JP2000317373A - Method for positioning nozzle height of paste coater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the productivity of a coat-drawing process by shortening the tact of the process so that the quickly and effectively initial positioning of a nozzle height may be carried out at the start of drawing a paste pattern by coating. SOLUTION: A nozzle is allowed to descend from a waiting position A only by an initial descending distance nh which is determined by a maximum value UH of undulations on the substrate surface 28a and a thickness NH of a paste pattern 29 drawn by coating a substrate, when coat-drawing of the paste pattern is started. The initial descending distance nh is set to a value such that the end point of the nozzle may not be collided onto the surface of the substrate 28 and may be descended into the range of measurement of a range meter, even when the nozzle is descended by the distance. Then, the measurement, by the range meter, of the distance between the substrate surface 28a and the end point of the nozzle, and the descending of the nozzle by a micro distance are carried out repeatedly so that the end point of the nozzle may be set on a position as high as the thickness of the paste pattern 29 from the substrate 28a of the end point of the nozzle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method in which a substrate is placed on a table so as to face a discharge port of a nozzle, and paste filled in a paste container is discharged from the discharge port of the nozzle onto the substrate. The present invention relates to a method of setting an initial height position of a nozzle in a paste coating machine that draws a paste pattern of a desired shape on the substrate by changing a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the nozzle while discharging.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a plurality of (many) paste patterns are drawn on a board mounted on the apparatus, a paste applicator uses a plurality of paste patterns based on measured values of a distance meter for measuring the undulation of the board. Each time a pattern is drawn, a paste pattern is drawn by controlling the position of the discharge port at the tip of the nozzle (hereinafter simply referred to as the tip of the nozzle) to a predetermined height for applying the pattern.

[0003] In this case, the initial positioning of the height of the nozzle tip from the substrate surface (hereinafter referred to as the nozzle height) is performed from a sufficiently high position where the tip of the nozzle does not come into contact with the substrate. The nozzle height is set to the desired height while performing a search operation of the substrate surface which repeats the measurement of the above and the lowering of the nozzle by a very small amount.

[0004]

In the conventional method for controlling the initial positioning of the nozzle height of the paste applicator, the height of the nozzle from the surface of the substrate is measured from a sufficiently high position where the tip of the nozzle does not contact the substrate. Since the search operation of the substrate surface is repeated by repeating the measurement and the minute amount of the nozzle, it takes a long time to determine the nozzle height with respect to the substrate surface, and as a result, the paste pattern is applied. It takes a long time for drawing, and the improvement in productivity is impaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to make it possible to perform an initial setting of a nozzle height efficiently.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of positioning a nozzle height of a paste application machine, which can shorten the application / drawing tact and can enhance productivity of application / drawing of a paste pattern.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for applying a maximum value of the undulation of the substrate and the maximum value of the undulation of the substrate at each coating start position of the paste pattern to be applied and drawn on the substrate. Based on the thickness of the paste pattern
The method includes a first step of calculating an initial descending distance and a second step of lowering the nozzle by the initial descending distance toward the surface of the substrate.

Further, according to the present invention, after the second step, while measuring the distance between the tip of the nozzle and the surface of the substrate using a distance meter, the tip of the nozzle is moved from the surface of the substrate to the tip of the nozzle. A third step of lowering the paste pattern by a small distance so as to have a height substantially equal to the thickness of the paste pattern is adopted.

Further, according to the present invention, after the third step, the position data of the tip of the nozzle in the plane direction of the substrate and the height data of the tip of the nozzle with respect to the surface of the substrate are stored in a memory. And calculating the actual descent distance of the nozzle by the second and third steps from the height data and the maximum value of the undulation of the substrate, and storing the actual descent distance in the memory in association with the position data. 4), wherein the actual descending distance can be used as the initial descending distance in the first step on the same type of substrate.

