Clamper and holding jig including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822459-B2
Application number	US-201414453811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Aug 8, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A clamper includes: a first clamping member having a first base portion and a first contact portion that is to be in contact with one surface of the workpiece; a second clamping member having a second contact portion that is to be in contact with the other surface of the workpiece; and a clamping member biasing member configured to bias at least one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member in a direction of bringing the first contact portion and the second contact portion closer to each other. The first contact portion has a plurality of plate spring portions extending from the first base portion, the plurality of plate spring portions configured to elastically deform independently from each other to come into contact with the workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamper that is provided at a holding jig used when immersing a plate-shaped workpiece into a surface treatment liquid, and that clamps the workpiece, the clamper comprising:
a first clamping member having a first base portion and a first contact portion that is to be in contact with one surface of the workpiece;
a second clamping member having a second contact portion that is to be in contact with another surface of the workpiece; and
a clamping member biasing member configured to bias at least one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member in a direction of bringing the first contact portion and the second contact portion closer to each other, wherein
the first contact portion has a plurality of plate spring portions extending from the first base portion, the plurality of plate spring portions configured to elastically deform independently from each other to come into contact with the workpiece,
wherein each of the plate spring portions includes an extending portion extending from the first base portion, and a turnback portion bent at an end of the extending portion,
wherein a bending angle of the turnback portion with respect to the extending portion is acute so that the turnback portion comes into surface contact with the workpiece, and
wherein elastic deformation of the first contact portion makes the bending angle more acute.

2. The clamper according to claim 1 , wherein the second contact portion of the second clamping member has a same structure as that of the first contact portion of the first clamping member.

3. A holding jig for holding a plurality of plate-shaped workpieces at a distance from each other, the holding jig comprising:
a plurality of the clampers according to claim 1 ;
a plurality of first holding members, each of the first holding members holding the clampers clamping one side of a corresponding workpiece;
a plurality of second holding members, each of the second holding members holding the clampers clamping another side of the corresponding workpiece;
a support frame forming a space for arranging the plurality of workpieces, which is held by the first holding members and the second holding members, at a distance from each other; and
a holding member biasing member that biases at least one of the first holding members and the second holding members in a direction of separating the first holding members and the second holding members from each other.

4. The holding jig according to claim 3 , wherein
the holding jig is of a lateral side clamping system,
the first holding members are provided at one lateral side of the support frame, and the clampers held by the first holding members clamp one lateral side edges of the workpieces, and
the second holding members are provided at another lateral side of the support frame, and the clampers held by the second holding members clamp another lateral side edges of the workpieces.

5. The holding jig according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a fixed member fixed to the support frame, wherein
the fixed member has a guide portion extending in a horizontal direction,
each first holding member is configured to be movable in the horizontal direction along the guide portion relative to the fixed member, and
the holding member biasing member biases the first holding members in the horizontal direction in which the first holding members separate from the second holding members.

6. The holding jig according to claim 4 , wherein
the support frame has an insertion port for inserting the workpieces into the space,
the support frame is disposed in a posture such that the insertion port is positioned above the space, when the workpieces are inserted into the space, and
the support frame is disposed in a posture such that the insertion port is positioned at a lateral side of the space and the first holding members are positioned below the second holding members, when the plurality of the workpieces disposed in the space are immersed in the surface treatment liquid.

7. The holding jig according to claim 3 , wherein
the holding jig is of a vertical clamping system,
the clampers held by the first holding members clamp upper edges of the workpieces,
the clampers held by the second holding members clamp lower edges of the workpieces, and
the first holding members and the second holding members constitute part of an outer frame separate from the support frame.

8. The holding jig according to claim 7 , further comprising:
upper vertical frame members extending downward from both sides of each of the first holding members; and
lower vertical frame members extending upward from both sides of each of the second holding members, wherein
outer frame guide portions extending in a vertical direction are provided at either of the upper vertical frame members and the lower vertical frame members,
first pins that are fixed to the other of the upper vertical frame members and the lower vertical frame members, and each of the first pins is configured to move vertically relative to a corresponding outer frame guide portion in a state of being engaged with the corresponding outer frame guide portion, and
the holding member biasing member biases the first pins in the vertical direction in which the first holding members and the second holding members separate from each other.

9. The holding jig according to claim 8 , wherein second pins are fixed to the other of the upper vertical frame members and the lower vertical frame members at positions set apart in the vertical direction from the first pins, and each of the second pins is configured to move vertically relative to the corresponding outer frame guide portion in a state of being engaged with the corresponding outer frame guide portion.

10. The holding jig according to claim 7 , wherein
the support frame includes:
a pair of upper frame support portions disposed at a distance from each other in an extension direction of the first holding members in order to support one end portion and another end portion of the first holding members extending in a horizontal direction; and
a lower frame locking portion that locks the second holding members extending in the horizontal direction and suppresses lateral swinging of the second holding members.

11. The holding jig according to claim 10 , wherein
one of the upper frame support portions has upper grooves each open upward and serving for inserting the one end portion of the corresponding first holding member,
the other of the upper frame support portions has upper grooves each open upward and serving for inserting the other end portion of the corresponding first holding member, and
the lower frame locking portion has lower grooves each open upward and serving for inserting the corresponding second holding member.

12. The holding jig according to claim 11 , wherein a gap is formed between bottom portions of the lower grooves and the second holding members inserted into the lower grooves, when the one end portion and the other end portion of each of the first holding members inserted into the corresponding upper grooves are in contact with bottom portions of the upper grooves.

13. The holding jig according to claim 11 , wherein
a length of the first holding members is larger than a distance between the upper groove of the one upper frame support portion and the upper groove of the other upper frame support portion, and the one end portion and the other end portion of the first holding members project horizontally outwardly beyond the upper groove of the one upper frame support portion and the upper groove of the other upper frame support portion

Assignees

• Uemura Kogyo Kk

Inventors

• Uemura Tetsuro
• Kohama Kouhei
• Miyoshi Kazuya
• Teoh Kahyeong

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3312

  Vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces · CPC title

• H10P72/50

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• D06F55/00

  Clothes-pegs · CPC title

• B60R13/0206

  Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings (devices for fastening or securing F16B) · CPC title