KR20240053346A - Over turning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

According to embodiments, a stage; A support portion connected to one side of the stage and supporting the stage; A rotation drive unit connected to the support unit and rotating the support unit to rotate the stage; and an alignment driver that aligns the stage. Provides an inverter, including.

Description

OVER TURNING APPARATUS}

Embodiments relate to the inversion machine. For example, the embodiments may be applied to an inverter that inverts a substrate.

As technology has recently developed, various types of displays, such as thin and flexible, are being developed. Additionally, recently, as displays have become larger in capacity and area, the demand for equipment capable of producing such displays is also increasing.

Meanwhile, the inverter appropriately inverts the substrates used in such display or semiconductor processes depending on the purpose. Additionally, the inverter performs alignment to correct the substrate that is distorted during the process.

At this time, the inverter generally uses a cylinder and/or an align pin to mechanically align the substrate. That is, the inverter performs alignment or inversion of the substrate while physically gripping or contacting the substrate. The reversal machine requires various components to achieve mechanical alignment. Additionally, as displays become larger, various components included in the inverter and inverter are also required to be larger.

However, in this case, there is a problem that tact time, cost, and load increase in the manufacturing and operating time of the inverter. Additionally, as the substrate is flipped through physical contact, various risks arise.

The purpose of the embodiments is to provide an inverter to solve the above-mentioned problems.

The purpose of the embodiments is to provide an inverter that performs alignment without direct contact with the substrate.

The purpose of the embodiments is to provide an inversion machine that does not require equipment to be restored after inverting the substrate.

The purpose of the embodiments is to provide an inverter that assists a robot that loads or unloads a substrate in the inverter, thereby assisting in maintaining the horizontality of the substrate.

The technical challenges to be achieved in the embodiments are not limited to the matters mentioned above, and other technical challenges not mentioned may be considered by those skilled in the art from the various embodiments described below. You can.

According to embodiments, a stage; A support portion connected to one side of the stage and supporting the stage; A rotation drive unit connected to the support unit and rotating the support unit to rotate the stage; and an alignment driver that aligns the stage. Provides an inverter, including.

According to embodiments, the stages include: a first stage; and a second stage arranged to be spaced apart from the first stage; It includes a support unit, which is connected to the first stage and the second stage and supports the first stage and the second stage so that the first stage and the second stage are spaced apart from each other, providing an inverter.

According to embodiments, the inverter includes an adsorption unit formed on one side of the stage to adsorb the loaded substrate; It provides an inverter, which further includes.

According to embodiments, the adsorption unit is connected to the first pneumatic pipe and provides an inverter that adsorbs the loaded substrate through pneumatic pressure.

According to embodiments, the inverter includes: a sensor formed on a stage to sense the position of the substrate; It further includes an alignment driver, which is formed on the stage and provides an inverter that aligns at least one of the angle and position of the stage based on the position of the substrate sensed by the sensor.

According to embodiments, the align drive unit includes a motor that rotates; and a ball screw that changes the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion; Provides an inverter, including.

According to embodiments, the align driving unit includes: a first align driving unit driving on a first axis; a second alignment driving unit driving along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a third alignment driver driving along a third axis parallel to the first axis. Provides an inverter, including.

According to embodiments, the align driver aligns the angle of the stage through at least one of the first align driver and the second align driver, and adjusts the angle of the stage through the first align driver and the third align driver. Provides an inverter to align the position.

According to embodiments, the rotation drive unit rotates the support unit 180 degrees in a first direction to reverse the stage, and then rotates the support unit 180 degrees in a second direction opposite to the first direction to re-invert the stage. , provides an inverter.

According to embodiments, the inverter includes a robot support unit located on one side of the inverter; It includes: a robot support unit, a contact module supporting a robot that loads or unloads a substrate; and a cylinder connected to the second pneumatic pipe to support the contact module using air. Provides an inverter, including.

According to embodiments, loading a substrate onto an adsorption unit fixed on a stage; Sensing the position of the substrate through a plurality of sensors installed on the stage; Calculating alignment data of the substrate based on the sensed position of the substrate; and aligning the substrate based on the calculated alignment data; Provides a semi-electric control method including.

According to embodiments, calculating alignment data of the substrate may include calculating an angle for aligning the substrate through two or more sensors formed on the same axis among a plurality of sensors; and calculating a position for aligning the substrate using two or more sensors formed on different axes among the plurality of sensors. Provides a semi-electric control method including.

According to embodiments, aligning the substrate may include aligning the angle of the substrate through a first align driver or a second align driver; and aligning the position of the substrate through the first alignment driver and the third alignment driver. Provides a semi-electric control method including.

Embodiments may align and/or invert the substrate.

