Coating apparatus – Gas or vapor deposition – Work support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-04
2004-11-30
Mills, Gregory (Department: 1763)
Coating apparatus
Gas or vapor deposition
Work support
C118S719000, C414S810000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06824618
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-81212 filed on Dec. 19, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that prevents substrate damage from occurring when a substrate is loaded/unloaded on/from a cassette.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) having characteristics of power-saving driving, full color realization, high image quality, and the like are widely used as screens in various devices such as watches, calculators, notebook computers and personal computers.
A process of fabricating such a liquid crystal display device mainly includes a substrate preparing process for constituting a liquid crystal display panel and a module assembly process.
In the related art, while the above-mentioned processes are carried out, a specially constituted substrate receiving apparatus is used for transferring a plurality of substrates and panels.
A substrate receiving apparatus for a liquid crystal display device according to a related art is explained by referring to the attached drawings as follows.
FIG. 1A
illustrates a layout of a substrate receiving apparatus and a conveying robot according to a related art.
FIG. 1B
illustrates a cross-sectional view of a substrate receiving apparatus according to a related art.
FIG. 1C
illustrates a layout of a cassette-fixing clamp unit according to a related art.
Referring to FIG.
1
A and
FIG. 1B
, a substrate receiving apparatus according to a related art includes a cassette
102
that receives a plurality of substrates
104
, a stage
103
supporting the cassette
102
, and at least one port
100
under the stage
103
. In this case, the cassette
102
is able to receive about 20 substrates.
A conveying robot
101
selects one of various ports
100
, approaches the cassette
102
on the selected port
100
, and then loads/unloads the substrates
104
one by one for processing the substrate
104
.
Referring to
FIG. 1C
, a fixing clamp
105
is used for fixing the cassette
102
mounted on the stage
103
(shown in FIG.
1
B). A cylinder
106
is installed on the clamp
105
so as to move the clamp forward/backward in a direction of the arrow. A side roller
107
is installed on the clamp
105
so as to reduce friction with the cassette
102
.
Once the cassette is fixed thereto by the clamp
105
, the conveying robot
101
carries out the function of taking the substrates
104
out one by one to process the substrates
104
.
FIG.
2
A and
FIG. 2B
illustrate receiving statuses of the substrates
104
put in the cassette
102
according to a related art.
Referring to
FIG. 2A
, plates
202
are placed at both inner sides of a cassette
102
so as to support a substrate
104
. The substrate
104
is placed on the plates
202
. In this case, the plates
202
leave a predetermined interval from each other so that a robot arm
201
may enter a space between the substrates
104
. Yet, a central portion of each of the substrates
104
droops downward due to its own weight.
Referring to
FIG. 2B
, an extent of the drooping increases as the substrate
104
is made to be thinner. Once the substrate
104
droops downward, the robot arm
201
advancing into the cassette for loading/unloading the substrate
104
fails to avoid touching another substrate. Hence, there is a chance the substrates may be damaged or for failure of the substrate.
In order to overcome such a problem there is a method for increasing an interval
206
between the upper and lower plates
202
or a length
207
of each of the plates
202
. However, it is very expensive to modify all the cassettes used in a product line. Besides, it is troublesome to use a different cassette according to a thickness of the corresponding substrate
104
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that prevents substrate damage generated from the process of loading/unloading substrates on/from a cassette.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a substrate receiving apparatus and method thereof that provides a general cassette receive substrates therein regardless of various kinds of thickness of the substrates.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a substrate receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes a cassette having a plurality of plates inside so as to receive a plurality of substrates; a cassette loading unit uploading and downloading the cassette; a port supporting the cassette loading unit; and a plurality of auxiliary plates inserted inside the cassette from outside.
The plates may be arranged at both inner sides of the cassette so as to leave a predetermined interval from each other.
The auxiliary plates have a length that is substantially longer than the plates.
The auxiliary plates are placed substantially parallel with the plates, and a vertical interval between the auxiliary plates is about equal to that of the plates.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of auxiliary plate support bars arranged on the port.
Each of the auxiliary plate support bars is capable of revolving.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of clamps fixing the cassette to the cassette loading unit.
The substrate receiving apparatus further includes a plurality of cylinders moving the clamps forward and backward, respectively, and a plurality of side rollers that substantially reduce friction between the clamps and cassette.
In another aspect of the present invention, a substrate receiving method includes downloading a cassette so as to move substrates from plates of the cassette to auxiliary plates; unloading and loading the substrates on the auxiliary plates from/on the cassette; and uploading the cassette so as to move the substrates from the auxiliary plates to the plates of the cassette.
The method further includes fixing the cassette to a cassette loading unit having uploading and downloading functions.
The method further includes inserting the auxiliary plates inside the cassette from outside before the cassette is downloaded.
The auxiliary plates are inserted inside the cassette by revolving auxiliary plate support bars.
The auxiliary plates are inserted between the plates so as to be substantially parallel with the plates.
Namely, the present invention loads/unloads a substrate having been placed on the auxiliary plates to be substantially longer than the plates installed inside the cassette, thereby preventing substrate damage.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5766493 (1998-06-01), Shin
patent: 5835176 (1998-11-01), Jeong et al.
patent: 6092981 (2000-07-01), Pfeiffer et al.
patent: 6197209 (2001-03-01), Shin et al.
patent: 6340405 (2002-01-01), Park
patent: 2138459 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 3022390 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 4116619 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 5249422 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 5249423 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 7168172 (1995-07-01), None
LG.Philips LCD., Ltd.
MacArthur Sylvia R.
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Mills Gregory
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