Electromagnetic wave irradiation device and electromagnetic wave irradiation method

Abstract

To provide an electromagnetic wave irradiation device and an electromagnetic wave irradiation method capable of confirming that an object to be irradiated is irradiated with electromagnetic waves by a new method.SOLUTION: The electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA includes an irradiation means 10 for irradiating an object WK to be irradiated with electromagnetic waves, and an indication providing means 20 for providing the object WK to be irradiated with an indication MK indicating that the object WK to be irradiated is irradiated with electromagnetic waves.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electromagnetic wave irradiation device and an electromagnetic wave irradiation method. [Background technology]

[0002] Electromagnetic wave irradiation devices that irradiate an object with electromagnetic waves are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Publication number 6-43143 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The workpiece 14 (irradiated object) irradiated with ultraviolet rays (electromagnetic waves) by the adhesive force control device (electromagnetic wave irradiation device) described in Patent Document 1 cannot confirm that it has been irradiated with electromagnetic waves.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic wave irradiation device and an electromagnetic wave irradiation method that can form an irradiated object that allows confirmation that the electromagnetic wave has been irradiated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention employs the configurations set forth in the claims. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an indication indicating that electromagnetic waves have been irradiated to the irradiated object is provided to the irradiated object, thereby making it possible to form an irradiated object that can confirm that electromagnetic waves have been irradiated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]1 is an explanatory diagram of an electromagnetic wave irradiation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the electromagnetic wave irradiation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are orthogonal to each other, and the X-axis and Y-axis are axes within a predetermined plane, and the Z-axis is an axis orthogonal to the predetermined plane. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when viewed from the front direction of Fig. 1(A) parallel to the Y-axis, "up" is the direction of the arrow of the Z-axis, "down" is the opposite direction, "left" is the direction of the arrow of the X-axis, "right" is the opposite direction, "front" is the direction toward the front of Fig. 1(A) parallel to the Y-axis, and "rear" is the opposite direction.

[0010] The electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA comprises an irradiation means 10 that performs an irradiation process of irradiating the irradiated object WK with ultraviolet rays as electromagnetic waves, a display means 20 that performs a display process of displaying an indication MK (see Figure 2 (C)) on the irradiated object WK indicating that the irradiated object WK has been irradiated with ultraviolet rays, a storage means 30 that performs a storage process of storing the irradiated object WK, and a transport means 40 that performs a transport process of transporting the irradiated object WK from the storage means 30, and is arranged near a first transport means 50 that performs a first transport process of transporting the irradiated object WK and a second transport means 60 that performs a second transport process of transferring the irradiated object WK that has been irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the first transport means 50 to the transport means 40. In this embodiment, the irradiated object WK is formed by integrating a ring frame RF as a frame member with an adherend WF placed in the opening of the ring frame RF by an adhesive sheet AS attached to them. The adhesive sheet AS of the irradiated object WK has a property that the adhesive strength is reduced by ultraviolet light, and the adhesive sheet AS is irradiated with ultraviolet light.

[0011] The irradiation means 10 includes a linear motor 11 as a driving device, a case 12 supported by a slider 11A of the linear motor 11, a high-pressure mercury lamp 13 as an electromagnetic wave emitting means housed within the case 12, a focusing means 14 such as a reflector or lens housed within the case 12 for focusing the ultraviolet light emitted by the high-pressure mercury lamp 13, a table 15 as a supporting means having a through hole 15C formed in a supporting surface 15A formed by the bottom surface of the recess 15B, a linear motor 16 as a driving device, a cover member 17 supported by the slider 16A of the linear motor 16, and an adsorption pad 18 supported on the underside of the cover member 17 and capable of being adsorbed and held by a decompression means (holding means) not shown, such as a decompression pump or vacuum ejector.

[0012] The display providing means 20 includes a linear motor 21 as a driving device and a stamp 22 supported on an output shaft 21A of the linear motor 21. In the present embodiment, the display providing means 20 is configured to hold the irradiated object WK between a gripping member 44B, which is one of a pair of gripping members 44A, 44B provided on the carrying-out means 40, and provide a display MK to the irradiated object WK. In this embodiment, the markings MK are provided on the adhesive sheet AS exposed between the inner periphery of the ring frame RF and the outer periphery of the adherend WF.

[0013] The storage means 30 includes a support table 31 and a cassette 32 supported by the support table 31 and having a plurality of shelves 32A for storing irradiation objects WK in multiple stages.

