Transfer Apparatus Head Unit Position Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer apparatuses face challenges in accurately correcting the process position of objects being transferred, particularly due to positional misalignments in the direction orthogonal to the transfer direction, which affects the precision and quality of processing results.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a transfer apparatus with liquid ejection head units and sensor devices that detect positional fluctuations and misalignments, using actuators to adjust the head units' positions based on calculated correction amounts, ensuring accurate alignment and correction in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If sensors are placed at a distance from the head units to detect positional fluctuations, then the detection range is improved, but the accuracy in correcting process positions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection function into multiple sensors positioned at different locations. One sensor detects positional fluctuations at a first location while another sensor detects at a second location, allowing the system to segment the measurement process and calculate actual head unit positions by combining data from multiple detection points, thereby maintaining both detection range and accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation process that uses the detected positional fluctuations from sensors and combines them with information about the object's transfer amount. This intermediary calculation step (adding the positional fluctuation to the transfer amount to determine the actual position) acts as a mediator that reconciles the distance between sensors and head units while maintaining correction accuracy
2Length of stationary object
If the distance between sensors and head units is increased, then the system coverage is improved, but the correction accuracy for process positions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection system into multiple sensors placed at different distances and locations. By using one sensor to detect positional fluctuations and another to detect object positions, the system achieves broader coverage while maintaining accuracy through the combination of segmented measurement data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the detection approach by measuring not only positional fluctuations in the width direction but also in the transfer direction using multiple sensors. This multi-dimensional measurement approach allows the system to achieve accurate correction across the entire process area, effectively increasing system coverage without sacrificing precision
Data Source
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AI summary
A transfer apparatus includes a head unit (210C, 210K) to process an object (W) transferred in a transfer direction, a first support member disposed upstream in the transfer direction with respect to a process position to support the object, a second support member disposed downstream in the transfer direction of the process position to support the object, a surface detector between the first and second support members to detect first surface information of the object, an upstream surface detector disposed upstream in the transfer direction with respect to the surface detector to detect second surface information of the object, an edge detector disposed closer to the upstream surface detector than the surface detector in the transfer direction to detect an edge of the object, and a controller to move the head unit based on detection results of the surface detector and the upstream surface detector and a detection result of the edge detector.