Embodiments can reduce the number of components required for the inversion machine, thereby reducing the time and cost required for manufacturing and/or maintenance.

Embodiments may provide a simple driving method.

Embodiments may provide an inverter with a reduced driving rotation radius.

Embodiments may increase space utilization of equipment lines.

The effects that can be obtained from the examples are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly derived and understood by those skilled in the art based on the detailed description below. It can be.

The accompanying drawings, which are included as part of the detailed description to aid understanding of the embodiments, provide various embodiments and together with the detailed description describe technical features of the various embodiments.
1 is a perspective view of an inverter and a substrate according to different embodiments.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line MM' of FIG. 1 in the front direction.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the stage and the adsorption unit according to embodiments, in the front direction.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a stage and an alignment driver according to embodiments.
5 is a structural diagram of a driving unit according to embodiments.
Figure 6 is a flowchart explaining a method of inverting electricity according to embodiments.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining an embodiment of s103 in FIG. 6.
Figure 8 is a diagram explaining a method of operating a sensor and an alignment driver according to embodiments.
Figure 9 is a diagram explaining a method of operating the sensor and the alignment driver according to embodiments.

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, identical or similar components will be assigned the same reference numbers regardless of reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes “unit,” “module,” and “part” for components used in the following description are given or used interchangeably only for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles in themselves. .

Additionally, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed descriptions will be omitted. In addition, the attached drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical idea disclosed in this specification is not limited by the attached drawings, and all changes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are not limited. , should be understood to include equivalents or substitutes.

Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. When a component is said to be "connected" or "connected" to another component, it is understood that it may be directly connected to or connected to the other component, but that other components may exist in between. It should be.

On the other hand, when it is mentioned that a component is “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

1 is a perspective view of an inverter and a substrate according to different embodiments.

In Figure 1, the front direction is the direction looking toward the +y direction on the y axis.

The inverter 100 according to embodiments inverts an object. The object is for example a substrate 10 . The substrate 10 includes, for example, a wafer, glass, a mask, a chuck, etc. However, the object that the inverter 100 inverts is not limited to the substrate, and the object can be any object that can be inserted into the inverter 100.

The object is introduced into the inverter 100 in the same direction as arrow C. For example, a robot (not shown) draws an object toward the inverter 100 from the front direction of the inverter 100. For example, the robot places an object on the suction part 120 illustrated in FIG. 2 .

Additionally, the object whose inversion has been completed by the inverter 100 is pulled out from the inverter 100 in the same direction as arrow D. For example, the robot retrieves an object from inside the inverter 100. For example, the robot pulls out the object while maintaining the horizontality of the substrate 10 by the robot support unit described in FIG. 2.

Meanwhile, the inverter 100 according to embodiments aligns the object. However, when aligning an object by gripping it or performing alignment while fixing a part of the object, there is a problem that the object is damaged or the volume or weight of the inverter is excessively increased.

Therefore, hereinafter, embodiments of the inverter 100 that can invert an object and align the object without directly contacting the object will be described. At this time, alignment includes the process of accurately positioning the object in a pre-designed position. For example, when a patterning process is required, a designed pattern can be formed at an exact location through this alignment process.

In addition, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the object will be described using the substrate 10 as an example.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line MM' of FIG. 1 in the front direction.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the inverter 100 according to embodiments along FIG. 1 and explains a cross-sectional view of the inverter 100 when viewed from the front direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inverter 100 includes a stage 110, a support unit 130, a driver 140, and an align driver 150 (see FIG. 4). Additionally, the inverter 100 may further include an adsorption unit 120 and/or a sensor 160.

The stage 110 is introduced from the robot and provides a space for loading into the inverter 100. Stage 110 is, for example, a UVW stage.

Stage 110 includes a first stage 111 and a second stage 112. The first stage 111 and the second stage 112 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. For example, the inverter 100 may be in a state in which two substrates are loaded by the first stage 111 and the second stage 112 . The first stage 111 and the second stage 112 are arranged in opposite directions.

The adsorption unit 120 is formed on one surface of the stage 110. The adsorption unit 120 adsorbs the substrate 10 loaded on the stage 110. Accordingly, the loaded substrate 10 is loaded on the adsorption unit 120 formed on the stage 110.

The adsorption unit 120 includes a first adsorption unit 121 and a second adsorption unit 122. The first adsorption portion 121 is formed on one surface of the first stage 111. At this time, one side of the first stage 111 on which the first adsorption portion 121 is formed is a side facing the second stage 112. The second adsorption portion 122 is formed on one surface of the second stage 112. At this time, one side of the second stage 112 on which the second adsorption portion 122 is formed is a side facing the first stage 111. Therefore, for example, when two substrates (eg, 10) are introduced into the inverter 100, the two substrates are disposed close to each other.