[0014] The unloading means 40 includes a linear motor 41 as a driving device, a base 42 supported on the output shaft 41A of the linear motor 41, a linear motor 43 as a driving device supported on the base 42, a chuck cylinder 44 as a gripping means supported on the slider 43A of the linear motor 43 and having a pair of gripping members 44A, 44B that grip the irradiated body WK in the storage means 30, and a slide plate 46 supported on the base 42 via a pillar member 45 and arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction. The chuck cylinder 44 is configured so that the lower gripping member 44B is longer than the upper gripping member 44A so that when the irradiated object WK is gripped by the gripping members 44A and 44B, the lower gripping member 44B is positioned below the stamp 22. The slide plates 46 extend in the left-right direction, and the front end of the front slide plate 46 and the rear end of the rear slide plate 46 are formed in an upwardly standing shape.

[0015] The first conveying means 50 includes a linear motor 51 as a driving device, a linear motor 52 as a driving device supported by a slider 51A of the linear motor 51, an arm 53 supported by a slider 52A of the linear motor 52, a first suction pad 54 supported on the underside of the arm 53 and capable of being adsorbed and held by a pressure reduction means (holding means) not shown, such as a pressure reduction pump or a vacuum ejector, and a second suction pad 55 supported on the upper side of the arm 53 and capable of being adsorbed and held by a pressure reduction means (holding means) not shown, such as a pressure reduction pump or a vacuum ejector.

[0016] The second conveying means 60 includes a linear motor 61 as a driving device, a base 62 supported by the output shaft 61A of the linear motor 61 and supporting the linear motor 21, and an adsorption pad 63 supported on the underside of the base 62 and capable of being adsorbed and held by a pressure reduction means (holding means) such as a pressure reduction pump or a vacuum ejector (not shown).

[0017] The operation of the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA will now be described. First, a user of the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA (hereinafter simply referred to as "user") inputs a signal to start automatic operation via an operation means (not shown), such as an operation panel or a personal computer, to the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA, whose components are arranged in the initial positions shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1(A). Then, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 41 to move the chuck cylinder 44 and the slide plate 46 to a height position where the first irradiated object WK to be carried out (hereinafter referred to as the first irradiated object WK1) is removed and where the irradiated object WK is handed over to the first conveying means 50. Next, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 43 to move the chuck cylinder 44 leftward, and then drives the chuck cylinder 44 to grip the first irradiated object WK1 in the cassette 32 with the gripping members 44A and 44B. Thereafter, the unloading means 40 drives the linear motor 43 to move the chuck cylinder 44 to the right, and unloads the first irradiation object WK1 from the cassette 32 along the slide plate 46.

[0018] Next, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motor 52 to lower the arm 53, bringing the lower first suction pad 54 into contact with the ring frame RF of the first irradiation object WK1, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1(A). Then, the decompression means (not shown) is driven to start suction-holding of the first irradiation object WK1 by the first suction pad 54. Then, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 43 and the chuck cylinder 44 to release the grip of the first irradiation object WK1 and return the chuck cylinder 44 to its initial position. Next, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motors 51 and 52 to convey the first irradiation object WK1 and place it in a predetermined position on the support surface 15A. Then, the decompression means (not shown) is stopped to release the suction-holding of the first irradiation object WK1 by the first suction pad 54. Thereafter, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motors 51 and 52 to return the arm 53 to its initial position, and the irradiation means 10 drives the linear motor 16 to lower the lid member 17 as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 1(A). As a result, the lid member 17 comes into contact with the upper surface of the table 15 to cover the recess 15B, and the suction pad 18 comes into contact with the ring frame RF of the first irradiated object WK1.

[0019] Next, the irradiation means 10 drives the linear motor 11 and the high-pressure mercury lamp 13, and as shown in FIG. 2A, the high-pressure mercury lamp 13 is reciprocated back and forth to irradiate the first irradiation object WK1 with ultraviolet light. While the irradiation means 10 is irradiating the first irradiation object WK1 with ultraviolet light, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 41, the linear motor 43, and the chuck cylinder 44 to carry out the irradiation object WK to be carried out next after the first irradiation object WK1 (hereinafter referred to as the second irradiation object WK2) from the cassette 32 along the slide plate 46, as shown in FIG. 2A, and then moves the second irradiation object WK2 to the delivery position as indicated by the two-dot chain line in the same figure. Then, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motor 52 and the pressure reducing means (not shown) to lower the arm 53, and the first suction pad 54 begins suction-holding the second irradiation object WK2. Next, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 43 and the chuck cylinder 44 to release the grip of the second irradiation object WK2 and return the chuck cylinder 44 to its initial position.

