Work apparatus, control method thereof, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product

Abstract

To achieve further improvements in product quality. [Solution] The work apparatus according to the present invention is a work apparatus for loading and unloading substrates into a storage container, wherein the storage container comprises a container body that forms an opening and a lid portion provided with a protrusion, the work apparatus comprises an outer wall that forms a work chamber and a storage container supply mechanism that connects the loading / unloading outlet for the substrates with the opening to perform the loading / unloading work, the storage container supply mechanism comprises a housing that forms the loading / unloading outlet, a shielding door, and a shielding door moving mechanism, the shielding door comprises a door body provided with a hole through which the protrusion can be inserted and a protrusion holding mechanism that holds the protrusion inserted into the hole, the shielding door moving mechanism moves the shielding door together with the lid portion, whose protrusion is held by the protrusion holding mechanism, in a first direction to pull it into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid portion from the container body, and moving the shielding door in a second direction to connect the loading / unloading outlet with the opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a working device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a mechanism for removing a cover (91) from a material box (9). According to the structure of Patent Document 1, for a positioned material box, the cover is unlocked, and then the material box is retracted and the cover is lifted by a lifting door (1), thereby opening the material box.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the above structure of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that foreign matter may be mixed into the material box or the working device when the material box is retracted. This can cause a decrease in the quality of the product.

[0005] The present invention has been made based on the recognition of the above problems, and an exemplary object is to achieve further improvement in the quality of the product.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a working device, and the working device is a working device for carrying in and out a substrate with respect to a storage container capable of storing the substrate, wherein the storage container has a container body forming an opening for carrying in and out the substrate, A lid portion that is detachably attached to the container body so as to close the opening, the lid portion having a protruding portion that extends horizontally, Equipped with, The aforementioned work apparatus is An outer wall that demarcates an area including the space in which the substrate is transported, forming a workroom, A storage container supply mechanism on which the aforementioned storage container is placed, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A housing that forms at least a part of the outer wall and forms an entrance / exit for the substrate to be brought in and out of the work chamber, A shielding door capable of blocking the aforementioned loading / unloading exit, A shielding door moving mechanism for moving the aforementioned shielding door, Equipped with, The aforementioned shielding door is The door body is provided with a hole through which the protruding portion can be inserted into the workroom side, A protrusion holding mechanism is provided on the workroom side of the door body to hold the protrusion, A cover member provided on the workroom side of the door body, covering the hole and the protruding part holding mechanism, Equipped with, The protruding portion holding mechanism holds the protruding portion inserted into the hole and holds the lid portion, The aforementioned shielding door moving mechanism is The shielding door, together with the lid held by the protruding part holding mechanism, is moved in the first direction and pulled into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body. The shielding door is moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading port and the opening, thereby enabling the loading and unloading of the substrate from the storage container. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to improve the quality of products. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the working device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the storage container supply mechanism. [Figure 3] It is a side view of a part of the structure of the storage container supply mechanism as a perspective view. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the storage container. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the storage container supply mechanism. [Figure 6] It is a schematic side view for explaining the opening and closing operation of the storage container. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the transfer work unit. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the support base that supports the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view in which a part of FIG. 8 is not shown and includes the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing an example of the driving mode of the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing an example of the detailed structure of the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 12] It is a side view showing an example of the detailed structure of the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 13] It is a top schematic view showing some examples of the mode of loading / unloading or transfer of the substrate. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing another example of the structure of the transfer work unit. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view showing an example of the detailed structure of the loading / unloading mechanism. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view showing the detailed structure of the fork advancing / retreating mechanism. [Figure 17] [[ID=5*]]It is a side view showing the detailed structure of the conveyor elevating mechanism.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] ≪First Embodiment≫ <An example of the overall configuration of the work equipment> Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the work apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. The work apparatus 1 is configured to perform predetermined operations on a workpiece to be worked on, and in this embodiment, it comprises a storage container supply mechanism 2, a transport work unit 3, a control unit 9, and an exterior panel 10. In this embodiment, the workpiece to be processed is a substrate such as a glass substrate, a mounted substrate, or a semiconductor substrate (substrate SB as shown in Figures 4 and 10), which is housed in a predetermined storage container 7 and is capable of being moved in and out between the storage container 7 and the work apparatus 1. In this specification, moving into the work apparatus 1 is referred to as loading, and moving out of the work apparatus 1 is referred to as unloading.

[0011] Here, as with the other figures described later, for the sake of easier understanding of the structure, the left-right or width direction of the work device 1 is shown as the X direction, the front-back or depth direction is shown as the Y direction, and the up-down or height direction is shown as the Z direction. The X, Y, and Z directions intersect each other (substantially orthogonal), and the X and Y directions form a horizontal plane.

[0012] In this specification, the relative positional relationships between elements can be described based on the X, Y, and Z directions. Any one direction is represented by "+", and the opposite direction is represented by "-". For example, the -X direction corresponds to the left direction, the +X direction corresponds to the right direction, and when there is no distinction between left and right, it is simply referred to as the X direction. As an example, moving in the X direction indicates that it is possible to move (back and forth) in both the +X and -X directions. Similarly, the -Y direction side (or -Y side) corresponds to the front side or near side, the +Y direction side (or +Y side) corresponds to the back side or far side, and when neither the front nor back direction is distinguished, it is simply referred to as the Y direction. For example, being located on the front side of a given element indicates being located on the -Y direction side. Similarly, the -Z direction corresponds to the downward direction, the +Z direction corresponds to the upward direction, and when neither the upward nor downward direction is distinguished, it is simply referred to as the Z direction. For example, being located above a given element indicates being located on the +Z side (or the +Z side).

[0013] As will be described in more detail later, the storage container 7 is configured to accommodate one or more substrates SB, and the user can transport the storage container 7 to the work device 1 using, for example, a trolley 8. The storage container supply mechanism 2 enables the loading and unloading of substrates SB to and from such a storage container 7 through an loading / unloading port 201 formed in its housing.

[0014] The transport unit 3 performs the transport of substrates SB. For example, the transport unit 3 transports the substrates SB that have been taken out of / transported from the storage container 7 and transfers them to other subsequent work units. The transport unit 3 can also transport the substrates SB received from the other work units and store / transport them into the storage container 7. The other work units are capable of performing predetermined operations on the substrates SB, and examples of such operations include processing operations performed on the substrates, such as heat treatment, cleaning treatment, polishing treatment, and injection treatment.

[0015] The control unit 9 controls the entire system of the work device 1 and performs drive control of the storage container supply mechanism 2 and the transport work unit 3. In this embodiment, the control unit 9 is located on the left side of the front of the work device 1 together with an operation input unit (e.g., a touch panel display). The user can input setting information regarding the work content via this operation input unit, and the control unit 9 performs drive control of the storage container supply mechanism 2 and the transport work unit 3 based on this setting information.

[0016] In this embodiment, the control unit 9 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, and the CPU and memory execute a program for controlling the drive of the storage container supply mechanism 2 and the transport work unit 3. In other embodiments, the control unit 9 may be composed of a semiconductor device such as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). That is, each function of the work device 1 may be realized by either hardware or software.

