In-line substrate cleaning apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning device, comprising a first conveyor belt that transports a substrate mounted on an upper surface such that its upper surface faces upward, and a second conveyor belt that receives the substrate from the first conveyor belt and transports it attached to a lower surface such that its lower surface faces downward, thereby providing a substrate cleaning device that cleans the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate, respectively, during the process of transport on each conveyor belt.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inline-type substrate cleaning device, and more specifically, to a substrate cleaning device capable of performing a cleaning process to remove foreign substances remaining on the surface of a foldable ultra-thin glass substrate (UTG) with a thickness of several µm to tens of µm more cleanly in a shorter time. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, glass substrates used in portable devices are becoming increasingly thinner, and there is a growing need for cleaning methods to use thin substrates in portable devices without errors.

[0004] Conventionally, a cleaning process was performed on one surface of a substrate (G) using a cleaning solution according to the configuration shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a substrate is supplied to a substrate loader (10), and when the supplied substrate is supplied to a substrate cleaning unit (20), the substrate (G) is mounted on a stand (22) in the substrate cleaning unit (20) shown in FIG. 2.

[0005] Then, a cleaning solution (25a) is supplied from the cleaning solution supply unit (28) to the cleaning solution spray nozzle (25) and applied to the surface of the substrate (G) to clean the surface of the substrate (G). Then, the cleaned substrate (G) is discharged by the substrate unloader (30) and transferred to the next process.

[0006] However, the existing substrate processing system (9) described above had a problem in that it caused defects when applied to a portable device when the bottom surface of the substrate (G) was contaminated, as it only cleaned one surface of the substrate (G).

[0008] Meanwhile, although a method of cleaning both sides of a substrate (G) using a conventional substrate cleaning device (20) has been proposed, in the case of a substrate (G) made of glass material with a thickness of 100 μm or less that is used in a flexible display device, the process of gripping the substrate (G) and flipping it 180 degrees causes a very difficult problem.

[0009] Therefore, for glass substrates with a thickness of 100㎛ or less, there is a need for a method to flip the substrate 180 degrees without damaging it, and at the same time, there is an urgent need for a method to perform double-sided cleaning while reducing cleaning time. Furthermore, since the substrate is in close contact with the holder due to the cleaning solution used during the substrate cleaning process, the process of lifting the substrate and flipping it 180 degrees is very difficult, so we had no choice but to accept the limitation that damage frequently occurs.

[0010] At the same time, when the entire surface of the substrate (G) is used as an active area, there is no dead zone; therefore, gripping a part of the substrate (G) in a gripping manner is undesirable as it is highly likely to damage the active area. Accordingly, when the entire surface of the substrate is an active area, a method is required to clean the substrate while transporting it without damaging it. The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention aims to efficiently perform double-sided cleaning of a glass substrate with a thickness of 100 μm or less, which is allowed for a flexible display device, in a short period of time, in order to solve the aforementioned conventional problems.

[0013] In addition, the present invention aims to clean without damaging the edges of the substrate by not gripping the edges of the substrate even when the entire surface of the substrate is an active area.

[0014] Above all, the present invention aims to reduce the time required to change the position from cleaning the upper surface of the substrate to cleaning the lower surface of the substrate and the risk of damage to the substrate by replacing the process of flipping the substrate 180 degrees for cleaning the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate with a conveyor belt arranged with a difference in height between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0015] Through this, the present invention aims to increase process efficiency by significantly reducing the time required for the double-sided cleaning process of a substrate. means of solving the problem

[0017] To achieve the objectives of the present invention as described above, the present invention provides a substrate cleaning device comprising a first conveyor belt that transports a substrate mounted on an upper surface such that the upper surface of the substrate faces upward, and a second conveyor belt that receives the substrate from the first conveyor belt and transports the substrate attached to a lower surface such that the lower surface of the substrate faces downward, thereby cleaning the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate, respectively, during the transport process on each conveyor belt.

[0018] As described in this specification and claims, 'top surface' refers to one surface of the substrate, and 'bottom surface' refers to another surface of the substrate.

[0019] The terms "front part" and similar terms as described in this specification and claims refer to the part facing the opposite side of the direction in which the substrate is transported on the conveyor belt, and the terms "rear part" and similar terms as described in this specification and claims refer to the part facing the direction in which the substrate is transported on the conveyor belt. Effects of the invention

[0021] As described above, according to the present invention, the present invention can obtain the advantageous effect of efficiently cleaning both sides of a glass substrate with a thickness of 100 μm or less used in a flexible or foldable display device within a short period of time without damage.

[0022] In addition, the present invention provides the advantageous effect of cleaning without damaging the edges and folding regions of the substrate by cleaning while transporting the substrate without gripping the edges or folding regions of the substrate.

