Polishing device and polishing method

Abstract

To provide a polishing device which polishes a plate-like object while conveying the plate-like object and a polishing method using the polishing device, and the polishing device and the polishing method, which can perform highly accurate polishing and reduce running cost.SOLUTION: A polishing device 1 polishes a plate-like object G while conveying the plate-like object. The polishing device includes: a conveyance belt 23 which conveys the plate-like object G in a state of supporting a lower surface Ga2 (one main surface Ga) of the plate-like object G; a plate-like support member 24 which extends in a conveyance direction of the plate-like object G and supports the one main surface Ga of the plate-like object G through the conveyance belt 23; and a polishing section (polishing means) 3 which polishes an upper surface Ga1 (the other main surface Ga) of the plate-like object G. The conveyance belt 23 slides on the support member 24 and has a protective film Z on a surface on a sliding side with the support member 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for polishing a plate-like object, such as a thin glass plate, and a method for polishing a plate-like object using the apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of plate-like objects made of thin glass or the like, one example of a polishing device that polishes (or grinds) the main surface of the formed plate-like object to increase the smoothness of the plate-like object has been known, which conveys a plurality of plate-like objects in one direction in a horizontal position while polishing each plate-like object in succession (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The polishing device mainly comprises an endless conveyor belt (conveyor belt) having a horizontal conveying direction in one direction, a belt support (support member) extending in the conveying direction and on whose upper surface the upper area of ​​the conveyor belt slides, and a polishing process (polishing means) arranged directly above the conveyor belt. The polishing means also has a disk-shaped rotating polishing tool (polishing pad) whose axis extends in the vertical direction, and a supply means capable of supplying a predetermined abrasive to the polishing pad, and the polishing pad is configured to be rotatable about its axis and movable up and down.

[0003] The conveying belt has the above-mentioned upper region (hereinafter referred to as the "conveying path" as appropriate) that moves in the conveying direction, and a lower region (hereinafter referred to as the "return path" as appropriate) that moves in the opposite direction to the conveying direction, and multiple plate-like objects are placed in a horizontal position on the conveying path and conveyed in sequence, and a rotating polishing pad is pressed against them from above as they pass through the polishing means. As a result, the plurality of plate-shaped objects are polished in sequence by the polishing device while being transported in one direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-118904 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, in the conventional polishing apparatus, the plate-like object is transported by the transport path (upper region) of the transport belt sliding on the upper surface of the support member, and the plate-like object is pressed against the polishing pad from above when passing through the polishing apparatus. In other words, the transport path of the transport belt is pressed by the polishing pad through the plate-like object. Therefore, the frictional resistance between the conveying path of the conveyor belt and the support member increases, and the conveyor belt becomes more susceptible to wear. As a result, the desired strength cannot be maintained, the replacement period for the conveyor belt becomes shorter, and this causes an increase in the running costs of the polishing apparatus.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the current problems described above, and has an object to provide a polishing apparatus that polishes a plate-shaped object while transporting it, and a polishing method using the polishing apparatus, which can reduce running costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention has been described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0008] That is, the polishing apparatus according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a polishing apparatus for polishing a plate-shaped object while transporting it, and is equipped with a conveying belt for transporting the plate-shaped object while supporting one of its main surfaces, a plate-shaped support member extending in the transport direction of the plate-shaped object and supporting one of the main surfaces of the plate-shaped object via the conveying belt, and a polishing means for polishing the other main surface of the plate-shaped object, wherein the conveying belt slides on the support member and has a protective film on the surface that slides against the support member. By having such a configuration, the polishing apparatus of the present invention provides a protective film on the sliding surface of the conveying belt that slides on the support member, thereby reducing the frictional resistance between the conveying path of the conveying belt and the support member, and suppressing wear on the conveying belt. Therefore, the desired strength of the conveyor belt can be maintained, the replacement cycle of the conveyor belt can be extended, and the running costs of the polishing apparatus can be reduced.

[0009] A polishing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the polishing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the transport belt is made of a resin material. With such a configuration, the plate-like object can be transported by the transport belt without being damaged, while being stably held by an appropriate frictional force generated between the plate-like object and the transport belt.