With this configuration, the initial height of the tip of the nozzle at the starting point of application and drawing of the paste pattern can be quickly and quickly set, and when a plurality of patterns are applied and drawn, or the next substrate is applied and drawn. The time required for initial setting of the tip height of the nozzle with respect to the substrate surface at the time of
Therefore, the pattern coating / drawing time can be reduced, and the productivity is improved.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a paste coater according to the present invention, wherein 1 is a gantry, 2a and 2b are substrate transport conveyors, 3 is a support table, 4 is a substrate suction disk, and 5 is θ. Axis moving table, 6a and 6b are X axis moving tables, 7
Is a Y-axis moving table, 8a and 8b are servo motors, 9 is a Z-axis moving table, 10 is a servo motor, 11 is a ball screw, 12 is a servomotor, and 13 is a paste. Storage cylinder (syringe), 14 is a distance meter, 16a and 16b are image recognition cameras, 17 is a control unit, 18 is a monitor, and 19 is a keyboard.
20 is an external storage device, and 21 is a cable.

In FIG. 1, on a gantry 1, two substrate transport conveyors 2a, which are parallel to the X-axis direction and can be moved up and down.
2b is provided to convey a substrate (not shown) from the back of the drawing to the front, that is, horizontally in the X-axis direction. A support 3 is provided on the gantry 1, and a substrate suction board 4 is mounted on the support 3 via a θ-axis moving table 5. The θ-axis moving table 5 rotates the substrate suction plate 4 in the θ direction about the Z-axis.

On the gantry 1, there are further provided X-axis moving tables 6a, 6b outside of the board transfer conveyors 2a, 2b and parallel to the X-axis, and these X-axis moving tables 6a, 6b are provided.
A Y-axis moving table 7 is provided so as to extend between 6b. The Y-axis moving table 7 is horizontally moved in the X-axis direction by forward or reverse rotation (forward / reverse rotation) of servo motors 8a and 8b provided on the X-axis moving tables 6a and 6b. Transported to

On the Y-axis moving table 7, Z is set by forward / reverse rotation of a ball screw 11 driven by a servo motor 10.
A Z-axis moving table 9 that moves in the axial direction is provided. The Z-axis moving table 9 includes a paste storage cylinder 13.
A support plate 15 for supporting and fixing the distance meter 14 is provided.
4 is moved in the Z-axis direction via a movable portion of a linear guide (not shown) provided on the support plate 15. The paste storage cylinder 13 is detachably attached to the movable portion of the linear guide. The top plate of the gantry 1 is provided with image recognition cameras 16a and 16b for aligning a substrate (not shown) or the like facing upward.

Inside the gantry 1, servo motors 8a, 8
b, 10, 12 and the like, and a control unit 17 for controlling the monitor 1 via the cable 21.
8, a keyboard 19, and an external storage device 20. Data for various processes in the control unit 17 is input from the keyboard 19, and is input to the image recognition cameras 16a, 16a.
The image captured by 6b and the processing status of the control unit 17 are displayed on the monitor 1.
8 is displayed. Further, data and the like input from the keyboard 19 are stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk in the external storage device 20.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the paste container 13 and the distance meter 14 in FIG.
Reference numeral 3a denotes a nozzle, 28 denotes a substrate, and portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, the distance meter 14 has a triangular cut at the lower end thereof, and a light emitting element and a plurality of light receiving elements are provided at the cut. The nozzle 13a is positioned below this cut portion of the distance meter 14.

The distance meter 14 measures the distance from the paste discharge port at the tip of the nozzle 13a to the upper surface of the glass substrate 28 by non-contact triangulation. That is, a light-emitting element is provided on one side of the triangular cut portion, and the laser light L emitted from this light-emitting element is reflected at the measurement point S on the substrate 28, and the other slope of the cut portion is provided. The light is received by any one of the plurality of light receiving elements provided in the light emitting element. Therefore, the laser light L is not blocked by the paste container 13 or the nozzle 13a.

The measurement point S of the laser beam L on the substrate 28 and the tip of the nozzle 13a, that is, the position immediately below the paste discharge port are shifted by a small distance ΔX, ΔY on the substrate 28. With a slight shift of about ΔX, ΔY, the substrate 2
8, there is almost no difference between the measurement result of the distance meter 14 and the distance (interval) from the tip of the nozzle 13a to the surface of the substrate 28. Therefore, by controlling the servomotor 12 based on the measurement result of the distance meter 14, the distance from the tip of the nozzle 13a to the surface of the substrate 28 is kept constant according to the unevenness (undulation) of the surface of the substrate 28. Can be maintained.

In this manner, the distance from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a to the surface of the substrate 28 is kept constant, and the amount of paste discharged from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a per unit time is maintained constant. As a result, the width and thickness of the paste pattern applied and drawn on the substrate 28 become uniform.

