Holding device and conveying device

Abstract

To provide a retainer which can retain a workpiece stably and securely even when retaining a workpiece having low rigidity in a direct transport method, and to provide a transport device.SOLUTION: A retainer 10 includes: a pad 12; a pad support 14; and a suction passage 40 which communicates with the pad 12 and generates a negative pressure between the pad 12 and a workpiece 100. The pad 12 has: a fixing area 12a fixed to the pad support 14; and a non-fixing area 12b which may be flexibly deformed without being fixed to the pad support 14. A transport device 70 includes multiple retainers 10 and transports the workpiece 100 retained by the multiple retainers 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a holding device and a conveying device, and particularly to a technique for directly holding and conveying a workpiece (held object).

Background Art

[0002] In a dicing device that divides a workpiece such as a wafer on which semiconductor devices and electronic components are formed into individual chips, it includes a blade that is rotated at high speed by a spindle, a worktable that adsorbs and holds the workpiece, and X, Y, Z, and θ drive units that change the relative position between the worktable and the blade. In this dicing device, dicing processing (cutting processing) is performed by cutting the workpiece with the blade while relatively moving the blade and the workpiece by each drive unit.

[0003] In a dicing device, it is generally performed to adsorb and hold a dicing frame during the conveyance of the workpiece (for example, see Patent Document 1). By adsorbing and holding the dicing frame, it becomes possible to stably convey the processed workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the method of using suction to hold the dicing frame and transport the workpiece presents the following problems. Specifically, the space within the dicing device for processing and transport must be designed to match the frame size of the dicing frame. As a result, only workpieces smaller than the frame size can be processed relative to the space inside the device, leading to a small workpiece area that can be processed relative to the device area, resulting in low productivity. On the other hand, increasing productivity requires increasing the frame size. This leads to further cost increases and the need for larger devices.

[0006] In contrast, one approach is to maximize the use of space within the device by directly holding and transporting the workpiece without using a dicing frame (direct transport). Since direct transport does not use a dicing frame, it becomes possible to expand the workpiece size to the frame size using the same device as before, enabling the processing of larger workpieces. Furthermore, larger workpieces allow for an increased number of chips to be extracted, leading to the benefit of lower chip costs.

[0007] For example, instead of using a dicing frame, one could consider directly transporting the workpiece while it is attached to a highly rigid substrate. However, highly rigid substrates are expensive, making it difficult to reduce the cost of the chip.

[0008] Alternatively, it is conceivable to directly transport the workpiece by attaching tape (dicing tape) only to the back surface of the workpiece (the surface opposite to the surface where the device is formed) without using a dicing frame. However, if processing is performed on the workpiece in this manner, the divided devices (chips) are only connected via the tape on the back surface of the workpiece, resulting in a lack of rigidity and a so-called "flimsy" state. Therefore, when directly transporting the workpiece, the suction part attached to the workpiece is prone to detachment due to deformation of the workpiece, making it difficult to hold the workpiece in a stable state.

[0009] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a holding device and a conveying device that can stably and reliably hold a workpiece even when holding a workpiece with low rigidity in a direct conveying system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The holding device of the present invention, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, is a holding device for holding an object to be held, comprising: a flat plate-shaped pad that is in contact with the object to be held and is flexible; a pad support that supports the pad; and a suction passage that communicates with the pad and applies negative pressure between the pad and the object to be held, wherein the pad has a fixed region that is fixed to the pad support and a non-fixed region provided around the fixed region that is not fixed to the pad support and is flexibly deformable.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the suction passage is connected to a suction source, and it is preferable that the exhaust speed by the suction source is set to a speed at which the pads can adsorb the object to be held, depending on the magnitude of the piping resistance at the pads of the grooves formed in the object to be held.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the object to be held is a workpiece having grooves formed on the surface that the pad contacts, and preferably a sheet is attached to the back surface opposite to the surface of the workpiece.