[0010] A polishing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned first or second aspect, the protective film is a metal oxide film and / or a metal film. With such a configuration, frictional resistance between the sliding surface of the conveyor belt and the support member can be reduced, and wear on the conveyor belt can be more reliably suppressed.

[0011] A polishing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the polishing apparatus according to the third aspect, characterized in that the support member is made of metal, and the protective film is an oxide film and / or a metal film containing the metal. In this way, by forming a protective film using an oxide coating and / or a metal film containing the same type of metal as the support member, the coefficient of friction between the sliding surface of the conveyor belt and the support member is reduced, and wear on the conveyor belt can be more reliably suppressed.

[0012] In addition, the polishing apparatus according to aspect 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned aspect 1, it further comprises a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the conveying belt that slides against the support member with cleaning water, and the chlorine concentration of the cleaning water is 10 ppm or more. By providing a cleaning means that uses cleaning water having such a chlorine concentration, a metal oxide coating can be more reliably formed on the support member, and by adhering the metal oxide coating to the conveyor belt, a protective film consisting of a metal oxide coating can be more inexpensively formed on the inner surface of the conveyor belt.

[0013] Furthermore, a polishing method according to aspect 6 of the present invention is a polishing method in which one main surface of a plate-like object is supported by a support member via a conveyor belt, and the other main surface of the plate-like object is polished by a polishing means, characterized in that the plate-like object is transported by the conveyor belt, which slides on the support member and has a protective film made of a metal oxide film and / or a metal film on the surface that slides against the support member. By virtue of this configuration, the polishing method of the present invention can suppress wear on the transport belt by providing a protective film on the sliding surface of the transport belt that slides on the support member. Therefore, by suppressing wear of the transport belt, the replacement cycle of the transport belt can be extended, and the running costs of the polishing apparatus can be reduced.

[0014] In addition, a polishing method according to aspect 7 of the present invention is a polishing method comprising: a support member supporting one main surface of a plate-like object via a conveyor belt; a polishing means polishing the other main surface of the plate-like object while a cleaning means is provided for cleaning the surface of the conveyor belt that slides against the support member with cleaning water; and the cleaning water has a chlorine concentration of 10 ppm or more. By virtue of this configuration, the polishing method of the present invention can more reliably generate a metal oxide coating on the support member by using cleaning water having a chlorine concentration of 10 ppm or more sprayed from the cleaning means, and by adhering the metal oxide coating to the conveyor belt, a protective film consisting of a metal oxide coating can be more inexpensively formed on the inner surface of the conveyor belt. Effect of the Invention

[0015] The present invention has the following advantages. That is, according to the polishing apparatus and the polishing method using the polishing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reduce running costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of a polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, for convenience, the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the polishing apparatus 1 will be defined by the directions of the arrows shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the conveying direction of conveyor 2. In FIG.

[0018] [Overall configuration of polishing apparatus 1] First, the overall configuration of a polishing apparatus 1 embodying the present invention will be described. The polishing apparatus 1 in this embodiment is an apparatus that is installed in a manufacturing process of a plate-like object G made of thin glass such as heat-resistant crystallized glass, and while transporting the formed plate-like object G, polishes (or grinds) the plate-like object G by pressing a polishing pad 33 against a main surface Ga (in this embodiment, the upper surface Ga1) of the plate-like object G while supplying an abrasive containing cerium oxide or the like.

[0019] The material of the plate-like object G is not limited to a glass plate as in this embodiment, but may be any material such as a ceramic plate or a resin plate. The shape of the plate-like object G is not particularly limited and may be a disk shape or a polygonal shape, but the plate-like object G is generally a rectangular plate-like member.

[0020] The polishing apparatus 1 mainly includes a transport section 2 that transports a plate-like object G, and a polishing section 3 that polishes the plate-like object G transported by the transport section 2. The polishing apparatus 1 further includes a cleaning unit 4 that cleans the inner periphery of the transport belt 23, which will be described later.