[0017] The exterior panel 10 forms the outer wall of the work apparatus 1 and partitions the area including the space into which the substrate SB is brought in from the outside space as a workroom. The exterior panel 10 may also be described as an apparatus housing, with additional frame members forming the framework of the work apparatus 1. The storage container supply mechanism 2 and the control unit 9 have elements that form part of the outer wall of the work apparatus 1 or are attached to the exterior panel 10.

[0018] In this embodiment, a configuration is shown in which two storage container supply mechanisms 2 are arranged side by side in the X direction. However, the number of such mechanisms is not limited to this example, and a single storage container supply mechanism 2 may be arranged, or three or more storage container supply mechanisms 2 may be arranged.

[0019] <An example of the configuration of a loading / unloading work unit> Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the storage container supply mechanism 2. Figure 3 is a schematic left side view and a schematic right side view showing a part of the structure of the storage container supply mechanism 2 in perspective. An entrance / exit 201 leading to the workroom is provided in the center of the front side of the wall material 200 that constitutes the housing of the storage container supply mechanism 2. Details will be described later, but the loading and unloading of substrates SB is performed through the entrance / exit 201.

[0020] The storage container supply mechanism 2 includes a storage container support base 211, a support base lifting mechanism 213, and a support base reciprocating mechanism 212 located below the loading / unloading port 201. The storage container support base 211 is configured to support a storage container 7, and the upper surface of the storage container support base 211 is on which the storage container 7 can be placed, and a lower positioning part 2111, described later, is provided. The support base lifting mechanism 213 allows the storage container support base 211 to move in the Z direction, and by raising the storage container support base 211, the lower positioning part 2111 engages with the engaging part 703 on the bottom surface of the container body 700, described later, and the storage container support base 211 supports the storage container 7. The support base reciprocating mechanism 212 allows the storage container support base 211 to move in the Y direction, thereby allowing the storage container support base 211 and the storage container 7 on it to move forward and backward. In other words, the storage container 7 is supported on the storage container support base 211, and can be raised and lowered by the support base lifting mechanism 213, and can be moved forward and backward by the support base advancement mechanism 212.

[0021] Furthermore, the storage container supply mechanism 2 further includes a shielding door 221 and a shielding door moving mechanism 231. The shielding door 221 shields the loading / unloading opening 201 formed in the wall material 200 from the inside of the workroom. As will be described in detail later, the shielding is released when the shielding door 221 moves away from the loading / unloading opening 201, and the loading / unloading opening 201 is opened as the shielding door 221 rises. Also, when the shielding door 221 lowers to a position opposite the loading / unloading opening 201 and approaches the loading / unloading opening 201, the loading / unloading opening 201 is shielded and the loading / unloading opening 201 is closed. Here, when the loading / unloading port 201 is open, the shielding door 221 is assumed to be open, and when the loading / unloading port is closed, the shielding door 221 is assumed to be closed. In this embodiment, the shielding door 221 is made of a member larger than the loading / unloading port 201 and shields the loading / unloading port 201 by abutting against the wall material 200 surrounding the loading / unloading port 201. Here, a sealing member that abuts against the shielding door 221 may be provided on the loading / unloading port 201 or the workroom side of the wall material 200. Alternatively, the shielding door 221 may be made of a member of about the same size as the loading / unloading port 201, and the shielding door 221 may shield the loading / unloading port 201 by fitting into the loading / unloading port 201. In that case, the sealing member may be provided on the edge of the loading / unloading port 201.

[0022] The shielding door moving mechanism 231 is configured to move so that the shielding door 221 changes from one state to the other, and in this embodiment, it includes a shielding door retraction mechanism 232 and a shielding door lifting mechanism 233. The shielding door retraction mechanism 232 includes a guide member 2321 and a drive unit 2322 (first moving mechanism). The guide member 2321 holds the shielding door 221 and guides it so that it can move in the Y direction. In this embodiment, the guide member 2321 is a guide rail extending in the Y direction. The drive unit 2322 includes a power source that generates power and a drive mechanism that moves the shielding door 221 in the Y direction using the power from the power source.

[0023] The shielding door lifting mechanism 233 includes a guide member 2331 and a drive unit 2332 (second moving mechanism). The guide member 2331 holds the shielding door 221 and the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 and guides them so that they can move in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the guide member 2331 is a guide rail extending in the Z direction. The drive unit 2332 includes a power source that generates power and a drive mechanism that moves the shielding door 221 and the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 in the Z direction using the power from the power source.

[0024] For example, when opening the shielding door 221 from a closed state, the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 moves the shielding door 221 in the +Y direction to retract it, and the shielding door lifting mechanism 233 moves the shielding door 221 and the shielding door retraction mechanism 232, which are now separated from the loading / unloading port 201, in the +Z direction to raise them. Conversely, when closing the shielding door 221 from an open state, the shielding door lifting mechanism 233 moves the shielding door 221 and the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 in the -Z direction to lower them, and the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 moves the lowered shielding door 221 in the -Y direction to shield the loading / unloading port 201. The shielding door moving mechanism 231 may also be described as a shielding door opening and closing mechanism.

[0025] The shielding door retraction mechanism 232 and the shielding door lifting mechanism 233 can be positioned at least partially to the side of the loading / unloading port 201 and outward from the wall material 200 (-Y direction). In this embodiment, the guide members 2321 and 2331 and the drive unit 2322 are provided outward from the wall material 200 (-Y direction) and on one side (+X direction) and the other side (-X direction) of the loading / unloading port 201, respectively, while the drive unit 2332 is provided outward from the wall material 200 (-Y direction) and on the other side (-X direction) of the loading / unloading port 201. This reduces the number of components of the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 and the shielding door lifting mechanism 233 located inside the work area, thereby securing sufficient space in the work area and minimizing the impact on the transport operation of the substrate SB inside the work area, as described later.

[0026] <An example of the configuration of a storage container> Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the storage container 7. The storage container 7 comprises a container body 700 and a lid portion 701. An opening OP7 is provided on the side of the container body 700, and one or more substrates SB are supported in a horizontal position along a support member provided on the inner wall of the container body 700, and can be individually inserted and removed horizontally through the opening OP7.

[0027] The lid portion 701 is detachably attached to the container body 700 so as to close the opening OP7. In this embodiment, the edge portion 704 around the opening OP7 of the container body 700 and the lid portion 701 are both detachably attached by pins and pin holes (not shown) and / or magnets. With this configuration, the lid portion 701 can be removed by applying force in the direction away from the container body 700 (the +Y direction in the figure).

[0028] As will be described in detail later, the outer surface of the lid portion 701 (the +Y side surface in the figure) is provided with a projection 702 that protrudes or extends horizontally. In this embodiment, the projection 702 has a shape comprising a bar-shaped rod portion and leg portions at both ends connected to the lid portion 701, and for convenience, this shape is referred to as a horizontal U-shape. One or more projections 702 are sufficient, but it is preferable to provide multiple projections (four in this embodiment). The projection 702 may also be described as an extension.

