[0172] It should be noted that in the second variation, different back pads can also be used for grinding at the second grinding position 103Y and the third grinding position. This can further reduce the individual differences caused by the back pads 104.

[0173] The following describes a method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the device structure of the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment. Figure 1 The same applies, therefore the illustration is omitted, and the same as is used. Figure 1 The same reference numerals will be used. Furthermore, the explanations of terms or preferred methods, and the descriptions related to variations, will be the same as those in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0174] In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, no system is formed, and the starting times of the grinding operations of the multiple grinding machines 103 are different from each other. They always operate independently. That is, the starting times of grinding are different among the multiple grinding machines 103. By independently controlling each grinding machine 103, the degree of freedom in grinding the glass plate G can be increased. Moreover, the impact of the vibrations of the multiple grinding machines 103 on surrounding equipment and buildings can be reduced. Specifically, if the starting times of grinding are different, resonance from the vibrations of the multiple grinding machines 103 can be prevented. Furthermore, if the interval between the different times is appropriately determined, the vibrations of the grinding machines 103 can be canceled out.

[0175] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the second grinding machine 103d for grinding the second glass plate b2 is preferably the grinding machine located at the downstream end in the conveying direction. Since the first glass plate a1 is ground at the upstream end, if the second glass plate b2 is transported to the downstream end, the conveying time of the second glass plate b2 can be used as the grinding / recycling time of the previous glass plate that is already being ground in the second grinding machine 103d, thus achieving high efficiency. Moreover, during the supply of the second glass plate b2 to the intermediate grinding machine, the situation where the downstream grinding machine becomes empty and enters a standby state can be prevented, thus achieving high efficiency.

[0176] In the second embodiment, the grinding machines 103 are arranged opposite each other, so there are two grinding machines 103 located on the downstream side, but it is sufficient to use any one of them as the second grinding machine 103d.

[0177] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, within the grinding zone 111, it is preferable to form at least a temporary gap 201 in at least a portion of the plurality of glass plates G. Moreover, the gap 201 is preferably greater than or equal to the width of any one of the plurality of glass plates. Originally, from the point of view of efficiency, it is preferable not to provide gaps between glass plates during glass plate transport, but by setting the state with gap 201 in state (6), the ground glass plates (e.g., the fourth glass plate group B) can be smoothly recovered into the transport path 102.

[0178] Here, the interval 201 can be temporary. That is, during the passage of a glass plate through the grinding zone, if it is determined that the ground glass plate has not been inserted (retrieved) forward of the conveyor path 102 on the downstream side, the interval with the previous glass plate can be filled. This can be determined by associating information on the grinding status of the grinder on the downstream side of the current position of the glass plate with the motion control of the conveyor path. With such a structure, production can be carried out more efficiently.

[0179] Furthermore, the gap 201 is preferably formed at least temporarily between all the glass plates during the passage through the grinding zone 111. Specifically, on the upstream side of the grinding zone 111, the gap 201 is formed by adjusting the conveying speed of each of the multiple glass plates G. And, as the flow proceeds downstream, if a glass plate that has been ground is determined not to be inserted (retrieved) into the forward of the conveying path 102 further downstream, the gap with the previous glass plate is filled. With this structure, the ground glass plates can be retrieved without waiting time, and the next glass plate can be quickly supplied to the empty grinding mill, thus resulting in high efficiency.

[0180] Furthermore, the interval 201 is preferably varied during passage through the grinding zone 111. The interval can also be gradually widened by individually controlling the conveying speed of the multiple glass plates G. Moreover, as the ground glass plates are recycled back to the interval 201, the interval 201 can be narrowed. Furthermore, the interval between the glass plates can be filled. This enables efficient and flexible production.

[0181] Furthermore, the system includes multiple first transfer machines that supply multiple glass plates G from the conveyor path 102 to multiple grinding machines 103 respectively. When the multiple first transfer machines remove the multiple glass plates G from the conveyor path 102, it is preferable that at least a portion of the conveyor path 102 is stopped. As a result, the first transfer machines can easily grip the glass plates G, and glass breakage caused by gripping damage can be suppressed.

[0182] Furthermore, the system includes multiple second transfer machines that respectively retrieve multiple glass plates G ground by multiple grinders 103 onto the conveyor path 102. When the multiple second transfer machines load the multiple glass plates G onto the conveyor path 102, it is preferable that at least a portion of the conveyor path 102 is stopped. As a result, the second transfer machines can easily separate the glass plates G, and glass breakage caused by contact between the glass plates G and the moving conveyor path 102 can be suppressed.

[0183] It should be noted that the first transfer machine and the second transfer machine can be the transfer machine 106 shown in the first embodiment.

[0184] In addition, during the period when a part of the conveyor path 102 stops, the subsequent conveyor path continues to move, and the subsequent glass plate G filling interval can be filled, enabling more efficient production.

