LIFT PIN DRIVING DEVICE AND A FLAT PANEL DISPLAY MANUFACTURING APPARATUS HAVING SAME

• US 20080110397A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INVENIA Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: INVENIA Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: SON, Hyoung Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/500
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68742 characterised by a lifting arrangement, e.g. lift pins
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68778 characterised by supporting substrates others than wafers, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2101 Cams

Abstract

A lift pin driving device and a flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatus having the device are provided. The lift pin driving device can precisely move a plurality of lift pins using one motor, thus realizing a simple lift pin driving structure and a simple motor control structure. This allows a space below a chamber body of the manufacturing apparatus to be configured in a variety of ways, thus reducing the cost of equipment and the production cost of products.

Claims

1. A lift pin driving device, comprising:

a driving structure, comprising;

at least one shaft;

at least one cam coupled to the at least one shaft; and

a driver configured to rotate the at least one shaft; and

a plurality of lift pins coupled to the driving structure, wherein the plurality of lift pins are configured to move vertically through a substrate support positioned above the driving structure as the driver rotates the at least one shaft.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lift pins are configured to move simultaneously upwards and simultaneously downwards through the substrate support as the driver rotates the at least one shaft.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein an upper end of each of the plurality of lift pins contacts a lower surface of a substrate positioned on the substrate support so as to lift or lower the substrate as the plurality of lift pins move vertically through the substrate support.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one shaft comprises a plurality of shafts coupled together at respective ends thereof so as to form a polygonal arrangement of shafts defining an open central portion.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of lift pins is coupled to one of the plurality of shafts by a cam.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the driver comprises:

a motor; and

a drive shaft coupled between the motor and one of the plurality of shafts, wherein the drive shaft is configured to transmit a rotational force from the motor to the one of the plurality of shafts so as to rotate the one of the plurality of shafts.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the one of the plurality of shafts by a worm gear unit or a bevel gear unit.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the drive shaft and motor are positioned at an outside of an outer periphery of the polygonal arrangement of shafts.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising a power transmission unit configured to transmit the rotational force received by the one of the plurality of shafts to the remaining plurality of shafts such that the plurality of shafts rotate together to move the driving structure upwards and downwards.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the power transmission unit comprises bevel gears provided at a coupling between the respective ends of the plurality of shafts such that rotation of the one of the plurality of shafts rotates the remaining plurality of shafts.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein a rotation of the plurality of shafts moves the plurality of lift pins fixed thereto simultaneously upwards or simultaneously downwards based on a direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a pin plate positioned between the plurality of shafts and the plurality of lift pins, wherein a lower end of each of the plurality of lift pins is fixed to an upper surface of the pin plate, and a lower surface of the pin plate is coupled to the plurality of shafts, and wherein a rotation of the plurality of shafts moves the pin plate and plurality of lift pins fixed thereto simultaneously upwards or simultaneously downwards based on a direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising an auxiliary pin plate that extends across an open central portion of the pin plate, and an auxiliary lift pin fixed to the auxiliary pin plate, wherein the auxiliary shaft and the auxiliary lift pin are configured to move together with the plurality of shafts and plurality of lift pins, respectively.

14. The device of claim 9, further comprising an auxiliary shaft extending between two of the plurality of shafts and across the central open, and at least one auxiliary lift pin coupled to the auxiliary shaft, wherein the auxiliary shaft is coupled to the two of the plurality of shafts such that the auxiliary shaft and the auxiliary lift pin are configured to move together with the plurality of shafts and plurality of lift pins, respectively.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein a lower end of each of the plurality of lift pins is coupled to a respective shaft of the plurality of shafts, and wherein the plurality of lift pins move simultaneously upwards or simultaneously downwards based on a direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lift pins are moved simultaneously upwards or simultaneously downwards by a single motor.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the driver comprises a motor and the at least one shaft comprises a ball screw rotatably coupled to the motor, and wherein the driving structure further comprises:

a drive plate coupled to the ball screw;

a plurality of pin plates to which lower ends of the plurality of lift pins are respectively fixed, wherein the plurality of pin plates are coupled to the drive plate by a respective plurality of links that extends therebetween;

a vertical guide configured to guide upward or downward movement of the plurality of pin plates.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein a rotation of the motor and corresponding rotation of the ball screw moves the drive plate upwards or downwards to move the plurality of lift pins simultaneously upwards or simultaneously downwards based on a direction of rotation of the ball screw.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein a vertical guide is provided with each of the plurality of pin plates, and wherein each of the vertical guides is a rack and pinion device that forms a moveable coupling between a respective link and pin plate, or a fixed block coupled to a moveable block that forms a linear coupling between a respective link and pin plate.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of pin plates are arranged radially outward surrounding the drive plate, and are positioned at a predetermined vertical distance from the drive plate.

21. A flat panel display manufacturing apparatus comprising the lift pin driving device of claim 1.

22. A flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a chamber in which substrates are processed;

a substrate support provided in the chamber and configured to support a substrate thereon; and

a lift pin driving device positioned below the chamber, the lift pin driving device comprising;

a plurality of lift pins; and

a driving device configured to move the plurality of lift pins simultaneously upwards and simultaneously downwards through a corresponding plurality of first pin holes extending through an outer wall of the chamber, and a corresponding plurality of second pin holes extending through the substrate support so as to raise and lower a substrate positioned on the substrate support.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the substrate support comprises a lower electrode assembly provided in a lower portion of the chamber, facing an upper electrode assembly provided in an upper portion of the chamber.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a pin support structure to which lower ends of the plurality of lift pins are coupled, wherein the driving device comprises a motor and a power transmission unit configured to transmit a driving force of the motor to the pin support structure so as to move the plurality of lift pins simultaneously upwards such that upper ends of the plurality of lift pins that contact a lower surface of a substrate positioned on the substrate support move the substrate upwards, or simultaneously downwards such that the upper ends of the plurality of lift pins are retracted into the second plurality of pin holes to move the substrate downwards.