Glass plate manufacturing equipment

Abstract

Provided is a glass plate manufacturing apparatus having a processing section that performs a predetermined process on a glass plate, which is capable of preventing dust from adhering to the glass plate even if dust is generated by a cable carrier that holds a group of cables and / or a support member that holds the cable carrier. [Solution] The device comprises a movable frame 63b having a drive unit 63a which is a power source that drives the processing unit, a control unit 63d installed at a predetermined position and controlling the drive unit 63a, a cable group 63e connecting the drive unit 63a and the control unit 63d, a cable carrier 63f which holds the cable group 63e, a support member 63g which supports the cable carrier 63f in a placed state, and a cover member 63h which covers the lower part of the support member 63g.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in the manufacturing process of glass plates for displays used for glass substrates and cover glass of liquid crystal displays, organic electroluminescence displays, etc., there are a cutting process in which a strip-shaped glass ribbon is cut to a specified dimension, an edge cutting process in which unnecessary parts, including the edge parts, of the cut glass ribbon piece are removed to form a glass plate, an inspection process in which the glass plate is inspected for defects, etc., and a packaging process in which a plurality of glass plates are placed together on a specified pallet and packaged. These cutting process, edge cutting process, inspection process, and packaging process are generally arranged in order, respectively, along the transport path of the glass plate by the transport device.

[0003] Here, known methods for forming a glass ribbon include downdraw methods such as the overflow downdraw method (fusion method) and the slot downdraw method, and the float method. In the downdraw method, a glass ribbon is formed continuously in a vertical position. Therefore, from the perspective of saving space in the entire manufacturing facility, without a separate process for changing the posture of the glass plate, the glass ribbon piece (glass plate) cut out from the glass ribbon in a vertical posture in the cutting process is transported between each process by a conveying device in the vertical posture, and then undergoes predetermined processing in each process (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-61531 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conveying device for conveying glass plates described above, a cable carrier that can flexibly bend in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the moving frame is appropriately provided to hold a group of cables connecting a drive unit that moves back and forth between each process together with the moving frame and a control unit that controls the drive unit. When the reciprocating movement distance of the moving frame is relatively long, when the reciprocating movement speed of the moving frame is relatively fast, or when the load on the cable carrier caused by the cable group is large, the cable carrier is supported by being placed on a support roller (support member) that can rotate around an axis, and its posture is appropriately maintained by the support roller.

[0006] However, due to changes over time or unexpected external factors, the support rollers may not be able to rotate properly while following the movement of the cable carrier, in which case the cable carrier will slide against the support rollers. As a result, dust is likely to be generated between the cable carrier and the support roller due to wear and tear, and the generated dust may adhere to the glass plate, causing a deterioration in the quality of the glass plate.

[0007] Furthermore, not only in conveying devices that convey glass sheets, but also in scribing devices that form scribe lines on glass sheets and edge polishing devices that polish the edge surfaces of glass sheets, cable carriers and support rollers may be used in the drive units that reciprocate the wheel cutters or polishing wheels, which may generate dust that may adhere to the glass sheets.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the current problems described above, and has an object to provide a glass plate manufacturing apparatus that performs a predetermined processing on a glass plate, and that, even if dust is generated by a cable carrier that holds a group of cables and / or a support member that holds the cable carrier, can prevent the dust from adhering to the glass plate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0010] That is, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a glass plate manufacturing apparatus equipped with a processing section which performs a predetermined processing on a glass plate, and is characterized in that it comprises a moving frame having a drive section which is a power source for driving the processing section, a control section which is installed at a predetermined position and controls the drive section, a group of cables connecting the drive section and the control section, a cable carrier which holds the group of cables, a support member which supports the cable carrier in a placed state, and a cover member which covers the lower part of the support member. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a cover member is provided below the support member that supports the cable carrier, so that even if dust is generated by the cable carrier and / or the support member, the cover member can capture the generated dust and effectively prevent the dust from scattering around, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the glass plate.

[0011] In addition, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 2 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned aspect 1, the processing section is a conveying device that can move back and forth in a direction along the main surface of the glass plate while clamping an end of the glass plate in a vertical position. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, even if dust is generated from the cable carrier and / or support member of the conveying device that conveys the glass plate in a vertical position, the generated dust can be received by the cover member, effectively preventing the dust from scattering around, and preventing the dust from adhering to the glass plate.

[0012] In addition, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 3 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned aspect 1, the processing section is a scribing device that forms a scribe line on the glass plate. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, even if dust is generated from the cable carrier and / or support member of the scribing device that forms a scribe line on the glass plate, the cover member can capture the generated dust and effectively prevent the dust from scattering around, thereby preventing the dust from adhering to the glass plate.

