Patent ID: 8033382

Claim:
A workpiece conveying apparatus comprising: a conveying stage having a conveying surface on which a workpiece is conveyed; a conveying table having a first surface facing the conveying surface of the conveying stage, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a through hole configured for holding the workpiece, extended from the first surface through to the second surface; and a driving device connected with at least one of the conveying table and the conveying stage for causing the conveying table to move with respect to the conveying surface of the conveying stage while the first surface of the conveying table faces the conveying surface of the conveying stage, wherein the workpiece is conveyed when the conveying table is moved with respect to the conveying surface while the workpiece is held in the through hole of the conveying table, wherein the conveying surface of the conveying stage has a vacuum recess extending in a conveying direction and the first surface of the conveying table has a vacuum groove communicating between the vacuum recess and the through hole, and wherein the conveying surface further has a blowhole for blowing compressed gas at the through hole for dismounting the workpiece held in the through hole, wherein the blowhole and the vacuum recess communicate with each other through the vacuum groove, wherein the apparatus further includes a vacuum connector for connecting a vacuum source to the vacuum recess; and a compressed-gas connector for connecting a compressed-gas supply source to the blowhole, and wherein the conveying surface of the conveying stage further has an auxiliary blowhole connected to the compressed-gas connector for supplying compressed gas from the compressed-gas supply source to the vacuum groove to release negative pressure in the vacuum groove, the auxiliary blowhole being provided at a position spaced away from the through hole in such a manner as to supply said compressed gas to the vacuum groove only at said position spaced away from the through hole.