Breaking system and breaking processing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a breaking system and a breaking processing method, and provides a breaking system capable of smoothly and accurately breaking a glass plate edge part of a processing object in breaking processing. In the breaking system (10a), after a breaking cutter wheel which descends in the vertical direction through a supporting device lifting mechanism (a first lifting mechanism) forms an end tangent line at the edge part of the glass plate, the breaking cutter wheel ascends through the supporting device lifting mechanism; the first pressing member is lowered by a first pressing member lifting mechanism (second lifting mechanism), and the first pressing member and the first and second support members sandwich the main body portion and the edge portion of the glass plate, and after the first pressing member and the first and second support members sandwich the main body portion and the edge portion of the glass plate, the first pressing member and the first and second support members sandwich the main body portion and the edge portion of the glass plate. The second support member is lowered by a second support member lifting mechanism (fourth lifting mechanism), and the main body portion sandwiching the glass plate is maintained by the first pressing member and the first support member. The second pressing member is lowered by a second pressing member lifting mechanism (third lifting mechanism) and presses the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line downward to break the edge.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a breaking system for breaking the edge of a glass plate to be processed, such as a glass plate for automobile windows, a glass plate for liquid crystals, and the like, and to a breaking method for breaking the edge of a glass plate to be processed. Background Art

[0002] Disclosed is a glass plate processing system that includes an incoming conveyor for carrying in glass plates, a cutting processing area located in front of the incoming conveyor, a breaking processing area located in front of the cutting processing area, a grinding processing area located in front of the breaking processing area, an outgoing conveyor located in front of the grinding processing area, and a conveying mechanism for conveying the glass plates from the incoming conveyor to each processing area (see patent document 1).

[0003] The cutting processing area of ​​the glass plate processing system includes: a cutting processing table having a first moving mechanism that moves in the width direction when a positioned glass plate is placed thereon, and a cutting device that can move in the front-rear direction. In the cutting processing area, after the cutting device moves in the front-rear direction toward the outer side of the width direction of the edge of the glass plate placed on the cutting processing table, the cutting processing table moves in the width direction toward the cutting device through the first moving mechanism, and the cutting device is used to form an outer shape cutting line on the glass plate placed on the cutting processing table. The breaking processing area includes a breaking processing table on which the positioned glass plate after the cutting processing is placed, and a breaking device that can move in the front-rear direction. In the breaking processing area, after the breaking device moves in the front-rear direction toward the breaking processing table, the breaking device is used to form an end tangent line (scoring line) on the edge of the glass plate placed on the breaking processing table, and the edge of the glass plate is broken.

[0004] The grinding process area includes: a grinding process table having a second moving mechanism that moves in the width direction in a state where the main body of the glass plate positioned after the breaking process is placed, and a grinding device that can move in the front-rear direction. In the grinding process area, after the grinding device moves in the front-rear direction toward the outer side of the width direction of the edge of the main body of the glass plate placed on the grinding process table, the grinding process table moves in the width direction toward the grinding device through the second moving mechanism, and the edge of the main body of the glass plate placed on the grinding process table is ground by the grinding device. In addition, the cutting process and the grinding process are performed simultaneously. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-040877 Summary of the invention Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0006] The breaking device 140 of the glass plate processing system disclosed in the aforementioned patent document 1 is composed of a breaking fixture 141, a first lifting mechanism 142 (cylinder), a push roller 143, and a second lifting mechanism 144 (cylinder) as shown in FIG. 32. The breaking fixture 141 is composed of a breaking cutter wheel 145 that forms an end tangent line (scoring line) at the edge of the glass plate, and a breaking cutter bracket 146 that is located above the breaking cutter wheel 145 and supports the breaking cutter wheel 145. The breaking cutter bracket 146 has a bracket body with a connecting portion and a bracket head installed at the end of the bracket body. The breaking cutter bracket 146 rotates in the peripheral direction (around the axis) relative to the center axis of the cutter bracket extending in the upward and downward directions by the rotation of the θ-axis servo motor 147. In addition, although not shown in the figure, a support device for supporting the bottom of the glass plate is arranged on one side of the bottom of the glass plate. The support device includes a first support member having a circular first support surface, and a second support member extending in a circumferential direction of the first support member and having an annular second support surface.

[0007] The breaking process in the glass plate processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is as follows. The breaking jig 141 and the pressing roller 143 of the breaking device 140 are moved in the front-rear direction (X direction) and the width direction (Y direction) by the X-axis actuator and the Y-axis actuator. The breaking cutter wheel 145 of the breaking jig 141 is located near the outer side of the outer shape cutting line of the glass plate, and the pressing roller 143 is located at the outer edge of the outer shape cutting line of the glass plate. In addition, the support device is located directly below the breaking device 140 across the glass plate. Then, the breaking jig 141 is lowered toward the upper surface of the glass plate by the first lifting mechanism 147, and the breaking cutter wheel 145 abuts against the upper surface of the glass plate. After the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 145 becomes the same as the movement direction of the breaking jig 141, since the breaking device 140 moves toward the edge end of the edge of the glass plate, the breaking cutter wheel 145 forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate.

[0008] After the end tangent line is formed at the edge of the glass plate, the breaking fixture 141 of the breaking device 140 moves to a predetermined position at the edge of the glass plate, and the first supporting member and the second supporting member of the supporting device rise in the vertical direction so that the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface abut against the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate with the outer shape cut line sandwiched therebetween. Then, as the second supporting member of the supporting device descends in the vertical direction, the pressing roller 143 descends toward the upper surface of the glass plate through the second lifting mechanism 144, and the pressing roller 143 abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate presses the edge of the glass plate downward, thereby breaking the edge of the glass plate from the main body of the glass plate. In the breaking process of the glass plate processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the pressing roller 143 presses the edge of the glass plate downward, the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer shape cut line and the end tangent line is elastically deformed, and the edge is bent upward, so that the edge of the glass plate cannot be broken at the outer shape cut line and the end tangent line, and the edge of the glass plate cannot be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0009] In addition, the breaking device 140 of the glass plate processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is rotated by the θ-axis servo motor 147, thereby the breaking cutter holder 146 is rotated in the direction around the center axis of the cutter holder (θ direction), and the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 145 is changed to the extension direction of the virtual end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate (the moving direction of the breaking fixture 126). In the breaking process of the glass plate processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 145 is changed to the extension direction of the virtual end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate by the rotation of the θ-axis servo motor 147, it is necessary to provide the θ-axis servo motor 147 in the glass plate processing system to transmit its rotational force to the transmission components (pulleys and belts, etc.) of the breaking cutter holder 146, and it is impossible to achieve miniaturization, energy saving, and low cost of the system. Even during the breaking process, the θ-axis servo motor 147 must be rotated so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 145 is the same as the extension direction of the virtual end tangent at the edge of the glass plate. Whenever the end tangent is formed, it is necessary to use the θ-axis servo motor 147 to change the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 145, which makes it impossible to shorten the breaking process and improve its efficiency.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a breaking system and a breaking method that can smoothly and accurately break the edge of a glass plate to be processed during the breaking process. The object of the present invention is to easily change the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel to the extension direction of the virtual end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate (the moving direction of the breaking device) during the breaking process without using a θ-axis servo motor and a transmission component (pulley and belt, etc.), thereby realizing a small-sized, energy-saving and low-cost breaking system and a breaking method. Another object of the present invention is to provide a breaking system and a breaking method that can shorten the time and improve the efficiency of the breaking process. Means used to solve problems

[0011] A first premise of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a breaking system for breaking the edge of a glass plate to be processed.

[0012] The breaking system of the present invention according to the first premise is characterized in that: The breaking system includes: a breaking device located on the upper surface side of the glass plate and breaking the edge of the glass plate, and a supporting device located on the lower surface side of the glass plate and supporting the glass plate; The breaking device has: The cutting wheel is broken to form an end tangent line outside the outer shape cutting line formed on the edge of the glass plate; A first pressing member presses downwardly a main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line; A second pressing member presses downwardly the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line; The first lifting mechanism causes the breaking cutter wheel to rise and fall in the upward and downward directions; A second lifting mechanism causes the first pushing member to move up and down; and A third lifting mechanism causes the second pushing member to move up and down; The supporting device has: A first supporting member supporting a main body of the glass plate; a second supporting member supporting an edge of the glass sheet; and A fourth lifting mechanism is used to lift the second supporting member in an upward and downward direction; The breaking system includes: The cutter wheel lifting unit is configured to lift the cutter wheel upward and downward by means of the first lifting mechanism after the cutter wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate. The glass plate clamping unit, wherein the first pressing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the second lifting mechanism, and the first pressing member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member clamp the main body and the edge of the glass plate; a second support member lowering unit, wherein after the first pressing member, the first support member and the second support member clamp the main body and the edge portion by means of the glass plate clamping unit, the second support member is lowered in the vertical direction by means of a fourth lifting mechanism; and The edge breaking unit maintains the clamping of the main body by the first pressing member and the first supporting member, and the second pressing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the third lifting mechanism, and presses the edge of the glass plate extending outside the outer shape cutting line downward to break the edge.

[0013] As an example of the breaking system of the present invention, the second pushing member is located near the outer side of the breaking cutter wheel and extends in the peripheral direction of the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member is located near the outer side of the second pushing member and extends in the peripheral direction of the second pushing member, In the glass plate clamping unit, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing member abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending beyond the outer shape cutting line to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. In the edge breaking unit, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing member comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0014] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the first pushing member has a first pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing member has a second pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing surface of the second pushing member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing surface of the first pushing member is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing surface formed in a semicircular ring shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer side cut-out line across the outer shape cut-out line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line. In the edge breaking unit, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing surface formed in an annular shape comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0015] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the second supporting member is located near the outer side of the first supporting member and extends in the surrounding direction of the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the second supporting member is raised with the help of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting member supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0016] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the second supporting member has a second supporting surface of a specified area for supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the second supporting member is raised by means of a fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting surface formed into a circular ring shape supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0017] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the first supporting component has a first supporting surface of a specified area for supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the first supporting surface of the first supporting component is formed into a perfect circle. In the glass plate clamping unit, the first supporting surface formed into a perfect circle supports the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line is supported near the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface.

[0018] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, The breaking system includes: A breaking device moving unit, which moves the breaking device horizontally on the upper surface of the glass plate after the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member and the second pushing member are raised by the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism and the third lifting mechanism; and The supporting device moving unit moves the supporting device in a horizontal direction synchronously with the breaking device on the lower surface side of the glass plate, After the breaking device and the supporting device are synchronously moved by the breaking device moving unit and the supporting device moving unit, the breaking device and the supporting device cooperate to implement the glass sheet clamping unit and the edge breaking unit.

[0019] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the breaking system includes an end tangent line forming unit, in which the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, and when the first and second supporting components support the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line, the breaking cutting wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate.

[0020] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, the breaking device includes a breaking cutter bracket located above the breaking cutter wheel and holding the breaking cutter wheel; the cutting wheel axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutter wheel is eccentric to the radial outside relative to the cutting wheel bracket center axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutter bracket; the breaking cutter wheel can rotate 360° in the surrounding direction of the cutting wheel axis relative to the breaking cutter bracket; the breaking system includes a rotation direction changing unit, in which the breaking device is parallel to the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate and the upper surface is slightly moved in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel abutting the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate is rotated in the surrounding direction of the cutting wheel axis, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is the same as the running direction of the breaking device.

[0021] As another example of the breaking system of the present invention, in the end tangent line forming unit, after using the rotation direction changing unit to make the breaking device slightly move in a specified direction and making the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the running direction of the breaking device, the breaking device moves in the specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device.

[0022] The second premise of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a breaking method for breaking the edge of a glass plate to be worked.

[0023] The breaking method of the present invention according to the second premise is characterized in that: The breaking method uses a breaking device located on the upper surface side of the glass plate and breaking the edge of the glass plate, and a supporting device located on the lower surface side of the glass plate and supporting the glass plate; The breaking device has: The cutting wheel is broken to form an end tangent line outside the outer cut-out line formed at the edge of the glass plate; A first pressing member presses downwardly a main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line; A second pressing member presses downwardly the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line; The first lifting mechanism causes the breaking cutter wheel to rise and fall in the upward and downward directions; A second lifting mechanism causes the first pushing member to move up and down; and A third lifting mechanism, the second pushing member is lifted and lowered in an upward and downward direction; The supporting device has: A first supporting member supporting a main body of the glass plate; a second supporting member supporting an edge of the glass sheet; and A fourth lifting mechanism is used to lift the second supporting member in an upward and downward direction; The breaking process includes: a cutter wheel ascending step, wherein after the break cutter wheel that has been descended in the vertical direction by means of the first elevating mechanism forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate, the break cutter wheel is ascended in the vertical direction by means of the first elevating mechanism; In a glass plate clamping step, the first pressing member is lowered in an upward and downward direction by means of a second lifting mechanism, and the first pressing member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member clamp the main body and the edge of the glass plate; A second supporting member lowering step, in which the second supporting member is lowered in the vertical direction by a fourth lifting mechanism after the first pressing member, the first supporting portion and the second supporting member are clamped between the main body and the edge portion through the glass plate clamping step; and In the edge breaking step, the first pressing member and the first supporting member are maintained to clamp the main body, and the second pressing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the third lifting mechanism to press the edge of the glass plate extending outside the outer shape cutting line downward to break the edge.

[0024] As an example of the breaking processing method of the present invention, the second pushing member is located near the outer side of the breaking cutter wheel and extends in the peripheral direction of the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member is located near the outer side of the second pushing member and extends in the peripheral direction of the second pushing member, In the glass plate clamping step, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing member abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending beyond the outer shape cutting line to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner shape cutting line. In the edge breaking step, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third elevating mechanism, the second pressing member comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0025] As another example of the breaking method of the present invention, the first pushing member has a first pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing member has a second pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing surface of the second pushing member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing surface of the first pushing member is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping step, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing surface formed in a semicircular ring shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. In the edge breaking step, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing surface formed in an annular shape comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0026] As another example of the breaking method of the present invention, the second support member is located near the outer side of the first support member and extends in a peripheral direction of the first support member. In the glass plate clamping step, when the second supporting member is raised by the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting member supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0027] As another example of the breaking method of the present invention, the second supporting member has a second supporting surface of a predetermined area supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping process, when the second supporting member is raised with the help of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting surface formed in an annular shape supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0028] As another example of the breaking method of the present invention, the first supporting member has a first supporting surface of a predetermined area for supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the first supporting surface of the first supporting member is formed into a perfect circle. In the glass plate clamping step, the first supporting surface formed into a perfect circle supports the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

[0029] As another example of the breaking method of the present invention, the breaking method includes: a breaking device moving step, wherein after the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member and the second pushing member are raised by the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism and the third lifting mechanism, the breaking device is moved horizontally on the upper surface of the glass plate; and a supporting device moving step, wherein the supporting device is moved horizontally on the lower surface side of the glass sheet synchronously with the breaking device, After the breaking device and the supporting device are synchronously moved in the breaking device moving step and the supporting device moving step, the breaking device and the supporting device cooperate to perform the glass sheet clamping step and the edge breaking step.

[0030] As another example of the breaking processing method of the present invention, the breaking processing method includes an end tangent line forming step, in which the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, and in a state where the first supporting part and the second supporting part support the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line, the breaking cutting wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate.

[0031] As another example of the breaking processing method of the present invention, the breaking device includes a breaking cutter bracket located above the breaking cutter wheel and holding the breaking cutter wheel; the cutting wheel axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutter wheel is radially eccentric to the outside relative to the cutting wheel bracket center axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutter bracket, and the breaking cutter wheel can rotate 360 ​​degrees in the surrounding direction of the cutting wheel axis relative to the breaking cutter bracket. The breaking processing method includes a rotation direction changing step, in which the breaking device is parallel to the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate and moves the upper surface slightly in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutting wheel abutting the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate is rotated in the direction around the cutting wheel axis, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutting wheel is the same as the running direction of the breaking device.

[0032] As another example of the breaking processing method of the present invention, in the end tangent line forming process, after utilizing the rotation direction changing process to make the breaking device slightly move in a specified direction and make the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the running direction of the breaking device, the breaking device moves in the specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device. Effects of the Invention

[0033] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the breaking cutter wheel that is lowered in the vertical direction by the first lifting mechanism forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate. After the end tangent line is formed at the edge of the glass plate, the breaking cutter wheel is raised in the vertical direction by the first lifting mechanism, the first pushing component is lowered in the vertical direction by the second lifting mechanism, the first pushing component and the first and second supporting components clamp the main body and edge of the glass plate, after the first pushing component and the first and second supporting components clamp the main body and edge of the glass plate, the second supporting component is lowered in the vertical direction by the fourth lifting mechanism, the first pushing component and the first supporting component maintain the clamping of the main body, and the second pushing component is lowered in the vertical direction by the third lifting mechanism. The glass plate is lowered in the upward and downward directions and pushes downward the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cut-out line to break the edge. Therefore, the main body of the glass plate is clamped by the first pushing member and the first supporting member. The main body of the glass plate is fixed by the first pushing member and the first supporting member. Even if the second pushing member pushes downward the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cut-out line so that the pushing force of the second pushing member acts on the edge, elastic deformation of the main body and edge of the glass plate extending near the outer shape cut-out line can be prevented, and the main body and the edge do not bend upward. With the help of the pushing force of the second pushing member, the edge of the glass plate is broken at the outer shape cut-out line and the end tangent line, and the edge of the glass plate can be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0034] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the second pushing component is located near the outer side of the breaking cutting wheel and extends in the surrounding direction of the breaking cutting wheel, the first pushing component is located near the outer side of the second pushing component and extends in the surrounding direction of the second pushing component, when the first pushing component is lowered with the help of the second pushing component, the first pushing component abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, when the second pushing component is lowered with the help of the third lifting mechanism, the second pushing component abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line, and the second pushing component abuts against the main body extending to When the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate near the outside is touched and the edge is pushed downward, the main body of the glass plate is clamped by the first pushing member and the first supporting member, which are in contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. The main body of the glass plate is fixed by the first pushing member and the first supporting member. Therefore, elastic deformation of the main body and the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line can be prevented, and the main body and the edge do not bend upward. With the help of the pushing force of the second pushing member, the edge of the glass plate is broken at the outer shape cutting line and the end tangent line, and the edge of the glass plate can be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0035] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the first pushing component has a first pushing surface of a specified area that abuts against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing component has a second pushing surface of a specified area that abuts against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing surface of the second pushing component is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutting wheel, and the first pushing surface of the first pushing component is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing component. When the first pushing component is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pushing surface formed into a semicircular ring shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. When the second pushing component is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pushing surface formed into a circular ring shape abuts against the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line. When the upper surface abuts, the annular second pushing surface of the second pushing component abuts the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side and pushes the edge downward, the main body of the glass plate is clamped by the semi-annular first pushing surface of the first pushing component and the first supporting component, which abut the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side across the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. The main body of the glass plate is fixed by the first pushing surface of the first pushing component and the first supporting component. Therefore, elastic deformation of the main body and edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line can be prevented, and the main body and edge do not bend upward. With the help of the pushing force of the second pushing component, the edge of the glass plate is broken at the outer shape cutting line and the end tangent line, and the edge of the glass plate can be broken smoothly and accurately. A breaking system and a breaking processing method, wherein the first pushing surface of the first pushing component is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing component, and when the second pushing component is located at the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line, a portion of the first pushing surface of the first pushing component must be located on the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate near the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the main body of the glass plate can be reliably clamped by the semicircular first pushing surface of the first pushing component and the first supporting component, and the main body of the glass plate can be firmly fixed by the first pushing surface of the first pushing component and the first supporting component.

[0036] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the second supporting member is located near the outer side of the first supporting member and extends in the surrounding direction of the first supporting member. When the second supporting member is raised by means of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting member supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. The lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line are supported by the second supporting member extending in the surrounding direction of the first supporting member. When the first pushing member pushes the main body and edge of the glass plate downward, the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line supported by the second supporting member can be prevented from bending downward, and the main body and edge of the glass plate can be prevented from being accidentally broken or damaged when the first pushing member and the first and second supporting members clamp the main body and edge of the glass plate.

[0037] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the second supporting member has a second supporting surface of a predetermined area for supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the first supporting member. When the second supporting member is raised by means of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting surface formed into a circular ring shape supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line across the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. The lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cut-out line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line, when the first pushing member pushes the main body and edge of the glass plate downward, the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cut-out line and the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line supported by the second supporting surface of the second supporting member can be prevented from bending downward, and the main body and edge of the glass plate can be prevented from being accidentally broken or damaged when the first pushing member and the first and second supporting members clamp the main body and edge of the glass plate.

