JP2008024496A - Work carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a work carrying device capable of freely supplying and removing a work to a work processor without using a pallet. <P>SOLUTION: This work carrying device is provided for delivering the work W to the processor by supplying and carrying the work along a horizontal track, and removing and carrying the work W along the horizontal track by receiving the work from the processor, and has a supply material carrying part 33 supplying and carrying the work W by directly receiving the work from a supply material position and delivering the work to a carrying-in/carrying-out position of the processor, a removing material carrying part 34 removing and carrying the work W by receiving the work from the carrying-in/carrying-out position and directly delivering the work to a removing material position, a vertical frame 32 supporting the supply material carrying part 33 and the removing material carrying part 34, and a control means 35 individually controlling the supply material carrying part 33 and the removing material carrying part 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer device that transports a workpiece before processing along a horizontal trajectory and delivers it to a workpiece processing device, and receives the processed workpiece from the workpiece processing device and removes the material along a horizontal track. It is.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of workpiece transfer device, there is known a device that places a workpiece on a pallet and conveys the workpiece between adjacent workpiece processing devices via the pallet. In this case, the conveyor is formed to be short corresponding to the width of the workpiece processing apparatus. When the workpiece reaches the loading / unloading position of the workpiece processing apparatus, the conveyor (conveyance belt) is stopped and the workpiece processing apparatus performs the pre-processing. The work is carried in and the processed work is carried out.
JP-A-10-129086

  In such a workpiece conveyance device, since the workpiece is conveyed by the conveyance belt in a state where it is mounted on the pallet, the timing of workpiece supply and material removal with respect to the workpiece processing device is limited by the traveling speed of the conveyance belt. was there. Further, since it is necessary to use a dedicated pallet in accordance with the outer shape of the workpiece, there is a problem in that a large number of kinds of pallets are required for high-mix low-volume production, resulting in an increase in cost.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece transfer device that can freely supply and remove workpieces to / from a workpiece processing apparatus without using a pallet.

  The work transfer device of the present invention is a work for conveying a workpiece before processing along a horizontal trajectory and delivering it to the work processing device, and receiving a processed workpiece from the work processing device and removing material along the horizontal track. A conveyance device that directly receives a workpiece before processing from a material supply position, conveys the material, and directly delivers the workpiece to a loading / unloading position of the workpiece processing device, and a workpiece after processing directly from the loading / unloading position. A material removal conveyance unit that receives and removes material and delivers it directly to a material removal position, a common frame that supports the material conveyance unit and the material removal conveyance unit, and drive of the material conveyance unit and drive of the material removal conveyance unit Control means for individually controlling, and the control means has an interference preventing means for preventing interference between the material feeding section and the material removal conveying section on the horizontal track.

  According to this configuration, the material feeding unit feeds the workpiece to the workpiece processing apparatus so that the workpiece is directly received from the feeding position and directly transferred to the loading / unloading position. Similarly, the material removal conveyance unit removes the workpiece from the workpiece processing apparatus so that the workpiece is directly received from the loading / unloading position and directly transferred to the material removal position. As described above, since the material supply unit and the material removal conveyance unit are configured to directly receive and directly deliver the workpiece, the material supply and the material removal to the workpiece processing apparatus are performed without requiring a pallet. be able to. In addition, since the material supply unit and the material removal conveyance unit are individually controlled, the time from material removal to material supply can be freely controlled. In other words, when the work processing apparatus is fully operated, the time from the material removal to the material supply should be as short as possible, and when waiting for processing in relation to another processing apparatus, the material supply It can also be used as a work buffer by delaying material removal. Furthermore, when performing the process from the material removal to the material supply in a short time, the interference between the material supply unit and the material removal conveyance unit can be prevented by the interference prevention means, and there is no hindrance to the workpiece conveyance.

