Transfer apparatus using electrostatic attraction and transfer method using electrostatic attraction
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHirohiko HISANO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer apparatus using an electrostatic attraction includes an electrostatic chuck for attracting and placing a workpiece as a transfer member on a placement surface by electrostatic attraction. The electrostatic chuck is grounded by an earth via a ground electrode after the electrostatic chuck receives electric power from a power supply surface of a power source via power receiving electrodes of the electrostatic chuck, so that the electrostatic chuck is configured to attract and place the workpiece on the placement surface by electrostatic attraction in a state where electrostatic balance is broken.
Claims8
A transfer apparatus using an electrostatic attraction comprising:
- an electrostatic chuck including an electrostatic electrode disposed at a placement surface and including a power receiving electrode and a ground electrode disposed at a surface different from the placement surface, the electrostatic chuck configured to attract and place a transfer member on the placement surface by electrostatic attraction;
- a conveyor configured to move the electrostatic chuck;
- a power source having a power supply surface configured to apply a voltage to the electrostatic electrode by coming in contact with the power receiving electrode when the electrostatic chuck moves on the conveyor;
- an earth configured to ground the electrostatic chuck by coming in contact with the ground electrode when the electrostatic chuck moves on the conveyor;
- and
- a putting apparatus configured to put the transfer member on the placement surface, wherein:
- a power supply start position where the power supply surface starts to come in contact with the power receiving electrode is provided upstream of a putting position where the transfer member is put on the placement surface by the putting apparatus;
- a grounding start position where the earth starts to come in contact with the ground electrode is provided downstream of the power supply start position;
- a grounding end position where the earth ends to come in contact with the ground electrode is provided upstream of a power supply end position where the power supply surface ends to come in contact with the power receiving electrode;
- and
- the electrostatic chuck is grounded by the earth via the ground electrode after the electrostatic chuck receives electric power from the power supply surface via the power receiving electrode, the electrostatic chuck configured to attract and place the transfer member on the placement surface by the electrostatic attraction in a state where electrostatic balance is broken.
A transfer method using an electrostatic attraction comprising:
- causing an electrostatic chuck to receive electric power from a power supply surface by bringing a power receiving electrode into contact with the power supply surface when the electrostatic chuck moves on a conveyor configured to move the electrostatic chuck, the electrostatic chuck including an electrostatic electrode disposed at a placement surface and including the power receiving electrode and a ground electrode disposed at a surface different from the placement surface, the electrostatic chuck configured to place a transfer member on the placement surface by electrostatic attraction, the power supply surface included in a power source and configured to apply a voltage to the electrostatic electrode;
- grounding the electrostatic chuck by bringing the ground electrode into contact with an earth after the electrostatic chuck receives the electric power, the earth configured to ground the electrostatic chuck;
- putting the transfer member on the placement surface by a putting apparatus configured to put the transfer member on the placement surface, and attracting the transfer member on the placement surface by the electrostatic attraction in a state where electrostatic balance in the electrostatic chuck is broken;
- and
- transferring the transfer member attracted on the placement surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.