[0038] According to the breaking system and breaking method of the present invention, the first supporting member has a first supporting surface of a predetermined area for supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, the first supporting surface of the first supporting member is formed into a perfect circle, the first supporting surface formed into a perfect circle supports the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line is supported near the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface, the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line is supported by the first supporting surface of a predetermined area formed into a perfect circle, and the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface The lower surface of the edge of the glass plate is supported near the edge and extends to the outside of the outer shape cut-out line. The first pushing component and the first pushing surface of the first supporting component can reliably clamp the main body of the glass plate, and the main body extending near the outer shape cut-out line is fixed by the first pushing component and the first supporting surface of the first supporting component. Therefore, elastic deformation of the main body and edge of the glass plate extending near the outer shape cut-out line can be prevented, and the main body and edge do not bend upward. With the help of the pushing force of the second pushing component, the edge of the glass plate is broken at the outer shape cut-out line and the end tangent line, and the edge of the glass plate can be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0039] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, after the breaking cutting wheel and the first and second pushing parts are raised by the first to third lifting mechanisms, the breaking device moves horizontally on the upper surface side of the glass plate, and the supporting device moves horizontally synchronously with the breaking device on the lower surface side of the glass plate. After the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, the breaking device and the supporting device cooperate to implement the glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process) and the edge breaking unit (edge ​​breaking process). After the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously and form multiple end tangent lines at the edge of the glass plate, the first pushing part and the first supporting part are maintained to clamp the main body, and the second pushing part descends in the upward and downward directions by the third lifting mechanism and pushes the edge extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line formed by the edge of the glass plate downward to break the edge. Therefore, all the edges extending around the glass plate can be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0040] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, and the first and second supporting components support the lower surface of the edge extending to the outside of the contour cutting line, and the breaking cutting wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate. The first and second supporting components support the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate, which can prevent elastic deformation of the edge. While the edge of the glass plate is kept horizontally, the end tangent line can be accurately formed at the edge of the glass plate.

[0041] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, the breaking device is located above the breaking cutting wheel and includes a breaking cutting knife bracket that holds the breaking cutting wheel. The cutting wheel axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutting wheel is radially eccentric to the outside relative to the cutting knife bracket center axis extending in the upward and downward directions of the breaking cutting knife bracket. The breaking cutting wheel can rotate 360° in the surrounding direction of the cutting wheel axis relative to the breaking cutting knife bracket. Since the cutting wheel axis of the breaking cutting wheel is radially eccentric to the outside relative to the cutting knife bracket center axis of the breaking cutting knife bracket, the breaking fixture only needs to run (move) slightly in a specified direction, and the breaking cutting wheel can rotate in the surrounding direction (around the axis) of the cutting knife bracket center axis, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutting wheel can be quickly and easily changed. In the breaking system and the breaking processing method, as long as the breaking device is parallel to the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate and the upper surface moves slightly in a specified direction, the breaking cutter wheel that abuts the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate rotates in the direction around the central axis of the breaking cutter support, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is the same as the running (moving) direction of the breaking device, it is easy to make the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel consistent with the running direction of the breaking device (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent of the edge of the glass plate), and in the initial action of a series of actions formed by the upper end tangent of the edge of the glass plate, the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel can be consistent with the running direction of the breaking device. In the breaking system and the breaking processing method, there is no need to set a θ-axis servo motor and its transmission components (pulleys and belts, etc.) for transmitting the rotational force to the breaking cutter support, which can achieve miniaturization and energy saving of the breaking device and reduce costs. In addition, during the breaking process, there is no need to rotate the θ-axis servo motor to make the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the extension direction of the virtual end edge tangent of the edge of the glass plate (the running direction of the breaking device), and there is no need to use the θ-axis servo motor to change the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel every time the end edge tangent is formed. Therefore, the breaking process can be shortened in time and improved in efficiency.

[0042] According to the breaking system and breaking processing method of the present invention, after the breaking device slightly moves in a prescribed direction and the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is the same as the running direction of the breaking device, the breaking fixture moves in a prescribed direction, thereby breaking the cutter wheel, and forming an end tangent at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device. After the first lifting mechanism makes the breaking cutter support abut the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate, the breaking device only needs to slightly move in the prescribed direction to make the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the running direction of the breaking device, and the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel can be reliably consistent with the running direction of the breaking device (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent of the edge of the glass plate). In the breaking system and breaking processing method, after the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is reliably consistent with the running direction of the breaking device (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent of the edge of the glass plate), the end tangent is formed at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device, so the breaking cutter wheel can be accurately broken by the breaking cutter wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 is a side view of a glass sheet processing system using a breaking system. Figure 2 is a top view of a glass sheet processing system using a breaking device. Figure 3 A plan view showing an example of a glass plate to be processed by the glass plate processing system. Figure 4 This is a side view of the move-in area. Figure 5 This is a bird's-eye view of the move-in area. Figure 6 This is the main view of the move-in area. Figure 7 It is a top view of the cutting table and the grinding table. Figure 8 It is a side view of the cutting table and the grinding table. Fig. 9 This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the cutting table and the grinding table. Fig.10 A side view of a cutting device provided in a cutting processing area is shown as an example. Fig.11 It is the front view of the cutting device. Fig.12 It is a top view of the cutting device. Fig.13 It is a top view of the fracture processing table. Fig.14 It is a side view of the fracture processing table. Fig.15 is a side view of the breaking device. Fig.16 It is the front view of the breaking device. Fig.17 It is a top view of the breaking device. Fig.18 It is an enlarged front view of the breaking device. Fig.19 It is an enlarged side view of the breaking device. Fig. 20 It is a partial cross-sectional side view of the first and second breaking fixtures. Fig.21 It is a front view of the first and second breaking fixtures. Fig. 22 It is a top view of the fracture processing table showing the supporting device. Fig.23 This is a front view of the fracture processing table of the support device as seen from the front. Fig.24 A front view of a polishing device installed in a polishing process area is shown as an example. Fig.25 is a side view of the grinding device. Fig.26 It is a top view of the grinding device. Fig. 27 A diagram showing an example of a procedure for forming an end tangent line in a breaking process. Fig.28 A diagram showing an example of changing the rotation direction of the break cutter wheel. Fig.29 A diagram showing another example of changing the rotation direction of the break cutter wheel. Fig.30 A diagram showing another example of changing the rotation direction of the break cutter wheel. Fig.31 A diagram showing an example of a breaking program in a breaking process. Fig.32 It is a side view of a prior art breaking device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Referring to the side view of the glass sheet processing system 10 using the breaking system 10a, Figure 1 The breaking system and breaking method of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows. Figure 2 is a top view of a glass sheet processing system 10 using a breaking system 10a, Figure 3 It is a plan view showing an example of glass plates 11 a and 11 b that are processed by the glass plate processing system 10 . Figure 3 1 shows the state where the glass plates 11a and 11b are positioned in the loading area 19. Figure 1 , 2In the figure, the front-back direction (X-axis direction) is indicated by arrow X, the width direction (Y-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Y, and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Z.

[0045] In the glass plate processing system 10, the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed (the glass plates 11a and 11b before processing) are as follows. Figure 3 As shown, it has an upper surface 12 of a specified area and a lower surface 13 of a specified area, and has a specified thickness, and its plane shape is formed into a rectangle (quadrilateral) that is longer in the width direction. The glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed have a first side edge 14 (side edge on one side) and a second side edge 15 (side edge on the other side) that are separated and opposed in the width direction and extend in the front-to-back direction, a front edge 16 and a rear edge 17 that are separated and opposed in the front-to-back direction and extend in the width direction, and first to fourth corners 18a to 18d. In addition, sometimes the plane shape of the glass plate to be processed is formed into a polygon other than a rectangle (quadrilateral), and sometimes the edges of the glass plate are formed into curved arcs, and all shapes are included as the shape of the glass plate.

[0046] The glass plate processing system 10 performs cutting, breaking, and grinding on glass plates 11a and 11b (plate-shaped glass) of different sizes, ranging from a large-sized (large-area) glass plate 11a with a larger area of ​​the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 to a small-sized (small-area) glass plate 11b with a smaller area of ​​the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13. The glass plate processing system 10 is controlled by a controller (control device) (not shown).

[0047] The controller has a central processing unit (CPU or MPU) and memory (main memory and cache memory), and is a computer that works through an independent operating system (virtual OS), with a built-in large-capacity hard disk (large-capacity storage area). The controller is connected to input devices such as keyboards and numeric keypad units (not shown), and output devices such as monitors, displays, and touch panels (not shown).

[0048] In the controller's large-capacity hard disk (large-capacity storage area), the names and product numbers of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed, a plurality of coordinate data of the glass plates 11a and 11b that vary depending on the size (area) and shape of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed (coordinates of the side edges and the front and rear edges of the glass plates 11a and 11b, coordinates of the first to fourth corners 18a to 18d, coordinates of the center of the glass plates 11a and 11b, etc.), and image data of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed (plane image (six-sided image) and stereoscopic image (3D image)) are stored (saved) in a state associated with glass plate identification information (glass plate identification identifier) ​​that identifies the glass plates 11a and 11b. In addition to using the manufacturing serial number and serial number of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the controller may generate a unique identifier that identifies the glass plates 11a and 11b and use the generated identifier as the glass plate identification information.

[0049] The controller performs NC control on the cutting device 55, the breaking device 75, and the grinding device 119 described later in the cutting (cutting) processing area 20, the breaking processing in the breaking processing area 21, and the grinding processing in the grinding processing area 22 using the coordinate data of the glass plates 11a and 11b stored in the large-capacity hard disk. In the NC control, the controller digitizes the position where the processing (XY plane coordinates) is started and the position where the processing direction is changed according to the coordinates, and digitizes the movement direction, distance, and speed of the two axes of the X axis (front and rear direction) and the Y axis (width direction). The signal after the command coordinates and axes are digitized is transmitted (input) to the cutting device 55, the breaking device 75, and the grinding device 119. In the NC control, by repeatedly performing "coordinates → axis → command", the shape to be processed is accurately expressed.

[0050] The glass plate processing system 10 includes: an inlet area 19 (processing start area) into which glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed (before processing) are placed, a carry-out area 23 (processing end area) from which the processed glass plates 11a and 11b are carried out, processing areas 20 to 22 arranged (installed) between the inlet area 19 and the carry-out area 23 for processing the glass plates 11a and 11b, and a conveying mechanism 24 that sequentially conveys the glass plates 11a and 11b to the inlet area 19 and the processing areas 20 to 22 and the carry-out area 23 from the rear (upstream) to the front (downstream) in the front-rear direction and moves the cutting device 55 and the grinding device 119 in the front-rear direction. The processing areas 20 to 22 are separated and opposed in the front-rear direction between the inlet area 19 and the carry-out area 23 and are arranged in the front-rear direction.

[0051] These processing areas 20 to 22 are formed by a cutting processing area 20 located in front of the front-to-back direction (downstream) of the carrying-in area 19 and separated forward by a predetermined dimension from the carrying-in area 19, a breaking processing area 21 located in front of the front-to-back direction (downstream) of the cutting processing area 20 and separated forward by a predetermined dimension from the cutting processing area 20, and a grinding processing area 22 located in front of the front-to-back direction (downstream) of the breaking processing area 21 and separated forward by a predetermined dimension from the breaking processing area 21. The cutting processing area 20, the breaking processing area 21, and the grinding processing area 22 are built on a system table 25 (machine table) formed into a quadrilateral that is long in the front-to-back direction.

[0052] The conveying mechanism 24 includes: a pair of first pillars 26a located at the rear of the system platform 25 and extending in the upward and downward directions, a pair of second pillars 26b located at the front of the system platform 25 and extending in the upward and downward directions, a fixed frame 27 located between the first and second pillars 26a, 26b and extending in the front-to-back direction, a first movable unit 28 (first movable unit) arranged on the side of one side of the fixed frame 27, and a second movable unit 29 (second movable unit) arranged at the lower part of the fixed frame 27.

[0053] The first moving unit 28 moves the cutting device 55 and the grinding device 119 forward and backward in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) (linear movement). The first moving unit 28 is formed by a first guide frame 30, a pair of first guide rails 31, a first feed screw (ball screw) (not shown), a first running frame 32, a first slider (housing nut) (not shown), a pair of first guide shoes 33, and a first servo motor 34 (see Fig.11 ).

[0054] The first guide frame 30 is provided on the fixed frame 27 and extends in the front-rear direction. The first guide rails 31 are separated and opposed in the vertical direction, fixed to one side of the first guide frame 30 by a predetermined fixing unit, and extend in the front-rear direction. The first feed screw (ball screw) is located between the first guide rails 31, rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings (not shown) fixed to one side of the first guide frame 30, and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0055] The first running frame 32 is located on one side of the first guide frame 30 and extends in the front-rear direction. The first sliders (housing nuts) are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction and fixed to the surface of the first running frame 32 that is opposite to the first guide frame 30 by predetermined fixing means. The first guide shoes 33 are separated and opposed in the up-down direction and fixed to the surface of the first running frame 32 that is opposite to the first guide frame 30 by predetermined fixing means and extend in the front-rear direction.

[0056] The first servo motor 34 is located at the front end of the first guide frame 30 and is connected to the second support 26b through a bracket. The shaft of the first servo motor 34 is connected and fixed to the other end of the first feed screw. The rotation of the first servo motor 34 drives the first feed screw to rotate, and the rotation of the first feed screw causes the cutting device 55 and the grinding device 119 to move forward and backward (linearly move) in the forward and backward direction (X-axis direction).

[0057] When the shaft of the first servo motor 34 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the first feed screw rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and the first slider moves from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 30 in the front-to-rear direction by the rotation of the first feed screw in the counterclockwise direction, and the first operating frame 32 moves from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 30 in the front-to-rear direction by the movement of the first slider. Conversely, when the shaft of the first servo motor 34 rotates in the clockwise direction, the first feed screw rotates in the clockwise direction, and the first slider moves from the rear to the front of the first guide frame 30 in the front-to-rear direction by the rotation of the first feed screw in the clockwise direction, and the first operating frame 32 moves from the rear to the front of the first guide frame 30 in the front-to-rear direction by the movement of the first slider.

[0058] The second moving unit 29 moves the first to fourth glass plate brackets 40a to 40d described later forward and backward (linearly). The second moving unit 29 is formed by a second guide frame 35, a pair of second guide rails 36, a second feed screw (ball screw) (not shown), a second running frame 37, a second slider (housing nut) (not shown), a pair of second guide shoes 38, a second servo motor 39, and the first to fourth glass plate brackets 40a to 40d (first to fourth glass plate lifters).

[0059] The second guide frame 35 is provided on the fixed frame 27 and extends in the front-rear direction. The second guide rails 36 are separated and opposed in the width direction, fixed to the lower part of the second guide frame 35 by a predetermined fixing unit, and extend in the front-rear direction. The second feed screw (ball screw) is located between the second guide rails 36, rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings (not shown) fixed to the lower part of the second guide frame 35, and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0060] The second running frame 37 is located at the lower part of the second guide frame 35 and extends in the front-rear direction. The second sliders (housing nuts) are arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction and fixed to the opposite surface of the second running frame 37 that is opposite to the second guide frame 35 by predetermined fixing means. The second guide shoes 38 are separated and opposed in the width direction and fixed to the opposite surface of the second running frame 37 that is opposite to the second guide frame 35 by predetermined fixing means and extend in the front-rear direction.

[0061] The second servo motor 39 is located at the rear end of the second guide frame 35 and is fixed to the fixed frame 27. The shaft of the second servo motor 39 is connected and fixed to the end of one side of the second feed screw through a timing belt (and / or a gear). The rotation of the second servo motor 39 drives the second feed screw to rotate, and the rotation of the second feed screw causes the first to fourth glass plate brackets 40a to 40d to move forward and backward (linearly move) in the front and rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0062] When the shaft of the second servo motor 39 rotates in the clockwise direction, the second feed screw rotates in the clockwise direction, and the second slider moves from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 35 in the front-to-back direction by the rotation of the second feed screw in the clockwise direction, and the second operating frame 37 (the first to fourth brackets 40a to 40d of the glass plate) moves from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 35 in the front-to-back direction by the movement of the second slider. On the contrary, when the shaft of the second servo motor 39 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second feed screw rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and the second slider moves from the front to the rear of the second guide frame 35 in the front-to-back direction by the rotation of the second feed screw in the counterclockwise direction, and the second operating frame 37 (the first to fourth brackets 40a to 40d of the glass plate) moves from the front to the rear of the second guide frame 35 in the front-to-back direction by the movement of the second slider.

[0063] The control unit that controls the start and stop of the first and second servo motors 34 and 39 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the first servo motor 34 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the first servo motor 34 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and stops the first servo motor 34 after the first servo motor 34 rotates a specified number of times. When the control unit of the second servo motor 39 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the second servo motor 39 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and stops the driving of the second servo motor 39 when the controller receives a stop signal from the controller.

[0064] The first to fourth brackets 40a to 40d for the glass plates are installed at the lower part of the second operating frame 37, and extend downward from the operating frame 37, and are arranged at equal intervals in the front-to-back direction. The first to fourth brackets 40a to 40d for the glass plates include: a pad setting plate 41 extending in the front-to-back direction, an adsorption pad 42 set on the pad setting plate 41 and adsorbing and holding the glass plates 11a and 11b, a vacuum mechanism (air suction device) (air vacuum pump) (not shown) and a pad lifting mechanism (not shown). The pad lifting mechanism uses an air cylinder. The control unit that controls the start and stop of the vacuum mechanism and the pad lifting mechanism (air cylinder) is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown).

[0065] The first glass plate support 40a moves back and forth between the carrying-in area 19 and the cutting processing area 20, advancing from the carrying-in area 19 to the cutting processing area 20, and retreating from the cutting processing area 20 to the carrying-in area 19. The second glass plate support 40b moves back and forth between the cutting processing area 20 and the breaking processing area 21, advancing from the cutting processing area 20 to the breaking processing area 21, and retreating from the breaking processing area 21 to the cutting processing area 20. The third glass plate support 40c moves back and forth between the breaking processing area 21 and the grinding processing area 22, advancing from the breaking processing area 21 to the grinding processing area 22, and retreating from the grinding processing area 22 to the breaking processing area 21. The fourth glass plate support 40d moves back and forth between the grinding processing area 22 and the unloading area 23, advancing from the grinding processing area 22 to the unloading area 23, and retreating from the unloading area 23 to the grinding processing area 22.

[0066] Figure 4 is a side view of the loading area 19, Figure 5 It is a top view of the loading area 19. Figure 6 It is a front view of the carrying-in area 19. The carrying-in area 19 has: a carrying-in conveyor 43, a stopper 44 and a roller 45, a pair of roller lifting mechanisms 46, and a moving mechanism 47. The carrying-in area 19 is supported by legs extending upward from the floor surface of the system table 25. In the carrying-in area 19, the first positioning unit (first positioning step) and the second positioning unit (second positioning step) are implemented to position the glass plates 11a and 11b moving toward the processing areas 20 to 22.

[0067] A first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) extending in the front-rear direction is set at the side edge portion 48a of one side of the loading area 19, and a second positioning reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line) extending in the width direction is set. The first positioning reference L1 is a virtual line extending straightly in the front-rear direction based on the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction in one direction of the width direction of the large-sized (large-area) glass plate 11a (the glass plate 11a processed first) as the reference. The outermost edge, for example, is the vertex of the curve located on the outermost side in the width direction when the first side edge 14 (the side edge of one side) of the glass plates 11a and 11b is a curved arc. In addition, when the first side edge 14 (the side edge of one side) of the glass plates 11a and 11b extends straightly in the front-rear direction, the side edge 14 is the outermost edge.

[0068] The outermost edge located on the outermost side in the width direction of the first side edge 14 (the side edge on one side) extending in the front-rear direction in one direction of the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b is positioned at the first positioning reference L1. Positioning the outermost edge at the first positioning reference L1 means that, in addition to the case where the outermost edge is completely consistent with the first positioning reference L1, it also includes the case where the outermost edge is located near (close to) the inner side in the width direction of the first positioning reference L1, or the case where the outermost edge is located near (close to) the outer side in the width direction of the first positioning reference L1.

