Polishing device of plate-like object, and method for manufacturing plate-like object

Abstract

To provide a polishing device of a plate-like object for polishing a plate-like object while conveying it, and a method for manufacturing a plate-like object including a polishing step performed by the polishing device, which suppress deviation of a conveyance attitude and partial floating in the plate-like object, and can polish even a plate-like object having partial warpage without breakage, when polishing work is performed.SOLUTION: A polishing device of a plate-like object includes a conveyance part 2 which allows a plate-like object G to be mounted thereon and conveys it, a polishing part 3 for polishing an upper face Ga of the plate-like object G conveyed by the conveyance part 2, and a pressing roller 4 for pressing the plate-like object G to the side of the conveyance part 2, wherein the pressing roller 4 has a shaft member 41 rotatably supported with its shaft center as a center, and a coating layer 42 coating an outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41, the coating layer 42 has a porous resin layer 42 and a non-porous resin layer 42b which are sequentially stacked, and the non-porous resin layer 42b is positioned on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for a plate-like object and a method for manufacturing a plate-like object including a polishing process performed by the polishing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of a plate-like object made of thin plate glass or the like, in order to improve the smoothness of the formed plate-like object, a polishing apparatus for polishing (or grinding) the main surface of the plate-like object is known. For example, as an example, in Patent Document 1, while a glass plate (plate-like object) is being conveyed in one direction in a state of being placed on a conveying device (conveying means), a polishing pad (polishing means) that rotates around an axis is pressed against the main surface of the plate-like object for polishing. A polishing apparatus is disclosed.

[0003] In the conventional polishing apparatus in Patent Document 1, generally, while continuously conveying a plurality of plate-like objects by a conveying means, a polishing operation is sequentially performed on each plate-like object. Further, these plurality of plate-like objects are conveyed by a conveying device in a state where the gaps between a pair of adjacent plate-like objects are filled as much as possible for the purpose of improving the productivity in the polishing apparatus.

[0004] Here, when the rotating polishing means is pressed against the main surface of the plate-like object, an external force that moves the plate-like object in the rotating direction of the polishing means is applied to the plate-like object by the polishing means. As a result, when the plate-like object is moved against the resistance with the conveying means and a deviation occurs in the conveying posture of the plate-like object, a collision occurs between adjacent plate-like objects, which may cause defects such as chipping and scratches on the plate-like object.

[0005] In addition, since the plate-like object before the polishing operation is slightly non-uniform in thickness, flatness, etc., when the polishing means is pressed against the main surface of the plate-like object, the plate-like object may partially lift off from the conveying means. As a result, it becomes difficult to uniformly perform the polishing operation over the entire main surface of the plate-like object by the polishing means, which may cause a deterioration in the quality of the plate-like object.

[0006] For this reason, in a conventional polishing apparatus, a pressing roller is provided to press the plate-like object against the conveyance means side (the side opposite to the polishing means side with respect to the plate-like object) in order to prevent the deviation of the conveyance posture and partial lifting of the plate-like object as described above.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] When the plate-like object is made of heat-resistant crystallized glass, the crystallized glass is generally heated to about 900 to 1150°C and then rapidly cooled by a crystallization process performed after the forming process. However, due to the influence of non-uniform heat history generated during the crystallization process, the plate-like object may partially warp by about 1.5 mm. When the above-mentioned warpage occurs at the corners or edges of the plate-like object, the corners or edges of the plate-like object are easily damaged by pressing the plate-like object against the conveyance means by the pressing roller. Therefore, the pressing force of the pressing roller needs to be set as low as possible.

[0009] On the other hand, if the pressing force of the pressing roller is set too low, it becomes difficult to sufficiently prevent the deviation of the conveyance posture and partial lifting of the plate-like object as described above, which may cause defects such as chips and scratches on the plate-like object, or may cause a deterioration in the quality of the plate-like object.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the current situation, and is a polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object that polishes the plate-shaped object while conveying it, and a manufacturing method for a plate-shaped object including a polishing process performed by the polishing apparatus. When performing the polishing operation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object that suppresses the occurrence of displacement in the conveying posture and partial lifting in the plate-shaped object, and can polish the plate-shaped object without damage even for a plate-shaped object having partial warping, and a manufacturing method for a plate-shaped object.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. Next, means for solving this problem will be described.

[0012] That is, a polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes a conveying means for conveying the plate-shaped object in a placed state, a polishing means for polishing a main surface of the plate-shaped object conveyed by the conveying means on the side opposite to the conveying means, and a pressing roller for pressing the plate-shaped object against the conveying means. The pressing roller has a shaft member rotatably supported about an axis, and a covering layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member. The covering layer has a porous resin layer and a non-porous resin layer laminated in order from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the non-porous resin layer is located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller. Thus, in the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, since the shaft member of the pressing roller is covered with a covering layer having a porous resin layer excellent in flexibility and cushioning properties, the contact area between the pressing roller and the plate-shaped object when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object can be increased as compared with the conventional case. As a result, when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object, the load per unit area applied to the plate-shaped object decreases, so that a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object by the pressing roller without applying a local load to the plate-shaped object. Therefore, when performing the polishing operation by the polishing apparatus, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of displacement in the conveying posture and partial lifting in the plate-shaped object, and to perform a stable and high-quality polishing operation. Moreover, even for a plate-shaped object having partial warpage, sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object without causing damage, and stable and high-quality polishing work can be performed. Furthermore, in the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, since a non-porous resin layer having excellent flexibility and not being porous is provided on the outermost layer of the pressing roller, polishing powder does not bite into the outer peripheral surface of the coating layer, and the main surface of the plate-shaped object is not damaged by the polishing powder.

