U.S. patent application number 11/312450 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-28 for substrate buffer clamp.
This patent application is currently assigned to CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES, LTD. Invention is credited to Shih Pu Chen, Dong Da Lin, Zheng Hua Zhang.
Application Number | 20070145231 11/312450 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38192493 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070145231 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Shih Pu ; et
al. |
June 28, 2007 |
Substrate buffer clamp
Abstract
A substrate clamp includes a bar supporter having a end for
connecting and fixing a substrate bearing apparatus; an arm
extending from another end of the bar supporter and profiling an
angle with the side wall of the bar supporter; and a buffer layer
arranged on the side wall of the bar supporter. The present
substrate clamp can effectively decrease the split problem of the
glass substrate causing from the shocking and sliding in the
clamping or moving of the manufacturing processes and enhance the
product yield.
Inventors: |
Chen; Shih Pu; (Padeh City,
TW) ; Zhang; Zheng Hua; (Padeh City, TW) ;
Lin; Dong Da; (Padeh City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES, LTD
|
Family ID: |
38192493 |
Appl. No.: |
11/312450 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/689 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/68728
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/689 |
International
Class: |
A47G 29/00 20060101
A47G029/00 |
Claims
1. A substrate clamp for a substrate bearing apparatus comprising:
a bar supporter, wherein a end of said bar supporter is used for
connecting and fixing with said substrate bearing apparatus; an arm
extending from another end of said bar supporter and profiling an
angle with a sidewall of said bar supporter; and a buffer layer
arranged on said sidewall of said bar supporter.
2. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein a terminal of
said arm is a chamfered edge.
3. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein said angle of
said arm extending is to make said arm parallel to a substrate
bearing on said substrate bearing apparatus.
4. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein said buffer
layer is fixed on said bar supporter by any one of the thermal
compression method, the fusion bonding method, and other mounting
method.
5. The substrate clamp according to claim 4, wherein said sidewall
of said bar supporter is arranged a trench for arranging said
buffer layer therein.
6. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein said end of
said bar supporter is arranged a locking hole for using a screwing
element to connect and fix said substrate clamp with said substrate
bearing apparatus.
7. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein the hardness
of said buffer layer is smaller than said bar supporter.
8. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein said bar
supporter is made of the polybenzimidezole.
9. The substrate clamp according to claim 1, wherein a hardness of
said buffer layer is HS55 to HS95.
10. A substrate clamp, which is for a substrate in a substrate
bearing apparatus, wherein said substrate clamp comprising: a bar
supporter, wherein a end of said bar supporter is for connecting
and fixing with said substrate bearing apparatus; an arm extending
from another end of said bar supporter and profiling an angle with
a sidewall of said bar supporter and parallel to said substrate;
and a buffer layer arranged on said sidewall of said bar supporter,
wherein the hardness of said buffer layer is smaller than said bar
supporter.
11. The substrate clamp according to claim 10, wherein a terminal
of said arm is a chamfered edge.
12. The substrate clamp according to claim 10, wherein said buffer
layer is fixed on said bar supporter by the thermal compression
method, the fusion bonding method, or other mounting method.
13. The substrate clamp according to claim 12, wherein said
sidewall of said bar supporter is arranged a trench for arranging
said buffer layer therein.
14. The substrate clamp according to claim 10, wherein said end of
said bar supporter is arranged a locking hole for using a screwing
element to connect and fix said substrate clamp in said substrate
bearing apparatus.
15. The substrate clamp according to claim 10, wherein said bar
supporter is made of the polybenzimidezole.
16. The substrate clamp according to claim 10, wherein a hardness
of said buffer layer is about HS55 to HS95.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a substrate
bearing apparatus, and more particularly relates to a clamp used in
a substrate bearing apparatus in the manufacturing processes of the
display panel.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the manufacturing processes of the display panel, the
split problem of the glass substrate or the panel is always an
important one of the problems need to overcome. Once the glass
substrate or the panel is splitting, the glass substrate or the
panel cannot be usable or reworked. Especially, accordingly the
requirement of the trend of large-scale and thin film Liquid
crystal display panel (LCD panel), the difficulty of the related
manufacturing technology becomes higher, such as the control of the
thin cell gap, stacking and aligning of the panel, the movement and
position of the large-scale panel, and the wide view problem, so as
the splitting probability is increasing and the yield is
decreasing. Wherein, the transportation of the glass substrate or
the panel is one of main reasons causing the splitting damage of
the glass substrate or the panel, no matter in the process or the
movement in the factory, the product yield can be improved by
overcoming the splitting problem of the glass substrate and the
panel.