[0023] Above all, the present invention is provided with an overlapping area in which a first conveyor belt, on which a cleaning process is performed on the upper surface of a substrate, and a second conveyor belt, on which a cleaning process is performed on the lower surface of a substrate, are arranged in an up-and-down direction. By moving a substrate mounted on the upper surface of the first conveyor belt to the lower surface of the second conveyor belt, the substrate can be moved upward without rotating the substrate 180 degrees, thereby obtaining the advantageous effect of moving the substrate from the upper surface cleaning state of the substrate to the lower surface cleaning state of the substrate in a short time without damage.

[0024] Through this, the substrate is continuously supplied to the conveyor belt to perform the cleaning process, and by eliminating the substrate inversion process that causes delays in process time, the cleaning process of a thin ultra-thin glass substrate can be performed in a shorter time without damage, thereby obtaining the advantageous effect of performing the cleaning process of a thin ultra-thin glass substrate in a shorter time. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a conventional substrate processing system, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the substrate cleaning device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of the inline cleaning device of FIG. 3. FIG. 5a is a plan view illustrating the first conveyor belt and pneumatic application configuration of FIG. 4. FIG. 5b is a plan view illustrating a first conveyor belt and pneumatic application configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of the first conveyor belt of FIG. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of section 'A' of Fig. 4. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of the second conveyor belt of FIG. 4. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the cleaning liquid discharge unit installed in FIG. 4. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited or restricted by the embodiments. For reference, in this description, the same number refers to substantially the same element, and under this rule, descriptions may be made by citing content described in other drawings, and content that is deemed obvious to those skilled in the art or is repetitive may be omitted.

[0028] As illustrated in the drawing, the substrate processing system (1000) according to the present invention comprises a loader unit (10) that supplies a glass substrate (G) from a cassette (CST), an inline cleaning device (1) that cleans the substrate (G) supplied from the loader unit (10) while transporting it inline, an inspection unit (2) that inspects the cleaning state of the substrate (G) cleaned with a cleaning solution in the inline cleaning device (1), and an unloading unit (30) that returns the substrate inspected by the inspection unit (2) to the next process.

[0029] Here, the substrate (G) can be of various forms, and in particular, a glass substrate (UTG) with a thickness of 100 μm or less used in foldable display devices for portable devices can be applied.

[0031] The loader unit (10) supplies (51) a substrate (G) stored in a cassette (CST) to an inline cleaning device (1), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0032] The loader unit (10) can be configured in various forms, and as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of substrates (G) to be processed are received in a cassette (CST) with the front and rear open, and the substrates (G) can be supplied to the upper surface cleaning unit (100) of the inline cleaning device (1) by pushing them one by one with a pusher (10) while adjusting the height (15d) of the cassette (CST).

[0033] Although not illustrated in the drawings, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the loader unit (10) may be formed as a robot arm and configured to supply from the cassette (CST) to the inline cleaning device (1) by the arm.

[0034] The loader unit (10) continuously supplies a substrate (G) to the first conveyor belt (113) of the upper surface cleaning unit (100). That is, even before the upper surface cleaning process for one substrate (G) is finished, another substrate (G) is subsequently supplied to the first conveyor belt (113), thereby allowing the cleaning process for the continuously supplied substrate (G) to be performed.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, the above inline cleaning device (1) comprises an upper surface cleaning unit (100) that cleans the upper surface (S1) of a substrate (G) supplied by a loader unit (10), a lower surface cleaning unit (200) that receives the substrate (G) from the upper surface cleaning unit (100) and cleans the lower surface (S2) of the substrate (G), a substrate transfer unit that moves the substrate (G) from the upper surface cleaning unit (100) to the lower surface cleaning unit (200), and a pusher (400) that assists in moving the substrate (G) from the lower surface cleaning unit (200) to the unloading unit (30).

[0038] The above-described upper surface cleaning unit (100) comprises a first transfer unit (110) that transfers the upper surface (S1) of a substrate exposed to the outside, an upper surface cleaning unit (120) that cleans the upper surface (S1) of a substrate (G) transferred by the first transfer unit (110), a first dryer (130) that dries the substrate (G) cleaned by the upper surface cleaning unit (120), a pressure controller (140) that controls the pressure applied to the first through hole (113a) of the first transfer belt (113) of the first transfer unit (110), and a cleaning liquid discharge unit (150) that discharges the liquid that has seeped into the first transfer belt (113) of a portion of the cleaning liquid sprayed during the cleaning process of the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G).

[0039] Similarly, the bottom cleaning unit (200) comprises a second transfer unit (210) that transfers the bottom surface (S2) of a substrate exposed to the outside, a bottom cleaning unit (220) that cleans the bottom surface (S2) of a substrate (G) transferred by the second transfer unit (210), a second dryer (230) that dries the substrate (G) cleaned by the bottom cleaning unit (220), a pressure controller (240) that controls the pressure applied to the first through hole (213a) of the second transfer belt (213) of the second transfer unit (210), and a cleaning liquid discharge unit (250) that discharges the liquid that has seeped into the second transfer belt (213) from a portion of the cleaning liquid sprayed during the cleaning process of the bottom surface (S1) of the substrate (G).