[0029] Furthermore, although details will be described later, engaging portions 703 are provided on the upper and lower parts of the container body 700. In this embodiment, the container body 700 is provided with engaging portions 703 on its upper and lower surfaces. Referring again to Figure 3, the storage container supply mechanism 2 further comprises an upper positioning section 2411 and an upper positioning section moving mechanism 2412 above the loading / unloading outlet 201. The upper positioning section moving mechanism 2412 allows the upper positioning section 2411 to move in the Z direction by a known configuration.

[0030] With this configuration, the upper positioning part 2411 can engage with the engaging part 703 on the upper surface of the container body 700, and the lower positioning part 2111 can engage with the engaging part 703 on the bottom surface of the container body 700, thereby enabling the positioning of the container body 700. In other words, the upper positioning part 2411, the upper positioning part movement mechanism 2412, the lower positioning part 2111, the support base advancement / retraction mechanism 212, and the support base lifting / lowering mechanism 213 work together to function as a positioning mechanism 241 that positions the container body 700 (storage container 7). As a result, the top and bottom surfaces of the container body 700 are positioned, and any twisting or bending of the container body 700 is eliminated.

[0031] In this embodiment, the engaging portions 703 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides of the top and bottom surfaces of the container body 700, and the positioning portions 2111 and 2411 are provided corresponding to the left and right pair of engaging portions 703, but the number of these is not limited to this example.

[0032] <Example of a shielding door configuration> Figures 5(a) and 5(b) are perspective views showing the internal structure of the storage container supply mechanism 2, and depict the shielding door 221 as seen from the workroom side (the side opposite to where the storage container 7 is placed). The shielding door 221 comprises a door body 221B, a protruding part holding mechanism 222, and a cover member 223. The door body 221B is provided with one or more holes OP2 through which the protrusions 702 can be inserted, corresponding to the number and position of the protrusions 702 (four in this embodiment).

[0033] The protrusion holding mechanism 222 comprises a protrusion holding portion 2221 and an actuator 2222. One or more (four in this embodiment) protrusion holding portions 2221 are provided, corresponding to the number of holes OP2. The protrusion holding mechanism 222 is preferably shaped to engage with the aforementioned horizontal U-shaped protrusion 702. In this embodiment, the protrusion holding mechanism 222 has an open U-shape at the top, and for convenience, this shape is referred to as a vertical U-shape. Each protruding part holder 2221 is connected to the actuator 2222 via a connecting member and is capable of moving up and down based on power from the actuator 2222. That is, as shown in Figure 5(a), when the actuator 2222 rises as indicated by arrow A51, each protruding part holder 2221 rises as indicated by arrow A52.

[0034] The cover member 223 is provided on the work chamber side so as to cover the hole OP2 and the protruding part holding mechanism 222, and wires such as signal lines and power lines connected to the actuator 2222 are inserted through a predetermined opening.

[0035] When the protrusion 702 of the lid 701 of the storage container 7 is inserted into the hole OP2, the corresponding protrusion holding part 2221 rises based on the power of the actuator 2222. At this time, the protrusion holding part 2221, which has a vertical U-shape, supports the protrusion 702, which has a horizontal U-shape, from below. With this configuration, the protrusion holding mechanism 222 can hold the protrusion 702 as shown in Figure 5(b).

[0036] <Regarding the opening and closing operation of storage containers for loading and unloading> Figures 6(a) to 6(g) are schematic side views illustrating the opening and closing operation of the storage container 7 for loading and unloading according to this embodiment. For ease of understanding, dashed arrows indicating the direction of the operation are shown in the figures for each element where the operation occurs. First, the user places the storage container 7 in front of the storage container supply mechanism 2 using the trolley 8 (see Figure 6(a)).

[0037] Next, the control unit 9 raises the storage container support base 211 using the support base lifting mechanism 213 based on the setting information entered by the user, so that the storage container support base 211 supports the storage container 7. This transfers the storage container 7 from the trolley 8 to the storage container support base 211 (see Figure 6(b)). Prior to this, the control unit 9 may move the storage container support base 211 forward or backward using the support base advancement / retraction mechanism 212 so that the lower positioning portion 2111 on the upper surface of the storage container support base 211 engages with the engaging portion 703 on the bottom surface of the container body 700.

[0038] After raising the storage container support base 211 until the lower positioning section 2111 reaches a predetermined height, the control unit 9 moves the storage container support base 211 forward and backward using the support base advancement / retraction mechanism 212, bringing the storage container 7 closer to the shielding door 221 (see Figure 6(c)). This causes the protruding section 702 of the lid section 701 to pass through the hole OP2, and the engaging section 703 on the upper surface of the container body 700 and the upper positioning section 2411 to overlap in the Z direction (positioning the engaging section 703 so that it can engage with the upper positioning section 2411). Furthermore, the user can remove the trolley 8 from in front of the storage container supply mechanism 2 if necessary.

[0039] The control unit 9 further lowers the upper positioning part 2411 using the upper positioning part moving mechanism 2412 and engages it with the engaging part 703 on the upper surface of the container body 700 (see Figure 6(d)). In this way, the storage container 7 (container body 700) is positioned, and the position of the storage container 7 relative to the storage container supply mechanism 2 is determined.

[0040] Subsequently, the control unit 9 drives the projection holding mechanism 222 of the shielding door 221, raising the projection holding part 2221 based on the power of the actuator 2222 to hold the projection 702 inserted through the hole OP2 (see Figures 6(e) and 5(b)).

[0041] In this state, the control unit 9 drives the shielding door retraction mechanism 232 to move the shielding door 221 in the +Y direction and retract it, separating it from the loading / unloading port 201 (see Figure 6(f)). As a result, the lid 701 is removed from the container body 700.

[0042] Then, the control unit 9 drives the shielding door lifting mechanism 233 to move the shielding door 221, which has been retracted and separated from the loading / unloading port 201, in the +Z direction and raise it (see Figure 6(g)). As a result, the lid portion 701, whose protrusion 702 is held by the protrusion holding mechanism 222 of the shielding door 221, rises together with the shielding door 221.

[0043] In this way, the storage container supply mechanism 2 opens the storage container 7 and connects the opening OP7 and the loading / unloading port 201. This makes it possible to load and unload the substrate SB. To close the storage container 7, the above procedure can be performed in the reverse order. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opening and closing of the loading / unloading port 201, the opening and closing of the shielding door 221, the opening and closing of the storage container 7, the opening and closing of the opening OP7, and the opening and closing of the lid 701 are all interconnected. For example, opening the loading / unloading port 201 can be rephrased as opening the shielding door 221, the storage container 7, the opening OP7, or the lid 701.

[0044] Furthermore, the trolley 8 only needs to be configured such that the storage container 7 can be transferred to the storage container support base 211 by raising the storage container support base 211, and the storage container 7 can be received from the storage container support base 211 by lowering the storage container support base 211.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user transports the storage container 7 using a trolley 8, but this is not limited to this, and the storage container 7 may be transported by, for example, an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle) or an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot).

