Elevating mechanism

An elevating mechanism is provided in the embodiments of the disclosure, which relates to the technical field of a substrate carrying mechanism device and is capable of decreasing incidence of an electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon of a substrate to be processed during an ascending-descending process thereof. The elevating mechanism is configured to carry the substrate to be processed, including a plurality of struts, each of which is provided at a supporting end thereof with a support portion which is in contact with the substrate to be processed, by means of a supporting surface provided on the support portion when the elevating mechanism carries the substrate to be processed; and an ionic wind supply. Each of the plurality of struts is provided with a channel which is arranged inside a corresponding one of the plurality of the struts and penetrates therethrough and is configured to deliver an ionic wind outputted from the ionic wind supply into the corresponding one of the plurality of struts; and each of the plurality of struts is provided at least at a location of the supporting surface on the support portion with a plurality of first vent holes in communication with the channel thereof, through which the ionic wind delivered by the ionic wind supply is blown towards the substrate to be processed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED INVENTION

The present disclosure claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application Invention No. 201610743003.3 filed on Aug. 26, 2016 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the technical field of a substrate carrying mechanism device, and in particular, to an elevating mechanism.

Description of the Related Art

In a manufacturing procedure of the TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) process, a plurality of processes are carried out during which a substrate is required to be placed on a carrying platform of an elevating mechanism. Therefore, in a period during which a substrate to be processed is placed and moved among different processes, it is often necessary to operate by a strut or struts of the elevating mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present disclosure have been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages and/or shortcomings in the prior art, by providing an elevating mechanism in embodiments of the disclosure, such that an incidence of an electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon of a substrate to be processed may be decreased during an ascending-descending process thereof.

Following technical solutions are adopted in exemplary embodiments of the invention for achieving the above desired technical purposes.

According to an aspect of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an elevating mechanism configured to carry a substrate to be processed, including a plurality of struts, each of which is provided at a supporting end thereof with a support portion which is in contact with the substrate to be processed, by means of a supporting surface provided on the support portion when the elevating mechanism carries the substrate to be processed; and an ionic wind supply. Each of the plurality of struts is provided with a channel which is arranged inside a corresponding one of the plurality of the struts and penetrates therethrough and is configured to deliver an ionic wind outputted from the ionic wind supply into the corresponding one of the plurality of struts; and each of the plurality of struts is provided at least at a location of the supporting surface on the support portion with a plurality of first vent holes in communication with the channel thereof, through which the ionic wind delivered by the ionic wind supply is blown towards the substrate to be processed.

Respective dimension and shape of each component in the drawings are only intended to exemplarily illustrate the contents of the disclosure, rather than to demonstrate the practical dimension or proportion of components of the elevating mechanism.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, an elevating mechanism is provided, as illustrated inFIG. 1, having a hard rubber end021which is provided at a top portion of each of its struts02and capable of moving up and down relative to a carrying platform04for carrying a substrate to be processed01, by extending through respective mounting hole b provided on the carrying platform04. Once the substrate to be processed01is delivered directly over the carrying platform04, a plurality of struts02rise respectively through corresponding mounting holes b so as to support the substrate to be processed01, and falls down along with the latter slowly until respective hard rubber end021is received/accommodated within the carrying platform04, such that the substrate to be processed01is placed onto the carrying platform04steadily and stably. Once the processes are completed, the struts02rise, push the substrate to be processed01to depart from the carrying platform04, and continue to support the substrate to be processed to rise to a certain height and then the substrate is grabbed and transferred away.

However, in this exemplary embodiment, it is inevitable that a friction is generated between the substrate to be processed01and the carrying platform04during processes of the substrate to be processed01, such that a static charges may be easily generated on the substrate to be processed01, especially in a moment the struts02push the substrate to be processed01to depart from the carrying platform04; furthermore, since the hard rubber end021of the struts02has a relatively small end area and is formed by a relatively hard material, then a tip discharge or a point discharge may occur extremely easily at a position where the hard rubber end021contacts the substrate to be processed01, resulting in an electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon there, such that metal layers or an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) layer routed internally within the substrate to be processed01may be burned down.