  In this case, a plurality of work processing apparatuses each having a carry-in / carry-out position are arranged side by side, and the control means drives the feed conveying section to receive the workpiece before processing from the feed position and feed it. It is preferable that the material is conveyed and delivered to each carry-in / carry-out position, and the material removal conveyance unit is driven to receive the processed workpiece from each carry-in / carry-out position, carry the material removed, and deliver it to the material removal position.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to smoothly supply and remove workpieces to a plurality of workpiece processing apparatuses. In addition, it is preferable that the plurality of workpiece processing apparatuses perform the same processing on the workpiece.

  In these cases, the feed material transport unit sucks the workpiece before processing at the feed position from above and releases the feed suction unit at the loading / unloading position and the feed suction unit with the horizontal track. A material raising / lowering means that is supported up and down freely between the material positions and between the horizontal track and the loading / unloading position, and supported by the common frame, and moves the material adsorption unit along the horizontal track along with the material raising / lowering means. A material removal moving unit, and a material removal conveyance unit that adsorbs a workpiece before processing at the loading / unloading position from above and releases the workpiece adsorption at the material removal position, and a material removal adsorption unit. And a material removal lifting / lowering means for supporting the material removal / lifting unit between the horizontal track and the loading / unloading position and between the horizontal track and the material removal position, and a material removal / adsorption unit supported by the common frame. Material removal to move along the track It preferably has a kinematic means.

  According to this configuration, at the material supply position, the material adsorbing unit is lowered by the material raising / lowering means, and the workpiece is adsorbed by the material adsorbing unit and received. Next, after raising the material adsorbing unit, the material is conveyed by the material moving unit via the material adsorbing unit. At the loading / unloading position, the workpiece suction unit is lowered and the workpiece is transferred to the loading / unloading position by releasing the suction. As a result, the workpiece is supplied to the workpiece processing apparatus. Similarly, at the loading / unloading position, the material removal adsorbing unit is lowered by the material removal lifting / lowering means, and the workpiece is adsorbed and received by the material removal adsorption unit. Next, after raising the material removal adsorption unit, the material removal material is conveyed by the material removal movement means via the material removal adsorption unit. At the material removal position, the material removal suction unit is lowered and the workpiece is transferred to the material removal position by releasing the suction. Thereby, material removal to the workpiece | work processing apparatus of a workpiece | work is performed. In this case, the material adsorbing unit and the material lifting / lowering means are moved together when the workpiece is fed, and the material removal suction unit and the material lifting / lowering means are moved together when the workpiece is removed. Therefore, the feed material transport unit and the material removal transport unit can each have a simple structure and the same basic structure.

  In this case, the feed material moving means supports the feed material lifting / lowering means and supports the feed material adsorption unit slidably in the vertical direction, and the feed material moving block is fixed and stretched in the workpiece conveyance direction. A material removal moving means comprising: a material belt transmission mechanism having a belt provided; a material guide member for guiding the movement of the material movement block; and a material actuator for driving the material belt transmission mechanism forward and backward. The removal material moving block that supports the removal material raising / lowering means and supports the removal material adsorption unit slidably in the vertical direction, and the removal material having a belt that is fixed in the removal material movement block and stretched in the workpiece conveyance direction. The material belt transmission mechanism, a material removal guide member that guides the movement of the material removal moving block, and a material removal actuator that drives the material removal belt transmission mechanism forward and reversely are preferable. Arbitrariness.

  According to this configuration, the feed belt adsorption mechanism can smoothly move (feed feed) the feed suction unit (workpiece) with a simple structure. Similarly, the material removal adsorption unit (workpiece) can be smoothly moved with a simple structure by the material removal belt transmission mechanism. In addition, unlike a conveyor or the like, the rotating part can be reduced as much as possible, so that generation of dust from the mechanism part can be suppressed. The belts of both belt transmission mechanisms are preferably timing belts.

  In these cases, the interference prevention means can control the feed material moving means and the material removal moving means so that the feed material adsorption unit starts feeding material feed at the same time as the material removal suction unit starts feeding material removal. preferable.

  Similarly, the interference prevention means includes a feed moving means and a remove material moving means so that the feed adsorbing unit starts the feed transport between the start and end of the remove material suction unit. Is preferably controlled.