[0041] Here, the first transfer unit (110) includes a first transfer belt (113) that rotates in an endless track, and transfers (71) the substrate (G) while the substrate (G) is mounted on the upper surface of the first transfer belt (113). To this end, the first transfer belt (113) moves (71) in a predetermined direction as a drive roller (111) disposed inside one side of the first transfer belt (113) rotates by a drive motor. At this time, an idler roller (112) is disposed inside the other side of the first transfer belt (113) to assist in the movement (71) of the first transfer belt (113). In some cases, the idler roller (112) may be formed as a drive roller that rotates in synchronization with the drive roller (111).

[0042] Likewise, the second transfer unit (210) includes a second transfer belt (213) that rotates in an endless track, and transfers (72) the substrate (G) with the substrate (G) mounted on the bottom surface of the second transfer belt (213). To this end, the second transfer belt (230) moves (72) the second transfer belt (213) in a predetermined direction as a drive roller (211) disposed inside one side is rotated by a drive motor. At this time, an idler roller (212) is disposed inside the other side of the second transfer belt (213) to assist in the movement (72) of the second transfer belt (213).

[0044] Here, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) can be divided into a receiving area (AA) for receiving a substrate (G) to be cleaned from a substrate loader (10), a cleaning area (BB) for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate (G) using a cleaning solution, a drying area (CC) for drying the cleaned substrate (G), and a transmission area (DD) for transmitting the dried substrate (G) to the second conveyor belt (213).

[0045] And, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213) can be divided into a receiving area (AA') for receiving a substrate (G) that has completed a top surface cleaning process from the first conveyor belt (113), a cleaning area (BB') for performing a bottom surface cleaning process of the substrate (G) using a cleaning solution, a drying area (CC') for performing a drying process on the cleaned substrate (G), and a discharge area (DD') for transmitting the dried substrate (G) to the next process.

[0046] Here, the ‘upper surface’ refers to a flat portion located above the drive roller (111) and idler roller (112) in the first conveyor belt (113) that rotates in an endless track, and the ‘lower surface’ refers to a flat portion located below the drive roller (211) and idler roller (212) in the second conveyor belt (213) that rotates in an endless track.

[0047] At this time, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7, the rear portion of the first conveyor belt (113) and the front portion of the second conveyor belt (213) are provided with an overlapping area (99) in which a portion overlaps in the vertical direction. Here, the overlapping area (99) includes the transmission area (DD) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the reception area (AA') of the second conveyor belt (213). Accordingly, when the substrate (G) reaches the transmission area (DD) of the first conveyor belt (113), it has reached the overlapping area (99) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the second conveyor belt (213), and at this position, the substrate (G) is moved upward by the substrate transmission unit and moves to the second conveyor belt (213). In this way, the overlapping area (99) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the second conveyor belt (213) is provided, so that when the substrate (G) is moved upward without the process of flipping it 180 degrees, the bottom surface of the substrate (G) is immediately exposed to the outside, allowing the bottom surface cleaning process of the substrate to be performed.

[0048] Meanwhile, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the first conveyor belt (113) conveys the substrate (G) with the substrate positioned on the upper surface, moves the substrate (G) upward in the overlapping area (99) to move it from the first conveyor belt (113) to the second conveyor belt (213), and then conveys the substrate (G) with the substrate positioned on the lower surface by the second conveyor belt (213). However, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first conveyor belt conveys the substrate with the substrate positioned on the lower surface while first cleaning the lower surface of the substrate, moves the substrate downward in the overlapping area to move it from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt, and then conveys the substrate with the substrate positioned on the upper surface of the second conveyor belt. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the first conveyor belt may be positioned lower than the second conveyor belt in the overlapping area (99), and the first conveyor belt may be positioned higher than the second conveyor belt in the overlapping area (99).

[0050] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 5a, the first conveyor belt (113) may be formed in a single row. In this case, it is preferable that the width (W) of the substrate (G) be equal to or greater than the width (w1) of the first conveyor belt (113). In this case, both ends of the substrate (G) are provided with exposed portions that protrude outward in the width direction of the first conveyor belt (113) by a length indicated by 'xp'.

[0051] According to another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5b, the first conveyor belt (113) may be formed in two rows. In this case, the substrate (G) is provided with an exposed portion that is not supported by the first conveyor belt (113) between the first conveyor belts (113) of each row, with a width marked 'xx'.

[0052] The above substrate transfer unit may include a push member (300) that pushes the exposed portion of the substrate not supported by the first transfer belt (113) toward the second transfer belt (213). That is, when the substrate (G) finishes the upper surface cleaning process and reaches the overlapping area (99) of the first transfer belt (113), as shown in FIG. 4, the push rod (310) of the push member (300) pushes the substrate (G) toward the second transfer belt (213), thereby moving the substrate (G) from a state where the upper surface (S1) of the substrate is exposed to the outside on the upper surface of the first transfer belt (113) to a state where the lower surface (S2) of the substrate (G) is exposed to the outside on the lower surface of the second transfer belt (213). However, the present invention is not limited to the push member (300) and can be configured in various forms as described below.

