Supporting device, substrate transportation equipment and a related method thereof

A supporting device includes a support body for supporting a substrate and an auxiliary wing for supporting the corner of the substrate, so that the substrate is substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting device. Also disclosed is a substrate transportation equipment including the supporting device and a movable protruding member. The substrate transportation equipment can prevent the movable protruding member from hitting the edge of the substrate when the movable protruding member moves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a supporting device. In particular, the present invention relates to a supporting device which allows a substrate to be horizontally disposed thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the current solar cell production, transportation equipment is employed to transport the solar cells. In the meantime, the edges of the solar cells may droop to bend due to various reasons, such as curling of the substrate because of heated Al paste on the back of the substrate or because of an extremely thin substrate.

Once the substrates bend too much, they collide with one another and pile up while being transported and the collision causes the drop of the yield.

FIG. 1Illustrates the conventional transportation of the substrates. The transportation equipment100includes the base110, the walking beam120and cell seats130,131,132,133. The cell seats130,131,132,133are fixed on the base110. The walking beam120includes multiple protruding members121reciprocating between the cell seats130,131and the cell seats132,133to transport the substrate140.

A complete cycle of the reciprocation of the walking beam120includes movements A-B-C-D. When the substrate bends, the far edges droop more than the ordinary ones. In the mean time, if the walking beam120moves along the D direction, the protruding members121of the walking beam120collide with the drooping edges of the substrate140on the cell seats132,133and cause pile-ups. The yield therefore decreases.

It is needed to provide a novel supporting device to solve the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a novel supporting device for avoiding the aforementioned abnormal situation to effectively lower the defects and increase the yield.

The present invention first provides a supporting device, which includes a support body for supporting a substrate and an auxiliary wing for supporting the corners of the substrate, so that the substrate is substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting device.

The present invention further provides a substrate transportation equipment, which includes a base and a plurality of supporting devices. The base includes a central working beam and a first base surface and a second base surface respectively disposed on both sides of the central working beam. The central working beam includes a reciprocating movable protruding member for transporting a substrate and a plurality of supporting devices correspondingly disposed on the first base surface and the second base surface. Each supporting device includes a support body for supporting the substrate and an auxiliary wing for supporting the substrate so that the substrate may be substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting devices to avoid the collision of the movable protruding member with corners of the substrate during its reciprocation.

The present invention also provides a method for transporting a substrate. The method of the present invention includes first providing a substrate transportation equipment including a base, a plurality of first supporting devices disposed on a first location of the base, a plurality of second supporting devices disposed on a second location of the base, and a working beam, disposed on a base, including a movable protruding member reciprocating between the first location and the second location. Afterwards, a substrate is substantially horizontally placed on the first supporting devices. Later the protruding member is elevated so that the protruding member replaces the first supporting devices to support the substrate. Afterwards, the protruding member and the substrate thereon altogether move from the first location to the second location along the working beam. Later the protruding member is lowered so that the substrate is off the protruding member and substantially horizontally disposed on the second supporting devices. Then the protruding member returns to the first location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One aspect of the present invention provides a supporting device and a substrate transportation equipment to prevent the working beam from colliding with the substrate on the base so as to effectively lower the defects and increase the yield.

FIG. 2illustrates the supporting device200of the present invention. The supporting device200includes a support body210and an auxiliary wing220. The support body210is useful in supporting a substrate (not shown) and the auxiliary wing220is useful in supporting the corners of the substrate, so that a substrate is substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting device200.

Usually the support body210includes a first top surface211so that a substrate may lie on the first top surface211. Preferably, the support body210may further include a cushion212, made of elastic material, on the first top surface211. Similarly, the auxiliary wing220may include a second top rim221so that the corners of a substrate may be disposed on the second top rim221of the auxiliary wing220. Also, the auxiliary wing220may further include a pad on the second top rim221to avoid scratching the substrate. The auxiliary wing220may be made of plastic materials, such as plastics or metal, so that the auxiliary wing220may be adjusted manually to correctly support the corners of a substrate.

The auxiliary wing220may extend from the support body210along the diagonal direction of the substrate. According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary wing220is detachably connected to the support body210. Or, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support body210and the auxiliary wing220are integratedly formed. Preferably, the auxiliary wing220may be a bended metal plate latched to a base with the support body210.