  According to these configurations, it is possible to reduce the time from material removal to material supply for the workpiece processing apparatus while preventing interference between the material supply conveyance unit and the material removal conveyance unit.

  In this case, it is preferable that the interference prevention unit is configured to be able to adjust the timing at which the material supply conveyance is started after the material removal conveyance is started.

  According to this configuration, depending on the operating status of the workpiece processing device and the operating status of peripheral devices, the mutual distance between the feeding position, the loading / unloading position and the material removal position, the workpiece conveyance speed, the size of the workpiece, etc. The time from material removal to material supply can be freely adjusted.

  Hereinafter, a case where a work transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal panel production line will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A liquid crystal panel, which is a workpiece, is a panel substrate in which a flexible substrate (FPC) is connected to a panel substrate through an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). In this production line, a panel substrate and an anisotropic conductive film are connected. The adhesive flexible substrate is introduced together, the two are thermocompression bonded, the production number is printed on the flexible substrate, and finally the molding is performed at the joint between the panel substrate and the flexible substrate.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel W includes a panel substrate Wa, a flexible substrate Wb connected to the panel substrate Wa, an anisotropic conductive film Wc interposed at a connection portion between the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb, The mold resin Wd is applied in the vicinity of the connection portion between the substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb. The panel substrate Wa is configured by enclosing a liquid crystal between two glass substrates, and a terminal portion of a wiring pattern of a transparent electrode is provided on one long side thereof. The flexible substrate Wb is composed of a strip-shaped polyimide film or the like on which a wiring pattern is formed, and a terminal portion of the wiring pattern is provided on one short side. The panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb are terminal-connected by thermocompression bonding of the terminal portions via the anisotropic conductive film Wc. And this connection part is reinforced with mold resin Wd.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the production line 1 of the liquid crystal panel W includes a material supply station 2, a pressure bonding station 3, a print station 4, a mold station 5, and a material removal table 6 in order from the left side in the figure. W is assembled appropriately in this order. In the material supply station 2, a single panel / FPC material supply device 12 is installed on the machine base 11, and the panel substrate Wa taken out from the stocker and the anisotropic conductive material are respectively provided by the panel / FPC material supply device 12. The flexible substrate Wb with the film Wc is temporarily positioned. In the crimping station 3, the same two FPC crimping devices 14, 14 are installed side by side on the machine base 13, and after the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb are positioned by the respective FPC crimping devices 14, Thermocompression bonded. In the print station 4, a single model printing device 16 is installed on the machine base 15, and the model number and the model of the manufacturing device are printed on the flexible substrate Wb by the model printing device 16. In the mold station 5, the same two molding devices 18, 18 are installed side by side on the machine base 17, and the molding resin Wd is applied to the joint portion between the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb by each molding device 18. It is applied and cured by ultraviolet rays or the like. The liquid crystal panel W assembled in this way is accumulated on the material removal table 6 at the line end.

  On the other hand, between the material supply station 2 and the crimping station 3, a first shuttle transfer device 20A is disposed so as to straddle the stations 2 and 3. The first shuttle transport device 20A is temporarily positioned and transports the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb from the material supply station 2 to the crimping station 3. Similarly, a second shuttle transport device 20B is disposed between the crimping station 3 and the print station 4, and the second shuttle transport device 20B is configured to connect the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb that have been thermocompression bonded. Then, the sheet is conveyed from the pressure bonding station 3 to the printing station 4. Similarly, a third shuttle transport device 20C is arranged between the print station 4 and the mold station 5, and the third shuttle transport device 20C is configured to connect the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb after printing. It is conveyed from the print station 4 to the mold station 5. The first shuttle transport device 20A is on the machine base 13 of the crimping station 3, the second shuttle transport device 20B is on the machine base 15 of the print station 4, and the third shuttle transport device 20C is the machine base of the mold station 5. 17 is fixed on each.