Furthermore, according to a general technical concept of the present disclosure, there is provided an elevating mechanism as illustrate inFIG. 2, the elevating mechanism is configured to carry a substrate to be processed01and it comprises a plurality of struts02and an ionic wind supply03. Since the plurality of struts02are identical in respective shape, size and structure, then, in order to facilitate a clear illustration in accompanying drawings, a single strut02is illustrated as exemplary embodiment inFIG. 2, and it was enlarged entirely to a certain scale as compared with the substrate to be processed01. Each of the plurality of struts02is provided at a supporting end thereof with a support portion022which is in contact with the substrate to be processed01, by means of a supporting surface provided at the supporting end of the support portion022of the corresponding strut02when the elevating mechanism carries the substrate to be processed01. And by way of example, the ionic wind supply03is configured to deliver an ionic wind outputted therefrom into a channel ‘c’ of a corresponding one of the struts02via the channel ‘c’ which is arranged inside the corresponding one of the struts02and penetrates therethrough, for example. And each of the plurality of struts02is provided at least at a location of the supporting surface on the support portion022with a plurality of first vent holes each labeled by ‘a’ in communication with the channel ‘c’ thereof, through which the ionic wind delivered by the ionic wind supply03is blown towards the substrate to be processed01.

It should be noticed that, firstly, the supporting end of a strut02refers to an end of the strut02which end is configured to support the substrate to be processed01, i.e., an upper end illustrated inFIG. 2.

In the depiction of the disclosure, it should be understood that, an orientation or positional relationship referred to by terminologies ‘above/over’, ‘below/under, ‘left’, ‘right’ and “top/upper” should be interpreted as an orientation or positional relationship relative to the strut02, just intending to facilitate and simplify depiction of the disclosure rather than indicating or implying that the device or element thus referred to is necessarily positioned at a certain absolute orientation, or should necessarily be constructed/operated at a certain orientation. In other words, such terminologies should not be interpreted a limitation/restriction to the disclosure.

Secondly, the supporting surface of the support portion022refers to a portion of the support portion022being in contact with the substrate to be processed01, at a supporting end thereof, when the strut02contacts with and supports the substrate to be processed01by means of the supporting end. As illustrated inFIG. 2, a portion ‘W’ which contacts between the supporting end of the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01, functions as the supporting surface of the support portion022.

Thirdly, an outlet at a top end of the channel ‘c’ of the strut02is in direct communication with the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) of the support portion022; the ionic wind delivered by the ionic wind supply03is blown through the top end of the channel ‘c’ and the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) towards the substrate to be processed01.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an elevating mechanism is provided which is configured to carry a substrate to be processed, comprising a plurality of struts each of which has a channel arranged inside a corresponding one of the plurality of the struts and penetrating therethrough, and an ionic wind supply. Each of the plurality of struts is provided at a supporting end thereof with a support portion which is intended to be in contact with the substrate to be processed, by means of a supporting surface provided on the support portion when the elevating mechanism is adopted to carry the substrate to be processed. The ionic wind supply and the channel are used to deliver an ionic wind outputted from the ionic wind supply into the corresponding one of the struts. Moreover, each of the plurality of struts is provided at least at a location of the supporting surface on the support portion with a plurality of first vent holes in communication with the channel thereof, through which the ionic wind delivered by the ionic wind supply is blown towards the substrate to be processed. Besides, due to an existence of the support portion provided at the supporting end of the corresponding strut, the channel provided within the corresponding strut, the ionic wind supply disposed on or within the corresponding strut, and the plurality of through-holes (i.e., the first vent holes) provided at least at a location of the supporting surface of the support portion in communication with the channel of the corresponding strut, then the ionic wind delivered towards the channel within the strut by the ionic wind supply is further blown towards the substrate to be processed through the through-holes of the support portion. Since a large number of dissociative positive and negative ions are carried within the ionic wind, then, when blown towards the substrate to be processed, the dissociative positive and negative ions are capable of being combined actively with the electrons on the substrate to be processed, so as to neutralize static charges on the substrate to be processed, and thus to decrease incidence of an electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon which may easily occur on the substrate to be processed when the substrate to be processed and the carrying platform are separated from each other, such that a yield rate of the substrate to be processed may be enhanced.

