Transport method

Abstract

To provide a transport method that can suppress warping of a transported object and prevent damage to a holding mechanism to which the transported object is handed over.SOLUTION: When a transported object (11) is transported by a transport device (10) including a first holding portion (30) that holds a central region of the transported object, a second holding portion (31) that holds an outer peripheral region surrounding the central region, a first moving portion (34) that moves the first holding portion in an intersecting direction that intersects with the surface of the transported object, and a second moving portion (35) that moves the second holding portion in the intersecting direction, a holding step is performed in which the transported object is held by the first holding portion and the second holding portion in accordance with the warping of the transported object, and after the holding step, a warping correction step is performed in which the positional relationship in the intersecting direction between the first holding portion and the second holding portion is adjusted so as to correct the warping of the transported object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport method for transporting an object. [Background technology]

[0002] In processing devices such as cutting devices and grinding devices, objects such as wafers and package substrates are transported and placed on a holding table, but the objects may be warped even though they are originally flat. For example, when a modified layer is formed along a planned dividing line in a wafer, the area of ​​the modified layer tends to increase on the side where a crack extends, which makes the wafer prone to warping. In addition, resin-sealed package substrates are prone to warping due to the difference in shrinkage rate between the support base and the sealing material (resin).

[0003] If the transported object is in a warped state, the processing device cannot perform appropriate processing, so it is necessary to eliminate the warp in the transported object before it is held on the holding table of the processing device. A transport method is known in which, when transporting a warped transported object to the holding table, the transport device holds the transported object in its warped state, and when placing the transported object on the holding table, the transport device strongly presses the warped transported object against the holding table to flatten the transported object (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-188195 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-150206 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional conveying method as described above, when the conveyed object is pressed against the warped holding table to eliminate the warp, a large load is applied to the holding table, which may result in damage to the holding table.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and has an object to provide a transport method that can suppress warping of the transported object and prevent damage to the holding mechanism to which the transported object is handed over. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a transport method for transporting an object by a transport device, the transport device having a first holding part that holds a central region of the object, a second holding part that holds an outer peripheral region surrounding the central region, a first moving part that moves the first holding part in an intersecting direction that intersects with a surface of the object, and a second moving part that moves the second holding part in the intersecting direction, the method comprising: a holding step of holding the object by the first holding part and the second holding part in accordance with a warp of the object; and a warp correction step of adjusting the positional relationship between the first holding part and the second holding part in the intersecting direction after the holding step so as to correct the warp of the object.

[0008] After the warp correction step, a transfer step is provided in which the transported object is transferred to an arbitrary holding mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, the first holding portion has a first suction pad and the second holding portion has a second suction pad.

[0010] The method may further include a cleaning step, after the warp correction step and before the delivery step, of cleaning a surface opposite to the surface held by the transport device. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the conveying method of the present invention, in the warp straightening step after the holding step, the warp of the conveyed object is straightened by adjusting the positional relationship between the first holding part and the second holding part of the conveying device, so that the load on the holding mechanism that receives the conveyed object from the conveying device can be reduced. Therefore, damage to the holding mechanism can be prevented while suppressing warpage of the conveyed object. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating different examples of the holding step. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 shows a washing step. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a wafer as a transport object. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a configuration of a transport device for transporting a wafer. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a package substrate which is a transported object. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a configuration of a transport device for transporting a package substrate. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting device equipped with a conveying device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The transport device and the transport method according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figures 1 to 6 show the configuration of the transport device and each step of the transport method. Figures 7 and 9 show specific examples of transported objects, and Figures 8 and 10 show configuration examples of the transport device corresponding to each specific example of the transported object. Figure 11 shows a cutting device, which is an example of a processing device equipped with a transport device.

[0014] The transport device 10 shown in Figures 1 to 6 suction-holds the transported object 11 from above and transports it from a first holding mechanism 50 (Figures 1, 2, and 3) to a second holding mechanism 53 (Figure 6). The X-axis and Y-axis directions shown in each figure are horizontal, and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction. The X-axis and Y-axis directions are perpendicular to each other.

[0015] First holding mechanism 50 includes a plate-shaped holding portion 51 on which load 11 is placed, and a support arm 52 that supports holding portion 51.

[0016] The second holding mechanism 53 has a plate-shaped holding part 54 on which the transported object 11 is placed, a support arm 55 that supports the holding part 54, and a suction source 56 that applies a suction force to the upper surface of the holding part 54. A large number of suction holes are formed in the upper surface of the holding part 54, and when the suction source 56 is operated, air is sucked in through the suction holes, and a suction force is applied to the upper surface of the holding part 54.

[0017] The transport device 10 includes a plurality of suction pads 12, a support plate 13, and a support arm 14. The support plate 13 is a plate-like member that extends in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of suction pads 12 are supported in a predetermined arrangement on the support plate 13. The support plate 13 is supported by the support arm 14.

[0018] The support arm 14 is movably supported by a lifting mechanism 15 and a horizontal movement mechanism 16. The lifting mechanism 15 is a mechanism that moves the support arm 14 in the Z-axis direction. The horizontal movement mechanism 16 is a mechanism that moves the support arm 14 in the horizontal direction. The movement of the support arm 14 by the horizontal movement mechanism 16 is, for example, linear movement in the X-axis direction or Y-axis direction, or rotation (pivot) about an axis extending in the Z-axis direction, and the form of movement is not limited.

[0019] Each suction pad 12 is supported at the lower end of a rod-shaped piston rod 20. The piston rod 20 has a cylindrical piston 21 in the middle in the Z-axis direction. A plurality of cylinders 22, which are cylindrical spaces, are formed inside the support plate 13, and one piston 21 is accommodated inside each cylinder 22. The outer circumferential surface of the piston 21 is in slidable contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 22, and the piston 21 can move in the Z-axis direction inside the cylinder 22. The piston rod 20 extends vertically from the piston 21 and penetrates the cylinder 22 in the Z-axis direction, with the upper end of the piston rod 20 protruding upward from the upper surface of the support plate 13 and the lower end of the piston rod 20 protruding downward from the lower surface of the support plate 13. The suction pad 12 is provided at the lower end of the piston rod 20 protruding downward from the lower surface of the support plate 13.

[0020] Each of the suction pads 12 can move in the Z-axis direction to change its height position while sliding the piston 21 inside the cylinder 22. The moving direction of the suction pads 12 is defined as the intersecting direction. The intersecting direction is a direction intersecting with the surface of the transported object 11 held and transported by the transport device 10. The suction pads 12 are restricted from moving downward from the position where the piston 21 abuts against the bottom surface of the cylinder 22 (the position shown in FIG. 1 ) so that the suction pads 12 do not fall off the support plate 13. In this embodiment, the position where the piston 21 abuts against the bottom surface of the cylinder 22 is defined as the reference position of the suction pads 12 in the intersecting direction.