[0005] For example, referring to FIG. 1A, it is a top view
illustrating the clamp used in the sputtering machine for bearing a
substrate in accordance with the prior technology. As the glass
substrate 20 formed the membrane thereon in the sputtering machine,
the glass substrate 20 is set on a bearing apparatus, such as a
quartz substrate 30, and a clamp 100 is used to fix the glass
substrate 20 on the quartz substrate 30. During the whole processes
of the membrane formation, the glass substrate 20 is sputtered and
shock and further the glass substrate 20 may be moved to the
different position or rotate to different direction to form another
membrane of the different material on the glass substrate 20 in the
sputtering machine. Referring to FIG. 1B, it is the cross-section
view illustrating the clamp according to the A-A cross-section of
FIG. 1A. Under the long time clamping and shock of the substrate
bearing apparatus and the clamp 100 in the process, it easily
causes the loosening of the quartz substrate 30. Hence, as the
clamp 100 supporting and holding the glass substrate 20, owing to
the loosening of the quartz substrate 30, the difficult positioning
of the glass substrate 20, and the difficult control of the
supporting force of the clamp 100, it will easily cause the clamp
100 colliding the glass substrate 20 and the quartz substrate 30.
Hence, it is important to solve those problems on the yield of the
display panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] One of objects of the present invention is to provide a
substrate clamp that can effectively decrease the split problem of
the glass substrate causing from the shocking and sliding because
of the clamping or moving in the manufacturing processes.
[0007] In order to improve the damage problem of the substrate
bearing apparatus and the glass substrate causing from the hitting
of the substrate clamp, one of objects of the present invention is
to provide a substrate clamp that utilize a buffer material in the
contacting area between the substrate clamp and the glass substrate
to reduce the hitting force therebetween so as to substantially
decrease the probability of the spilt of the glass substrate.
[0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides A substrate
clamp for a substrate bearing apparatus comprising: a bar
supporter, wherein a end of the bar supporter is used for
connecting and fixing with the substrate bearing apparatus; an arm
extending from another end of the bar supporter and profiling an
angle with a sidewall of the bar supporter; and a buffer layer
arranged on the sidewall of the bar supporter.
[0009] Other advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of
illustration and example, certain embodiments of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The foregoing aspects and many of the accompanying
advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated
as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1A is the top view of the clamp used in the sputtering
machine for bearing a substrate in accordance with the prior
technology;
[0012] FIG. 1B is the cross-section view according to the A-A
cross-section of FIG. 1A;
[0013] FIG. 2 is the side view of the substrate clamp of an
embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is the 3D view of the substrate clamp of an
embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are partial cross-section views of the
substrate clamp used in the substrate bearing apparatus of an
embodiment in accordance with the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are side views of the substrate clamp of
different embodiments in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Referring to FIG. 2, it is the side view illustrating the
substrate clamp of an embodiment in accordance with the present
invention. In the present embodiment, a substrate clamp 10 includes
a bar supporter 12, wherein one end of the bar supporter 12 is
connected and fixed to the substrate bearing apparatus. An arm 14
is extended from another end of the bar supporter 12 and an angle
between the sidewall of the bar supporter 12 and the arm 14.
Besides, there is a buffer layer 16 arranged on the sidewall of the
bar supporter 12. The buffer layer 16 has a hardness smaller than
the bar supporter 12 and used for reducing the colliding force
between the glass substrate and the substrate clamp and the
loosening problem. Further, in the present embodiment, there is a
right angle profiling between the arm 14 and the sidewall of the
bar supporter 12. Such as the region A shown in FIG. 2, the
terminal of the arm 14 is a chamfered edge. In the present
invention, the arm 14 extending as the angle profiling with the
sidewall of the bar supporter 12 will be parallel to the glass
substrate bearing on the substrate bearing apparatus, but not only
limited as the right angle shown in the present embodiment.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, it is the 3-D view illustrating the
substrate clamp of an embodiment in accordance with the present
invention. In the present embodiment, the substrate clamp 10
includes a bar supporter 12 that one end of the bar supporter 12 is
used for connecting and fixing with the substrate bearing apparatus
and an arm 14 is extending from another end of the bar supporter
12. Besides, there is a trench arranged on the sidewall of the bar
supporter 12 and a buffer layer 16 is arranged in the trench. The
buffer layer 16 is fixed in the trench on the bar supporter 12 by
the thermal compression method, the fusion bonding method, or other
mounting method. Wherein, the end of the bar supporter 12
connecting the substrate bearing apparatus is arranged a locking
hole 18 for using a screwing element to connect and fix the
substrate clamp 10 with the substrate bearing apparatus.