[0013] In addition, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the same as the first aspect, in which the processing section is an edge polishing device that polishes an edge of the glass plate. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, even if dust is generated from the cable carrier and / or support member of the end surface polishing device that polishes the end surfaces of the glass plate, the generated dust can be received by the cover member, effectively preventing the dust from scattering around, and preventing the dust from adhering to the glass plate.

[0014] In addition, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of aspects 1 to 4 above, the cover member is made of a container-shaped member opening upward, and further includes a dust collection means for collecting dust by suctioning the internal space of the cover member. By having such a configuration, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention can more effectively prevent the dust accumulated in the internal space of the cover member from scattering around by sucking it up with the dust collection means, and suppress the dust from adhering to the glass plate.

[0015] In addition, a glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 6 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any of aspects 1 to 5 above, the cover member is arranged overlapping the cable carrier in a planar view and extends along the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the cover member extends along the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier, so that the dust generated by the cover member can be more reliably received regardless of whether the cable carrier is operating or not, and the dust can be effectively prevented from scattering into the surrounding area.

[0016] In addition, the glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to aspect 7 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any of aspects 1 to 6 above, the support member is made of a cylindrical member, has an axial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier in a plan view, and is rotatable around the axial direction. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the support member is constituted by a cylindrical member that can rotate around an axis, such as a support roller, and the support member rotates in response to the movement of the cable carrier, thereby preventing the cable carrier from sliding against the support member, and more effectively preventing dust from being generated between the cable carrier and the support member due to wear, etc.

[0017] The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the cable carrier is made of a member having higher abrasion resistance than the support member. In this way, in the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the cable carrier is made of a material that is more wear-resistant than the support members, so that the frequency of replacement of the cable carrier due to, for example, aging, can be reduced compared to the frequency of replacement of the support members, thereby reducing the maintenance costs for the entire conveying apparatus. Effect of the Invention

[0018] The present invention has the following advantages: In other words, according to the glass plate manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, even if dust is generated by the cable carrier holding the cable group and / or the support member holding the cable carrier, the dust can be prevented from adhering to the glass plate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of a glass sheet manufacturing apparatus equipped with a glass sheet transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a configuration of a glass sheet transport device. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the configuration of a support member, a cover member, and a dust collecting device, in which FIG. 3A is a partially sectional side view, and FIG. 3B is a plan view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. For the sake of convenience, the following description will be given by defining the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for a glass sheet G according to the directions of arrows shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Also, the description will be given by defining the transport direction of the glass sheet G according to the direction of arrow A shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0021] [Overall configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for glass sheet G] First, the overall configuration of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a glass sheet G (hereinafter simply referred to as "manufacturing apparatus 1") equipped with a glass sheet transport device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0022] The manufacturing apparatus 1 in this embodiment is an apparatus that cuts out a strip-shaped glass ribbon R formed by the down-draw method to a predetermined size, and transports the cut glass ribbon piece Ra (glass sheet G) in a vertical position while passing through each process (the edge cutting process S02, the inspection process S03, and the packaging process S04 described below), thereby continuously manufacturing a glass sheet G having a desired outer size. The glass plate G to be manufactured may be a glass plate for displays, such as glass substrates or cover glasses for liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and the like.

[0023] The manufacturing apparatus 1 mainly includes a cutting section 2, an edge cutting section 3, an inspection section 4, a packaging section 5, and a conveying section 6 that conveys the glass plate G between each of these sections, which are arranged in order along the conveying direction A of the glass plate G (in this embodiment, the forward direction).

[0024] The cutting section 2 is a section that executes a cutting step S01 for cutting the glass ribbon R into pieces of predetermined dimensions. The cutting section 2 includes an arm device 21, and a scribe support bar 22 and a wheel cutter 23 disposed above the arm device 21.

[0025] The arm device 21 has a pair of arm frames 21a·21a extending in the vertical direction and facing each other along the conveying direction A (front-to-back direction), and a plurality of chucks 21b·21b··· arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction along the opposing side of each arm frame 21a.

[0026] The scribe support bar 22 is made of, for example, a long rectangular flat plate-shaped member, and is positioned above the arm device 21 with its plane facing in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction A when viewed from above (in this embodiment, the left-right direction) and its longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction A.

[0027] The wheel cutter 23 is disposed on one side (in this embodiment, the right side) of the scribe support bar 22 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction A in a plan view, with the axial direction being the up-down direction. The wheel cutter 23 is provided so as to be rotatable about its axis and so as to be reciprocable in the front-rear direction along the first planned cutting line L1.

[0028] A molded body having a wedge shape in cross section (not shown) is disposed above the cutting section 2, and the molded body is covered by a molding furnace (not shown) having an open bottom.