Meanwhile, in this specification, the case where the structure or space into which the stage 110, the adsorption unit 120, and/or the substrate 10 are inserted/extracted is square-shaped will be described as an example. However, the shape of the structure or space into which the stage 110, the adsorption unit 120, and/or the substrate 10 are inserted/extracted is not limited to this, and may be any shape, such as circular or polygonal.

The support portion 130 is connected to one side of the stage 110 and supports the stage 110. In addition, the support portion 130 is such that, for example, when the inverter 100 includes two stages (e.g., 111 and 112), the first stage 111 and the second stage 112 are spaced apart from each other. Each of the first stage 111 and the second stage 112 is supported and/or fixed so that they are arranged.

For example, at least a portion of one surface of the stage 110 is formed on the support portion 130. The support portion 130 extends to a first side (eg, -x direction) and a second side (eg, x direction) of one surface of the stage 110. One side of the support part 130 extending to both sides is connected to the rotation driving part 140 described below.

For example, when the stage 110 includes the first stage 111 and the second stage 112, at least a portion of one surface of the first stage 111 and at least a portion of one surface of the second stage 112 are It is formed on the support portion 130. At this time, the first stage 111 and the second stage 112 are formed facing each other. Accordingly, the support portion 130 includes a frame 130f forming a penetrating portion 130h so that the first stage 111 and the second stage 112 are disposed to face each other. At this time, the frame 130f connects the upper surface 130fu, the lower surface 130fb, the upper surface and the lower surface, and forms both side surfaces 130fr and 130fl formed in the left and right directions. At this time, the frame is not formed for the front and rear sides. Accordingly, the support portion 130 includes a penetrating portion 130h penetrating in the front-back direction.

In this case, for example, the first stage 111 is formed in the lower part of the penetrating part 130h, and the second stage 112 is formed in the upper part of the penetrating part 130f. For example, the first stage 111 is formed on the lower surface of the frame 130f, and the second stage 112 is formed under the upper surface of the frame 130f.

Additionally, in this case, for example, the support unit 130 is connected to the rotation drive unit 140 through at least one of both sides of the frame 130f. In this case, the rotation axis of the rotation driver 140 may coincide with the midpoint between the upper and lower surfaces of the frame 130f.

The rotation drive unit 140 is connected to one side of the support unit 130. The rotation driver 140 rotates. To this end, the rotation drive unit 140 includes a motor that directly generates rotational driving force and an accelerator or harmonic drive that amplifies the torque of the motor.

The rotation drive unit 140 transmits rotational driving force to the support unit 130. The rotation drive unit 140 rotates the support unit 130. The rotation drive unit 140 rotates the stage 110 supported and/or fixed by the support unit 130. Accordingly, the rotation driver 140 rotates the substrate 10, which is adsorbed and fixed by the suction portion 120 formed on one surface of the stage 110.

The rotation driver 140 rotates the support portion 130 in the first direction C to rotate the stage 110. After rotating in the first direction (C), the rotation driver 140 rotates in the second direction (D) to rotate the stage 110. At this time, the first direction (C) and the second direction (D) are opposite directions. For example, when the first direction (C) is counterclockwise, the second direction (D) is clockwise. Through this, the rotation driver 140 prevents all or part of the components included in the inverter 100 and/or external components (for example, wiring) connected to these components from becoming tangled or damaged. prevent it from happening.

The rotation driver 140 rotates by a predetermined angle during one rotation. For example, the rotation driver 140 rotates 180 degrees per rotation, thereby inverting the substrate.

For example, when the substrate 1 is loaded and/or aligned on the second stage 112, the rotation driver 140 rotates 180 degrees in the first direction C to invert the substrate 10. In this case, unlike shown in FIG. 2, the second stage 112 is located at the upper side and the first stage 111 is located at the lower side. For example, when the substrate 10 is inverted, the robot described in FIG. 1 unloads and takes out the substrate 10 from the inverter 100. Meanwhile, a new substrate may be loaded and/or aligned on the first stage 111 located below. The rotation driver 140 rotates 180 degrees in the second direction D to invert the new substrate. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the second stage 112 is again located on the lower side and the first stage 111 is located on the upper side.

Through this structure, the inverter 100 according to embodiments provides a method of inverting the substrate 10. In addition, the inverter 100 provides a way to invert the next substrate without separately restoring the equipment after one inversion.

Meanwhile, the driving unit 140 is supported by the driving unit support 141 with respect to the ground. The driving unit support 141 includes, for example, a plate structure or a frame structure.