[0069] The front-to-back center O1 (center line L2 that divides the front-to-back dimension of the glass plates 11a and 11b into two and extends in the width direction) of the first side edge 14 (side edge on one side) extending in the front-to-back direction in one direction of the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b is positioned at the second positioning reference L2. Positioning the front-to-back center O1 (center line L2) at the second positioning reference L2 means that, in addition to the case where the front-to-back center O1 (center line L2) and the second positioning reference L2 are completely consistent, it also includes the case where the front-to-back center O1 (center line L2) is located near (close to) the front side of the second positioning reference L2 in the front-to-back direction, or the case where the front-to-back center O1 (center line L2) is located near (close to) the rear side of the second positioning reference L2 in the front-to-back direction.

[0070] The controller (glass plate processing system 10) calculates the width dimension of each glass plate 11a, 11b using the coordinate data of each glass plate 11a, 11b stored in the large-capacity hard disk, and determines the first movement dimension (first movement distance) in the width direction for positioning the first side edge 14 (side edge on one side) of the glass plates 11a, 11b at the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) according to the difference in the calculated width dimension (Y-axis direction) of the glass plates 11a, 11b, and determines the number of rotations of the shaft of the third servo motor 51 described later (the number of rotations of the shaft for moving the glass plates 11a, 11b in the width direction by the first movement dimension (first movement distance)) according to the determined first movement dimension. The controller (glass plate processing system 10) stores (saves) the determined first movement dimension and the determined number of rotations of the shaft of the third servo motor 51 in the large-capacity hard disk in a state associated with the glass plate identification information (glass plate identification identifier) ​​of each glass plate 11a, 11b.

[0071] The controller (glass plate processing system 10) calculates the dimensions of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) using the coordinate data of the glass plates 11a and 11b stored in the large-capacity hard disk, and determines the second movement dimension for positioning the center O1 of the side edge 14 of one side of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction behind the second positioning reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line) of the carrying conveyor 43 according to the difference in the calculated dimensions of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction. The controller (glass plate processing system 10) stores (saves) the determined second movement dimension in the large-capacity hard disk in a state associated with the glass plate identification information (glass plate identification identifier) ​​of each glass plate 11a and 11b.

[0072] The controller (glass plate processing system 10) calculates the moving dimensions (moving distances) of the cutting device 55 and the grinding device 119 in the front-to-back direction based on the calculated dimensions of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction, and determines the number of rotations of the shaft of the first servo motor 34 (the number of rotations of the shaft that moves the cutting device 55 and the grinding device 119 in the front-to-back direction according to the moving dimensions (moving distance)) based on the calculated moving dimensions. The controller (glass plate processing system 10) stores (saves) the determined moving dimensions and the determined number of rotations of the shaft of the first servo motor 34 in a large-capacity hard disk in a state associated with the glass plate identification information (glass plate identification identifier) ​​of each glass plate 11a and 11b.

[0073] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the loading conveyor 43 is a plurality of infinite tracks extending in the front-to-back direction (X direction), and is arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction (Y direction). The control unit that controls the start and stop of these loading conveyors 43 and the conveying distance is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). These loading conveyors 43 transport the glass plates 11a and 11b from the rear end (loading entrance) of the loading area 19 toward the front end (loading exit) from the rear to the front in the front-to-back direction. The stopper 44 is provided at the front end of the loading area 19 and is arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction. The stopper 44 abuts against the front end edge 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b that are moved forward from the rear end to the front end of the loading area 19 by these loading conveyors 43. A contact sensor (not shown) is provided on the stopper 44. The contact sensor is connected to the controller and detects the abutment (contact) of the front edge 16 of the glass plates 11 a and 11 b against the stopper 44 . When the front edge 16 abuts against the stopper 44 , the abutment signal is transmitted to the controller.

[0074] A plurality of these rollers 45 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 49 extending in the front-rear direction, or a plurality of these rollers 45 are mounted on the shaft 49 extending in the front-rear direction and rotate together with the shaft 49. The rollers 45 are arranged between the carrying-in conveyors 43 together with the shafts 49. The rollers 45 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction, and are arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction. The rollers 45 rotate in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions toward the width direction, and abut against the lower surfaces 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and hold the glass plates 11a and 11b so as to be movable in the width direction. The shafts 49 are mounted on a pedestal located below them through bearings.

[0075] A resistance plate (rubber ring) (not shown) is installed between the roller 45a among the rollers 45 and the shaft 49 to increase the rotational resistance of the roller 45a. The roller 45a increases the resistance to the shaft 49 through the resistance plate (rubber ring). If a rotational force exceeding the rotational resistance is not applied to the roller 45a, the roller 45a will not rotate, and the free rotation of the roller 45a will be blocked by the resistance plate. When the glass plates 11a and 11b are placed on these rollers 45, the free movement of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction is blocked by the roller 45a with large rotational resistance. In addition, it is sufficient to install a resistance plate (rubber ring) between at least one of the rollers 45 and the shaft 49.

[0076] These roller lifting mechanisms 46 are arranged below the pedestal on which the shaft 49 is installed, and are separated and arranged in a predetermined size in the width direction. Cylinders are used in these roller lifting mechanisms 46, and these shafts 49 and these rollers 45 are lifted and lowered in the vertical direction together with the pedestal through the roller lifting mechanisms 46 (cylinders). The rising dimension and the falling dimension of the roller lifting mechanisms 46 (cylinders) are set in advance. The control unit that controls the start and stop of these lifting mechanisms 46 (cylinders) is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder) receives a lifting signal from the controller, the roller 45 (pedestal and shaft 49) is lifted and lowered by the roller lifting mechanism 46.

[0077] In addition, when the carrying-in conveyor 43 is conveying the glass plates 11a and 11b, the rollers 45 (base and shaft 49) are lowered to the bottom of the carrying-in conveyor 43 by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder), and the rollers 45 do not contact the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b. When the rollers 45 (base and shaft 49) are raised by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder), a part of the peripheral edge of the rollers 45 is exposed above the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the glass plates 11a and 11b are lifted to the top of the conveyor 43 by the rollers 45.

[0078] The moving mechanism 47 includes: a rod 50 located above these loading conveyors 43 and these rollers 45, a third servo motor 51 provided (built-in) in the rod 50, a feed screw (feed screw mechanism) (not shown) provided (built-in) in the rod 50 and connected to the axis of the third servo motor 51, a moving arm 52 extending downward from the rod 50, and an abutment component 53 provided at the lower end of the moving arm 52.

[0079] The rod 50 is installed behind the first support 26a and extends in the width direction. The movable arm 52 is movably provided on the feed screw, and the feed screw is rotated by the rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 51, and the rod 50 is linearly moved in one direction and the other direction in the width direction. As the movable arm 52 moves in the width direction, the contact member 53 moves linearly in one direction and the other direction in the width direction together with the movable arm 52. In a state where the roller 45 raised by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder) contacts the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the contact member 53 contacts the other side edge 15 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and pushes the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction so as to move the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction.

[0080] The control unit for controlling the start and stop, rotation number, and rotation speed of the third servo motor 51 is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the third servo motor 51 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the third servo motor 51 at a specified rotation number and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the third servo motor 51.

[0081] Figure 7 The top view of the cutting table 54 and the grinding table 118 is shown in FIG. Figure 8 It is a side view of the cutting table 54 and the grinding table 118. Fig. 9 This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the cutting table 54 and the grinding table 118. Fig.10 It is a side view showing a cutting device 55 as an example provided in the cutting processing area 20. Fig.11 is a front view of the cutting device 55, Fig.12 FIG. 5 is a top view of the cutting device 55. Figure 7 , 8 In the figure, the front-back direction (X-axis direction) is indicated by arrow X, the width direction (Y-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Y, and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Z.

[0082] The cutting processing area 20 includes: a cutting processing table 54 (cutting processing platform) for placing the glass plates 11a and 11b positioned in the carrying-in area 19, and a cutting device 55 (cutting device) for cutting the edge 56b (peripheral edge) of the glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the cutting processing table 54 along an outer shape cutting line K1 (cutting line).

[0083] The cutting table 54 is installed on a base rail 57a which is fixed to the floor surface of the system table 25 and is long in the width direction. The cutting table 54 is moved in the width direction by the first moving mechanism 58a while the positioned glass plates 11a and 11b are placed thereon. The first moving mechanism 58a is formed by a running guide rail 59a, a feed screw 60a (ball screw), a fourth servo motor 61, a guide shoe 62a, and a slider 63a (housing nut).

[0084] These running rails 59a are arranged on the upper surface of the base rail 57a and extend in the width direction. The feed screw 60a (ball screw) is arranged on the upper surface of the base rail 57a and on the side of the running rail 59a, and extends in the width direction. The fourth servo motor 61 is arranged on the base rail 57a, and moves the cutting processing table 54 back and forth in the width direction. The other end of the feed screw 60a is connected to the shaft of the fourth servo motor 61.

[0085] The feed screw 60a is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) fixed to the base rail 57a. The guide shoe 62a is mounted on the lower surface of the cutting table 54 and extends in the width direction. The guide shoe 62a is slidably engaged with the running guide rail 59a. The slider 63a (housing nut) is mounted on the lower surface of the cutting table 54 and between the guide shoe 62a. The slider 63a is rotatably screwed to the feed screw 60a.

[0086] When the shaft of the fourth servo motor 61 rotates in the clockwise direction, the feed screw 60a rotates in the clockwise direction. Through the clockwise rotation of the feed screw 60a, the slider 63a moves from the second side edge 48b (the other side edge) of the cutting-in processing area 20 toward the first side edge 48a (the side edge on one side), so that the feed screw 60a moves in the width direction. At the same time, through the movement of the slider 63a, the cutting-in processing table 54 moves in the width direction from the second side edge 48b of the cutting-in processing area 20 toward the first side edge 48a. On the contrary, when the shaft of the fourth servo motor 61 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the feed screw 60a rotates in the counterclockwise direction. Through the counterclockwise rotation of the feed screw 60a, the slider 63a moves from the first side edge 48a (the side edge on one side) of the cutting-in processing area 20 toward the second side edge 48b (the side edge on the other side), so that the feed screw 60a moves in the width direction. At the same time, through the movement of the slider 63a, the cutting-in processing table 54 moves in the width direction from the first side edge 48a of the cutting-in processing area 20 toward the second side edge 48b.

[0087] The cutting device 55 includes a cutting fixture 64, a cylinder 65, and a fifth servo motor 66. The cutting fixture 64 is formed by a cutting cutter wheel 67, a cutting cutter support 68 (cutting support), a cutter lifting shaft 69, and a cutter lifting guide 70. The cutting cutter wheel 67 is connected to the cutting cutter support 68 through a bearing (not shown) and is freely rotatable along the axis of the intervening bearing. The cutting cutter wheel 67 forms an outer shape cutting line K1 at the edge 56b (peripheral portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0088] The cutting knife support 68 is located directly above the cutting knife wheel 67 and is connected to the cutting knife wheel 67, and supports the cutting knife wheel 67. The cutting knife lifting shaft 69 is located directly above the cutting knife support 68 and is connected to the cutting knife support 68, and supports the cutting knife support 68. The cutting knife lifting guide 70 is located directly above the cutting knife lifting shaft 69 and is connected to the cutting knife lifting shaft 69, and supports the cutting knife lifting shaft 69. The cutting fixture 64 (including the cylinder 65) is located directly above the cylinder 65 and is connected to a support shaft 71 that rotatably supports the cutting fixture 64. The support shaft 71 is mounted on a bracket 72 located directly above it. The bracket 72 (cutting device 55) is connected to the first moving unit 28 of the aforementioned conveying mechanism 24 that moves forward and backward (linearly moves) in the forward and backward direction (X-axis direction).

[0089] The air cylinder 65 is provided just above the cutter lifting shaft 69. The air cylinder 65 raises and lowers (moves up and down) the cutting cutter wheel 67 (cutting cutter support 68) in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and when the outer shape cutting line K1 (cutting line) is formed on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the cutting cutter wheel 67 is lowered toward the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and a cutting pressure (a downward pushing force) is applied (applied) to the cutting cutter wheel 67. The shaft of the fifth servo motor 66 is connected to the support shaft 71 through a timing belt 73. The fifth servo motor 66 adjusts the direction of the cutting direction (the angle around the axis perpendicular to the XY plane) of the cutting fixture 64 (cutting cutter wheel 67).

[0090] In the cutting device 55, the control unit of the fifth servo motor 66 rotates the shaft of the motor 66 according to the NC control information transmitted by the controller, and performs NC control on the cutting fixture 64 (cutting cutter wheel 67). According to the NC control, the cutting fixture 64 (cutting cutter wheel 67) forms (cuts) an outer shape cutting line K1 of the shape to be processed at the edge 56b (peripheral portion) of the glass plates 11a, 11b.

[0091] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the fourth and fifth servo motors 61 and 66 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 receives a driving signal from the controller, the fourth servo motor 61 is driven at a specified number of rotations and a rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the driving of the fourth servo motor 61 is stopped. When the control unit of the fifth servo motor 66 receives a driving signal from the controller, the fifth servo motor 66 is driven at a specified number of rotations and a rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the driving of the fifth servo motor 66 is stopped.

[0092] Fig.13 FIG. 7 is a top view of the broken processing table 74. Fig.14 2 is a side view of the breaking table 74. The breaking area 21 includes: a breaking table 74 (breaking table) for placing the glass plates 11a and 11b positioned in the loading area 19 and cut in the cutting area 20; and a breaking device 75 (see FIG. 2 ) for breaking the edge 56b (peripheral edge) placed on the breaking table 74 and located outside the outer shape cutting line K1 (cutting line) of the glass plates 11a and 11b. Figure 15 to Figure 21 ), a supporting device 76 for supporting the glass plates 11a and 11b (see Fig. 22 , Fig.23 ).

[0093] The breaking table 74 is formed by a belt conveyor 77 running in the width direction (Y-axis direction) and a conveyor drive motor 78 for driving the belt conveyor 77, and is provided on a base fixed to the floor surface of the system table 25. The belt conveyor 77 is formed by a belt 79 extending in the width direction, a plurality of pulleys 80 and rollers 81 supporting the belt 79, and a conveyor frame 82 supporting the belt 79, the pulleys 80, and the rollers 81. The glass plates 11a and 11b after the cutting process are placed on the belt conveyor 77. The belt conveyor 77 conveys the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b broken by the breaking device 75 to the other side in the width direction (from the first side edge 48a to the second side edge 48b), and discards the broken edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b in a trash box (not shown).

[0094] The shaft of the conveyor drive motor 78 is connected to the pulley 80 through a timing belt. The control unit that controls the start and stop of the conveyor drive motor 78 is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). The rotation speed of the shaft of the conveyor drive motor 78 (the running speed of the belt) is set in advance, and the state of the rotation speed (the running speed of the belt) associated with the specific information of the conveyor drive motor 78 is stored (saved) in the large-capacity hard disk of the controller. When the control unit of the conveyor drive motor 78 receives a drive signal from the controller, the conveyor drive motor 78 is driven at a specified number of rotations, and when the controller receives a stop signal, the drive of the drive motor 77 is stopped. When the shaft of the conveyor drive motor 78 rotates in the clockwise direction, the rotation is transmitted to the pulley 80 through the timing belt, and the pulley 80 rotates in the clockwise direction. The rotation of the pulley 80 causes the belt 79 to run in the other direction of the width direction.

[0095] Fig.15 is a side view of the breaking device 75, Fig.16 It is a front view of the breaking device 75. Fig.17 is a top view of the breaking device 75, Fig.18 , 19 It is an enlarged front view of the breaking device 75. Fig. 20 It is a partial cross-sectional side view of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b. Fig.21 It is a front view of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b. Fig.18 The breaking cutter wheel 93 is shown in a state where the first and second pressing members 95a and 95b are raised. Fig.19 The breaking cutter wheel 93 is shown in a state where the first and second pressing members 95a and 95b are lowered.

[0096] The breaking device 75 is formed of two first breaking devices 75a and second breaking devices 75b separated in the width direction. The first breaking device 75a is connected to the first guide frame 30, and the second breaking device 75b is connected to the suspension frame 83. The suspension frame 82 is connected to the side of the second guide frame 35. The first breaking device 75a includes: a first breaking fixture 84a (breaking fixture), a sixth servo motor 85 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis first actuator 86a, a seventh servo motor 87 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis first actuator 88a, an X-axis first actuator frame 89a and a Y-axis first actuator frame 89c. The X-axis first actuator frame 89a and the Y-axis first actuator frame 89c are connected in series at one end thereof.

[0097] The second breaking device 75b includes a second breaking jig 84b (breaking jig), an eighth servo motor 90 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis second actuator 86b, a ninth servo motor 91 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis second actuator 88b, a second actuator frame 88b, an X-axis second actuator frame 89b and a Y-axis second actuator frame 89d. The X-axis second actuator frame 89b and the Y-axis second actuator frame 89d are connected in series at one end thereof.

[0098] like Fig.18 , 19 As shown, the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b of the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b are formed by a breaking cutter bracket 92, a breaking cutter wheel 93, a bracket lifting mechanism 94 (a first lifting mechanism), a first pushing component 95a that pushes downward the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that form the outer shape cutting line K1 (cutting line) and the end cutting line K2 (the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line K1), a second pushing component 95b that pushes downward the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b that form the outer shape cutting line K1 (cutting line) and the end cutting line K2 (the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line K1), a first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a (a second lifting mechanism), and a second pushing component lifting mechanism 96b (a second lifting mechanism).

[0099] The breaking cutter support 92 is located above the breaking cutter wheel 93 and supports the breaking cutter wheel 93. Fig. 20 , 21 As shown, the breaking blade holder 92 includes a holder body 97 having a connection portion and a holder head 98 attached to the front end of the holder body 97 .

[0100] The breaking cutter wheel 93 forms (cuts) an end tangent line K2 (scoring line) at the edge 56 of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed (the edge 56 of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer cut-out line K1). The breaking cutter wheel 93 is rotatably (rollingly) mounted on the front end of the support head 98 via a rolling shaft 101, and its peripheral edge 102 rolls around the rolling shaft 101. The breaking cutter wheel 93's cutting wheel axis O3 extending in the vertical direction is eccentric (deviation) radially outward relative to the cutting knife support center axis O2 extending in the vertical direction of the breaking cutter support 92 (support body 97). The separation dimension S (eccentricity dimension) of the cutting wheel axis O3 in the width direction relative to the cutting knife support center axis O2 is in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

[0101] The bracket head 98 is connected to the bracket body 97 through the bearing 100, and is freely rotatable along the axis of the bearing located therebetween, and can rotate 360° in the direction (θ direction) around the cutter bracket center axis O2 of the breaking cutter bracket 92. The bracket head 98 rotates in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction around the cutter bracket center axis O2. The rotation of the bracket head 98 can cause the breaking cutter wheel 93 (breaking cutter wheel 93 having a cutter wheel axis O3 eccentric to the cutter bracket center axis O2) to rotate 360° in the direction around the cutter wheel axis O3 relative to the breaking cutter bracket 92. The breaking cutter wheel 93 rotates in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction around the cutter bracket center axis O2.

[0102] Because the cutting wheel axis O3 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is radially eccentric to the outside relative to the center axis O2 of the cutting blade holder, when the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking cutting blade holders 92) operate (move) in a specified direction on the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a, 11b, the rolling (moving) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 exerts a caster effect toward the operating (moving) direction (extension direction of the virtual end tangent) of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking cutting blade holders 92).

[0103] The support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) is provided just above the support body 97 and is connected to the connection portion 103 of the breaking cutter support 92 (support body 97). The support lifting mechanism 94 is fixed to the bracket 104 by means of a fixing member. The support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) uses an air cylinder. The support lifting mechanism 94 (air cylinder) lifts (moves up and down) the breaking cutter support 92 (breaking cutter wheel 93) of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). When the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b is broken, the support lifting mechanism 94 (air cylinder) lowers the cutter wheel 93 toward the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and applies (applies) an end cutting pressure (a downward pushing force) to the cutter wheel 93. The rising dimension and the falling dimension of the support device lifting mechanism are set in advance.

[0104] The first pushing member 95a is made of rubber or synthetic resin having rubber elasticity. The first pushing member 95a is located near the outer side of the second pushing member 95b and extends in the peripheral direction of the second pushing member 95b. The first pushing member 95a has a first pushing surface 105a of a predetermined area that abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The first pushing surface 105a is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing member 95b.

[0105] The first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism) is located on the side of the first pushing member 95a in the width direction and is fixed to the bracket 104 by a fixing member. The first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism) uses an air cylinder. The first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (air cylinder) lifts (moves up and down) the first pushing member 95a of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0106] When the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b is broken, the first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism) lowers the first pushing member 95a toward the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and applies (applies) a pushing force downward to the first pushing member 95a. The rising dimension and the falling dimension of the first pushing member 95a are set in advance. The bracket 104 on one side is slidably mounted on the X-axis first actuator frame 89a and the Y-axis first actuator frame 89c.