[0029] The molten glass (not shown) overflowing from the top of the forming furnace flows down both sides of the forming body, and then fuses at the lower end of the forming body to be formed into a band-like glass ribbon R. The glass ribbon R formed in the forming furnace is slowly cooled while flowing down in an annealing furnace (not shown) provided below the forming furnace, and residual stress is reduced. Thereafter, the glass ribbon R passes through the annealing furnace in a vertical position, and is then supplied to the arm device 21 (more specifically, between a pair of arm frames 21a, 21a) with its thickness direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A in a planar view (left-right direction).

[0030] When the glass ribbon R reaches between a pair of arm frames 21a, the arm device 21 clamps both ends of the glass ribbon R in the width direction (the direction along the conveying direction A, which in this embodiment is the front-to-rear direction) with the chucks 21b provided on each arm frame 21a.

[0031] When the glass ribbon R is clamped by the chuck 21b, the scribe support bar 22 contacts the back surface of the glass ribbon R (the main surface on the other side in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A when viewed in a plane, which in this embodiment is the left main surface), and then the wheel cutter 23 moves along the first planned cutting line L1 to form a scribe line on the glass ribbon R.

[0032] When a scribe line is formed in the glass ribbon R, a cleavage support bar (not shown) comes into contact with the surface of the glass ribbon R (the main surface on one side in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A when viewed in a plane, in this embodiment, the right-side main surface) near the upper side of the formed scribe line. Thereafter, with the glass ribbon R clamped by the chuck 21b, the arm device 21 rotates around the vicinity of the scribe line toward the surface side (right side) of the glass ribbon R, whereby the glass ribbon R is cut (broken) along the scribe line, and a glass ribbon piece Ra (glass plate G) of a specified dimension is cut out in a vertical position.

[0033] The method for cutting the glass ribbon R is not limited to the cleavage by bending stress shown in this embodiment, and may be, for example, laser cleavage or laser melting.

[0034] The edge cutting section 3 is a section that performs an edge cutting step S02 for forming a glass plate G by removing unnecessary parts, including the edge parts Ra1, of the glass ribbon piece Ra (glass plate G) cut out in the cutting step S01. In addition, the ear portions Ra1 refer to both ends in the width direction (front-to-back direction) of the glass ribbon R that are relatively thicker than the central portion in the width direction (front-to-back direction) during the process of forming the glass ribbon R from molten glass by the down-draw method.

[0035] The selvage cutting section 3 includes a pair of selvage cutting devices 31, 31 facing each other along the conveyance direction A (front-rear direction). Each edge cutting device 31 has a folding support bar 31a that is long in the vertical direction and is arranged so as to be able to contact the back surface (left main surface) of the glass ribbon R with its plane facing in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A in a planar view (left-right direction), a pressure bar 31b that extends in the vertical direction and is arranged so as to be able to contact the front surface (right main surface) of the glass ribbon R with its plane facing in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction A in a planar view (left-right direction), and a wheel cutter 31c that is arranged with the axial direction as the front-to-rear direction.

[0036] The cleavage support bar 31a and the pressure bar 31b are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined second planned cutting line L2 between them when viewed in the thickness direction of the glass ribbon piece Ra (a direction perpendicular to the width direction in a plan view, which in this embodiment is the left-right direction). In addition, the cleavage support bar 31a is positioned near the central side of the glass ribbon piece Ra relative to the second planned cutting line L2, and the pressing bar 31b is positioned near the end side (the opposite side to the central side) of the glass ribbon piece Ra relative to the second planned cutting line L2. The second planned cutting lines L2·L2 are set at both ends in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the glass ribbon piece Ra.

[0037] On the other hand, the wheel cutter 31c is provided so as to be rotatable about its axis and so as to be movable up and down along the second planned cutting line L2.

[0038] Then, the glass ribbon piece Ra cut out by the cutting section 2 is supplied in a vertical position to the edge cutting section 3, and when the upper end is supported by a support device not shown, a long scribe support bar (not shown) extends in the vertical direction and contacts the back surface of the glass ribbon R, and the wheel cutter 31c of each edge cutting device 31 moves along the second planned cutting line L2. As a result, scribe lines are formed at both ends in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the glass ribbon piece Ra.

[0039] When scribe lines are formed at both ends of the width direction (front-to-back direction) of the glass ribbon piece Ra, a pair of cleavage support bars 31a·31a each come into contact with the back surface (left main surface) of the glass ribbon piece Ra in the vicinity of each of the formed scribe lines. Moreover, an upper end portion of the glass ribbon piece Ra (more specifically, a region between a pair of scribe lines at the upper end portion) is held by a holding device (not shown).