[0013] In this specification, the "non-porous resin layer" refers to a resin layer having no pores that allow polishing powder to bite in, for example, a resin layer having no pores of 10 μm or more.

[0014] Moreover, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 2 of the present invention, in the above Aspect 1, is characterized in that the porous resin layer is made of a sponge having an Asker C hardness of 50 or less. By having such a configuration, when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object, the contact area between the pressing roller and the plate-shaped object can be more reliably increased as compared with the conventional case.

[0015] Moreover, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 3 of the present invention, in the above Aspect 1 or the above Aspect 2, is characterized in that the non-porous resin layer is made of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 20 or more and less than 50. By having such a configuration, when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object, the contact area between the pressing roller and the plate-shaped object can be more reliably increased as compared with the conventional case, and such a pressing roller can be realized without a significant increase in manufacturing cost.

[0016] Moreover, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 4 of the present invention, in any one of the above Aspects 1 to 3, is characterized in that the shaft radius r of the shaft member is 15 mm or more and 40 mm or less. By having such a configuration, sufficient rigidity can be ensured for the pressing roller without an extreme increase in the self-weight of the pressing roller. Therefore, for example, it is possible to easily perform the replacement operation of replacing the pressing roller that has exceeded the usage limit with a new pressing roller manually, and it is also possible to surely suppress the occurrence of a deviation in the conveyance posture or partial lifting of the plate-shaped object when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object.

[0017] Further, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the above Aspects 1 to 4, the ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer is 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less. By having such a configuration, it is possible to ensure sufficient rigidity for the pressing roller without an extreme increase in the self-weight of the pressing roller. Therefore, for example, it is possible to easily perform the replacement operation of replacing the pressing roller that has exceeded the usage limit with a new pressing roller manually, and it is also possible to surely suppress the occurrence of a deviation in the conveyance posture or partial lifting of the plate-shaped object when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object.

[0018] Further, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 6 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the above Aspects 1 to 5, the ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer is 6 or more and 10 or less. By having such a configuration, it is possible to more surely increase the contact area between the pressing roller and the plate-shaped object when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object, and it is also possible to prevent the deterioration of the pressing roller due to wear with the plate-shaped object from being promoted.

[0019] Further, the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 7 of the present invention includes a conveying means for conveying the plate-shaped object in a placed state, a polishing means for polishing the main surface of the plate-shaped object conveyed by the conveying means on the side opposite to the conveying means side, and a pressing roller for pressing the plate-shaped object against the conveying means side. The pressing roller has a shaft member rotatably supported about an axis, and a non-porous resin layer covering the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member. The non-porous resin layer is made of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 10 or more and 60 or less, and a thickness of 10 mm or more and 55 mm or less, and is characterized by being located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller. Thus, in the polishing apparatus for a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, since the shaft member of the pressing roller is covered with a non-porous resin layer made of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 10 or more and 60 or less, and a thickness of 10 mm or more and 55 mm or less, sufficient flexibility and cushioning properties can be ensured for the pressing roller, and the contact area between the pressing roller and the plate-shaped object when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object can be increased compared to the prior art. As a result, when the pressing roller is pressed against the plate-shaped object, the load per unit area applied to the plate-shaped object is reduced, so that a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object by the pressing roller without applying a local load to the plate-shaped object. Therefore, when performing a polishing operation by the polishing apparatus, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of misalignment in the conveying posture and partial lifting in the plate-shaped object, and to perform a stable and high-quality polishing operation. In addition, even for a plate-shaped object having a partial warp, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object without causing damage, and a stable and high-quality polishing operation can be performed.

[0020] Further, the method for manufacturing a plate-shaped object according to Aspect 8 of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a plate-shaped object including a polishing step of polishing while conveying the plate-shaped object, and is characterized in that the polishing step is performed by the polishing apparatus according to any one of the above Aspects 1 to 7. By having such a configuration, according to the method for manufacturing a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, when performing a polishing operation with a polishing device, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of misalignment in the conveying posture and partial lifting on the plate-shaped object, and to stably perform a high-quality polishing operation. In addition, even for a plate-shaped object having partial warping, it is possible to apply a sufficient pressing force to the plate-shaped object without causing damage, and to stably perform a high-quality polishing operation. Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, the plate-shaped object can be polished with high precision, and a high-quality plate-shaped object can be obtained.

Effect of the Invention

[0021] As an effect of the present invention, the following effects are achieved. That is, according to the polishing device and the method for manufacturing a plate-shaped object according to the present invention, when performing a polishing operation, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of misalignment in the conveying posture and partial lifting on the plate-shaped object, and even for a plate-shaped object having partial warping, it is possible to polish the plate-shaped object without causing damage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In the following description, for convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the polishing apparatus 1 are defined and described according to the directions of the arrows shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, in the following description, the direction of arrow A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is defined as the conveying direction of the conveying unit 2 and described.