[0107] The second pushing member 95b is made of rubber or synthetic resin having rubber elasticity. The second pushing member 95b is located near the outer side of the breaking cutter wheel 93 and extends in the peripheral direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93. The second pushing member 95b has a second pushing surface 105b of a predetermined area that abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The second pushing surface 105b is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutter wheel 93. A through hole 106 is formed in the center of the second pushing member 95b in the up-down direction.

[0108] The second push member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism) is located on the side of the second push member 95b in the width direction and is fixed to the bracket 104 by a fixing member. The second push member lifting mechanism 96b uses a cylinder. The second push member lifting mechanism 96b (cylinder) lifts (moves up and down) the second push member 95b of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). When the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b is broken, the first push member lifting mechanism 96a (third lifting mechanism) lowers the second push member 95b toward the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and applies (applies) a pushing force downward to the second push member 95b. The lifting dimension and the lowering dimension of the second push member 95b are set in advance. The bracket 104 on the other side is slidably mounted on the X-axis second actuator frame 89b and the Y-axis second actuator frame 89d.

[0109] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism), the control unit for controlling the start and stop of the first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), and the control unit for controlling the start and stop of the second pushing component lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism) are connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the support lifting mechanism 94 receives a lifting signal from the controller, the support lifting mechanism 94 (cylinder) is used to lift the breaking cutter support 92 (breaking cutter wheel 93). When the control unit of the first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a receives a lifting signal from the controller, the first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a (cylinder) is used to lift the first pushing component 95a. When the control unit of the second pushing component lifting mechanism 96b receives a lifting signal from the controller, the second pushing component lifting mechanism 96b (cylinder) is used to lift the second pushing component 95b.

[0110] The sixth servo motor 85 (X-axis servo motor) is provided on the X-axis first actuator frame 89a, and its shaft is connected to the X-axis first actuator 86a. The X-axis first actuator 86a has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the sixth servo motor 85 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis first actuator 86a rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the breaking fixture 84a of the first breaking device 75a moves forward along the X-axis first actuator frame 89a together with the bracket 104 in the front-rear direction. When the shaft of the sixth servo motor 85 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis first actuator 86a rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the breaking fixture 84a of the first breaking device 75a moves backward along the X-axis first actuator frame 89a in the front-rear direction together with the bracket 104.

[0111] The seventh servo motor 87 (Y-axis servo motor) is provided on the Y-axis first actuator frame 89c, and its shaft is connected to the Y-axis first actuator 88a. The Y-axis first actuator 88a has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the seventh servo motor 87 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis first actuator 88a rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the first breaking fixture 84a of the first breaking device 75a moves along the Y-axis first actuator frame 89c toward one side in the width direction together with the bracket 104. When the shaft of the seventh servo motor 87 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis first actuator 88a rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the first breaking fixture 84a of the first breaking device 75a moves along the Y-axis first actuator frame 89c toward the other side in the width direction together with the bracket 104.

[0112] The control unit that controls the start and stop of the sixth and seventh servo motors 85 and 87 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the sixth servo motor 85 receives a drive signal from the controller, the sixth servo motor 85 is driven at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the drive of the sixth servo motor 85 is stopped. When the control unit of the seventh servo motor 87 receives a drive signal from the controller, the seventh servo motor 87 is driven at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the drive of the seventh servo motor 87 is stopped.

[0113] The eighth servo motor 90 (X-axis servo motor) is arranged on the X-axis second actuator frame 89b, and its shaft is connected to the X-axis second actuator 86b. The X-axis second actuator 86b has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the eighth servo motor 90 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis second actuator 86b rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the second breaking fixture 84b of the second breaking device 75b moves forward along the X-axis second actuator frame 89b together with the bracket 104 in the front-rear direction. When the shaft of the eighth servo motor 90 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis second actuator 86b rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second breaking fixture 84b of the second breaking device 75b moves backward along the X-axis second actuator 89b in the front-rear direction together with the bracket 104.

[0114] The ninth servo motor 91 (Y-axis servo motor) is arranged on the Y-axis second actuator frame 89d, and its shaft is connected to the Y-axis second actuator 88b. The Y-axis second actuator 88b has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the ninth servo motor 91 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis second actuator 88b rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the second breaking fixture 84b of the second breaking device 75b moves along the second actuator frame 89d toward one side in the width direction together with the bracket 104. When the shaft of the ninth servo motor 91 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis second actuator 88b rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second breaking fixture 84b of the second breaking device 75b moves along the second actuator frame 89d toward the other side in the width direction together with the bracket 104.

[0115] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the eighth and ninth servo motors 90 and 91 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the eighth servo motor 90 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the eighth servo motor 90 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the eighth servo motor 90. When the control unit of the ninth servo motor 91 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the ninth servo motor 91 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the ninth servo motor 91.

[0116] Fig. 22 FIG. 7 is a top view of the breaking processing table 74 showing the supporting device 76. Fig.231 is a front view of the breaking table 74 showing the support device 76 from the front. The support device 76 is formed of two first and second support devices 76a and 76b separated in the width direction. The first and second support devices 75a and 75b are connected to the guide frame 107.

[0117] The first supporting device 76a includes: a first supporting member 108a and a second supporting member 108b, a second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) for lifting the second supporting member 108b in the upward and downward directions, a tenth servo motor 110 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis third actuator 111a, an eleventh servo motor 112 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis third actuator 113a, an X-axis third actuator frame 114a and a Y-axis third actuator frame 114c.

[0118] The second supporting device 76b includes: a first supporting member 108a and a second supporting member 108b, a second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) for lifting the second supporting member 108b in the upward and downward directions, a twelfth servo motor 115 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis fourth actuator 111b, a thirteenth servo motor 116 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis fourth actuator 113b, an X-axis fourth actuator frame 114b and a Y-axis fourth actuator frame 114d.

[0119] The first support member 108a is located radially inside the second support member 108b and has a first support surface 117a of a predetermined area for supporting the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The first support surface 117a is formed into a flat perfect circle. The second support member 108b is located radially outside the first support member 108a and has a second support surface 117b of a predetermined area for supporting the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The second support surface 117b is formed into a circular ring surrounding the first support member 108a (first support surface 117a).

[0120] The second support member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) is located directly below the second support member 108b and is fixed to the guide frame 107 by a fixing member. The second support member lifting mechanism 109 uses a cylinder. The second support member lifting mechanism 109 (cylinder) lifts (moves up and down) the second support member 108b of the first and second support devices 76a and 76b in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). When the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b is broken, the second support member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) lowers the second support member 96b from the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b to form a gap between the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b and the second support surface 117b (a step is formed between the first support surface 117a and the second support surface 117b). The lowering dimension of the second support member 108b is set in advance.

[0121] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the second support member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the second support member lifting mechanism 109 receives a lifting signal from the controller, the second support member 108b is lifted and lowered by the second support member lifting mechanism 109 (cylinder).

[0122] The tenth servo motor 110 (X-axis servo motor) is arranged on the X-axis third actuator frame 114a, and its shaft is connected to the X-axis third actuator 111a. The X-axis third actuator 111a has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the tenth servo motor 110 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis third actuator 111a rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the first support device 76a moves forward along the X-axis third actuator frame 114a together with the guide frame 107 in the front-rear direction. When the shaft of the tenth servo motor 110 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis third actuator 111a rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the first support device 76a moves backward along the X-axis third actuator frame 114a together with the guide frame 107 in the front-rear direction.

[0123] The eleventh servo motor 112 (Y-axis servo motor) is arranged on the Y-axis third actuator frame 114c, and its shaft is connected to the Y-axis third actuator 113a. The Y-axis third actuator 113a has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the eleventh servo motor 112 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis third actuator 113a rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the first support device 76a moves along the Y-axis third actuator frame 114c toward one side of the width direction together with the guide frame 107. When the shaft of the eleventh servo motor 112 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis third actuator 113a rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the first support device 76a moves along the Y-axis third actuator frame 114c toward the other side of the width direction together with the guide frame 107. In addition, the first supporting device 76a and the first breaking device 75a (first breaking jig 84a) move synchronously in the front-rear direction and the width direction (horizontal direction).

[0124] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the tenth and eleventh servo motors 110 and 112 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the tenth servo motor 110 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the tenth servo motor 110 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the tenth servo motor 110. When the control unit of the eleventh servo motor 112 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the eleventh servo motor 112 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the eleventh servo motor 112.

[0125] The twelfth servo motor 115 (X-axis servo motor) is arranged on the X-axis fourth actuator frame 114b, and its shaft is connected to the X-axis fourth actuator 111b. The X-axis fourth actuator 111b has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the twelfth servo motor 115 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis fourth actuator 111b rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the second support device 76b moves forward along the X-axis fourth actuator frame 114b together with the guide frame 107 in the front-rear direction. When the shaft of the twelfth servo motor 115 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the X-axis fourth actuator 111b rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second support device 76b moves backward along the X-axis fourth actuator frame 114b in the front-rear direction together with the guide frame 107.

[0126] The thirteenth servo motor 116 (Y-axis servo motor) is provided on the Y-axis fourth actuator frame 114d, and its shaft is connected to the Y-axis fourth actuator 113b. The Y-axis fourth actuator 113b has a screw portion and a guide portion (not shown). When the shaft of the thirteenth servo motor 116 rotates in the clockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis fourth actuator 113b rotates in the clockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the clockwise direction, the second support device 76b moves along the Y-axis fourth actuator frame 114d toward one side in the width direction together with the guide frame 107. When the shaft of the thirteenth servo motor 116 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the screw portion of the Y-axis fourth actuator 113b rotates in the counterclockwise direction. When the screw portion rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second support device 76b moves along the Y-axis fourth actuator frame 114d toward the other side in the width direction together with the guide frame 107. In addition, the second supporting device 76b and the second breaking device 75b (second breaking jig 84b) move synchronously in the front-rear direction and the width direction (horizontal direction).

[0127] The control unit for controlling the start and stop of the twelfth and thirteenth servo motors 115 and 116 and the number of rotations and the rotation speed is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the twelfth servo motor 115 receives a driving signal from the controller, the twelfth servo motor 115 is driven at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the driving of the twelfth servo motor 115 is stopped. When the control unit of the thirteenth servo motor 116 receives a driving signal from the controller, the thirteenth servo motor 116 is driven at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when a stop signal is received from the controller, the driving of the thirteenth servo motor 116 is stopped.

[0128] Fig.24 is a front view of a grinding device 119 disclosed as an example and arranged in the grinding processing area 22, Fig.25 It is a side view of the grinding device 119. Fig.26 It is a top view of the grinding device 119. The grinding processing area 22 includes: a grinding processing table 118 (grinding processing table) on which the glass plates 11a and 11b which have been positioned in the carrying-in area 19 and have been cut in the cutting processing area 20 and broken in the breaking processing area 21 are placed, and a grinding device 119 for grinding the edge (peripheral portion) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the grinding processing table 118.

[0129] The grinding table 118 is installed on the base rail 57b which is fixed to the floor surface of the system table 25 and is long in the width direction (see Figure 7The grinding table 118 is provided with a plurality of adsorption pads 120 for adsorbing and holding the glass plates 11a and 11b, and a vacuum mechanism (air suction device) (air vacuum pump) (not shown) for forming negative pressure on the adsorption pads 120 and applying adsorption force to the adsorption pads 120. A control unit for controlling the start and stop of the vacuum mechanism is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown).

[0130] The grinding table 118 uses the second moving mechanism 58b to move in the width direction while carrying the positioned glass plates 11a and 11b. The second moving mechanism 58b is formed by a running guide rail 59b, a feed screw 60b (ball screw), a fourteenth servo motor 121, a guide shoe 62b, and a slider 63b (housing nut). These running guide rails 59b are arranged on the upper surface of the base rail 57b and extend in the width direction. The feed screw 60b (ball screw) is arranged on the upper surface of the base rail 57b and on the side of the running guide rail 59b, and extends in the width direction. The fourteenth servo motor 121 is arranged on the base rail 57b to move the grinding table 118 back and forth in the width direction. The other end of the feed screw 60b is connected to the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 121.

[0131] The control unit for controlling the start and stop, rotation number, and rotation speed of the fourteenth servo motor 121 is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the fourteenth servo motor 121 at a specified rotation number and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the fourteenth servo motor 121.

[0132] The feed screw 60b is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) fixed to the base rail 57b. The guide shoe 62b is mounted on the lower surface of the grinding table 118 and extends in the width direction. The guide shoe 62b is slidably engaged with the running guide rail 59b. The slider 63b (housing nut) is mounted on the lower surface of the grinding table 118 and between the guide shoe 62b. The slider 63b is rotatably screwed to the feed screw 60b.

[0133] When the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 121 rotates in the clockwise direction, the feed screw 60b rotates in the clockwise direction. Through the clockwise rotation of the feed screw 60b, the slider 63b moves from the side edge 48b on the other side of the grinding processing area 22 toward the side edge 48a on one side, so that the feed screw 60b moves in the width direction. At the same time, through the movement of the slider 63b, the grinding processing table 118 moves in the width direction from the side edge 48b on the other side of the grinding processing area 22 toward the side edge 48a on one side. When the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 121 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the feed screw 60b rotates in the counterclockwise direction. Through the counterclockwise rotation of the feed screw 60b, the slider 63b moves from the side edge 48a on one side of the grinding processing area 22 toward the side edge 48b on the other side, so that the feed screw 60b moves in the width direction. At the same time, through the movement of the slider 63b, the grinding processing table 118 moves in the width direction from the side edge 48a on one side of the grinding processing area 22 toward the side edge 48b on the other side.

[0134] In addition, the fourteenth servo motor 121 is synchronously driven with the fourth servo motor 61 of the cutting process area 20, and synchronously moves from the other side edge portion 48b of the cutting process area 20 of the cutting process table 54 to the one side edge portion 48a, and the grinding process table 118 moves from the other side edge portion 48b of the grinding process area 22 to the one side edge portion 48a, or synchronously moves from the one side edge portion 48a of the cutting process area 20 of the cutting process table 54 to the other side edge portion 48b, and the grinding process table 118 moves from the one side edge portion 48a of the grinding process area 22 to the other side edge portion 48b. When the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 receives a driving signal from the controller, the fourteenth servo motor 121 is driven at a predetermined rotation number and rotation speed, and when a stop signal from the controller is received, the drive of the fourteenth servo motor 121 is stopped.

[0135] The grinding device 119 includes a grinding jig 122, a fifteenth servo motor 123 (grinding Z-axis servo motor), a sixteenth servo motor 124 (elevation servo motor), a seventeenth servo motor 125 (cut-in servo motor), a grinding wheel elevation screw 126, and a grinding wheel cut-in screw 127. The grinding jig 122 is formed of a grinding wheel 128, a grinding support 129, a cover plate 130, and a spindle motor 131. The grinding wheel 128 is formed into a disk shape having a predetermined diameter, and grinds the main body 56a (peripheral portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b with its outer peripheral surface.

[0136] The grinding bracket 129 is located directly above the grinding wheel 128 and rotatably supports the grinding wheel 128. The cover plate 130 is located directly below the grinding wheel 128 and covers the entire grinding wheel 128. The cover plate 130 is detachably mounted on the grinding fixture 122. The cover plate 130 is formed with a slit 132 at the edge (peripheral portion) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b for inserting. The spindle motor 131 is located directly above the grinding wheel 128 (grinding bracket 129) and is disposed and accommodated in a motor housing 133. The spindle motor 131 has its shaft connected to the center of the grinding wheel 128. The rotation of the shaft of the spindle motor 131 drives the grinding wheel 128 to rotate.

[0137] The motor housing 133 is fixed to the running frame 32 via a bracket 134. The control unit that controls the start and stop, rotation number, and rotation speed of the spindle motor 131 is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the spindle motor 131 receives a driving signal from the controller, it drives the spindle motor 131 at a specified rotation number and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the spindle motor 131.

[0138] The fifteenth servo motor 123 (grinding Z-axis servo motor) is located near the rear of the grinding fixture 122, and is connected and fixed to the running frame 32 via a bracket 134. The shaft of the fifteenth servo motor 123 is connected to the support shaft of the motor housing 133. The fifteenth servo motor 123 finely adjusts the axial position (angle around the axis) of the grinding wheel 128 so that the outer peripheral surface of the grinding wheel 128 abuts against the edge (peripheral portion) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b in parallel.

[0139] The sixteenth servo motor 124 (elevation servo motor) is located near the outer side in the width direction of the motor housing 133 (spindle motor 131), and is connected and fixed to the motor housing 133. The shaft of the sixteenth servo motor 124 is connected to the grinding wheel elevation screw 126, and rotates the grinding wheel elevation screw 126. The sixteenth servo motor 124 moves the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) up and down according to the thickness of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and finely adjusts the height of the grinding wheel 128 in such a way that the height of the grinding wheel 128 is consistent with the height of the edge of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b and the outer peripheral surface of the grinding wheel 128 abuts against the edge of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0140] In addition, in the initial setting for starting the processing of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 128 to the center of the groove is input to the controller. The controller calculates the number of rotations of the shaft of the sixteenth servo motor 124 based on the input distance, and transmits the calculated number of rotations to the control unit of the sixteenth servo motor 124. The control unit of the sixteenth servo motor 124 rotates the shaft of the sixteenth servo motor 124 at the number of rotations received from the controller. When the shaft of the sixteenth servo motor 124 rotates in the clockwise direction at a predetermined number of rotations, the grinding wheel lifting screw 126 rotates in the clockwise direction and the grinding wheel lifting screw 126 descends, thereby descending the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133). When the shaft of the sixteenth servo motor 124 rotates in the counterclockwise direction at a predetermined number of rotations, the grinding wheel lifting screw 126 rotates in the counterclockwise direction and the grinding wheel lifting screw 126 ascends, thereby ascending the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133). As long as the thickness of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed is the same, it is only necessary to make a slight adjustment to the height of the grinding wheel 128 once, and no subsequent adjustment is necessary.

[0141] The seventeenth servo motor 125 (cutting servo motor) is located just below the sixteenth servo motor 124 (elevation servo motor) and near the outer side of the motor housing 133 (spindle motor 131) in the width direction, and is connected and fixed to the motor housing 133. The shaft of the seventeenth servo motor 125 is connected to the grinding wheel cutting screw 127 and rotates the grinding wheel cutting screw 127. The seventeenth servo motor 125 moves the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) in the width direction according to the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the grinding wheel 128, and finely adjusts the cutting depth of the grinding wheel 128 so that the outer peripheral surface of the grinding wheel 128 abuts against the edge (peripheral portion) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0142] The control unit for controlling the start and stop, the number of rotations, and the rotation speed of the fifteenth to seventeenth servo motors 123 to 125 is connected to the controller via an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). When the control unit of the fifteenth servo motor 123 receives a drive signal from the controller, it drives the fifteenth servo motor 123 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the fifteenth servo motor 123. When the control unit of the sixteenth servo motor 124 receives a drive signal from the controller, it drives the sixteenth servo motor 124 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the sixteenth servo motor 124. When the control unit of the seventeenth servo motor 125 receives a drive signal from the controller, it drives the seventeenth servo motor 125 at a specified number of rotations and rotation speed, and when it receives a stop signal from the controller, it stops driving the seventeenth servo motor 125.

[0143] In addition, in the initial setting for starting the processing of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the diameter of the grinding wheel 128 is input to the controller. The controller calculates the number of rotations of the shaft of the seventeenth servo motor 125 based on the input diameter of the grinding wheel 128, and transmits the calculated number of rotations to the control unit of the seventeenth servo motor 125. The control unit of the seventeenth servo motor 125 rotates the shaft of the seventeenth servo motor 125 at the number of rotations received from the controller. When the shaft of the seventeenth servo motor 125 rotates in the clockwise direction at a predetermined number of rotations, the grinding wheel cutting screw 127 rotates in the clockwise direction and the grinding wheel cutting screw 127 moves to the rear in the front-rear direction, so that the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) moves to the rear in the front-rear direction. When the shaft of the seventeenth servo motor 125 rotates in the counterclockwise direction at a predetermined number of rotations, the grinding wheel cutting screw 127 rotates in the counterclockwise direction and moves the grinding wheel cutting screw 127 forward in the front-rear direction, thereby moving the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) forward in the front-rear direction. As long as the diameter (diameter) of the grinding wheel 128 is the same, the fine adjustment of the front-rear direction position of the grinding wheel 128 only needs to be set once, and no subsequent adjustment is required.