[0040] Thereafter, a pair of pressing bars 31b·31b each come into contact with the surface (right-hand main surface) of the glass ribbon piece Ra in the vicinity of each of the formed scribe lines, and then these pair of pressing bars 31b·31b further press the glass ribbon piece Ra toward the back side (left side) of the glass ribbon piece Ra, whereby the ear portions Ra1·Ra1 located at both ends in the width direction (front-to-back direction) are each cut (fractured) and removed. In this manner, the edge portions Ra1-Ra1 located at both ends in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the glass ribbon piece Ra are cut and removed, thereby forming the glass plate G.

[0041] The inspection section 4 is a section that executes an inspection step S03 for inspecting the glass sheet G for defects and the like. The inspection section 4 includes an inspection device 41 and a moving device 42 .

[0042] The inspection device 41 has, for example, an imaging section 41a that is long in the vertical direction on the right side of the glass plate G, and a light source section (not shown) that is arranged at a position corresponding to the imaging section 41a with the glass plate G sandwiched therebetween.

[0043] The imaging section 41a may be, for example, a plurality of digital cameras arranged vertically at equal intervals. In this case, the light source section may be a plurality of light sources arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction at positions corresponding to the respective digital cameras.

[0044] The inspection device 41 judges whether or not there is a defect in the glass sheet G based on the image data captured by the imaging unit 41a.

[0045] The moving device 42 has an upper moving device 42a arranged above the inspection device 41 and a lower moving device 42b arranged below the inspection device 41, and is configured to be able to move the glass plate G along the conveying direction A (forward direction) while holding the glass plate G in a vertical position using the upper moving device 42a and the lower moving device 42b.

[0046] The upper moving device 42a has a self-propelled moving frame 42a2 having a driving unit 42a1 which is a driving source formed of a driving motor or the like, and a guide rail 42a3 which guides the moving direction of the moving frame 42a2. The upper moving device 42a has a pair of chucks 42a4, 42a4 that protrude downward on the lower surface of the moving frame 42a2 at both ends in the direction along the transport direction A (at the front and rear ends in this embodiment).

[0047] On the other hand, the lower moving device 42b is an example of a glass sheet transport device according to the present invention, and has a configuration substantially similar to that of the upper moving device 42a, and has a pair of chucks 42b4·42b4 that protrude upward. The configuration of the lower moving device 42b will be described in detail later.

[0048] Then, when the glass sheet G formed by removing the edge portions Ra1 and the like of the glass ribbon piece Ra by the edge cutting unit 3 is supplied to the inspection unit 4 in a vertical position, the moving device 42 clamps both ends in the width direction (front-to-back direction) of the upper end portion of the glass sheet G with a pair of chucks 42a4 / 42a4 in the upper moving device 42a, and clamps both ends in the width direction (front-to-back direction) of the lower end portion of the glass sheet G with a pair of chucks 42b4 / 42b4 in the lower moving device 42b. As a result, the glass sheet G is held in a vertical position by the moving device 42.

[0049] Thereafter, the moving device 42 moves along the conveying direction A (forward) at a predetermined constant speed (low speed) while holding the glass sheet G in the vertical position. In addition, as the moving device 42 moves, the inspection device 41 captures an image of the main surface of the glass plate G by the imaging unit 41a to obtain image data. Based on the image data thus acquired, the inspection unit 4 executes a predetermined image processing program to inspect the glass sheet G for defects, etc.

[0050] The packaging unit 5 executes a packaging step S04 for placing a plurality of glass plates G·G·· as final products on a predetermined pallet 7 and packaging them. In this embodiment, the pallet 7 is of a type that can be tilted in a vertical position to package multiple glass plates G·G··, but this is not limited to this type, and it is also possible to use a type that can package multiple glass plates G·G·· in a horizontal position.

[0051] The packaging section 5 is equipped with a transfer device (not shown), which is installed between one or more (two in this embodiment) pallets 7,7 which are pre-arranged at predetermined positions, and a third conveying device 63 which will be described later.

[0052] The transfer device sequentially receives the glass sheets G transported in a vertical position by the third transport device 63, and transfers them onto each pallet 7. Then, when a predetermined number of glass plates G·G... have been transferred onto each pallet 7, these multiple glass plates G·G... are packed together with the pallet 7 and then moved to a temporary storage location or shipped to a predetermined destination.

[0053] The conveying section 6 includes a first conveying device 61 that conveys the cut glass ribbon piece Ra from the cutting section 2 to the edge cutting section 3, a second conveying device 62 that conveys the formed glass sheet G from the edge cutting section 3 to the inspection section 4, and a third conveying device 63 that conveys the glass sheet G that has completed inspection from the inspection section 4 to the packaging section 5. Furthermore, the first conveying device 61, the second conveying device 62, and the third conveying device 63 are configured to be movable (forward) along the conveying direction A while holding the glass sheet G (or the glass ribbon piece Ra) hanging down in a vertical position.