The alignment driver 150 and sensor 160 align the stage 110. The sensor 160 is formed on at least a portion of the stage 110. The sensor 160 senses the position of the substrate 10 loaded on the stage 110. The align driver 150 aligns at least one of the angle and position of the stage 110 based on the position of the substrate 10 sensed through the sensor 160. This will be explained in detail through FIGS. 4 to 8.

The robot support unit 170 supports a robot that loads or unloads the substrate 10. The robot support unit 170 supports the robot loading or unloading the substrate 10 so that the robot remains horizontal. Through this, the robot support unit 170 prevents the robot from sagging. In this way, the robot support unit 170 prevents the board 10 from being maintained horizontally by the robot and assists in maintaining the board 10 horizontally. For this purpose, the robot support unit 170 is located on one side of the inverter 100.

The robot support 170 includes a contact module (not shown) and a cylinder (not shown). The contact module supports the robot that loads or unloads the substrate. The cylinder is connected to a second pneumatic pipe. The cylinder supports the contact module using air from the second pneumatic pipe.

Although not shown, the inverter 100 according to embodiments may further include at least one of a communication unit (not shown), a memory (not shown), and a processor (not shown).

For example, the processor controls all or part of the components included in the inverter 100. The processor is, for example, a general processor such as a CPU (Central processing unit) and is built into the inverter 100. However, the processor is not physically located inside the inverter 100 and may control the inverter 100 through a communication unit.

The processor calculates the position of the substrate 10, for example, as described in FIGS. 6 to 8 below. For example, the processor calculates the degree of alignment of the substrate 10 based on the position of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensor 160. At this time, the alignment degree includes, for example, the angle and/or movement length (position) that the substrate 10 must move to become aligned.

The memory stores all or part of data acquired by components included in the inverter 100. Additionally, the memory stores instructions necessary for driving components included in the inverter 100. The memory includes at least one of read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).

The communication unit transmits and receives data to and from external servers/devices via wired and/or wireless. The communication unit performs long-distance and/or short-distance communication with external servers/devices.

The communication unit includes a network interface for a long distance, such as a 3G module, LTE module, LTE-A module, Wi-Fi module, WiGig module, UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) module, or LAN card. In addition, the communication unit may include, for example, a Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) module, a Bluetooth module, a Near Field Communication (NFC) module, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) module, a ZigBee module, and a Z-Wave module. Or, it includes a short-distance network interface, such as an infrared module.

In this way, the inverter 100 according to embodiments aligns the substrate 10 to the correct position without directly contacting it. Additionally, the inverter 100 inverts the substrate 10. Below, the structure and function of each of these components will be described in more detail.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the stage and the adsorption unit according to embodiments, in the front direction.

In Figure 3, for convenience of explanation, in the inverter 100 according to the embodiments, the stage 110 on one side, the suction part 120 on one side, the support part 130, and the inverter 100. Only the loaded substrate 10 is shown.

The adsorption unit 120 adsorbs the substrate 10 loaded on the inverter 100. The adsorption unit 120 allows the inverter 100 to align the substrate 10 without directly contacting the substrate 10. The adsorption unit 120 includes, for example, a shape corresponding to the shape of the substrate 10. Alternatively, the adsorption unit 120 is formed larger than the substrate 10.

The adsorption unit 120 includes a frame 120f that forms the outer shape of the adsorption unit 120, and one or more adsorption pads 120e that protrude in one direction from the frame 120f.

The frame 120f supports the substrate 10 loaded on the adsorption unit 120.

The suction pad 120e fixes the substrate 10. The suction pad 120e is formed to protrude in the direction in which the substrate 10 is loaded on the suction portion 120. That is, the substrate 10 is loaded on the protruding suction pad 120e. The suction pad 120e forms a flow path inside. The suction pad 120e sucks air through the flow path. At this time, for example, when the substrate 10 is loaded on the suction pad 120e, the substrate 10 is fixed to the suction pad 120e through pneumatic pressure. For this purpose, the suction pad 120e is connected to a first pneumatic pipe (not shown).

The adsorption unit 120 is formed on one surface of the stage 110 and is fixed to the stage 110. For example, the adsorption unit 120 is assembled and coupled into a profile on one surface of the stage 110. Accordingly, the adsorption unit 120 moves together with the stage 110 when it moves. For example, when the angle of the stage 110 changes or the position of the stage 110 moves, the angle of the adsorption unit 120 changes or the position moves. In this way, when the adsorption unit 120 moves, the substrate 10 fixed to the adsorption unit 120 also moves. Through this, the substrate 10 is aligned.