[0144] The unloading area 23 is provided with an unloading conveyor 135. The unloading area 23 is supported by a leg extending upward from the floor surface of the system table 25. The unloading conveyor 135 is a plurality of infinite tracks extending in the front-rear direction (X direction), and is arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction (Y direction). A control unit that controls the start and stop of these unloading conveyors 135 and the conveying distance is connected to the controller through an interface (wired or wireless) (not shown). These unloading conveyors 135 convey the glass plates 11a and 11b from the rear end (carrying inlet) of the unloading area 23 to the front end (carrying outlet) and from the rear to the front in the front-rear direction.

[0145] The following describes an embodiment of processing (cutting, breaking, grinding) of the glass plates 11a and 11b. When processing starts, the first glass plate support 40a stands by above the loading area 19, the second glass plate support 40b stands by above the cutting processing area 20, and the third glass plate support 40c stands by above the breaking processing area 21, and the fourth glass plate support 40d stands by above the grinding processing area 22.

[0146] A plurality of glass plate images are output (displayed) on a monitor or display or a touch panel (output device) connected to the controller. From the plurality of glass plate images output (displayed) on the output device, a certain glass plate 11a or 11b to be processed is clicked (tapped) (selected). When the certain glass plate 11a or 11b is selected, the controller selects an NC control program for processing the glass plate 11a or 11b. The controller outputs (displays) on the output device an input area for the distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 128 to the center of the groove, an input area for the dimensions of the glass plates 11a or 11b in the front-to-back direction, and an input area for the diameter of the grinding wheel 128.

[0147] After inputting the distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 128 to the center of the groove in the input area and inputting the diameter in the diameter input area of ​​the grinding wheel 128, the input button output (indicated) on the output device is clicked (tapped). When the distance and diameter are input, the controller drives the sixteenth servo motor 124 to move the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) up and down and fine-adjusts the height of the grinding wheel 128, and drives the seventeenth servo motor 125 to move the grinding wheel 128 (motor housing 133) in the width direction and fine-adjusts the position of the grinding wheel 128 in the front-back direction. After these fine adjustments are completed, the controller outputs (indicates) the start processing button on the output device. When the start processing button is clicked (tapped), the processing of the glass plates 11a and 11b starts.

[0148] The selected glass plates 11a and 11b of the processing object (before processing) are carried into the carrying-in area 19. In addition, the first positioning unit (first positioning process) and the second positioning unit (second positioning process) are implemented in the carrying-in area 19. The glass plates 11a and 11b of the processing object are automatically supplied to the carrying-in conveyor 43 of the carrying-in area 19 by an automatic supply device (not shown). In the automatic supply device, a plurality of glass plates 11a and 11b of the processing object having the same area (same size) of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 are stacked in the vertical direction, and the glass plates 11a and 11b are supplied to the carrying-in conveyor 43 one by one by the automatic supply device.

[0149] An example of the positioning procedure of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the loading area 19 is as follows. The controller transmits a conveyance signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the loading conveyor 43, and the control unit of the loading conveyor 43 that receives the conveyance signal (ON signal) drives the loading conveyor 43. The glass plates 11a and 11b loaded into the loading area 19 are placed on the loading conveyor 43 in a state where the lower surface 13 thereof abuts against the loading conveyor 43. The first side edge 14 (the side edge 14 on one side) (including the case where the side edge 14 is curved (arc)) of the glass plates 11a and 11b is aligned with the side edge portion 48a on one side of the loading area 19, and the other side edge 15 thereof is aligned with the other side edge portion 48b on the other side of the loading area 19.

[0150] The glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the loading conveyor 43 are gradually moved forward along the front-rear direction from the rear of the loading area 19 to the front by the loading conveyor 43. The glass plates 11a and 11b move forward from the rear of the loading area 19, and when the front edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the stopper 44, the contact sensor provided on the stopper 44 detects the abutment of the front edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b against the stopper 44, and transmits a contact (abutment) signal to the controller.

[0151] The controller that has received the contact signal transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 43, and the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 43 that has received the stop signal (OFF signal) stops driving the carry-in conveyor 43. Next, the controller transmits to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 43 the second moving dimension in the front-rear direction of the carry-in conveyor 43 for positioning the front-rear direction center O (the center line L2 that divides the front-rear direction dimension of the glass plates 11a and 11b in two and extends in the width direction) of the first side edge 14 of the glass plates 11a and 11b at the rear of the positioning second reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line) of the carry-in area 19, and transmits a retreat signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 43.

[0152] The control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43 receiving the second moving dimension and the retreat signal (ON signal) drives the carrying-in conveyor 43, and moves the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-rear direction by the second moving dimension through the carrying-in conveyor 43. When the carrying-in conveyor 43 moves the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-rear direction by the second moving dimension, the front-rear center O1 of one side edge of the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b (the center line L2 of the glass plates 11a and 11b) is located at the second positioning reference L2 (the virtual positioning second reference line) of the carrying-in area 19 (the second positioning unit (the second positioning step)).

[0153] After the glass plates 11a and 11b are moved to the rear by the second moving dimension in the front-rear direction, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43. The control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops driving the carrying-in conveyor 43. Next, the controller transmits an ascending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). The control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 that receives the ascending signal (ON signal) ascends the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). The ascending of the roller lifting mechanism 46 causes the rollers 45 to ascend, and a part of the peripheral edge of the rollers 45 is exposed above the carrying-in conveyor 43. In a state where the ascended rollers 45 abut against the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the rollers 45 lift the glass plates 11a and 11b above the carrying-in conveyor 43.

[0154] After the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder) has finished rising, the controller transmits the rotation number of the third servo motor 51 calculated based on the first moving dimension (first moving distance) in the width direction of the moving mechanism 47 for positioning the first side edge 14 of the glass plates 11a and 11b on the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51, and transmits a positive rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit that receives the rotation number of the third servo motor 51 and the positive rotation signal (ON signal) drives the third servo motor 51 and rotates the shaft of the third servo motor 51 in the clockwise direction at a predetermined rotation number.

[0155] The contact member 53 gradually moves from its movement start point to one side in the width direction together with the moving arm 52 by the feed screw rotating due to the clockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 51. The contact member 53 moving to one side in the width direction contacts the second side edge 15 (the other side edge) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the contact member 53 pushes the second side portion 15 of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction in such a manner that the glass plates 11a and 11b move from the other side in the width direction to one side. The glass plates 11a and 11b pushed by the contact member 53 move from the other side in the width direction to one direction in the width direction on the roller 45, and the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b located at the outermost side in the width direction is located at the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) in the carrying-in area 19 (first positioning unit (first positioning step)).

[0156] When the movement of the contact member 53 to one side in the width direction is completed and the outermost edge of the first side edges 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b located at the outermost side in the width direction is located at the first positioning reference L1 in the carrying-in area 19, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit of the third servo motor 51 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the driving of the third servo motor 51. After the driving of the third servo motor 51 stops, the controller transmits a reverse rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit of the third servo motor 51 that receives the reverse rotation signal (ON signal) drives the third servo motor 51 and rotates the shaft of the third servo motor 51 in the counterclockwise direction only at a predetermined number of rotations.

[0157] The abutting member 53 gradually moves to the other side of the width direction together with the movable arm 52 by the feed screw rotating due to the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 51, and the abutting member 53 returns to the starting point of movement. After the abutting member 53 returns to the starting point of movement, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51, and transmits a descending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). The control unit of the third servo motor 51 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the driving of the third servo motor 51, and the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 that receives the descending signal (ON signal) causes these roller lifting mechanisms 46 (cylinder) to descend. When these roller lifting mechanisms 46 descend, the lower surfaces 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning process) and the second positioning unit (second positioning process) abut against the conveyor 43.

[0158] The breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10) are characterized in that the glass plates 11a and 11b are moved from the rear to the front in the carrying-in area 19 by the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the front end edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the stopper 44. Since the carrying-in conveyor 43 moves the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-to-back direction, the front-to-back center O1 (the center of the glass plates 11a and 11b) of the first side edges 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b is After the center O1 in the front-rear direction of the side edge 14 of one side of the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b (the center line L2 of the glass plates 11a and 11b) is positioned at the second positioning reference L2 in the loading area 19 by the second positioning unit (the second positioning step), the glass plates 11a and 11b are raised together with the roller 45 by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). Since the second side edge 15 of the raised glass plates 11a and 11b is moved by the moving mechanism 4 7 is pressed and moved in the width direction so that the outermost edge of the first side edges 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b, which is located at the outermost side in the width direction, is positioned at the first positioning reference L1 in the loading area 19. Therefore, at the position of the front-to-back center O1 (the center line L2 of the glass plate 11a) of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a processed first, the front-to-back center O1 (the center line L2 of the glass plate 11b) of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11b of different areas of the upper and lower surfaces 12 and 13 processed later can be correctly positioned (aligned), and at the position of the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a processed first, the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11b of different areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 processed later can be correctly positioned (aligned).

[0159] Another example of the positioning procedure of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the carrying-in area 19 is as follows. The controller transmits a forward signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43 that receives the forward signal (ON signal) drives these carrying-in conveyors 43. The glass plates 11a and 11b carried into the carrying-in area 19 are placed on the carrying-in conveyor 43 in a state where the lower surface 13 thereof abuts against the carrying-in conveyor 43. The glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the carrying-in conveyor 43 are gradually moved from the rear (starting position) of the carrying-in area 19 to the front in the front-rear direction by the carrying-in conveyor 43. The glass plates 11a and 11b move from the rear to the front of the loading area 19. When the front end edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut the stopper 44, the contact sensor provided on the stopper 44 detects the abutment of the front end edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b against the stopper 44 and transmits a contact signal to the controller.

[0160] The controller that receives the contact signal transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the transport conveyor 43, and the control unit of the transport conveyor 43 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops driving the transport conveyors 43. Next, the controller transmits an ascending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). The control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 that receives the ascending signal (ON signal) causes the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder) to ascend. The rollers 45 are ascended by the ascending of the roller lifting mechanism 46, and a part of the peripheral edge of the rollers 45 is exposed above the transport conveyors 43. In a state where the ascended rollers 45 abut against the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the rollers 45 lift the glass plates 11a and 11b to the top of the transport conveyor 43.

[0161] After the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder) has finished rising, the controller transmits the rotation number of the third servo motor 51 calculated based on the first moving dimension (first moving distance) in the width direction of the moving mechanism 47 for positioning the first side edge 14 of the glass plates 11a and 11b at the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51, and at the same time, transmits the positive rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit of the third servo motor 51, which receives the rotation number and the positive rotation signal (ON signal), drives the third servo motor 51 so that the shaft of the third servo motor 51 rotates in the clockwise direction only at a specified rotation number.

[0162] The contact member 53 gradually moves from its movement start point to one side in the width direction (the side portion 48a of the carrying-in area 19) together with the moving arm 52 by the feed screw rotating due to the clockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 51. The contact member 53 moving to one side in the width direction contacts the second side edge 15 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the contact member 53 pushes the second side edge 15 of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction so that the glass plates 11a and 11b move from the other side in the width direction to one side. The glass plates 11a and 11b pushed by the contact member 53 move from the other side in the width direction to one direction in the width direction on the roller 45, and the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b located at the outermost side in the width direction is located at the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) in the carrying-in area 19 (first positioning unit (first positioning step)).

[0163] When the movement of the contact member 53 to one side in the width direction is completed and the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b is located at the first positioning reference L1 in the carrying-in area 19, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit of the third servo motor 51, which receives the stop signal (OFF signal), stops the driving of the third servo motor 51. After the driving of the third servo motor 51 stops, the controller transmits a reverse rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51. The control unit of the third servo motor 51, which receives the reverse rotation signal (ON signal), drives the third servo motor 51 and rotates the shaft of the third servo motor 51 in the counterclockwise direction only at a predetermined number of rotations.

[0164] The abutting member 53 gradually moves to the other side in the width direction (the side 48b of the carrying-in area 19) together with the movable arm 52 by the feed screw rotating due to the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 51, and the abutting member 53 returns to the moving starting point. After the abutting member 53 returns to the moving starting point, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 51, and transmits a descending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder). The control unit of the third servo motor 51 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the driving of the third servo motor 56, and the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 46 that receives the descending signal (ON signal) causes these roller lifting mechanisms 46 (cylinder) to descend. When these roller lifting mechanisms 46 descend, the lower surfaces 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the carrying-in conveyor 43.

[0165] After the lower surfaces 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the loading conveyor 43, the controller transmits the second moving dimension of the loading conveyor 43 in the forward and backward direction to the rear of the second positioning reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line) of the loading area 19, which is used to position the front-to-back center O1 of the first side edge 14 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, to the control unit of the loading conveyor 43, and at the same time, transmits the conveying signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the loading conveyor 43.

[0166] The control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43 receiving the second moving dimension and the conveying signal (ON signal) drives the carrying-in conveyor 43, and moves the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-rear direction by the second moving dimension through the carrying-in conveyor 43. When the carrying-in conveyor 43 moves the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-rear direction by the second moving dimension, the front-rear center O1 of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b (the center line L2 that divides the front-rear dimension of the glass plates 11a and 11b in two and extends in the width direction) is located at the second positioning reference L2 in the carrying-in area 19 (the second positioning unit (the second positioning step)). After moving the glass plates 11a and 11b to the rear in the front-rear direction by the second moving dimension, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the control unit of the carrying-in conveyor 43 receiving the stop signal (OFF signal) stops driving the carrying-in conveyor 43. The glass plates 11 a and 11 b are positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning step) and the second positioning unit (second positioning step).

[0167] The breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10) are characterized in that the glass plates 11a and 11b are moved from the rear to the front of the carrying-in area 19 by the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the front edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the stopper 44. Then, the glass plates 11a and 11b are raised together with the rollers 45 by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder), and the second side edges 15 of the raised glass plates 11a and 11b are pushed and moved in the width direction by the moving mechanism 47, and the first side edges 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b are positioned at the middle. The outermost edge of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b is positioned at the first positioning reference L1 in the carrying-in area 19. After the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b located at the outermost edge in the width direction is positioned at the first positioning reference L1 by the first positioning unit (first positioning step), the glass plates 11a and 11b are lowered together with the roller 45 by the roller lifting mechanism 46 (cylinder), and the glass plates 11a and 11b are moved from the rear to the front in the carrying-in area 19 by the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the front end edges 16 of the glass plates 11a and 11b abut against the limit After the glass plates 11a and 11b are positioned by the positioner 44, the glass plates 11a and 11b are moved to the rear in the front-rear direction by the carrying-in conveyor 43, and the front-rear center O1 of the first side edge 14 in the width direction of the glass plates 11a and 11b (the center line L2 of the glass plates 11a and 11b) is positioned at the second positioning reference L2 of the carrying-in area 19. Therefore, at the position of the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a to be processed first, the glass plates 11b having different areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 to be processed later are positioned at the outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a to be processed first. The outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-rear direction on one side in the width direction can be correctly positioned (aligned), and at the position of the front-to-rear center O1 (center line L2 of the glass plate 11a) of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-rear direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a processed first, the front-to-rear center O1 (center line L2 of the glass plate 11b) of the side edge 14 extending in the front-to-rear direction on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11b having upper and lower surfaces 12 and 13 of different sizes that are processed subsequently can be correctly aligned (positioned).

[0168] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking method (glass plate processing system 10), when a large-sized glass plate 11a having a larger area of ​​upper and lower surfaces 12 and 13 and a small-sized glass plate 11b having a smaller area of ​​upper and lower surfaces 12 and 13 than the large-sized glass plate 11a are positioned by a first positioning unit (first positioning step) and a second positioning unit (second positioning step), as shown in FIG. Figure 3As shown, the first side edge 14 (side edge on one side) of the large-sized glass plate 11a extending in the front-rear direction and the first side edge 14 (side edge on one side) of the small-sized glass plate 11b extending in the front-rear direction are located at the first positioning reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line) of the carrying-in area 19, and the front-rear center O1 of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction of the large-sized glass plate 11a and the front-rear center O1 of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction of the small-sized glass plate 11b are located at the second positioning reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line) of the carrying-in area 19.

[0169] For the large-sized glass plate 11a and the small-sized glass plate 11b positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning process) and the second positioning unit (second positioning process), the outermost edges of the first side edges 14 of these glass plates 11a and 11b located on the outermost sides in the width direction (the first side edges 14 in the illustrated glass plates 11a and 11b) are aligned with the first positioning datum L1 (virtual positioning first datum line), and the front-to-back centers O1 (the center line L2 that divides the front-to-back dimensions of the glass plates 11a and 11b into two and extends in the width direction) of the first side edges 14 of these glass plates 11a and 11b are aligned with the second positioning datum L2 (virtual positioning second datum line).

[0170] After the glass plates 11a and 11b are positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning process) and the second positioning unit (second positioning process), the controller transmits a descending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the lifting mechanism (cylinder) of the first glass plate support 40a. The control unit of the lifting mechanism (cylinder) that receives the descending signal (ON signal) lowers the suction pad 42 toward the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b through the lifting mechanism. After the suction pad 42 of the first glass plate support 40a abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the controller transmits a suction signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the first glass plate support 40a. The control unit of the vacuum mechanism that receives the suction signal (ON signal) starts the vacuum mechanism.

[0171] By starting the vacuum mechanism, the glass plates 11a and 11b located in the carrying-in area 19 are sucked by the adsorption pad 42. After starting the vacuum mechanism, the controller transmits an ascending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder) of the first glass plate support 40a. The control unit of the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder) that receives the ascending signal (ON signal) raises the adsorption pad 42 through the pad lifting mechanism. In the carrying-in area 19, the glass plates 11a and 11b positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning process) and the second positioning unit (second positioning process) rise together with the adsorption pad 42 in a state of being adsorbed and held on the adsorption pad 42.

[0172] After the suction pad 42 (glass plates 11a, 11b) rises, the controller transmits a forward signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the second servo motor 39. The control unit of the second servo motor 39 that receives the forward signal (ON signal) drives the second servo motor 39. Due to the rotation of the shaft of the second servo motor 39, the slider moves from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 35 in the front-to-back direction, so that the first glass plate holder 40a (glass plates 11a, 11b held by the suction pad 42) moves from the carrying-in area 19 to the cutting processing area 20 (glass plate moving unit (glass plate moving process)). In addition, due to the movement of the slider, the second to fourth glass plate holders 40b to 40d move forward in the front-to-back direction together with the first glass plate holder 40a.

[0173] After the first glass plate support 40a moves to the cutting process area 20, the controller transmits a descending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder) of the first glass plate support 40a. The control unit of the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder) that receives the descending signal (ON signal) lowers the adsorption pad 42 (glass plates 11a, 11b) to the cutting process table 54 of the cutting process area 20 through the pad lifting mechanism. After the glass plates 11a, 11b adsorbed by the adsorption pad 42 of the first glass plate support 40a abut against the cutting process table 54, the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the first glass plate support 40a. The control unit of the vacuum mechanism that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the start of the vacuum mechanism. Since the vacuum mechanism is stopped, the adsorption of the glass plates 11a, 11b by the adsorption pad 42 is released, and the positioned glass plates 11a, 11b are placed on the cutting process table 54. When the glass plates 11 a and 11 b are placed on the cutting process table 54 , the lower surfaces 13 of the glass plates 11 a and 11 b are held by suction on a suction pad (not shown) provided on the cutting process table 54 .

[0174] Next, the controller transmits an ascending signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder) of the first glass plate holder 40a, and the ascending signal causes the first glass plate holder 40a (pad lifting mechanism) to ascend above the cutting processing table 54. After the first glass plate holder 40a ascends, the controller transmits a retreating signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the second servo motor 39, and the rotation of the shaft of the second servo motor 393 causes the first glass plate holder 40a to move from the cutting processing area 20 to the carrying-in area 19, and the first glass plate holder 40a waits above the carrying-in area 19. In addition, together with the first glass plate holder 40a, the second to fourth glass plate holders 40b to 40d also move to the rear in the front-back direction, and the second glass plate holder 40b waits above the cutting processing area 20, the third glass plate holder 40c waits above the breaking processing area 21, and the fourth glass plate holder 40d waits above the grinding processing area 22.