[0021] Each suction pad 12 has a plate-shaped connection flange 23 connected to the lower end of the piston rod 20, and a pad portion 24 provided on the lower part of the connection flange 23. The diameter of the connection flange 23 is larger than the diameter of the piston rod 20. The pad portion 24 has a truncated cone shape whose upper end is connected to the connection flange 23 and whose diameter increases toward the lower end. The pad portion 24 is made of a flexible material.

[0022] A buffer member 25 is disposed between the lower surface of the support plate 13 and the connection flange 23 of each suction pad 12. The buffer member 25 is a coil spring (compression spring) surrounding the piston rod 20, with the upper end of the buffer member 25 contacting the lower surface of the support plate 13 and the lower end of the buffer member 25 contacting the upper surface of the connection flange 23. Note that the buffer member 25 is provided to bias the pad portion 24 of the suction pad 12 downward, but is not essential, and the pad portion 24 may be pressed downward by the weight of the suction pad 12, the piston rod 20, and the piston 21 without providing the buffer member 25.

[0023] The multiple suction pads 12 are arranged to hold a central region of the transported object 11 and an outer circumferential region of the transported object 11 surrounding the central region. In other words, the transport device 10 has a first holding section 30 that holds the central region of the transported object 11 and a second holding section 31 that holds the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11, and the first holding section 30 and the second holding section 31 each have a suction pad 12. The suction pad 12 constituting the first holding section 30 is a first suction pad 32, and the suction pad 12 constituting the second holding section 31 is a second suction pad 33.

[0024] The transport device 10 includes a suction source 40 that applies a suction force to the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 .

[0025] A first suction passage 41 communicates with the first suction pad 32, and the first suction passage 41 is connected to a suction source 40 via a first opening / closing valve 42. When the suction source 40 is operated to open the first opening / closing valve 42, a suction force acts on the lower surface of the pad portion 24 of the first suction pad 32 through the first suction passage 41.

[0026] A second suction passage 43 communicates with the second suction pad 33, and the second suction passage 43 is connected to the suction source 40 via a second opening / closing valve 44. When the suction source 40 is operated to open the second opening / closing valve 44, a suction force acts on the lower surface of the pad portion 24 of the second suction pad 33 through the second suction passage 43.

[0027] Therefore, by controlling the opening and closing of the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44, it is possible to select a state in which suction force is applied to the first suction pad 32, a state in which suction force is applied to the second suction pad 33, or a state in which suction force is applied to both the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33.

[0028] A gas supply passage 45 that communicates with the multiple cylinders 22 is formed inside the support plate 13. The gas supply passage 45 is connected to a gas supply source 47 via an opening / closing valve 46. The gas supply source 47 delivers gas at a predetermined pressure. When the gas supply source 47 is operated to open the opening / closing valve 46, gas is supplied into each cylinder 22 through the gas supply passage 45. The gas supplied from the gas supply source 47 is preferably an inert gas such as air or nitrogen.

[0029] A pressure gauge 48 is connected in the middle of the flow path from the gas supply source 47 to the gas supply path 45. The pressure gauge 48 can detect the pressure value of the internal space extending from the gas supply path 45 to the inside of each cylinder 22.

[0030] The gas supply passage 45 is connected to each cylinder 22 at a position above the piston 21. Therefore, when gas is supplied from the gas supply source 47 into each cylinder 22 via each cylinder 22, a force pressing the piston 21 downward is applied by the pressure of the supplied gas. When the piston 21 is pressed down, the suction pad 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) supported on the lower end of the piston rod 20 moves downward. In other words, the supply of gas from the gas supply source 47 to the cylinder 22 can move the suction pad 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) to the reference position.

[0031] Since the gas supply passage 45 is connected to all of the cylinders 22, when gas is supplied from the gas supply source 47 to the cylinders 22 while the height positions of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are different in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction), the positions of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are each aligned to their respective reference positions.

[0032] The apparatus includes a first moving portion 34 that moves the first suction pad 32 of the first holding portion 30 in the Z-axis direction, and a second moving portion 35 that moves the second suction pad 33 of the second holding portion 31 in the Z-axis direction.

[0033] The first moving part 34 is composed of a piston rod 20 and a piston 21 that support the first suction pad 32, a cylinder 22 into which the piston rod 20 and the piston 21 are inserted, a gas supply path 45 that supplies gas to the cylinder 22, an opening / closing valve 46, and a gas supply source 47.

[0034] The second moving part 35 is composed of a piston rod 20 and a piston 21 that support the second suction pad 33, a cylinder 22 into which the piston rod 20 and the piston 21 are inserted, a gas supply path 45 that supplies gas to the cylinder 22, an opening / closing valve 46, and a gas supply source 47.

[0035] The first holding portion 30 and the second holding portion 31 are provided with a first sensor 26 and a second sensor 28 for detecting the positions of the piston rod 20 and the piston 21, respectively.

[0036] The first sensor 26 is provided on the upper surface side of the support plate 13, and is an optical sensor (photo sensor) equipped with a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion. When the position of the piston 21 changes in the Z-axis direction in the cylinder 22, a dog 27 provided near the upper end of the piston rod 20 passes between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the first sensor 26. When the suction pad 12 reaches the reference position, the dog 27 is positioned between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the first sensor 26 to block the light, and the output of the first sensor 26 is set to be ON.

[0037] The second sensor 28 is a magnetic sensor disposed inside the support plate 13. The piston 21 is made of a magnetic material, and is set so that when the suction pad 12 reaches the reference position, the piston 21 approaches the second sensor 28 and the output of the second sensor 28 is turned on.

[0038] A first sensor 26 and a second sensor 28 are provided corresponding to all piston rods 20 and pistons 21 of the first holding portion 30 and the second holding portion 31, making it possible to individually detect the reference positions of all first suction pads 32 and second suction pads 33.

[0039] Next, a description will be given of the transport operation and method in which the transport device 10 transports the transported object 11 from the first holding mechanism 50 to the second holding mechanism 53. The operation of the transport device 10 described below is performed under the control of a control unit included in the transport device 10. If no control entity is specified, it is assumed that the control unit of the transport device 10 is the control entity.