[0019] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are partial cross-section views
illustrating the substrate clamp used in the substrate bearing
apparatus of an embodiment in accordance with the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 4A, in the present embodiment, the
glass substrate 20 is set on a substrate bearing apparatus, such as
the quartz substrate 30, for forming the membrane on the glass
substrate 20 in the sputtering machine. In the whole sputtering
process, the substrate clamp 10 fixed with the quartz substrate 30
is used for supporting and holding the glass substrate 20. During
the sputtering process, the quartz substrate 30, the substrate
clamp 10, and the glass substrate 20 may be all in the vibrating
state. If necessary, the glass substrate 20 may be moved to the
different place or rotated to the different direction for forming
different membranes with different materials thereon. In the
present embodiment, there is a buffer layer 16 on the sidewall of
the bar supporter 12 of the substrate clamp 10. The hardness of the
buffer layer 16 is smaller than the bar supporter 12 and the buffer
layer 16 is made of the elastic material. As the substrate clamp 10
clamping the glass substrate 20, the buffer layer 16 on the
sidewall will direct contact the glass substrate 20 and the quartz
substrate 30 so as to reduce the shock force between the substrate
clamp 10 and the glass substrate 20 and between the substrate clamp
10 and the quartz substrate 30 to substantially reduce the split
problem of the glass substrate 20.
[0020] Following the description mentioned above, referring to FIG.
4B, in the present invention, in the membrane formation process,
the glass substrate 20 is set almost vertically. The present
substrate clamp 10 not only fix the glass substrate 20, but also
utilize the buffer layer 16 to reduce the shock force between the
region A that the substrate clamp 10 directly contacts the glass
substrate 20 and the quartz substrate 30. The arm 14 extending from
one end of the bar supporter 12 and parallel to the glass substrate
20 may further protect the glass substrate 20 sliding out of the
bearing apparatus and the chamfered edge of the terminal of the arm
14 will not damage the glass substrate 20.
[0021] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are side views illustrating the
substrate clamp of different embodiments in accordance with the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 5A, in one embodiment, the
buffer layer 16 is directly fixed on the sidewall of the bar
supporter 12. Further, the buffer layer can be arranged on the
sidewall of the support extending to the arm to provide further
protect to the glass substrate, such as not shown in the drawing.
Referring to FIG. 5B, in another embodiment, the angle between the
arm 14 and the bar supporter 12 may be larger than a right angle.
The angle may be designed only if the arm 14 of the substrate clamp
10 is parallel to the glass substrate 20. As the glass substrate is
putting in or taking out of the substrate bearing apparatus, the
substrate clamp will open outward so as the glass substrate sucked
by the robot arm can move in or move out. If the moving glass
substrate is swaying and colliding the substrate clamp, the
chamfered edge of the terminal of the arm of the substrate clamp
can substantially decrease the split problem of the glass
substrate.
[0022] According, one of features is to utilize the chamfered edge
design of the terminal of the arm of the substrate clamp and
another of features is to utilize the buffer layer pad in the
contacting region between the clamp and the glass substrate. The
hardness of the buffer layer pad is smaller than the support of the
clamp and the buffer layer pad is made of the material
corresponding to the working environment. For example, the
substrate clamp is used in the sputtering machine, the process
temperature is about 250.degree. C. in the process. The substrate
clamp must be recyclable. After the cleaning the clamp in the
strong acid or base solution, the substrate clamp can be used
again. Hence, the substrate clamp must utilize the material against
strong acid or base environment. In one embodiment, the substrate
clamp can be made of the polybenzimidezole (PBI) material and the
hardness is about HS105 (HS, Shores hardness). The buffer layer can
be made of the kalrez material, such as kalrez4079 and the hardness
is about HS55 to HS95. Therefore, the substrate clamp may apply to
the sputtering machine in the high temperature environment and be
recyclable for using again after the cleaning of the strong acid or
base solution.
[0023] To sum up the forgoing, the substrate clamp of the present
invention may effectively solve the split problem of the glass
substrate causing from the shocking and sliding in the clamping or
moving of the manufacturing processes. Further, the present
invention provides a substrate clamp that utilizes a buffer
material in the contacting area between the substrate clamp and the
glass substrate to reduce the hitting force therebetween so as to
substantially decrease the probability of the spilt of the glass
substrate.
[0024] While the present invention is susceptible to various
modifications and alternative forms, a specific example thereof has
been shown in the drawings and is herein described in detail. It
should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be
limited to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the
invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *