JP2002372368A - Pressure reducing dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pressure reducing dryer in which the surface of a dried article can be kept in good state. SOLUTION: An exhaust opening 18 is made in the bottom wall of the chamber 11 of a pressure reducing dryer 10 and the inner state of the chamber 11 transits to a pressure reduced state when the air in the chamber 11 is discharged by an exhaust system 20 connected with the exhaust opening 18. Furthermore, leak openings 17a and 17b are made in the side wall of the chamber 11 and a transition is made from a pressure reduced state to an atmospheric pressure state in the chamber 11 when a gas, e.g. air, is introduced into the chamber 11 from a leak system 25 connected with the leak openings 17a and 17b. The leak system 25 comprises a piping system different from that of the exhaust system 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reduced-pressure drying apparatus such as a vacuum drying apparatus, and more particularly to a reduced-pressure drying apparatus capable of keeping the surface of an object to be dried after drying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a process of manufacturing a color filter for a liquid crystal display device, a coating solution such as a resist solution is applied to a glass substrate and dried, and a desired pattern is formed by photolithography or the like. In addition, as a coating method of the coating liquid, for example, various coating methods such as a spin coating method, a knife coating method, a roll coating method, and a bead coating method are used. In any of these application methods, a coating liquid drying step must be performed as a step before forming a pattern. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an object to be dried such as a glass substrate to which a coating liquid has been applied has been heated and dried using an oven or a hot plate. However, in the conventional heating and drying method described above, the time required for drying is long,
As a result, in the manufacturing process of the color filter for the liquid crystal display device as described above, there is a problem that the drying process of the coating liquid on the glass substrate is a rate-determining step of all processes.

[0003] In recent years, a vacuum drying apparatus such as a vacuum drying apparatus has been used to reduce the time required for the drying step. Here, the reduced-pressure drying device is a device for drying a dried object by placing the dried object such as a glass substrate coated with a coating liquid or the like in a chamber in a reduced pressure state, and increases the evaporation rate of a solvent or the like. (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-111252,
2665, JP-A-9-320949, JP-A-7-8704, and JP-A-6-97061.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional vacuum drying apparatus, the piping system for exhausting air in the chamber and the piping system for introducing gas such as air into the chamber are the same. After drying the object to be dried in a reduced pressure state in the chamber, when returning the state in the chamber from the reduced pressure state to the atmospheric pressure state,
There is a problem that foreign matter such as dust contained in air once exhausted from the chamber flows again together with the gas introduced into the chamber, and adheres to the surface of the object to be dried.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and effectively prevents foreign substances such as dust from adhering to the surface of the object to be dried, and cleans the surface of the object to be dried after drying. An object of the present invention is to provide a reduced-pressure drying device capable of maintaining a good condition.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a chamber for containing an object to be dried, the chamber having an exhaust port and a leak port, and the chamber connected to the exhaust port of the chamber. An exhaust system connected to the leak port of the chamber, and a leak system connected to the leak port of the chamber to shift the state of the chamber from a reduced pressure state to an atmospheric pressure state. Provided is a reduced-pressure drying device, wherein the system is constituted by a different piping system.

[0007] In the present invention, it is preferable that the apparatus further comprises a shielding member for shielding the gas flowing into the chamber through the leak port so that the gas does not directly hit the object to be dried. Further, it is preferable that the leak system is provided with a filter for removing foreign matter from gas flowing into the chamber through the leak port.

According to the present invention, the exhaust system connected to the exhaust port of the chamber and the leak system connected to the leak port of the chamber are configured by different piping systems.
When a gas such as air is introduced into the chamber by the leak system and returned to the atmospheric pressure state, foreign matter such as dust contained in the air once exhausted from the chamber does not flow again. It is possible to effectively prevent foreign substances such as dust from adhering to the surface of the dried body and to keep the surface of the dried body in a good state after drying.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are views showing one embodiment of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the entire configuration of an embodiment of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of a chamber portion of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus shown in FIG. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped chamber 1.
The substrate 1 (substrate to be dried) 40 housed in the chamber 11 is dried by maintaining the state in the chamber 11 in a reduced pressure state (vacuum state).