[0175] The procedure for transporting the glass plates 11a and 11b after the cutting process from the cutting process area 20 to the breaking process area 21 (glass plate moving unit (glass plate moving process)) performed by the second glass plate bracket 40b, the procedure for transporting the glass plates 11a and 11b after the breaking process from the breaking process area 21 to the grinding process area 22 (glass plate moving unit (glass plate moving process)) performed by the third glass plate bracket 40c, and the procedure for transporting the glass plates 11a and 11b after the grinding process from the grinding process area 22 to the unloading area 23 (glass plate moving unit (glass plate moving process)) performed by the fourth glass plate bracket 40d are the same as the procedure for transporting the glass plates 11a and 11b from the loading area 19 to the cutting process area 20 performed by the first glass plate bracket 40a, so the description of the transporting procedures performed by the second to fourth glass plate brackets 40b to 40d is omitted.

[0176] After the glass plates 11a and 11b are placed on the cutting processing table 54, the controller transmits a retract signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 34. The control unit of the first servo motor 34, which receives the retract signal (ON signal), drives the first servo motor 34. The rotation of the shaft of the first servo motor 34 causes the first slider to move from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 30 in the front-to-back direction, so that the cutting device 55 moves in the front-to-back direction in the cutting processing area 20 together with the first operating frame 32, and the cutting device 55 is located outside the first corner 18a (front side edge 16) of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction (cutting processing start position).

[0177] In addition, during the cutting process, although not shown in the figure, the second glass plate holder 40b that moves from the breaking process area 21 to (returns to) the cutting process area 20 is lowered to the cutting process table 54 of the cutting process area 20 by the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder), and the suction pad 42 of the second glass plate holder 40b abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the cutting process table 54, and the vacuum mechanism is started. While the suction pad 42 adsorbs the glass plates 11a and 11b, the suction pad 42 of the second glass plate holder 40b pushes the glass plates 11a and 11b downward. During the cutting process, the glass plates 11a and 11b are supported by the suction pad 42 of the second glass plate holder 40b in a pushed state.

[0178] After the cutting device 55 is located outside the first corner 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction (cutting process start position), the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 34 and a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61. The control unit of the first servo motor 34 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the first servo motor 34, and the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 that receives the drive signal (ON signal) drives the fourth servo motor 61. The slider 63a moves the feed screw 60a from the other side edge 48b of the cutting process area 20 toward the one side edge 48a in the width direction by the rotation of the shaft of the fourth servo motor 61, so that the cutting process table 54 moves from the other side edge 48b of the cutting process area 20 to the one side edge 48a in the width direction, and the cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 is located at the first corner 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0179] After the cutting wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 is located at the first corner 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the controller transmits the drive signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal to the cylinder 65 of the cutting device 55 and the control unit of the fifth servo motor 66, and transmits the retract signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal to the control unit of the first servo motor 34, while transmitting the NC control signal to the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61. The control unit of the cylinder 65, the control unit of the fifth servo motor 66, the control unit of the first servo motor 34, and the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 of the cutting device 55 which receive the driving signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal, drive the cylinder 65, the fifth servo motor 66, the first servo motor 34, and the fourth servo motor 61, and perform contour control movement based on NC control on the first side edge 14 (first side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the cutting wheel 67 performs cutting processing on the first side edge 14 (first side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b (cutting processing unit (cutting processing step)).

[0180] During the cutting process, the control unit of the first servo motor 34 receiving the retreat signal (ON signal) drives the first servo motor 34 to move the cutting device 55 to the rear in the front-rear direction in the cutting process area 20, and the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 drives the fourth servo motor 61 to move the cutting device 55 back and forth in the width direction in the cutting process area 20. The cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 forms the outer shape cutting line K1 near the first side edge 14 (first side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the first corner 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b to the second corner 18b.

[0181] With the help of the cutting wheel 67 of the cutting device 55, the cutting process near the first side edge 14 (first side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b is completed. After the cutting wheel 67 is located at the second corner 18b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the cutting processing table 54 moves in the width direction from one side of the side edge portion 48a of the cutting processing area 20 toward the other side of the side edge portion 48b. As the cutting processing table 54 moves in the width direction, the cutting wheel 67 performs cutting processing on the rear end edge 17 (rear end edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b (cutting processing unit (cutting processing step)).

[0182] During the cutting process, the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 drives the fourth servo motor 61 to move the cutting process table 54 in the width direction in the cutting process area 20, and the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the cutting device 55 back and forth in the front and rear directions in the cutting process area 20. The cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 forms the outer shape cutting line K1 near the rear end edge 17 (rear end edge) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the second corner 18b to the third corner 18c of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0183] With the help of the cutting wheel 67 of the cutting device 55, the cutting process near the rear end edge 17 (rear end edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b is completed. After the cutting wheel 67 is located at the third corner portion 18c of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the cutting device 55 moves forward in the front-to-rear direction. As the cutting device 55 moves forward in the front-to-rear direction, the cutting wheel 67 performs cutting processing on the second side edge 15 (second side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b (cutting processing unit (cutting processing step)).

[0184] During the cutting process, the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the cutting device 55 forward in the front-rear direction in the cutting process area 20, and the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 drives the fourth servo motor 61 to move the cutting process table 54 back and forth in the width direction in the cutting process area 20. The cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 forms the outer shape cutting line K1 near the second side edge 15 (second side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the third corner portion 18c to the fourth corner portion 18d of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0185] After the cutting process is completed on the second side edge (second side edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b by means of the cutting wheel 67 of the cutting device 55, and the cutting wheel 67 is located at the fourth corner 18d of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the cutting processing table 54 moves in the width direction from the side edge 48b of the other side of the cutting processing area 20 toward the side edge 48a of one side. As the cutting processing table 54 moves in the width direction, the cutting wheel 67 performs cutting processing on the front end edge 16 (front end edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b (cutting processing unit (cutting processing step)).

[0186] During the cutting process, the control unit of the fourth servo motor 61 drives the fourth servo motor 61 to move the cutting process table 54 in the width direction in the cutting process area 20, and the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the cutting device 55 back and forth in the front and rear directions in the cutting process area 20. The cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 forms the outer shape cutting line K1 near the front edge 16 (front edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the fourth corner 18d of the glass plates 11a and 11b toward the first corner 18a. When the cutting process of the front edge 16 (front edge portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the cutting cutter wheel 67 of the cutting device 55 is completed, the cutting device 55 moves to the outer side of the first corner 18a (front edge 16) of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction (cutting process start position) and waits.

[0187] In the processing area 20, for example, by the first positioning unit (first positioning process), the outermost edge (the first side edge 14 in the illustrated glass plate 11a) in the width direction of the first side edge 14 extending in the forward and backward directions of the glass plate 11a with a large size (large area) having a large upper surface 12 and a lower surface 13 to be processed first is located at the position (positioning first reference L1 (virtual positioning first reference line)) of the outermost edge in the width direction, so that the glass plate 11b with a small size (small area) having a small upper surface 12 and a lower surface 13 to be processed later is positioned at the outermost edge in the width direction. The outermost edge of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-back direction on one side (the first side edge 14 in the glass plate 11b shown in the figure) located in the outermost side in the width direction is positioned (aligned), and the glass plates 11a and 11b with different areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 are positioned. At the same time, the second positioning unit (second positioning process) is used to position the front-back center O1 of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-back direction on one side of the width direction of the large-sized glass plate 11a processed previously (the center line L2 extending in the width direction and dividing the front-back dimension of the glass plate 11a into two) ), the front-rear center O1 (the center line L2 that divides the front-rear dimension of the glass plate 11b into two and extends in the width direction) of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the glass plate 11b of the small size to be processed later is positioned (aligned), and after positioning the glass plates 11a and 11b of different areas on the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13, when the cutting process of the glass plates 11b of different areas to be processed later is performed, the cutting device 55 reaches the side edge 11 of the large size glass plate 11a. 4 (the moving distance of the cutting processing table 54 in the width direction) is equal to the moving distance of the cutting device 55 until it reaches the side edge 14 of the small-sized glass plate 11b (the moving distance of the cutting processing table 54 in the width direction), and at the same time, the moving distance of the cutting device 55 from the outermost edge (first side edge 14) of the large-sized glass plate 11a to return to the outer side of the glass plate 11a in the width direction is equal to the moving distance of the cutting device 55 from the outermost edge (first side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to return to the outer side of the glass plate 11b in the width direction. While the moving distance of the cutting device 55 to reach the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b becomes shorter, the moving distance of the cutting device 55 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to returning to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate becomes shorter. While the arrival time (non-processing time) of the cutting device 55 to reach the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b is shortened, the return time of the cutting device 55 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to returning to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate is shortened.

[0188] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), the first positioning unit (first positioning step) is used to position the outermost edge (the first side edge 14 in the glass plate 11a shown in the figure) located at the outermost side in the width direction of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the large-sized (large-area) glass plate 11a with a larger upper surface 12 and lower surface 13 to be processed first, and the outermost edge (the first side edge 14 in the glass plate 11a shown in the figure) located at the outermost side in the width direction of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the small-sized (small-area) glass plate 11b with a smaller upper surface 12 and lower surface 13 to be processed later, and The first side edge 14 in the figure is the first side edge 14 of the glass plate 11b, and the outermost edge (the first side edge 14 in the figure glass plate 11b) located at the outermost side in the width direction of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the glass plate 11b with smaller areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 to be processed later is aligned, and the glass plates 11a and 11b with different areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13 are positioned. At the same time, the front-rear center O1 of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the large-sized glass plate 11a processed previously (dividing the front-rear dimension of the glass plate 11a into two and moving in the same direction) is aligned by the second positioning unit (the second positioning step). The position of the center line L2 extending in the width direction) (positioning second reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line)) is consistent with the front-to-back center O1 of the first side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction on one side of the width direction of the small-sized glass plate 11b to be subsequently processed (the center line L2 that divides the front-to-back dimension of the glass plate 11b into two and extends in the width direction), and after positioning the glass plates 11a and 11b with different area sizes of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13, due to the subsequent cutting processing of the small-sized glass plate 11b (glass plates 11b of different areas), the cutting device 60 reaches the outermost side of the large-sized (large-area) glass plate 11a with larger upper surface 12 and lower surface 13. The moving distance from the cutting device 60 to the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the large-sized glass plate 11a (the moving distance of the cutting processing table 59 in the width direction) is equal to the moving distance from the cutting device 60 to the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized (small-area) glass plate 11b whose upper surface 12 and lower surface 13 are smaller in area (the moving distance of the cutting processing table 59 in the width direction). At the same time, the moving distance from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the large-sized glass plate 11a to the outer side of the glass plate 11a in the width direction is equal to the moving distance from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to the outer side of the glass plate 11b in the width direction. Compared with the glass plate processing system of the prior art,The moving distance of the cutting device 60 until it reaches the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b can be shortened, and the moving distance of the cutting device 60 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate can also be shortened. The arrival time (non-processing time) of the cutting device 60 until it reaches the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b is shortened, and the return time of the cutting device 60 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate can also be shortened.

[0189] Fig. 27 This is a diagram showing an example of the end tangent line forming procedure in the breaking process. Fig.28 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of a change in the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93. Fig.29 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of changing the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93. Fig.30 This is a diagram showing another example of the change in the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93. Fig.31 This is a diagram showing an example of a breaking procedure in a breaking process.

[0190] After the cutting process (outline cut line K1) is completed for the edge 56b (peripheral portion) of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the glass plates 11a and 11b after the cutting process are transported from the cutting process area 20 to the breaking process area 21 by the second glass plate support 40b. In the breaking process area 21, the edge 56b extending to the outside of the outline cut line K1 of the glass plates 11a and 11b after the cutting process is cut by the end cut line K2, and the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b surrounded by the outline cut line K1 and the end cut line K2 is broken.

[0191] In addition, during the breaking process, although not shown in the figure, the third glass plate holder 40c that moves from the grinding process area 22 to (returns to) the breaking process area 21 is lowered to the breaking process table 74 of the breaking process area 21 by the pad lifting mechanism (cylinder), and the suction pad 42 of the third glass plate holder 40c abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b placed on the breaking process table 74, and the vacuum mechanism is started. While the suction pad 42 adsorbs the glass plates 11a and 11b, the suction pad 42 of the third glass plate holder 40c pushes the glass plates 11a and 11b downward. During the breaking process, the glass plates 11a and 11b are supported by the suction pad 42 of the third glass plate holder 40c under pressure.

[0192] After the cut-in glass plates 11a and 11b are placed on the breaking table 74, the controller transmits a drive signal (ON signal) to the control units of the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism), the first pressing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), the second pressing member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism), the sixth servo motor 85 (X-axis servo motor), the seventh servo motor 87 (Y-axis servo motor), the eighth servo motor 90 (X-axis servo motor), and the ninth servo motor 91 (Y-axis servo motor) of the first breaking device 75a and the second breaking device 75b. The control unit of the support lifting mechanism 94, the control units of the first and second pressing member lifting mechanisms 96a and 96b, and the control units of the sixth to ninth servo motors 85, 87, 90, and 91 that receive the drive signal (ON signal) drive the support lifting mechanism 94, the first and second pressing member lifting mechanisms 96a and 96b, and the sixth to ninth servo motors 85, 87, 90, and 91. In addition, the controller transmits instructions (signals) to the bracket lifting mechanism 94 and the first and second pushing part lifting mechanisms 96a, 96b, and the sixth to ninth servo motors 85, 87, 90, 91 in such a manner that the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b run (move) along a predetermined running trajectory (breaking trajectory) on the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a, 11b.

[0193] The first breaking device 75a is driven by the bracket lifting mechanism 94, the first and second pushing part lifting mechanisms 96a, 96b, and the sixth to ninth servo motors 85, 87, 90, 91. Its first breaking clamp 84a (breaking clamp) is moved in the front and rear directions and the width direction (oblique direction) by the X-axis first actuator 86a and the Y-axis first actuator 88a. The first breaking clamp 84a is located at the first (primary) end tangent forming area on the outside of the first corner 18a in the width direction of the glass plates 11a, 11b at the breaking starting position.

[0194] For the second breaking device 75b driven by the bracket lifting mechanism 94, the first and second pushing part lifting mechanisms 96a, 96b, and the sixth to ninth servo motors 85, 87, 90, 91, its second breaking clamp 84b (breaking clamp) is moved in the front and rear directions and the width direction (oblique direction) by the X-axis second actuator 86b and the Y-axis second actuator 88b, and the second breaking clamp 84b is located at the first (primary) end tangent forming area on the width direction outside the fourth corner 18d of the glass plates 11a, 11b at the breaking starting position.

[0195] After the first breaking jig 84a of the first breaking device 75a is positioned at the breaking start position (outer side in the width direction) of the first corner portion 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, Fig. 27As shown by the arrows, the X-axis first actuator 86a and the Y-axis first actuator 88a move in the front-rear direction and the width direction (diagonal direction) to the rotation direction change position near (close to) the outer shape cutting line K1 in the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending outside the outer shape cutting line K1. After the first breaking jig 84a moves to the rotation direction change position near the outer shape cutting line K1, the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) operates and the breaking cutter support 92 is lowered toward the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b (support device lowering unit (support device lowering process)).

[0196] After the second breaking jig 84b of the second breaking device 75b is located at the breaking start position (outer side in the width direction) of the fourth corner portion 18d of the glass plates 11a and 11b, Fig. 27 As shown by the arrows, the second X-axis actuator 86b and the second Y-axis actuator 88b move in the front-rear direction and the width direction (diagonal direction) to the rotation direction change area near (close to) the outer shape cutting line K1 in the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1. After the second breaking jig 84b moves to the rotation direction change area near the outer shape cutting line K1, the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) operates and the breaking cutter support 92 descends toward the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b (support device descending unit (support device descending process)). In addition, the rotation direction change area may not be near the outer shape cutting line K1, but may be near the periphery of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0197] When the breaking cutter support 92 is lowered, the breaking cutter wheel 93 is exposed downward from the through hole 106 formed in the center of the second pressing member 95b. When the breaking cutter wheel 93 is exposed below the through portion 104, the breaking cutter wheel 93 abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the rotation direction change area with a predetermined pressing force. At this time, the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93 has not been determined, and the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 faces any one of the four directions. The rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is not consistent with the extension direction of the virtual end tangent of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0198] The controller transmits an operation signal to the control unit of the sixth and seventh servomotors 85 and 87 in order to make the breaking cutter wheel 93 run (move) in a specified direction. The control unit of the sixth and seventh servomotors 85 and 87, which receives the operation signal, drives the sixth and seventh servomotors 85 and 87. By driving the sixth and seventh servomotors 85 and 87, the first actuator 86a of the X axis and the first actuator 88a of the Y axis operate, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 slightly runs (moves) in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel 93 exerts a caster effect, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 rotates in the direction around (around the axis) the center axis O2 of the cutter holder (clockwise or counterclockwise), and the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is the running (movement) direction (extension direction of the virtual end tangent) toward the first breaking fixture 84a (breaking cutter holder 92) (rotation direction changing unit (rotation direction changing process)).

[0199] The controller transmits an operation signal to the control units of the eighth and ninth servomotors 90 and 91 in order to make the breaking cutter wheel 93 run (move) in a specified direction. The control units of the eighth and ninth servomotors 90 and 91 that receive the operation signal drive the eighth and ninth servomotors 90 and 91. The driving of the eighth and ninth servomotors 90 and 91 causes the second X-axis actuator 86b and the second Y-axis actuator 88b to operate, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 slightly runs (moves) in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel 93 exerts a caster effect, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 rotates in the direction around (around the axis) the center axis O2 of the cutter holder (clockwise or counterclockwise), and the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is the running (movement) direction (extension direction of the virtual end tangent) toward the second breaking fixture 84b (breaking cutter holder 92) (rotation direction changing unit (rotation direction changing process)). The travel dimension (movement dimension) of the breaking and cutting wheel 93 (the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b) in a predetermined direction is 0.8 to 4 mm.

[0200] An example of changing the rotation direction of the cutting wheel 93 is as follows: Fig.28 As shown, from the rotation direction change starting point 99a of the side of the virtual end tangent to the rotation direction change end point 99b, the first breaking clamp 84a (breaking clamp) and the second breaking clamp 84b (breaking clamp) operate (move) in a circular shape (semicircular shape), and the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 rotates 180° and draws a circular trajectory (semicircular trajectory). When the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is located at the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the rotation direction change end point 99b), the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is toward the operation (movement) direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent).

[0201] Another example of changing the rotation direction of the cutting wheel 93 is as follows: Fig.29 , 30 As shown, from the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the starting point 99a for changing the rotation direction) toward the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the end point 99b for changing the rotation direction), the first breaking clamp 84a (breaking clamp) and the second breaking clamp 84b (breaking clamp) operate (move) in a circular shape (perfect circle), and the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 rotates 360° and draws a circular trajectory (perfect circle). When the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is located at the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the end point 99b for changing the rotation direction), the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is toward the operating (movement) direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent). Fig.29 In the figure, the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the starting point 99a of the rotation direction change and the end point 99b of the rotation direction change) is located at the tangent point of the circular trajectory (perfect circle) drawn by the first breaking clamp 84a and the second breaking clamp 84b, and the end tangent K2 extends in the connection direction of the circular trajectory (perfect circle). Fig.30 In the figure, the starting point of the virtual end tangent (the starting point 99a of the rotation direction change and the end point 99b of the rotation direction change) is located on the circular trajectory (perfect circle) drawn by the first breaking clamp 84a and the second breaking clamp 84b, and the end tangent K2 extends radially in the circular trajectory (perfect circle).

[0202] In the glass plate processing system 10 (breaking processing method), since the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b are parallel to the upper surfaces 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the rotation direction change area, the upper surfaces 12 of the glass plates 11a and 11b are slightly moved (circular trajectories) in the specified direction, and thus the breaking cutter wheel 93 exerts a caster effect, and the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is changed to the running (movement) direction of the first breaking clamp 84a (breaking cutter bracket 92) (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent), and at the same time, the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is changed to the running (movement) direction of the second breaking clamp 84b (breaking cutter bracket 92) (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent).

