Substrate Retaining Device Pitch Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate retaining devices face challenges in maintaining a constant substrate holding force when significant pitch changes occur between substrate retaining parts, leading to warping of steel tapes and reduced retention security.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a support mechanism, movable retaining members, urging mechanisms, and a push back mechanism to maintain constant holding force during pitch changes, preventing positional changes and particle generation by positioning the push back mechanism away from the holding position during pitch adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the pitch between substrate retaining parts is changed significantly, then the adaptability of the device is improved, but the substrate holding force becomes unstable due to steel tape warping
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate retaining part is divided into multiple independent claw portions (three or more), each capable of independently adjusting its position via steel tapes. This segmentation allows the pitch-changing mechanism to modify the distance between substrate retaining parts while each claw portion maintains its substrate holding function through individual steel tape elasticity.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel tapes are designed with bent middle portions that provide elastic deformation capability. When the pitch changes, the straight-line distance between both ends of the steel tapes changes, causing them to warp. The elasticity generated by the bent portions allows the steel tapes to absorb this warp and maintain constant substrate holding force, effectively using parameter change (bend radius) to resolve the contradiction.
2Productivity
If the number of substrate retaining parts is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the substrate holding force becomes difficult to maintain constant due to significant pitch changes
Solution Approach 1:
Each substrate retaining part is segmented into multiple claw portions that can be independently positioned. This allows the system to accommodate a larger number of substrate retaining parts while each individual claw portion maintains consistent holding force through its dedicated steel tape with bent portion, preventing the propagation of pitch change effects across all retaining parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel tapes are designed as dynamic elements with bent portions that can elastically deform. When pitch changes occur due to increased number of substrate retaining parts, the steel tapes dynamically adjust their shape through elastic deformation, absorbing the warp caused by changing straight-line distances and maintaining constant substrate holding force throughout the process.
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
This configuration ensures secure substrate retention with a constant holding force, improves product yield by preventing particle generation during pitch changes, and simplifies the device's configuration.
Implementation Method 1
steel tapes each having a bent middle portion and each having one end connected to a corresponding one of the claw portions... elasticity generated by the bent portions of the steel tapes absorbs the warp of the steel tapes, and thereby substrate holding force is kept constant
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate retaining device comprising: a support mechanism configured to change a pitch at which a plurality of substrate retaining units are arranged, urging mechanisms provided for the respective substrate retaining units and configured to urge the movable units to cause movable retaining members to press-hold substrates, and a push back mechanism configured to release the press-holding of the substrates by the movable retaining members. A push back portion of the push back mechanism is positioned at a standby position, at which the push back portion makes no contact with the movable units.