  Further, the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb received from the first shuttle transfer device 20A are transferred to the two FPC pressure bonding devices 14 and 14 to the pressure bonding station 3, and the two FPC pressure bonding devices 14 and 14 are provided. The first transfer transport device 30A is provided for delivering the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb received respectively from the first shuttle transport device 20B to the second shuttle transport device 20B. Similarly, the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb received from the second shuttle transfer device 20B are delivered to the print station 4 to the model printing device 16, and the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb received from the model printing device 16 are also transferred to the print station 4. Is provided to the third shuttle transfer device 20C. Similarly, the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb received from the third shuttle transfer device 20C are transferred to the two molding devices 18 and 18 to the molding station 5, and from the two molding devices 18 and 18, respectively. A third transfer transfer device 30 </ b> C is provided for transferring the received panel substrate Wa and flexible substrate Wb to the material removal table 6.

  The first shuttle transport device 20 </ b> A, the second shuttle transport device 20 </ b> B, and the third shuttle transport device 20 </ b> C are all configured by the same work transport device that extends in the line direction of the production line 1. Similarly, the first transfer conveyance device 30A, the second transfer conveyance device 30B, and the third transfer conveyance device 30C are all workpiece conveyance devices that extend in the line direction of the production line 1 and have the same basic structure and different lengths. It is configured.

  Next, the transfer transfer devices 30A, 30B, and 30C will be described in detail by taking the first transfer transfer device 30A as an example. The panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb will be described using the term “liquid crystal panel W” regardless of the assembly stage.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the first transfer transfer device (work transfer device) 30 </ b> A includes a support base 31 having a substantially “L” cross section and a horizontally long vertical frame (common frame) supported by the support base 31. ) 32, a feed material transport unit 33 supported by the vertical frame 32 and having a home position on the left side of the vertical frame 32 when viewed from the front, and a home position on the right side of the vertical frame 32 supported by the vertical frame 32 and viewed from the front. The material removal conveyance part 34 which has, and the control means (refer FIG. 4) 35 which controls the material supply conveyance part 33 and the material removal conveyance part 34 separately are comprised. The support base 31 is configured such that a vertical plate 43 is erected on a base plate 41 together with a pair of ribs 42 and 42. The support base 31 may be provided on the left and right of the vertical frame 32 (see FIG. 2).

The material feeding unit 33 directly receives and transports the liquid crystal panel W from the transport table Ta of the first shuttle transport device 20A, and transfers the liquid crystal panel W to the set tables Tb and Tb of the two FPC crimping devices (work processing devices) 14 and 14, respectively. Deliver. In other words, the feed material transport unit 33 sucks the liquid crystal panel W from the transport table (feed material position) Ta moved to the transport end position, feeds the liquid crystal panel W along the horizontal linear track S, and moves it to the transport carry-out position. The two set tables (loading / unloading position) Tb that have moved are selectively transferred (see FIG. 8).
On the other hand, the material removal conveyance unit 34 directly receives and conveys the liquid crystal panel W from the set tables Tb and Tb of the two FPC crimping apparatuses 14 and 14, and delivers the liquid crystal panel W to the conveyance table Tc of the second shuttle conveyance apparatus 20B. . That is, the material removal transport unit 34 selectively adsorbs the liquid crystal panel W from both set tables (loading / unloading positions) Tb and Tb moved to the transporting / unloading position, and transports and removes the material along the horizontal linear track S. It is transferred to a transfer table (material removal position) Tc moved to the start end position (see FIG. 8).
The material supply position Ta, the carry-in / carry-out position Tb, and the material removal position Tc are arranged in the same plane and at the same front and rear positions, and the horizontal linear trajectory S is arranged on a line connecting these upper portions. Is set.