[0203] After the rotation direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is changed to the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent) by the rotation direction changing unit (rotation direction changing process) (after the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is the same as the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b), the first breaking clamp 84a runs in a straight line from the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line K1 of the glass plates 11a and 11b toward the edge ends of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 forms an end tangent K2 (scoring line) on the first (initial) end tangent forming area of ​​the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the running direction of the first breaking clamp 84a (end tangent forming unit (end tangent forming process)). In the end tangent line forming unit (end tangent line forming process), the first supporting device 76a moves synchronously with the first breaking device 75a, and at the same time, the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting parts 108a and 108b support the lower surface 13 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the breaking cutting wheel 93 of the first breaking fixture 84a forms an end tangent line K2 on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0204] Furthermore, the second breaking fixture 84b runs in a straight line from the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line K1 of the glass plates 11a and 11b toward the edge ends of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the breaking cutting wheel 93 forms an end tangent line K2 (scoring line) in the first (initial) end tangent line forming area (prescribed area) of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the running direction of the second breaking fixture 84b (end tangent line forming unit (end tangent line forming process)). In the end tangent line forming unit (end tangent line forming process), the second supporting device 76b moves synchronously with the second breaking device 75b, and at the same time, the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting parts 108a and 108b support the lower surface 13 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the breaking cutting wheel 93 of the second breaking fixture 84b forms an end tangent line K2 on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0205] In addition, the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b and the first and second supporting devices 76a, 76b operate (move) at the same speed. In the end tangent line forming unit (end tangent line forming process), the first and second breaking jigs 84a, 84b may be operated in a straight line from the edge of the glass plate 11a, 11b toward the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line K1 of the glass plate 11a, 11b, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 may form the end tangent line K2 (scoring line) at the edge 56b of the glass plate 11a, 11b. In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), since the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting parts 108a and 108b support the lower surface 13 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, elastic deformation of the edge 56b can be prevented, and the end tangent K2 can be accurately formed on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b while the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b is maintained horizontally.

[0206] After the first (initial) end tangent line K2 is formed at the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) is operated and the breaking cutter support 92 is raised from the edge end of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b (support device lifting unit (support device lifting process)). After the breaking cutter support 92 is raised by the support device lifting unit (support device lifting process), the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b (first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b) are moved to the first (initial) pressing area by the operation of the first and second X-axis actuators 86a and 86b and the first and second Y-axis actuators 88a and 88b (breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process)).

[0207] After the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b are moved to the first (initial) pressing area by the breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process), Fig.31 As shown, with the aid of the first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), the first pushing component 95a of the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b descends in the upward and downward directions, and the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing component 95a and the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting components 108a and 108b clamp the main body 56a and edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b (glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process)).

[0208] In the glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process), when the first pushing component 95a of the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b are lowered with the help of the first pushing component lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), the first pushing surface 105a formed in a semicircular ring shape of the first pushing component 95a abuts against the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b that cross the outer shape cutting line K1 and extend to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the upper surface 12 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line K1.

[0209] In the glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process), when the first and second support members 108a and 108b are raised by means of the second support member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism), the second support surface 117b formed in an annular shape of the second support member 108b supports the lower surface 13 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b that cross the outer shape cut-out line K1 and extend to the outer side of the outer shape cut-out line K1 and the lower surface 13 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line K1, and the first support surface 117a formed in a perfect circle of the first support member 108a supports the lower surface 13 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line K1, and the lower surface 13 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b that extend to the outer side of the outer shape cut-out line K1 is supported near the outer peripheral edge of the first support surface 117a.

[0210] After the first pressing surface 105a of the first pressing member 95a and the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting members 108a and 108b clamp the main body 56a and edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process), the second supporting member 108b is lowered in the first (initial) pressing area in the vertical direction by the second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) (second supporting member lowering unit (second supporting member lowering process)). When the first supporting member 108a is lowered, a gap is formed between the lower surface 13 of the glass plates 11a and 11b and the second supporting surface 117b (a step is formed between the first supporting surface 117a and the second supporting surface 117b). In addition, the first pressing surface 105a of the first pressing member 95a and the first supporting surface 117a of the first supporting member 108a maintain the clamping of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0211] After the second supporting member 108b is lowered by the second supporting member lowering unit (second supporting member lowering process), the clamping of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is maintained by the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing member 95a and the first supporting surface 117a of the first supporting member 108a. At the same time, with the help of the second pushing member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism), the second pushing member 95b is lowered in the vertical direction, and the second pushing surface 105b formed in an annular shape of the second pushing member 95b abuts against the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the second pushing surface 105b of the second pushing member 95b pushes the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1 downward. Since the second pressing surface 105b pushes the edge 56b downward, the edge 56b is broken (edge ​​breaking means (edge ​​breaking step)). In the edge breaking means (edge ​​breaking step), the main body 56a and the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b are cut off. The broken (cut off) edges 56b (peripheral portions) of the glass plates 11a and 11b remain on the belt conveyor 76.

[0212] After the edge 56b is broken in the first (initial) pushing area by the edge breaking unit (edge ​​breaking process), the second supporting member 108b is lifted up and down by the second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism), the first pushing member 95a is lifted up and down by the first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), and the second pushing member 95b is lifted up and down by the second pushing member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism).

[0213] After the first and second pressing members 95a, 95b and the second supporting member 108b are raised, the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b are moved to the second (next) end tangent line forming area of ​​the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b (breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process)). The first breaking jig 84a is located at the breaking start position of the second (next) end tangent line forming area outside the width direction of the glass plates 11a, 11b, and the second breaking jig 84b is located at the breaking start position of the second (next) end tangent line forming area outside the width direction of the glass plates 11a, 11b. In addition, the first and second supporting devices 76a, 76b are moved synchronously (synchro) with the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b to the rotation direction change area of ​​the second (next) end tangent line forming area.

[0214] After the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b move to the rotation direction changing area of ​​the second (next) end tangent line forming area, the bracket lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) operates and the breaking cutter bracket 92 descends toward the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plate 11a, 11b (support device descending unit (support device descending process)), and the breaking cutter wheel 93 abuts against the upper surface 12 of the glass plate 11a, 11b with a specified pushing force.

[0215] After the breaking cutter bracket 92 is lowered (contacted) to the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plate 11a, 11b in the second (next) rotation direction change area through the supporting device lowering unit (supporting device lowering process), as described above, the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking clamps) operate (move) in a circular shape, the breaking cutter wheel 93 exerts a caster effect, and the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is toward the operation (movement) direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking cutter bracket 92) (extension direction of the virtual end tangent) (rotation direction changing unit (rotation direction changing process)), the rotation (movement) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is changed to the operation direction (extension direction of the virtual end tangent) of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking cutter bracket 92).

[0216] After the rotation direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is changed to the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent) (after the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is the same as the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b), the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b run in a straight line from the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line K1 of the glass plates 11a and 11b toward the edge ends of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the breaking cutter wheel 93 forms an end tangent K2 (end tangent forming unit (end tangent forming process)) on the second (next) end tangent forming area (specified area) of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a and 84b.

[0217] After the end cut line K2 is formed on the second (next) end cut line forming area of ​​the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the breaking cutter support 92 is raised from the edge of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) (support device lowering unit (support device lowering process)). After the breaking cutter support 92 is raised, the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b (first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b) are moved to the second (next) pressing area (breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process)).

[0218] After the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b move to the second (next) pushing area, the first pushing parts 95a of the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b are lowered in the vertical direction with the help of the first pushing part lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), and in the second (next) pushing area, the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing part 95a and the first and second supporting surfaces 117a, 117b of the first and second supporting parts 108a, 108b clamp the main body 56a and edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b (glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process)).

[0219] After the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing member 95a and the first and second supporting surfaces 117a, 117b of the first and second supporting members 108a, 108b clamp the main body 56a and edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b, the second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) lowers the second supporting member 108b in the second (next) pushing area in the upward and downward directions (second supporting member lowering unit (second supporting member lowering process)).

[0220] After the second supporting member 108b is lowered, the first pressing surface 105a of the first pressing member 95a and the first supporting surface 117a of the first supporting member 108a maintain the clamping of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and the second pressing member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism) lowers the second pressing member 95b in the vertical direction, and the second pressing surface 105b of the second pressing member 95b in the second (next) pressing area pushes downward the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1. Since the second pressing surface 105b pushes the edge 56b downward, the edge 56b is broken (edge ​​breaking means (edge ​​breaking process)). The broken (cut) edge 56b (peripheral edge) of the glass plates 11a and 11b remains on the belt conveyor 76.

[0221] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), after the breaking cutter wheel and the first and second pushing members are raised by means of the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) and the first and second pushing member lifting mechanisms 96a and 96b (second and third lifting mechanisms), the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b are moved in the front and rear direction (horizontal direction) and the width direction (horizontal direction) on the upper surface side of the glass plates 11a and 11b (breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process)), and after the second supporting member 108b is raised by the second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism), the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b are connected to the first and second breaking devices 75a and 75b on the lower surface 13 side of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b move synchronously (synchro) in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) and the width direction (horizontal direction) (support device moving unit (support device moving process)), and after the first and second supporting devices 76a, 76b are synchronously moved with the first and second breaking devices 75a, 75b by means of the breaking device moving unit (breaking device moving process) and the supporting device moving unit (support device moving process), the first breaking device 75a and the first supporting device 76a cooperate, while the second breaking device 75b and the second supporting device 76b cooperate to implement the end tangent line forming unit (end tangent line forming process) and the glass plate clamping unit (glass plate clamping process) and the edge breaking unit (edge ​​breaking process).

[0222] By repeating the above-mentioned procedure, all the edge portions 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b having the end tangent lines K2 are broken. Fig. 27 In the glass plates 11a and 11b shown, although the first to third end tangent lines K2 are formed by the first breaking fixture 84a and the first to third end tangent lines K2 are formed by the second breaking fixture 84b, the number of end tangent lines K2 is not particularly limited and is determined by the size (area) and thickness of the glass plates 11a and 11b and the shape of the main body of the glass plates 11a and 11b made by the outer cutting line K1.

[0223] After the breaking process is completed and the broken glass plates 11a and 11b are lifted upward by the third glass plate bracket 40c, the controller transmits a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the conveyor drive motor 78. The control unit of the conveyor drive motor 78 that receives the drive signal (ON signal) drives the belt conveyor 76. The belt conveyor 76 moves from one side to the other side in the width direction. With the movement of the belt conveyor 76 in the width direction, the broken edges 56 (peripheral portions) of the glass plates 11a and 11b remaining on the belt conveyor 76 gradually move from one side to the other side in the width direction, and the edge 56b falls from the belt conveyor 76 and is stored (discarded) in a trash can (not shown).

[0224] After the breaking process of the glass plates 11a and 11b is completed, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b after the breaking process is transported from the breaking process area 21 to the grinding process area 22 by means of the third glass plate support 40c, and the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is placed on the grinding process table 118. After the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is placed on the grinding process table 118, the controller transmits a drive signal to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the grinding process table 118, and at the same time, transmits a retreat signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 34. The control unit of the vacuum mechanism that receives the drive signal drives the vacuum mechanism. By driving the vacuum mechanism, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is adsorbed and held on the adsorption pad 120 (grinding process table 118).

[0225] The control unit of the first servo motor 34 that receives the retreat signal (ON signal) drives the first servo motor 34. With the rotation of the shaft of the first servo motor 34, the first slider moves from the front to the rear in the front-rear direction of the first guide frame 30, thereby the grinding device 119 moves in the rear of the grinding process area 22 in the front-rear direction together with the first operating frame 32, and the grinding device 119 is located outside the first corner 18a (front side edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction (grinding process start position). In addition, the grinding device 119 moves synchronously with the cutting device 55 at the peripheral edge (side edge, front and rear end edges) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0226] After the grinding device 119 is located outside the first corner portion 18a of the main body portion 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b in the width direction (grinding process start position), the controller transmits a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 34, and at the same time, transmits a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121. The control unit of the first servo motor 34 that receives the stop signal (OFF signal) stops the first servo motor 34, and the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 that receives the drive signal (ON signal) drives the fourteenth servo motor 121. By rotating the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 121, the slider 63b moves from the other side edge 48b of the grinding process area 22 to the one side edge 48a, and the feed screw 60b moves in the width direction, thereby the grinding process table 118 moves in the width direction from the other side edge 48b of the grinding process area 22 to the one side edge 48a, and the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 is located at the first corner 18a of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b. The first corner 18a of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b enters the slit 132 of the cover plate 130 of the grinding fixture 122.

[0227] After the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 is located at the first corner 18a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the controller transmits the drive signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal to the control units of the fifteenth to seventeenth servo motors 123 to 125 of the grinding device 119 and the control unit of the spindle motor 119, and transmits the retract signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal to the control unit of the first servo motor 34, and transmits the NC control signal to the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121. The control units of the fifteenth to seventeenth servo motors 123 to 125, the spindle motor 131, the first servo motor 34, and the fourteenth servo motor 121, which receive the drive signal (ON signal) and the NC control signal, drive the fifteenth to seventeenth servo motors 123 to 125, the spindle motor 131, the first servo motor 34, and the fourteenth servo motor 121, and perform NC-controlled contour control movement on the side edge of one side (the side edge of one side) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a, 11b, and the grinding wheel 128 grinds the side edge of one side (the side edge of one side) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a, 11b (grinding unit (grinding process)).

[0228] During the grinding process (cut-in process), the control unit of the first servo motor 34 receiving the retreat signal (ON signal) drives the first servo motor 34 and moves the grinding device 119 to the rear in the front-rear direction in the grinding process area 22, and the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 drives the fourteenth servo motor 121 and moves the grinding device 119 back and forth in the width direction in the grinding process area 22. The grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 grinds the vicinity of one side edge (one side edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the edge (outline cut-out line K1) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the first corner 18a to the second corner 18b of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0229] After the grinding process of the side edge of one side (the side edge of one side) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 is completed and the grinding wheel 128 is located at the second corner 18b of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the grinding table 118 moves in the width direction from one side of the side edge 48a of the grinding process area 22 toward the other side of the side edge 48b. As the grinding table 118 moves in the width direction, the grinding wheel 128 grinds the rear end edge (the rear end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b (grinding unit (grinding process)).

[0230] During the grinding process (cut-in process), the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 drives the fourteenth servo motor 121 to move the grinding process table 118 in the width direction in the grinding process area 22, and the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the grinding device 119 back and forth in the grinding process area 22. The grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 grinds the vicinity of the rear end edge (rear end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the edge (outline cut-out line K1) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the second corner 18b toward the third corner 18c of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0231] After the grinding process of the rear end edge (rear end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 is completed and the grinding wheel 128 is located at the third corner 18c of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the grinding device 119 moves forward in the front-to-rear direction. As the grinding device 119 moves forward in the front-to-rear direction, the grinding wheel 128 grinds the second side edge (second side edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b (grinding unit (grinding process)).

[0232] During the grinding process (cut-in process), the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the grinding device 119 forward in the front-rear direction in the grinding process area 22, and the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 drives the fourteenth servo motor 121 to move the grinding process table 118 back and forth in the width direction in the grinding process area 22. The grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 grinds the vicinity of the second side edge (second side edge portion) of the main body portion 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the edge portion (outline cut-out line K1) of the main body portion 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the third corner portion 18c toward the fourth corner portion 18d of the main body portion 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b.

[0233] After the grinding process of the second side edge (second side edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b by the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 119 is completed and the grinding wheel 128 is located at the fourth corner 18d of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the grinding table 118 moves in the width direction from the side edge 48b of the other side of the grinding process area 22 toward the side edge 48a of one side. As the grinding table 118 moves in the width direction, the grinding wheel 128 grinds the front end edge (front end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b (grinding unit (grinding process)).

[0234] During the grinding process (cut-in process), the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 121 drives the fourteenth servo motor 121 to move the grinding table 118 in the width direction in the grinding process area 22, and the control unit of the first servo motor 34 drives the first servo motor 34 to move the grinding device 118 back and forth in the grinding process area 22. The grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 118 grinds the vicinity of the front edge (front edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b along the edge (outline cut-out line K1) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b, and moves from the fourth corner 18d of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b toward the first corner 18a. When the grinding process performed by the grinding wheel 128 of the grinding device 118 on the front end edge (front end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is completed, the grinding device 118 moves to the outside in the width direction of the first corner 18a (front end edge) of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b (grinding process starting position) and waits.

[0235] In the grinding process area 22, for example, by means of the first positioning unit (first positioning step), one side in the width direction of the large-sized (large-area) glass plate 11a whose upper surface 12 and lower surface 13 are processed first is positioned at the outermost edge in the width direction (the side edge 14 of one side in the glass plate 11a shown in the figure) extending in the front-rear direction, and one side in the width direction of the small-sized (small-area) glass plate 11b whose upper surface 12 and lower surface 13 are processed later is positioned at the outermost edge in the width direction (the side edge 14 of one side in the glass plate 11a shown in the figure) extending in the front-rear direction. The outermost edge of the side edge 14 extending in the front-back direction (the side edge 14 of the glass plate 11b shown in the figure) located in the outermost side in the width direction is positioned (aligned) to position the glass plates 11a and 11b having different areas of the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 13, and the front-back center O1 of the side edge 14 extending in the front-back direction (the center line L2 that divides the front-back dimension of the glass plate 11a into two and extends in the width direction) is aligned with the second positioning unit (second positioning step) on one side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a of the large size processed previously. The grinding device 118 is configured to position the glass plates 11a and 11b of different areas on the upper surface 12 and the lower surface 11b of the small size glass plate 11b of the subsequent processing at the position (positioning second reference L2 (virtual positioning second reference line)), so that the front-to-back center O1 (the center line L2 that divides the front-to-back dimension of the glass plate 11b into two and extends in the width direction) of the side edge 14 extending in the front-to-back direction is positioned (aligned), and after positioning the glass plates 11a and 11b of different areas on the upper surface 12 and the lower surface, the glass plates 11b of different areas of the subsequent processing are ground, and the grinding device 118 reaches the side edge 14 of the large size glass plate 11a. The moving distance (the moving distance of the grinding processing table 118 in the width direction) is equal to the moving distance until the grinding device 118 reaches the side edge 14 of the small-sized glass plate 11b (the moving distance of the grinding processing table 118 in the width direction), and the moving distance of the grinding device 118 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the large-sized glass plate 11a to return to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate 11a is equal to the moving distance of the grinding device 118 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to return to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate 11b.

[0236] As the moving distance of the grinding device 118 until it reaches the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b becomes shorter, the moving distance of the grinding device 118 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to returning to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate becomes shorter. As the arrival time (non-processing time) of the grinding device 118 until it reaches the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b becomes shorter, the return time of the grinding device 118 from the outermost edge (side edge 14) of the small-sized glass plate 11b to returning to the outer side in the width direction of the glass plate becomes shorter.

[0237] After the grinding process of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b is completed, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have been grinded by the fourth glass plate bracket 40d is transported from the grinding process area 22 to the unloading area 23. In the unloading area 23, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed the cutting process, the breaking process, and the grinding process is moved forward from the rear end of the unloading area 23 to the front end by the unloading conveyor 135, and the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed each process is unloaded from the unloading area 23.

[0238] In addition, when the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed each process is located on the unloading conveyor 135 of the unloading area 23, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed the grinding process is located on the grinding processing table 118 of the grinding processing area 22, the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed the breaking process is located on the breaking processing table 74 of the breaking processing area 21, and the glass plates 11a and 11b that have completed the cutting process are located on the cutting processing table 59 of the cutting processing area 20, and the glass plates 11a and 11b before processing that have been positioned by the first positioning unit (first positioning step) and the second positioning unit (second positioning step) are located on the loading conveyor 43 of the loading area 19. In this way, in the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), a plurality of glass plates are sequentially conveyed from the loading area 19 to the unloading area 23, and the processing of the plurality of glass plates 11a and 11b is continuously performed.

[0239] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), the breaking cutter wheel 93 is lowered in the vertical direction by the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism) to form the end tangent line K2 on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b. After the end tangent line K2 is formed on the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b, the breaking cutter wheel 93 is raised in the vertical direction by the support lifting mechanism 94 (first lifting mechanism), and the first pushing member 95a is lowered in the vertical direction by the first pushing member lifting mechanism 96a (second lifting mechanism), and the upper surface 12 of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the vicinity of the outer side ... The first pressing surface 105a of the first pressing member 95a, which abuts against the upper surface 12 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b near the side, and the first and second supporting surfaces 117a and 117b of the first and second supporting members 108a and 108b, clamp the main body 56a and the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b. After the first pressing member 95a and the first and second supporting members 108a and 108b clamp the main body 56a and the edge 56b, the second supporting member lifting mechanism 109 (fourth lifting mechanism) lowers the second supporting member 108b in the vertical direction, and the main body 56a is clamped by the first pressing surface 105a of the first pressing member 95a and the first supporting surface 117a of the first supporting member 108a. a and edge 56b, and the second pushing member lifting mechanism 96b (third lifting mechanism) causes the second pushing member 95b to be lowered in the vertical direction, and the second pushing surface 105b of the second pushing member 95b pushes downward the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1, and breaks the edge 56b, so that the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing member 95a and the first supporting surface 117a of the first supporting member 108a clamp the main body 56a, and the first supporting surface 117a of a predetermined area formed in a perfect circle supports the lower surface 13 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface 117a supports the extending main body 56a. The lower surface 13 of the edge portion 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1 is fixed firmly to the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a, 11b by the first pressing member 95a and the first supporting member 108a. Therefore, even if the second pressing surface 105b of the second pressing member 95b presses downward the edge portion 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1 so that the pressing force of the second pressing member 95b acts on the edge portion 56b, elastic deformation of the main body 56a and the edge portion 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1 can be prevented, and the main body 56a and the edge 56b will not bend upward. With the help of the pressing force of the second pressing member 95b,The edge portions 56b of the glass sheets 11a and 11b are broken at the outer shape cutting line K1 and the end cutting line K2, and the edge portions 56b of the glass sheets 11a and 11b can be broken smoothly and accurately.