[0024] [Overall Configuration of the Polishing Apparatus 1 for Plate-Like Objects] First, the overall configuration of the polishing apparatus 1 for plate-like objects (hereinafter simply referred to as "polishing apparatus 1") in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0025] The polishing apparatus 1 is provided, for example, in the manufacturing process of a plate-like object G made of thin plate glass such as heat-resistant crystallized glass. While conveying the formed plate-like object G, a polishing pad 33 is pressed against the main surface of the plate-like object G while supplying an abrasive containing cerium oxide or the like, and the plate-like object G is polished (or ground).

[0026] Here, the material of the plate-like object G is not limited to thin plate glass as in the present embodiment, and may be any material such as a ceramic plate or a resin plate. Also, the shape of the plate-like object G is not particularly limited, such as a disc shape or a polygonal shape, but generally the plate-like object G is a rectangular plate-like member.

[0027] And in the above manufacturing process, the formed plate-like object G is then subjected to a polishing process by the polishing apparatus 1 and finished to a predetermined outer dimension.

[0028] Thus, the manufacturing method of the plate-like object G in the present embodiment is a manufacturing method of a plate-like object including a polishing process of polishing while conveying the plate-like object G, and is characterized in that the polishing process is performed by the polishing apparatus 1.

[0029] By having such a configuration, according to the manufacturing method of the plate-like object G in the present embodiment, as will be described later, when the polishing operation is performed by the polishing device 1, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of misalignment in the conveying posture and partial lifting of the plate-like object G, and to perform a stable and high-quality polishing operation. Further, even for a plate-like object G having partial warping, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-like object G without causing damage, and a stable and high-quality polishing operation can be performed. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the plate-like object G in the present embodiment, the plate-like object G can be polished with high precision, and a high-quality plate-like object G can be obtained.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the polishing device 1 mainly includes a conveying unit 2 for conveying the plate-like object G in a placed state, a polishing unit 3 for polishing the main surface (in the present embodiment, the upper surface Ga) of the plate-like object G conveyed by the conveying unit 2 on the side opposite to the conveying unit 2 side, and a pressing roller 4 for pressing the plate-like object G toward the conveying unit 2 side (in the present embodiment, the lower side).

[0031] The conveying unit 2 is an example of the conveying means according to the present invention. The conveying unit 2 includes a driving pulley 21 having a horizontal direction and one direction (in the present embodiment, the left-right direction) as the axial center direction, a driven pulley 22 arranged in parallel with the driving pulley 21 on the upstream side (in the present embodiment, the rear side) of the conveying direction A (in the present embodiment, the forward direction) of the conveying unit 2 with respect to the driving pulley 21, an endless conveying belt 23 wound around the driving pulley 21 and the driven pulley 22, and a support member 24 for supporting the upper region 23a of the conveying belt 23.

[0032] A first driving source (not shown) composed of a driving motor or the like is connected to the driving pulley 21. Then, by the first driving source, the driving pulley 21 is rotationally driven in a predetermined direction X (in the present embodiment, the counterclockwise direction) around the axial center, and the conveying belt 23 is rotated so as to move the upper region 23a in the conveying direction A. Also, as the conveyor belt 23 rotates, the driven pulley 22 rotates in a predetermined direction X (counterclockwise direction) about its axis.

[0033] The conveyor belt 23 has an upper region 23a (hereinafter, appropriately described as "conveyor path 23a1") that moves in the conveying direction A and a lower region 23b (hereinafter, appropriately described as "return path 23b1") that moves in the direction opposite to the conveying direction A (in this embodiment, the rear direction) while being wound around the driving pulley 21 and the driven pulley 22.

[0034] Then, on the conveyor path 23a1, the conveyor belt 23 places the plate-shaped object G in a horizontal posture and conveys the plate-shaped object G in the conveying direction A by being rotated by the driving pulley 21. That is, the conveyor belt 23 conveys the plate-shaped object G while supporting the main surface (in this embodiment, the lower surface Gb) on the conveying unit 2 side of the plate-shaped object G.

[0035] The support member 24 is disposed so as to extend along the conveying direction A between the driving pulley 21 and the driven pulley 22. Further, the support member 24 is disposed in a state where its upper surface 24a is in contact with the lower surface of the conveying path 23a1 of the conveyor belt 23.

[0036] When the conveyor belt 23 on which the plate-shaped object G is placed is rotated by the driving pulley 21, the conveying 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 the lower surface Gb of the plate-shaped object G via the conveying path 23a1 of the conveyor belt 23.

[0037] The polishing unit 3 is an example of the polishing means according to the present invention. The polishing unit 3 includes a polishing head 31 with its axial direction being the vertical direction, a plurality (four in this embodiment; refer to FIG. 2) of polishing disks 32, 32, 32, 32 provided on the lower surface of the polishing head 31, and a plurality (four in this embodiment) of polishing pads 33, 33, 33, 33 provided on the lower surface of each polishing disk 32. Further, the polishing unit 3 is provided with supply means (not shown) capable of supplying polishing agent to each polishing pad 33.