The support portion022according to the embodiment may be a solid body as illustrated inFIG. 3, or a hollow construction as illustrated inFIG. 2, for example. Since the first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) which are through-holes are to be processed on the support portion022, then, in order to save material and to simplify processes, it is a typical solution that the support portion022is configured to be the hollow construction as illustrated inFIG. 2. A support portion022of the hollow construction is illustrated in details hereinafter.

During the processes in which the substrate to be processed01is processed on the carrying platform, it is inevitable that static charges are generated and accumulated. If the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) are provided at the location of the supporting surface of the support portion022, when the strut02approaches a lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, the ionic wind is blown towards the substrate to be processed01through the first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) provided at the supporting surface. Such a solution may decrease the static charges on the substrate to be processed01. However, when the supporting surface of the support portion022is in contact with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) are blocked by the lower surface, such that the static charges on the substrate to be processed01may not be further decreased, i.e., there may still portions of static charges remaining on the substrate to be processed01. Therefore, when the strut02continues to push upwards the substrate to be processed01, then, in a moment the substrate to be processed01and the carrying platform04are separated from each other, since the support portion022itself of the strut02is relatively slim as compared with the substrate to be processed01, an electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon may easily occur on the substrate to be processed01due to an electrostatic discharge which still occurs between the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01, such that a conductive metallic layer or conductive metallic layers on the substrate to be processed01may be burned down, resulting in a failure of the substrate to be processed01.

On the basis of above embodiments, as illustrated inFIG. 4, the support portion022is configured to be a hollow construction, comprising: the supporting surface; and a sidewall of the support portion022, which functions as another portion of the support portion022apart from the supporting surface and is also provided thereon with a plurality of second vent holes in communication with the channel ‘c’ of the strut02.

Since the sidewall of the support portion022is not in contact with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, once the supporting surface of the support portion022gets in contact with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, the ionic wind may continue to be blown towards the substrate to be processed01such that throughout the ascending-descending process of the strut02, the support portion022always blows the ionic wind towards the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, so as to remove continuously the static charges on the substrate to be processed01, resulting in a decrease in a possibility of incidence of the electrostatic-breakdown phenomenon in the moment the substrate to be processed01and the carrying platform04are separated from each other.

In order to lower a risk that a surface scratch occurs at a contact position between the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01once there is a movement of a relative position between the strut02and the substrate to be processed01, for example, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the supporting surface is substantially planar and flat, with edge locations of the supporting surface of the support portion022being processed into be rounded, so as to remove sharp edge angles at corners of the support portion022; or otherwise the supporting surface of the support portion022is processed into an arc-shaped curved surface which is convex upwards, as illustrated inFIG. 2.

In order to decrease a local pressure intensity between the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01, it is necessary to increase a contact area between the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01as large as possible. Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the supporting surface between the substrate to be processed01and the support portion022functions as the portion ‘W’ which contacts therebetween. It is apparent that, as illustrated inFIG. 3, in a case that the supporting surface is substantially planar with edges thereof being rounded, then, the contact area is larger than that in a form of arc-shaped curved surface inFIG. 2. Therefore, a typical solution is illustrated inFIG. 3, in which the supporting surface of the support portion022is made to be substantially planar, with edge locations of the supporting surface of the support portion022being processed to be rounded.

As shown in Figures which illustrate other embodiments hereinafter, the supporting surface of the support portion022in each Figure is illustrated as an arc-shaped curved surface which is convex upwards; however, it does not mean or imply that the solution in which the supporting surface of the support portion022is formed to be an arc-shaped curved surface which is convex upwards is a typical solution. On the contrary, a detailed depiction is already made as above, stating clearly that such a solution functions as a typical one. The supporting surface is illustrated to be arc-shaped curved surface, so as to facilitate illustration and depiction concerning an extension direction/trend of a gas flow, and to indicate that an existence of the sidewall which is not in contact with the substrate to be processed.

By way of example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, each of the plurality of struts02is further provided with a shield023disposed around a periphery of the support portion022with a gap between the shield023and the support portion022, a top end of the shield023being located below a top end of the support portion022.