[0021] The conveying section 2 comprises a drive pulley 21 whose axial direction is horizontal and in one direction (in this embodiment, the left-right direction), a driven pulley 22 arranged parallel to the drive pulley 21 on the upstream side (in this embodiment, the rear side) of the drive pulley 21 in the conveying direction (direction of arrow A) of the conveying section 2, an endless conveying belt 23 wound around the drive pulley 21 and driven pulley 22, and a support member 24 supporting an upper region 23a of the conveying belt 23.

[0022] A first drive source (not shown) consisting of a drive motor or the like is connected to the drive pulley 21, and the first drive source rotates the drive pulley 21 around its axis in a predetermined direction X (counterclockwise in this embodiment), thereby rotating the conveying belt 23 so as to move the upper region 23a in the conveying direction. As the conveyor belt 23 rotates, the driven pulley 22 rotates about its axis in a predetermined direction X (counterclockwise direction).

[0023] The conveyor belt 23 is preferably made of a resin material such as polyurethane or polyester. When wound around the drive pulley 21 and the driven pulley 22, the conveying belt 23 has an upper region 23a (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "conveying path 23a1") that moves in the conveying direction (in this embodiment, the forward direction), and a lower region 23b (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "return path 23b1") that moves in the opposite direction to the conveying direction (in this embodiment, the rearward direction). The conveyor belt 23 also has a protective film Z on its inner circumferential surface, the protective film Z being very thin.

[0024] The configuration of the protective film Z will be described in detail later.

[0025] The conveyor belt 23 carries the plate-like object G in a horizontal position on the conveyor path 23a1, and conveys the plate-like object G in the conveying direction A by being rotated by the drive pulley 21. That is, the conveyor belt 23 conveys the plate-like object G while supporting one of the main surfaces Ga of the plate-like object G (in this embodiment, the lower surface Ga2).

[0026] Thus, in this embodiment, the conveying belt 23 that conveys the plate-like object G placed thereon is formed from a resin component, and therefore the plate-like object G can be conveyed by the conveying belt 23 without damaging the plate-like object G, while being held stably by the moderate frictional force generated between the plate-like object G and the conveying belt 23.

[0027] The support member 24 is preferably made of a plate-shaped metal such as iron or steel, and is preferably made of a plate-shaped general structural rolled steel material such as S35C. The material of the support member 24 may be an alloy steel such as stainless steel. In this case, however, since the support member 24 is not easily oxidized, it may be difficult to form the protective film Z thereon.

[0028] The support member 24 is disposed between the driving pulley 21 and the driven pulley 22 so as to extend in the conveying direction. Further, the support member 24 is disposed in a state in which the upper surface 24a is in contact with the lower surface of the conveying path 23a1 of the conveying belt 23.

[0029] Then, as the conveyor belt 23 on which the plate-like object G is placed is rotated by the drive pulley 21, the conveyor path 23a1 of the conveyor belt 23 slides on the upper surface 24a of the support member 24. In other words, the support member 24 supports one main surface Ga (lower surface Ga2) of the plate-like object G via the conveying path 23a1 of the conveyor belt 23.

[0030] The polishing unit 3 is an example of a polishing means according to the present invention, and comprises a main body 31 which can move (rise and fall) in the vertical direction, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) rotating shafts 32·32·32·32 protruding downward from the underside of the main body 31, and polishing pads 33·33·33·33 respectively provided on the protruding ends of the plurality of rotating shafts 32·32·32·32. The polishing section 3 further includes a supplying means (not shown) capable of supplying an abrasive to each polishing pad 33.

[0031] In the main body 31, the multiple rotary shafts 32 are arranged in close proximity to one another and parallel to one another. In addition, a second drive source (not shown) consisting of a drive motor or the like is connected to these multiple rotating shafts 32·32·32·32, and each rotating shaft 32 is configured to be rotatably driven around its axis by the second drive source. Furthermore, each polishing pad 33 is coaxially and detachably fixed to the rotating shaft 32 .

[0032] The polishing section 3 is positioned directly above the conveying section 2 (more specifically, the conveying belt 23), and when the plate-like object G conveyed by the conveying belt 23 passes directly below the polishing section 3, the multiple polishing pads 33·33·33·33 are each rotated via the rotating shafts 32·32·32·32, and the multiple polishing pads 33·33·33·33 are pressed against the plate-like object G while an abrasive is supplied by the supply means. As a result, while the plate-like object G is being transported by the transport unit 2, the other principal surface Ga (upper surface Ga1) is polished by the polishing unit 3.