  The feed conveying unit 33 includes a feed adsorbing unit 51 that adsorbs and desorbs the liquid crystal panel W from above, a feed raising / lowering mechanism (feed raising / lowering means) 52 that supports the feed adsorbing unit 51 so as to be movable up and down, A material moving mechanism 53 that moves the material adsorbing unit 51 along the horizontal linear track S together with the material lifting / lowering mechanism 52 is configured. The material adsorbing unit 51 facing above the transport table Ta of the first shuttle transport device 20A is lowered from the horizontal linear track S toward the transport table Ta by the material lifting mechanism 52, and the liquid crystal panel on the transport table Ta After adsorbing W, it rises again on the horizontal linear track S. Subsequently, the feed material moving mechanism 53 is driven to move the feed material adsorption unit 51 that has adsorbed the liquid crystal panel W along the horizontal linear track S to a position facing the set table Tb of the FPC crimping device 14 (feed material). Transport). Here, similarly to the above, the feed raising / lowering mechanism 52 is driven again to lower the feed suction unit 51 and deliver the liquid crystal panel W to the set table Tb (release suction) and then raise it.

  The feed material adsorbing unit 51 can be adjusted to move back and forth between an “L” -shaped support arm 55 extending from the front side of the vertical frame 32 to overhang the rear side of the vertical frame 32 and an upper piece of the support arm 55. And a suction head 56 attached to the head. Two suction collets 57, 57 are fixed downward at the tip of the suction head 56, and the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb of the liquid crystal panel W are sucked and sucked by the two suction collets 57, 57, respectively. It is to be released.

  The feed raising / lowering mechanism 52 is positioned below the support arm 55 and is attached to a feed moving block 61 described later, and is constituted by a geared motor with a lead screw or an air cylinder. The feed raising / lowering mechanism 52 is fixed upward to the feed moving block 61, and its output end 52 a is connected to the lower end of the support arm 55. By driving the feed lifting mechanism 52, the feed suction unit 51 moves up and down between the horizontal straight track S and the feed position Ta and between the horizontal straight track S and the loading / unloading position Tb.

  The feed movement mechanism 53 includes a feed movement block 61 that supports the feed lifting mechanism 52 and the feed adsorption unit 51, a feed belt transmission mechanism 62 that moves the feed movement block 61 in the horizontal direction, and feed movement. A pair of upper and lower guide members 63 and 63 that guide the movement of the block 61 and a feed motor (feed material actuator) 64 that drives the feed belt transmission mechanism 62 forward and backward are provided. The feed motor 64 includes a stepping motor, a servo motor, and the like, and is disposed so as to penetrate the upper left portion of the vertical frame 32.

The feed moving block 61 is formed in a vertically long thick plate shape, and supports the feed adsorbing unit 51 in the upper half part via a lift guide 66 so as to be movable up and down, and a feed lifting mechanism 52 in the lower half part. I support it.
The pair of guide members 63, 63 also serve as guide members for guiding a material removal moving block 91 described later, and are fixed to the top and bottom of the vertical frame 32 and extend horizontally in the width direction of the vertical frame 32, respectively. is doing. The material supply moving block 61 is supported by the pair of guide members 63 and 63 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction.

  The feed belt transmission mechanism 62 includes a drive pulley 71 disposed at the upper left portion of the vertical frame 32, a driven pulley 72 attached to the upper right portion of the vertical frame 32 via a tension adjusting mechanism 73, the drive pulley 71, And an endless timing belt 74 spanned between the driven pulleys 72. The drive pulley 71 is fixed to the main shaft of the material supply motor 64, and the upper and lower intermediate portions of the material supply moving block 61 are fixed to a part of the timing belt 74. When the feed motor 64 rotates forward and backward, the timing belt 74 travels forward and backward, and the feed moving block 61 is guided by the pair of guide members 63 and 63 and moves in the left-right direction.

