JP3393660B2 - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-contact type magnetic levitation type transfer device which moves a transfer table along a transfer path while levitating the transfer table by a magnetic attraction force of an electromagnet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a magnetic levitation type conveying apparatus, the suction force generated by the magnetic force of an electromagnet is controlled based on the output value of a sensor, so that the conveying table is magnetically attracted and the upper surface of the conveying path is controlled. It is levitated above or below the lower surface in a non-contact state, and the carrier table is moved along the carrier path by driving a linear motor or switching the floating magnetic poles. In such a transporting device, when the transport base is stopped, held, or moved, the transport base and the transport path on which the track is placed are kept in non-contact with each other. The transfer device is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and the like, which is extremely unlikely to generate dust and therefore is extremely reluctant to generate dust.

[0003]

By the transfer device provided in the semiconductor manufacturing facility or the like, the transfer table travels on the transfer path to transfer various parts and products. However, in the conventional transfer device, the transfer path has a straight line or a curved shape without a branch point, and therefore the transfer table only travels in one direction along the transfer path. Therefore, conventionally, there is a problem that the carrier cannot be moved in a T-shape, a cross, or the like, and the degree of freedom in the moving direction is extremely limited.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and expands the degree of freedom in the moving direction of the carrier,
An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic levitation type transfer device that can move a transfer table by switching it in an arbitrary direction.

[0005]

A transport device according to the present invention comprises a table device having an electromagnet mounted on a part of a magnetic bearing row of a transport path, the table device being arranged in a direction intersecting the transport path. It has a freedom of movement. That is, the table device is provided with a device that moves, stops, and positions in a direction that arbitrarily intersects the transport path.

An elevator device is provided at a movable position of the table so that the carrier is held and moved up and down, and transfers the carrier to and from the table that has arrived at the predetermined position. Is provided.

[0007]

When the transport table on the transport path arrives at the table device equipped with a part of the electromagnet of the transport path, the transport table is levitated and supported by the electromagnet mounted on the table device. When the carrier moves straight along the transport path without changing the direction of movement, the table device remains stationary, so that the carrier is transported by the electromagnet in the straight direction past the table device. On the other hand, when changing the moving direction of the carrier table to the direction intersecting with the carrier path, with the table device holding the carrier table, a device for arbitrarily moving, stopping, or positioning in the direction intersecting the carrier path is used. It runs and stops at a predetermined position. As a result, the moving direction of the carrier is switched.

Further, if an elevator device for performing an ascending / descending operation is provided at the predetermined position, the carrier is handed over from the table device to the elevator device at the predetermined position and moved up and down by the elevator device. With this configuration, the carrier table can be moved not only in the horizontal direction (two degrees of freedom at right angles) but also in the vertical direction (three degrees of freedom at right angles), and the degree of freedom of movement is further expanded.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transport apparatus according to the present embodiment has a transport path 3 in which a large number of electromagnets 1 are arranged, and a transport path that is floated and held by the magnetic force of the electromagnets 1 and moves along the transport path 3. The table 4 is provided with a table 4 and an electromagnet 6 which is a part of the magnetic bearing array of the transport path. The table device 5 is arbitrarily moved and stopped so that the table device 5 is provided with a degree of freedom of movement in a direction intersecting the conveyance path 3.
A device including a linear guide 17, a linear bearing 18, etc., which is a device for positioning, is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyance path 3 which becomes the track of the conveyance table 4 is branched at the branch point 2 of the table device 5 from the main conveyance path 11 arranged in the main conveyance direction x. , A branch conveyance path 12 called an extension conveyance path arranged in the y direction orthogonal to the main conveyance direction x in a T shape, for example, and the conveyance path 3 is arranged in the horizontal direction. ing. Note that the direction y of the branch conveyance path 12 is not limited to being orthogonal to the main conveyance direction x, and may be arranged at any angle other than 90 °. Further, it is not limited to the horizontal direction and may be inclined.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the carrying device in this embodiment has a body frame 14 (FIG. 3) of the carrying path 3.
On the lower surface of the above, a large number of left and right electromagnets 1 which also constitute magnetic bearings and are also called floating magnetic poles are arranged in a row at a predetermined pitch in the transport direction x. The electromagnet 1 forming the primary side is composed of a coil and a magnetic yoke, and is formed on the peripheral portion of the upper surface 15 of the main body 4a of the carrier table 4 by a yoke (yoke) serving as a floating target. A magnetic material target 16 forming the next side is attached. The magnetic target 16 is located below the electromagnet 1 so that the carrier base 4 is levitated in a non-contact state by the magnetic attraction force of the excited electromagnet 1. The electromagnet 1 on the primary side and the magnetic target 16 on the secondary side constitute a magnetic bearing device that forms a magnetic bearing array that is expanded in the transport direction x.

The electric current to the electromagnets 1 arranged in this way is turned on and off sequentially in accordance with the moving direction of the carrier 4,
Magnetic target 1 of carrier 4 by switching the magnetic pole to be levitated
The carrier table 4 is moved to the electromagnet 1 by sequentially generating an attractive force due to the magnetic force to the magnet 6, or by driving the carrier table in the direction of the main carrier path by a linear induction motor or the like.
The vehicle travels in the x direction in a non-contact floating state while maintaining a predetermined gap with the magnetic pole surface.