The adsorption unit 120 is provided on the stage 110 supported by the support unit 130. The adsorption unit 120 is located on the upper surface 130fu or the lower surface 130fb of the frame 130f of the support unit 130, and is disposed between both sides 130fr and 130fl formed in the left and right directions of the frame 130f. In this case, as the adsorption unit 120 moves along with the movement of the stage 110, a problem may occur where the adsorption unit 120 and the support unit 130 collide. Accordingly, the adsorption unit 120 is disposed at a preset distance d from each of both sides 130fr and 130fl of the frame 130f. For example, the adsorption unit 120 is provided at a distance of 50 to 100 mm from the support unit 130. Through this, the adsorption unit 120 can be driven without interference by the support unit 130.

Through this structure, the inverter 100 according to embodiments can fix the substrate 10 without directly contacting the loaded substrate 10. However, when the substrate 10 is inverted by the rotation driver 140 described in FIG. 2, if the substrate 10 is not positioned at the aligned position, there is a problem that the substrate is damaged or the performance of the finished product using the substrate is deteriorated. Therefore, hereinafter, a method for aligning the fixed substrate 10 will be described in detail.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a stage and an alignment driver according to embodiments.

5 is a structural diagram of a driving unit according to embodiments.

As described above, the stage 110 aligns the substrate 10 loaded on the adsorption unit 120. The stage 110 includes an alignment driver 150 to align the substrate 10.

Specifically, the stage 110 is a first layer 110-1, a second layer 110-2, and one or more stages formed between the first layer 110-1 and the second layer 110-2. It includes the above align driver 150.

The align driver 150 is formed on the first layer 110-1. The align driver 150 is fixed to the first layer 110-1. The align driver 150 is connected to the second layer 110-2. An adsorption portion 120 is formed on the second layer 110-2.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 5, the align driver 150 includes a motor 1501 and a ball screw 1504. The align driver 150 may further include a coupling 1502, a bearing 1503, and an LM guide 1505.

Motor 1501 rotates about the rotation axis. For example, the motor 1501 generates a driving force that causes the stage 110 to rotate. The ball screw 1504 changes the rotary motion of the motor 1501 into linear motion. The LM guide 1505 assists the ball screw 1504. For example, the LM guide 1505 compensates for the straightness of the linear motion changed by the ball screw 1504 and prevents the ball screw 1504 from being damaged. The coupling 1502 connects the shaft of the motor 1501 and the ball screw 1504. Additionally, the bearing 1503 fixes the rotation axis of the motor 1501 at a certain position.

In this way, the align driver 150 includes a motor 1501 and a ball screw 1504, thereby allowing the stage 110 to adjust both the angle and position (length). For example, the align driver 150 causes the second layer 110-2 to rotate through the connection portion 1510. Or, for example, the align driver 150 causes the second layer 110-2 to move in a straight line through the connection portion 1510. That is, the second layer 110-2 moves with respect to the align driver 150 to drive the adsorption unit 120 formed on the second layer 110-2.

That is, the second layer 110-2 is driven by at least one of rotational motion and linear motion generated by the align driver 150. At this time, when the stage 110 includes one alignment driver 150, the second layer 110-2 may not receive a driving force due to at least one of rotational motion or linear motion.

In order to prevent this and receive appropriate driving force for alignment from the align driver 150, the align driver 150 includes a plurality of align drivers 150, for example, three align drivers 150. Includes (150). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the stage 110 includes a first align driver 151, a second align driver 152, and a third align driver 153. Each of the align driving units 151, 152, and 153 is formed at a corner of the stage 110. Meanwhile, unlike shown in FIG. 4, the align driver 150 includes four align drivers 150, and each of these drivers may be formed at a corner of the stage 110.

The first alignment driver 151 rotates around the first axis using a motor. For example, the first axis coincides with the x-axis in the xyz coordinate axis shown in FIG. 4.

The second align driver 152 rotates around the second axis using a motor. At this time, the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. For example, the second axis coincides with the y-axis in the xyz coordinate axis shown in FIG. 4.

The third alignment driver 153 rotates around the third axis using a motor. At this time, the third axis is parallel to the first axis. For example, the third axis coincides with the x-axis in the xyz coordinate axis shown in FIG. 4. At this time, the first and third axes are formed parallel to the x-axis and are different axes. Therefore, for convenience, the first axis is referred to as the x1 axis, and the second axis is referred to as the x2 axis.

The alignment driver 150 aligns the substrate 10 by adjusting the angle of the substrate 10. At this time, the angle of the substrate 10 is the angle of rotation on the xy plane. To this end, the align driver 150 rotates the stage 110 through at least one of the first align driver 151 and the second align driver 152. At this time, the first align driver 151 and the second align driver 152 are formed at corners adjacent to each other on the stage 110.