[0054] The upper surface cleaning unit (120) includes a cleaning brush (121) that contacts and cleans the upper surface (S1) of a substrate (G) with a brush (121) that rotates (121r) while positioned on the upper surface of a first conveyor belt (113), and a first cleaning liquid sprayer (122) that receives cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid supply unit (CL1) and sprays cleaning liquid (88) onto the upper surface of the substrate (G) at a high pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Here, cleaning liquid is supplied even during the cleaning process by the brush (121), thereby increasing the efficiency of removing foreign substances adhered to the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G).

[0055] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface cleaning unit (120) may be composed of either a cleaning brush (121) or a first cleaning liquid sprayer (122).

[0056] In this way, the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G) can have all foreign substances attached and deposited on the upper surface of the substrate (G) removed by undergoing a contact cleaning process and a non-contact cleaning process in the cleaning area (BB).

[0057] The upper surface cleaning process of the substrate (G) by the upper surface cleaning unit (120) may be performed while the first conveyor belt (113) is stopped at the installation location of the cleaning brush (121) or the first cleaning liquid sprayer (122), but according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning process is performed while the first conveyor belt (113) is transported without stopping at the installation location of the cleaning brush (121) or the first cleaning liquid sprayer (122). Through this, the cleaning process of the substrate (G) with the cleaning liquid can be performed without interruption even if the substrate (G) is continuously supplied by the loader unit (10).

[0058] Above all, the present invention prepares for the bottom surface cleaning process of a substrate by moving to the second conveyor belt (213) without rotating 180 degrees from the overlapping position (99) of the first conveyor belt (131), so the switching time for cleaning the top surface and bottom surface of the substrate is very short, thereby enabling a continuous substrate cleaning process without delaying the process time.

[0060] The first dryer (130) receives a drying gas from a drying gas supply unit (DA1) in a drying area (CC) before the substrate (G) reaches an overlapping area (99) for a substrate (G) for which the upper surface cleaning process of the substrate (G) is completed by the upper surface cleaning unit (120), and sprays a high-temperature drying gas (89) onto the surface of the substrate (G) to dry the upper surface of the substrate (G).

[0061] Preferably, the drying gas (89) sprayed from the first dryer (130) has an incline facing the opposite direction of the transfer direction (71) of the substrate (G) and sprays the drying gas (89) in the form of an air knife toward the substrate (G). Through this, instead of instantly drying all the cleaning liquid remaining on the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G) by the drying gas sprayed from the first dryer (130), the cleaning liquid (88) remaining on the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G) is pushed forward, thereby removing the cleaning liquid remaining on the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G).

[0062] At this time, the first dryer (130) may spray the drying gas (89) in a single row, but may form two or more rows of air knives to more effectively push out and remove liquid components such as cleaning liquid remaining on the upper surface (S1) of the substrate (G).

[0064] The above substrate transfer unit moves the substrate (G) from the upper surface of the first transfer belt (113) to the lower surface of the second transfer belt (213) when the substrate (G) reaches the overlapping area (99). As described above, the movement of the substrate (G) from the first transfer belt (113) to the second transfer belt (213) can be implemented or assisted using a push member (300). In parallel with or separately from other aspects of the present invention, the substrate transfer unit may include a configuration for applying suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) to the first transfer belt (113) and the second transfer belt (213).

[0065] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of first through holes (113a) are formed on the surface of the first conveyor belt (113), and the first conveyor belt (113) is divided into a plurality of air chambers (C1, C2, C3, ..., Cx, Cy; C) including a first air chamber (C1) by partitions (113x). Then, suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) is applied to each air chamber (C) from a pressure controller (140) so that suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) is applied to the first through holes (113a).

[0066] Likewise, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a plurality of second through holes (213a) are formed on the surface of the second conveyor belt (213), and a plurality of air chambers (X1, X2, X3, ..., Xx, Xy; X) are partitioned in the second conveyor belt (213) by partitions (213x). Then, suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) is applied to each air chamber (X) from a pressure controller (540) so that suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) is applied to the second through holes (213a).

[0067] Since the configurations of the through holes (113a, 213a) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the second conveyor belt (213) are similar to each other, for convenience, the following description focuses on the configuration in which a static pressure (pp) or suction pressure (pz) is applied to the through hole (113a) of the first conveyor belt (113).

[0069] A pneumatic conveyor (145) is placed in close contact with one side of the first conveyor belt (113) and is in communication with an air chamber (C1, C2,..., Cx; C). The pneumatic conveyor (145) is divided into a plurality of spaces (145c) by a partition wall (145a), and the divided spaces (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) are in communication with an opening (not shown) of the air chamber (C1, C2,..., Cx; C) of the first conveyor belt (113). By independently applying positive pressure or negative pressure (suction pressure) to the divided spaces (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) from a pressure controller (140), the pressure of the air chamber (C1, C2,..., Cx; C) of the first conveyor belt (113) is independently regulated.