FIG. 3illustrates the substrate transportation equipment300of the present invention. The substrate transportation equipment300includes a base340and a plurality of supporting devices301. The base340includes a central working beam343, a first base surface341and a second base surface342. The first base surface341and the second base surface342are respectively disposed on both sides of the central working beam343. The central working beam343includes a reciprocating movable protruding member344for transporting a substrate330.

The supporting devices301which are correspondingly disposed on the first base surface341and the second base surface342respectively include a support body310and an auxiliary wing320. The support body310is useful in supporting the substrate330and the auxiliary wing320is useful in supporting the substrate330so that the substrate330may be substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting devices301. Because the substrate330can be substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting devices301, the collision of the movable protruding member344with corners331of the substrate330during its reciprocation can be avoided.

The substrate330may be a bendable article, such as a solar cell, but is not limited to this. Usually, the support body310may include a first top surface311so that the substrate330may lie on the support body310by means of the first top surface311. Preferably, the support body310may further include a cushion312made of elastic material, such as a plastic tube, on the first top surface311. Similarly, the auxiliary wing320may include a second top rim321so that the corners331of the substrate330may lie on the second top rim321of the auxiliary wing320. Also, the auxiliary wing320may further include a pad (not shown) on the second top rim321to avoid scratching the substrate. The auxiliary wing320may be made of plastic materials, such as plastics or metal, so that the auxiliary wing320may correctly support the corners331of the substrate330.

The auxiliary wing320may extend from the support body310along the diagonal direction of the substrate330. The auxiliary wing320may be detachably connected to the support body310, or the support body310and the auxiliary wing320may be integratedly formed. Preferably, the auxiliary wing320may be a bended metal plate latched to the base340with the support body310.

FIGS. 4-7illustrate the method for transporting a substrate of the present invention. First, as shown inFIG. 4, the substrate transportation equipment400includes a base440, a plurality of first supporting devices401disposed on a first location403of the base400, a plurality of second supporting devices402disposed on a second location402of the base400and disposed on the base400a working beam443including a pair of movable protruding member444reciprocating between the first location403and the second location404.

Afterwards, as shown inFIG. 5the substrate430is substantially horizontally placed on the first supporting devices401. Then the protruding member444is elevated so that the protruding member444replaces the first supporting devices401to support the substrate430. Please note, the substrate430has corners431.

Both the first supporting device401and the second supporting device402respectively include a support body410and an auxiliary wing420. The support body410is useful in supporting the substrate430and the auxiliary wing420is useful in supporting the corners431of the substrate430, so that the substrate430may be substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting device.

The substrate430may usually be a bendable article, such as a solar cell, but is not limited to this. Usually, the support body410may include a first top surface411so that the substrate430may lie on the support body410by means of the first top surface411. Preferably, the support body410may further include a cushion412made of elastic material, such as a plastic tube, on the first top surface411.

Similarly, the auxiliary wing420may include a second top rim421so that the corners431of the substrate430may lie on the second top rim421of the auxiliary wing420. Also, the auxiliary wing420may further include a pad (not shown) on the second top rim421to avoid scratching the substrate. The auxiliary wing420may be made of plastic materials, such as plastics or metal, so that the auxiliary wing420may correctly support the corners431of the substrate430.

The auxiliary wing420may extend from the support body410along the diagonal direction of the substrate430. In order to allow the auxiliary wing420to correctly support the corners431of the substrate430, the second top rim421may be preferably slightly lower than the first top surface411. The auxiliary wing420may be detachably connected to the support body410, or the support body410and the auxiliary wing420may be integratedly formed. Preferably, the auxiliary wing420may be a bended metal plate latched to the base440with the support body410.

Later, as shown inFIG. 6the protruding member444and the substrate430thereon altogether move from the first location403to the second location404along the working beam443. The distance between the first location403and the second location404depends on the dimension of the substrate430. The shorter the distance usually means the higher the yield.

After reaching the second location404, the protruding member444is lowered so that the substrate430is off the protruding member444and substantially horizontally disposed on the second supporting devices402. As shown inFIG. 7, because the auxiliary wing420elevates the drooping corners431of the substrate430, the substrate430now is substantially horizontally disposed on the supporting device402so the collision of the movable protruding member (not shown) with corners431of the substrate430during its reciprocation can be avoided. Accordingly, the height of the auxiliary wing420is preferably between the support body410and the protruding member444. Afterwards the protruding member444returns to the first location403.