Super Clean Non-Contact Conveying System Utilizing Electrostatic Force

为了减少液晶显示器（LCD）或半导体制造过程中二重颗粒对产品表面的污染，开发玻璃板或硅片的非接触输送系统是必不可少的。此外，与液晶显示器的大型化趋势相适应，传统的运输系统采用真空卡盘固定在机械臂末端执行器上，在玻璃基板上产生了相当大的挠度。由于上述两个原因，需要开发一种新的薄板输送系统。本研究成功研制了一种薄板静电悬浮卡盘。将薄板视为一种柔性物体，为了使其悬浮，必须控制悬浮过程中薄板各小区域上的作用力。将产生静电悬浮力的电极分成若干块，并根据相应的间隙传感器输出控制各电极单元的外加电压。一个原型机构被证实可以悬浮一块278mm x 78mm x 0.05mm尺寸的薄铝板，在电极板下方有大约0.5mm的间隙。垂直振动幅值约为±5μm，为间隙传感器的分辨率。另一个原型装置也被用来悬浮一个尺寸为385hm x 130mm x 0.7mm的钠石灰玻璃板。尽管玻璃的表面电阻率很高，会降低悬浮的稳定性，但我们成功地将上述玻璃板悬浮起来。在本研究中，我们还成功开发了一种新型的非接触输送系统，该系统采用空气轴承和静电推进相结合的方式输送薄板。提出了一种合适的电极结构，并通过测力和输送实验验证了其有效性。当间隙宽度为130μm时，52mm × 52mm × 0.7mm的钠石灰玻璃板以150mm/s的速度移动，横向振动小于±0.5mm。少

To reduce the contamination of product surfaces by duet particle in manufacturing process of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or semiconductors, the development of non-contact conveying system for glass plate or silicon wafer is essentia1. Furthermore, in proportion to the large-sizing tendency of LCD, the conventional transportation system utilizing vacuum chuck fixing on the end-effecter of robot arm gives a pretty deflection on the glass base-plate. Because of the two reasons mentioned above, the development of a new conveying system for thin glass plate is required.In this research, an electrostatic suspension chuck for thin plate has been successfully developed. For the purpose to levitate a thin plate, which should be considered as a flexible object, the operating force on each small area of the thin plate during levitation has to be controlled. The electrode employed for generating electrostatic levitation force was divided to pieces, and the applied voltage to each electrode unit w … More as controlled based on the output of the corresponding gap sensor. A prototype mechanism was confirmed to levitate a thin aluminum plate of 278mm x 78mm x 0.05mm in size, with a gap of around 0.5mm steadily beneath the electrode plate. The vertical vibration amplitude was about ±5μm, which was the resolution of the gap sensor. Another prototype mechanism wag also constructed to levitate a soda-lime glass plate of 385hm x 130mm x 0.7mm in size. Despite of the glass's high surface resistivity, which would deteriorate the stability of levitation, we succeeded in the levitation of the mentioned glass plate.In this research, we also successfully developed a new non-contact conveying system for thin glass plate, utilizing combination of air bearing and electrostatic propelling. An appropriate structure for electrode was proposed, and its effectiveness was confirmed through the force measuring and conveying experiment. A soda-lime glass plate of 52mm x 52mm x 0.7mm in size wag conveyed at a speed of 150mm/s with a lateral vibration less than ±0.5mm, when the gap width was 130μm. Less