[0054] The first conveying device 61 has a self-propelled movable frame 61b with a drive unit 61a which is a drive source consisting of a drive motor or the like, and a pair of chucks 61c·61c which protrude downward on the underside of the movable frame 61b at both ends (front and rear ends) in the direction along the conveying direction A. The first conveying device 61 also has a guide rail 64 which is shared with the second conveying device 62 and the third conveying device 63 and which guides the moving direction of the moving frame 61b.

[0055] The configuration of the guide rails 64 is not limited to that of this embodiment, and they may be provided individually for the first conveying device 61, the second conveying device 62, and the third conveying device 63, respectively.

[0056] Then, at a first stop position P1 located above the cutting unit 2, the first conveying device 61 clamps the upper end portion of the glass ribbon piece Ra cut out by the cutting unit 2 with the pair of chucks 61c.

[0057] Thereafter, the first conveying device 61 moves toward a second stop position P2 located above the edge cutting section 3, with the glass ribbon piece Ra in a vertical position hanging down, and when it reaches the second stop position P2, the upper end of the glass ribbon piece Ra is supported by a support device not shown, and then the pair of chucks 61c·61c releases its clamping state. As a result, the glass ribbon piece Ra is transported from the cutting unit 2 to the edge portion cutting unit 3 by the first transport device 61, and supplied to the edge portion cutting unit 3.

[0058] Like the first conveying device 61, the second conveying device 62 has a self-propelled movable frame 62b having a drive unit 62a which is a drive source consisting of a drive motor or the like, and a pair of chucks 62c·62c which protrude downwardly on the underside of the movable frame 62b at both ends (front and rear ends) in the direction along the conveying direction A. As described above, the second conveying device 62 has the guide rail 64, which is shared with the first conveying device 61 and the third conveying device 63, and which guides the moving direction of the moving frame 62b.

[0059] Then, at the second stop position P2, the second conveying device 62 clamps, with a pair of chucks 62c, the upper end portion of the glass sheet G formed by removing the edge portions Ga1 and the like from the glass ribbon piece Ra by the edge cutting unit 3. Thereafter, the supporting device (not shown) releases the support for the upper end portion of the glass sheet G.

[0060] Thereafter, the second conveying device 62 moves toward the third stop position P3 located above the inspection section 4, with the glass plate G in a vertical position hanging down, and upon reaching the third stop position P3, releases the clamping state of the pair of chucks 62c·62c. As a result, the glass sheet G is transported from the edge cutting unit 3 to the inspection unit 4 by the second transport device 62, and is supplied to the inspection unit 4.

[0061] The third conveying device 63 is an example of a glass plate conveying device related to the present invention, and has a configuration approximately equivalent to the first conveying device 61 and the second conveying device 62 described above, and has a pair of chucks 63c·63c that protrude downward. The configuration of the third transfer device 63 will be described in detail later.

[0062] Then, at a fourth stop position P4 located above the inspection section 4 and adjacent to the downstream side (in this embodiment, the front side) of the third stop position P3 in the conveying direction, the third conveying device 63 clamps the upper end of the glass sheet G that has been inspected by the inspection section 4 with a pair of chucks 63c·63c.

[0063] Thereafter, the third conveying device 63, with the glass sheet G in a vertical position hanging down, moves toward either the fifth stop position P5 or the sixth stop position P6 located above the pallets 7·7 which have been pre-arranged in predetermined positions, and when it reaches either the fifth stop position P5 or the sixth stop position P6, it releases the clamping state of the pair of chucks 63c·63c. As a result, the glass sheet G is transported from the inspection unit 4 to the packaging unit 5 by the third transport device 63, and is supplied to a transfer device (not shown). In addition, the glass sheet G supplied to the transfer device is placed on a predetermined pallet 7 by the transfer device and packaged.

[0064] [Configuration of the third conveying device 63] Next, the configuration of the third transfer device 63 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 and FIGS.

[0065] As described above, the third conveying device 63 is one example of the glass sheet conveying device according to the present invention, and constitutes the conveying section 6 together with the first conveying device 61 (see FIG. 1) and the second conveying device 62. The third transport device 63 is configured to be movable in a direction along the main surface of the glass sheet G (that is, in the transport direction A) while clamping the upper end portion of the glass sheet G in the vertical position.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 2, the third conveying device 63 mainly comprises a self-propelled movable frame 63b having a drive unit 63a which is a drive source consisting of a drive motor or the like, and a pair of chucks 63c·63c protruding downward at both ends (front and rear ends) of the underside of the movable frame 63b in the direction along the conveying direction A. The third transfer device 63 has a guide rail 64 which is shared with the first transfer device 61 and the second transfer device 62 and which guides the moving direction of the moving frame 63b. Furthermore, the third transfer device 63 has a control unit 63d that controls the operation of the drive unit 63a that is installed at a predetermined position and moves together with the moving frame 63b.