The shield023is disposed around the periphery of the support portion022, with a gap between the shield023and the support portion022for delivering a gas therethrough. As such, the ionic wind blown out from the second vent holes provided on the sidewall of the support portion022, in a direction as illustrated by an arrow inFIG. 5, may be guided along an inner wall of the shield023towards the substrate to be processed01, so as to decrease a windage loss of the ionic wind blown out from the second vent holes at the sidewall of the support portion022in other directions.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, there is a height difference Δh between a top end of the shield023and a top end of the support portion022, with the top end of the shield023being disposed lower than the top end of the support portion022. As such, when the supporting surface of the support portion022is in contact with and supports the substrate to be processed01, the shield023is not in contact with the substrate to be processed01, thereby avoiding any scratch of surfaces of the substrate to be processed.

By way of example, a longitudinal section of the shield023is a plane in which a centerline of a corresponding one of the plurality of struts lies, and is patterned to be in a form of a rectangular shape, or a trapezoidal shape whose top edge is provided at a side adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of struts02.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, once the shield023is sectioned along a plane in which a centerline of the strut02lies, the longitudinal section is patterned to be in a form of a rectangular shape, and two edges thereof respectively at both sides may be provided vertically in an extension direction of the strut02, for example; and in this case, the edges at both sides of the rectangular shape extend in a same direction as that of the strut02. In a case that the longitudinal section of the shield023is patterned to be in a form of a rectangular shape, once the ionic wind is subject to blockage and guidance of the shield023, an area through which the ionic wind is blown towards the substrate to be processed01along the inner wall of the shield023is illustrated in a dashed box inFIG. 5.

In order to enlarge a blowing scope of the ionic wind towards the substrate to be processed01so as to enhance a removal effect of static charges on the substrate to be processed01by the ionic wind, by way of example, the shield023is provided in a shape as illustrated inFIG. 6, i.e., the longitudinal section of the shield023therein is patterned to be in a form of a trapezoidal shape whose top edge is provided at a side adjacent to the strut; in other words, as illustrated inFIG. 6, the two edges of the trapezoidal shape at both sides extend upwards divergently at the top end of the strut02in the extension direction of the strut02. Then an area through which the ionic wind is blown towards the substrate to be processed01along the inner wall of the shield023is illustrated in a dashed box inFIG. 6. By comparison of positions of the dashed boxes inFIG. 5andFIG. 6respectively, it can be known that, the blowing scope of the ionic wind in a case of the trapezoidal-shaped longitudinal section of the shield023is larger than that in a case of the rectangular-shaped longitudinal section of the shield023.

However, in consideration that once the substrate to be processed01is supported and delivered by the struts02, each strut02is to be received within a corresponding one of mounting holes ‘b’ of the carrying platform04, e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 1, in order to decrease an effect of the mounting holes ‘b’ on a flatness of the carrying platform04, it is necessary to set apertures of the mounting holes ‘b’ as small as possible. Therefore, for example, as illustrate inFIG. 6, in a case that the longitudinal section of the shield023is patterned to be in a form of a trapezoidal shape whose top edge is provided at a side adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of struts, then an angle α between one of the two edges at both sides of the trapezoidal shape and a vertical direction in which the corresponding strut02extends may not exceed 30°.

By way of example, as illustrated inFIG. 7which illustrates a sectional view of the shield023as illustrated inFIG. 6, in a direction along an line A-A of the latter, a cross section of the shield023is a plane perpendicular to the centerline of a corresponding one of the plurality of struts02, and is patterned to be in a form of a circular shape. As such, a surrounding guiding surface for the ionic wind is defined, by which a parallel or divergent stream of the ionic wind is formed which is essentially round in cross section thereof.