[0033] The cleaning unit 4 is an example of the cleaning means according to the present invention, and includes a nozzle 41 that sprays cleaning water L, and a cleaning tank (not shown) that is connected to the nozzle 41 via piping members, a pump, and the like.

[0034] The nozzle 41 is positioned on the inner side of the conveyor belt 23, near the driven pulley 22, with the nozzle opening 41a facing the area in the return path 23b1 just before it enters the driven pulley 22 (hereinafter referred to as the "entry area Y" as appropriate).

[0035] The cleaning water L sprayed from the nozzle 41 cleans the inner periphery of the conveyor belt 23 in the entry area Y of the return path 23b1, which is located closer to the upstream side of the conveying direction of the conveying path 23a1 (the rear side in this embodiment), and is configured to preferentially remove abrasives, polishing debris, etc. adhering to the sliding side surface of the conveying path 23a1 against the support member 24 (i.e., the underside of the conveying path 23a1).

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the plate-shaped object G being transported by the conveyor belt 23 is polished by pressing the polishing pad 33 against the plate-shaped object G from above, and therefore the conveying path 23a1 of the conveyor belt 23 is pressurized downward by the polishing pad 33 through the plate-shaped object G.

[0037] Therefore, if the abrasive supplied to the polishing pad 33 or polishing debris after polishing enters between the conveying path 23a1 and the support member 24, wear, particularly uneven wear, is likely to occur on the inner surface of the conveying belt 23 and the upper surface 24a of the support member 24. Therefore, it is important to remove abrasives, polishing debris, etc. that enter the conveying path 23a1 while adhering to the inner surface of the conveying belt 23 in order to suppress wear and uneven wear of the conveying belt 23 and the support member 24.

[0038] For this reason, in this embodiment, as described above, a cleaning section 4 is further provided which cleans the sliding surface of the conveying belt 23 (more specifically, the lower surface of the conveying path 23a1) with the support member 24 using cleaning water L. By having such a configuration, it is possible to prevent abrasives, polishing debris, etc. from entering between the conveying path 23a1 moving in the conveying direction and the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, and to suppress wear and uneven wear that occurs on the conveying belt 23 and the support member 24.

[0039] As described above, the support member 24 is made of metal, and the conveying belt 23 sliding on the upper surface 24a of the support member 24 is made of a resin material. Therefore, wear and uneven wear are more likely to occur in the conveying path 23a1 of the conveying belt 23, which is pressed downward by the polishing pad 33, than in the support member 24.

[0040] On the other hand, a part of the cleaning water L sprayed from the nozzle 41 does not drip from the conveyor belt 23 but adheres to the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23 as droplets and is sent to the conveyor path 23a1. As a result, the cleaning water L adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23 is supplied to the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, causing a metal oxide coating consisting of rust or the like to form on the upper surface 24a.

[0041] For this reason, in this embodiment, while being pressed downward by the polishing pad 33, the conveyor belt 23 (more specifically, the conveyor path 23a1) is slid against the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, so that the metal oxide coating formed on the upper surface 24a is rubbed and adhered to the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23, thereby forming a protective film Z of fine thickness.

[0042] In addition, the protective film Z may be a metal film formed by rubbing the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23 against the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, or it may be an oxide coating formed by the metal film formed on the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23 reacting with the above-mentioned droplets. Moreover, the protective film Z may be formed of either an oxide film of the above metal or a metal film, or may be formed of both.

[0043] In this manner, in the conveyor belt 23 in this embodiment, a protective film Z is formed over the entire area of ​​the inner peripheral portion, which is the surface that slides against the support member 24, and the protective film Z is mainly composed of a metal oxide coating formed of rust or the like that occurs on the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, a metal film that is formed when the inner peripheral surface of the conveyor belt 23 is rubbed against the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, and / or a metal oxide coating that is formed when the metal film formed on the inner peripheral surface of the conveyor belt 23 reacts with the above-mentioned liquid droplets. The protective film Z may include, for example, a metal film formed by a film forming apparatus such as a sputtering apparatus.

