A sheet member conveyance device includes: a support part configured to support a sheet member; and a moving part configured to move the support part to convey the sheet member, the support part including a deformation support part configured to support each of one end portion of the sheet member and another end portion of the sheet member, which are opposed to each other, and to partially deform the sheet member into a curved shape, to thereby form a convex thread portion or a concave thread portion crossing a principal surface of the sheet member.

A method and a support for holding a substrate, wherein the support is included in a transportation system configured to transport the substrate. The method includes attaching an adhesive to the support, wherein the material of the adhesive is a synthetic setae material and wherein the adhesive is configured to attach the substrate to the support; and attaching the adhesive to the substrate. Moreover, the thickness of the substrate is about 0.3 mm or less, and/or wherein the substrate has a size of 1.4 m.sup.2 or more. The support includes a support body and an adhesive, wherein the material of the adhesive is a synthetic setae material and wherein the adhesive is configured to attach the support body to the substrate, wherein the support is included in a transportation system configured to transport the substrate.

Apparatus and method for transferring a substrate are disclosed. The substrate transfer apparatus includes: a substrate conveyance assembly disposed between a mechanical arm and a wafer stage, the substrate conveyance assembly including a substrate loading conveyor and a substrate unloading conveyor parallelly arranged in a first direction, each of the substrate loading conveyor and the substrate unloading conveyor configured for transferring a substrate between the wafer stage and the mechanical arm along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; an integral frame; and a transition air suspension assembly fixed to the integral frame at the end thereof proximal to the wafer stage, the transition air suspension assembly being able to engage with either of the substrate loading conveyor and the substrate unloading conveyor for producing an air film to levitate the substrate during the conveyance of the substrate by the substrate loading conveyor or the substrate unloading conveyor.

A glass-plate working apparatus 1 includes: two grinding worktables 17A and 17B which undergo NC controlled movement or angularly controlled rotation independently of each other and a grinding head 18 which undergoes NC controlled movement in correspondence with the grinding worktables 17A and 17B, wherein the grinding worktables 17A and 17B are adapted to alternately move in a planar coordinate system in cooperation with the grinding head 18 and alternately repeat operation in which while one of the grinding worktables 17A and 17B, while holding a glass plate 2, is effecting the grinding of the glass plate 2 by the grinding head 18, the other one of the grinding worktables 17A and 17B effects an operation of discharging the glass plate 2 and receiving a next glass plate 2, to thereby allow the grinding head 18 to proceed with grinding on a continual basis.

A process and apparatus for handling a rigid sheet is disclosed. The process comprises engaging opposing faces of a sheet at its periphery with engagement means providing a second engagement means, movable relative to the first and engaging the sheet with the second engagement means. The sheet is then moved relative to the second engagement means whilst the sheet is engaged with the first engagement means and is then clamped. The sheet is then moved to a desired orientation or location whilst maintaining the first and second engagement means in fixed relative position. The process is useful in handling glass sheeting and in the production of multiple glazed units and on an insulating glass production line.

A glass processing apparatus and a glass processing method are provided. The glass processing apparatus includes: a glass transportation apparatus comprising a carrier comprising a gripper configured to grip glass articles, and a conveyor configured to convey the carrier, and a cleaning apparatus comprising a cleaning head configured to clean the gripper, which contact the glass articles, and a moving unit configured to move the cleaning head. The glass processing method includes: loading glass articles to a carrier having a gripper by picking up the glass articles with the gripper such that the gripper contact the glass articles, conveying the glass articles by conveying the carrier with a conveyor, unloading the glass articles from the carrier by causing the gripper to be detached from the glass articles, and cleaning the gripper.