[0013] To achieve the objectives of the present invention, the conveying device of the present invention is equipped with a plurality of holding devices of the present invention, and conveys an object to be held while it is held by the plurality of holding devices.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to include a pad connecting base to which a plurality of holding devices are fixed, a transport base for transporting the pad connecting base, and a biasing member provided between the transport base and the pad connecting base, which biases in a direction that changes the distance between the transport base and the pad connecting base. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, even when holding a workpiece with low rigidity in a direct transfer system, it becomes possible to hold the workpiece stably and reliably.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the main part of the holding device of the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the holding device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of the workpiece. [Figure 4] IVA is a cross-sectional view of the workpiece, and IVB is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the deflected state of the workpiece. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the workpiece is adsorbed and held by the holding device. [Figure 6] It is an external view showing a first modified example of the holding device. [Figure 7] VIIA is a side view showing a second modified example of the holding device, and VIIB is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the pad. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the transfer device of the embodiment seen from above. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view of the transfer device shown in FIG. 8 seen from the side. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing an example of another form of the holding device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of a holding device and a transfer device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Holding Device] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of the holding device 10 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the holding device 10 shown in FIG. 1. The holding device 10 of the embodiment is a device for directly holding a workpiece. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holding device 10 includes a pad 12, a pad support 14, and a suction pump 16. The pad 12 is an example of the pad of the present invention, the pad support 14 is an example of the pad support of the present invention, and the suction pump 16 is an example of the suction source of the present invention.

[0018] Here, the workpiece held by the holding device 10 of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the workpiece 100. Also, IVA in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the workpiece 100 shown in FIG. 3, and IVB in FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing a state in which the workpiece 100 shown in IVA in FIG. 4 is bent (a flapping state).

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the workpiece 100 held by the holding device 10 of the embodiment has a dicing tape 106 attached only to the back surface of the workpiece 100 (the surface opposite to the surface on which the device is formed) without using a dicing frame. The workpiece 100 is an example of the workpiece of the present invention, and the dicing tape 106 is an example of the sheet of the present invention.

[0021] The workpiece 100 in this example is rectangular in shape when viewed from above. Multiple grooves 102 are formed in a grid pattern along multiple intersecting division lines on the workpiece 100. The grooves 102 are machined, for example, by a high-speed rotating blade of a dicing device (not shown), and as shown in IVA and IVB of Figure 4, they penetrate the workpiece 100 and cut all the way to the dicing tape 106 (so-called full-cut processing). Note that the shape of the workpiece 100 is not limited to rectangular; for example, it may be circular. Also, the form of the grooves 102 is not limited to a grid pattern; for example, multiple grooves may be formed in only one direction, or only one groove may be formed. Furthermore, the processing method of the grooves 102 is not limited to full-cut processing; for example, half-cut processing or semi-full-cut processing may be used.

[0022] For example, a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tape can be used as the dicing tape 106. The workpiece 100 may be attached to the dicing tape 106 via a film-like adhesive such as DAF (Die Attach Film). In that case, a PO (polyolefin)-based film-like adhesive can be used.

[0023] Returning to Figures 1 and 2, we will continue to describe the holding device 10 of the embodiment.

[0024] As previously described, the holding device 10 of the embodiment includes a pad 12. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pad 12 is made up of a thin plate and, as an example, is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view. However, the shape of the pad 12 is not limited to a rectangular shape; for example, it may be circular (see Figure 6).

