Patent ID: 8529185

Claim:
A work handling apparatus for handling work between a general-purpose tray supplying area where a general-purpose tray for accommodating work is supplied and a processing area where work is processed, the work handling apparatus comprising: a general-purpose tray holding unit that is arranged between the general-purpose tray supplying area and the processing area and adjacent to the general-purpose tray supplying area to hold the general-purpose tray, the general-purpose tray holding unit including a first drive mechanism for moving the general-purpose tray in a first horizontal direction and a second drive mechanism for moving the general-purpose tray in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction; a general-purpose tray transfer unit that is arranged above the general-purpose tray supplying area to transfer the general-purpose tray between the general-purpose tray supplying area and the general-purpose tray holding unit, the general-purpose tray transfer unit including a third drive mechanism for moving the general-purpose tray in the first horizontal direction and a first elevation mechanism for elevating the general-purpose tray in a vertical direction; a processing tray holding unit that is arranged between the general-purpose tray holding unit and the processing area and adjacent to the general-purpose tray holding unit to hold a processing tray which carries work in and out of the processing area, the processing tray holding unit including a fourth drive mechanism for moving the processing tray in the first horizontal direction and a second elevation mechanism for elevating the processing tray in the vertical direction; and a first work transfer unit that is arranged above the general-purpose tray holding unit and the processing tray holding unit to transfer work between the general-purpose tray and the processing tray, the first work transfer unit including a fifth drive mechanism for moving work in the second horizontal direction and a third elevation mechanism for elevating work in the vertical direction.