[0038] Note that the number of the polishing disks 32 and the polishing pads 33 is not limited to this embodiment, and for example, it may be a single number or a plurality other than four.

[0039] The polishing head 31 has a first rotating shaft 31a that extends coaxially and upward, and the first rotating shaft 31a is connected to a second drive source (not shown) composed of a drive motor or the like. Each polishing disk 32 has a second rotating shaft 32a that extends coaxially and upward, and is connected to the polishing head 31 via the second rotating shaft 32a. Furthermore, each polishing pad 33 is coaxially and detachably fixed to each polishing disk 32.

[0040] The four polishing disks 32, 32, 32, 32 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the first rotating shaft 31a of the polishing head 31 in a plan view (refer to FIG. 2). These four polishing disks 32, 32, 32, 32 are configured to be movable simultaneously in the vertical direction with respect to the polishing head 31. Furthermore, these four polishing disks 32, 32, 32, 32 are configured to be rotatably driven simultaneously via the second rotating shafts 32a, 32a, 32a, 32a by, for example, a planetary gear mechanism (not shown) installed inside the polishing head 31.

[0041] With the four polishing disks 32, 32, 32, and 32 each being rotationally driven, the polishing head 31 is rotationally driven by the second drive source, so that the four polishing pads 33, 33, 33, and 33 rotate about the second rotating shaft 32a and revolve about the first rotating shaft 31a.

[0042] And the polishing section 3 is disposed directly above the conveying section 2 (more specifically, the conveying path 23a1). When the plate-shaped object G conveyed on the conveying path 23a1 passes directly below the polishing section 3, while rotationally driving the four polishing pads 33, 33, 33, and 33 respectively, and revolving them about the first rotating shaft 31a, the polishing agent is supplied by the supply means, and the four polishing pads 33, 33, 33, and 33 are pressed against the plate-shaped object G. Thereby, while the plate-shaped object G is being conveyed by the conveying section 2, the main surface (upper surface Ga) on the side opposite to the conveying section 2 side is polished by the polishing section 3.

[0043] Note that the operation of the polishing section 3 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, without rotationally driving the polishing head 31, only the four polishing disks 32, 32, 32, and 32 are rotationally driven, and the four polishing pads 33, 33, 33, and 33 that only perform the rotation operation may be pressed against the plate-shaped object G.

[0044] The pressing roller 4 presses the plate-shaped object G conveyed by the conveying section 2 against the conveying section 2 side (lower side) to maintain the conveying posture of the plate-shaped object G. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing roller 4 has a shaft member 41 extending in one direction and a covering layer 42 covering the outer peripheral surface 41a except for both ends of the shaft member 41. Also, the shaft member 41 is rotatably supported about its axis through bearing members 43 at both ends.

[0045] The pressing rollers 4·4 are respectively provided directly above the conveying unit 2 (conveying path 23a1), and on the upstream side (rear side) and the downstream side (front side) in the conveying direction A with respect to the polishing unit 3, and are respectively arranged such that the axial direction is orthogonal to the conveying direction A in a plan view.

[0046] Each pressing roller 4 is provided with a drive mechanism 44 (see FIG. 1) that enables the pressing roller 4 to move vertically. As shown in FIG. 1, the drive mechanism 44 is composed of, for example, a pair (only one is shown in FIG. 1 because FIG. 1 is a side view) of pneumatic actuators 44a·44a, and at the tip of each telescopic rod 44a1·44a1, it is connected to both ends of each pressing roller 4 via bearing members 43·43.

[0047] The pair of pneumatic actuators 44a·44a are arranged with the advancing direction of the telescopic rods 44a1·44a1 downward and the retracting direction upward, and by moving the telescopic rods 44a1·44a1 in the advancing direction, each pressing roller 4 is installed so that it can move downward.

[0048] Regarding the pressing force when each pressing roller 4 presses against the plate-like object G, it can be adjusted by appropriately changing the air pressure of the compressed air supplied to each pneumatic actuator 44a.

[0049] By the way, as shown in FIG. 3(a), in each pressing roller 4, the coating layer 42 has a porous resin layer 42a and a non-porous resin layer 42b that are sequentially laminated from the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41 toward the outside in the radial direction of the shaft member 41. The non-porous resin layer 42b is located on the outermost layer side of each pressing roller 4.

[0050] The porous coating layer 42a is formed of, for example, a sponge with an Asker C hardness of 50 or less in this embodiment. It is more preferable that the porous coating layer 42a is formed of a sponge with an Asker C hardness of 40 or less.

[0051] Here, when the porous resin layer 42a is formed by a sponge with an Asker C hardness exceeding 50, it is difficult to ensure sufficient flexibility and cushioning properties in the porous resin layer 42a, and it is not possible to expect much of an increase in the contact area S (see FIG. 4) between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-shaped object G when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-shaped object G as described later.

[0052] In the present embodiment, since the porous resin layer 42a is formed by a sponge with an Asker C hardness of 50 or less, it is possible to more surely increase the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-shaped object G when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-shaped object G, as compared with the prior art.

[0053] Further, instead of the sponge with an Asker C hardness of 50 or less, a member having the same hardness, for example, an elastic rubber with a Shore A hardness of 20 or less, may be used. However, in this case, since the elastic rubber is generally expensive, it may be a factor in increasing the manufacturing cost of the pressing roller 4.