[0025] Furthermore, a suction hole 22 is formed in the center of the pad 12, which communicates with the suction pump 16 via an opening 42 and a suction passage 40, which will be described later (see Figure 2). Negative pressure is applied to the suction hole 22 by the suction pump 16 via the opening 42 and the suction passage 40. As a result, the suction hole opening surface 18 of the pad 12 (the lower surface in Figure 2) functions as an adsorption surface that adsorbs the workpiece 100, which is the object to be held. In this example, the workpiece 100 (see Figure 3) is held by adsorption with the pad 12 in contact with its surface (the surface opposite to the side to which the dicing tape 106 is attached). The workpiece 100 is an example of the object to be held according to the present invention.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pad support 14 comprises a support body 28 and a sheet metal 30. The support body 28 has a nozzle portion 34 connected to the piping 32 and a flat plate-shaped seat portion 36 integrally formed at the lower part of the nozzle portion 34, and is made of, for example, a highly rigid metal. The seat portion 36 is rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The sheet metal fixing surface 38 of the seat portion 36 (the surface on which the sheet metal 30 is placed) is flat. The sheet metal 30 is fixed to the sheet metal fixing surface 38 of the seat portion 36. A suction passage 40 communicating with the piping 32 is formed in the nozzle portion 34 and the seat portion 36. Note that the shape of the seat portion 36 is not limited to rectangular, and may be circular (see Figure 6), for example.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, one end of the piping 32 is fixed to the nozzle 34, and the other end is connected to the suction pump 16. The suction pump 16 communicates with the suction hole 22 via the piping 32, the suction passage 40, and the opening 42. As a result, negative pressure is applied to the suction hole 22 in response to the operation of the suction pump 16, making it possible to hold the object to be held (workpiece 100) by suction against the suction hole opening surface (suction surface) 18 of the pad 12.

[0028] The sheet metal 30 is removably fixed to the sheet metal fixing surface 38 of the seat portion 36 by fastening members such as screws. The sheet metal 30 also has an opening 42 that communicates with the suction passage 40. The opening 42 and the suction passage 40 in this example constitute the suction passage of the present invention. An O-ring (not shown) is placed between the sheet metal 30 and the seat portion 36. This O-ring is positioned to surround the suction passage 40, and the O-ring prevents air leakage from the suction passage 40.

[0029] The pad 12 is fixed to the pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30 (the surface opposite to the seat portion 36) with adhesive. The method of fixing the pad 12 to the pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30 is not particularly limited, but as will be described later, if a rubber pad 12 is used, it is preferable to fix it with adhesive rather than fasteners such as screws. As mentioned above, the sheet metal 30 to which the pad 12 is fixed is detachable from the seat portion 36, so for example, if the pad 12 wears out, the pad 12 can be removed from the seat portion 36 together with the sheet metal 30 and replaced with a new pad 12 (including the sheet metal 30).

[0030] Here, the configuration of the pad 12 in this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0031] The pad 12 is made of a flexible member. Rubber can be used as an example of the flexible member. Examples of rubber include chloroprene rubber and silicone rubber, which are flexible soft rubbers. However, the flexible member is not limited to rubber; for example, a flexible soft plastic such as PVC may be used. However, as will be described later, rubber is preferred over soft plastic from the viewpoint of deforming the non-fixed region 12b of the pad 12 to conform to the shape of the workpiece 100.

[0032] As described above, the pad 12, which is made of a flexible member, has a rectangular planar region (pad region) in plan view, of which the central region, excluding the outer edge, is fixed to the pad support 14, and the surrounding region of the central region is not fixed to the pad support 14. That is, of the pad region (rectangular region in plan view) that constitutes the pad 12, the central region within a predetermined range including the central part becomes a fixed region 12a that is fixed to the pad support 14 (pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30), and the surrounding region located out of plane from this fixed region 12a becomes an unfixed region 12b that is not fixed to the pad support 14 (pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30). A suction hole 22 is formed in the center of the fixed region 12a, and a suction pump 16 is connected to the suction hole 22 via an opening 42 and a suction passage 40. The fixed region 12a is an example of a fixed region of the present invention. The unfixed region 12b is an example of an unfixed region of the present invention.

[0033] Next, the operation of the holding device 10 of the embodiment will be described.

[0034] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the workpiece 100 is held by the holding device 10. As shown in Figure 5, the suction hole opening surface (suction surface) 18 of the pad 12 is brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece 100. When the suction pump 16 (see Figure 2) is driven in this state, negative pressure is applied to the suction hole 22. As a result, negative pressure acts between the suction hole opening surface 18 of the pad 12 and the surface of the workpiece 100, causing the workpiece 100 to be held by the pad 12 by suction.