[0040] 1 shows the conveying device 10 in a state before conveying the conveyed object 11. In this state, the suction source 40 is not operating, and no suction force is applied to the plurality of suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33). In addition, the gas supply source 47 is not operating, and each of the suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) is in a state of protruding below the support plate 13 due to the weight of the suction pad 12, piston rod 20, and piston 21, or the biasing force of the buffer member 25. In both the first moving section 34 and the second moving section 35, the piston 21 is in contact with the bottom surface of the cylinder 22, and the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are held at their respective reference positions.

[0041] [Hold Step] Fig. 2 shows the holding step. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the transported object 11 placed on the holding part 51 of the first holding mechanism 50 has a concave central shape with a concave central region and an upwardly curved outer circumferential region. The transported object 11 having this concave central shape is held by the transport device 10.

[0042] In the holding step, the horizontal position of the transport device 10 is adjusted by a horizontal movement mechanism 16 having a known ball screw mechanism having, for example, a motor and a ball screw, and the support plate 13 is positioned above the holding portion 51 of the first holding mechanism 50. More specifically, the first suction pad 32 is positioned above the central region of the transported object 11, and the second suction pad 33 is positioned above the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11. Next, the support plate 13 and the support arm 14 are lowered by a lifting mechanism 15 having, for example, a known ball screw mechanism having a motor and a ball screw, and each suction pad 12 is brought close to the transported object 11.

[0043] Since the outer peripheral region of the transported object 11 is warped upward, when the support plate 13 is lowered, the bottom surface of the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31 first comes into contact with the upper surface of the outer peripheral region of the transported object 11. At this stage, the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30 is not in contact with the transported object 11. The second suction pad 33 is restricted from descending due to its contact with the transported object 11, and as the lifting mechanism 15 continues to lower the support plate 13, the distance between the bottom surface of the support plate 13 and the second suction pad 33 becomes smaller while compressing the buffer member 25. The buffer member 25 is adjusted to have a strength (spring characteristic) such that the descent of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 is restricted due to its contact with the transported object 11.

[0044] In this way, by contacting the transported object 11, the second holding portion 31 (second suction pad 33) moves in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) relative to the support plate 13, and becomes positioned above the reference position. At that time, as shown in Fig. 2, the piston 21 supporting the second suction pad 33 moves away from the bottom surface of the cylinder 22 in the second moving portion 35. The opening / closing valve 46 is opened in the holding step, and when the piston 21 is pushed up in accordance with the warping of the transported object 11, air can be discharged via the gas supply path 45. The movement of the second suction pad 33 from the reference position is detected by the first sensor 26, the second sensor 28, and the pressure gauge 48.

[0045] Since the central region of the transported object 11 is recessed, as the lifting mechanism 15 continues to lower the object 11, the bottom surface of the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30 finally comes into contact with the upper surface of the central region of the transported object 11. By coming into contact with the transported object 11, the first holding part 30 (first suction pad 32) moves in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) relative to the support plate 13, and becomes positioned above the reference position. The amount of movement of the first holding part 30 (first suction pad 32) relative to the support plate 13 is smaller than the amount of movement of the second holding part 31 (second suction pad 33) relative to the support plate 13. The movement of the first suction pad 32 from the reference position is detected by the first sensor 26, the second sensor 28, and the pressure gauge 48.

[0046] When the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 come into contact with the transported object 11, the lowering of the support plate 13 by the lifting mechanism 15 is stopped. For example, when the control unit of the transport device 10 detects via at least one of the first sensor 26 and the second sensor 28 that the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have moved away from their respective reference positions, it controls the lifting mechanism 15 to stop lowering the support plate 13.

[0047] 2, all of the suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) are in contact with the upper surface of the transported object 11. Following the warped shape of the transported object 11, the first suction pad 32 is located at the lowest position, and the second suction pad 33 is located above the first suction pad 32. In each of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, the flexible pad portion 24 is deformed to follow the warped shape of the transported object 11.

[0048] In the example of Figure 2, the outer peripheral region of the transported object 11 is warped approximately evenly, and the height positions of the two second suction pads 33 located on either side of the first suction pad 32 are approximately the same; however, if the warping of the transported object 11 is uneven, the height positions of the multiple second suction pads 33 may differ.

[0049] With all of the suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) in contact with the upper surface of the transported object 11, the suction source 40 is operated to open the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44. Then, gas is sucked through the first suction path 41, and a suction force acts on the bottom surface side of the first suction pad 32. Also, gas is sucked through the second suction path 43, and a suction force acts on the bottom surface side of the second suction pad 33. As a result, the upper surface of the transported object 11 is sucked and held from above by the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33. At the stage where the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have sucked and held the transported object 11, the warping of the transported object 11 has not been corrected, and the transported object 11 maintains a shape in which the outer periphery side is warped upward.

[0050] As another mode of holding the transported object 11, the transported object 11 may be suction-held in stages corresponding to the order of contact of the second suction pad 33 and the first suction pad 32 with the transported object 11. In detail, when the second suction pad 33 comes into contact with the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11, the suction source 40 is operated to open the second opening / closing valve 44, and a suction force is first applied to the bottom side of the second suction pad 33. Then, when the first suction pad 32 comes into contact with the central region of the transported object 11, the first opening / closing valve 42 is opened to apply a suction force to the bottom side of the first suction pad 32.

[0051] Alternatively, the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44 can be opened to apply suction forces to the bottom sides of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, respectively, and the support plate 13 can be lowered by the lifting mechanism 15 to bring the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 closer to the transported object 11.

[0052] [Examples of different hold steps] Fig. 3 shows a different example of the holding step. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the transported object 11 placed on the holding part 51 of the first holding mechanism 50 is warped in a convex shape with the central region protruding upward and the outer circumferential region warped downward. The transported object 11 having this convex shape is held by the transport device 10.

[0053] Since the central region of the transported object 11 protrudes upward, when the support plate 13 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 15, the bottom surface of the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30 first comes into contact with the upper surface of the central region of the transported object 11. At this stage, the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31 is not in contact with the transported object 11. The contact with the transported object 11 restricts the descent of the first suction pad 32, and as the lifting mechanism 15 continues to lower the support plate 13, the distance between the bottom surface of the support plate 13 and the first suction pad 32 becomes smaller while compressing the buffer member 25.

[0054] That is, by contacting the transported object 11, the first holding portion 30 (first suction pad 32) moves in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) relative to the support plate 13 and becomes positioned above the reference position. At that time, as shown in Fig. 3, the piston 21 supporting the first suction pad 32 moves away from the bottom surface of the cylinder 22 in the first moving portion 34. When the piston 21 is pushed upward in accordance with the warping of the transported object 11, air can be discharged through the gas supply path 45 in which the opening / closing valve 46 is opened. The movement of the first suction pad 32 from the reference position is detected by the first sensor 26, the second sensor 28 and the pressure gauge 48.