[0067] In addition, the control unit 63d in this embodiment controls the operation of the entire manufacturing apparatus 1, and is electrically connected to the drive unit 63a of the third conveying device 63, as well as the arm device 21, the edge cutting device 31, the inspection device 41, the moving device 42, and each of the drive units 61a and 62a of the first conveying device 61 and the second conveying device 62, but is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 63d may be provided independently to control only the operation of the drive unit 63a of the third conveying device 63, and a separate dedicated control unit may be provided for each of the other devices (arm device 21, etc.).

[0068] The third conveyance device 63 has a cable group 63e made up of a plurality of power cables connecting the drive unit 63a and the control unit 63d. Here, as described above, the third conveying device 63 is configured to be movable between the fourth stop position P4 located above the inspection section 4 and the fifth stop position P5 or the sixth stop position P6 located above the pallet 7 that has been pre-arranged in a predetermined position, and since the movement distance is relatively long, a cable carrier 63f is provided for holding the above-mentioned cable group 63e.

[0069] The cable carrier 63f is an elongated hollow member having a rectangular cross section and capable of flexibly bending in association with the movement of the moving frame 63b. The cable carrier 63f is arranged with its longitudinal direction being the conveying direction A, and is curved upward at one end 63f1 of the longitudinal direction (the end on the upstream side of the conveying direction A (in this embodiment, the rear side)) and supported in the vicinity of the drive portion 63a. The cable carrier 63f is fixed at a predetermined position at the other end 63f2 in the longitudinal direction (the end on the downstream side (in this embodiment, the front side) in the conveying direction A).

[0070] The cable carrier 63f stores the cable group 63e in an internal space thereof, thereby holding the cable group 63e. Moreover, one end 63f1 of the cable carrier 63f moves following the drive unit 63a of the moving frame 63b while increasing or decreasing the length of the region X curved upward in accordance with the movement of the moving frame 63b.

[0071] In the third conveying device 63, in order to prevent sagging of the above-mentioned area X of the cable carrier 63f, which increases and decreases with the movement of the moving frame 63b, a support member 63g that supports the above-mentioned area X of the cable carrier 63f in the placed state and a cover member 63h that covers the lower part of the support member 63g are provided.

[0072] As shown in Figures 3(a) and (b), the support member 63g is a general-purpose support roller made of a cylindrical member, with its axis direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier 63f in a planar view (in this embodiment, the left-right direction), and is rotatable around that axis. In addition, the support member 63g is supported at both ends or at one end (in this embodiment, supported at both ends) so as to be rotatable about an axis via a protruding member 63g1 that protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the cover member 63h.

[0073] By having such a configuration, according to the third conveying device 63 in this embodiment, the support member 63g rotates in response to the movement of one end 63f1 of the cable carrier 63f, thereby suppressing the cable carrier 63f from sliding against the support member 63g, and more effectively preventing dust from being generated between the cable carrier 63f and the support member 63g due to wear, etc.

[0074] Incidentally, while the support member 63g is generally made of engineering plastic such as polyamide resin or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, the cable carrier 63f is made of a material having higher abrasion resistance than the support member 63g.

[0075] Here, the replacement work of the cable carrier 63f is more time-consuming and requires more effort than the replacement work of the support member 63g. In the third conveying device 63 in this embodiment, the cable carrier 63f is made of a material that is more wear-resistant than the support member 63g, and therefore the frequency of replacement of the cable carrier 63f due to, for example, aging can be reduced compared to the frequency of replacement of the support member 63g, thereby reducing the maintenance costs incurred for the entire third conveying device 63.

[0076] The cover member 63h is made of a container-like member that is open upward, and in this embodiment, for example, is made of a long, rectangular member with a bottom in a plan view. Moreover, the cover member 63h is disposed so as to overlap the cable carrier 63f in a plan view, and is disposed so as to extend along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the cable carrier 63f.

[0077] Here, in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the cable carrier 63f, the generated dust tends to fly up and scatter due to the movement of the cable carrier 63f accompanying the movement of the moving frame 63b (see FIG. 2).

[0078] In the third conveying device 63 in this embodiment, the cover member 63h extends along the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the cable carrier 63f, so that the dust generated by the cover member 63h can be more reliably received regardless of whether the cable carrier 63f is operating or not, and the dust can be effectively prevented from scattering into the surrounding area.

[0079] In addition, since the third conveying device 63 transports the glass plate G in a vertical position in a hanging down state, the cable carrier 63f is positioned above the glass plate G, but the cover member 63h extends along the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the cable carrier 63f, and therefore, the cover member 63h can effectively prevent the generated dust from being shaken off and adhering to the glass plate G.