[0035] When the workpiece 100 is held by the pad 12 in this manner, the fixed region 12a formed in the central region of the pad 12 is fixed to the pad support 14 (pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30). Therefore, the central region of the workpiece 100 in contact with the fixed region 12a is held by the pad 12 while remaining flat. On the other hand, the non-fixed region 12b formed in the peripheral region of the pad 12 is not fixed to the pad support 14 (pad fixing surface 44 of the sheet metal 30) and can be flexibly deformed in accordance with the deformation of the workpiece 100 (a region capable of flexible deformation). Therefore, even if the peripheral part of the workpiece 100 that is in contact with the non-fixed region 12b of the pad 12 bends and deforms due to its own weight, the non-fixed region 12b of the pad 12 follows and deforms in accordance with that bending deformation, making it possible to hold the peripheral part of the workpiece 100 by suction.

[0036] Here, we will explain the suction volume (airflow volume) of the suction pump 16 when the workpiece 100 (see Figure 3) is held by the pad 12. When the workpiece 100 (see Figure 3) is held by the pad 12, the suction volume of the suction pump 16 is set to be greater than the amount of air (outside air) flowing into the suction passage 40 from the groove 102 shown in Figure 3 through the suction hole 22. Specifically, the suction volume is set so that the rotation speed of the motor of the suction pump 16 matches the above airflow volume. In other words, the rotation speed of the motor of the suction pump 16 is set to a rotation speed that allows for suction at an exhaust speed greater than the amount of air flowing into the suction passage 40 through the groove 102. The exhaust speed of the suction pump 16 is set to a speed at which the pad 12 can hold the workpiece 100, depending on the magnitude of the pipeline resistance in the groove 102 formed in the workpiece 100. The pipeline resistance is determined by the width, depth, number, shape, etc. of the groove 102. Also, arrow A shown in Figure 2 indicates the direction of airflow when the suction pump 16 is driven.

[0037] When the motor speed of the suction pump 16 is set as described above and the suction pump 16 is driven, and the suction hole opening surface 18 of the pad 12 is brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece 100, outside air flows in (leaks) between the workpiece 100 and the pad 12 from the groove 102. At this time, the suction pump 16 is driven at a rotation speed that sucks in a larger volume of air than the amount of air (outside air) flowing into the suction passage 40. As a result, in conjunction with the effect of the pipe resistance caused by the groove 102, a negative pressure is generated between the suction hole opening surface 18 of the pad 12 and the surface of the workpiece 100, and the surface of the workpiece 100 is held in place by suction against the suction hole opening surface 18 of the pad 12.

[0038] Therefore, according to the holding device 10 of the embodiment, the fixed area 12a of the pad 12 holds the workpiece 100 in a flat state by adsorption, while the non-fixed area 12b formed in the surrounding area holds the workpiece 100 by adsorption following its bending deformation. As a result, even when holding a workpiece 100 that has low rigidity, a so-called "flimsy state," the pad 12 deforms in accordance with the deformation state of the workpiece 100, so the pad 12 firmly adheres to the workpiece 100 without peeling off. Therefore, it is possible to hold the workpiece 100 stably and reliably.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the holding device 10 of the embodiment, the pad 12 is equipped with a fixed area 12a that can hold the workpiece 100 in a flat state by suction, so that deformation of the workpiece 100 is suppressed overall when the pad 12 holds the workpiece 100 by suction, thereby preventing problems such as contact between chips (devices) formed on the workpiece 100.

[0040] Furthermore, the holding device 10 of this embodiment makes it possible to expand the workpiece size to the frame size in a device of the same size as conventional devices (for example, a dicing device), thus enabling the processing of larger workpieces. In addition, since larger workpieces result in an increased number of chips, there is also the advantage of reducing the cost of chips.

[0041] Other methods for holding the workpiece 100 by suction include (1) suction holding using an electrostatic chuck, (2) suction holding using a Bernoulli chuck, (3) suction holding using a high-suction-force pad, and (4) suction holding the back side of the workpiece.

[0042] However, (1) suction holding with an electrostatic chuck has the problem that it is difficult to control the holding force because water remains in the groove (kerf) 102 after cutting. Also, (2) suction holding with a Bernoulli chuck has the problem that if the rigidity of the workpiece 100 is low, it is likely to detach and fall. Also, (3) suction holding with a high-suction-force pad has the problem that because the suction surface is concave, the suctioned workpiece 100 bends concavely, making it easy for the chips to come into contact with each other. Also, (4) suction holding on the back side of the workpiece has the problem that when mounting the workpiece 100 to the chuck table, a separate mechanism is required to hold the workpiece 100.