[0020] When irradiation of the first object WK1 with ultraviolet light is completed, the irradiation means 10 stops driving the high-pressure mercury lamp 13, then drives the pressure reducing means (not shown), and starts suction and holding of the first object WK1 with the suction pad 18. Thereafter, the irradiation means 10 drives the linear motor 16, and as shown in FIG. 2(B), returns the cover member 17 to its initial position, thereby lifting the first object WK1 that has been irradiated with ultraviolet light. Next, the first transport means 50 drives the linear motors 51 and 52, and as shown in FIG. 2(B), transports the second object WK2 to be irradiated before ultraviolet light irradiation and places it in a predetermined position on the support surface 15A. Then, the pressure reducing means (not shown) stops driving, and the first suction pad 54 releases the suction and holding of the second object WK2 with the suction pad 54. Then, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motor 52 to raise the arm 53 and bring the upper second suction pad 55 into contact with the adhesive sheet AS of the first irradiation object WK1, and then drives the pressure reducing means (not shown) to start suction and holding the first irradiation object WK1 with the second suction pad 55. Next, the irradiation means 10 stops driving the pressure reducing means (not shown) and releases the suction and holding of the first irradiation object WK1 with the suction pad 18, and the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motor 51 to receive the ultraviolet irradiated first irradiation object WK1 from the suction pad 18 of the lid member 17 and convey it to the left, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2(B), and position it below the base 62.

[0021] Thereafter, the irradiation means 10 drives the linear motor 16 to lower the cover member 17, and then drives the linear motor 11 and the high-pressure mercury lamp 13 to reciprocate the table 15 left and right to irradiate the second irradiation object WK2 with ultraviolet rays. While the irradiation means 10 is irradiating the second irradiation object WK2 with ultraviolet rays, the second transport means 60 drives the linear motor 61 and the pressure reducing means (not shown) to lower the base 62 and start suction-holding the first irradiation object WK1 with the suction pad 63, and the first transport means 50 stops driving the pressure reducing means (not shown) and releases the suction-holding of the first irradiation object WK1 with the second suction pad 55. Next, the unloading means 40 drives the direct-acting motor 41, the linear motor 43 and the chuck cylinder 44, and as shown in Figure 2 (B), the next irradiated object WK to be unloaded after the second irradiated object WK2 (hereinafter referred to as the third irradiated object WK3) is unloaded from the cassette 32 along the slide plate 46, and then moves the third irradiated object WK3 to the transfer position.

[0022] Then, the first conveying means 50 drives the linear motor 52 and the pressure reducing means (not shown) to lower the arm 53 and start suction holding of the third irradiation object WK3 by the first suction pad 54, and then drives the linear motors 51 and 52 to move the third irradiation object WK3 to the standby position (see FIG. 2(C)). Next, the second conveying means 60 drives the linear motor 61 to lower the first irradiation object WK1 and place it in a predetermined position on the slide plate 46, and the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 43 and the chuck cylinder 44 to grip the first irradiation object WK1 and bring the lower gripping member 44B into contact with the adhesive sheet AS of the first irradiation object WK1, as shown in FIG. 2(C). Thereafter, the marking means 20 drives the linear motor 21, and as shown in Figure 2 (C), the stamp 22 is lowered to sandwich the adhesive sheet AS between the lower gripping member 44B, and the ink of the stamp 22 is transferred to the adhesive sheet AS to provide a mark MK that has been irradiated with ultraviolet light.

[0023] Next, the second conveying means 60 stops driving the pressure reducing means (not shown), releases the suction hold of the first irradiation object WK1 by the suction pad 63, and transfers it to the carrying-out means 40. Then, the marking means 20 and the second conveying means 60 drive the linear motors 21 and 61 to return the stamp 22 and base 62 to their initial positions. Then, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 41 and the linear motor 43 to store the UV-irradiated first irradiation object WK1 back to its original position in the cassette 32. Next, the carrying-out means 40 drives the linear motor 41, the linear motor 43, and the chuck cylinder 44 to release the grip on the first irradiation object WK1 and return the chuck cylinder 44 to its initial position. Thereafter, when UV irradiation of the second irradiation object WK2 is completed, the irradiation means 10 returns the lid member 17 to its initial position in the same manner as described above, and raises the second irradiation object WK2. Next, the first transport means 50 drives the linear motors 51 and 52 to transport the third irradiation object WK3 from the standby position and place it at a predetermined position on the support surface 15A, and thereafter the same operations as above are repeated.