[0044] With this configuration, in the conveying belt 23 made of a resin member, the hardness of the inner surface, which is the surface that slides against the support member 24, can be improved by the protective film Z compared to a state in which the resin member is exposed without forming the protective film Z, and wear of the conveying belt 23 against the support member 24 made of metal can be more reliably suppressed.

[0045] As described above, the support member 24 is made of iron or steel, more specifically, general structural rolled steel material such as S35C, and the protective film Z is formed as an oxide coating containing the metal and / or a metal film. The composition of the protective film Z can be measured by an EPMA (electron probe microanalyzer).

[0046] Here, the oxide film includes, for example, a metal oxide, hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, and the like.

[0047] In this way, by forming the protective film Z using an oxide coating and / or a metal film containing the same type of metal as the support member 24, the friction coefficient between the sliding side surface (inner surface) of the conveyor belt 23 and the support member 24 is reduced, and wear on the conveyor belt 23 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0048] The thickness of the protective film Z is preferably 0.1 μm to 600 μm, more preferably 1 μm to 400 μm, and further preferably 30 to 200 μm. With such a configuration, wear on the conveyor belt 23 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a metal oxide coating is generated on the upper surface 24a of the support member 24 by using the cleaning water L to clean the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23, and the oxide coating can be rubbed against and adhered to the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23, or the metal film originating from the upper surface 24a of the support member 24 and rubbed against the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23 can be changed into a metal oxide, so that the protective film Z consisting of a metal oxide coating can be formed more inexpensively.

[0050] In forming the protective film Z, in order to facilitate the formation of an oxide film on the inner circumferential surface of the transport belt 23, in this embodiment, the chlorine concentration of the cleaning water L is set to 10 ppm or more. It is more preferable that the chlorine concentration of the cleaning water L is 20 ppm or more.

[0051] Cleaning water L having such a chlorine concentration can produce a metal oxide coating on the inner surfaces of support member 24 and conveyor belt 23 in a shorter period of time and more reliably, and a protective film Z consisting of the metal oxide coating can be formed more inexpensively on the inner surface of conveyor belt 23. If the chlorine concentration is less than 10 ppm, the protective film Z is difficult to form.

[0052] The chlorine concentration of the cleaning water L is preferably 500 ppm or less, and more preferably 100 ppm or less. If the chlorine concentration of the cleaning water L is too high, rust will progress excessively on the support member 24. As a result, for example, uneven wear of the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23 will be induced, which will tend to cause a deterioration in the quality of the plate-like object.

[0053] In this embodiment, the electrical conductivity of the cleaning water L is set to 100 mS / m or less, and more preferably 50 mS / m or less. Here, the electrical conductivity is one example of an index showing the amount of impurities mixed into the cleaning water L, and a smaller electrical conductivity value means a smaller amount of impurities.

[0054] If the cleaning water L is set to such a conductivity, it can be determined that the amount of impurities mixed in the cleaning water L is sufficiently small, and it is possible to effectively prevent the cleaning water L from reaching between the conveyor belt 23 and the support member 24, and causing wear and uneven wear on the conveyor belt 23 and the support member 24 due to impurities mixed in the cleaning water L.

[0055] It is more preferable that the conductivity of the cleaning water L is 50 mS / m or less. In addition, although it is difficult to grasp the amount of insulating impurities from the conductivity alone, it is preferable that such insulating impurities are not mixed into the cleaning water L as much as possible in order to prevent wear and uneven wear on the conveyor belt 23 and the support member 24.

[0056] [Operation procedure of polishing device 1] Next, the operation procedure of the polishing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0057] First, in the conveyor unit 2, the conveyor belt 23 is rotated in a predetermined direction (the direction in which the conveyor path 23a1 moves toward the conveying direction (the direction of the arrow A)). In the polishing section 3, the polishing pads 33 fixed to the respective rotary shafts 32 are in a standby state at a predetermined upper limit position with their rotation stopped. Furthermore, in the cleaning unit 4, the nozzle 41 is in a state of spraying cleaning water L toward the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23 (more specifically, the entry area Y of the return path 23b1).

