Glass cassette for loading glass substrates of display panels

Abstract

A glass cassette for loading glass substrates for display panels includes an upper plate, a lower plate, side plates, a stopper and stepped support members. The lower plate is disposed substantially parallel to the upper plate. The side plates are disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction and substantially parallel to each other. The side plates are connected to the upper plate and the lower plate. The stopper is disposed at an end portion of the glass cassette to limit a movement of the glass substrates in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to stop the movement of the glass substrates upon insertion. The stopper is connected between the upper plate and the lower plate. The stepped support members are disposed at each of the side plates while facing each other in the first direction in order to flatly support the glass substrates.

1 . A glass cassette for loading glass substrates of display panels, wherein the glass cassette comprises: 
 an upper plate;    a lower plate disposed substantially parallel to the upper plate;    side plates disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction and substantially parallel to each other, the side plates being connected to the upper plate and the lower plate;    a stopper disposed at an end portion of the glass cassette to limit a movement of the glass substrates in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to stop the movement of the glass substrates upon insertion, the stopper being connected between the upper plate and the lower plate; and    stepped support members disposed at each of the side plates while facing each other in the first direction in order to flatly support the glass substrates.    
   
   
       2 . The glass cassette of  claim 1 , wherein the stepped support members comprise: 
 a first stepped support member disposed at a first side plate; and    a second stepped support member disposed at a second side plate corresponding to the first side plate such that the first and second stepped support members face each other,    wherein a vertical distance between a step of the first stepped support member and the lower plate is substantially same as the vertical distance between a step of the second stepped support member, which faces the step of the first stepped support member, and the lower plate.    
   
   
       3 . The glass cassette of  claim 1 , wherein a glass supporting surface is disposed on an external surface of the stepped support members and comes in contact with the glass substrate.  
   
   
       4 . The glass cassette of  claim 3 , wherein the glass supporting surface includes a peak that extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction at which the glass substrates are inserted into the glass cassette.  
   
   
       5 . The glass cassette of  claim 1 , wherein the stepped support member includes alternating glass supporting surfaces and vertical surfaces that are continuously connected to each other to form steps, and an inclined surface is disposed between each of the glass supporting surfaces and the vertical surfaces.  
   
   
       6 . The glass cassette of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate each have grooves extending along the first direction and facing each other, and a position of each of the side plates is adjustable along the grooves in order to adjust a spacing between the stepped support members responsive to a size of the glass substrates.  
   
   
       7 . The glass cassette of  claim 1 , wherein the stepped support member comprises a metal portion.  
   
   
       8 . A glass cassette for loading glass substrates of display panels, wherein the glass cassette comprises: 
 an upper plate;    a lower plate disposed substantially parallel to the upper plate;    side plates disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction and substantially parallel to each other, the side plates being connected to the upper plate and the lower plate; and    support members disposed at each of the side plates while facing each other in the first direction in order to flatly support the glass substrates,    wherein each of the support members comprises multiple glass supporting surfaces corresponding to glass substrates of varying sizes.    
   
   
       9 . The glass cassette of  claim 8 , further comprising a stopper disposed at an end portion of the glass cassette to limit a movement of the glass substrates in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to stop the movement of the glass substrates upon insertion, the stopper being connected between the upper plate and the lower plate.  
   
   
       10 . The glass cassette of  claim 8 , wherein a distance between the side plates is adjustable along grooves disposed in the upper and lower plates.  
   
   
       11 . A glass cassette for loading glass substrates of display panels, wherein the glass cassette comprises: 
 an upper plate;    a lower plate disposed substantially parallel to the upper plate;    side plates disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction and substantially parallel to each other, the side plates being connected to the upper plate and the lower plate;    a stopper disposed at an end portion of the glass cassette to limit a movement of the glass substrates in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to stop the movement of the glass substrates upon insertion, the stopper being connected between the upper plate and the lower plate; and    stepped support members comprising a resin, the stepped support members disposed at each of the side plates while facing each other in the first direction in order to flatly support the glass substrates.    
   
   
       12 . The glass cassette of  claim 11 , wherein the resin is a polyether ether ketone (PEEK).  
   
   
       13 . The glass cassette of  claim 11 , wherein the stepped support member further comprises a metal portion.  
   
   
       14 . The glass cassette of  claim 11 , wherein an external surface of the stepped support member that comes in contact with the glass substrates is made of the resin.  
   
   
       15 . The glass cassette of  claim 11 , wherein the resin is a polyether ether ketone (PEEK).  
   
   
       16 . The glass cassette of  claim 13 , wherein the metal portion is made of aluminum (Al).  
   
   
       17 . The glass cassette of  claim 13 , wherein an external surface of the metal portion is stepped.  
   
   
       18 . The glass cassette of  claim 13 , wherein the metal portion is integrally formed with one of the side plates.  
   
   
       19 . A glass cassette for loading glass substrates of display panels, wherein the glass cassette comprises: 
 an upper plate;    a lower plate disposed substantially parallel to the upper plate;    side plates disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction and substantially parallel to each other, the side plates being connected to the upper plate and the lower plate; and    support members comprising a resin disposed at each of the side plates while facing each other in the first direction in order to flatly support the glass substrates,    wherein each of the support members comprises multiple glass supporting surfaces corresponding to glass substrates of varying sizes.    
   
   
       20 . The glass cassette of  claim 19 , further comprising a stopper disposed at an end portion of the glass cassette to limit a movement of the glass substrates in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction to stop the movement of the glass substrates upon insertion, the stopper being connected between the upper plate and the lower plate.  
   
   
       21 . The glass cassette of  claim 19 , wherein a distance between the side plates is adjustable along grooves disposed in the upper and lower plates.  
   
   
       22 . The glass cassette of  claim 19 , wherein the support members further comprise a metal portion, and the resin is disposed at a surface of the support members that contact the glass substrates.