[0055] Since the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11 is located lower than the central region, when the lifting mechanism 15 continues to lower the object 11, the bottom surface of the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31 finally comes into contact with the upper surface of the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11. By coming into contact with the transported object 11, the second holding part 31 (second suction pad 33) moves in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) relative to the support plate 13 and becomes located above the reference position. The amount of movement of the second holding part 31 (second suction pad 33) relative to the support plate 13 is smaller than the amount of movement of the first holding part 30 (first suction pad 32) relative to the support plate 13. The movement of the second suction pad 33 from the reference position is detected by the first sensor 26, the second sensor 28, and the pressure gauge 48.

[0056] When the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 come into contact with the transported object 11, the lowering of the support plate 13 by the lifting mechanism 15 is stopped. For example, when the control unit of the transport device 10 detects via at least one of the first sensor 26 and the second sensor 28 that the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have moved away from their respective reference positions, it controls the lifting mechanism 15 to stop lowering the support plate 13.

[0057] 3, all of the suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) are in contact with the upper surface of the transported object 11. Following the warped shape of the transported object 11, the first suction pad 32 is located at the uppermost position, and the second suction pad 33 is located below the first suction pad 32. In each of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, the flexible pad portion 24 is deformed to follow the warped shape of the transported object 11.

[0058] In the example of Figure 3, the outer peripheral region of the transported object 11 is warped approximately evenly, and the height positions of the two second suction pads 33 located on either side of the first suction pad 32 are approximately the same, but if the warp of the transported object 11 is uneven, the height positions of the multiple second suction pads 33 may differ.

[0059] With all of the suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) in contact with the upper surface of the transported object 11, the suction source 40 is operated to open the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44. Then, gas is sucked through the first suction path 41, and a suction force acts on the bottom surface side of the first suction pad 32. Gas is also sucked through the second suction path 43, and a suction force acts on the bottom surface side of the second suction pad 33. As a result, the upper surface of the transported object 11 is sucked and held from above by the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33. At the stage where the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have sucked and held the transported object 11, the warping of the transported object 11 has not been corrected, and the transported object 11 maintains a shape in which the outer periphery side is warped downward.

[0060] As another mode of suction and holding the transported object 11, suction and holding may be performed in stages corresponding to the order of contact of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 with the transported object 11. In detail, when the first suction pad 32 comes into contact with the central region of the transported object 11, the suction source 40 is operated to open the first opening / closing valve 42, and a suction force is first applied to the bottom side of the first suction pad 32. Then, when the second suction pad 33 comes into contact with the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11, the second opening / closing valve 44 is opened to apply a suction force to the bottom side of the second suction pad 33.

[0061] Alternatively, the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44 can be opened to apply suction forces to the bottom sides of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, respectively, and the support plate 13 can be lowered by the lifting mechanism 15 to bring the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 closer to the transported object 11.

[0062] As described above, in the holding step, in either case of Figure 2 where the transported object 11 is warped into a concave shape in the middle, or of Figure 3 where the transported object 11 is warped into a convex shape in the middle, the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 are moved in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) via the first moving part 34 and the second moving part 35 in accordance with the warping of the transported object 11, and the transported object 11 is held by the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30 and the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31.

[0063] [Warp correction step] After the upper surface of the transported object 11 is sucked and held by the multiple suction pads 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33), the lifting mechanism 15 is operated to raise the support plate 13 and the support arm 14, and the transported object 11 is separated from the holding part 51 of the first holding mechanism 50. Next, the horizontal movement mechanism 16 is operated to transport the transport device 10 toward the second holding mechanism 53, and a transfer step is performed in which the transported object 11 is transferred to the second holding mechanism 53. However, before the transfer step, a warpage correction step is performed in which the positional relationship between the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) is adjusted before the transported object 11 is held by the second holding mechanism 53 so as to correct warpage of the transported object 11.

[0064] 4, in the warpage correction step, gas is supplied into each cylinder 22 through the gas supply path 45 while the on-off valve 46 is open by operating the gas supply source 47, and each piston 21 in each cylinder 22 is pressed downward. Since the gas supply path 45 is connected to all the cylinders 22, the pistons 21 are pressed downward by the first moving section 34 and the second moving section 35, and the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are aligned to the reference positions. When the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are aligned to the reference positions, the height positions of the central region of the transported object 11 held by the first suction pad 32 and the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11 held by the second suction pad 33 are aligned, so that the warpage of the transported object 11 is corrected and the transported object 11 has a flat shape.

[0065] In detail, when the transported object 11 having the concave shape shown in Figure 2 is held, the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31, which holds the outer peripheral region of the transported object 11, descends relatively more than the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30, which holds the central region of the transported object 11, thereby correcting the concave shape of the transported object 11 and bringing it closer to a flat shape.

[0066] When the transported object 11 having a convex shape as shown in Figure 3 is held, the first suction pad 32 of the first holding part 30, which holds the central region of the transported object 11, descends relatively more than the second suction pad 33 of the second holding part 31, which holds the outer circumferential region of the transported object 11, thereby correcting the convex shape of the transported object 11 and bringing it closer to a flat shape.

[0067] The control unit of the conveying device 10 detects whether the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have reached their respective reference positions based on the sensor output of at least one of the first sensor 26 and the second sensor 28. When it is detected that the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 are all in the reference positions, the control unit determines that the warping of the conveyed object 11 has been corrected.

[0068] In the warpage correction step, the control unit of the conveying device 10 detects the pressure values ​​of the cylinder 22 and the gas supply path 45 via the pressure gauge 48. When the detection result of the pressure gauge 48 reaches a predetermined pressure value, it is determined that a necessary and sufficient amount of gas is supplied to push down the piston 21 and move the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 to the reference position. When the detection result of the pressure gauge 48 does not reach the predetermined pressure value, it is determined that a gas leak or the like has occurred and a necessary and sufficient amount of gas is not supplied to push down the piston 21 and move the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 to the reference position. When the pressure value detected by the pressure gauge 48 does not reach the predetermined pressure value, there is a possibility that the warpage of the conveyed object 11 will not be properly corrected, so the control unit performs processing such as stopping the conveying by the conveying device 10 and notifying an error through the notification unit.

[0069] [Washing step] After the warpage correction step and before the transfer step of transferring the transported object 11 to the second holding mechanism 53, a cleaning step shown in Fig. 5 is performed. In the cleaning step, the lower surface of the transported object 11, which is opposite to the upper surface held by the transport device 10, is cleaned. Note that after the warpage correction step, it is also possible to proceed to the transfer step without performing the cleaning step.