[0185] Furthermore, the preferred conveying path 102 includes a glass supply path and a glass recycling path, with the glass supply path arranged along the glass recycling path. That is, glass plates G being ground from this point onward pass through the glass supply path, and ground glass plates G pass through the recycling path. The supply path and the recycling path convey glass plates G in the same direction. In the second embodiment, within the grinding zone 111, compared to before the grinding zone, the conveying sequence of all glass plates G becomes scattered, making control or quality management and tracking complicated, but this structure simplifies the process. Moreover, one can determine whether a glass plate has been ground simply by looking at its appearance. In particular, if the conveying path 102 is temporarily stopped during glass supply and glass recycling, the conveying path 102 will stop frequently; therefore, by dividing the operation as in this structure, smooth conveying can be achieved.

[0186] Furthermore, the conveyor path 102 preferably has multiple glass plate placement spaces. During recycling, sensors are used to detect empty placement spaces among the multiple glass plate placement spaces that do not contain glass plates, and the ground glass plate G is placed into the empty placement space. Since it is possible to distinguish between spaces that already contain glass plates and empty placement spaces, collisions between glass plates can be reduced. Especially in the second embodiment, when recycling from the downstream grinder and there is only one conveyor path (which also serves as a glass supply path and recycling path), glass plates must be placed amidst a mixture of predetermined glass plates to be ground from now on and ground glass plates recycled from the upstream grinder. Therefore, it is necessary to properly detect empty placement spaces, and this method is preferred.

[0187] Here, the glass plate carrying space refers to a section suitable for the size of the glass plate G. Furthermore, the transport path 102 can connect the glass plate carrying spaces in sections. In this case, the glass plate G cannot be carried across adjacent glass plate carrying spaces. That is, when spaces with already carried glass plates alternate with empty carrying spaces, the interval 201 becomes the amount of an empty carrying space.

[0188] Furthermore, the sensor is preferably any one of the following: a load sensor mounted on the bottom surface of multiple mounting spaces, an image authentication sensor for capturing images of the transport path 102, an optical sensor for detecting changes in reflected light or light intensity, or a non-contact sensor of inductive, capacitive, or air back pressure detection type. The presence or absence of the glass plate G can be determined using existing sensor types, thus simplifying the device structure.

[0189] It should be noted that, in this application, the polished glass plate for display refers to a polished glass substrate used in display devices such as liquid crystal and OLED.

[0190] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, the supply, transfer, and recycling are preferably performed in a non-contact state between the predetermined grinding surface and the finished grinding surface of the glass plate G. Since the predetermined grinding surface and the finished grinding surface are equipment forming surfaces, they are relatively fine, and this structure can suppress the residue of transfer traces or contaminants.

[0191] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, the glass plate G is preferably 1500mm × 1800mm or larger. Because such large glass plates are prone to breakage during grinding or transfer, and transfer requires sophisticated processing or a considerable amount of time, a parallel grinding method as described in embodiments of the present invention is more suitable. There is no particular upper limit to the size of the glass plate G, but it is, for example, 4000mm × 4000mm or less.

[0192] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the polished glass plate G is preferably 0.7 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or less. Because such a thin glass plate is prone to breakage during polishing or transfer, and transfer requires highly complex processing or a considerable amount of time, a parallel polishing method as described in embodiments of the present invention is more suitable. The upper limit of the thickness of the glass plate G is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.01 mm or more.

[0193] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, it is preferable that the glass plate G is 1500mm × 1800mm or larger, and the thickness of the polished glass plate G is 0.7mm or less. Because such large and thin glass plates are prone to breakage during polishing or transfer, and transfer requires highly complex processing or a considerable amount of time, parallel polishing methods as described in embodiments of the present invention are suitable.

[0194] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, the grinding allowance is preferably 5.0 μm or less. A larger grinding allowance necessitates a longer grinding time; therefore, with this structure, the grinding time can be shortened. This makes it less likely that grinding time will become a limiting factor in production speed.

[0195] Industrial availability

[0196] This invention is suitably applied in the field of manufacturing methods for polished glass plates for displays that require high efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a ground glass plate for display, characterized in that, Multiple glass plates are conveyed along a conveyor path configured along the first direction. The multiple glass plates on the conveyor path are respectively supplied to a grinding machine unit consisting of multiple grinding mechanisms arranged parallel to the conveyor path. The plurality of glass plates are ground using any one of the plurality of grinding machines. The glass plates, ground by any one of the plurality of grinding mills, are then collected back into the conveying path. The grinding mill located on the upstream side of the conveying direction in the conveying path among the plurality of grinding mills is designated as the first grinding mill. The glass plate ground by the first grinding machine is designated as the first glass plate among the plurality of glass plates. The first glass plate group consists of several adjacent glass plates, with the first glass plate being the last one. The plurality of grinding mills disposed on one side of the conveying path are designated as a first system. A second system is constructed by arranging multiple grinding mills on the opposite side of the first system, separated from it by the conveyor path. The glass plate group ground by the first system is designated as the third glass plate group. The glass plate group ground by the second system is designated as the fourth glass plate group. If any glass in the third glass plate group in any of the grinding machines in the first system breaks during grinding, the broken glass plate is not recovered. Then, the other glass plates in the third glass plate group that have completed grinding normally, and the glass plates in the first glass plate group to be ground from now on, are transported synchronously with the same amount of movement. Then, the glass plates to be ground by the grinding machine that malfunctioned are not supplied to the first system, but are transported downstream together with the other glass plates in the third glass plate group that have completed grinding normally. Then, the glass plates to be ground by the grinding machine that malfunctioned are judged to be insufficiently ground through an inspection process and are re-ground.

2. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The multiple grinding machines are normally part of the same system in which all grinding machines move synchronously, but in case of an abnormality, at least one grinding machine is controlled independently.

3. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The multiple grinding machines are classified into multiple systems. Under normal circumstances, Within each of the multiple systems, the multiple grinding mills move synchronously. The motion cycles of the multiple grinding mills differ among the various systems. In case of an anomaly, at least one grinding mill is controlled independently.

4. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, Under normal circumstances, Within the first system, the plurality of grinding mills move synchronously. Within the second system, the plurality of grinding mills move synchronously. The first system and the second system have different motion cycles. In case of an anomaly, at least one grinding mill is controlled independently.

5. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 4, wherein, In the first system and the second system, the motion cycles are staggered by half a cycle.

6. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of grinding machines consist of multiple pairs of grinding machines that are opposite each other across the conveyor path.

7. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 6, wherein, The multiple transfer machines that supply and recover the glass plates are located between any one pair of grinding machines in the multiple pairs of grinding machines.

8. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The first grinding machine has a first grinding position and a second grinding position. The glass plate is ground by passing it through the first grinding position and the second grinding position. The glass plates at the first grinding position and the second grinding position have the same residence time.

9. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 8, wherein, The second grinding amount at the second grinding position is less than or equal to the first grinding amount at the first grinding position.

10. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 8, wherein, The number of grinding machines is 10 or more.

11. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The first grinding machine has a first grinding position, a second grinding position, and a third grinding position. The glass plate is ground by passing it through the first grinding position, the second grinding position, and the third grinding position. The glass plates at the first grinding position, the second grinding position, and the third grinding position have the same residence time.

12. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 11, wherein, The third grinding amount at the third grinding position is less than or equal to the second grinding amount at the second grinding position. The second grinding amount is less than or equal to the first grinding amount at the first grinding position.

13. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 11, wherein, The number of grinding machines is two or more.

14. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The number of grinding machines is more than 4 and less than 40.

15. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, When the area in the conveyor path where the multiple grinding machines are arranged side by side is called the grinding zone, The length of the grinding zone is less than 100m.

16. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, When the area in the conveyor path where the plurality of grinding machines are installed is referred to as the grinding area, Within the grinding zone and / or downstream of the grinding zone, Moisture is supplied to the surface of the ground glass plate before it dries.

17. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The size of the plurality of glass plates G is 2200mm × 2200mm or larger.

18. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 17, wherein, The thickness of the multiple glass plates G after grinding is less than 0.5 mm.

19. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, In the grinding process, the grinding allowance of the plurality of glass plates is less than 5.0 μm.

20. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the plurality of grinding machines grinds only one glass plate in a single grinding cycle.

21. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 1, wherein, The grinding process begins at different times among the plurality of grinding mills.

22. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 21, wherein, The second grinding mill is the grinding mill located on the downstream side in the conveying direction.

23. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 21, wherein, When the area in the conveyor path where the plurality of grinding machines are installed is referred to as the grinding area, Within the grinding zone, at least a portion of the plurality of glass plates forms at least a temporary gap. The interval is greater than or equal to the width of any one of the plurality of glass plates.

24. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 23, wherein, The gap is formed, at least temporarily, between all the glass plates passing through the grinding zone.

25. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 23 or 24, wherein, The interval varies during the passage through the grinding zone.

26. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 21, wherein, The system includes multiple first transfer machines that supply multiple glass plates along the conveying path to multiple grinding machines. At least a portion of the conveyor path stops as the plurality of first transfer machines remove the plurality of glass plates from the conveyor path.

27. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 21, wherein, It includes multiple second transfer machines that respectively recover multiple glass plates, which have been ground by the multiple grinding machines, onto the conveyor path. When the plurality of second transfer machines load the plurality of glass plates onto the conveying path, at least a portion of the conveying path stops.

28. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 21, wherein, The conveying path has multiple spaces for holding glass plates. During the recycling process, sensors are used to detect empty spaces in the multiple glass plate holding spaces that do not contain the glass plate. The ground glass plate is placed in the empty space.

29. The method for manufacturing a polished glass plate for display according to claim 28, wherein, The sensor is any one of the following: a load sensor mounted on the bottom surface of the plurality of mounting spaces, an image authentication sensor that captures images of the transport path, or an optical sensor that detects changes in reflected light or light intensity.

Images