[0046] With this configuration, when opening the loading / unloading port 201 and the opening OP7 to allow loading / unloading of substrates SB, the container body 700 can be kept close to the loading / unloading port 201. This prevents foreign matter from entering the inside of the container body 700 and the work chamber of the work device 1, thus contributing to improved product quality. Furthermore, the user does not need to move the container body 700 forward or backward when loading or unloading substrates SB, thus enabling relatively easy and proper loading and unloading of substrates SB. The same applies when closing the loading / unloading port 201 and the opening OP7.

[0047] <Example of a transport unit configuration> Figure 7 is a perspective view of the transport work unit 3. The transport work unit 3 includes an loading / unloading mechanism 31, a left / right movement mechanism 321, and a support base 329. The loading / unloading mechanism 31 includes a fork 311 and a conveyor 312. The fork 311 is a plate-shaped substrate support member capable of supporting the substrate SB from below. In this embodiment, the fork 311 is a pair of plate-shaped members that extend in one direction and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Furthermore, the conveyor 312 is a substrate transport mechanism capable of transporting substrates SB. In this embodiment, the conveyor 312 is a roller conveyor and has three rows of transport rollers, each consisting of multiple transport rollers, with each of the pair of forks 311 positioned between the rows of transport rollers. Further details will be described later.

[0048] In this embodiment, the forks 311 are plate-shaped members, but they may also be rod-shaped members extending in one direction, and there may be three or more forks. Furthermore, the upper surface of the forks 311 may be provided with multiple convex support parts that contact and support the substrate. Also, the conveyor 312 may be a belt conveyor, and the transport work unit 3 may be described as a work device.

[0049] The support base 329, as will be described in detail later, supports the loading / unloading mechanism 31 so that it can move in the Y and Z directions and rotate around the Z direction as its central axis. The support base 329 may also be described as a rotating support base.

[0050] The left-right movement mechanism 321 supports the support base 329 and the loading / unloading mechanism 31 on it so that they can move in the X direction. In this embodiment, it comprises a support plate 3210, a pair of guide rails 3211, and a drive unit 3212. The support base 329 and various mechanisms described later, at least partially built into it, are mounted on the support plate 3210. The pair of guide rails 3211 are spaced apart in the Y direction and extend in the X direction, supporting the support plate 3210 so that it can move in the X direction. The drive unit 3212 includes a power source that generates power and a drive mechanism that moves the support plate 3210 in the X direction using the power from the power source. With this configuration, the left-right movement mechanism 321 forms a slider that can move (reciprocate) in the X direction.

[0051] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the support base 329. The support base 329 incorporates, at least partially, a forward / backward movement mechanism 322, an up / down movement mechanism 323, and a rotation mechanism 324.

[0052] The forward / backward movement mechanism 322 comprises a support plate 3220, a pair of guide rails 3221, and a drive unit 3222. An upward / downward movement mechanism 323 is mounted on the support plate 3220. The pair of guide rails 3221 are spaced apart in the X direction and extend in the Y direction, supporting the support plate 3220 so that it can move in the Y direction. The drive unit 3222 includes a power source that generates power and a drive mechanism that moves the support plate 3220 in the Y direction using the power from the power source. With this configuration, the forward / backward movement mechanism 322 forms a slider that can move (advance and retreat) in the Y direction.

[0053] The vertical movement mechanism 323 comprises a support plate 3230, a ball screw shaft 3231, a power source 3232, and a pair of guide rails 3233. A rotation mechanism 324 is mounted on the support plate 3230. The ball screw shaft 3231 extends in the Z direction and rotates about the Z direction by power from the power source 3232. The pair of guide rails 3233 are spaced apart in the Y direction and extend in the Z direction, supporting the support plate 3230 so that it can move in the Z direction. The support plate 3230 is screwed onto the ball screw shaft 3231 which extends in the Z direction, and as the ball screw shaft 3231 rotates based on power from the power source 3232, the support plate 3230 moves along the guide rails 3233 in the Z direction. With this configuration, the vertical movement mechanism 323 forms a slider that can move (up and down) in the Z direction.

[0054] The rotating mechanism 324 comprises a support column 3241 and a drive unit 3242. The support column 3241 is configured to rotate with the Z direction as its axis of rotation based on the power of the drive unit 3242, and the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is mounted on top of the support column 3241.

[0055] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the overall structure, including the loading / unloading mechanism 31, with some parts of Figure 8 omitted. The loading / unloading mechanism 31 is rotatably supported by a rotating mechanism 324, the rotating mechanism 324 is supported so as to be able to move up and down by a vertical movement mechanism 323, the vertical movement mechanism 323 is mounted so as to be able to move back and forth on a longitudinal movement mechanism 322, and the longitudinal movement mechanism 322 is mounted so as to be able to reciprocate on a left-right movement mechanism 321. With this configuration, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can move in any of the X, Y, and Z directions, and its attitude / orientation can be changed in any direction (horizontal direction) in the XY plane.

[0056] Note that the arrangement order of mechanisms 321 to 324 is not limited to this example.

[0057] For example, in this embodiment, the rotation mechanism 324 is mounted on the vertical movement mechanism 323 so as to be able to move up and down, the vertical movement mechanism 323 is mounted on the front-to-back movement mechanism 322 so as to be able to move forward and backward, and the front-to-back movement mechanism 322 is mounted on the left-to-right movement mechanism 321 so as to be able to reciprocate. However, in other embodiments, the rotation mechanism 324 may be mounted on the front-to-back movement mechanism 322 so as to be able to move forward and backward, the front-to-back movement mechanism 322 may be mounted on the vertical movement mechanism 323 so as to be able to move up and down, and the vertical movement mechanism 323 may be mounted on the left-to-right movement mechanism 321 so as to be able to reciprocate.

[0058] The left-right movement mechanism 321 may be described as a reciprocating mechanism, or, to distinguish it from other mechanisms, it may be described as a left-right movement mechanism for loading / unloading mechanisms, a reciprocating mechanism for loading / unloading mechanisms, etc. The forward and backward movement mechanism 322 may also be described as the forward and backward movement mechanism, or, to distinguish it from other mechanisms, it may be described as the loading / unloading mechanism forward and backward movement mechanism, loading / unloading mechanism forward and backward movement mechanism, etc. (Note that the terms "reciprocating" and "forward and backward" are used for distinction and are interchangeable.) The vertical movement mechanism 323 may also be described as a lifting mechanism, or, to distinguish it from other mechanisms, it may be described as a loading / unloading mechanism vertical movement mechanism, a loading / unloading mechanism lifting mechanism, etc. Furthermore, since the rotation mechanism 324 changes the attitude / orientation of the loading / unloading mechanism 31, it may also be referred to as an attitude change mechanism, or, to distinguish it from other mechanisms, it may be referred to as a loading / unloading mechanism rotation mechanism, a loading / unloading mechanism attitude change mechanism, etc. All of the above operations are included in movement in a broad sense, and the above-mentioned mechanisms 321 to 324 may simply be referred to as movement mechanisms. In that case, expressions such as "first," "second," etc. may be added to distinguish them, for example, mechanisms 321 to 324 may be referred to as the first to fourth movement mechanisms, respectively. Alternatively, the above-mentioned mechanisms 321 to 324 may be referred to as loading / unloading mechanism movement mechanisms to distinguish them from other mechanisms, and in that case as well, expressions such as "first," "second," etc. may be added.

