U.S. patent application number 10/678522 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-15 for cassette.
Invention is credited to Chang, Ming-Hui, Huang, Chun-Kai.
Application Number | 20040069728 10/678522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31885777 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040069728 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang, Chun-Kai ; et
al. |
April 15, 2004 |
Cassette
Abstract
The present invention relates to a supporting plate (10) and a
cassette (20) for accommodating substrates using the same. The
supporting plate includes a main body (11) and at least two stiff
shafts (13). The main body includes a plurality of wing panels (15)
extending from the main body and at least two through grooves (18).
A space interval (17) is defined between neighboring wing panels,
each wing panel comprises a plurality of protrusions (151)
extending from the free side of each wing panel, and the wing
panels slope down. The two stiff shafts being received in the two
through grooves.
Inventors: |
Huang, Chun-Kai; (Shinjuang,
TW) ; Chang, Ming-Hui; (Miaolih, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEI TE CHUNG
FOXCONN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1650 MEMOREX DRIVE
SANTA CLARA
CA
95050
US
|
Family ID: |
31885777 |
Appl. No.: |
10/678522 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/41.18 ;
206/454 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/6734
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/041.18 ;
206/454 |
International
Class: |
A47G 019/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 9, 2002 |
TW |
91216036 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A supporting plate for supporting substrates, comprising: a main
body having a plurality of wing panels extending from the main body
and at least two through grooves, at least two stiff shafts being
received in the two through grooves, wherein each wing panel
comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from the free side
of each wing panel, and the wing panels slope down.
2. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein the wing
panels are spaced apart from one another a predetermined
distance.
3. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein each space
interval defines at least a hole through the main body.
4. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein the main
body defines a plurality of holding member for holding the stiff
rods in the through grooves.
5. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein the
through grooves are formed perpendicular to the wing panels.
6. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein the stiff
shaft is made of metal.
7. The supporting plate as described in claim 1, wherein the stiff
shaft defines threaded holes in opposite ends thereof.
8. A cassette for accommodating a plurality of substrates in mutual
isolation, comprising: a pair of frames, and at least a pair of
supporting plate fixed to the frames, each supporting plate
comprising: a main body having a plurality of wing panels extending
from the main body and at least two through grooves, at least two
stiff shafts being received in the two through grooves, wherein
space interval is defined between neighboring wing panels, each
wing panel comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from the
free side of each wing panel, and the wing panels slope down.
9. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the wing panels
are spaced apart from one another a predetermined distance.
10. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein each space
interval defines at least a hole through the main body.
11. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the main body
defines a plurality of holding member for holding the stiff rods in
the through grooves.
12. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the through
grooves are formed perpendicular to the wing panels.
13. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the stiff shaft
is made of metal.
14. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the stiff shaft
defines threaded holes in opposite ends thereof.
15. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the stiff shaft
forms a coupling end and defines a threaded hole in each end.
16. The cassette as described in claim 8, wherein the frame forms
recesses for receiving the coupling ends of the stiff rods and
through holes in the recesses.
17. A cassette for supporting substrates, comprising: a pair of
frames, and at least a pair of supporting plates fixed to the
frames, wherein each two supporting plates face each other, and
each supporting plate defines a plurality of wing panels on an
inward facing side, each wing panel comprises a plurality of
protrusions extending from a free side of each wing panel, and the
wing panels slope down.
18. The cassette as described in claim 17, wherein the wing panels
are spaced apart from one another a predetermined distance.
19. The cassette as described in claim 17, wherein each space
interval defines at least a hole through the main body.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a supporting plate and a
cassette using the same, and more particularly to a supporting
plate used in transporting substrates.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In handing substrates, such as glass substrates for LCDs,
cassettes are useful for holding or stowing the substrates to keep
them from contacting, and thus damaging each other.
[0005] A conventional cassette described in JP Yodogawa Kasei
publication number H04-139741, comprises a pair of frames and a
plurality of resin-made rods fixed to the frames. Moreover, the
resin-made rod is provided with a plurality of annular slots for
supporting substrates. In use, annular slots neighbor resin-made
rods aren't successive, so the substrates to be inserted to the
cassette may be slantways or be damaged.
[0006] Another conventional substrate-supporting side board of
cassette described in US Yodogawa Kasei U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,401,
comprises a metal core, and overlay and a plurality of
tongue-shaped shelf members extending from the overlay. The shelf
members are in parallel and inwardly of the cassette frame with an
upward inclination toward free ends thereof, the supporting surface
of each shelf member being slightly elevated in the center with
respect to its flanks. The tongue-shaped shelf member with
protrusion in center made touch area between the substrates and the
shelf member decrease, but the substrates may be scraped to damage
because the center protrusion must touch with middle acting part of
the substrates, not edges of the substrates, to support the
substrates, moreover it is difficult to insert the substrates to
the right position due to the disconnecting supporting surface.