[0054] Also, the non-porous resin layer 42b is formed of, for example, an elastic rubber with a Shore A hardness of 20 or more and less than 50 in the present embodiment. It is more preferable that the non-porous coating layer 42b is formed of an elastic rubber with a Shore A hardness of 20 or more and less than 40.

[0055] Here, when the non-porous resin layer 42b is formed by an elastic rubber with a Shore A hardness of 50 or more, it is difficult to ensure sufficient flexibility in the non-porous resin layer 42b, and it is not possible to expect much of an increase in the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-shaped object G when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-shaped object G as described later. On the other hand, since an elastic rubber with a Shore A hardness of less than 20 is generally expensive, when the non-porous resin layer 42b is formed by the elastic rubber, it may be a factor in increasing the manufacturing cost of the pressing roller 4.

[0056] In this embodiment, since the non-porous resin layer 42b is formed of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 20 or more and less than 50, when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-like object G, the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-like object G can be more reliably increased as compared with the prior art, and such a pressing roller 4 can be realized without a significant increase in manufacturing cost.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3(b), in each pressing roller 4, the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 is set to be 15 mm or more and 40 mm or less. Note that stepped portions with an enlarged cross-sectional area may be provided at both ends of the shaft member 41, and in the region of the outer peripheral surface 41a covered by the covering layer 42, such stepped portions may be included. In this case, the above-mentioned shaft radius r means the shaft radius of the shaft member 41 in the region excluding the stepped portions in the region of the outer peripheral surface 41a covered by the covering layer 42.

[0058] Here, when the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 exceeds 40 mm (Ra > 40 mm), the self-weight of the pressing roller becomes too heavy. For example, when replacing the pressing roller 4 that has exceeded the usage limit with a new pressing roller 4 manually, it is difficult to perform such replacement work. On the other hand, when the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 is less than 15 mm (Ra < 15 mm), it is difficult to sufficiently ensure the rigidity of the entire pressing roller 4, and it is difficult to reliably suppress the occurrence of misalignment in the conveyance posture or partial lifting of the plate-like object G when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-like object G.

[0059] In this embodiment, since the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 in the pressing roller 4 is set to be 15 mm or more and 40 mm or less (15 mm ≤ r ≤ 40 mm), sufficient rigidity can be ensured for the pressing roller 4 without an extreme increase in the self-weight of the pressing roller 4.

[0060] Therefore, for example, the replacement operation of replacing the pressing roller 4 that has exceeded the service limit with a new pressing roller 4 by manual labor can be easily performed, and also, by pressing the pressing roller 4 against the plate-shaped object G, it is possible to surely suppress the occurrence of deviation in the conveying posture or partial lifting of the plate-shaped object G.

[0061] In addition, in the present embodiment, the ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a is set to be 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less.

[0062] Here, when the ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a is less than 0.8 ((r / Ta) < 0.8), since the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 becomes too small with respect to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a, it is difficult to sufficiently ensure the rigidity of the entire pressing roller 4, and it is difficult to surely suppress the occurrence of deviation in the conveying posture or partial lifting of the plate-shaped object G when pressing the pressing roller 4 against the plate-shaped object G. On the other hand, when the ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a exceeds 1.2 ((r / Ta) > 1.2), the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 becomes too large with respect to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a, and the self-weight of the pressing roller 4 becomes heavy. Therefore, for example, when replacing the pressing roller 4 that has exceeded the service limit with a new pressing roller 4 by manual labor, it is difficult to perform the replacement operation.

[0063] In the present embodiment, since the ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member 41 to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a is set to be 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less (0.8 ≤ (r / Ta) ≤ 1.2), it is possible to ensure sufficient rigidity for the pressing roller 4 without an extreme increase in the self-weight of the pressing roller 4.

[0064] Therefore, for example, the replacement operation of replacing the pressing roller 4 that has exceeded the service limit with a new pressing roller 4 by manual labor can be easily performed, and also, by pressing the pressing roller 4 against the plate-shaped object G, it is possible to surely suppress the occurrence of deviation in the conveying posture or partial lifting of the plate-shaped object G.

[0065] Also, in the present embodiment, the ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer 42b is set to be 6 or more and 10 or less.

[0066] Here, when the ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer 42b is less than 6 ((Ta / Tb) < 6), in the coating layer 42 that covers the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41, it is difficult to sufficiently secure the ratio occupied by the porous resin layer 42a, and the flexibility and cushioning properties of the entire coating layer 42 decrease. Therefore, as will be described later, when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-like object G, an increase in the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-like object G cannot be expected very much. On the other hand, when the ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer 42b exceeds 10 ((Ta / Tb) > 10), in the coating layer 42 that covers the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41, the ratio occupied by the porous resin layer 42a becomes too large. Therefore, when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-like object G, the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-like object G extremely increases, which may become a factor accelerating the deterioration of the pressing roller 4 due to wear with the plate-like object G.

[0067] In the present embodiment, since the ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer 42a to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer 42b is set to be 6 or more and 10 or less (6 ≤ (Ta / Tb) ≤ 10), when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-like object G, the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-like object G can be more reliably increased compared to the conventional case, and it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the pressing roller 4 due to wear with the plate-like object G from being promoted.

