Patent ID: 8882437

Claim:
A transfer device, comprising: a non-contact holding unit that holds a workpiece in a non-contact manner; a base member to which the non-contact holding unit is attached; a plurality of guide members that are disposed at intervals around the non-contact holding unit so as to surround the workpiece when the workpiece is conveyed and that are provided on the base member in a protruding manner; and a moving mechanism that moves the base member within a space, wherein the plurality of guide members are configured such that at least parts of the plurality of guide members can move away from each other, and wherein when the workpiece is removed from a workpiece mounting device on which the workpiece is mounted or when the workpiece held by the non-contact holding unit is mounted on the workpiece mounting device, at least parts of the plurality of guide members come into contact with a guide part of the workpiece mounting device, at sections below a workpiece mounting surface of the workpiece mounting device and move away from each other along a guide part, as the non-contact holding unit approaches a workpiece mounting surface of the workpiece mounting device; wherein a guide part is formed below a workpiece mounting surface of the workpiece mounting device; and wherein at least parts of the plurality of guide members move away from each other by contact with a guide part; a biasing member that applies biasing force to each of the guide members so as to bring the plurality of guide members close to each other as the plurality of guide members separate from each other, wherein the plurality of guide members are moved towards each other by the biasing force of the biasing member, along the guide part formed on the workpiece mounting device, as the non-contact holding unit separates from the workpiece mounting surface of the workpiece mounting device.