[0059] Figures 10(a) and 10(b) are perspective views showing the drive mode of the loading / unloading mechanism 31. In this embodiment, the fork 311 in the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can move forward and backward in one direction. Figure 10(a) shows the fork 311 in the advanced position, and Figure 10(b) shows the fork 311 in the retracted position. As mentioned above, the conveyor 312 has three rows of conveying rollers, with a pair of forks 311 provided between each row of conveying rollers. In other words, the conveyor 312 has three rows of conveying rollers spaced apart in a plane perpendicular to the conveying direction, with a fork 311 provided between each of the multiple rows of rollers.

[0060] In this embodiment, the conveyor rollers are arranged in the following order in a plane perpendicular to the conveying direction: a conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312a, a conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312c, and a conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312b. One of the pair of forks 311 is positioned between the conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312a and the conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312c. The other of the pair of forks 311 is positioned between the conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312c and the conveyor roller row consisting of multiple conveyor rollers 312b. Here, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 may also be referred to as a loading / unloading device.

[0061] Each of the transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312 consists of a roller section that supports and transports the substrate SB, and a sprocket section that rotates integrally with the roller section. The sprocket sections of each of the transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312c are connected by a belt (not shown) so that their rotations are synchronized. Each of the multiple transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312c is connected by a shaft 3121. A power source 3122 is connected to the shaft 3121, and the shaft 3121 rotates due to the power from the power source 3122. As the shaft 3121 rotates, one of the transport rollers 312a rotates, and the other transport rollers 312a rotate via the belt. The same applies to the transport rollers 312b and 312c. The substrate SB is transported by the rotation of the transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312c.

[0062] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the detailed structure of the loading / unloading mechanism 31. The loading / unloading mechanism 31 includes forks 311 and a conveyor 312, as well as a support plate 3130, a fork retraction mechanism 313, and a conveyor lifting mechanism 314. The fork retraction mechanism 313 includes a fork support member 3131, a guide mechanism 3132, a belt 3133, and a power source 3134. The conveyor lifting mechanism 314 includes a connecting plate 3140, a drive unit 3141, support plate members 3142a to 3142c, and a guide member 3143. The fork retraction mechanism 313 and the conveyor lifting mechanism 314 are provided on the support plate 3130.

[0063] Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the detailed structure of the fork extension / retraction mechanism 313. The following description will refer to Figures 11 and 16.

[0064] In this embodiment, a pair of guide mechanisms 3132 are provided on the support plate material 3130 so as to extend in one direction. The belt 3133 is an endless running belt that extends between the pair of guide mechanisms 3132 and parallel to the guide mechanisms 3132, and is rotatable based on the power of the power source 3134. The fork support member 3131 has a pair of support parts 3131a that support the base end (one end) of the plate-shaped fork 311 so as to be in a horizontal position, a holding part 3131b that is held by the guide mechanisms 3132 so as to be reciprocable along the pair of guide mechanisms 3132, a plate part 3131c that connects the support part 3131a and the holding part 3131b, and a connecting part 3131d that is connected to the belt 3133. Thus, the fork support member 3131 is supported so as to be reciprocable along the guide mechanisms 3132 and moves along the guide mechanisms 3132 by the rotation of the belt 3133. As the fork support member 3131 moves, the pair of forks 311 also move along the guide mechanism 3132. Here, the fork support member 3131 supports the base end of the fork 311, so it may also be referred to as a base end support member. In this embodiment, the support portion 3131a is a plate-shaped member having a predetermined width in one direction, and supports the fork 311 from below so as to overlap with the base end (one end) when viewed from the vertical direction.

[0065] As mentioned above, since the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is rotatable by the rotating mechanism 324, the fork 311 can move in any horizontal direction, and the forward and backward movement of the fork 311 here corresponds to the extension and retraction of the fork 311 (see Figures 10(a) to 10(b)).

[0066] Figures 17(a) and 17(b) are side views showing the detailed structure of the conveyor lifting mechanism 314. Figure 17(a) shows the conveyor 312 in the lowered position, and Figure 17(b) shows the conveyor 312 in the raised position. The following description will refer to Figures 11 and 17.

[0067] Guide member 3143 is provided on support plate material 3130. Support plate materials 3142a and 3142b are supported by a plurality of guide members 3143 that guide support plate materials 3142a and 3142b so that they can move up and down, respectively. Support plate material 3142c is positioned between support plate materials 3142a and 3142b, and support plate materials 3142a to 3142c are connected to connecting plate material 3140. That is, support plate materials 3142a to 3142c and connecting plate material 3140 are supported so that they can move up and down with respect to support plate material 3130. In this embodiment, connecting member 3140 forms a horizontal plane together with support member 3130, but is not limited to this, and is only required to be in a position and shape that does not interfere with the moving back and forth movement of the fork 311 by the fork reciprocating mechanism 313 described above. A pair of drive units 3141 are provided, each connected (engaged) with the support plate members 3142a and 3142b.

[0068] The drive unit 3141 has a rotating shaft and a power source 3141a that generates power, a cam member 3141b provided on the rotating shaft, and cam groove members 3141c provided on the support plate members 3142a and 3142b respectively and engaging with the cam member 3141b. In this embodiment, the cam member 3141b is provided eccentrically from the center CL of the rotating shaft, and the cam groove member 3141c engages with the cam member 3141b and has a cam groove extending in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when the cam member 3141b is rotated by the drive unit 3141, the cam groove member 3141c moves up and down, and consequently the support plate members 3142a and 3142b on which the cam groove member 3141c is installed move up and down. In addition, as the support plate members 3142a and 3142b move up and down, the support plate member 3142c connected by the connecting member 3140 also moves up and down.

[0069] Support plates 3142a, 3142b, and 3142c each rotatably support a plurality of transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312c. In this embodiment, a cam mechanism is used in the drive unit, but it is not limited to this, and for example, a cylinder or the like may be used in the drive unit.

[0070] Figure 12 is a side view showing the detailed structure of the loading / unloading mechanism 31. As described above, the support plates 3142a, 3142b, and 3142c that support the multiple transport rollers 312a, 312b, and 312c can be raised and lowered relative to the support plate 3130 based on the power of the drive unit 3141. That is, the conveyor 312 can be raised and lowered relative to the support plate 3130 based on the power of the drive unit 3141. Here, the fork reciprocating mechanism 313 only moves the fork 311 forward and backward, and the fork 311 does not perform any raising or lowering movement relative to the support plate 3130. Therefore, the transport surface of the conveyor 312 is movable between a first position P1 below position P0 of the upper surface of the fork 311 (the support surface that supports the substrate SB) and a second position P2 above position P0. For example, a substrate SB on fork 311 is transferred from fork 311 to conveyor 312 when conveyor 312 rises from position P1 to position P2. Similarly, a substrate SB on conveyor 312 at position P2 is transferred from conveyor 312 to fork 311 when conveyor 312 descends from position P2 to position P1. In other words, the conveyor lifting mechanism 314 raises and lowers conveyor 312, thereby transferring substrates SB between fork 311 and conveyor 312. The conveyor lifting mechanism 314 may also be simply referred to as a lifting mechanism.