[0024] According to the above embodiment, a display MK indicating that the irradiated object WK has been irradiated with ultraviolet rays is provided on the irradiated object WK, thereby forming an irradiated object WK that allows confirmation that ultraviolet rays have been irradiated.

[0025] As described above, the best configurations, methods, and the like for implementing the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, although the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described mainly with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations without departing from the scope of the technical idea and purpose of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-disclosed descriptions limiting the shape, material, and the like are provided as examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, descriptions using names of components that are free from some or all of the limitations on shape, material, and the like are included in the present invention. Furthermore, the means and steps of the present invention are not limited in any way as long as they can perform the operations, functions, or steps described for those means and steps, and are in no way limited to the components and steps of a single embodiment shown in the above embodiment. For example, the irradiation means may be any means that irradiates an irradiated object with electromagnetic waves, and is not limited in any way as long as it is within the technical scope in light of the common general technical knowledge at the time of filing (the same applies to other means and steps).

[0026] The irradiation means 10 may be equipped with a gas supply means such as a pressure pump or turbine that supplies gas such as nitrogen gas or argon gas, and the gas may be filled into the recess 15B covered by the lid member 17, or the table 15 may be moved while the high-pressure mercury lamp 13 is moved or not moved to irradiate the adhesive sheet AS with ultraviolet light, or the electromagnetic wave emitting means may be, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp, a high-pressure mercury lamp, a low-pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon lamp, a halogen lamp, etc., or an appropriate combination thereof, or may irradiate electromagnetic waves containing visible light, sound waves, microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, infrared rays, etc. as the main electromagnetic waves, and any electromagnetic waves may be irradiated as long as they can reduce the adhesive strength of the adhesive sheet AS depending on the characteristics, properties, nature, material, composition, etc. of the adhesive sheet AS.

[0027] The display providing means 20 may not require the linear motor 21 to be supported on the base 62, and may provide the display MK on the adhesive sheet AS by printing, writing, stamping, engraving, etc., or may include, instead of or in combination with the stamp 22, a printing device that prints the display MK on the adhesive sheet AS or a labeling device that sticks a label with the display MK on the adhesive sheet AS, or may provide the display MK by modifying, changing, melting, scorching, or coloring the adhesive sheet AS with a laser or ultrasound, or may provide the display MK on the ring frame RF or the adherend WF, or may be configured to provide the display MK on the irradiated object WK without clamping the irradiated object WK with the gripping member 44B, or the display MK may be, for example, any symbol, letter, number, figure, logo, one-dimensional code such as a barcode, two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) or data matrix, or a combination of these.

[0028] The storage means 30 may be one or more, or may be configured so that there is no shelf 32A and multiple irradiated objects WK are stacked and stored by abutting each other, or instead of storing multiple irradiated objects WK horizontally as in the embodiment, it may be configured to store multiple irradiated objects WK vertically, and may or may not be provided in the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA of the present invention. The cassette 32 may or may not be provided in the storage means 30, and if not provided, the irradiation object WK may be stored in another device.

[0029] The unloading means 40 may be provided with a driving device for raising and lowering the cassette 32 in place of or in combination with the linear motor 41, and may or may not be provided in the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA of the present invention.If it is not provided, the irradiated object WK may be unloaded by another device. The gripping member 44A may have the same length as the gripping member 44B, in which case it may have a through hole or a notch so that the stamp 22 does not interfere.

[0030] The first conveying means 50 may, for example, comprise a rotary motor as a driving device supported by a slider 52A of a linear motor 52, and an arm 53 supported on the output shaft of the rotary motor, and the arm 53 may be configured to be inverted upside down, in which case one of the suction pads 54, 55 may be absent. The first transport means 50 may or may not be provided in the electromagnetic wave irradiation apparatus EA of the present invention, and if it is not provided, the irradiation object WK may be transported by another device.

[0031] The second conveying means 60 may or may not be provided in the electromagnetic wave irradiation device EA of the present invention, and if it is not provided, the irradiated object WK may be transferred from the first conveying means 50 to the carrying-out means 40 by another device.

