Glass Substrate Cassette and Pick-and-Place System for Glass Substrate

• US 20140037406A1
• Filed: 08/08/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Qi, Minghu, Wu, Chunhao, Lin, Kunhsien, Wang, Yongqiang, Li, Xiande, Yang, Weibing
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/277
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/10 with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/12 with separate article supports or holders movable in a closed circuit to facilitate insertion or removal of articles the articles being books, documents, forms or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6732 Vertical carrier comprising wall type elements whereby the substrates are horizontally supported, e.g. comprising sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6734 specially adapted for supporting large square shaped substrates containers and packaging elements for glass sheets B65D85/48, transporting of glass products during their manufacture C03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67778 involving loading and unloading of wafers

Abstract

The present invention discloses a glass substrate cassette and pick-and-place system for glass substrates. The glass substrate cassette comprises: a cassette case, comprising a pair of side walls disposed in parallel and vertically; and a plurality of support racks, disposed inside the cassette case for supporting glass substrates, each support rack comprising a pair of connecting elements supporting respectively the pair of side walls and a plurality of support elements lined up in parallel along a first horizontal direction and connected to the pair of connecting elements, connecting element able to move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls and at least partially beyond the cassette case. The support rack of the present invention can move beyond cassette to realize random pick-and-place of glass substrate at any layer.

Claims

1. A glass substrate cassette for storing glass substrates, which comprises:

a cassette case, comprising a pair of side walls disposed in parallel and vertically;

a plurality of support racks, disposed inside the cassette case for supporting glass substrates, disposed vertically with spacing gaps, each support rack comprising a pair of connecting elements supporting respectively the pair of side walls and a plurality of support elements lined up in parallel along a first horizontal direction and connected to the pair of connecting elements along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, the support elements being metal rods; and

locking device, located on two ends of side walls for stopping connecting elements from moving along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls in a locked state, and allowing connecting element to move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls and at least partially beyond the cassette case in an unlocked state.

2. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the metal rod is covered with a layer of Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin.

3. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the side wall is disposed with sliding trench, the connecting element is disposed inside the sliding trench and can move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the sliding trench.

4. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the glass substrate cassette further comprises a restricting mechanism, for stopping connecting elements from disengaging from the sliding trench.

5. A glass substrate cassette for storing glass substrates, which comprises:

a cassette case, comprising a pair of side walls disposed in parallel and vertically; and

a plurality of support racks, disposed inside the cassette case for supporting glass substrates, disposed vertically with spacing gaps, each support rack comprising a pair of connecting elements supporting respectively the pair of side walls and a plurality of support elements lined up in parallel along a first horizontal direction and connected to the pair of connecting elements along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, the connecting element able to move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls and at least partially beyond the cassette case.

6. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the support elements are metal rods.

7. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the metal rod is covered with a layer of Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin.

8. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the side wall is disposed with sliding trench, the connecting element is disposed inside the sliding trench and can move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the sliding trench.

9. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the glass substrate cassette further comprises a locking device, located on two ends of side walls for stopping connecting elements from moving along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls in a locked state, and allowing connecting element to move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the side walls and at least partially beyond the cassette case in an unlocked state.

10. The glass substrate cassette as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the glass substrate cassette further comprises a restricting mechanism, for stopping connecting elements from disengaging from the sliding trench.

11. A pick-and-place system for glass substrates, which comprises:

a glass substrate cassette for storing glass substrates, the glass substrate cassette comprising;

a cassette case, comprising a pair of side walls disposed in parallel and vertically;

a plurality of support racks, disposed inside the cassette case for supporting glass substrates, disposed vertically with spacing gaps, each support rack comprising a pair of connecting elements supporting respectively the pair of side walls and a plurality of support elements lined up in parallel along a first horizontal direction and connected to the pair of connecting elements along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction;

a docking device, comprising a transport mechanism and a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism being for adjusting the height of the transport mechanism, and the transport mechanism comprising a plurality of transport axes along a first horizontal direction;

when the support rack moving along the first horizontal direction with respect to the cassette case and moving partially beyond the cassette case, the lifting mechanism transmitting the transport mechanism to push the glass substrate supported by support rack upwards and the transport mechanism transporting the glass substrate out of the support rack.

12. The pick-and-place system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the support elements are metal rods.

13. The pick-and-place system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the side wall is disposed with sliding trench, the connecting element is disposed inside the sliding trench and can move along the first horizontal direction with respect to the sliding trench.

14. The pick-and-place system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the transport mechanism further comprises a plurality of rollers sheathed to the transport axes, and the rollers push the glass substrate upwards.