[0068] [Operating Procedure of the Polishing Apparatus 1] Next, the operating procedure of the polishing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0069] First, in the conveying unit 2, the conveying belt 23 is in a state of being rotated in a predetermined direction (the direction in which the conveying path 23a1 moves in the conveying direction (the direction of arrow A)). Also, in the polishing unit 3, the polishing pads 33 fixed to the respective polishing disks 32 are in a state of waiting at a predetermined upper limit position with their rotational operations stopped. Furthermore, a pressing roller 4 located on the upstream side (the rear side in this embodiment) of the polishing unit 3 in the conveying direction A (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "upstream pressing roller 4A"), and a pressing roller 4 located on the downstream side (the front side in this embodiment) (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "downstream pressing roller 4B") are both in a state of waiting at predetermined positions.

[0070] And, on the upstream side (the rear side) of the polishing apparatus 1 in the conveying direction A, an upstream conveyor M1 composed of a roller conveyor or the like is arranged. The plate-shaped object G conveyed by the upstream conveyor M1 is transferred onto the conveying path 23a1 of the conveying belt 23. Then, when it reaches a predetermined position, the polishing apparatus 1 starts the polishing operation.

[0071] Regarding the predetermined positions of each of the above-described pressing rollers 4, for example, in a plan view, when the plate-shaped object G reaches directly below the pressing roller 4 and the polishing pad 33, it is set slightly downward from the position where the upper surface Ga of the plate-shaped object G can come into contact with the pressing roller 4 and the polishing pad 33.

[0072] When the polishing operation is started, the polishing unit 3 rotationally drives the polishing head 31 via the first rotating shaft 31a and rotationally drives each polishing disk 32 via the second rotating shaft 32a. Also, the polishing unit 3 supplies a polishing agent to each rotationally driven polishing pad 33 through the above-described supply means (not shown).

[0073] When the front end of the plate-shaped object G conveyed by the conveying unit 2 reaches directly below the upstream pressing roller 4A, the upstream pressing roller 4A is slightly pushed upward by the plate-shaped object G, and the upstream pressing roller 4A comes into contact with and presses against the upper surface G of the plate-shaped object G. After the upstream pressing roller 4A is pressed against the plate-shaped object G (or simultaneously when the upstream pressing roller 4A is pressed against the plate-shaped object G), the polishing unit 3 moves the four polishing disks 32·32·32·32 that are rotationally driven to a predetermined lower limit position, and presses the four polishing pads 33·33·33·33 against the upper surface of the plate-shaped object G. Thereby, the plate-shaped object G conveyed by the conveying unit 2 has its upper surface Ga polished by the polishing unit 3 while being held in a conveying posture by the upstream pressing roller 4A.

[0074] After that, when the front end of the plate-shaped object G that has passed through the polishing unit 3 reaches directly below the downstream pressing roller 4B, the downstream pressing roller 4B is slightly pushed upward by the plate-shaped object G, and the upstream pressing roller 4A comes into contact with and is pressed against the upper surface G of the plate-shaped object G. Thereby, the plate-shaped object G conveyed by the conveying unit 2 has its upper surface Ga polished by the polishing unit 3 while being held in a conveying posture by both the upstream pressing roller 4A and the downstream pressing roller 4B.

[0075] When the rear end of the plate-shaped object G passes through the upstream pressing roller 4A, the upstream pressing roller 4A returns to the standby state at the above-mentioned predetermined position. Also, when the rear end of the plate-shaped object G passes through the polishing unit 3, the polishing unit 3 stops the rotational driving of the polishing head 31 and the four polishing disks 32·32·32·32, and simultaneously moves these four polishing disks 32·32·32·32 upward, and makes the polishing pads 33·33·33·33 fixed to the respective polishing disks 32 standby again at the above-mentioned predetermined upper limit position. Furthermore, when the rear end of the plate-shaped object G passes through the downstream pressing roller 4B, the downstream pressing roller 4B returns to the standby state at the above-mentioned predetermined position. As a result, the polishing operation by the polishing apparatus 1 is completed, and the plate-shaped object G that has passed through the polishing unit 3 is transferred onto the downstream conveyor M2 disposed on the downstream side (front side in this embodiment) in the conveyance direction A with respect to the polishing apparatus 1, and is conveyed to the next process.

[0076] Then, when a new plate-shaped object G that is subsequently conveyed reaches the above-described predetermined position, the above-described operating procedure is repeated again.

[0077] As described above, the polishing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment includes a conveyance unit (conveyance means) 2 that conveys the plate-shaped object G in a placed state, and a polishing unit (polishing means) 3 that polishes the main surface (more specifically, the upper surface Ga) of the plate-shaped object G conveyed by the conveyance unit (conveyance means) 2 on the side opposite to the conveyance unit (conveyance means) 2, and a pressing roller 4 that presses the plate-shaped object G against the conveyance unit (conveyance means) 2 (more specifically, the lower side).

[0078] Here, the pressing roller 4 has a shaft member 41 that is rotatably supported about an axis, and a covering layer 42 that covers the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41 (more specifically, the outer peripheral surface 41a excluding both end portions of the shaft member 41).

