Guide Roller With Separable Contact Section For Substrate Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Guide rollers made from synthetic resin scratch easily when contacting glass substrates during transfer, leading to increased replacement time and decreased productivity due to the need for adjusting the guide roller's position and stopping production equipment.
Innovation Solution
A guide roller design with a separable contact section that can be replaced independently, allowing the guide roller to remain mounted and eliminating the need for adjusting its position, reducing equipment stoppage time and overall part costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the guide roller is made from synthetic resin to prevent substrate damage, then the substrate is protected from scratching, but the guide roller itself scratches easily and requires frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The guide roller is divided into two separable parts: a durable base section and a replaceable contact section. The contact section that directly touches the substrate is made from synthetic resin to prevent substrate scratching, while the base section provides structural support. When the contact section becomes scratched, only that section needs to be replaced, not the entire guide roller.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the guide roller by using composite construction with different materials in different sections. The contact section uses soft synthetic resin material to prevent substrate damage, while the base section uses harder material for durability, optimizing both protective function and structural integrity.
2Reliability
If the entire guide roller is replaced when the contact section is scratched, then a functional guide roller is restored, but replacement time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide roller is segmented into a permanent base section and a replaceable contact section. This segmentation allows only the worn contact section to be replaced while keeping the base section in place, significantly reducing replacement time and maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the entire guide roller when the contact section wears out, the invention allows recovery and reuse of the base section. Only the contact section is discarded and replaced, reducing waste and minimizing equipment downtime.
3Ease of repair
If the guide roller is disassembled and reassembled during replacement, then a new contact section can be installed, but installation errors occur and position adjustment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The guide roller is designed as a modular segmented structure where the contact section can be independently replaced. The base section with mounting features remains fixed, ensuring positional accuracy is maintained while allowing easy replacement of the contact section without complex disassembly and reassembly.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide: a guide roller, whereby a replacement operation time can be shortened, guide roller position adjustment operations are not needed, and an equipment stop time can be reduced, and which contributes to suppression of productivity deterioration; and a substrate transfer apparatus provided with the guide roller. A substrate transfer apparatus (1) is provided with transfer rollers (3); a plurality of transfer shafts (2) that are provided with the transfer rollers (3); a guide roller (5) that guides a substrate (10); and a roller holding section (6) having a supporting shaft (62) that supports the guide roller (5) at one end. A contact section (52) of the guide roller (5) in contact with the substrate (10) can be separated from other sections (a base section (51) and a nut section (53)).