Conveyors: fluid current – Having means for maintaining load in suspension along flow path – By load supporting jets
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-27
2001-05-01
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: fluid current
Having means for maintaining load in suspension along flow path
By load supporting jets
C406S195000, C414S676000, C414S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224298
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an object transport apparatus for transporting an object (various electronic parts such as semiconductor chips) placed in a production process to the next production step, or for transporting a completed object to the next assembling step.
BACKGROUND ART
In general, a container, which is composed of a box with an open top, is often used in the production line for an object (various electronic parts such as semiconductor chips), in order to transport a large number of electronic parts to the next processing step or to a storage chamber or the like.
For example, when a large number of electronic parts or the like (hereinafter simply referred to as “workpieces”) are transported by using the container in the production line, then the large number of workpieces are randomly introduced into the container, and they are automatically transported to the next processing step or to the storage chamber by using, for example, a belt conveyer and a transport arm.
A method is known, which is used when the object, which is subjected to the transport, has a small size, for example, when the object is a semiconductor chip. In this method, a transport passage is provided with a large number of holes, and air is discharged through the large number of holes to transport the object.
According to this method, a large number of small-sized objects can be smoothly transported. Therefore, this method is advantageous to shorten the time required to perform the transport.
However, the conventional transport apparatus based on the use of air merely transports the objects in one direction by discharging air. Therefore, an inconvenience arises in that the objects are closely contacted with each other at the terminal end of the transport passage in the transport direction, and it is difficult to pick up the object which has arrived at the terminal end.
Especially, in the case of the semiconductor chip, for example, it is necessary to pick up individual objects one by one. In such a case, individual objects are picked up one by one by manual operation, involving a problem that it is impossible to realize the fully automatic operation for the transport system.
The present invention has been made taking such problems into consideration, an object of which is to provide a transport system for transporting an object in one direction while floating the object by means of air, especially an object transport apparatus which makes it possible to realize automatic operation to pick up individual objects one by one.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an object transport apparatus provided with at least one line of groove for constructing a transport passage for transporting an object, the object transport apparatus comprising a mechanism for moving the object in a transport direction, a floating mechanism, and a floating-accelerating mechanism disposed at a terminal end in the transport direction.
Accordingly, at first, the floating mechanism for the object is operated so that a large number of objects, which are placed on the object transport surface, are slightly floated upwardly. In this situation, the mechanism for moving the object in the transport direction is operated. Thus, the large number of objects are transported together toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Further, the floating-accelerating mechanism for the object is provided at the terminal end in the transport direction. Therefore, the object, which has arrived at the terminal end of the transport passage in the transport direction, is positioned in a state in which the concerning object is floated to a position higher than those of the other objects. Accordingly, the object, which is positioned at the terminal end in the transport direction, can be easily picked up without using any manual operation. It is possible to realize automatic operation for picking up a large number of transported individual objects one by one. This results in fully automatic operation for the entire object transport system.
In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the mechanism for moving the object in the transport direction comprises any one of, or a combination of a means for inclining the transport passage downwardly by a predetermined angle toward the transport direction, a large number of air-jetting holes which are formed through a transport surface of the transport passage so that air is jetted toward the transport direction, and a pushing means provided toward the transport direction at a starting end of the transport passage in the transport direction.
The use of the means for inclining the transport passage downwardly by the predetermined angle toward the transport direction allows the large number of objects to be transported in accordance with their own weights to the downstream side in the transport direction. In this embodiment, if the angle of inclination is too large, the objects are overlapped with each other in an excessive degree at the terminal end in the transport direction. Therefore, the angle of inclination is preferably not more than 2°. If the angle of inclination is too small, the ability to transport the object is deteriorated. Therefore, the angle of inclination is preferably not less than 0.5°. However, there is no limitation thereto.
The large number of objects are transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction by allowing the large number of air-jetting holes to penetrate through the transport surface of the transport passage so that air is jetted toward the transport direction, or by providing the pushing means toward the transport direction at the starting end of the transport passage in the transport direction.
The “air-jetting holes” referred to herein indicate a large number of through-holes which are formed mechanically, and a large number of holes of a porous material such as sintered metal. In the present invention, the jetting angle of the air-jetting holes provided through the transport surface may be determined to be an appropriate angle considering the shape and the weight of the object in view of the balance with the ability as an object-floating mechanism as described later on. The air-jetting holes may also serve as the object-floating mechanism, and hence it is possible to reduce the cost owing to the simplification of the apparatus. Further, it is possible to simplify the handling operation for the apparatus, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the apparatus.
A method based on the use of air discharge, or a mechanical pushing method such as those based on the use of a piston may be appropriately selected and used as the pushing means. Accordingly, it is possible to control the transport ability in an independent manner. The applicable range of the operating conditions include, for example, the shape of the object and the transport speed. Especially, it is possible to avoid the problem which would be otherwise caused that the object would be sunk without being floated at the starting end of the transport passage at which the object is introduced.
In another embodiment, it is preferable that the floating mechanism has a large number of air-jetting holes which are formed through an object transport surface of the transport passage. The air is jetted upwardly from the air-jetting holes in a direction perpendicular to the transport surface. By doing so, all of the large number of objects placed on the transport passage can be appropriately floated, and it is possible to avoid any retention of the object on the transport passage. That is, all of the large number of objects can be efficiently transported in the transport direction.
In still another embodiment, the floating-accelerating mechanism may appropriately select and use any one of, or a combination of a means for allowing a planar configuration of the transport passage to have a shape for maximizing a floating amount of the object at the terminal end in the transport direction, and a means with a large numb
Ohnishi Takao
Tsuji Hiroyuki
Burr & Brown
Dillon, Jr. Joe
Ellis Christopher P.
NGK Insulators Ltd.
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