  On the other hand, the material removal conveyance part 34 has substantially the same structure in which parts are shared with the material supply conveyance part 33 and left and right are reversed. That is, the material removal transport unit 34 includes a material removal adsorption unit 81 that adsorbs and releases the liquid crystal panel W from the upper side, and a material removal elevating mechanism (material removal elevating unit) 82 that supports the material removal adsorption unit 81 so as to be movable up and down. The material removal lifting mechanism 82 and a material removal moving mechanism 83 for moving the material removal adsorption unit 81 along the horizontal linear track S are configured. The material removal suction unit 81 facing above the set table Tb of each FPC crimping apparatus 14 is lowered from the horizontal linear track S toward the set table Tb by the material lifting / lowering mechanism 82, and the liquid crystal panel W on the set table Tb. Is adsorbed, and then rises again to the horizontal linear trajectory S. Subsequently, the material removal moving mechanism 83 is driven to move the material removal adsorption unit 81 that adsorbs the liquid crystal panel W along the horizontal linear track S to a position facing the conveyance table Tc of the second shuttle conveyance device 20B ( Material removal conveyance). Here, similarly to the above, the material removal raising / lowering mechanism 82 is driven again to lower the material removal suction unit 81, and after the liquid crystal panel W is delivered to the transport table Tc (release of suction), it is raised.

  The material removal adsorption unit 81 can be adjusted to move back and forth between an “L” -shaped support arm 85 extending from the front side of the vertical frame 32 over the vertical frame 32 so as to overhang rearward, and an upper piece of the support arm 85. And a suction head 86 attached to the head. Two suction collets 87, 87 are fixed downward at the tip of the suction head 86, and the panel substrate Wa and the flexible substrate Wb of the liquid crystal panel W are sucked and sucked by the two suction collets 87, 87, respectively. It is to be released.

  The material removal raising / lowering mechanism 82 is positioned below the support arm 85 and is attached to a material removal movement block 91 described later, and is configured by a geared motor with a lead screw or an air cylinder. The material removal elevating mechanism 82 is fixed upward to the material removal moving block 91, and its output end 82 a is connected to the lower end of the support arm 85. By driving the material removal elevating mechanism 82, the material removal adsorption unit 81 moves up and down between the horizontal linear track S and the material removal position Tc and between the horizontal linear track S and the loading / unloading position Tb.

  The material removal moving mechanism 83 includes a material removal moving block 91 that supports the material removal lifting mechanism 82 and the material removal adsorption unit 81, a material removal belt transmission mechanism 92 that moves the material removal movement block 91 in the horizontal direction, and material removal movement. The pair of guide members 63 and 63 for guiding the movement of the block 91 and a material removal motor (material removal actuator) 94 for driving the material removal belt transmission mechanism 92 forward and reverse are provided. The material removal motor 94 is configured by a stepping motor, a servo motor, or the like, and is disposed so as to penetrate the lower right portion of the vertical frame 32.

  The material removal moving block 91 is formed in a vertically long thick plate shape, and supports the material removal adsorption unit 81 in an upper half part via an elevation guide 96 so as to be movable up and down, and a material removal lifting mechanism 82 in a lower half part. I support it. The material removal moving block 91 is supported by a pair of guide members 63 and 63 shared with the material supply moving block 61 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction.

  The material removal belt transmission mechanism 92 includes a drive pulley 101 disposed at the lower right portion of the vertical frame 32, a driven pulley 102 attached to the lower left portion of the vertical frame 32 via a tension adjusting mechanism 103, the drive pulley 102, And an endless timing belt 104 spanned between the driven pulleys 102. The drive pulley 101 is fixed to the main shaft of the material removal motor 94, and the upper and lower intermediate portions of the material removal moving block 91 are fixed to a part of the timing belt 104. When the material removal motor 94 rotates forward and backward, the timing belt 104 travels forward and backward, and the material removal moving block 91 is guided by the pair of guide members 63 and 63 and moves in the left-right direction.

  3 and FIG. 4 are home position sensors that detect the home positions of the material supply conveyance unit 33 and the material removal conveyance unit 34, respectively. Reference numerals 114 and 114 denote material removal limit sensors that detect the left and right movement end positions of the material removal conveyance unit 34.

