Magnetic Substrate Carrier Handling with Pneumatic Distance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport and handing-over arrangements for disc-shaped substrates are cumbersome, as they require anchor parts that interfere with substrate treatment, are not suitable for thin or dimensionally unstable substrates, and necessitate precise magnet adjustments between carrier and take-over arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A transport and handing-over arrangement featuring tray-shaped substrate carriers held by gravity, with controllable permanent magnets on a take-over arrangement that can adjust magnetic force to overcome the carrier's weight, allowing for independent handling of substrates regardless of form or stability, and incorporating pneumatic cylinders for robust distance control and elastic dampers for shock absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If anchor parts are attached to substrates for magnetic holding, then substrates can be transported on carrier, but anchor parts interfere with substrate treatment and must be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the magnetic holding function from the substrate and relocates it to the carrier. The carrier is provided with magnetizable material that interacts with permanent magnets on the take-over arrangement, eliminating the need for anchor parts on the substrate. This resolves the contradiction by removing the harmful anchor parts while maintaining the transport function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching magnetic anchors to the substrate as in conventional solutions, the invention inverts the approach by placing magnetizable material on the carrier and using permanent magnets on the take-over arrangement. This reversal eliminates the need for substrate modifications and removes the interference problem.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional magnetic holding is used, then substrates can be transported, but thin and dimensionally unstable substrates cannot be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The tray-shaped substrate carriers have sufficient weight to provide stable handling and positioning. The weight of the carriers compensates for the lack of rigid structure in thin substrates, providing the necessary stability for handling without requiring the substrates themselves to be rigid or dimensionally stable.
3Ease of manufacture
If magnets are provided on both carrier and take-over arrangement, then magnetic forces can be adjusted, but the system becomes complex with precise magnet adjustments required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the permanent magnets from the carrier and relocates them exclusively to the take-over arrangement. The carrier is simplified to only contain magnetizable material and tray-shaped structures. This reduces the complexity by eliminating the need for precise magnet adjustments on the carrier while maintaining the magnetic holding function.
4Productivity
If anchor parts are used for substrate holding, then magnetic transport is enabled, but the anchor parts must be removed after treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the magnetic holding mechanism from the substrate level and implements it at the carrier level. Since no anchor parts are attached to the substrates, there is no removal step required after treatment. This eliminates the time loss associated with anchor removal while maintaining efficient magnetic transport.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables simple, fast, and trouble-free handling of substrates of varying types and dimensions, reducing interference during treatment and eliminating the need for magnets on the carrier, while ensuring secure and gentle transfer with minimal mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
at least one permanent magnet is provided on the take-over arrangement. The distance between the at least one permanent magnet and the at least one part of magnetisable material on the substrate carrier is controllably variable... such that in a first distance position the magnetic force acting upon the substrate carrier is larger than the weight of the substrate carrier, in the second distance position, smaller
Implementation Method 2
The distance between the at least one permanent magnet and the at least one part of magnetisable material on the substrate carrier is controllably variable in two predetermined distance positions
Implementation Method 3
Tray-shaped substrate carriers are provided on the carrier surface, which are held on the carrier surface by their weight
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, comprising a carrier (3) and a take-over arrangement (15). Both are moveable relative to each other. A relatively heavy substrate carrier (7) of magnetisable material is taken-over from the take-over arrangement (15) by distance control of a permanent magnet (17) at the take-over arrangement (15) or is returned therefrom to a carrier (3). The controlled drive of the permanent magnets (17) in the take-over arrangement (15) is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements (19).