[0079] The covering layer 42 has a porous resin layer 42a and a non-porous resin layer 42b that are sequentially laminated from the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft member 41 toward the radially outer side of the shaft member 41, and the non-porous resin layer 42b is configured to be located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller 4.

[0080] Thus, in the polishing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, since the shaft member 41 of the pressing roller 4 is covered with the covering layer 42 having the porous resin layer 42a excellent in flexibility and cushioning properties, the contact area S between the pressing roller 4 and the plate-shaped object G when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-shaped object G can be increased as compared with the conventional case.

[0081] As a result, when the pressing roller 4 is pressed against the plate-shaped object G, the load per unit area applied to the plate-shaped object G decreases. Therefore, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object G by the pressing roller 4 without applying a local load to the plate-shaped object G.

[0082] Therefore, when the polishing operation is performed by the polishing apparatus 1, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of displacement in the conveyance posture and partial lifting of the plate-shaped object G, and to perform a stable and high-quality polishing operation. Further, even for a plate-shaped object G having a partial warp, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-shaped object G without causing damage, and a stable and high-quality polishing operation can be performed.

[0083] Furthermore, in the polishing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, since the outermost layer of the pressing roller 4 is provided with a non-porous resin layer 42b having excellent flexibility and not being porous, polishing powder (such as cerium oxide contained in the polishing agent) does not bite into the outer peripheral surface of the coating layer 42, and the main surface of the plate-shaped object G is not damaged by the polishing powder.

[0084] As another embodiment of the polishing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, the coating layer 242 that covers the outer peripheral surface 241a of the shaft member 241 of each pressing roller 204 (see FIG. 4(b)) may be formed only by a non-porous resin layer 242b made of an elastic rubber having a predetermined Shore A hardness and thickness without having the porous resin layer 42a in the present embodiment. That is, in the polishing apparatus 201 in the other embodiment, the pressing roller 204 has a shaft member 241 rotatably supported about an axis, and a non-porous resin layer 242b that covers the outer peripheral surface 241a of the shaft member 241. The non-porous resin layer 242b is made of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 10 or more and 60 or less and a thickness of 10 mm or more and 55 mm or less, and is configured to be located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller 204. Here, the Shore A hardness is preferably 15 or more and 45 or less, and more preferably 20 or more and 40 or less.

[0085] Even in the polishing apparatus 1 according to another embodiment having such a configuration, sufficient flexibility and cushioning properties can be ensured for the pressing roller 204, and when the pressing roller 204 is pressed against the plate-like object G, the contact area S between the pressing roller 204 and the plate-like object G can be increased as compared with the conventional case.

[0086] As a result, when the pressing roller 204 is pressed against the plate-like object G, the load per unit area applied to the plate-like object G is reduced. Therefore, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-like object by the pressing roller 204 without applying a local load to the plate-like object G.

[0087] Therefore, when performing a polishing operation with the polishing apparatus 201, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of displacement in the conveyance posture and partial lifting of the plate-like object G, and to perform a stable and high-quality polishing operation. Also, even for a plate-like object G having a partial warp, a sufficient pressing force can be applied to the plate-like object G without causing damage, and a stable and high-quality polishing operation can be performed.

Example

[0088] Next, an example of the pressing roller in the polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Note that the specific shape of the coating layer on the pressing roller is not limited to this.

[0089] [Preparation of Pressing Roller] First, as an example of the present invention, three types of pressing rollers (pressing rollers 104, 204, and 304) were prepared, and as a comparative example, one type of pressing roller (pressing roller 404) was prepared.

[0090] The pressing roller 104 in Example 1 has a shaft member 141 and a coating layer 142 that covers the outer peripheral surface 141a of the shaft member 141. The coating layer 142 has a porous resin layer 142a and a non-porous resin layer 142b that are laminated in order from the outer peripheral surface 141a of the shaft member 141 toward the outside in the radial direction of the shaft member 141, as shown in FIG. 4(a).

[0091] Here, the shaft member 141 is a solid round bar member with an outer diameter of 50 mm. Also, in the porous resin layer 142a, the material is a sponge made of NBR (nitrile rubber), the Asker C hardness is 30, and the thickness is 24 mm. Furthermore, in the non-porous resin layer 142b, the material is an elastic rubber made of NBR (nitrile rubber), the Shore A hardness is 30, and the thickness is 3 mm.

[0092] The pressing roller 204 in Example 2 has, as shown in FIG. 4(b), a shaft member 241 and a coating layer 242 that covers the outer peripheral surface 241a of the shaft member 241, and the coating layer 242 is formed only by the non-porous resin layer 242b.

[0093] Here, the shaft member 241 is a solid round bar member with an outer diameter of 50 mm. Also, in the non-porous resin layer 242b, the material is an elastic rubber made of CR (chloroprene), the Shore A hardness is 30, and the thickness is 25 mm.

[0094] The pressing roller 304 in Example 3 has, as shown in FIG. 4(c), a shaft member 341 and a coating layer 342 that covers the outer peripheral surface 341a of the shaft member 341, and the coating layer 342 is formed only by the non-porous resin layer 342b.