[0058] An upstream conveyor 101 consisting of a roller conveyor or the like is arranged on the upstream side of the conveying direction of the polishing apparatus 1 (in this embodiment, the rear side), and when the plate-like object G conveyed by the upstream conveyor 101 reaches a predetermined position, the polishing apparatus 1 starts the polishing operation. In addition, with regard to the above-mentioned specified position, for example, when viewed in a plane, the downstream end portion of the plate-like object G in the conveying direction (in this embodiment, the front end portion) is set at a position slightly spaced upstream of the polishing section 3 in the conveying direction.

[0059] When the polishing operation is started, the polishing unit 3 rotates the rotary shafts 32 to rotate the polishing pads 33, and supplies an abrasive to each polishing pad 33 by the above-mentioned supplying means (not shown). Thereafter, the polishing unit 3 lowers the main body 31, and simultaneously moves the multiple (three in this embodiment) polishing pads 33 to a predetermined lower limit position.

[0060] On the other hand, the plate-like object G transported by the upstream conveyor 101 is transferred onto the transport path 23a1 of the transport belt 23, and is then transported by the transport path 23a1 in a predetermined transport direction (the direction of the arrow A).

[0061] Thereafter, the plate-like object G passes through the polishing section 3. At this time, the upper surface Ga1 of the plate-like object G is pressed by the polishing pads 33, starting from the polishing pad 33 located upstream in the conveying direction, and the upper surface Ga1 is polished.

[0062] Then, when, in a plan view, the upstream end portion of the plate-like object G in the transport direction (in this embodiment, the rear end portion) passes through the polishing section 3, the polishing section 3 stops the rotational movement of each of the multiple polishing pads 33·33·33, raises the main body section 31, and simultaneously moves these multiple polishing pads 33·33·33 to a predetermined upper limit position. Furthermore, the polishing section 3 stops supplying the polishing agent by the supplying means. This completes the polishing operation by the polishing apparatus 1, and the plate-like object G that has passed through the polishing section 3 is transferred to the downstream conveyor 102, which is located downstream in the conveying direction of the polishing apparatus 1 (in this embodiment, the front side), and is transported to the next process.

[0063] Then, when a new plate-like object G being conveyed subsequently reaches the predetermined position, the above-mentioned operating procedure is repeated again. EXAMPLES

[0064] Next, an embodiment of the cleaning water L will be described.

[0065] First, as a sample of the embodiment, a cleaning solution having a chlorine concentration (Cl) of 11.0 ppm and an electrical conductivity (EC) of 12 mS / m and composed of predetermined components, as shown in Table 1 below, was prepared.

[0066] [Table 1]

[0067] As a comparative example, general tap water containing the specified components, having a chlorine concentration (Cl) of 6.1 ppm and an electrical conductivity (EC) of 6 mS / m, as shown in Table 2 below, was prepared.

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] Then, using these cleaning waters and tap water, the polishing apparatus 1 was operated for two weeks, and thereafter, the state of the protective film Z formed on the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23 was visually confirmed.

[0070] When the above cleaning liquid was used, it was confirmed that the protective film Z was formed over almost the entire area of ​​the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23, and almost no wear was observed on the inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt 23. On the other hand, when the above tap water was used, it was confirmed that the protective film Z was not formed in most areas of the inner surface of the conveyor belt 23, and the conveyor belt 23 was noticeably worn in the areas where the protective film Z was not formed.

[0071] As described above, the polishing apparatus 1 in this embodiment is a polishing apparatus that polishes a plate-shaped object G while transporting it, and is equipped with a conveying belt 23 that transports the plate-shaped object G while supporting one of its main surfaces Ga (more specifically, the lower surface Ga2), a plate-shaped support member 24 that extends in the transport direction of the plate-shaped object G (the direction of arrow A) and supports the lower surface Ga2 of the plate-shaped object G via the conveying belt 23, and a polishing section (polishing means) 3 that polishes the other main surface Ga (more specifically, the upper surface Ga1) of the plate-shaped object G, and is characterized in that the conveying belt 23 slides on the support member 24 and has a protective film Z on its inner surface, which is the surface that slides against the support member 24.