Additionally, the alignment driver 150 aligns the substrate 10 by adjusting the position of the substrate 10. At this time, the position of the substrate 10 is the length (distance) along which the substrate 10 is moved on the xy plane. To this end, the align driver 150 drives the stage 110 in a straight line through the first align driver 151 and the third align driver 153. In this way, the align driver 150 causes the second layer 110-2 to move in a straight line by simultaneously driving the align drivers having two different axes that are formed in the same direction but spaced apart from each other. At this time, the first align driver 151 and the third align driver 153 are formed at corners of the stage 110 that face each other.

Through the above-described structure, the inverter 100 aligns the substrate 10 formed on the stage 110 through the align driver 150. Hereinafter, the conditions (situations) under which the align driver 153 rotates or linearly drives the stage 110 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9 below.

Figure 6 is a flowchart explaining a method of inverting electricity according to embodiments.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes loading the substrate 10 into the inverter 100 (s101). As described in FIGS. 1 to 5 , the substrate 10 is loaded on the adsorption unit 120 fixed on the stage 110. At this time, as described in FIG. 2, the robot support unit 170 supports the robot loading the substrate 10 into the inverter 100 to keep the substrate 10 horizontal.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes sensing the position of the substrate 10 through the sensor 160 (s102).

The inverter 100 includes a plurality of sensors 160 (see FIGS. 8/9). For example, at least some of the plurality of sensors 160 are through-beam position sensors. The plurality of sensors 160 sense the position where the substrate 10 is initially inserted at each arranged position.

At this time, at least two of the plurality of sensors 160 are formed on the same axis and arranged side by side with each other. For example, at least two of the plurality of sensors 160 are formed on the same side of the adsorption unit 120. Alternatively, at least two of the plurality of sensors 160 are formed on different axes and arranged perpendicular to each other. For example, at least two of the plurality of sensors 160 are formed on adjacent surfaces of the adsorption unit 120, respectively.

For example, when the substrate 10 has a square shape including two long sides and two short sides, at least two of the plurality of sensors 160 are arranged to sense at least one long side. Additionally, for example, at least one of the plurality of sensors 160 is arranged to sense at least one short side.

Through this arrangement, the plurality of sensors 160 sense the position of the substrate 10 with respect to x1, x2, and y coordinates.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes calculating alignment data of the substrate 10 based on the sensed position of the substrate 10 (s103).

The sensed position of the substrate 10 includes, for example, (x1, y) coordinates, (x2, y) coordinates, or (x1, x2, y) coordinates. Alignment data includes data necessary to move from the position of the substrate 10 to the position when the substrate 10 is aligned (hereinafter referred to as the alignment position of the substrate 10). At this time, the matching position of the substrate 10 can also be expressed as coordinates. The matching position of the substrate 10 is, for example, a value previously stored in memory. The alignment data includes, for example, an angle at which coordinates are moved from the position of the substrate 10 to the registration position of the substrate 10. In addition, the alignment data includes, for example, a position for moving coordinates from the position of the substrate 10 to the registration position of the substrate 10. The processor calculates alignment data based on the sensed position of the substrate 10.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes aligning the substrate 10 based on calculated alignment data (s104).

The alignment driver 150 described in FIGS. 4 and 5 aligns the substrate 10 based on the calculated alignment data. The alignment driver 150 rotates or linearly drives the second layer 110-2 and the adsorption unit 120 fixed on the second layer 110-2 to x1 based on the calculated alignment data. , x2, and y axes are controlled.

Through this method, the inverter 100 according to the embodiments aligns the substrate 10 so that the substrate 10 is located at the aligned position.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining an embodiment of s103 in FIG. 6.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes calculating an angle for aligning the substrate through two or more sensors formed on the same axis (s201).

Among the plurality of sensors, two or more sensors formed on the same axis are, for example, two or more sensors formed on the same x-axis. For example, two or more sensors formed on the same axis among the plurality of sensors include the first sensor 161 and the second sensor 162 formed on the same axis (for example, a) shown in FIG. 8. Includes.

Based on this sensor arrangement and the position of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensors (e.g., 161, 162), the processor determines the degree to which the substrate 10 is tilted relative to the same axis (e.g., a). Calculate.

The control method of the inverter 100 according to embodiments includes calculating an angle for aligning the substrate through two or more sensors formed on different axes (s202).

Among the plurality of sensors, two or more sensors formed on different axes are, for example, two or more sensors formed on different x-axis and y-axis. For example, two or more sensors formed on different axes among the plurality of sensors include the first sensor 161 or the second sensor 162 formed on different axes (e.g., a and b) shown in FIG. 9. ) and a third sensor 163.

Based on this sensor arrangement and the position of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensors (e.g., 161 or 162 and 163), the processor determines the substrate 10 based on different axes (e.g., a, b). Calculate the degree of movement.