Next, the structure of the table device 5 will be further described. As shown in FIG. 2, the table device 5 can move the carriage 4 that has arrived at the branch point 2 to a predetermined position 2a, and further can move it in the z direction by the elevator device 30. In addition, the transfer table 4 is connected to the branch transfer path 12
When it is moved in accordance with the above, while the carrier 4 is held by the magnetic force of the electromagnet 6, it reciprocates between the branch point 2 and the predetermined position 2a of the branch carrier path 12.

Next, a device for moving, stopping and positioning the table device 5 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a recess 14a is formed in the body frame 14 from the branch point 2 in the y direction, and a pair of linear rails 17 is fixed in the recess 14a in the longitudinal direction. . The pair of linear rails 17 and a pair of linear bearings 18 that are engaged with the rails 17 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction.
The linear guide unit 19 is constituted by the above. By controlling the linear guide unit 19, the linear bearing 18 can be driven and the rectangular table 22 to which the linear bearing 18 is attached can be reciprocated along the branch conveyance path 12. A plurality of electromagnets 6 having the same shape as the electromagnet 1 of the transport path 3 and forming a magnetic bearing are fixed to the lower surface 22a of the table 22. This electromagnet 6
When the table 22 is located at the branch point 2, it is positioned so as to form a regular row with the electromagnets 1 of the main transport path 11.

An elevator device 30 for holding the carrier 4 at a predetermined position 2a of the branch carrier path 12 and moving it up and down in the vertical Z-axis direction with respect to the plane formed by the x and y axes.
Is provided. The elevator device 30 has a table device 5 that has arrived at a predetermined position 2 a while holding the carrier 4.
The carrier 4 is handed over to and from.

When the electromagnet 1 of the main transport path 11 is controlled by the control signal from the control device (not shown) in the transport device constructed as described above, as shown in FIGS. The magnetic target 16 is attracted by the magnetic attraction force, whereby the carrier table 4 moves in the x direction on the main carrier path 11 while levitating, and eventually arrives at the table device 5 at the branch point 2. When the carrier 4 further travels straight on the main carrier path 11, the table device 5 is attached to the branch point 2.
If is left stationary, the electromagnets 6 will form a regular row with the electromagnets 1 of the main transport path 11. If the electromagnet 6 is also controlled in the same manner as the electromagnet 1, the carrier table 4 floats above the table 22 and floats to the main carrier path 11 in front of the table 22, and the electromagnet 1 continues traveling. In this way, the table device 5 supports the transport table 4 so that it can be transported. On the other hand, at the branch point 2, the carriage 4
From the direction x of the main conveyance path 11 to the branch conveyance path 12
When switching to the direction y, the table device 5 is controlled and moved by the control device. That is, when the carrier 4 arrives at the table device 5, the carrier 4
Are supported by the attraction force of the electromagnet 6 while maintaining a floating state under the table 22. Then, a signal is output from the control device to the linear guide unit 19 so that the table 22 holding the carrier 4 is moved from the branch point 2 to the predetermined position 2a.
It is moved while being guided by the linear rail 17 of the branch conveyance path 12. As a result, the moving direction of the carrier table 4 is switched from the x direction to the y direction. Next, the electromagnet 6 of the table device 5 which has arrived at the predetermined position 2a is turned off, and the carrier table 4 supported by the electromagnet 6 is transferred to the elevator device 30. The elevator apparatus 30 that has received the carrier 4 conveys the carrier 4 upward or downward (z direction). The table device 5 that has removed the carrier 4 returns to the branch point 2 and is sent to the next carrier 4.
Will be prepared for the transportation. Thereby, the carrier 4 is
The sheet is conveyed in the x, y, and z directions through the locus shown by the arrow P in FIG. If the operation reverse to the above is performed, it can be conveyed in the direction opposite to the path P.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the carrier table 4
The direction of movement of is switched to the branch transport path 12 other than the main transport path 11 at the branch point 2 and to the vertical direction at the predetermined position 2a.
It can be moved with a degree of freedom.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0020]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to switch the moving direction of the carrier by controlling the table device.

If an elevator device is provided, the degree of freedom of movement of the carrier can be further increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is a partial schematic plan structure diagram of a carrying device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an overall schematic configuration of the carrying device shown in FIG.

3 is a partial elevational view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electromagnet on the transport path 2 branch points 2a Predetermined position of branch conveyance path 3 transport paths 4 carrier 5 table device 6 Table device electromagnet 11 Main transport path 12 branches 30 Elevator equipment

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-121136 (JP, A) JP-A-62-121134 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 1-159504 (JP, U) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 54/00-54/02 B60L 13/02-13/10

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of electromagnetic waves having downwardly facing magnetic pole faces.
Main transport path where stones are lined up in the main frame and have branch points
And is supported by the magnetic force of the electromagnet to the main transport path.
Therefore, a carrier with a target magnetic material on the moving upper surface
And a plurality of electromagnets having the same shape as the main transport path.
A table device provided and a direction orthogonal to the main conveyance path
The concave portion of the frame that allows the table device to be moved.
Branch conveyance path with guide rails arranged on the upper surface of the section
And is arranged at a position apart from the branch point of the main transport path.
Elevator device and the electromagnet of the table device
The elevator that holds the magnetically levitated carrier platform
Conveying apparatus characterized by comprising a delivery to unit. To wherein said table device, claims comprising a linear bearing for engaging the re linear guides, while the transfer table held by the magnetic attraction force of the electromagnet, characterized by moving the branch conveying path Item 2. The transport device according to Item 1. 3. A battery disposed on the lower surface of the table device.
The transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnets are arranged at the same pitch as the main transport path.