As described above, when the paste coater performs the paste pattern drawing, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the nozzle 13a is placed on the surface of the substrate 28 (actually, the influence of the undulation of the substrate 28 is eliminated. Therefore, the substrate 28 waits at a fixed position A having a predetermined height H ₀ from an ideal plane (virtual substrate main surface BP), and is lowered from the fixed position (standby position) A. Is initially set at a position higher by the height NH of the paste pattern 29 to be applied and drawn from the surface 28a. Thereafter, the paste filled in the syringe is discharged by a fixed amount from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a, and the nozzle 13a with respect to the surface of the substrate 28 is discharged.
The substrate 28 is moved while keeping the height of the tip of a constant. Thus, the paste pattern is applied and drawn on the substrate 28.

By the way, in the conventional method of initially setting the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a from the surface of the substrate 28 (hereinafter referred to as the height of the nozzle 13a) prior to the paste pattern coating / drawing operation, FIG. To the fixed position A
From the tip of the nozzle 13a by the distance meter 14 to the substrate 28
The measurement of the distance to the surface and the minute distance lowering of the nozzle 13a are repeatedly performed, and the tip of the nozzle 13a is set to the height at which the paste pattern is applied and drawn. For this reason, the time required for the initial positioning process of the height of the nozzle 13a becomes long due to the undulation of the surface of the substrate 28 or the assembly error of the position (height) of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a, and the productivity decreases. was there. If the accuracy of assembling the position (height) of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is increased in order to prevent this, the cost of parts and assembly will increase.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the nozzle 1
When the height data of the tip of the nozzle 3a and the position data of the XY axis direction with respect to the substrate 28 are stored in the memory of the control unit 17 and the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a is initialized, the software feedback processing is used. From these data stored in the memory, the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a from the surface of the substrate 28 can be measured without causing the tip of the nozzle 13a to collide with the surface of the substrate 28 at the time of applying and drawing the paste pattern. Is calculated, and the nozzle 13a is moved up and down based on the calculated data. Then, the measurement of the distance sensor 14 and the nozzle 1
The height of the nozzle 13a is adjusted by repeating the process of lowering the minute distance of 3a, so that a plurality of paste patterns are applied and drawn on the same substrate 28, or the paste pattern is applied on the next substrate 28. In the case of drawing, the time required for initial positioning of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a with respect to the surface of the substrate 28 is shortened, and the paste pattern coating / drawing time is shortened so that productivity can be improved.

Next, the nozzle 13a in this embodiment
A control method for setting the height of the object will be described.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit in FIG. 1. In FIG.
7b is a motor controller, 17c1 and 17c2 are X1,
X2 axis driver, 17d Y axis driver, 17e θ axis driver, 17f Z axis driver, 17g data communication bus, 17h external interface, 22a, 22b
Is a lens barrel having an illuminable light source, 23 is an image processing device (image recognition means), 25 is a negative pressure source, 25a is a negative pressure regulator, 26 is a positive pressure source, 26a is a positive pressure regulator,
7 is a valve unit, 30 is a servomotor, 31 to 35
Is an encoder, and portions corresponding to the above-mentioned drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, a control unit 17 includes a microcomputer 17a, a motor controller 17b, X,
An external interface for transmitting signals to and from the drivers 17c1 to 17f for the Y, Z, and θ axes, the image processing device 23 for processing video signals obtained by the image recognition cameras 16a and 16b, the keyboard 19, and the like. It has a built-in face 17h.
The control unit 17 further includes a drive control system for the substrate transport conveyors 2a and 2b, but is not shown here.

Although not shown, the microcomputer 17a has a main processing unit, a ROM storing a processing program for performing coating / drawing described later, processing results in the main processing unit, and an external interface 17h. And a RAM for storing input data from the motor controller 17b, and an input / output unit for exchanging data with the external interface 17h and the motor controller 17b.

The servo motor 30 has a θ-axis moving table 5
(FIG. 1). Each servo motor 8a,
8b, 10, 12, and 30 are provided with encoders 31 to 35 for detecting the amount of rotation.
The position is controlled by returning to the drivers 17c1 to 17f for the Y, Z, and θ axes.

