Support device of a cassette

Abstract

A support device of a cassette includes a plurality of spacers and a support. The spacers extend from the side boards of the cassette into the substrate retaining space. The support is disposed on the spacers to support the substrates.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 93122334, filed Jul. 26, 2004, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to a support device, and more particularly to a support device of a cassette.

2. Description of the Related Art

A glass substrate is essential to Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) fabrication. As it should be, providing a space for containing the glass substrate is indispensable during production. A conventional cassette is used to retain glass substrates. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a front view and a perspective top view of a conventional cassette are shown respectively. A conventional cassette includes a first board 102, a second board 103, a left side board 104, a right side board 105, and a rear board 106, thereby defining a space. Several partitioning sticks 110 are respectively disposed on the inner surfaces of the left and right side boards 104 and 105 and partition the space into several substrate retaining areas 150 for retaining glass substrates 160. Every partitioning stick has a pin-shaped member 120 disposed thereupon. Besides, the top of the pin-shaped member 120 functions as a point support 122.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the conventional cassette has several point supports 122 to uphold the glass substrate 160. However, the glass substrate 160 might deform due to the unequal supporting strength of the point supports 122 to the surface of the glass substrate. Besides, the glass substrate 160 might deviate from its right position because of insufficient friction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a support device of a cassette, which improves the supporting strength distribution on the surface of the glass substrate, and prevents the deformation or damage of the glass substrate due to the unequal supporting strength. Besides, the support device of the invention can steadily receive glass substrates of different sizes.

The invention achieves the above-identified object by providing a support device of a cassette, for supporting at least one substrate. The cassette includes a first board, a second board, two side boards, and a rear board, thereby defining a space. The support device includes several spacers, and a first support. The spacers extend from the side boards into the space. The first support is disposed on and connects the spacers.

The invention achieves the above-identified object by further providing a cassette, for retaining a substrate. The cassette includes a first board, a second board, two side boards, a rear board, and a first support. The first board and the second board are parallel with each other. The two side boards vertically connect the first board and the second board. The first board, the second board, the two side boards, and the rear board define a space. The spacers extend from the side boards into the space. The first support is disposed on and connecting the spacers.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A (Prior Art) is a front view of a conventional cassette;

FIG. 1B (Prior Art) shows a perspective top view of the conventional cassette of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a front view of a cassette according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 2B-2C show perspective top views of the cassette in FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a front view and a perspective top view of a cassette according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are shown respectively. The cassette is used for retaining at least one substrate 260. The cassette includes a first board 202, a second board 203, a left side board 204, a right side board 205, a rear board 206, several left spacers 212 and several right spacers 214, and several left and right first supports 222 and 224. The first board 202 and the second board 203 are parallel with each other. Both of the left and right side boards 204 and 205 vertically connect the first board 202 and the second board 203. The rear board 206, the first board 202, the second board 203, and the two side boards 204 and 205 define a space. The left and right first supports 222 and 224 of the cassette are disposed on and connect the left and right spacers 212 and 214 respectively. The left and right spacers 212 and 214 extend from the left and right side boards 204 and 205 into the space respectively. Within one substrate retaining areas 250, the left spacers 212 are arranged in parallel, and the right spacers 214 are also arranged in parallel.

The left first support 222 connecting the left spacers 212 is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to at least one of the left spacers 212. The left first support 222 in FIG. 2B is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to all of the left spacers 212 while the left first support 222 in FIG. 2C is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to part of the left spacers 212. Similarly, the right first support 224 connecting the right spacers 214 is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to at least one of the right spacers. The right first support 224 in FIG. 2B is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to all of the right spacers 214 while the right first support 224 in FIG. 2C is perpendicularly disposed thereupon and fixed to part of the left spacers 214. The ways of fixing the support onto the spacers can be wedging, mortising, screwing, clipping, hooking, nailing or other designs of fastening. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the left and the right first supports 222 and 224 of the cassette are directly disposed on the spacers, so as to provide as many substrate retaining areas as the conventional cassette does.

Moreover, the cassette further includes a second support 226 extending from the rear board 206 and is preferably arranged in parallel with the left and the right first supports 222 and 224, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. The left first support 222, the right first support 224, and the second support 226 can be strip-shaped and respectively have a first top surface 222a, a second top surface 224a, and a third top surface 226a. The top surfaces 222a, 224a and 226a are made of materials with high friction coefficients and define a level surface so as to firmly uphold the substrate 260. In particular, when a substrate 260 is retained in the substrate retaining area, the first and the second top surfaces 222a and 224a contact the two sides of the substrate 260 and the third top surface 226a contacts the middle of the substrate 260 so as to uphold the substrate 260. The left first support 222, the right first support 224, and the second support 226 function as surface supports, therefore, the support device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention improves the supporting strength distribution on the surface of the glass substrate, thus preventing the deformation or damage of glass substrate due to the unequal supporting strength. Besides, the cassette according to the invention provides surface support to steadily receive glass substrates of different sizes. The support device is detachable so that the distances among these supports can be adjusted in accordance with the sizes of the substrates. The glass substrates with different sizes can be upheld by the first and the second supports, or simply upheld by several second supports. Further, the cassette according to the invention provides as many substrate retaining areas as the conventional cassette does.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.

Claims

1. A support device of a cassette, wherein the cassette includes a first board, a second board, two side boards, and a rear board, thereby defining a space, the support device comprising:

a plurality of spacers, extending from the side boards into the space respectively; and

a first support, disposed on and connecting the spacers.

2. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the spacers are arranged in parallel.

3. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the first support is perpendicularly disposed upon the spacers.

4. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the first support is fixed to at least one of the spacers.

5. The support device according to claim 1, further comprises a second support, extending from the rear board into the space.

6. The support device according to claim 5, wherein the first support and the second support are arranged in parallel.

7. The support device according to claim 5, wherein the first support and the second support have a first top surface and a second top surface respectively, wherein the first top surface and the second top surface define a level surface.

8. A cassette for retaining a substrate comprising:

a first board;

a second board, parallel to the first board;

two side boards, vertically connecting the first board and the second board, wherein the first board, the second board, and the two side boards define a space;

a plurality of spacers, extending from the side boards into the space; and

a first support, disposed on and connecting the spacers.

9. The cassette according to claim 8, wherein the spacers are arranged in parallel.

10. The cassette according to claim 8, wherein the first support is perpendicularly disposed upon the spacers.

11. The cassette according to claim 8, wherein the first support is fixed to at least one of the spacers.

12. The cassette according to claim 8 further comprising a rear board and a second support extending from the rear board into the space.

13. The cassette according to claim 12, wherein the first support and the second support are arranged in parallel.

14. The cassette according to claim 12, wherein the first support and the second support have a first top surface and a second top surface respectively, wherein the first top surface and the second top surface define a level surface.