[0240] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), since the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing component 95a is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing component 95b, when the second pushing component 95b is located at the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1, a part of the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing component 95a must be located on the upper surface 12 of the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b extending to the inside of the outer shape cutting line K1, and the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b can be reliably clamped by means of the semi-circular first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing component 95a and the first supporting component 108a, and the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a and 11b can be firmly fixed by means of the first pushing surface 105a of the first pushing component 95a and the first supporting component 108a.

[0241] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking method (glass sheet processing system 10), since the second supporting surface 117b of the second supporting member 108b extending in the peripheral direction of the first supporting member 108a supports the lower surface 13 of the main body 56a of the glass sheets 11a and 11b extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line K1 across the outer shape cutting line K1, the first pressing member 95a presses the main body 56a and the edge 56a of the glass sheets 11a and 11b downward. b, it is possible to prevent the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line K1 and the main body 56a of the glass plates 11a, 11b extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line K1, which are supported by the second supporting surface 117b of the second supporting member 108b, from bending downward, and it is possible to prevent unnecessary breakage or damage when the first pushing member 95a and the first and second supporting members 108a, 108b sandwich the main body 56a and edge 56b of the glass plates 11a, 11b.

[0242] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), since the cutting wheel axis O3 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 is radially eccentric relative to the cutting support center axis O2 of the breaking cutting support 92 (support body 97), the breaking cutting wheel 93 has a caster effect. Therefore, the first and second breaking fixtures 84a, 84b (breaking fixtures) only need to run (move) in a circular shape from the vicinity of the starting point of the end tangent K2 and draw a circular trajectory (the breaking fixtures only need to move in a circular shape). The breaking cutter wheel 93 slightly runs (moves) in a specified direction from the vicinity of the starting point of the end tangent K2, and rotates in the direction around (around the axis) the center axis O2 of the cutter holder. The rolling (rotation) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is toward the running (moving) direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking cutter holder 92) (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent), so that the rolling direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 can be changed quickly and easily.

[0243] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), since the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b (breaking jigs) draw a circular trajectory from the vicinity of the starting point of the end tangent K2 in parallel with the upper surface 12 of the edge portion 56b of the glass plate 11a and 11b (slightly move in a predetermined direction from the vicinity of the starting point of the end tangent K2 of the upper surface 12), the breaking cutter wheel 93 abutting against the upper surface 12 of the edge portion 56b of the glass plate 11a and 11b rotates in the peripheral direction (around the axis) of the cutter holder central axis O2, and the rolling direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 is aligned with the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b. a, 84b (breaking cutter bracket 92) have the same running (moving) direction, so the rolling direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 can be made consistent with the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking clamps) (the extension direction of the virtual end tangent line 56b of the edge of the glass plate 11a, 11b). In the initial action of a series of actions formed by the end tangent line K2 of the edge 56b of the glass plate 11a, 11b, the rolling (rotation) direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 can be made consistent with the running direction of the first and second breaking clamps 84a, 84b (breaking clamps).

[0244] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), in each end tangent forming area of ​​the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b to be processed, the rolling direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutting wheel 93 can be made consistent with the running direction of the first and second breaking fixtures 84a and 84b (breaking fixtures) (the extension direction of the virtual end tangents of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b), and the end tangents K2 are placed in these end tangent forming areas, so that multiple end tangents K2 can be efficiently formed in the end tangent forming areas of the edge 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b in a short time.

[0245] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), the breaking cutter wheel 93 itself is rotated in the surrounding direction (around the axis) of the cutter bracket center axis O2 of the breaking cutter bracket 92, and the rotation control axis that rotates the breaking cutter wheel 93 itself is used as the cutter bracket center axis O2 of the breaking cutter bracket 92. By aligning the angle of the rotation control axis with the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel 93 (the moving direction of the breaking clamps 84a and 84b), the error caused by eccentricity can be minimized.

[0246] In the breaking system 10a and the breaking processing method (glass plate processing system 10), it is not necessary to set the transmission components (pulleys and belts, etc.) that transmit the rotational force of the θ-axis servo motor to the breaking cutter support provided in the glass plate processing system disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document 1, and it is possible to achieve miniaturization, energy saving, and cost reduction of the glass plate processing system 10. In addition, during the breaking processing, it is not necessary to rotate the θ-axis servo motor to make the rotation direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 the same as the extension direction of the virtual end edge tangent line of the edge portion 56b of the glass plates 11a and 11b (the running direction of the first and second breaking jigs 84a and 84b (breaking jigs)), and it is not necessary to change the rotation direction of the peripheral edge 102 of the breaking cutter wheel 93 by the θ-axis servo motor each time the end edge tangent line K2 is formed, so that the breaking processing in the glass plate processing system 10 can be shortened and the efficiency can be improved. Description of Reference Numerals

[0246] 10: glass plate processing system; 10a: breaking system; 11a: large-sized glass plate; 11b: small-sized glass plate; 12: upper surface; 13: lower surface; 14: first side edge (side edge of one side); 15: second side edge (side edge of the other side); 16: front edge; 17: rear edge; 18a-18b: first to fourth corners; 19: carrying-in area; 20: cutting processing area; 21: breaking processing area; 22: grinding processing area; 23: carrying-out area; 24: conveying mechanism; 25: system table; 26a, 26b: first and second pillars; 27: fixed frame; 28: first moving unit (first moving unit); 29: second moving unit (second moving unit); 30: first guide frame; 3 1: first guide rail; 32: first running frame; 33: first guide shoe; 34: first servo motor; 35: second guide frame; 36: second guide rail; 37: second running frame; 38: second guide shoe; 39: second servo motor; 40a-40d: first to fourth supporting devices for glass plates; 41: pad setting plate; 42: adsorption pad; 43: carrying conveyor; 44: stopper; 45: roller; 45a: roller; 46: roller lifting mechanism; 47: moving mechanism; 48a: side edge of one side; 48b: side edge of the other side; 49: shaft; 50: rod; 51: third servo motor; 52: moving arm; 53: contact member; 54: cutting processing table; 55: cutting device; 56a: main body; 56b: edge (peripheral portion) ); 57a, 57b: base rail; 58a: first moving mechanism; 58b: second moving mechanism; 59a, 59b: running guide rail; 60a, 60b: feed screw; 61: fourth servo motor; 62a, 62b: guide shoe; 63a, 63b: slider (housing nut); 64: cutting fixture; 65: cylinder; 66: fifth servo motor; 67: cutting cutter wheel; 68: cutter bracket; 69: cutter lifting shaft; 70: cutter lifting guide; 71: support shaft; 72: bracket; 73: synchronous belt; 74: breaking processing table; 75: breaking device; 75a: first breaking device; 75b: second breaking device; 76: supporting device; 76a: first supporting device; 76b: second supporting device; 7 7: belt conveyor; 78: conveyor drive motor; 79: belt; 80: pulley; 81: roller; 82: conveyor frame; 83: suspension frame; 84a: first breaking fixture; 84b: second breaking fixture; 85: sixth servo motor (X-axis servo motor); 86a: X-axis first actuator; 86b: X-axis second actuator; 87: seventh servo motor (Y-axis servo motor); 88a: Y-axis first actuator; 88b: Y-axis second actuator; 89a: X-axis first actuator frame; 89b: X-axis second actuator frame; 89c: Y-axis first actuator frame; 89d: Y-axis second actuator frame; 90: eighth servo motor (X-axis servo motor); 91: ninth servo motor (Y-axis servo motor);92: Breaking cutter bracket; 93: Breaking cutter wheel; 94: Support device lifting mechanism (first lifting mechanism); 95a: First pushing member; 95b: Second pushing member; 96a: First pushing member lifting mechanism (second lifting mechanism); 96b: Second pushing member lifting mechanism (second lifting mechanism); 97: Bracket body; 98: Bracket head; 99a: Rotation direction change starting point; 99b: Rotation direction change end point; 100: Bearing; 101: Rolling shaft; 102 Periphery; 103: Connecting part; 104: Bracket; 105a: First pushing surface; 105b: Second pushing surface; 106: Through hole; 1 07: guide frame; 108a: first supporting member; 108b: second supporting member; 109: second supporting member lifting mechanism (fourth lifting mechanism); 110: tenth servo motor (X-axis servo motor); 111a: X-axis third actuator; 111b: X-axis fourth actuator; 112: eleventh servo motor (Y-axis servo motor); 113a: Y-axis third actuator; 113b: Y-axis fourth actuator; 114a: X-axis third actuator frame; 114b: X-axis fourth actuator frame; 114c: Y-axis third actuator frame; 114d: Y-axis fourth actuator frame; 115: twelfth servo motor (X-axis servo motor); 116: 13th servo motor (Y-axis servo motor); 117a: first support surface; 117b: second support surface; 118: grinding table; 119: grinding device; 120: suction pad; 121: 14th servo motor; 122: grinding fixture; 123: 15th servo motor; 124: 16th servo motor; 125: 17th servo motor; 126: grinding wheel lifting screw; 127: grinding wheel cutting screw; 128: grinding wheel; 129: grinding bracket; 130: cover plate; 131: spindle motor; 132: slit; 133: motor housing; 134: bracket; 135: Carry-out conveyor; 140: Breaking device; 141: Breaking fixture; 142: First lifting mechanism (cylinder); 143: Pushing roller; 144: Second lifting mechanism (cylinder); 145: Breaking cutter wheel; 146: Breaking cutter support; 147: θ-axis servo motor; K1: Cutting-in profile cutting-out line (cutting-in line); K2: End tangent line; L1: Positioning first reference (virtual positioning first reference line); L2: Positioning second reference (virtual positioning second reference line) (center line); O1: Front-back direction center of side edge; O2: Cutting knife support center axis; O3: Cutting knife wheel axis; S: Separation dimension (eccentric dimension). ;

Claims

1. A breaking system for breaking an edge of a glass plate to be processed, characterized in that: The breaking system includes: a breaking device located on the upper surface side of the glass sheet and breaking the edge of the glass sheet, and a supporting device located on the lower surface side of the glass sheet and supporting the glass sheet; The breaking device comprises: Breaking the cutting wheel to form an end tangent line outside the outer shape cutting line formed on the edge of the glass plate; a first pressing member for pressing downwardly the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line; a second pressing member for pressing downwardly the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line; A first lifting mechanism is used to lift the cutting wheel upward and downward; A second lifting mechanism is used to lift the first pushing member in an upward and downward direction; as well as A third lifting mechanism causes the second pushing member to move up and down; The supporting device comprises: A first supporting member supporting a main body of the glass plate; a second supporting member supporting an edge of the glass plate; as well as a fourth lifting mechanism, for lifting the second supporting member in an upward and downward direction; The breaking system comprises: a cutter wheel lifting unit, wherein after the break cutter wheel that has been lifted down in the vertical direction by means of the first lifting mechanism forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate, the break cutter wheel is lifted up in the vertical direction by means of the first lifting mechanism; A glass plate clamping unit, wherein the first pressing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the second lifting mechanism, and the first pressing member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member clamp the main body and the edge of the glass plate; a second supporting member lowering unit, wherein after the first pressing member, the first supporting portion, and the second supporting member clamp the main body and the edge portion by means of the glass plate clamping unit, the second supporting member is lowered in the vertical direction by means of the fourth lifting mechanism; and The edge breaking unit maintains the clamping of the main body by the first pushing member and the first supporting member, and the second pushing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the third lifting mechanism, and pushes the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line downward to break the edge.

2. The breaking system according to claim 1, characterized in that The second pushing member is located near the outer side of the breaking cutter wheel and extends in the peripheral direction of the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing member is located near the outer side of the second pushing member and extends in the peripheral direction of the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the first pushing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pushing member abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending across the outer shape cutting line to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. In the edge breaking unit, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing member comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutout line.

3. The breaking system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first pushing member has a first pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing member has a second pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing surface of the second pushing member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing surface of the first pushing member is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing surface formed in the semicircular ring shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer side cut-out line across the outer shape cut-out line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line. In the edge breaking unit, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing surface formed in the annular shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

4. The breaking system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The second supporting member is located near the outer side of the first supporting member and extends in a peripheral direction of the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the second supporting member is raised with the aid of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting member supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line, and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

5. The breaking system according to claim 4, characterized in that The second supporting member has a second supporting surface of a predetermined area supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping unit, when the second supporting member is raised with the aid of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting surface formed in the annular shape supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

6. The breaking system according to claim 5, characterized in that The first supporting member has a first supporting surface of a predetermined area supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the first supporting surface of the first supporting member is formed into a perfect circle. In the glass plate clamping unit, the first supporting surface formed into the perfect circle supports the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line is supported near the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface.

7. The breaking system according to claim 6, characterized in that The breaking system comprises: A breaking device moving unit, which moves the breaking device in a horizontal direction on the upper surface side of the glass plate after the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member and the second pushing member are raised by the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism and the third lifting mechanism; and a supporting device moving unit, which moves the supporting device in a horizontal direction synchronously with the breaking device on the lower surface side of the glass plate, After the breaking device and the supporting device are synchronously moved by the breaking device moving unit and the supporting device moving unit, the breaking device and the supporting device cooperate to implement the glass sheet clamping unit and the edge breaking unit.

8. The breaking system according to claim 7, characterized in that The breaking system includes an end tangent line forming unit, in which the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, and the breaking cutting wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate while the first supporting part and the second supporting part support the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line.

9. The breaking system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The breaking device comprises a breaking cutter support located above the breaking cutter wheel and holding the breaking cutter wheel, the cutting wheel axis extending in the upward and downward direction of the breaking cutter wheel is eccentric to the radial outside relative to the cutting wheel support center axis extending in the upward and downward direction of the breaking cutter support, and the breaking cutter wheel can rotate 360 ​​degrees around the cutting wheel axis relative to the breaking cutter support, The breaking system includes a rotation direction changing unit, in which the breaking device is parallel to the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate and the upper surface is slightly moved in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel abutting against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate is rotated in the direction around the cutter wheel axis, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is the same as the running direction of the breaking device.

10. The breaking system according to claim 9, characterized in that In the end tangent line forming unit, after using the rotation direction changing unit to make the breaking device slightly move in a specified direction and making the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the running direction of the breaking device, the breaking device moves in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device.

11. A breaking method for breaking an edge of a glass plate to be processed, characterized in that: The breaking method uses a breaking device located on the upper surface side of the glass plate and breaking the edge of the glass plate, and a supporting device located on the lower surface side of the glass plate and supporting the glass plate; The breaking device comprises: Breaking the cutting wheel to form an end tangent line outside the outer cut-out line formed at the edge of the glass sheet; a first pressing member for pressing downwardly the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line; a second pressing member for pressing downwardly the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line; A first lifting mechanism is used to lift the cutting wheel upward and downward; A second lifting mechanism is used to lift the first pushing member in an upward and downward direction; as well as a third lifting mechanism, wherein the second pushing member is lifted and lowered in an upward and downward direction; The supporting device comprises: A first supporting member supporting a main body of the glass plate; a second supporting member supporting an edge of the glass plate; as well as a fourth lifting mechanism, for lifting the second supporting member in an upward and downward direction; The breaking method comprises: a cutter wheel ascending step, wherein after the break cutter wheel that has been descended in the vertical direction by means of the first elevating mechanism forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate, the break cutter wheel is ascended in the vertical direction by means of the first elevating mechanism; a glass plate clamping step, wherein the first pressing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the second lifting mechanism, and the first pressing member, the first supporting member, and the second supporting member clamp the main body and the edge of the glass plate; a second supporting member lowering step, wherein after the first pressing member, the first supporting portion, and the second supporting member are clamped between the main body and the edge portion through the glass plate clamping step, the second supporting member is lowered in the vertical direction by the fourth lifting mechanism; and In the edge breaking step, the first pushing member and the first supporting member are maintained to clamp the main body, and the second pushing member is lowered in the vertical direction by the third lifting mechanism, and pushes downward the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line to break the edge.

12. The breaking method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The second pushing member is located near the outer side of the breaking cutter wheel and extends in the peripheral direction of the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing member is located near the outer side of the second pushing member and extends in the peripheral direction of the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping step, when the first pushing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pushing member abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending across the outer shape cutting line to the vicinity of the outer shape cutting line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cutting line. In the edge breaking step, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third elevating mechanism, the second pressing member comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

13. The breaking method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first pushing member has a first pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing member has a second pushing surface of a predetermined area abutting against the upper surface of the glass plate, the second pushing surface of the second pushing member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the breaking cutter wheel, and the first pushing surface of the first pushing member is formed into a semicircular ring shape surrounding the second pushing member. In the glass plate clamping step, when the first pressing member is lowered by the second lifting mechanism, the first pressing surface formed in the semicircular ring shape abuts against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer side cut-out line across the outer shape cut-out line and the upper surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the vicinity of the inner side of the outer shape cut-out line. In the edge breaking step, when the second pressing member is lowered by the third lifting mechanism, the second pressing surface formed in the annular shape comes into contact with the upper surface of the edge of the glass sheet extending to the vicinity of the outer side of the outer shape cutting line.

14. The breaking method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that: The second supporting member is located near the outer side of the first supporting member and extends in a peripheral direction of the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping process, when the second supporting member is raised with the help of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting member supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate that crosses the outer shape cutting line and extends to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate that extends to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

15. The breaking method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The second supporting member has a second supporting surface of a predetermined area supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed into a circular ring shape surrounding the first supporting member. In the glass plate clamping process, when the second supporting member is raised with the help of the fourth lifting mechanism, the second supporting surface formed in the annular shape supports the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate crossing the outer shape cutting line and extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line and the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line.

16. The breaking method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The first supporting member has a first supporting surface of a predetermined area supporting the lower surface of the glass plate, and the first supporting surface of the first supporting member is formed into a perfect circle. In the glass plate clamping step, the first supporting surface formed into the perfect circle supports the lower surface of the main body of the glass plate extending to the inner side of the outer shape cutting line, and the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outer side of the outer shape cutting line is supported near the outer peripheral edge of the first supporting surface.

17. The breaking method according to claim 16, characterized in that: The breaking process comprises: a breaking device moving step, wherein after the breaking cutter wheel, the first pushing member and the second pushing member are raised by the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism and the third lifting mechanism, the breaking device is moved horizontally on the upper surface side of the glass plate; and a supporting device moving step of moving the supporting device in a horizontal direction on the lower surface side of the glass sheet in synchronization with the breaking device, After the breaking device and the supporting device are synchronously moved in the breaking device moving step and the supporting device moving step, the breaking device and the supporting device cooperate to implement the glass sheet clamping step and the edge breaking step.

18. The breaking method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The breaking processing method includes an end tangent line forming step, in which the breaking device and the supporting device move synchronously, and the breaking cutting wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate while the first supporting part and the second supporting part support the lower surface of the edge of the glass plate extending to the outside of the outer shape cutting line.

19. The breaking method according to any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that: The breaking device comprises a breaking cutter support located above the breaking cutter wheel and holding the breaking cutter wheel; The cutting wheel axis extending in the upward and downward direction of the breaking cutting wheel is radially eccentric relative to the cutting support center axis extending in the upward and downward direction of the breaking cutting support, and the breaking cutting wheel can rotate 360 ​​degrees around the cutting wheel axis relative to the breaking cutting support. The breaking processing method includes a rotation direction changing step, in which the breaking device is parallel to the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate and the upper surface is slightly moved in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel abutting against the upper surface of the edge of the glass plate is rotated in the direction around the cutter wheel axis, so that the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel is the same as the running direction of the breaking device.

20. The breaking method according to claim 19, characterized in that: In the end tangent line forming process, after utilizing the rotation direction changing process to make the breaking device slightly move in a specified direction and make the rotation direction of the breaking cutter wheel the same as the running direction of the breaking device, the breaking device moves in a specified direction, so that the breaking cutter wheel forms an end tangent line at the edge of the glass plate along the running direction of the breaking device.

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