Robot Arm Vacuum Cup Arc Edge for LCD Substrate Scratch Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot arms used in LCD production processes scratch glass substrates due to inadequate support and friction during transportation, leading to performance issues and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A robot arm with scratch-resistant vacuum cups featuring an arc-shaped surface connection between the top and side faces, matched to the substrate's edge radius, to increase contact area and friction, preventing scratches and ensuring secure substrate transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum cups with sharp edges are used to hold the substrate, then the substrate can be firmly gripped, but the substrate edge may be scratched due to friction during motion
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum cup edge is designed with an arc-shaped surface having a radian of 0.1 to 0.12 rads, matching the radian of the bent substrate edge. This curved geometry eliminates sharp edges that cause scratching while maintaining effective contact and gripping force during substrate transportation.
2Device complexity
If the robot arm supports only the middle region of the substrate, then the structure is simple, but the edge region is not effectively supported causing substrate bending and contact with vacuum cup edges
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate fork is designed with four prongs positioned at different locations, with outermost prongs equipped with arc-shaped vacuum cups specifically for edge support. This localized structural enhancement provides targeted support where needed (at the edges) while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
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
The solution effectively prevents substrate scratches and ensures secure transportation by increasing the contact area and friction between the substrate and vacuum cups, enhancing the reliability of the LCD production process.
Implementation Method 1
an upper surface of each prong is provided with a plurality of vacuum cups spaced along an extending direction of the prong
Implementation Method 2
a radian of the arc-shaped surface matches a radian of an edge of the substrate bent with the gravity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a robot arm. The robot arm is for forking a substrate, and includes: a substrate fork and vacuum cups. The substrate fork includes parallel spaced prongs, and an upper surface of each prong is provided with vacuum cups spaced along an extending direction of the prong; and vacuum cups on two prongs at outermost sides of the substrate fork are scratch-resistant vacuum cups, and a top face and a side face of each scratch-resistant vacuum cup are connected through an arc-shaped surface. By setting the top face of the scratch-resistant vacuum cup connected to the side face through the arc-shaped surface, when the substrate is bent with the gravity, the contact area between the substrate and the scratch-resistant vacuum cup can be increased, to improve the friction therebetween, prevent the substrate from being scratched in a transportation process, and ensure the security of substrate transportation.