[0072] Moreover, the polishing method in this embodiment is a polishing method in which one main surface Ga (lower surface Ga2) of a plate-like object G is supported by a support member 24 via a conveying belt 23, and the other main surface Ga (more specifically, upper surface Ga1) of the plate-like object G is polished by a polishing section (polishing means) 3, and is characterized in that the plate-like object G is transported by the conveying belt 23 which slides on the support member 24 and has a protective film Z made of a metal oxide film and / or a metal film on its inner surface, which is the surface that slides against the support member 24.

[0073] By virtue of this configuration, the polishing apparatus 1 and polishing method of this embodiment can suppress wear on the conveying belt 23, which slides on the upper surface 24a of the support member 24, by providing a protective film Z on the inner peripheral surface, which is the sliding surface, of the conveying belt 23. Therefore, by suppressing wear of the conveyor belt 23, the desired strength of the conveyor belt 23 can be maintained, the replacement cycle of the conveyor belt 23 can be extended, and the running costs of the polishing apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0074] Furthermore, the polishing method in this embodiment is a polishing method that supports one main surface Ga (lower surface Ga2) of the plate-like object G via the conveying belt 23 with the support member 24, and polishes the other main surface Ga (more specifically, upper surface Ga1) of the plate-like object G with the polishing section (polishing means) 3, while further comprising a cleaning section (cleaning means) 4 that cleans the surface of the conveying belt 23 sliding on the support member 24 on the sliding side with the support member 24 with cleaning water L, and is characterized in that the chlorine concentration of the cleaning water L is 10 ppm or more.

[0075] Due to this configuration, according to the polishing method of the present embodiment, a metal oxide film can be more reliably generated by using cleaning water L having a chlorine concentration of 10 ppm or more sprayed from the cleaning section (cleaning means) 4 onto the support member 24, and by adhering the metal oxide film to the conveyor belt 23, a protective film Z consisting of a metal oxide film can be more inexpensively formed on the inner surface of the conveyor belt 24.

[0076] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, which is merely illustrative, and it is of course possible to embody the present invention in various other forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the description of the claims, and further includes the equivalent meanings described in the claims, and all modifications within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1 Polishing equipment 23 Conveyor belt 24 Support member 3 Polishing section (polishing means) 4 Cleaning section (cleaning means) G Plate-shaped object Ga main surface Ga1 top surface (other main surface) Ga2 Lower surface (one of the main surfaces) L Washing water Z protective film

Claims

1. A polishing apparatus for polishing a plate-like object while conveying the plate-like object, a conveyor belt that conveys the plate-like object while supporting one main surface of the plate-like object; A plate-shaped support member extending in a conveying direction of the plate-shaped object and supporting one main surface of the plate-shaped object via the conveying belt; a polishing means for polishing the other main surface of the plate-like object, the conveyor belt slides on the support member and has a protective film on a surface that slides against the support member; A polishing apparatus comprising:

2. The conveyor belt is made of a resin material.

2. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polishing apparatus comprises:

3. The protective film is a metal oxide film and / or a metal film.

3. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polishing member is a polishing member having a polishing surface.

4. The support member is made of metal, The protective film is an oxide film and / or a metal film containing the metal.

4. The polishing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. a cleaning unit that cleans a surface of the conveyor belt that slides against the support member with cleaning water; The chlorine concentration of the cleaning water is 10 ppm or more.

2. The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polishing apparatus comprises:

6. The support member supports one main surface of the plate-like object via the conveyor belt, A polishing method for polishing the other main surface of the plate-like object by a polishing means, comprising: The plate-like object is transported by the transport belt, which slides on the support member and has a protective film made of a metal oxide film and / or a metal film on the surface that slides against the support member. A polishing method comprising the steps of:

7. The support member supports one main surface of the plate-like object via the conveyor belt, While polishing the other main surface of the plate-like object with a polishing means, A polishing method further comprising a cleaning unit for cleaning a surface of the conveyor belt that slides against the support member with cleaning water, The chlorine concentration of the cleaning water is 10 ppm or more. A polishing method comprising the steps of:

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