In order to obtain a uniform distribution of the ionic wind all around locations on the substrate to be processed01corresponding to respective support portion022of each of the plurality of struts02, which ionic wind is blown by respective support portion022, for example, the cross section of the shield023is patterned to be centrosymmetric. Moreover, on the basis thereof, in order to increase a blowing area of the ionic wall all around locations on the substrate to be processed01corresponding to respective support portion022of each of the plurality of struts02, by way of example, the cross section of the shield023is patterned to be in a form of a circular shape.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 8, the support portion022is further provided with an auxiliary support portion024which comprises a dome cover0241in a partially spherical shell shape provided on the supporting surface of the support portion022and a floating ball0242provided within the dome cover0241, and the dome cover0241is further provided at a top end thereof with an opening, a diameter of which is smaller than that of the floating ball0242, such that the floating ball0242is floatable within the dome cover0241and may float upwards until it gets stuck rotatably at the opening.

When the strut02is not in contact with the substrate to be processed01, as illustrated inFIG. 8, the floating ball0242of the auxiliary support portion024may float upwards to the top portion of the dome cover0241, under the action of the ionic wind blown out by the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the supporting surface of the support portion022, as in a direction illustrated by an arrow inFIG. 8. Moreover, since a diameter of the opening at the top end of the dome cover0241is less than that of the floating ball0242, the floating ball0242may float within the dome cover0241and is restricted therein by the dome cover0241at the top portion thereof without jumping out therefrom. In a case that the floating ball0242is restricted at the top end of the dome cover0241, the ionic wind blown out through the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) of the supporting surface of the support portion022is blocked, then the ionic wind blown out through the plurality of second vent holes on the sidewall of the support portion022is guided along a periphery of the shield023between an external side of the dome cover0241and an internal side of the shield023towards corresponding regions on the substrate to be processed01, so as to neutralize the static charges on the substrate to be processed01.

As illustrated inFIG. 9, once the strut02just gets in contact with the substrate to be processed01, the floating ball0242contacts with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01above all. After that, since the floating ball0242is pushed against the top portion of the dome cover0241by the ionic wind blown out through the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’), after the floating ball0242contacts with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01, as the strut02continues to rise, the floating ball0242is pressed downwards within the dome cover0241by the substrate to be processed01, in a direction as illustrated by an arrow inFIG. 9, the ionic wind blown out through the plurality of the first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the supporting surface of the support portion022may further pass through the gap between the dome cover0241and the floating ball0242and in turn blown upwards to the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01. In other words, in this process, the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the supporting surface of the support portion022still blow the ionic wind towards the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01. As such, on one hand, the ionic wind continuously neutralize the static charges on the substrate to be processed01; on the other hand, as a position of the floating ball0242varies within the dome cover0241, e.g., during a process in which the floating ball0242continuously moves downwards by downward suppression of the substrate to be processed01, then a buffering stage may be provided by a upward thrust of an elevating force applied onto the floating ball0242by the stream of the ionic wind. Thereby, during the buffering stage, since the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01keeps in continuous direct contact with the floating ball0242rather than the supporting surface of the support portion022of the strut02, there is no direct rigid contact between the supporting surface of the support portion022of the strut02and the substrate to be processed01; in other words, there is no contact force existing between the supporting surface of the support portion022of the strut02and the substrate to be processed01. Typically, for example, in a case that the floating ball0242moves downwards slowly, then, on every occasion during this continuously downward movement of the floating ball0242, it may be considered that the elevating force applied on the floating ball0242and a contact pressure between the floating ball0242and the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01are in a force-balanced condition, resulting in that both speed and acceleration of the floating ball0242may be considered to be zero.

Next, as illustrated inFIG. 10, the strut02still rises continuously such that the floating ball0242is suppressed downwards until it reaches the supporting surface of the support portion022at a bottom end of the dome cover0241; then the floating ball0242blocks the plurality of first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the supporting surface of the support portion022, such that the buffering stage is terminated. After that, the ionic wind blown out through the plurality of second vent holes on the side wall of the support portion022is guided all the time along a periphery of the shield023between the external side of the dome cover0241and the internal side of the shield023so as to blow towards corresponding locations on the substrate to be processed01, until the strut02pushes the substrate to be processed01once again to a specified position, e.g., pushes the substrate to be processed to rise again, so as to depart therefrom. As such, on one hand, the static charges on the substrate to be processed01are continuously neutralized; on the other hand, by the upwards thrust action of the gas flow, the contact pressure between the strut02and the substrate to be processed01may still be alleviated continuously.