The servomotors 8a, 8b and 10 are keyboads.
Input from the computer 19 and the R of the microcomputer 17a.
By rotating forward / reverse on the basis of the data stored in the AM, the nozzle 13a (FIG. 2) moves the Z of the substrate 28 (FIG. 2) vacuum-adsorbed to the substrate suction disk 4 (FIG. 1). Axis moving table 9 and X, Y axis moving tables 6a, 6b, 7
(FIG. 1) moves an arbitrary distance in the X and Y axis directions,
During this movement, a slight pressure is continuously applied from the positive pressure source 26 to the paste container 13 via the positive pressure regulator 26a and the valve unit 27, so that the paste is discharged from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a, and the paste is stopped. A desired paste pattern is applied and drawn on the substrate 28 thus formed. During the horizontal movement of the Z-axis moving table 9 in the X- and Y-axis directions, the distance meter 14 is connected to the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a and the substrate 28.
Is measured, and the servo motor 12 is driven by the Z-axis driver 17f so that the distance is always kept constant.
Is controlled by

Next, the operation of the paste applicator using this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, when the power is turned on (step 100), first, the initial setting of the paste coating machine is executed (step 200). This initial setting step is performed in FIG. By driving 8b and 10, the Z-axis moving table 9 is moved in the X and Y directions and positioned at a predetermined reference position, and the nozzle 13a (FIG. 2) starts to apply paste through its paste discharge port. At a predetermined origin position so as to be a position (ie, a paste application start point), and further, setting of paste pattern data, position data of the substrate 28, and paste discharge end position data. Is performed. The input of such data is key
The data input from the board 19 (FIG. 1) is stored in the RAM incorporated in the microcomputer 17a (FIG. 4) as described above.

When this initial setting step (step 200) is completed, the substrate 28 is mounted on the substrate suction plate 4 (FIG. 1) and held by suction (step 300). In the substrate mounting step, the substrate 28 is transported in the X-axis direction to a position above the substrate suction plate 4 by the substrate transport conveyors 2a and 2b (FIG. 1), and the substrate transport conveyor 2a is moved by an elevating means (not shown in FIG. 1). , 2b by lowering
The substrate 28 is mounted on the substrate suction plate 4.

Next, it is determined whether or not undulation measurement of the surface of the substrate 28 is to be performed (step 350). This determination is made based on whether the substrate 28 on the substrate suction board 4 is the first one in the lot. Whether or not the lot is the first one can be determined by referring to data provided from the host computer, input data from the keyboard 19 (FIG. 1), and the like.

In the case of the first substrate, the undulation is measured by moving the distance meter 14 in the X and Y axis directions while fixing the Z-axis so as to be at the measurement allowable height, and measuring the maximum undulation. Obtain a value (step 355). This measurement is
It is stored in the memory of the control unit 17.

Next, a substrate pre-positioning process (step 4)
00).

In this process, the positioning of the substrate 28 in the X and Y directions is performed by a positioning chuck not shown in FIG. For this purpose, the marks for positioning the substrate 28 mounted on the substrate suction plate 4 are photographed by the image recognition cameras 16a and 16b, and the center positions of the marks for positioning are determined by image processing to obtain the θ of the substrate 28. The inclination in the direction is detected, and the servomotor 30 (FIG. 4) is driven in accordance with the inclination to correct the inclination in the θ direction.

When the amount of the remaining paste in the paste container 13 is small, the paste container 13 is moved together with the nozzle 13a in advance so that the paste is not interrupted during the next paste pattern coating operation. However, if the nozzle 13a is replaced in this way, the misalignment may occur. Therefore, a cross drawing is performed using a new nozzle 13a that has been replaced on a portion of the substrate 28 where a paste pattern is not to be formed. The center position of the intersection of drawing is determined by image processing, the distance between this center position and the center position of the positioning mark on the substrate 28 is calculated, and this is calculated as the displacement dx of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a. , Dy
Is stored in a RAM built in the microcomputer 17a. Thus, the substrate pre-positioning process (Step 400) ends. The positional deviation amounts dx and dy of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a are used to correct the positional deviation in a later-described paste pattern application / drawing operation.