Hereinafter, examples of FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. Meanwhile, in FIGS. 8 and 9 below, an example in which the substrate 10 has a square shape, for example, a rectangle or a square, will be described.

Figure 8 is a diagram explaining a method of operating a sensor and an alignment driver according to embodiments.

Figure 8(a) shows the substrate 10 initially introduced onto the adsorption unit 120. As shown in (a) of FIG. 8, the substrate 10 is positioned at an angle with respect to the adsorption unit 120. At this time, the substrate 10 has a square shape including two long sides (eg, 10l) and two short sides (eg, 10s1 and 10s2).

Figure 8(b) briefly shows U in Figure 8(a). That is, (b) in FIG. 8 shows the substrate 10, the first sensor 161, the second sensor 162, and the same axis (hereinafter referred to as a) on which the first sensor 161 and the second sensor 162 are located. Referred to as an axis, the a-axis corresponds to the x1-axis, x2-axis, or y-axis described in FIGS. 1 to 7).

As described in FIG. 6, for example, the first sensor 161 and the second sensor 162 are installed on the side that senses at least one long side 10l of the substrate 10. Also, for example, the third sensor 163 is installed on the side that senses at least one short side 10s2 of the substrate 10.

In Figure 8 (b), a1 represents the straight line distance from the intersection of the substrate 10 and the a-axis to the first sensor 161, and a2 represents the distance from the intersection of the substrate 10 and the a-axis to the second sensor ( 162). Accordingly, a1, a2, and the intersection points of the substrate 10 and the a-axis are all located on the a-axis. In addition, in Figure 8 (b), b1 represents the boundary area of the substrate 10 located closest in the direction perpendicular to the a-axis from the first sensor 161, and b2 represents the second sensor 162. In the direction perpendicular to the a-axis, the boundary area of the substrate 10 located closest is shown. Whether it is a boundary area of the substrate 10 is determined through the sensed transmitted light. Additionally, in (b) of FIG. 8, c represents the length of one side of the substrate that intersects the a-axis of the substrate 10. Additionally, in (b) of FIG. 8, θ represents the degree to which the substrate 10 is tilted with respect to the a-axis. The processor calculates θ through [Equation 1] to [Equation 3] below.

At this time, R is a variable. For example, in Figure 8, substrate 10 is rectangular. c is the length of the long side 10l of the substrate 10. At the matching position of the substrate 10, the first sensor 161 is spaced apart by the shortest distance r1 to the nearest short side 10s1 of the substrate 10. Additionally, the second sensor 161 is spaced apart by the shortest distance r2 to the nearest short side 10s2 of the substrate 10. At this time, variable R has the value of r1+r2. The processor has the same calculation processes as [Equation 2] and [Equation 3] below for [Equation 1].

As described above, the processor calculates the angle θ for aligning the angle of the substrate 10 through [Equation 1] to [Equation 3]. The align driver 150 moves the substrate 10 again by the calculated angle θ through rotational driving to have an alignment angle.

Figure 9 is a diagram explaining a method of operating the sensor and the alignment driver according to embodiments.

Figure 9(a) shows the substrate 10 positioned on the adsorption unit 120 with the angle of the initially introduced substrate 10 aligned. As shown in (a) of FIG. 9, even when the angle of the substrate 10 is aligned, the substrate 10 may not be positioned at the aligned position due to the position difference.

At this time, the substrate 10 has a square shape including two long sides (eg, 10l) and two short sides (eg, 10s1 and 10s2).

Figure 9(b) briefly shows S in Figure 9(a). That is, (b) in FIG. 9 shows two different axes ( Hereinafter, the b axis is referred to as the a-axis and the b-axis and corresponds to the y-axis or the x1 and x2 axes described in FIGS. 1 to 7.

As described in FIG. 6, for example, the first sensor 161 and the second sensor 162 are installed on the side that senses at least one long side 10l of the substrate 10. Also, for example, the third sensor 163 is installed on the side that senses at least one short side 10s of the substrate 10.

In Figure 9(b), b3 represents the shortest distance from the second sensor 162 to the boundary area of the substrate 10. That is, b3 represents the distance from the second sensor 162 to the long side 10l of the substrate 10. Additionally, in Figure 9(b), a3 represents the shortest distance from the third sensor 163 to the boundary area of the substrate 10. That is, a3 represents the distance from the third sensor 163 to the short side 10s of the substrate 10.

The processor calculates b3 and a3 based on the position of the substrate 10 sensed by the sensors 162 and 163. The align driver 150 moves the substrate 10 to the calculated position and positions it at the aligned position through linear driving.

The embodiments described in FIGS. 8 and 9 may be combined with each other or used individually. Additionally, the embodiments described in FIGS. 8 and 9 may be applied sequentially.