[0070] Here, in the first pneumatic line (141) extended from the pressure controller (140), pneumatic pressure in the form of suction pressure is applied to the partitioned space (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) corresponding to the receiving area (AA), cleaning area (BB), and drying area (CC) of the first conveyor belt (113), and in the second pneumatic line (142) extended from the pressure controller (140), pneumatic pressure in the form of static pressure is applied to the partitioned space (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) corresponding to the transmission area (DD) of the first conveyor belt (113).

[0071] At the same time, although not shown in the drawing, a rubber sealing membrane is fixed to the pneumatic conveyor (145) to prevent leakage of pneumatic pressure between the first conveyor belt (113) that rotates in a circular motion and the fixed pneumatic conveyor (145), thereby minimizing leakage of pneumatic pressure during the process of transferring pneumatic pressure from the partitioned space (145c) to the air chamber (C1, C2, ..., C) despite the first conveyor belt (113) moving relative to the pneumatic conveyor (145).

[0072] That is, similar to a rotary union, the partitioned space (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) is positioned in a fixed state and receives a predetermined pneumatic pressure to maintain a pressure state, and the air chambers (C1, C2,...; C) of the first conveyor belt (113) moving relative to the pneumatic conveyor (145) receive pneumatic pressure from each partitioned space (145c) that it passes through while sliding, and are applied in a state of positive pressure (pp) or suction pressure (pz). Accordingly, the air chambers (C1, C2,..., Cx, Cy; C) of the first conveyor belt (113) are circulated and independently controlled to a predetermined pressure at a position aligned with each partitioned space (145c).

[0073] This configuration is applied in the same way to the air chambers (X1, X2,..., Xx; X) of the second conveyor belt (213), so that, similar to a rotary union, as the second conveyor belt (213) moves in a circulating motion, the air chambers (X1, X2,..., Xx; X) are independently controlled at a predetermined pressure according to the circulation position.

[0074] Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and according to another embodiment of the present invention, a known configuration for applying one or more of suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) to the through holes (113a, 213a) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the second conveyor belt (213), which rotate in a circulating manner according to a principle similar to a rotary union, may be applied. Alternatively, depending on the position of the conveyor belt (113, 213), a separate pressure application means may be configured to apply suction pressure (pz) or static pressure (pp) through the through holes (113a, 213a).

[0075] Through this, a predetermined static pressure (pp) or suction pressure (pz) is applied to each air chamber (C1, C2, ..., Cx, Cy; C) of the first conveyor belt (113) and each air chamber (X1, X2, ..., Xx; X) of the second conveyor belt (213) according to the circulation position, and accordingly, a predetermined static pressure (pp) or suction pressure (pz) is applied to the first through hole (113a) and the second through hole (213a) of each air chamber (C, X).

[0076] Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and according to another embodiment of the present invention, the through holes (113a, 213a) are not provided, and the substrate (G) may be attached to the surface of the conveyor belt (113, 213) by the tension of the cleaning liquid.

[0078] When looking at the pressure applied to the air chamber (C) of the first conveyor belt (113), when a substrate (G) is supplied from the substrate loader (10), suction pressure (pz) is applied to the first through hole (113a) in the receiving area (AA) of the first conveyor belt (113) so that the supplied substrate (G) is seated on the first conveyor belt (113) and does not detach. To this end, as shown in FIG. 5a, suction pressure (pz) is applied to the space of the pneumatic conveyor (145) adjacent to the receiving area (AA) of the first conveyor belt (113). Through this, when the substrate (G) is supplied to the receiving area (AA) of the first conveyor belt (113), it is reliably adsorbed to the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) without damage and fixed in position by the suction pressure (pz) acting on the first through hole (113a), even without gripping the edge of the substrate.

[0079] And, while the substrate (G) moves (71) along the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113), it is preferable that the substrate (G) be fixed in position on the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) even while the cleaning process by the upper surface cleaning unit (120) and the drying process by the first dryer (130) are performed. To this end, as shown in FIG. 5a, suction pressure (pz) is also applied to the partitioned space (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) corresponding to the cleaning area (BB) and drying area (CC) of the first conveyor belt (113). Through this, while the substrate (G) is being cleaned and dried by the upper surface cleaning unit (120) and the first dryer (130), the substrate is suction-fixed (Y1) to the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) due to the suction pressure (pz) acting on the first through hole (113a) of the first conveyor belt (113).

[0080] And, in the transmission area (DD) of the first transport belt (113), which is the overlapping area (99) where the substrate is transported to the second transport belt (213), if suction pressure is applied to the substrate (G), it hinders the movement of the substrate (G) to the second transport belt (113), so the suction pressure is not applied to the first through hole (113a) of the first transport belt (113). At the same time, in the receiving area (AA') of the second transport belt (213), which is the overlapping area (99), the suction pressure is controlled to be applied to the second through hole (213a) of the second transport belt (213).