[0080] The third conveying device 63 is an example of a dust collecting means according to the present invention, and is equipped with a general-purpose dust collecting device 63j, and the internal space V of the cover member 63h is connected to the dust collecting device 63j via a piping member or the like. In other words, the third transfer device 63 further includes a dust collector 63j that collects dust by suctioning the internal space V of the cover member 63h.

[0081] By having such a configuration, according to the third conveying device 63 in this embodiment, the dust accumulated in the internal space V of the cover member 63h is sucked in and collected by the dust collection device (dust collection means) 63j, thereby more effectively preventing the dust from scattering around and suppressing the dust from adhering to the glass plate G.

[0082] [Configuration of the lower moving device 42b] Next, the configuration of the lower moving device 42b will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0083] The lower moving device 42b, like the above-mentioned third transport device 63, is also an example of a transport device for a glass sheet according to the present invention, and constitutes the transport device 42 together with the upper moving device 42a. The lower moving device 42b is configured to be movable together with the upper moving device 42a in a direction along the main surface of the glass sheet G (that is, in the conveying direction A) while clamping the lower end of the glass sheet G in the vertical position.

[0084] The lower moving device 42b has a self-propelled moving frame 42b2 having a driving unit 42b1 which is a driving source formed of a driving motor or the like, and a guide rail 42b3 which guides the moving direction of the moving frame 42b2. The lower moving device 42b has a pair of chucks 42b4, 42b4 that protrude upward on the upper surface of the moving frame 42b2 at both ends in the direction along the transport direction A (at the front and rear ends in this embodiment). Furthermore, the lower moving device 42b shares with the third transfer device 63 a control unit 63d that controls the operation of a drive unit 42b1 that is installed at a predetermined position and moves together with the moving frame 42b2.

[0085] As described above, the configuration of the control unit 63d is not limited to this embodiment, and a dedicated control unit may be provided that controls only the operation of the drive unit 42b1 of the lower moving device 42b.

[0086] Here, in the lower moving device 42b, similarly to the third conveying device 63, there are provided a cable group 42b5 connecting the drive unit 42b1 and the control unit 63d, a cable carrier 42b6 holding the cable group 42b5, a support member 42b7 supporting the cable carrier 42b6, a cover member 42b8 covering the lower part of the support member 42b7, and a dust collecting device 42b9 that collects dust by suctioning the internal space of the cover member 42b8.

[0087] The cable group 42b5, the cable carrier 42b6, the support member 42b7, and the dust collection device 42b9 have substantially the same configuration as the cable group 63e, the cable carrier 63f, the support member 63g, and the dust collection device 63j in the third conveyance device 63 described above. Therefore, the description of the cable group 42b5, the cable carrier 42b6, the support member 42b7, and the dust collecting device 63j will be omitted.

[0088] On the other hand, the configuration of the cover member 42b8 is partially different from the configuration of the cover member 63h of the third transfer device 63 described above. That is, the cover member 42b8 is made of a container-like member that is open upward, and in this embodiment, for example, is made of a bottomed member that is rectangular in plan view. Furthermore, the cover member 42b8 is required to be able to cover at least the lower part of the support member 42b7, and is not configured to extend sufficiently along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the cable carrier 42b6, unlike the cover member 63h of the third conveying device 63.

[0089] Here, since the lower moving device 42b transports the glass sheet G in a state in which the lower end portion of the glass sheet G in the vertical position is clamped, the cable carrier 42b6 is positioned below the glass sheet G. Therefore, since dust generated is unlikely to be shaken off and adhere to the glass plate G as in the third conveying device 63, the cover member 42b8 does not need to extend along the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the cable carrier 42b6, but only needs to cover at least the lower part of the support member 42b7. This allows the cover member 42b8 to be made compact, which in turn allows the manufacturing cost to be reduced and the installation work to be simplified.

[0090] The shape of the cover member 42b8 is not limited to a flat bottom surface as in this embodiment, but may be any shape, such as a shape in which the bottom surface is curved along the outer peripheral surface of the support member 42b7.

[0091] As described above, the third conveying device 63 in this embodiment is a glass plate conveying device that clamps the upper end (edge) of a vertically oriented glass plate G and can move it in a direction along the main surface of the glass plate G (conveying direction A). The third conveying device 63 is configured to include a movable frame 63b having a drive unit 63a which is a power source, a control unit 63d which is installed at a predetermined position and controls the drive unit 63a, a cable group 63e which connects the drive unit 63a and the control unit 63d, a cable carrier 63f which holds the cable group 63e, a support member 63g which supports the cable carrier 63f in a placed position, and a cover member 63h which covers the lower part of the support member 63g.