In this way, the processor controls the align driver 150 as described in FIGS. 7 to 9. Through the above-described features, the inverter 100 according to embodiments aligns the substrate 10 without directly contacting the substrate 10. In addition, the inverter 100 does not directly contact the substrate 10 and thus has a significantly reduced configuration compared to the case where it contacts the substrate 10 directly. Through this, the inverter 100 provides a method of reducing weight and cost, increasing operational stability, and reducing tact time.

Meanwhile, the inverter 100 according to embodiments is used in, for example, air, nitrogen (N2), or CDA (Clean Dry Air) atmosphere. The inverter 100 is coupled or installed directly or indirectly, for example, in a closed chamber or on the factory floor. When the inverter 100 is installed on the factory floor, the drive unit support 141 described in FIG. 2 is coupled to the factory floor and supports the inverter 100 with respect to the factory floor.

As described above, the inverter according to the embodiments provides a facility with simplified components. Additionally, the inverter provides a method of inserting or withdrawing the substrate at any position (eg, 0 degrees, 180 degrees) regardless of the direction of the active surface of the substrate. In addition, the inverter provides a way to reduce facility operating costs and increase space utilization of facility lines. Additionally, the inverter provides a method of aligning the substrate without direct contact with the substrate.

The inverter according to the embodiments of the present invention has been described above as a specific embodiment, but this is only an example and the present invention is not limited thereto, and should be interpreted as having the widest scope according to the basic idea disclosed in the present specification. .

A person skilled in the art may combine and substitute the disclosed embodiments to implement embodiments not specified, but this also does not deviate from the scope of the present invention. In addition, a person skilled in the art can easily change or modify the embodiments disclosed based on the present specification, and it is clear that such changes or modifications also fall within the scope of the present invention.

100: Reversal
110: stage
120: adsorption unit
130: support part
140: driving unit
150: Align driving unit
160: sensor
170: Robot support part

Claims (13)

A stage on which a substrate is loaded;
a support portion connected to one side of the stage and supporting the stage;
a rotation drive unit connected to the support unit and rotating the support unit to rotate the stage; and
an alignment driver that aligns the stage;
Including,
A turning point. According to claim 1,
The stage is,
1st stage; and a second stage arranged to be spaced apart from the first stage; Including,
The support part,
Connected to the first stage and the second stage, supporting the first stage and the second stage so that the first stage and the second stage are spaced apart from each other,
A turning point. According to claim 1,
The inversion period is,
an adsorption unit formed on one side of the stage to adsorb the loaded substrate;
Containing more,
A turning point. According to claim 3,
The adsorption unit,
Connected to a first pneumatic pipe to adsorb the loaded substrate through pneumatic pressure,
A turning point. According to claim 1,
The inversion period is,
A sensor formed on the stage to sense the position of the substrate;
It further includes,
The align driving unit,
formed on the stage and aligning at least one of the angle and position of the stage based on the position of the substrate sensed by the sensor,
A turning point. According to claim 5,
The align driving unit,
a motor that rotates; and
a ball screw that changes the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion;
Including,
A turning point. According to claim 5,
The align driving unit,
A first alignment driving unit driven on the first axis;
a second alignment driver driving along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and
a third alignment driver driving along a third axis parallel to the first axis;
Including,
A turning point. According to claim 7,
The align driving unit,
Aligning the angle of the stage through at least one of the first align driver and the second align driver,
Aligning the position of the stage through the first align driver and the third align driver,
A turning point. According to claim 1,
The rotation drive unit,
Driving the support unit to rotate 180 degrees in a first direction to invert the stage, and then rotating the support unit 180 degrees in a second direction opposite to the first direction to re-invert the stage.
A turning point. According to claim 1,
The inversion period is,
a robot support unit located on one side of the inverter; Including,
The robot support part,
a contact module supporting a robot that loads or unloads the substrate; and
a cylinder connected to a second pneumatic pipe to support the contact module using air;
Including,
A turning point. Loading a substrate onto an adsorption unit fixed on a stage;
Sensing the position of the substrate through a plurality of sensors installed on the stage;
Calculating alignment data of the substrate based on the sensed position of the substrate; and
Aligning the substrate based on the calculated alignment data;
Including,
Semi-electric control method. According to claim 11,
The step of calculating the alignment data of the substrate is,
calculating an angle for aligning the substrate using two or more sensors formed on the same axis among the plurality of sensors; and
calculating a position for aligning the substrate using two or more sensors formed on different axes among the plurality of sensors;
Including,
Semi-electric control method. According to claim 11,
The step of aligning the substrate is,
Aligning the angle of the substrate through a first align driver or a second align driver; and
Aligning the position of the substrate through the first alignment driver and the third alignment driver;
Including,
Semi-electric control method.

Images