Next, paste pattern drawing processing (step 500) is performed. Details of this processing will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6, this processing (step 50)
0) moves the Z-axis moving table 9 to position the ejection port of the nozzle 13a at the application start position, and moves the nozzle 1
The position of the paste discharge port 3a is compared and adjusted.

For this purpose, first, the micro-computer obtained in the preceding substrate pre-positioning process (step 400) is used.
It is determined whether or not the positional deviation amounts dx and dy of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a stored in the RAM of the data 17a are within the allowable ranges ΔX and ΔY shown in FIG. If it is within the allowable range (範 囲 X ≧ dx and △ Y ≧ dy), it is left as it is, and if it is out of the allowable range (△ X <dx or △ Y <dy), the displacement dx, dy
By moving the Z-axis moving table 9 based on the above, the paste storage tube 13 is moved, thereby eliminating the positional deviation between the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a and the desired position of the substrate 28, and the paste of the nozzle 13a. The discharge port is positioned at a desired position (step 501).

Next, the height of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is set to the paste pattern drawing height (step 5).
02). This step 502 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 7, the nozzle 13a is determined based on the position data (XY coordinate) of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a.
The initial movement distance of a is calculated based on equation (1) described later (step 502a), and the nozzle 13a is lowered by the initial movement distance (step 502b). Next, the height of the surface of the substrate 28 is measured by the distance meter 14 (Step 502).
c) It is checked whether or not the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is set to the height at which the paste pattern is drawn (step 502d). (Step 5
02e) until the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is set at the application drawing height.
The operation of e is repeated.

The above operation will be described with reference to FIG. 3. Before the application of the paste pattern 29, the tip of the nozzle 13 a is set at a fixed position A with a constant height H ₀ with respect to the assumed substrate main surface BP. Have been. In step 502a of FIG. 7, the initial descent distance nh is calculated by the following equation (1), and the nozzle 13a is lowered by the initial descent distance nh. In this case, the initial descent distance nh is determined by the
Is set so that the tip of the nozzle 13a does not collide with the surface 28 of the substrate 28 and the tip of the nozzle 13a is positioned at a height within the measurement range of the distance meter 14. Then, the nozzle 13a having the height set as described above is used.
Is not set at the position of the height NH of the paste pattern 29 to be applied and drawn from the surface 28a of the substrate 28 (that is, the height h is still higher than the height NH of the paste pattern 29 to be applied and drawn). Position), the distance meter 14 measures the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a from the surface 28a of the substrate 28 by the steps 502c to 502e, and determines whether or not the measured value has reached the height NH. Then, the nozzle 13a is lowered by a minute distance.

By performing the above operation, the surface 2 of the substrate 28
Since the nozzle 13a is quickly lowered to a position near the nozzle 8a, and is gradually lowered by a small distance from the lowered position, the initial position of the tip of the nozzle 13a in the height direction with respect to the surface 28a of the substrate 28 (at this time, (The lower distance of the nozzle 13a from the fixed position A is assumed to be nh ').

Here, the initial descent distance nh is represented by nh = H _0- (NH + UH + ε) (1) where UH is the maximum value of the undulation of the substrate surface 28a with respect to the substrate main surface BP. It is. The maximum value UH of the undulation is measured in step 355 in FIG. Usually, the glass substrate 28 is subjected to a processing such as polishing in order to form a thin film circuit pattern, so that high-precision flatness is maintained. The surface of the substrate suction plate 4 (FIG. 1) on which such a substrate is mounted is also processed so as to maintain flatness with high accuracy, but a slight undulation still remains. Therefore, when the substrate 28 is vacuum-adsorbed and fixed on the surface of the substrate suction plate 4, the substrate 28 is fixed following the surface of the substrate suction plate 4 and the surface 28a of the substrate 28 is undulated. become. The maximum value of this undulation is shown in FIG.
Is the value UH shown in FIG.