[0043] In contrast, the holding device 10 of the embodiment, even in the case of a workpiece 100 with low rigidity, can stably and reliably hold the workpiece 100 by suction with a simple configuration without causing the above-mentioned problems compared to the methods shown in (1) to (4).

[0044] In the embodiment described above, the workpiece 100 shown in Figure 3 was used as an example of an object to be held by the holding device 10. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and may also be a workpiece before processing without grooves, or a workpiece without dicing tape attached to its back surface.

[0045] Next, a modified example of the holding device 10 of the embodiment will be described. [First variation] Figure 6 is an external view showing a first modified example of the holding device. The holding device 50 shown in Figure 6 has a configuration to which a circular pad 12 and a circular seat 36 are applied. The holding device 50 is preferably applied to, for example, a circular workpiece.

[0046] [Second variation] Figure 7VIIA is a side view showing a second modified example of the retaining device, and Figure 7VIIB is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the pad 12. The retaining device 60 shown in Figure 7 has a configuration in which the surface shape (shape in plan view) of the pad 12 and the seat portion 36 are identical. In this case, the surface shape may be, for example, rectangular or circular. Furthermore, the retaining device 60 in this example does not have the sheet metal 30 shown in Figure 2, and the pad 12 is directly fixed to the lower surface of the seat portion 36. Of the pad area constituting the pad 12, the central area of ​​a predetermined range including the central part becomes a fixed area 12a that is fixed to the seat portion 36, and the peripheral area located out of plane from this fixed area 12a becomes an unfixed area 12b that is not fixed to the seat portion 36. As a result, the retaining device 60 can obtain the same effect as the retaining device 10 of the embodiment (see Figure 1). In Figure 7, an example is shown in which the surface shapes of the pad 12 and the seat 36 are identical. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the surface shape of the pad 12 may be smaller than the surface shape of the seat 36.

[0047] Next, an example of a transport device using the holding device 10 of the embodiment will be described.

[0048] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the conveying device 70 of the embodiment, viewed from above, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the conveying device 70 shown in Figure 8, viewed from the side.

[0049] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the transport device 70 is equipped with multiple (five in this example) holding devices 10(10A), and transports a single workpiece 100 while holding it with these holding devices 10(10A).

[0050] This conveying device 70 comprises a pad connecting base 72, a conveying base 74, and a spring 80. The pad connecting base 72 is an example of the pad connecting base of the present invention, the conveying base is an example of the conveying base of the present invention, and the spring 80 is an example of the biasing member of the present invention.

[0051] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the pad connecting base 72 is configured in a roughly X-shape in plan view. The pad connecting base 72 has four ends 72A, and the holding device 10 is fixed to each of these ends 72A. The pad connecting base 72 also has a central part 72B, to which the holding device 10A is attached.

[0052] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the retaining device 10A. The retaining device 10A has a rectangular shape in plan view, consisting of the pad 12A and the seat portion 36A, but its basic structure is the same as that of the retaining device 10, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0053] In this example, the five holding devices 10(10A) are fixed to the pad connecting base 72 such that the suction hole opening surface 18 of each pad 12(12A) is located on the same horizontal plane. Furthermore, while this example illustrates a conveying device 70 having five holding devices 10(10A), it is not limited to this configuration, and a conveying device with at least two holding devices 10 may also be used.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the transport base 74 is positioned above the pad connecting base 72. That is, the transport base 74 is provided on the opposite side of the pad connecting base 72 from the multiple holding devices 10 (10A), and the transport base 74 is configured in a roughly cross shape in plan view. The transport base 74 has four ends 74A. The pad connecting base 72, positioned below the transport base 74, is supported by the transport base 74 so as to be able to move up and down (float) via springs 80 provided at each end 74A of the transport base 74. That is, the springs 80, provided between the transport base 74 and the pad connecting base 72, have the function of biasing in a direction that changes the distance between the transport base 74 and the pad connecting base 72.