  By the way, the feed range 33 and the removal material transport unit 34 individually controlled by the control means 35 are restricted in their movement ranges by the above feed limit sensors 113 and 113 and the removal limit sensors 114 and 114. Since the liquid crystal panel W is supplied to and removed from the two FPC crimping apparatuses 14, 14, the mutual movement ranges overlap on the horizontal linear track S. Therefore, in the first transfer conveyance device 30A of the present embodiment, in the overlapping range (overlap range) A, the material adsorbing unit 51 and the material removing adsorbing unit 81 (strictly speaking, the adsorbed liquid crystal panels W ) The movements of the material supply unit 33 and the material removal conveyance unit 34 are controlled in association with each other by the interference prevention unit 35a (see FIG. 4) of the control unit 35 so as not to interfere with each other.

  As shown in FIG. 9, for each FPC crimping device 14, the first transfer / conveying device 30 </ b> A detects the processed liquid crystal panel when the liquid crystal panel W that has been processed in the FPC crimping device 14 has moved to the loading / unloading position Tb. W is carried out (material removal) by the material removal conveyance part 34, and the liquid crystal panel W before processing is carried in (material supply) to the carry-in / out position Tb by the material supply conveyance part 33 without any delay. As a result, the downtime of the FPC crimping apparatus 14 is shortened as much as possible to shorten the tact time.

  With respect to this operation, the interference preventing means 35a for preventing the mutual interference between the suction units 51 and 81 is 100% when the movement distance from the loading / unloading position Tb to the material removal position Tc is 100%. The percentage of the material removal conveyance reaches when the material conveyance of the material adsorption unit 51 from the material supply position Ta toward the loading / unloading position Tb is started (timing) in the range of 0% to 100%. It can be set. That is, at the setting of 0%, the start of material removal conveyance and the start of material supply conveyance are performed simultaneously. Further, at the setting of 100%, the end of the material removal conveyance (reach the material removal position) and the start of the material conveyance are synchronized. This is determined by the conveyance speed of the material removal conveyance and the material conveyance, the tact time, the size of the liquid crystal panel W, and the like. In the figure, when the material removal conveyance reaches 10%, the material supply conveyance is started. Of course, each home position may be used as a reference instead of the material removal position and the material supply position.

  Thus, since the material removal conveyance and the material supply conveyance are started at the same time, or since the material removal conveyance is started after the material removal conveyance is started, the material removal adsorption unit (liquid crystal) leaving the loading / unloading position Tb is started. Interference between the panel W) 81 and the material adsorbing unit (liquid crystal panel W) 51 toward the loading / unloading position Tb can be reliably prevented. Further, the liquid crystal panel W can be carried into and out of the FPC crimping devices 14 (feeding / removing material) in a short time, and the tact time due to the processing of the liquid crystal panel W can be shortened. Conversely, the first transfer conveyance device 30A can also function as a buffer of the liquid crystal panel W by temporarily stopping the material supply conveyance and the material removal conveyance while the liquid crystal panel W is adsorbed.

  Although the control is complicated, when further reducing the loading / unloading time, the liquid crystal panel W is moved to the vicinity of the loading / unloading position Tb (assuming no interference) at the start of the material removal conveyance. As shown, the feed material start time may be set by arithmetic processing.

  The above control method is also applicable to the case where the liquid crystal panel W is carried into and out of the single model printing device 16 (feeding / removing material) like the second transfer transport device 30B.

It is a structural diagram of the liquid crystal panel conveyed by the workpiece conveyance apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the manufacturing line of the liquid crystal panel to which the workpiece conveyance apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a perspective view of the workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus) seen from the diagonal front side. It is a perspective view of the workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus) seen from the diagonal back side. It is a top view of a workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus). It is a front view of a workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus). It is a side view of a workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus). It is the schematic diagram showing the material supply and material removal form to two FPC crimping | compression-bonding apparatuses by a workpiece conveyance apparatus (1st transfer conveyance apparatus). It is explanatory drawing explaining mutual interference prevention of a material supply conveyance part and a material removal conveyance part.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Production line, 14 FPC crimping | compression-bonding apparatus, 15 type | mold printing apparatus, 17 Mold apparatus, 30A 1st transfer conveyance apparatus, 30B 2nd transfer conveyance apparatus, 30C 3rd transfer conveyance apparatus, 32 Vertical frame, 33 Feed material conveyance part, 34 Material removal conveyance unit, 35 control means, 35a interference prevention means, 51 material adsorbing unit, 52 material raising / lowering mechanism, 53 material moving mechanism, 61 material moving block, 62 material belt transmission mechanism, 63 guide member, 64 Feeding motor, 74 timing belt, 81 material removal adsorption unit, 82 material removal lifting mechanism, 83 material removal movement mechanism, 91 material removal movement block, 92 material removal belt transmission mechanism, 94 material removal motor, 104 timing belt, S horizontal Straight track, Ta feed position (transport table), Tb loading / unloading position (set Table), Tc material removing position (transport table)