The bottom wall of the chamber 11 has a leg 12
The rectifying plate 13 is provided via the rectifying plate 13. In addition, the current plate 1
A sample plate 14 having an outer shape slightly smaller than the substrate 40 is mounted on 3, and the substrate 40 is mounted on the sample plate 14. Note that the guide portion 15 for regulating the position of the substrate 40 is provided on the current plate 13.
Are provided so as to protrude from the upper surface.

An exhaust port 18 is provided on the bottom wall of the chamber 11.
And an exhaust system 2 connected to the exhaust port 18
By evacuating the air in the chamber 11 by 0,
The state in the chamber 11 can be shifted to a reduced pressure state. The exhaust system 20 includes a decompression box 21 connected to the exhaust port 18 of the chamber 11,
An exhaust pipe 22 connected to the pressure reducing box 21;
2 connected to a vacuum pump 24. In addition,
The exhaust pipe 22 is provided with an exhaust valve 23. here,
The current plate 13 is disposed substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the chamber 11 at a predetermined interval, and when air in the chamber 11 is exhausted, air is uniformly supplied from the peripheral portion to the exhaust port 18. It is designed to flow in.

Further, leak ports 17a, 17b are formed in the side wall of the chamber 11, and the leak ports 17a, 17b are formed.
By introducing a gas such as air into the chamber 11 by the leak system 25 connected to 7b, the state in the chamber 11 can be changed from a reduced pressure state to an atmospheric pressure state. Note that the leak system 25 is configured by a piping system different from the exhaust system 20. Here, the leak ports 17a and 17b are connected to leak pipes 26a and 26b, which extend from the leak pipe 27 and have the same volume, respectively.
8, 30 and a filter 29 for removing foreign matter such as dust from the gas flowing into the chamber 11 through the leak ports 17a and 17b. In addition, leak port 1
The positions of 7a and 17b are provided above the upper surface of the substrate 40 accommodated in the chamber 11 so that foreign substances such as dust adhering to the inside of the chamber 11 are not blown up from below. Further, the flow regulating plate 13 of the chamber 11 is provided with shielding plates (shielding members) 31a and 31b that block the gas flowing into the chamber 11 through the leak ports 17a and 17b so that the gas does not directly hit the substrate 40. ing.

The upper wall of the chamber 11 has an opening 11a.
Is formed, and the substrate 40 can be carried in and out through the opening 11a. An opening / closing member 16 for sealing and opening the opening 11a is attached to the upper wall of the chamber 11 so as to be openable and closable.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

First, the opening / closing member 16 is rotated to open the opening 11a of the chamber 11, and the substrate 40 to be dried is carried in through the opening 11a.

Thereafter, the opening / closing member 16 is closed and the chamber 1 is closed.
After closing the opening 11a of the exhaust system 20, the exhaust valve 2 of the exhaust system 20 is closed.
3 with the vacuum pump 24 and the decompression box 2
1, the exhaust port 18 formed in the bottom wall of the chamber 11
By exhausting the air in the chamber 11 through the exhaust pipe 22, the state in the chamber 11 is shifted to a reduced pressure state. At this time, the air flows uniformly into the exhaust port 18 from the periphery thereof due to the function of the current plate 13.

In this manner, the surface of the substrate 40 on which the coating liquid or the like is applied is dried by maintaining the state in the chamber 11 in a reduced pressure state for a predetermined time.

Thereafter, after the surface of the substrate 40 is sufficiently dried, the exhaust valve 23 of the exhaust system 20 is closed, and the operations of the vacuum pump 24 and the pressure reducing box 21 are stopped.

Then, the leak valve 28 of the leak system 25,
30 is opened, leak ports 17a, 17b and leak pipes 26a, 26b,
By introducing a gas such as air into the chamber 11 via 27, the state in the chamber 11 is shifted from a reduced pressure state to an atmospheric pressure state. At this time, the gas flowing into the chamber 11 is filtered by the filter 2 provided in the leak pipe 27.
The foreign matter such as dust is removed by the cleaner 9. Further, the chamber 1 is connected via the leak ports 17a and 17b.
The gas flowing into 1 is blocked by the shielding plates 31a and 31b and flows in a direction that does not directly hit the substrate 40.