[0071] With this configuration, the transfer of substrate SB between the fork 311 and the conveyor 312 is performed by raising and lowering the conveyor 312 relative to the fork 311, and the fork 311 only moves forward and backward by the fork retraction mechanism 313. When transferring substrate SB between the fork 311 and the conveyor 312, especially when transferring the substrate SB from the conveyor 312 to the fork 311, the conveyor 312 lowers to allow the fork 311 to support the substrate SB, so the fork 311 is stopped. Therefore, the magnitude of vibration generated in the fork 311 when transferring substrate SB can be reduced, the waiting time until vibrations that affect the start of the fork 311's extension movement subside is shortened, and the loading and unloading efficiency and transport efficiency of substrate SB can be improved.

[0072] Furthermore, the power lines and signal lines (not shown) connected to each power source exemplified in this embodiment only need to be arranged in a way that allows for the movement of the corresponding elements, such as back-and-forth or forward and backward movement, and are held and arranged, for example, by a cable carrier or the like.

[0073] <Regarding the loading and unloading of circuit boards> The loading and unloading of substrates SB by the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is performed by the movement of the forks 311 by the fork reciprocating mechanism 313 (see Figures 10(a) to 10(b)), and in this process, the forward and backward movement mechanism 322 may also be used to move the substrates SB closer to the container body 700.

[0074] Furthermore, the loading and unloading of substrates SB can also be achieved by conveying them with the conveyor 312, and in this case, the forward and backward movement mechanism 322 may be used for this purpose. For example, although not shown in this embodiment, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can also be used to transfer substrates SB to another work unit equipped with a predetermined substrate receiving section. In such a case, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can use the forward and backward movement mechanism 322 to bring the fork 311 and conveyor 312 closer to the substrate receiving section of the other work unit, and the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can be used to transport the substrates SB to the other work unit with the conveyor 312.

[0075] Figures 13(a) to 13(d) are schematic top views showing several examples of the loading, unloading, or transport of substrate SBs.

[0076] In the example shown in Figure 13(a), a work unit 4 that performs a predetermined operation (e.g., cleaning) on ​​the substrate SB is positioned on the rear side of the work apparatus 1 as one of the other work units. In this example, other loading / unloading ports are provided on the rear side of the work apparatus 1, and other storage container supply mechanisms 2 may be added as needed. As described above, according to the configuration of the transport work unit 3 of this embodiment, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is movable in any of the X, Y, and Z directions and its orientation can be changed by rotation. Therefore, the substrate SB removed from the container body 700A via the work device 1 is transported to another work unit 4 via the path of arrow A131, and after work is performed in the work unit 4, it can be stored in another container body 700B via the work device 1 from the work unit 4 via a different path than arrow A131 (see arrow A132). Thus, according to this embodiment, the substrate SB can be managed separately before and after work performed by the work unit 4. Furthermore, the removal of the substrate SB during this example (removal to the work unit 4 and removal to the container body 700B) may be carried out by moving the fork 311 forward and backward, by transporting it on the conveyor 312, or by a combination of these methods.

[0077] In the example shown in Figure 13(b), the unloading of substrate SB to the work unit 4 and the unloading of substrate SB from the work unit 4 are performed at the same location. According to the configuration of this embodiment, the substrate SB that has been removed from the container body 700A and unloaded to the work unit 4 (see arrow A133) can be stored in another container body 700B after being processed by the work unit 4 (see arrow A134). In the example shown in Figure 13(c), the work unit 4 is positioned on the side of the work apparatus 1. In this example, other loading / unloading ports are provided on the side of the work apparatus 1, and additional storage container supply mechanisms 2 may be added as needed. According to the configuration of this embodiment, the substrate SB removed from the container body 700A and transported to the work unit 4 (see arrow A135) can be stored in another container body 700B after work is performed by the work unit 4 (see arrow A136).

[0078] In the example shown in Figure 13(d), the substrate SB is simply transferred from container body 700A to container body 700B without any work by the work unit 4. According to the configuration of this embodiment, the substrate SB removed from container body 700A can be stored directly in the other container body 700B (see arrow A137).

[0079] Furthermore, in any of the cases shown in Figures 13(b) to 13(d), as in Figure 13(a), the substrate SB may be removed by moving the fork 311 forward and backward, by transporting it on the conveyor 312, or by a combination of these methods.

[0080] Thus, according to the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to load, unload, or transport substrates SB in a variety of ways, and the arrangement of the work unit 4 can be diversified. Therefore, this embodiment is advantageous in terms of diversifying the content of the work.

[0081] ≪Second Embodiment≫ In the first embodiment described above, an example of the configuration of the transport work unit 3 was shown in which the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is movable in any of the X, Y, and Z directions and whose orientation can be changed by rotation, but the configuration is not limited to this.

[0082] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the transport work unit 3 according to the second embodiment, with the exterior panel 10 not shown. In this embodiment, the transport work unit 3 includes a loading / unloading mechanism 31, as well as a left-right movement mechanism 321R, a front-back movement mechanism 322R, an up-down movement mechanism 323R, and a rotation mechanism 324R. Mechanisms 321R to 324R are configured to perform the same functions as the aforementioned mechanisms 321 to 324, and are distinguished here by adding "R" to the end of their reference numbers (the same applies to individual elements of mechanisms 321R to 324R, such as the support plate material 3230R).

[0083] Figure 15 shows the structure in which the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is separated from the forward / reverse movement mechanism 322R and the rotation mechanism 324R.

[0084] In this embodiment, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 is rotatably supported by a rotating mechanism 324R, the rotating mechanism 324R is mounted on a forward / backward moving mechanism 322R so as to be able to move forward and backward, the forward / backward moving mechanism 322R is supported on a vertical moving mechanism 323R so as to be able to move up and down, and the vertical moving mechanism 323R is mounted on a left / right moving mechanism 321R so as to be able to reciprocate.

[0085] The structure of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the rotation mechanism 324R is mounted on the forward / backward movement mechanism 322R so as to be able to move forward and backward, the forward / backward movement mechanism 322R is supported on the up / down movement mechanism 323R so as to be able to move up and down, and the up / down movement mechanism 323R is mounted on the left / right movement mechanism 321R so as to be able to reciprocate.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the configuration of the vertical movement mechanism 323R differs from that of the first embodiment described above. In this embodiment, in the vertical movement mechanism 323R, the support plate material 3230R is provided so as to be movable along the lifting guide member 3233R that extends in the Z direction alongside the ball screw shaft 3231R, thereby enabling the loading / unloading mechanism 31 to be raised and lowered. The vertical movement mechanism 323R is configured in a columnar shape and arranged on the -X side of the loading / unloading mechanism 31, that is, it is not arranged on the +X side of the loading / unloading mechanism 31. Therefore, the loading / unloading mechanism 31 can load and unload the substrate SB on the opposite side from the vertical movement mechanism 323R (i.e., the +X side). With this configuration, loading and unloading of the substrate SB can be achieved even in the example shown in Figure 13(c). With the configuration of this embodiment, loading and unloading operations to lower positions become possible compared to the first embodiment described above.

[0087] ≪Program≫ As mentioned above, the program executed by the CPU of the control unit 9 to control the entire system of the work device 1 may be stored as a computer program on a computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, a computer program product that realizes the same function when the program is executed by a processor may be installed in the work device 1.

[0088] ≪Other≫ In the above explanation, for the sake of ease of understanding, each element has been given a name related to its function. However, each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its primary function, but may also have it as a supplementary function.

[0089] In the above explanation, for the sake of ease of understanding, each element has been given a name related to its function. However, each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its primary function, but may also have it as a secondary function. Therefore, each element is not strictly limited to its expression, and its expression can be replaced with other equivalent expressions. In the same vein, expressions such as "apparatus," "unit," "mechanism," "member," "portion," "component, piece," "structure," "assembly," and "means" are interchangeable or may be omitted.

[0090] Furthermore, two or more elements with similar functions may be distinguished by adding expressions such as "first," "second," etc., but these expressions are not intended to set priority, and their order is interchangeable. For example, the X direction may be the first direction and the Y direction the second direction, or the Y direction may be the first direction and the X direction the second direction (the same applies to the Z direction).

[0091] Furthermore, the two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiment are not strictly limited to those examples and may be combined in any way. For example, each of the two or more exemplified elements may be additionally selected or substituted for others. For example, if two elements A and B can be combined in any way, it may be expressed as "A and / or B" or "at least one of A and B" to indicate that it is either A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0092] Summary of the Embodiments Some of the features illustrated in the embodiments are as follows: [1] A work apparatus for loading and unloading circuit boards into and out of a storage container capable of housing circuit boards, The aforementioned storage container is A container body having an opening for loading and unloading the aforementioned substrate, A lid portion that is detachably attached to the container body so as to close the opening, the lid portion having a protruding portion that extends horizontally, Equipped with, The aforementioned work apparatus is An outer wall that demarcates an area including the space in which the substrate is transported, forming a workroom, A storage container supply mechanism on which the aforementioned storage container is placed, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A housing that forms at least a part of the outer wall and forms an entrance / exit for the substrate to be brought in and out of the work chamber, A shielding door capable of blocking the aforementioned loading / unloading exit, A shielding door moving mechanism for moving the aforementioned shielding door, Equipped with, The aforementioned shielding door is The door body is provided with a hole through which the protruding portion can be inserted into the workroom side, A protrusion holding mechanism is provided on the workroom side of the door body to hold the protrusion, A cover member provided on the workroom side of the door body, covering the hole and the protruding part holding mechanism, Equipped with, The protruding portion holding mechanism holds the protruding portion inserted into the hole and holds the lid portion, The aforementioned shielding door moving mechanism is The shielding door, together with the lid held by the protruding part holding mechanism, is moved in the first direction and pulled into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body. The shielding door is moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading port and the opening, thereby enabling the loading and unloading of the substrate from the storage container. A work apparatus characterized by the following features. [2] The aforementioned storage container is A first engaging portion is provided at the bottom, A second engaging portion is provided at the top, Equipped with, The storage container supply mechanism further comprises a positioning mechanism for positioning the storage container, The positioning mechanism is, A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning unit in the vertical direction, A second positioning portion that engages with the second engaging portion, A second positioning mechanism for moving the second positioning part in the vertical direction, Equipped with The work apparatus according to [1], characterized in that [3] The storage container is provided with a first engaging portion located at the bottom, The storage container supply mechanism further comprises a positioning mechanism for positioning the storage container, The positioning mechanism is, A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning unit in the vertical direction, A third positioning mechanism moves the first positioning unit and the first positioning unit moving mechanism in the first direction, Equipped with The work apparatus according to [1], characterized in that [4] The aforementioned shielding door moving mechanism is A first moving mechanism moves the shielding door in the first direction and pulls it into the workroom, A second moving mechanism for moving the shielding door in the second direction to open and close it, Equipped with The work apparatus according to [1], characterized in that [5] The first moving mechanism is, A first guide member that holds the shielding door and guides it so that it can move in the first direction, A first drive unit moves the shielding door in the first direction along the first guide member, Equipped with, The second moving mechanism is, A second guide member that holds the shielding door and the first moving mechanism and guides them so that they can move in the second direction, A second drive unit moves the shielding door and the first moving mechanism in the second direction along the second guide member, Equipped with, At least one of the first guide member, the first drive unit, the second guide member, and the second drive unit is located outside the working chamber. The work apparatus described in [4], characterized in that [6] It is further equipped with a control unit, The control unit is The shielding door is controlled so that the protruding portion of the lid of the storage container, which is positioned in a predetermined location, is held by the protruding portion holding mechanism. The shielding door movement mechanism is controlled to move the shielding door, together with the lid whose protrusion is held by the protrusion holding mechanism, in a first direction to pull it into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body, and further move the shielding door in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading outlet with the opening. The work apparatus according to [1], characterized in that [7] The aforementioned storage container is A first engaging portion is provided at the bottom, A second engaging portion is provided at the top, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning unit in the vertical direction, A second positioning portion that engages with the second engaging portion, A second positioning mechanism for moving the second positioning part in the vertical direction, Equipped with, The control unit is The first positioning part movement mechanism is controlled to raise the first positioning part and engage it with the first engaging part. The second positioning mechanism is controlled to lower the first positioning part and engage it with the first engaging part. Position the storage container in a predetermined location. The work apparatus according to [6], characterized in that [8] A control method for a work device for loading and unloading circuit boards into and out of a storage container capable of housing circuit boards, The aforementioned storage container is A container body having an opening for loading and unloading the aforementioned substrate, A lid portion that is detachably attached to the container body so as to close the opening, the lid portion having a protruding portion that extends horizontally, Equipped with, The aforementioned work apparatus is An outer wall that demarcates an area including the space into which the substrate is brought, forming a workroom, A storage container supply mechanism that connects the loading / unloading outlet and the opening, thereby enabling the loading and unloading of the substrate from the storage container, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A housing that forms at least a part of the outer wall and the loading / unloading port, A shielding door capable of blocking the aforementioned loading / unloading exit, A shielding door moving mechanism for moving the aforementioned shielding door, Equipped with, The aforementioned shielding door is A door body having a hole through which the aforementioned protrusion can be inserted, A protrusion holding mechanism is provided on the workroom side of the door body and holds the protrusion inserted into the hole, A cover member provided on the workroom side of the door body, covering the hole and the protruding part holding mechanism, Equipped with, The control method described above is The steps include positioning the storage container in a predetermined location, The steps include: holding the protruding portion of the lid of the positioned storage container with the protruding portion holding mechanism; The shielding door, together with the lid whose protrusion is held by the protrusion holding mechanism, is moved in a first direction and pulled into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body. The steps include moving the shielding door in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading exit and the opening, has A control method characterized by the following: [9] A computer-readable storage medium on which computer programs are stored, Each step of the control method described in [8] is realized when the computer program is executed by the processor. A computer-readable storage medium characterized by the following features.