[0032] The object to be irradiated WK may not have the ring frame RF. The frame member may be a ring frame, but may also be non-annular (not connected at the outer periphery), circular, elliptical, polygonal, or other shape.

[0033] The adhesive sheet AS may have the property that its adhesive strength is reduced by electromagnetic waves other than ultraviolet rays, such as visible light, sound waves, microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, and infrared rays.

[0034] The materials, types, shapes, etc. of the irradiated object WK, adhesive sheet AS, and adherend WF in the present invention are not particularly limited. For example, the irradiated object WK, adhesive sheet AS, and adherend WF may be circular, elliptical, polygonal such as triangular or rectangular, or other shapes, and the adhesive sheet AS may be pressure-sensitive, heat-sensitive, or other adhesive. When a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet AS is used, the adhesive sheet AS may be adhered by an appropriate method, such as providing a heating means such as a coil heater or the heated side of a heat pipe to heat the adhesive sheet AS. Such adhesive sheets AS may be of any type, including single-layer adhesive sheets, two-layer adhesive sheets consisting of a substrate and an adhesive layer, three-layer or more adhesive sheets consisting of a substrate and an adhesive layer with one or more intermediate layers laminated between them, three-layer or more adhesive sheets consisting of a substrate with one or more cover layers laminated on top of the substrate, double-sided adhesive sheets with a substrate, intermediate layer, or cover layer provided in a peelable manner, single-layer adhesive sheets consisting of an adhesive layer, and double-sided adhesive sheets with adhesive layers laminated on both outermost surfaces of one or more intermediate layers. Furthermore, the adherend WF may be, for example, a single object such as food, a resin container, a semiconductor wafer (e.g., silicon semiconductor wafer or compound semiconductor wafer), a circuit board, an information recording substrate (e.g., optical disk), a glass plate, a steel plate, a ceramic, a wooden board, or a resin, or a composite formed from two or more of these, and may be any type of component or article. The adhesive sheet AS may also be any sheet, film, tape, etc., such as an information label, a decorative label, a protective sheet, a dicing tape, a die attach film, a die bonding tape, or a recording layer-forming resin sheet.

[0035] The driving equipment in the above embodiments may be electric equipment such as rotary motors, linear motors, single-axis robots, so-called articulated robots with joints on two or three or more axes, actuators such as air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, rodless cylinders and rotary cylinders, which may be used alone, or may be a direct or indirect combination of such electric equipment and actuators, or may be electric equipment, actuators, etc. that are capable of torque control, speed control, etc. for the output parts of such electric equipment, actuators, etc., or may not be capable of torque control, speed control, etc.

[0036] In the above-described embodiments, there is a certain object (hereinafter referred to as "object A") and an object (hereinafter referred to as "object B") that moves relative to object A. In other words, object A and object B that move relatively may be such that object B moves relative to object A, which is stationary, or object A may move relative to object B, which is stationary, or both object A and object B may move. As long as the result achieved by the movement is the same, either object A or object B may move. When a supporting (holding) means or a supporting (holding) member that supports (holds) a supported member (held member) is used, a configuration may be adopted in which the supported member is supported (held) by a gripping means such as a mechanical chuck or a chuck cylinder, Coulomb force, an adhesive (adhesive sheet, adhesive tape), a pressure sensitive adhesive (adhesive sheet, adhesive tape), a magnetic force, Bernoulli suction, suction, a driving device, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] EA…Electromagnetic wave irradiation device 10…Irradiation means 20...Display means 30...Containment means 40...Export means 44...Chuck cylinder (gripping means) 44A, 44B...gripping members MK…display WK…Irradiated object

Claims

1. an irradiation means for irradiating an electromagnetic wave onto an irradiated object; and a display providing means for providing a display indicating that the object has been irradiated with electromagnetic waves to the object.

2. a housing means for housing the object to be irradiated; a carrying-out means for carrying out the irradiation object from the accommodation means, the carrying-out means includes a gripping means having a pair of gripping members that grip the irradiation object in the accommodation means, 2. The electromagnetic wave irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the display applying means applies the display to the object by sandwiching the object with one of the pair of gripping members.

3. an irradiation step of irradiating an object with electromagnetic waves; and a marking step of marking the irradiated object with a mark indicating that the irradiated object has been irradiated with electromagnetic waves.

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