[0070] 5, the cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning brush 57 that rotates around a horizontally extending rotation axis. The cleaning brush 57 has a rotation axis that extends in the Y-axis direction and is supported so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. The cleaning brush 57 is brought into contact with the underside of the transported object 11 and moved in the X-axis direction while rotating, thereby cleaning the underside of the transported object 11. During cleaning, cleaning water may be supplied to the cleaning brush 57 and the underside of the transported object 11.

[0071] In this way, a cleaning step can be performed to clean the underside of the transported object 11 before the transported object 11 is transferred to the second holding mechanism 53. When the transported object 11 is placed on the holding portion 51 of the first holding mechanism 50 or the holding portion 54 of the second holding mechanism 53, the underside of the transported object 11 is in contact with the holding surface, making it difficult to clean the underside of the transported object 11. Therefore, it is effective to perform cleaning during transport when the underside of the transported object 11 is exposed. In addition, since the cleaning step is performed after the warpage correction step during transport of the transported object 11, the transported object 11 in a non-warped state can be efficiently cleaned.

[0072] For example, unlike the conveying method of this embodiment, when conveying the conveyed object 11 in a curved shape with a warp, it is difficult to uniformly clean the underside including the central region and the outer circumferential region of the conveyed object 11 during conveyance. Even if the conveyed object 11 with a warp is cleaned during conveyance, an expensive cleaning mechanism requiring complicated operations and controls is required to reliably clean the conveyed object 11 without applying an excessive load to the curved shape of the conveyed object 11.

[0073] In contrast, according to the conveying method of this embodiment, in which the warp of the transported object 11 is corrected in the warp correction step and then the cleaning step is performed, the transported object 11 can be easily and reliably cleaned without placing any load on it using a cleaning mechanism (such as cleaning brush 57) that has a simple structure and can be obtained at low cost.

[0074] The cleaning brush 57 shown in Fig. 5 is an example of a cleaning mechanism, and is not limited to this configuration. For example, a cleaning brush that does not move horizontally may be provided, and cleaning may be performed by moving the lower surface of the transported object 11 relative to the cleaning brush by utilizing the operation of moving the transport device 10 horizontally by the horizontal movement mechanism 16. Alternatively, a spray nozzle may be provided below the transported object 11, and the lower surface of the transported object 11 may be cleaned by spraying a cleaning liquid or the like from the spray nozzle. In addition, as a cleaning mechanism, a sponge, nonwoven fabric, suede, or the like may be brought into contact with the transported object 11 to clean it.

[0075] [Delivery steps] After the cleaning step, a delivery step shown in Fig. 6 is performed. If the cleaning step is not performed, after the warpage correction step, a delivery step shown in Fig. 6 is performed. In the delivery step, the transported object 11 held by the transport device 10 is delivered to the second holding mechanism 53.

[0076] When transferring the load 11 from the transport device 10 to the second holding mechanism 53, the horizontal position of the support plate 13 is adjusted by the horizontal movement mechanism 16, and the support plate 13 is positioned above the holding portion 54 of the second holding mechanism 53. Next, the support plate 13 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 15, and the lower surface of the load 11 approaches the holding portion 54. As shown in Fig. 6, when the lower surface of the load 11 is placed on the upper surface of the holding portion 54, the lowering operation by the lifting mechanism 15 is stopped.

[0077] Information such as the height position of each suction pad 12 (first suction pad 32, second suction pad 33) during transport, the thickness of the transported object 11, and the height position of the holding portion 54 is input in advance to the control portion of the transport device 10, and from this information, the amount of descent of the support plate 13 when the transported object 11 is placed on the holding portion 54 is calculated. Based on this calculated amount of descent, the control portion controls the lifting mechanism 15 to lower the support plate 13.

[0078] More specifically, in order to reliably transfer the transported object 11 to the second holding mechanism 53, it is preferable to set the actual amount of descent of the support plate 13 to be slightly greater than the height position at which the lower surface of the transported object 11 is expected to come into contact (place) on the holding portion 54. When the support plate 13 further descends after the transported object 11 comes into contact with the upper surface of the holding portion 54, the buffer member 25 is compressed and deformed to absorb the load.

[0079] Furthermore, if the support plate 13 continues to move downward after the transported object 11 comes into contact with the upper surface of the holding part 54, the pistons 21, whose downward movement is restricted, move in a direction away from the bottom surfaces of the cylinders 22, causing a change in the pressure inside each cylinder 22. The control unit of the transport device 10 may determine that the transported object 11 has been placed on the holding part 54 when the pressure gauge 48 detects this change in pressure value.

[0080] With the transported object 11 placed on the holding portion 54, the suction and holding of the transported object 11 by the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 is released. This suction and holding is released by stopping the operation of the suction source 40 or by closing the first opening / closing valve 42 and the second opening / closing valve 44.

[0081] On the second holding mechanism 53 side, simultaneously with or before the release of the suction and holding of the transported object 11 by the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, the suction source 56 is operated to apply a suction force to the upper surface of the holding part 54. As a result, the transported object 11 is brought into a state where it is suction-held by the holding part 54, and the transfer of the transported object 11 to the second holding mechanism 53 is completed.

[0082] Since the warpage of the transported object 11 has been corrected in advance by the previous warpage correction step, in the transfer step of placing the transported object 11 on the holding part 54, the transport device 10 does not need to strongly press the transported object 11 against the holding part 54 to flatten the transported object 11. Therefore, when the transported object 11 is transferred to the second holding mechanism 53, the load applied to the holding part 54 is reduced, and damage to the second holding mechanism 53 including the holding part 54 can be prevented.

[0083] In particular, the second holding mechanism 53 has a structure in which the holding part 54 is supported at the tip of the support arm 55, and there are limitations on the load-bearing capacity of the support point of the holding part 54 by the support arm 55. However, according to the conveying method of this embodiment, since a heavy load is not applied to the holding part 54 in the transfer step, there is an advantage that the transported object 11 can be transferred without hindrance even if there are limitations on the load-bearing capacity of the support arm 55.

[0084] Furthermore, as described above, by performing the warp straightening step after the holding step, the lower surface of the transported object 11 can be cleaned in the cleaning step while the transporting device 10 is transporting the object.

[0085] The shape of the support plate 13 and the arrangement of the plurality of suction pads 12 on the support plate 13 can be arbitrarily set in accordance with the load 11 to be transferred.

