Panel feeding device, panel feeding method, and panel assembling device

• US 7,743,903 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINGH, KAVEL
• Application Number:
  US11/317,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 198/626.1, 198/626.2
• US Class Current: 198/346.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2249/04 Arrangements of vacuum systems or suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/061 Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames suction means as load-engaging elements attached to the lifting or lowering gear of cranes B66C1/02; suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00; suction cups on gripping heads B25J15/0616; suction cups in general B65G47/91; suction cups combined with cutting means on vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; devices for turning sheets B65G49/067; suspending devices B65G49/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/064 in a horizontal position B65G49/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/10 AC-PDPs with at least one main electrode being out of contact with the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/261 the vessel being for a flat panel display for flat discharge lamps H01J9/268
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/265 specially adapted for gas-discharge tubes or lamps H01J9/261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/40 Closing vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/48 with automatic transfer of workpieces between operating stations

Abstract

A panel feeding device, panel feeding method, and panel assembling device are provided that are capable of stably conveying a large panel. On panel assembling where a display panel is assembled by joining substrate (7) to glass panel (5), in a panel feeding device that feeds glass panel (5) to a working position, a panel conveying means that conveys glass panel (5) is supported by a pair of placing tables (4), each moving along carrier rails, at both ends of the bottom surface, and substrate 7 bonded to glass panel (5) extending from glass panel (5) is supported by supporting members (24c) and (25c) provided extending from placing table (4). This makeup enables stably conveying a large panel.

Claims

1. A panel feeding method that feeds a panel to a working position, comprising:

a panel conveying process that conveys the panel along a conveying path from a receiving position to a delivery position, the conveying path comprising a pair of carrier rails disposed substantially in parallel to the conveying path; and

a panel receiving and moving process that receives the panel at the delivery position by a panel holder by holding the panel, and moves the panel to the working position, via a standby position, the panel being assembled at the working position,

wherein the receiving position, the delivery position and the standby position are located in order of the receiving position, the delivery position and the standby position from an upstream of the conveying path,

wherein the panel conveying process, by means of a pair of panel placing parts each provided slidably on the pair of carrier rails, synchronously moves the pair of panel placing parts on the carrier rails, with the panel being held at both ends of bottom surface thereof, from the receiving position to the delivery position,

wherein a direction X is defined as a direction parallel to the pair of carrier rails, a direction Z is defined as a direction perpendicular to a plane including the pair of carrier rails and a direction Y is defined as a direction perpendicular to the directions X and Z,

wherein the panel receiving and moving process, by moving the panel holder from the standby position to the delivery position in the direction X horizontally relative to the pair of carrier rails and then moving the panel holder up along the Z direction, executes a panel receiving action, the panel receiving action including holding the panel on the panel placing part positioned at the delivery position, by the panel holder at a bottom surface of the panel, the panel holder being separated from the pair of carrier rails and movable along the directions X, Y and Z, and

wherein in the panel receiving and moving process, after the panel holder is further moved along the direction X from the delivery position to the standby position, the panel held by the panel holder is moved to the working position by further moving the panel holder in the direction Y.

2. The panel feeding method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel is bonded with a substrate in a state of extending from an edge of the panel, and the panel conveying process supports the substrate from below by means of a supporting member provided on the panel placing parts.

3. The panel feeding method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the panel receiving action moves the supporting member relative to the panel placing parts.

4. The panel feeding method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the panel receiving action performs the relative movement as a result that the receiving operation means that has the panel holder perform the panel receiving action touches the supporting member.

5. The panel feeding method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working position is positioned along the direction Y and apart from the pair of carrier rails and at an outside of the pair of carrier rails.

6. The panel feeding method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the panel is jointed with a substrate at the working position.