[0081] Through this, the substrate (G) that has reached the overlapping area (99) moves from the upper surface of the first transport belt (113) to the lower surface of the second transport belt (213) by the force (Y2) that lifts it upward by the suction pressure (pz) acting on the second through hole (213a) in the receiving area (AA') of the second transport belt (213). That is, the fact that no suction pressure is applied to the first through hole (113a) of the first transport belt (113) and that suction pressure (pz) is applied to the second through hole (213a) of the second transport belt (213) constitutes the substrate transmission section.

[0082] At this time, the outer surface of the first conveyor belt (113) on which the substrate (G) is placed may be formed of resin, a thin metal plate, or, for example, PVC. Through this, the process of separating the substrate (G) from the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) in the overlapping area (99) can be easily performed while maintaining the state in which the substrate (G) is in close contact with the surface of the first conveyor belt (113).

[0083] Accordingly, when the substrate (G) is mounted on the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113), the upper surface (S1) is exposed to the outside and the upper surface can be cleaned, but even without the operation of rotating the substrate 180 degrees, when it is moved to the lower surface of the second conveyor belt (213), the lower surface (S2) is exposed to the outside and the lower surface can be cleaned.

[0084] Preferably, as the substrate (G) moves from the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) to the second conveyor belt (213) in the overlapping area (99), a static pressure (pp) is applied to the first through hole (113a) of the first conveyor belt (113) to assist in lifting the substrate (G) from the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) to the lower surface of the second conveyor belt (213). That is, the non-application of static pressure (pp) to the first through hole (113a) of the first conveyor belt (113) and the application of suction pressure (pz) to the second through hole (213a) of the second conveyor belt (213) constitute a substrate transfer unit.

[0085] As described above, during the process in which the substrate (G) moves from the upper surface of the first conveyor belt (113) to the second conveyor belt (213) in the overlapping area (99), the pushing rod (310) of the pushing member (300) may simultaneously perform the action of pushing the substrate (G) toward the second conveyor belt (213).

[0087] As described above, when the substrate (G) is lifted from the overlapping area (99) and moved from the upper surface of the first transport belt (113) to the lower surface in the receiving area (AA') of the second transport belt (213), a substrate lower surface cleaning process is performed in the lower surface cleaning unit (200).

[0088] As with the upper surface cleaning unit (100) described above, the second conveyor belt (213) applies suction pressure to the substrate (G) through the second through hole (213a) in the receiving area (AA'), the cleaning area (BB'), and the drying area (CC') to prevent the substrate (G) from falling from the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213), and in the discharge area (DD'), suction pressure (pz) is not applied through the second through hole (213a), and preferably, static pressure (pp) is applied to the substrate (G).

[0089] At this time, the outer surface of the second conveyor belt (113) on which the substrate (G) is placed may be formed of resin, a thin metal plate, or, for example, PVC. Through this, the process of separating the substrate (G) from the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213) in the discharge area (DD') can be easily performed while maintaining the substrate (G) in close contact with the surface of the second conveyor belt (213).

[0091] When the substrate (G) is moved to the bottom cleaning unit (220) by the circulating movement (72) of the second conveyor belt (213), the cleaning brush (221) that contacts and cleans the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G) with a brush (221) that rotates while positioned on the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213), and the second cleaning liquid sprayer (222) that receives cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid supply unit (CL2) and sprays cleaning liquid (88) onto the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G) at a high pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Here, cleaning liquid is supplied even during the cleaning process by the brush (221), thereby increasing the efficiency of removing foreign substances adhered to the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G).

[0092] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom cleaning unit (220) may be composed of either a cleaning brush (221) or a second cleaning liquid sprayer (222).

[0093] In this way, the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G) can have all foreign substances attached to and stuck to the top surface of the substrate (G) removed by undergoing a contact cleaning process and a non-contact cleaning process in the cleaning area (BB').

[0094] The bottom surface cleaning process of the substrate (G) by the bottom surface cleaning unit (220) may be performed while the second conveyor belt (213) is stopped at the installation location of the cleaning brush (221) or the second cleaning liquid sprayer (222), but according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning process is performed while the second conveyor belt (213) is transported without stopping at the installation location of the cleaning brush (221) or the second cleaning liquid sprayer (222). Through this, the cleaning process of the substrate (G) with the cleaning liquid can be performed without interruption even if the substrate (G) is supplied continuously.

[0096] When the substrate (G), having completed the bottom cleaning process by the bottom cleaning unit (220), moves further toward the rear, the second dryer (230) receives drying gas from the drying gas supply unit (DA2) in the drying area (CC') before the substrate (G) reaches the discharge area (DD'), and sprays the drying gas (89) onto the surface of the substrate (G) to dry the bottom surface of the substrate (G).