Hereby, at a moment the strut02which is provided with the auxiliary support024gets in contact with the substrate to be processed01, a buffering stage may be provided for the contact between the strut02and the substrate to be processed01, by a change in position of the floating ball0242within the dome cover0241, so as to decrease a possibility that crushed points at the contact position between the supporting surface of the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01are created due to an excessive local pressure intensity at the moment a rigid contact is established between the supporting surface of the support portion022and the substrate to be processed01.

On the basis thereof, by way of example, as illustrated inFIG. 10, a diameter of the floating ball0242is larger than a height of the dome cover0241.

It should be noticed that, the height of the dome cover0241refers to a height value in the extension direction of the strut02as illustrated inFIG. 10. It may be known fromFIG. 10that, the height H of the dome cover0241is smaller than the diameter R of the floating ball0242, such that the top end of the dome cover is not in contact with the lower surface of the substrate to be processed01all the time.

As such, as illustrated inFIG. 10, once the struts02suppress the floating ball0242downwards to the supporting surface of the support portion022at the bottom end of the dome cover0241, the bottom end of the floating ball0242blocks the plurality of the first vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the supporting surface of the support portion022. Since the diameter of the floating ball0242is larger than the height of the dome cover0241, a top end of the floating ball0242is still higher than the top end of the dome cover0241, therefore the substrate to be processed01still abuts against the top end of the floating ball0242so as to avoid any scratch of the surface of the substrate to be processed01caused by the top end of the dome cover0241. In addition, since a bottom end of the floating ball0242abuts directly against the supporting surface of the support portion022, then the stability of supporting the substrate to be processed01by means of the floating ball0242is superior over the stability of supporting the substrate to be processed01by means of the top end of the dome cover0241.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 11, specifically, for example, the ionic wind supply03comprises an ion source031mounted within an inner wall of the channel ‘c’ of each of the plurality of struts02; and a ventilation device032provided at an entrance of the channel ‘c’ of each of the plurality of struts02.

It should be noticed that, the entrance of the channel ‘c’ of the strut02is for example the bottom end of the strut02as illustrated inFIG. 11. Besides, the entrance of the channel ‘c’ of the strut02may further be instead provided at any position penetrating the sidewall of the strut02. The specific position of the entrance of the channel ‘c’ is not specifically delimited in the disclosure, as long as a gas flow may be passed into the channel ‘c’ of the strut02through the entrance of the channel ‘c’ by the ventilation device032, then the gas flow passed therethrough is converted into the ionic wind through the ion source031, which is blown towards the substrate to be processed01through the plurality of vent holes (each labeled by ‘a’) on the support portion022. By way of example, as illustrated inFIG. 12, the entrance of the channel ‘c’ of the strut02is provided at the opening which penetrates the sidewall of the strut02. For example, when the elevating mechanism of the embodiment of the disclosure is provided with a drive unit05, the drive unit05is often required to be provided at the bottom end of the strut02. Therefore, the entrance of the channel ‘c’ of the strut is alternatively provided on the sidewall of the strut02.

As such, an gas is wafted by the ventilation device032inwards the channel ‘c’ of the strut02, and positive and negative ions are produced by the ion source031which is fixed on the inner wall of the channel ‘c’ of the strut02. When the gas flows through the ion source031within the channel ‘c’, the positive and negative ions generated by the ion source031are taken away thereby, such that the gas flow is converted into an ionic wind which is then wafted towards the substrate to be processed01. Once the positive and negative ions carried along within the ionic wind are blown to the substrate to be processed01, the positive and negative ions neutralize the charges accumulated on the substrate to be processed01so as to decrease the static charges on the substrate to be processed01.

Specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 11, the ion source031is provided adjacent to the supporting end of each of the plurality of struts02, and the ion source031is a metallic discharge needle.

As illustrated inFIG. 11, the ion source031is a metallic discharge needle whose top portion is provided with a tip. When the tip of the metallic discharge needle is disposed at the strut02, the tip is provided at a side of the strut02adjacent to the supporting end of the strut02. Once the metallic discharge needle communicates with an external power supply, the tip may discharge to release positive and negative ions. Since the strut02is also formed by a metallic material, in order to prevent the strut02from being electrically charged, the so-called metallic discharge needle herein refers to an integral structure in which the metallic discharge needle itself is provided within an insulative housing with the tip of the metallic discharge needle being exposed externally, such that the positive and negative ions released by the discharge of the metallic discharge needle are carried away and converted by the gas flow delivered therein from the ventilation device032into the ionic wind to be blown out; as a result, the insulative housing and the metallic discharge needle disposed therein form the ion source031collectively.