[0086] 7 shows a disk-shaped wafer 60, which is an example of the transported object 11. The wafer 60 has chips 61 formed in each of a plurality of regions defined by lattice-shaped dividing lines.

[0087] When transporting such a wafer 60, it is preferable that the support plate 13 of the transport device 10 has a disk shape corresponding to the wafer 60, as shown in Fig. 8. In the configuration example of Fig. 8, one first suction pad 32 (first holding portion 30) is arranged in the center of the disk-shaped support plate 13, and four second suction pads 33 (second holding portions 31) are arranged at equal intervals (90° intervals) in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the support plate 13. The four second suction pads 33 are each arranged at approximately equal distances from the central first suction pad 32. With this configuration, the wafer 60 can be stably held during transport, and the warpage of the wafer 60 can be reliably corrected in the warpage correction step.

[0088] For a disk-shaped transport object such as a wafer 60, the transport device preferably has at least one first holding portion for holding the central region and at least three second holding portions for holding the peripheral region, but the transport device 10 shown in FIG. 8 is only one example and is not limited to this configuration.

[0089] 9 shows a rectangular package substrate 62 which is an example of the transported object 11. The package substrate 62 has three processing regions 63, and in each processing region 63, chips 64 are formed in a plurality of regions partitioned by lattice-shaped division lines. Two intermediate regions 65 are formed between the three processing regions 63, and the outer peripheral portions of the three processing regions 63 are scrap regions 66. No chips 64 are formed in the intermediate regions 65 and the scrap regions 66.

[0090] When transporting such a package substrate 62, as shown in Fig. 10, it is preferable that the support plate 13 of the transport device 10 is rectangular in shape corresponding to the shape of the package substrate 62. In the configuration example of Fig. 10, two first suction pads 32 (first holding portions 30) are arranged at positions corresponding to the centers of the two intermediate regions 65 of the package substrate 62, and ten second suction pads 33 (second holding portions 31) are arranged at positions corresponding to the end material regions 66.

[0091] For a package substrate 62 prone to large warpage, the warpage of the package substrate 62 can be easily corrected in the warpage correction step by providing many holding points by the first suction pads 32 (first holding portions 30) and many holding points by the second suction pads 33 (second holding portions 31) as in the configuration shown in Fig. 10. Note that, although Fig. 10 shows an example in which the wiring substrate side of the package substrate 62 is held by the first suction pads 32 and the second suction pads 33, the molded resin side in which the chip is sealed with the molded resin may be held by the transport device 10.

[0092] 11 shows a cutting device 70, which is an example of a processing device equipped with a conveying device. The cutting device 70 is a device for cutting a conveyed object 11. A plurality of conveyed objects 11 are stored in a cassette 73 and conveyed to the cutting device 70.

[0093] A cassette 73 is placed on a cassette placement portion 75 provided in a corner of a base 74 of the cutting device 70. The height position of the transported object 11 being taken in and out of the cassette 73 is adjusted by raising and lowering the cassette placement portion 75 up and down.

[0094] An opening 76 is formed on base 74 at a position adjacent to cassette placement portion 75 in the X-axis direction. Opening 76 extends in the Y-axis direction, and a holding table 77 is supported inside opening 76. Holding table 77 has a holding surface on its upper surface that holds transported object 11. Bellows 79 are connected to both sides of holding table 77 in the Y-axis direction, and opening 76 is covered by bellows 79.

[0095] The holding table 77 is moved in the Y-axis direction by a table feed mechanism (not shown) provided inside the base 74 below the opening 76. The table feed mechanism includes a guide rail and a ball screw extending in the Y-axis direction, supports a base portion supporting the holding table 77 so that the base portion is movable in the Y-axis direction by the guide rail, and moves the base portion in the Y-axis direction by rotation of the ball screw. In addition, the holding table 77 is rotated by a table rotation mechanism (not shown) about an axis facing the Z-axis direction relative to the base portion.

[0096] The holding table 77 is moved in the Y-axis direction by a table feed mechanism, and can be positioned in a carry-in / out area on the front side in the Y-axis direction adjacent to the cassette placement section 75, and a processing area on the rear side in the Y-axis direction. A pair of holding rails 80 extending in the X-axis direction and crossing above the opening 76 are provided above the holding table 77 in the carry-in / out area. The pair of holding rails 80 can be moved in the Y-axis direction by a rail drive mechanism (not shown), changing the distance between them in the Y-axis direction.

[0097] A cleaning unit 81 is provided on the base 74, on the opposite side of the X-axis direction from the cassette placement unit 75, with the opening 76 in between. The cleaning unit 81 includes a spinner table 82 that can hold and rotate the transported object 11, and a cleaning nozzle 83 that sprays a cleaning liquid and drying air toward the transported object 11 on the spinner table 82.

[0098] A gate-shaped column 84 is provided on the base 74, spanning the opening 76 in the X-axis direction. The column 84 is provided with a guide rail 85 and a guide rail 86 extending in the X-axis direction. A slider 87 movable in the X-axis direction along the guide rail 85, and a slider 88 movable in the X-axis direction along the guide rail 86 are provided. The slider 87 supports a first conveying device 90 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction. The slider 88 supports a second conveying device 91 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction. That is, the first conveying device 90 and the second conveying device 91 are supported on the column 84 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, respectively.

[0099] The first conveying device 90 has a role of conveying the object 11 between the cassette 73 placed on the cassette placement section 75 and the holding table 77 located in the carry-in / out area. The conveying device 10 of the above embodiment can be applied to the first conveying device 90. In this case, the first conveying device 90 includes a support arm 14 supported on the lower end of the slider 87 and a support plate 13 supported on the tip of the support arm 14. On the lower surface side of the support plate 13, a first suction pad 32 (first holding section 30) that holds the central region of the object 11 and a second suction pad 33 (second holding section 31) that holds the outer peripheral region of the object 11 are provided. Furthermore, the first conveying device 90 includes a gripping section 92 that can grip the edge of the object 11 on the outer edge of the support plate 13.

[0100] The first conveying device 90 grips an edge of the conveyed object 11 stored in the cassette 73 with the gripping portion 92, pulls out the conveyed object 11 from the cassette 73, and places it on the pair of holding rails 80. The pair of holding rails 80 position the conveyed object 11 in the Y-axis direction, and then the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 of the first conveying device 90 suction-hold the upper surface of the conveyed object 11 (holding step). Next, the gap between the pair of holding rails 80 is widened, and the support plate 13 of the first conveying device 90 is lowered to place the conveyed object 11 on the holding surface of the holding table 77 located in the carry-in / out area (transfer step). The holding table 77 applies a suction force to the holding surface to hold the conveyed object 11.