[0007] For the above reason, an improved cassette which is easy to
insert the substrates to right positions without damage is
desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a cassette which is
easy to insert the substrates to right positions without
damage.
[0009] In order to achieve the object set forth above, a cassette
for accommodating the substrates comprises a pair of frames, and at
least a pair of supporting plates fixed to the frames. Each two
supporting plates face each other, and each supporting plate
defines a plurality of wing panels on an inward facing side, each
wing panel comprises a plurality of protrusions extending from a
free side of each wing panel, and the wing panels slope down.
Furthermore, the wing panels being so positioned that a group of
wing panels in a same horizontal plane cooperate with each other to
stow one substrate.
[0010] Due to this structure, when the substrates are inserted the
space intervals between neighbor wing panels, the wing panels with
the protrusion provide a guiding mechanism which can't make the
substrates miss right positions, and on the right positions, the
substrates are supported by a group of wing panels in a same
horizontal plane and area of that the substrates touch with wing
panels is only edges of the substrates.
[0011] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a supporting plate according
to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the supporting plate
according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the supporting plate of FIG.
1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the supporting plate of FIG.
1;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cassette with two pairs of
supporting plates shown in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 6 is an explosive view of a part of the cassette shown
in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Reference will be made to the drawings to describe the
invention in detail.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a supporting plate 10
according to the present invention is used in a cassette for
accommodating substrates, and comprises a main body 11 and two
stiff shafts 13. The main body 11 may be made of resin, such as, by
injection molding. The main body 11 comprises a plurality of wing
panels 15 extending from the main body 11, and the wing panels 15
are spaced apart from one another a predetermined distance. Each
wing panel 15 provides a plurality of protrusions 151 extending
from free side of each wing panel 15, and the wing panels 15 slope
down. A space interval 17 is defined between neighboring wing
panels 15, each space interval 17 provides at least a hole 171
through the main body 11 for dispersing heat and cutting the cost.
The main body 11 further comprises two through grooves 18 (see FIG.
6) in back side of the main body 11 for receiving two stiff shafts
13 respectively, the through grooves 18 are formed perpendicularly
basically to the wing panels 15. For holding the stiff shafts
tightly, the through grooves 18 define a plurality of holding
members 19 from two sides of the through grooves 18. The stiff
shafts 13 may be made of metal, which can improve the strength of
the supporting plate 11 and eliminate static electricity generated
due to friction in the insertion or removal of the substrates. The
stiff shafts 13 further comprises coupling ends 131 in each end,
and defines threaded holes 135 in opposite end surface 133
thereof.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the wing panels 15 slope
down, that is to say, if a lower surface (not labeled) of each wing
panel 15 is horizontal, thickness of each wing panel 15 gradually
become thinner from root (not labeled) of each wing panel 15 to
free end (not labeled) of each wing panel 15, so thickness of each
protrusion 151 is thinnest. Surely, the lower surface can be sloped
down as an upper surface does to make each wing panel 15 sloping
down. Due to this structure, when the substrates are inserted the
space intervals 17 between neighbor wing panels 15, the wing panels
15 with the protrusion 151 provide a guiding mechanism which can't
make the substrates miss right positions, and on the right
positions, the substrates are supported by a group of wing panels
15 in a same horizontal plane and area of that the substrates touch
with wing panels 15 is only edges of the substrates 13.
[0021] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are shown a cassette 20 using the
supporting plate 10 according to the present invention. The
cassette 20 comprises a pair of frames 30 and at least a pair of
supporting plates 10, the frames 30 and the supporting plates 10
form a space for accommodating substrates by the means of the stiff
shafts 13 and a plurality of screws (not labeled). The frames 30
define a plurality of recesses 301 for coupling with the coupling
ends 131 of the stiff shafts 13, and each recess 301 defines a
threaded hole through the frame 30.
[0022] In assembly, wing panels 15 are face inward, the stiff
shafts 13 are assembled with the supporting plates 10, and are
received in the through grooves 18, the coupling ends 131
positioned in the recesses 301 respectively. A plurality of screws
fixes the supporting plates 10 and the frames 30 through the
threaded hole 303 and 135.
[0023] It is to be understood, however, than even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the extent indicated by the broad
general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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