[0055] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the specific configuration of the transport mechanism 76 is omitted, but for example, a robot arm can be used as the transport mechanism 76. When a robot arm is used, it is preferable to connect the tip of the robot arm to the central part 74B of the transport base 74. This allows the workpiece 100, which is held by the holding device 10 (10A) by suction, to be transported by the robot arm.

[0056] Furthermore, the transport mechanism 76 includes a floating mechanism that includes multiple (four in this example) springs 80 positioned between the transport base 74 and the pad connecting base 72. This floating mechanism allows the suction hole opening surface 18 of each holding device 10 (10A), which is connected and fixed to the pad connecting base 72, to move relative to the transport base 74. This reduces the impact when the robot arm brings the suction hole opening surface 18 of each holding device 10 (10A) into contact with the surface of the workpiece 100, and enables smooth suction holding operation of each holding device 10 (10A) to the suction hole opening surface 18.

[0057] To illustrate with an example of a dicing apparatus, the workpiece 100, before grooving, is held by the holding device 10(10A) and transported to the processing section (chuck table) by driving the robot arm. Then, the workpiece 100 after grooving is held by the holding device 10(10A) and transported out of the processing section by driving the robot arm. Here, by mounting multiple holding devices 10(10A) on the transport device 70, it becomes possible to transport even large-area workpieces 100 while maintaining their planar shape. The workpiece 100 shown in Figures 8 and 9 is, for example, 230 mm x 200 mm in size. The pad 12 of the holding device 10 is, for example, 35 mm x 35 mm in size.

[0058] In this example, the transport device 70 has a configuration in which the transport base 74 is positioned above the pad connecting base 72, but it is not limited to this configuration, and the transport base 74 may be positioned below the pad connecting base 72.

[0059] Furthermore, the holding device and conveying device according to the present invention are applicable not only to the dicing device described above, but also to laser dicing devices and the like. They are also applicable to dedicated holding devices and conveying devices that are configured separately from these processing devices (dicing devices, laser dicing devices, etc.).

[0060] Although examples of the holding device and conveying device according to the present invention have been described above, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and several improvements or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10...Holding device, 10A...Holding device, 12...Pad, 12a...Fixed area, 12b...Non-fixed area, 12A...Pad, 14...Pad support, 16...Suction pump, 18...Suction hole opening surface, 22...Suction hole, 28...Support body, 30...Sheet metal, 32...Piping, 34...Face part, 36...Seat part, 36A...Seat part, 38...Sheet metal fixing surface, 40...Suction path, 42...Opening, 44...Pad fixing surface, 50...Holding device, 60...Holding device, 70...Conveying device, 72...Pad connecting base, 72A...End part, 72B...Center part, 74...Conveying base, 74A...End part, 74B...Center part, 76...Conveying mechanism, 80...Spring, 100...Workpiece, 102...Groove, 106...Dicing tape

Claims

1. A holding device for holding an object to be held, A flat, flexible pad that can come into contact with the object to be held, A pad support that supports the aforementioned pad, A suction passage that communicates with the pad and applies negative pressure between the pad and the object to be held, Equipped with, The pad has a fixed region that is fixed to the pad support, and a non-fixed region provided around the fixed region that is not fixed to the pad support and is flexibly deformable. The aforementioned suction path is connected to a suction source. The exhaust speed from the suction source is set to a speed at which the pad can adsorb the object to be held, according to the magnitude of the pipeline resistance at the pad in the groove formed in the object to be held. holding device.

2. The object to be held is a workpiece in which a groove is formed on the surface that the pad contacts, and a sheet is attached to the back surface of the workpiece opposite to the surface. The holding device according to claim 1.

3. A plurality of holding devices as described in claim 1 or 2, The object to be held is transported while being held by multiple holding devices. Conveying device.

4. A pad connecting base to which multiple holding devices are fixed, A transport base for transporting the aforementioned pad connecting base, A biasing member is provided between the transport base and the pad connecting base, and biases in a direction that changes the distance between the transport base and the pad connecting base, The conveying device according to claim 3, comprising:

Images