Film suction mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808937-B2
Application number	US-201514699614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2015
Priority date	May 3, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A film suction mechanism is provided which can prevent a film-like member from warping or sagging for reliable suction, handing over, or the like of the film-like member. A film suction mechanism of the present invention is a film suction mechanism for processing or transferring a flexible film-like member. The film suction mechanism includes a suction unit having a function of attaching the film-like member thereto by suction and an air nozzle having a function of blowing pressurized air onto a first surface of the film-like member. The suction unit includes a plurality of suction pads. The suction unit is capable of attaching a second surface of the film-like member thereto by suction while the pressurized air is blown onto the first surface of the film-like member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a film suction mechanism for holding a flexible film having a first surface and a second surface, comprising:
a suction unit comprising a plurality of first suction pads;
an air nozzle configured to blow air onto the flexible film; and
a plurality of robot hands each comprising a second suction pad and a swing drive mechanism,

wherein the suction unit is configured to attach the second surface to the plurality of first suction pads by suction while the air is blown onto the first surface,
wherein in the suction unit, the flexible film is held with a part of the plurality of first suction pads located in or near the middle of the suction unit, and then the flexible film is held with all of the plurality of first suction pads by blowing air onto the first surface,
wherein the second suction pads of the plurality of robot hands are located between outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads, and
wherein the swing drive mechanism included in each of the plurality of robot hands is configured to swing the corresponding robot hand on an axis parallel to the flexible film, so that one of the plurality of first suction pads located outside the second suction pad is capable of attaching the flexible film.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein force components of a dynamic pressure of the air are directed in a suction direction of the plurality of first suction pads and in a planar direction of the flexible film.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air is blown when a suction error by the film suction mechanism is detected.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second suction pads and the others of the plurality of first suction pads are alternately provided between the outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads.

5. An apparatus comprising:
a film suction mechanism for holding a flexible film having a first surface and a second surface, comprising:
a suction unit comprising a plurality of first suction pads;
a first air nozzle configured to blow air toward a first side of the flexible film;
a second air nozzle configured to blow air toward a second side opposite to the first side of the flexible film; and
a plurality of robot hands each comprising a second suction pad and a swing drive mechanism,

wherein the suction unit is configured to attach the second surface to the plurality of first suction pads by suction while the air is blown onto the first surface,
wherein in the suction unit, the flexible film is held with a part of the plurality of first suction pads located in or near the middle of the suction unit, and then the flexible film is held with all of the plurality of first suction pads by blowing air onto the first surface,
wherein the second suction pads of the plurality of robot hands are located between outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads, and
wherein the swing drive mechanism included in each of the plurality of robot hands is configured to swing the corresponding robot hand on an axis parallel to the flexible film, so that one of the plurality of first suction pads located outside the second suction pad is capable of attaching the flexible film.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein force components of a dynamic pressure of the air are directed in a suction direction of the plurality of first suction pads and in a planar direction of the flexible film.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the air is blown when a suction error by the film suction mechanism is detected.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the second suction pads and the others of the plurality of first suction pads are alternately provided between the outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a film suction mechanism for holding a flexible film, comprising:
a plurality of first suction pads;
an air nozzle under the plurality of first suction pads; and
a plurality of robot hands each comprising a second suction pad and a swing drive mechanism,

wherein the air nozzle is configured to blow air to the flexible film when the plurality of first suction pads hold the flexible film thereunder,
wherein the flexible film is held with a part of the plurality of first suction pads, and then the flexible film is held with all of the plurality of first suction pads by blowing air to the flexible film,
wherein the second suction pads of the plurality of robot hands are located between outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads, and
wherein the swing drive mechanism included in each of the plurality of robot hands is configured to swing the corresponding robot hand on an axis parallel to the flexible film, so that one of the plurality of first suction pads located outside the second suction pad is capable of attaching the flexible film.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein force components of a dynamic pressure of the air are directed in a suction direction of the plurality of first suction pads and in a planar direction of the flexible film.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the air is blown when a suction error by the film suction mechanism is detected.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second suction pads and the others of the plurality of first suction pads are alternately provided between the outermost two of the plurality of first suction pads.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a film suction mechanism for holding a flexible film, comprising:
a plurality of first suction pads;
an air nozzle; and
a robot hand comprising a second suction pad and a swing drive mechanism, wherein:

the air nozzle is configured to blow air to the flexible film when the plurality of first suction pads hold the flexible film thereunder,
the flexible film is held with a part of the plurality of first suction pads, and then the flexible film is held with all of the plurality of first suction pads by blowing air onto the flexible film,
the swing drive mechanism is configured to swing the robot hand on a first axis parallel to the flexible film, and
the second suction pad is between two of the plurality of first suction pads which are arranged on a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein force components of a dynamic pressure of the air are directed in a suction direction of the plurality of first suction pads and in a planar direction of the flexible film.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the air is blown when a suction error by the film suction mechanism is detected.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of first suction pads is capable of attaching the flexible film by swinging the robot hand on the first axis parallel to the flexible film.

Assignees

• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Kumakura Kayo
• Idojiri Satoru
• Ohno Masakatsu
• Takeshima Koichi
• Hirakata Yoshiharu
• Yokoyama Kohei

Classifications

• B25J15/0616 Primary

  with vacuum · CPC title

• B25J15/0028

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title

• B25J15/0004

  with provision for adjusting the gripped object in the hand · CPC title

• B25J11/00

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25J15/0061

  mounted on a modular gripping structure · CPC title