[0097] Preferably, the drying gas (89) sprayed from the second dryer (230) has an incline facing the opposite direction of the transport direction (72) of the substrate (G) and sprays the drying gas (89) in the form of an air knife toward the substrate (G). Through this, the cleaning liquid (88) remaining on the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G) is pushed forward, thereby removing the cleaning liquid remaining on the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G).

[0098] The second dryer (230) may spray the drying gas (89) in two rows, but as shown in FIG. 4, it may form two or more rows of air knives to more effectively push out and remove liquid components such as cleaning liquid remaining on the bottom surface (S2) of the substrate (G).

[0100] Meanwhile, the cleaning liquid (88) supplied during the cleaning process of the substrate (G) can be introduced into the air chamber (C, X) through the first through hole (113a) and the second through hole (213a). The cleaning liquid (88) introduced into the air chamber (C, X) is discharged to the outside by the cleaning liquid discharge unit (150, 250).

[0101] Specifically, the cleaning liquid introduced into the air chamber (C, X) is introduced through an opening into the partitioned space (145c) of the pneumatic conveyor (145) where negative pressure is applied. And, each partitioned space (145c) has a discharge pipe (151, 251) extending downward. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9, the liquid introduced into the air chamber (C, X), which is formed to be in communication with the air chamber (C, X), is introduced (66) into the discharge pipe (151, 251) through the partitioned space (145c).

[0102] In a collection container (155) that temporarily collects gas and liquid flowing in through discharge pipes (151, 251), a liquid discharge pipe (159) for discharging liquid is provided on the bottom surface, and a gas discharge pipe (158) for discharging gas is provided on the ceiling surface above it. At this time, a suction pump (V) that applies negative pressure may be provided in the gas discharge pipe (158).

[0103] Through this, the gas and liquid (mainly cleaning liquid) introduced into the collection container (155) through the through holes (113a, 213a) of the conveyor belt (113, 213) are discharged to the outside (69) through the liquid discharge pipe (159) in the collection container (155), and the light gas is discharged to the outside through the gas discharge pipe (158). Accordingly, in the process where a substrate is continuously supplied to the inline cleaning device (100) and the cleaning process is continuously performed, the cleaning liquid introduced through the through holes (113a, 213a) is immediately discharged to the outside in real time, thereby enabling the continuous processing process to be performed efficiently.

[0105] The substrate (G), from which the cleaning liquid remaining on the bottom surface (S2) has been removed by the second dryer (230), reaches the discharge area (DD') while in close contact with the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213). At this time, the unloading unit (30) positions the fork (Pk) on the lower side of the discharge area (DD'), and a static pressure (pp) is applied to the second through hole (213a) of the discharge area (DD'), so that the substrate (G) is discharged from the inline cleaning device (1) by moving from the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213) to the fork (Pk) of the unloading unit (30).

[0106] At this time, the exposed portion of the substrate (G) can be pushed downward by a pusher (400) positioned in the discharge area (DD') of the second conveyor belt (213) to assist in separating the substrate (G) from the bottom surface of the second conveyor belt (213). Additionally, a suction hole (58) is provided on the surface of the fork (Pk) that carries the substrate (G) to prevent the substrate from detaching from the fork (Pk) during the unloading process of the unloading unit (30).

[0107] Meanwhile, the substrate that has been cleaned in the inline cleaning device (1) is inspected for cleaning status in the inspection unit (2). If the inspection result indicates poor cleaning, it may be returned (999) to be cleaned again. If the cleaning is good, it is transferred to the next process.

[0109] As described above, although the present invention has been explained with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0111] 1: Inline cleaning device 10: Substrate loader 30: Unloading unit 100: Top surface cleaning unit 110: 1st transfer unit 113: 1st transfer belt 113a: First through hole 120: Upper surface cleaning part 130: First dryer 140: Pressure controller 145: Pneumatic conveyor 145c: Partitioned space 150: Cleaning liquid discharge section 151: Discharge pipe 155: Collector 200: Bottom cleaning unit 120: 2nd transfer unit 213: 2nd transfer belt 213a: Second passage 220: Bottom cleaning part 230: Second dryer 240: Pressure controller 250: Cleaning liquid discharge section 251: Discharge pipe 300: Push absence 400: Pusher G: Substrate