Finally, after the state in the chamber 11 is shifted to the atmospheric pressure state, the opening / closing member 16 is opened to open the opening 11a of the chamber 11, and the opening 11a is opened.
The substrate 40 after drying is carried out via the.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the exhaust system 20 connected to the exhaust port 18 of the chamber 11 and the leak system 25 connected to the leak ports 17a and 17b of the chamber 11 are connected by different piping systems. Because it is composed,
When gas such as air is introduced into the chamber 11 by the leak system 25 to return to the atmospheric pressure state, foreign matter such as dust contained in the air once exhausted from the chamber 11 does not flow again. Therefore, foreign substances such as dust are effectively prevented from adhering to the surface of the substrate 40, and the
0 surface can be kept in a good state.

According to the present embodiment, the chamber 1
The shielding plate 3 prevents gas flowing into the chamber 11 through the leak ports 17a and 17b from directly hitting the substrate 40.
Even if gas flows into the chamber 11 at a relatively high speed, the substrate 40
It is possible to more effectively prevent foreign matter such as dust from adhering to the surface of the substrate 40, and to maintain the surface of the dried substrate 40 in a more favorable state.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the gas flowing into the chamber 11 flows in a state in which foreign matter such as dust is removed by the filter 29 provided in the leak pipe 27. Adhesion of foreign substances such as dust on the surface can be more effectively prevented, and the surface of the dried substrate 40 can be kept in a better state.

In the above-described embodiment, the shield plates 31a and 31b are provided as shields for blocking gas flowing into the chamber 11 via the leak ports 17a and 17b. As shown in FIG. 3, L-shaped outlet pipes (shields) 32a and 32b are provided so that gas flowing in through the leak ports 17a and 17b blows out along the inner wall of the chamber 11 in the left and right direction, or as shown in FIG. like,
Semi-cylindrical blow-off pipes (shields) 33a, 33b may be provided so that gas flowing in through the leak ports 17a, 17b blows up and down along the inner wall of the chamber 11.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the sample plate 14 mounted on the current plate 13
However, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 5, the substrate 40 is supported by the mounting projections 19 provided on the current plate 13, and between the current plate 13 and the substrate 40. A gap at a predetermined interval may be secured. Here, the mounting projection 19 may be configured as a lift pin mechanism that can move in the vertical direction. In this case, the substrate 40 is held at a predetermined position during drying, while the substrate 40 is carried in and out. It rises to the vicinity of the opening / closing member 16 so as to facilitate removal from the opening 11a. In addition, in the configuration of the reduced-pressure drying device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting protrusion 19 may be provided on the sample plate 14 side instead of the rectifying plate 13 side.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter such as dust from adhering to the surface of the object to be dried and to maintain the surface of the object to be dried after drying in a good condition. Can be kept.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view II- of a chamber portion of the vacuum drying apparatus shown in FIG.
Sectional drawing along the II line.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing a modified example of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing another modified example of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing still another modified example of the reduced-pressure drying apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Decompression drying apparatus 11 Chamber 11a Opening 12 Leg part 13 Rectifier plate 14 Sample plate 15 Guide part 16 Opening / closing member 17a, 17b Leak port 18 Exhaust port 19 Mounting convex part 20 Exhaust system 21 Decompression box 22 Exhaust pipe 23 Exhaust valve 24 Vacuum pump 25 Leak system 26a, 26b, 27 Leak pipe 28, 30 Leak valve 29 Filter 31a, 31b Shield plate (shield) 32a, 32b L-shaped outlet pipe (shield) 33a, 33b Semi-cylindrical outlet pipe (shield) Body) 40 substrate (body to be dried)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A chamber for containing an object to be dried which has an exhaust port and a leak port, the chamber being connected to the exhaust port of the chamber, and changing the state in the chamber to a reduced pressure state. An exhaust system connected to the leak port of the chamber, and a leak system for shifting a state in the chamber from a reduced pressure state to an atmospheric pressure state, wherein the exhaust system and the leak system are configured by different piping systems. A reduced-pressure drying apparatus characterized in that the drying is performed. 2. The reduced-pressure drying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shielding member that shields the gas flowing into the chamber through the leak port so that the gas does not directly hit the object to be dried. apparatus. 3. The vacuum drying system according to claim 1, wherein the leak system is provided with a filter for removing foreign matter from gas flowing into the chamber through the leak port. apparatus.