Claims (7)

A workpiece conveying device that conveys a workpiece before processing along a horizontal track and delivers it to a workpiece processing device, and receives a workpiece after processing from the workpiece processing device and removes material along the horizontal track,
A material supply unit that directly receives a workpiece before processing from a material supply position and conveys the material, and directly transfers the workpiece to a loading / unloading position of the workpiece processing device;
A material removal conveyance unit that directly receives the processed workpiece from the carry-in / carry-out position and conveys the material, and directly delivers it to the material removal position;
A common frame for supporting the material supply conveyance unit and the material removal conveyance unit;
Control means for individually controlling the drive of the material supply transport unit and the drive of the material removal transport unit,
The workpiece conveying apparatus, wherein the control means includes interference preventing means for preventing interference between the supply material conveying section and the material removal conveying section on the horizontal track. A plurality of the work processing devices each having the loading / unloading position are arranged side by side,
The control means drives the feed material transport unit, receives a workpiece before processing from the feed material position, transports the feed material, and passes the material to each loading / unloading position,
2. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material removal conveyance unit is driven to receive a processed workpiece from each of the loading / unloading positions, and the material removal conveyance is performed and delivered to the material removal position. The material conveying unit adsorbs a workpiece before processing at the material supply position from above and releases the material adsorption at the loading / unloading position, and the material adsorption unit is connected to the horizontal track. And the material supply position, and a material supply / elevating means that is supported to be movable up and down between the horizontal track and the carry-in / out position, and the material suction unit together with the material elevating means supported by the common frame And a feed material moving means for moving the material along the horizontal trajectory,
The material removal conveyance unit adsorbs a workpiece before processing from the upper side at the loading / unloading position, and removes the workpiece adsorption at the material removal position; And a material removal lifting / lowering unit that is supported so as to be movable up and down between the horizontal track and the material removal position, and the material removal / adsorption unit supported by the common frame and together with the material removal lifting / lowering unit. 3. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a material removal moving unit configured to move the workpiece along the horizontal trajectory. The feed material moving means supports the feed material raising / lowering means and supports the feed material adsorption unit so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and the feed material moving block is fixed in the workpiece conveying direction. A feed belt transmission mechanism having a stretched belt, a feed guide member for guiding the movement of the feed moving block, and a feed actuator for driving the feed belt transmission mechanism forward and backward,
The material removal moving means supports the material removal raising / lowering means and supports the material removal adsorption unit so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and the material removal movement block is fixed in the workpiece conveying direction. A material removal belt transmission mechanism having a stretched belt, a material removal guide member for guiding the movement of the material removal movement block, and a material removal actuator for driving the material removal belt transmission mechanism forward and backward. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein   The interference prevention unit controls the material supply moving unit and the material removal moving unit so that the material supply adsorption unit starts the material conveyance simultaneously with the material removal adsorption unit starting the material removal conveyance. The work conveying apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein   The interference prevention unit includes the feed material moving unit and the feed material moving unit, so that the feed material suction unit starts the feed material transport between the start and end of the material removal suction unit. The work conveying apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the material removal moving means is controlled.   The workpiece conveyance device according to claim 6, wherein the interference prevention unit is configured to be able to adjust a timing at which the material supply conveyance is started after the material removal conveyance is started.

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