Claims

Claim 1 A substrate cleaning device for cleaning a substrate while continuously transporting it, comprising: a first transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; a second transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the lower surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; an upper surface cleaning unit for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate transported by the first transport belt; a lower surface cleaning unit for cleaning the lower surface of the substrate transported by the second transport belt; and a substrate transfer unit comprising a substrate transfer unit that transfers the substrate from the first transport belt to the second transport belt in the overlapping area in the vertical direction, wherein the first transport belt and the second transport belt are provided with an overlapping area that overlaps in the vertical direction, and wherein the substrate transfer unit comprises a push member for pushing the substrate from the first transport belt to the second transport belt. Claim 2 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first conveyor belt conveys the substrate while positioned on the upper surface, and the second conveyor belt conveys the substrate while positioned on the lower surface. Claim 3 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first conveyor belt conveys the substrate while positioned on the bottom surface, and the second conveyor belt conveys the substrate while positioned on the top surface. Claim 4 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the substrate is a glass substrate having a thickness of 100 μm or less. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the substrate is formed with a width equal to or greater than the width of one or more of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt. Claim 8 A substrate cleaning device for cleaning while continuously transporting a substrate, comprising: a first transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; a second transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the lower surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; an upper surface cleaning unit for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate transported by the first transport belt; and a lower surface cleaning unit for cleaning the lower surface of the substrate transported by the second transport belt; wherein at least one of the first transport belt and the second transport belt is formed in two or more rows, and the first transport belt and the second transport belt are provided with an overlapping area that overlaps in the vertical direction. Claim 9 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is positioned with an exposed portion exposed outside the upper surface of the first conveyor belt, and the substrate transmission unit pushes the exposed portion of the substrate toward the second conveyor belt with the push member. Claim 10 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the exposed portion is both ends of the substrate. Claim 11 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the first conveyor belt is arranged in two or more rows, and the exposed portion is the area between each row of the first conveyor belt. Claim 12 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate transfer unit includes a plurality of second through holes to which suction pressure is applied to the second conveyor belt; and wherein, while the substrate is positioned in the overlapping area, suction pressure is applied to the second through holes of the second conveyor belt in the overlapping area so that the substrate moves from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt. Claim 13 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyor belt has a plurality of first through holes to which suction pressure is applied, and suction pressure is applied while the substrate is seated on the upper surface of the first conveyor belt, and the second conveyor belt has a plurality of second through holes to which suction pressure is applied, and suction pressure is applied while the substrate is seated on the lower surface of the second conveyor belt. Claim 14 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 13, wherein the substrate transmission unit comprises a second through hole to which suction pressure is applied in the overlapping area while located in the overlapping area of ​​the substrate, and a first through hole to which suction pressure is not applied in the overlapping area. Claim 15 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 14, characterized in that, while located in the overlapping region of the substrate, a positive pressure is applied to the first through hole located in the overlapping region. Claim 16 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt rotate as an endless track. Claim 17 A substrate cleaning device for cleaning a substrate while continuously transporting it, comprising: a first transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; a second transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the lower surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; an upper surface cleaning unit for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate transported by the first transport belt; and a lower surface cleaning unit for cleaning the lower surface of the substrate transported by the second transport belt; wherein at least one of the first transport belt and the second transport belt is formed of PVC, and the first transport belt and the second transport belt are provided with an overlapping area that overlaps in the vertical direction. Claim 18 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the upper surface cleaning unit and the lower surface cleaning unit includes a brush that cleans by rotating and contacting the substrate. Claim 19 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper surface cleaning unit and the lower surface cleaning unit includes a cleaning liquid sprayer that sprays a cleaning liquid at a high pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Claim 20 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising a first dryer that sprays a drying gas toward the surface of the substrate before the substrate cleaned by the upper surface cleaning unit reaches the overlapping area. Claim 21 A substrate cleaning device for cleaning a substrate while continuously transporting it, comprising: a first transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; a second transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the lower surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; an upper surface cleaning unit for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate transported by the first transport belt; a lower surface cleaning unit for cleaning the lower surface of the substrate transported by the second transport belt; and a first dryer for spraying a drying gas toward the surface of the substrate before the substrate cleaned by the upper surface cleaning unit reaches an overlapping area, wherein the first transport belt and the second transport belt are provided with an overlapping area that overlaps in the vertical direction, and the first dryer has an inclination facing the opposite direction of transport of the substrate and sprays a drying gas toward the substrate in the form of an air knife. Claim 22 A substrate cleaning device for cleaning a substrate while continuously transporting it, comprising: a first transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the upper surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; a second transport belt for transporting the substrate such that the lower surface of the substrate is exposed to the outside; an upper surface cleaning unit for cleaning the upper surface of the substrate transported by the first transport belt; and a lower surface cleaning unit for cleaning the lower surface of the substrate transported by the second transport belt; wherein a plurality of first through holes are formed in the first transport belt, and a plurality of air chambers including a first air chamber are divided and formed inside the first transport belt so that pressure is independently controlled, and the first transport belt and the second transport belt are provided with an overlapping area that overlaps in the vertical direction. Claim 23 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 22, characterized in that the first air chamber is controlled to negative pressure at the position where the substrate is placed and to positive pressure in the overlapping area. Claim 24 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 22, further comprising: a discharge pipe formed to be in communication with the first air chamber and for discharging a liquid introduced into the first air chamber; a collection container into which gas and liquid introduced through the discharge pipe are introduced together; a liquid discharge pipe in communication with the collection container; a gas discharge pipe in communication with the collection container but at a higher position than the liquid discharge pipe; and a suction pump for applying negative pressure to the gas discharge pipe.

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