Since the positive and negative ions produced by a tip discharge or a point discharge of the metallic discharge needle and then dissociated in the air are in an unsteady condition, then these positive and negative ions, when existing in the air for a long time, may be combined with each other and thus consumed so as to decrease in number. Therefore, by way of example, the metallic discharge needle is provided adjacent to the supporting end, within the channel ‘c’ of each of the plurality of struts02, such that the positive and negative ions produced by discharge of the metallic discharge needle may soon be taken away swiftly by an incoming gas flow towards an adjacent substrate to be processed01, enhancing an utilization rate of the positive and negative ions released by the discharge at the tip of the metallic discharge needle.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 12, each of the plurality of the struts02is connected with and driven to move up and down by a drive unit05.

As such, by the drive unit05, the strut02is driven to move up and down, so as to keep a speed of the strut02constant, and to avoid that some crushed points are created on the surface of the substrate to be processed01due to an excessive local pressure intensity between the strut02and the substrate to be processed01caused by an acceleration.

As to a condition of a plurality of struts02, in order to save cost, and to improve consistency in height thereamong during an ascending-descending process of the plurality of struts02, by way of example, a single drive unit05is provided which is connected with the plurality of struts02respectively and simultaneously by supports, such that the single drive unit05may drive the ascending-descending process of the plurality of struts02simultaneously, so as to enhance stability of the substrate to be processed01during the ascending-descending process and to prevent the substrate to be processed01from falling down due to unstable placement thereof resulting from height inconsistency at positions of the plurality of struts02.

Specifically, as illustrate inFIG. 12, the drive unit05is a linear motor, a secondary stage0512of which is connected fixedly with a corresponding one of the plurality of the struts02.

A primary stage0511of the linear motor is fixed along a movement direction of the strut02, and the secondary stage0512of the linear motor is connected with the strut02fixedly and is movable linearly back and forth along the primary stage0511, as in a direction indicated by an arrow illustrated inFIG. 12. When the strut02is required to move up and down, the secondary stage0512of the linear motor may bring the strut02into a corresponding up-and-down movement with a thrust action thereof.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 13, the elevating mechanism of the disclosure further comprises a carrying platform04, on which a plurality of mounting holes ‘b’ are provided in an one-to-one correspondence to the plurality of struts02respectively, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of mounting holes ‘b’ is larger than that of a corresponding one of the plurality of struts02.

As such, the plurality of struts02may rise upwards or fall downwards relative to the carrying platform04through the mounting holes ‘b’ respectively; and may be retracted through the mounting holes ‘b’ to positions below the carrying platform04once the substrate to be processed01is placed on the carrying platform04.

As to processes of the substrate to be processed01having a relatively large size thereof, a stationarity of the substrate to be processed01may hardly be secured during these processes in a case that the substrate to be processed01is directly supported by the struts02. And an excessively large pressure applied on the struts02may easily result in a relatively high fault rate of the struts02. Therefore, by way of example, by a descending of the plurality of struts02at a constant speed, the substrate to be processed01is placed onto the carrying platform04and the processed thereon, so as to ensure the stability of the substrate to be processed01during these processes. Once the processes on the carrying platform04are completed, the plurality of struts02rise through the mounting holes ‘b’ provided on the carrying platform04, as illustrated inFIG. 13, such that the substrate to be processed01is pushed upwards to depart from the carrying platform04and to further rise until arriving and then stopping at a specified position, and delivered to a next process by a moving mechanical arm.

Although the disclosure is described in view of the attached drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are only intended to illustrate the preferable embodiment of the present disclosure exemplarily, and should not be deemed as a restriction thereof.

Although several exemplary embodiments of the general concept of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure and lie within the scope of present application, which scope is defined in the claims and their equivalents.