[0092] In addition, the lower moving device 42b in this embodiment is a glass plate transport device that can move the glass plate G in a direction along the main surface of the glass plate G (transport direction A) while clamping the lower end (end) of the glass plate G in a vertical position. The lower moving device 42b comprises a moving frame 42b2 having a drive unit 42b1 which is a power source, a control unit 63d which is installed at a predetermined position and controls the drive unit 42b1, a cable group 42b5 which connects the drive unit 42b1 and the control unit 63d, a cable carrier 42b6 which holds the cable group 42b5, a support member 42b7 which supports the cable carrier 42b6 in a placed position, and a cover member 42b8 which covers the lower part of the support member 42b7.

[0093] Thus, in the third conveying device 63 (or the lower moving device 42b) in this embodiment, a cover member 63h (cover member 42b8) is provided below the support member 63g (support member 42b7) that supports the cable carrier 63f (cable carrier 42b6). Therefore, even if dust is generated by the cable carrier 63f (cable carrier 42b6) and / or the support member 63g (support member 42b7), the generated dust can be received by the cover member 63h (cover member 42b8) and effectively prevented from scattering to the surrounding area, thereby preventing the dust from adhering to the glass plate G.

[0094] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is in no way limited to such an embodiment, which is merely illustrative, and it is of course possible to embody various other forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the description of the scope of the utility model registration claims, and further includes the equivalent meaning described in the scope of the utility model registration claims, and all modifications within the scope.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the lower moving device 42b and the third conveying device 63 are provided with the cable carriers 42b6, 63f, and the cable carriers 42b6, 63f are provided with the support members 42b7, 63g and the cover members 42b8, 63h, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, at least one of the upper moving device 42a, the first conveying device 61, and the second conveying device 62 may be provided with a cable carrier, a support member, and a cover member. In addition, a transfer device (not shown) in the packaging section 5 may also be provided with a cable carrier, a support member, and a cover member.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the self-propelled moving frames 42a2, 61b, 62b, and 63b are used, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the moving frame may be driven by a timing belt or ball screw fixed to the outside of the moving frame.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the conveying device that conveys the glass sheet is provided with the cable carrier, the support member, and the cover member, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, a scribing device that forms a scribe line on a glass sheet may be provided with a cable carrier, a support member, and a cover member. In detail, the scribing device may include a wheel cutter, a first drive unit that switches the wheel cutter between a state in contact with a main surface of the glass plate and a state spaced apart from the main surface of the glass plate, a second drive unit that drives the first drive unit in a direction along the main surface of the glass plate, a control unit that controls the first drive unit and the second drive unit, a cable group that connects the first drive unit and the control unit, a cable carrier that houses the cable group, a support member that supports the cable carrier, and a cover member that covers the bottom of the support member.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the conveying device that conveys the glass sheet is provided with the cable carrier, the support member, and the cover member, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, a cable carrier, a support member, and a cover member may be provided in an edge polishing device that polishes the edge faces of a glass plate. In detail, the edge surface polishing apparatus may include a polishing wheel, a first drive unit that switches the polishing wheel between a state in contact with the edge surface of the glass plate and a state spaced apart from the edge surface of the glass plate, a second drive unit that drives the first drive unit in a direction along the edge of the glass plate, a control unit that controls the first drive unit and the second drive unit, a group of cables connecting the first drive unit and the control unit, a cable carrier that houses the group of cables, a support member that supports the cable carrier, and a cover member that covers the bottom of the support member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 42b Lower moving device (glass plate transport device) 42b9, 63j Dust collection means 42b1, 63a Drive unit 42b2, 63b moving frame 42b5, 63e cable group 42b6, 63f cable carrier 42b7, 63g Support member 42b8, 63h Cover material 63 Third conveying device (glass plate conveying device) 63d Control section G Glass plate V interior space

Claims

1. A glass plate manufacturing apparatus including a processing unit for performing a predetermined process on a glass plate, a moving frame having a driving unit which is a power source for driving the processing unit; A control unit that is installed at a predetermined position and controls the drive unit; A cable group connecting the drive unit and the control unit; a cable carrier for holding the group of cables; a support member that supports the cable carrier in a placed state; A cover member that covers the lower part of the support member. A glass sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising:

2. The processing section is a conveying device that can reciprocate in a direction along a main surface of the glass plate while clamping an end portion of the glass plate in a vertical position.

2. The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to claim 1 .

3. The processing unit is a scribing device that forms a scribe line on the glass plate.

2. The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to claim 1 .

4. The processing unit is an edge polishing device that polishes the edge of the glass plate.

2. The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to claim 1 .

5. The cover member is a container-like member that is open upward, Further, a dust collecting means is provided for collecting dust by suctioning the internal space of the cover member. The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

6. The cover member is In plan view, disposed so as to overlap the cable carrier; and Extending along the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier, The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

7. The support member is a cylindrical member, A direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cable carrier in a plan view is defined as an axial direction, and The shaft is rotatably mounted around the axis. The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

8. The cable carrier includes: A member having higher wear resistance than the support member, The apparatus for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

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