[0101] The first conveying device 90 performs the above-mentioned warpage correction step after the holding step and before the delivery step. That is, when the conveyed object 11 is warped after being pulled out of the cassette 73 and placed on the pair of holding rails 80, the first conveying device 90 performs an operation of aligning the positions of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) during conveyance while suction-holding the conveyed object 11 with the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, thereby correcting the warpage of the conveyed object 11. At the stage of being delivered to the holding table 77, the conveyed object 11 having a flat shape with the warpage corrected is placed on the holding table 77.

[0102] Therefore, when the transported object 11 is placed on the holding table 77, it is not necessary to press the transported object 11 strongly against the holding table 77 in order to eliminate warping of the transported object 11, and damage to the holding table 77 can be prevented.

[0103] During the transport of transport object 11 by first transport device 90, a cleaning step of cleaning the lower surface of transport object 11 may be performed after the warpage correction step.

[0104] Holding table 77, to which load 11 has been handed over from first transport device 90, is moved in the Y-axis direction from the carry-in / out area to the processing area by the table feed mechanism.

[0105] The cutting device 70 is provided with cutting units 93 and 94 that cut the transported object 11 near the processing area of ​​the holding table 77. The cutting units 93 and 94 each have a cutting blade that rotates around a spindle that extends in the X-axis direction, and cuts the transported object 11 using the cutting blade.

[0106] The cutting units 93 and 94 are supported by X-axis drive mechanisms 96 and 97, respectively, so as to be movable in the X-axis direction with respect to a support plate 95 fixed on the base 74. The cutting units 93 and 94 are supported by Z-axis drive mechanisms 98 and 99, respectively, so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction with respect to the support plate 95. The X-axis drive mechanisms 96 and 97 are each configured to move a moving table supported by a guide rail so as to be movable in the X-axis direction, by rotation of a ball screw. The Z-axis drive mechanisms 98 and 99 are each configured to move a moving table supported by a guide rail so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction, by rotation of a ball screw.

[0107] The movement of the holding table 77 in the Y-axis direction by the table feed mechanism, the movement of the cutting units 93, 94 in the X-axis direction by the X-axis drive mechanisms 96, 97, and the movement of the cutting units 93, 94 in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis drive mechanisms 98, 99 are controlled to cause the rotating cutting blades to cut into the transported object 11, thereby causing the cutting units 93, 94 to perform cutting processing of the transported object 11. The cutting processing by the cutting units 93, 94 is, for example, a half cut that forms a bottomed half-cut groove along the planned division line of the transported object 11.

[0108] When cutting of the transferred object 11 is completed, the table feed mechanism moves the holding table 77 from the processing area in the Y-axis direction to the carry-in / out area.

[0109] The second conveying device 91 has a role of conveying the object 11 between the holding table 77 located in the carry-in / out area and the cleaning section 81. The conveying device 10 of the above embodiment can be applied to the second conveying device 91. In this case, the second conveying device 91 includes a support arm 14 supported on the lower end of the slider 88, and a support plate 13 supported on the tip of the support arm 14. On the lower surface side of the support plate 13, a first suction pad 32 (first holding section 30) that holds the central region of the object 11, and a second suction pad 33 (second holding section 31) that holds the outer circumferential region of the object 11 are provided.

[0110] The second conveying device 91 suction-holds the upper surface of the conveyed object 11 held on the holding table 77 by using the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 (holding step). Next, the second conveying device 91 raises the support plate 13 to separate the conveyed object 11 from the holding table 77, and moves the slider 88 in the X-axis direction to position the support plate 13 above the spinner table 82. Then, the second conveying device 91 lowers the support plate 13 to place the conveyed object 11 on the holding surface of the spinner table 82 (transfer step).

[0111] The second conveying device 91 performs the above-mentioned warpage correction step after the holding step and before the delivery step. That is, if the processed conveyed object 11 delivered from the holding table 77 has warpage, the second conveying device 91 performs an operation of aligning the positions of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 in the Z-axis direction (intersecting direction) while the second conveying device 91 is adsorbing and holding the conveyed object 11 with the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, thereby correcting the warpage of the conveyed object 11. At the stage of delivery to the spinner table 82, the conveyed object 11 having a flat shape with the warpage corrected is placed on the spinner table 82.

[0112] Therefore, when transported object 11 is placed on spinner table 82, it is not necessary to press transported object 11 strongly against spinner table 82 in order to eliminate warping of transported object 11, and damage to spinner table 82 can be prevented.

[0113] Note that, during the transport of the transported object 11 by the second transport device 91, a cleaning step of cleaning the underside of the transported object 11 may be performed after the warpage correction step. In the cleaning section 81, the upper surface side of the transported object 11 is mainly cleaned, so that the entire transported object 11 can be cleaned evenly by cleaning the underside of the transported object 11 during its transport. In addition, by cleaning the underside of the transported object 11 during its transport, it is possible to prevent foreign matter (dirt) adhering to the underside of the transported object 11 from soiling the spinner table 82 when the transported object 11 is handed over to the cleaning section 81.

[0114] The cleaning unit 81 holds the transported object 11 on the spinner table 82, sprays a cleaning liquid from a cleaning nozzle 83, and rotates the spinner table 82 to clean the transported object 11. In addition, air is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 83 to dry the transported object 11 after cleaning.

[0115] When cleaning of the transported object 11 in the cleaning section 81 is completed, the second transport device 91 holds the transported object 11 on the spinner table 82 from above (holding step), and moves the second transport device 91 in the X-axis direction to place the transported object 11 on the pair of holding rails 80 (transfer step). Between the holding step and the transfer step in this second transport device 91, the above-mentioned warpage correction step may be performed. Also, between the warpage correction step and the transfer step, the above-mentioned cleaning step may be performed.

[0116] After the transported object 11 is positioned in the Y-axis direction by the pair of holding rails 80, the edge of the transported object 11 is gripped by the gripping portion 92 of the first transport device 90. Then, the first transport device 90 is moved in the X-axis direction to accommodate the transported object 11 inside the cassette 73. In this manner, the transported object 11 that has been cut and cleaned is collected in the cassette 73.