[10] Computer program products, including computer programs, Each step of the control method described in [8] is realized when the computer program is executed by the processor. A computer program product characterized by the following features.

[0093] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 1: Working device, 2: Storage container supply mechanism, 3: Conveying work unit, 7: Storage container, 9: Control unit, 201: Loading / unloading exit, 221: Shielding door, 221B: Door body, 222: Protruding part holding mechanism, 223: Cover member, 231: Shielding door moving mechanism, 31: Loading / unloading mechanism, 311: Fork (substrate support member), 312: Conveyor (substrate transport mechanism), 313: Fork advance / retraction mechanism, 314: Conveyor lifting / lowering mechanism.

Claims

1. A work apparatus for loading and unloading circuit boards into and out of a storage container capable of housing circuit boards, The aforementioned storage container is A container body having an opening for loading and unloading the aforementioned substrate, A lid portion that is detachably attached to the container body so as to close the opening, the lid portion having a protruding portion that extends horizontally, Equipped with, The aforementioned work apparatus is An outer wall that demarcates an area including the space in which the substrate is transported, forming a workroom, A storage container supply mechanism on which the aforementioned storage container is placed, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A housing that forms at least a part of the outer wall and forms an entrance / exit for the substrate to be brought in and out of the work chamber, A shielding door capable of blocking the aforementioned loading / unloading exit, A shielding door moving mechanism for moving the aforementioned shielding door, Equipped with, The aforementioned shielding door is The door body is provided with a hole through which the protruding portion can be inserted into the workroom side, A protrusion holding mechanism is provided on the workroom side of the door body to hold the protrusion, A cover member provided on the workroom side of the door body, covering the hole and the protruding part holding mechanism, Equipped with, The protruding portion holding mechanism holds the protruding portion inserted into the hole and holds the lid portion, The aforementioned shielding door moving mechanism is The shielding door, together with the lid held by the protruding part holding mechanism, is moved in the first direction and pulled into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body. The shielding door is moved in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading port and the opening, thereby enabling the loading and unloading of the substrate from the storage container. A work apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned storage container is A first engaging portion provided at the bottom, A second engaging portion is provided at the top, Equipped with, The storage container supply mechanism further comprises a positioning mechanism for positioning the storage container, The positioning mechanism is, A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning part in the vertical direction, A second positioning portion that engages with the second engaging portion, A second positioning mechanism for moving the second positioning part in the vertical direction, Equipped with The work apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a work apparatus.

3. The storage container is provided with a first engaging portion located at the bottom, The storage container supply mechanism further comprises a positioning mechanism for positioning the storage container, The positioning mechanism is, A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning part in the vertical direction, A third positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning unit and the first positioning unit moving mechanism in the first direction, Equipped with The work apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a work apparatus.

4. The aforementioned shielding door moving mechanism is A first moving mechanism moves the shielding door in the first direction and pulls it into the workroom, A second moving mechanism for moving the shielding door in the second direction to open and close it, Equipped with The work apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a work apparatus.

5. The first moving mechanism is, A first guide member that holds the shielding door and guides it so that it can move in the first direction, A first drive unit moves the shielding door in the first direction along the first guide member, Equipped with, The second moving mechanism is, A second guide member that holds the shielding door and the first moving mechanism and guides them so that they can move in the second direction, A second drive unit moves the shielding door and the first moving mechanism in the second direction along the second guide member, Equipped with, At least one of the first guide member, the first drive unit, the second guide member, and the second drive unit is located outside the working chamber. The work apparatus according to feature 4.

6. It is further equipped with a control unit, The control unit is The shielding door is controlled so that the protruding portion of the lid of the storage container, which is positioned in a predetermined location, is held by the protruding portion holding mechanism. The shielding door movement mechanism is controlled to move the shielding door, together with the lid whose protrusion is held by the protrusion holding mechanism, in a first direction to pull it into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body, and further move the shielding door in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading outlet with the opening. The work apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a work apparatus.

7. The aforementioned storage container is A first engaging portion provided at the bottom, A second engaging portion is provided at the top, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A first positioning portion that engages with the first engaging portion, A first positioning mechanism for moving the first positioning part in the vertical direction, A second positioning portion that engages with the second engaging portion, A second positioning mechanism for moving the second positioning part in the vertical direction, Equipped with, The control unit is The first positioning part movement mechanism is controlled to raise the first positioning part and engage it with the first engagement part. The second positioning mechanism is controlled to lower the first positioning part and engage it with the first engaging part. Position the storage container in a predetermined location. The work apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that it is a work apparatus.

8. A control method for a work device for loading and unloading circuit boards into and out of a storage container capable of housing circuit boards, The aforementioned storage container is A container body having an opening for loading and unloading the aforementioned substrate, A lid portion that is detachably attached to the container body so as to close the opening, the lid portion having a protruding portion that extends horizontally, Equipped with, The aforementioned work apparatus is An outer wall that demarcates an area including the space into which the substrate is brought, forming a workroom, A storage container supply mechanism that connects the loading / unloading outlet and the opening, thereby enabling the loading and unloading of the substrate from the storage container, Equipped with, The aforementioned storage container supply mechanism is A housing that forms at least a part of the outer wall and the loading / unloading port, A shielding door capable of blocking the aforementioned loading / unloading exit, A shielding door moving mechanism for moving the aforementioned shielding door, Equipped with, The aforementioned shielding door is A door body having a hole through which the aforementioned protrusion can be inserted, A protrusion holding mechanism is provided on the workroom side of the door body and holds the protrusion inserted into the hole, A cover member provided on the workroom side of the door body, covering the hole and the protruding part holding mechanism, Equipped with, The control method described above is The steps include positioning the storage container in a predetermined location, The steps include: holding the protruding portion of the lid of the positioned storage container with the protruding portion holding mechanism; The shielding door, together with the lid whose protrusion is held by the protrusion holding mechanism, is moved in a first direction and pulled into the work chamber, thereby removing the lid from the container body. The steps include moving the shielding door in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to connect the loading / unloading exit and the opening, has A control method characterized by the following:

9. A computer-readable storage medium on which computer programs are stored, Each step of the control method described in claim 8 is realized when the computer program is executed by the processor. A computer-readable storage medium characterized by the following features.

10. Computer program products, including computer programs, Each step of the control method described in claim 8 is realized when the computer program is executed by the processor. A computer program product characterized by the following features.

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