[0095] Here, the shaft member 341 is a solid round bar member with an outer diameter of 50 mm. Also, in the non-porous resin layer 342b, the material is an elastic rubber made of CR (chloroprene), the Shore A hardness is 50, and the thickness is 25 mm.

[0096] The pressing roller 404 in Comparative Example 1 has, as shown in FIG. 4(d), a shaft member 441 and a coating layer 442 that covers the outer peripheral surface 441a of the shaft member 441, and the coating layer 442 is formed only by the non-porous resin layer 442b.

[0097] Here, the shaft member 441 is a hollow cylindrical member with an outer diameter of 82.6 mm. Also, in the non-porous resin layer 442b, the material is an elastic rubber made of CR (chloroprene), the Shore A hardness is 70, and the thickness is 8.7 mm. Note that the pressing roller 404 in Comparative Example 1 is the one adopted in a conventional polishing apparatus.

[0098] [Calculation of Contact Width W] Next, in order to grasp the degree of the contact area generated when pressing against the plate-like object, for each pressing roller, the contact width W of the contact area S when placed on the surface plate Z was calculated. Regarding the calculation of the contact width W, it was calculated according to the following procedure.

[0099] That is, for each pressing roller placed on the surface plate Z, the height H from the upper surface of the surface plate Z to the upper end of each pressing roller was measured. Next, as the deformation height h of each pressing roller, the difference between the outer diameter D of the coating layer and the above height H was calculated (h = D - H). After that, based on the calculated deformation height h, the cross-sectional shape of each pressing roller in the state of being placed on the surface plate M was traced by CAD, and on the CAD, the contact width w of the contact area S in each pressing roller was measured.

[0100] The calculation results of the deformation height h and the contact width w for each pressing roller are shown in Table 1 below.

[0101]

Table 1

[0102] As shown in Table 1, the deformation height h (h1 in Fig. 4(a)) in Example 1 was 1.5 mm, and the contact width w (w1 in Fig. 4(a)) was 24.1 mm. Also, the deformation height h (h2 in Fig. 4(b)) in Example 2 was 1.0 mm, and the contact width w (w2 in Fig. 4(b)) was 19.9 mm. In addition, the deformation height h (h3 in FIG. 4(c)) in Example 3 was 0.5 mm, and the contact width (w3 in FIG. 4(c)) was 14.1 mm. Furthermore, the deformation height h (h4 in FIG. 4(e)) in Comparative Example 1 was 0.1 mm, and the contact width w (w4 in FIG. 4(e)) was 8.9 mm.

[0103] In the pressing rollers in Examples 1 to 3, the contact width increased by 1.5 times or more compared to the conventional pressing roller in Comparative Example 1.

[0104] As described above, one embodiment for embodying the present invention has been explained. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments at all, but is merely illustrative, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is shown by the description in the claims, and further includes the equivalent meaning described in the claims and all modifications within the scope.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0105] 1 Polishing apparatus 2 Conveying unit (conveying means) 3 Polishing unit (polishing means) 4, 204 Pressing roller 41, 241 Shaft member 41a, 241a Outer peripheral surface 42 Coating layer 42a Porous resin layer 42b, 242b Non-porous resin layer G Plate-like object Ga Upper surface (main surface)

Claims

1. Conveying means for conveying a plate-like object in a state where the plate-like object is placed thereon, Polishing means for polishing the main surface of the plate-like object conveyed by the conveying means, on the side opposite to the conveying means, A pressing roller for pressing the plate-like object against the conveying means, The pressing roller, Has a shaft member rotatably supported about an axis, And a coating layer covering the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, The coating layer, Has a porous resin layer and a non-porous resin layer laminated in order from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, The non-porous resin layer is located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller, A polishing apparatus for a plate-like object, characterized in that.

2. The porous resin layer is made of a sponge having an Asker C hardness of 50 or less, The polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The non-porous resin layer is made of an elastic rubber having a Shore A hardness of 20 or more and less than 50, The polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that.

4. The shaft radius r of the shaft member is 15 mm or more and 40 mm or less, The polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that.

5. The ratio (r / Ta) of the shaft radius r of the shaft member to the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer is 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less, The polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that.

6. The ratio (Ta / Tb) of the thickness Ta of the porous resin layer to the thickness Tb of the non-porous resin layer is 6 or more and 10 or less, The polishing apparatus for a plate-like object according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that.

7. Conveying means for conveying a plate-like object in a state where the plate-like object is placed thereon, Polishing means for polishing the main surface of the plate-like object conveyed by the conveying means, on the side opposite to the conveying means side, A pressing roller for pressing the plate-like object against the conveying means side, The pressing roller, Has a shaft member rotatably supported about an axis, And a non-porous resin layer covering the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, The non-porous resin layer, Has a Shore A hardness of 10 or more and 60 or less, and is made of an elastic rubber having a thickness of 10 mm or more and 55 mm or less, and is located on the outermost layer side of the pressing roller, A polishing apparatus for a plate-like object, characterized in that.

8. A method for manufacturing a plate-like object, comprising a polishing step of polishing while conveying the plate-like object, The polishing step is performed by the polishing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 7, A method for manufacturing a plate-like object, characterized in that.

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