[0117] As described above, the method for transporting a transported object according to the present invention can be applied to the first transport device 90 and the second transport device 91 in the cutting device 70. Note that application to the cutting device 70 is just one example, and the present invention can also be applied to transport devices provided in processing devices other than cutting devices, and to transport systems that transport transported objects between a plurality of processing devices. For example, the present invention can be applied to a transport device that transports a transported object while suction-holding the upper surface of the transported object in a grinding device that performs grinding processing on the transported object.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the warpage correction step is illustrated as completely flattening the transported object 11, but depending on the warpage of the transported object 11, the arrangement of the first holding unit 30 and the second holding unit 31, and other conditions, the entire transported object 11 may not be completely flattened when the warpage correction step is performed. Even if the entire transported object 11 is not flattened, as long as the degree of warpage of the transported object 11 is reduced compared to the stage before transport, the effect of suppressing the load on the holding mechanism that is handed over in the delivery step can be obtained. Therefore, the warpage correction step in the present invention is not limited to flattening the transported object, and may be any step that reduces the warpage of the transported object.

[0119] In the present invention, the central region and the outer peripheral region of the transported object refer to a relative positional relationship, and it is sufficient that the outer peripheral region surrounds the central region. For example, the position of the central region does not need to be the exact center of the outer shape of the transported object (see the arrangement of the first holding unit 30 in the transport device 10 in FIG. 10). In addition, the position of the outer peripheral region is not limited to the outermost edge of the transported object, and may be located slightly closer to the center than the outermost edge. In addition, when the transport device has multiple second holding units, it is not necessary for all the second holding units to be equidistant from the first holding unit (see the arrangement of the second holding unit 31 in the transport device 10 in FIG. 10).

[0120] In the above embodiment, the direction (intersecting direction) in which the first moving part 34 and the second moving part 35 move the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 is the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) perpendicular to the surface of the transported object 11 in a flat state, but the intersecting direction is not limited to the vertical direction.

[0121] For example, as a modified example of the above embodiment, the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 can be configured to move in a direction slightly tilted relative to the Z-axis direction, and still be able to hold the transported object 11 and correct any warping.

[0122] The present invention may also be applied to a conveying device that conveys a vertically placed conveyed object relative to a holding mechanism having a vertical holding surface, and the first and second holding parts of the conveying device may be configured to move in a horizontal direction (or a direction close to horizontal) to approach and move away from the conveyed object. In this case, the direction (intersecting direction) in which the first and second moving parts of the conveying device move the first and second holding parts is the horizontal direction (or a direction close to horizontal).

[0123] In the above embodiment, the first holding portion 30 and the second holding portion 31 hold the transported object 11 by suction with the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33, but the method of holding the transported object by the first holding portion and the second holding portion is not limited to suction (suction).

[0124] For example, a conveying device of the type that ejects a fluid from the holding surface and attracts the conveyed object to the holding surface side by utilizing the effect of Bernoulli's theorem may be used. In this case, instead of the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 of the above embodiment, a first holding part and a second holding part configured to eject a fluid may be provided.

[0125] Alternatively, for the second holding portion that holds the outer peripheral region of the transported object, an edge clamp type holding structure that clamps the outer edge of the transported object may be used.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 have a substantially common structure, but the first holding part and the second holding part may have different structures. For example, as a variation of the second holding part, it is also possible to use a second suction pad having an elongated arc shape in the circumferential direction of the wafer 60 shown in FIG.

[0127] In the above embodiment, the first sensor 26 and the second sensor 28 are used in combination as a means for detecting that the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have each moved to their reference positions during the warp correction step, and the detection result of the pressure gauge 48 is also referenced. However, it may be possible to detect that the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 have each moved to their reference positions based on the detection results of any one or two of the first sensor 26, the second sensor 28, and the pressure gauge 48.

[0128] In the above embodiment, in the holding step, the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 both move the first suction pad 32 and the second suction pad 33 upward from the reference position as the support plate 13 descends. However, in the holding step, it is also possible to control the amount of descent of the support plate 13 so that only the side of the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 that comes into contact with the transported object 11 first is moved from the reference position, and the side that comes into contact with the transported object 11 later is not moved from the reference position. In other words, the holding step is not limited to a form in which all of the first holding part 30 and the second holding part 31 move relative to the support plate 13.

[0129] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be realized in a different way due to technological progress or a different derived technology, the present invention may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0130] As described above, the method for transporting transported objects of the present invention can suppress warping of the transported objects while preventing damage to the holding mechanism to which the transported objects are handed over, and can be used in various processing devices and transport systems. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] 10: Transport device 11: Transported object 12: Suction pad 13: Support plate 14: Support arm 15: Lifting mechanism 16: Horizontal movement mechanism 20: Piston rod 21: Piston 22: Cylinder 25: Cushioning material 26: First sensor 27: Dog 28: Second sensor 30: First holding part 31:Second holding part 32: First suction pad 33: Second suction pad 34:First moving part 35:Second moving part 40: Suction source 41:First suction path 42: First opening and closing valve 43:Second suction path 44: Second opening and closing valve 45: Gas supply line 46: Opening and closing valve 47: Gas supply source 48: Pressure gauge 50:First holding mechanism 51: Holding part 52: Support arm 53:Second holding mechanism 54: Holding part 55: Support arm 56: Suction source 57: Cleaning brush 60: Wafer 61: Tip 62: Package substrate 63: Processing area 64: Chip 65: Middle area 66: Scrap area 70: Cutting equipment 73: Cassette 74: Foundation 75: Cassette placement section 77: Holding table 80: Retaining rail 81: Cleaning section 82: Spinner table 83: Cleaning nozzle 85: Guide rail 86: Guide rail 87: Slider 88: Slider 90: First conveying device 91: Second conveying device 92: Grip part 93: Cutting unit 94: Cutting unit 95: Support plate 96: X-axis drive mechanism 97: X-axis drive mechanism 98: Z-axis drive mechanism 99: Z-axis drive mechanism

Claims

1. A conveying method for conveying an object by a conveying device, comprising the steps of: The conveying device is A first holding portion that holds a central region of the transported object; A second holding portion that holds an outer peripheral region surrounding the central region; a first moving unit that moves the first holding unit in a direction intersecting a plane of the object to be conveyed; A second moving portion that moves the second holding portion in the intersecting direction; having a holding step of holding the transported object by the first holding portion and the second holding portion in accordance with the warp of the transported object; The conveying method includes a warpage correction step of adjusting a positional relationship between the first holding portion and the second holding portion in the intersecting direction after the holding step so as to correct warpage of the conveyed object.

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer step of transferring the transported object to an arbitrary holding mechanism after the warpage correction step.

3. The first holding portion has a first suction pad, The transport method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second holding portion has a second suction pad.

4. After the warp correction step and before the delivery step, The transport method according to claim 2 , further comprising a cleaning step of cleaning a surface opposite to the surface held by the transport device.

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