When the initial setting operation of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a is completed, the distance meter 14 at the application start position is completed.
Is stored in the memory of the control unit 17 (FIG. 1) as height data (step 502f), and then the XY axes at the application start position of the tip of the nozzle 13a are measured. The coordinate values are stored as position data in this memory (step 502g). FIG. 8 shows an example of a memory format for storing. Finally, based on the stored height data NH and the maximum value UH of the undulation on the surface of the substrate 28, the distance nh ′ at which the nozzle 13a was actually lowered at the application start position is represented by nh ′ = H ₀₋ (NH + UH + ε) (2), which is stored in the memory as the initial descent distance nh at the same coating start position on another substrate 28 of the same type in association with the XY coordinate values as position data. (Step 502h). Thereby, another substrate 2 of the same type
In the initial position setting process (step 502b) of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a at the same application start position of No. 8 (step 502b), this distance n
h ′ can be used as the initial descent distance nh of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a. At this time, of course, step 502e may be used for fine adjustment of the final height. Can be omitted substantially, and the time required for setting the initial position of the tip height of the nozzle 13a can be further reduced.

By setting the above-mentioned margin value ε, the initial position of the tip of the nozzle 13a at the same coating start position on another substrate 28 of the same type can be set differently depending on the thickness of the substrate. But you can do it with confidence.

In the case where a plurality of paste patterns are applied and drawn on the same substrate 28, the above formula is used for each application start position of the paste pattern using the nozzle height NH and the maximum value UH of the undulation of the substrate 28. According to (1), the initial descent distance nh of the nozzle 13a is obtained, and
The initial height position of 502e is set.
The operation of steps 502f to 502h is performed. As a result, the XY coordinate value, the Z coordinate value NH, and the distance nh ′ of the paste pattern at each coating / painting start position on the same substrate 28 are stored in the memory in association with each other.

When the paste container 13 has not been replaced, the positional deviation dx,
Since the data of dy does not exist, the initial setting of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a described above is immediately performed upon entering the paste pattern drawing processing (step 500).

When the above processing is completed, the servo motors 8a, 8b and 10 are driven based on the paste pattern data stored in the RAM of the microcomputer 17a. In the state facing the paste pattern data 28, the paste moves in the X and Y directions in accordance with the paste pattern data, and a slight pressure is applied to the paste container 13 from the positive pressure source 26 via the positive pressure regulator 26 a and the valve unit 27. ,
The discharge of the paste from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is started (Step 503). Thereby, the application drawing of the paste pattern on the substrate 28 starts. At the same time, as described above, the microcomputer 17a inputs the measured data of the distance between the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a and the surface of the substrate 28 from the distance meter 14, and Measure the swell (step 50)
4) By driving the servo motor 12 according to the measured value, the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a from the surface of the substrate 28 is kept constant (steps 505 to 50).
7). In this case, when the tip of the nozzle 13a crosses the already applied paste pattern, the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a is not changed (Step 505). Change the height of the tip (Steps 506, 5
07).

In this manner, the application and drawing of the paste pattern proceeds. During this time, it is determined whether or not the tip of the nozzle 13a is always the end of the drawing pattern determined by the paste pattern data on the surface of the substrate 28. (Step 508). If it is not the end, the process returns to the process of measuring the surface undulation of the substrate 28 (step 504), and the above steps are repeated until the end of the paste pattern is reached. When the end of the drawing pattern is reached (step 508), the discharge of the paste from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a is stopped, and the servo motor 12
To raise the nozzle 13a (step 50).
9) It is determined whether there is another paste pattern to be drawn (step 510). If there is another paste pattern to be drawn, the operation from step 501 is performed on the paste pattern to be newly drawn,
If there is no other paste pattern to be drawn (step 510), the nozzle 13a is raised (step 511), and the paste pattern drawing step (step 500) for the substrate 28 is completed.

When the process of step 500 in FIG. 5 is completed as described above, next, a substrate discharging process (step 60)
1), the suction of the substrate 28 to the substrate suction board 4 is released, and the substrate transport conveyors 2a and 2b are lifted to place the substrate 28 thereon, and then the substrate transport conveyor 2a in FIG. , 2b are discharged out of the apparatus.

Then, it is determined whether or not all the above processes have been completed for all the substrates (step 700), and when the paste is applied to a plurality of substrates with the same pattern, the other substrates are used. Steps 300 to 700 are repeated, and when a series of such processes is completed for all the substrates (step 700), all the operations are completed.

When the same paste pattern is applied and drawn on the same type of substrate 28, the step shown in FIG. According to 502a, the initial descent distance nh of the nozzle 13a is calculated and the initial position of the height of the tip of the nozzle 13a is set. For the second and subsequent substrates 28, the undulation of the substrate 28 is as described above. Since it substantially depends on the flatness of the substrate suction plate 4 (FIG. 1) and the same type of substrate 28 has almost the same undulation, the substrate 28 before the application and drawing of the paste pattern is applied. Using the initial descent distance nh ′ obtained in step 502h in FIG. 7, the descent in step 502b in FIG. 7 is performed. Of course, the initial descent distance nh ′ used is
This corresponds to the drawing start position of the paste pattern to be applied and drawn, and uses the initial descent distance nh ′ corresponding to this from the XY-axis coordinate data of the nozzle tip stored in step 502g in FIG. Steps 502f to 5f in FIG.
02h, so that an initial descent distance nh ′ can be obtained for the substrate 28 on which the paste pattern is to be applied and drawn next.

When the substrate suction disk 4 has undulation, the maximum undulation UK is used, and the initial descending distance nh of the nozzle 13a is represented by nh = H _0- (NH + UH + UK + ε) (3) . In steps 350 and 355 in FIG. 5, the undulation of the substrate surface is measured. However, if the maximum value UH of the undulation of the substrate 28 and the maximum value UK of the undulation of the substrate suction plate 4 are known in advance, these steps 3
Step 502 of FIG. 6 may be performed using these data without performing steps 50 and 355.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The height position of the nozzle tip at the drawing start position of the paste pattern can be set quickly and accurately, and the nozzle position (height) can be efficiently controlled.
The coating and drawing tact can be shortened, and the productivity of the coating and drawing process can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a paper using a nozzle positioning method according to the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of a strike coating machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement relationship between a paste storage cylinder and a distance meter in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of nozzle height control at the time of applying and drawing a paste pattern.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the paste applicator shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the entire operation of the paste applicator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a paste pattern drawing of the paste applicator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a method for positioning a nozzle height of a paste coating machine according to the present invention.

8 is a diagram showing a specific example of a configuration of nozzle height data and nozzle position data storage data handled in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stand 2a, 2b Board transfer conveyor 3 Support stand 4 Substrate suction board 5 θ axis movement table 6a, 6b X axis movement table 7 Y axis movement table 8a, 8b Servo motor 9 Z axis movement Table 10, 12 Servo motor 13 Paste storage cylinder 13a Nozzle 16a, 16b Image recognition camera 17 Control unit 22a, 22b Light source 23 Image processing device 28 Substrate 29 Paste pattern 30 Servo motor

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yukihiro Kawasumi 5-2-2 Koyodai, Ryugasaki-shi, Ibaraki Pref. Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shozo Igarashi 5-5-2 Koyodai, Ryugasaki-shi, Ibaraki No. F-term (reference) in the Ryugasaki Plant of Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. 4D075 AC08 AC88 AC93 CA48 DA06 DB13 DC21 DC24 4F041 AA05 BA22 BA56 4F042 AA06 BA01 BA08 BA25 BA27 DD20 DF16

Claims (3)

[Claims] A substrate is placed on a table so as to face a discharge port of a nozzle, and the substrate and the nozzle are discharged while discharging a paste filled in a paste storage tube from the discharge port onto the substrate. By changing the relative positional relationship with
In a paste coating machine for drawing a paste pattern of a desired shape on the substrate, the maximum value of the waviness of the substrate and the drawing on the substrate are applied at each coating start position of the paste pattern to be coated and drawn on the substrate. A paste comprising: a first step of calculating an initial descent distance based on a thickness of a paste pattern; and a second step of lowering the nozzle by the initial descent distance toward the surface of the substrate. How to position nozzle height of coating machine. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after the second step, the distance between the tip of the nozzle and the surface of the substrate is measured by a distance meter, and the tip of the nozzle is positioned on the surface of the substrate. 3. A method of positioning a nozzle height of a paste applicator, comprising: a third step of lowering the paste pattern by a small distance so that the height becomes substantially equal to the thickness of the paste pattern. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein after the third step, position data of the tip of the nozzle in the plane direction of the substrate and height data of the tip of the nozzle with respect to the surface of the substrate are stored in a memory. Calculating the actual descent distance of the nozzle in the second and third steps from the height data and the maximum value of the waviness of the substrate, and storing the distance in the memory in association with the position data. And a fourth step, wherein the actual descending distance can be used as the initial descending distance in the first step on the same type of substrate. .