JP2003059403A - Manufacturing device of image display device and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily maintain a degree of vacuum required for respective processing chambers 1, 2a to 2h, and 3 to 6 without hindering continuous carrying processing of a panel member when manufacturing an image display device by forming a display panel by applying a plurality of processing to the panel member by successively carrying the panel member for constituting the display panel of the image display device to a plurality of pressure-reduced processing chambers 1, 2a to 2h, and 3 to 6. SOLUTION: At least the partial processing chambers 2a to 2h of the plurality of processing chambers are continuously connected via releasing opening parts 9a to 9g arranged in a carrying passage of the panel member, and a pressure difference is generated between the adjacent processing chambers 2a to 2h connected via the releasing opening parts 9a and 9g by using conductance of the releasing opening parts 9a to 9g at steady operation time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display apparatus manufacturing apparatus and method for forming a display panel by subjecting a panel member constituting the display panel of the image display apparatus to a plurality of processes in a depressurized processing chamber. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of manufacturing an image display device, a panel member constituting a display panel of the image display device is introduced into a vacuum chamber and subjected to a baking treatment to remove moisture adhering to or adsorbed on the panel member. In addition to removing the gas components, the vacuum chamber is evacuated to a predetermined depressurized state, the panel components are sealed with frit glass that has been melted during the baking process, and the panel components are cooled to room temperature and then removed. It is known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-135018).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional manufacturing method, since different treatments are performed in one vacuum chamber, there is a problem that the treatment time becomes long and the efficiency is low. Specifically, since the baking process and the sealing process are performed in the same vacuum chamber, a step of raising the temperature to a predetermined temperature and a step of discharging moisture and gas released by the baking process to a predetermined vacuum atmosphere , The step of sealing,
Since the process of lowering the temperature to a temperature at which it can be taken out is performed in one vacuum chamber, there is a problem that the processing time becomes long and the efficiency is low.

By the way, a plurality of processing chambers are connected through a gate valve, and a panel member is conveyed between the plurality of processing chambers while controlling the opening and closing of the gate valve so that necessary processing is performed in each processing chamber. Therefore, it is conceivable to improve the inefficiency.

However, since the degree of vacuum required for each processing chamber is not necessarily the same, there is a problem in maintaining the degree of vacuum in each processing chamber when the panel member is transferred between the processing chambers. For example, in the case where a second processing chamber for performing processing at a high vacuum degree is connected next to the first processing chamber in which the degree of vacuum decreases during processing, the second processing chamber when the panel member is transported. It is conceivable to raise the degree of vacuum in the first processing chamber before opening the gate valve leading to the second processing chamber so that the first processing chamber can be transported, so that the first processing chamber is lowered during processing. Second panel member until the vacuum degree of
Can no longer be transferred to the processing chamber, which hinders continuous transfer processing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and a panel member constituting a display panel of an image display apparatus is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and a plurality of panel members are provided on the panel member. It is an object of the present invention to easily maintain the degree of vacuum required in each processing chamber when an image display device is manufactured by performing the above processing to form a display panel without hindering the continuous transfer processing of the panel member. And ,

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a panel member constituting a panel of an image display device is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel member is subjected to a plurality of processings. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device for forming a display panel, wherein at least a part of the processing chambers of the plurality of processing chambers is continuously provided via an opening opening provided in a carrying path of the panel member. In the image display device, the opening is connected and the opening is of a size that causes a pressure difference between adjacent processing chambers connected via the opening in the steady operation. A manufacturing apparatus is provided.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the pressure difference is 1 ×.
Less than 10 ⁻¹ Pa, the pressure of the processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order of conveyance of the panel members, and some of the processing chambers bake the panel members. A plurality of bake processing chambers for processing, and a part of the processing chambers are a plurality of cooling processing chambers for cooling the panel member, which are preferable modes.

A second aspect of the present invention is an image in which panel members constituting a panel of an image display device are sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel members are subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. A manufacturing apparatus of a display device, wherein the plurality of processing chambers include a plurality of baking processing chambers for baking the panel member, and another processing chamber for performing another processing on the panel member after the baking processing. The plurality of bake processing chambers are continuously connected to each other through an opening opening provided in a conveyance path of the panel member, and the opening opening is the opening opening during steady operation. And a gate valve is provided in the transfer path from the bake processing chamber to the other processing chamber. Image There is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a display device.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the pressure difference is 1 ×.
Less than 10 ⁻¹ Pa, the pressure of the bake treatment chamber continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order of conveyance of the panel members, and the bake treatment with the highest pressure during the steady operation The pressure difference between the chamber and the other processing chamber is 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa or more, the other processing chamber is a sealing processing chamber that performs sealing processing by combining panel members, and the other Is a getter processing chamber that performs a gettering process on the panel member, and the surface cleaning process of the panel member is a further processing chamber between the bake processing chamber and the sealing processing chamber. And a surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment of the panel member between the bake treatment chamber and the getter treatment chamber as the other treatment chamber. To be
The surface purification treatment includes a treatment for irradiating the surface of the panel member with an electron beam, an ion, an ultraviolet ray, or a plasma to purify the surface of the panel member, as a preferable embodiment.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a panel member constituting a panel of an image display device is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel member is subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. In the manufacturing apparatus of the display device, the plurality of processing chambers includes a bake processing chamber for baking the panel member, and a plurality of cooling processing chambers for cooling the panel member after the bake processing, The plurality of cooling processing chambers are continuously connected to each other through an opening opening provided in the transport path of the panel member, and the opening opening is provided through the opening opening during steady operation. An image having a size that causes a pressure difference between adjacent cooling processing chambers connected to each other, and further, a gate valve is provided in a transfer path from the cooling processing chamber to the other processing chamber. Display There is provided a manufacturing apparatus.

A third aspect of the present invention is that the pressure difference is 1 ×.
Less than 10 ⁻¹ Pa, the pressure in the cooling treatment chambers continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed, and the cooling treatment with the highest pressure during the steady operation Pressure difference between the chamber and the other processing chamber is 1
X10 ^-1 Pa or more, the other processing chamber is a sealing processing chamber for combining and sealing the panel members, and the other processing chamber is a getter for performing a gettering process on the panel member. Being a processing chamber, between the last bake processing chamber and the sealing processing chamber, as a further further processing chamber, a surface cleaning processing chamber for performing a surface cleaning process of the panel member is provided, Between the bake treatment chamber and the getter treatment chamber, a surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment on the panel member is provided as the other treatment chamber.
The surface purification treatment includes a treatment for irradiating the surface of the panel member with an electron beam, an ion, an ultraviolet ray, or a plasma to purify the surface of the panel member, as a preferable embodiment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an image for forming a display panel by sequentially transporting panel members constituting a panel of an image display device to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers and subjecting the panel members to a plurality of processes. In the manufacturing apparatus of a display device, the plurality of processing chambers include a sealing processing chamber that combines and seals the panel members, and a plurality of cooling processes that cools the panel members after the sealing processing. And a plurality of cooling treatment chambers are continuously connected to each other through an opening opening provided in a conveyance path of the panel member, and the opening opening is opened during steady operation. The size is such that a pressure difference is generated between adjacent cooling processing chambers connected via the opening, and a gate valve is provided in the transfer path from the sealing processing chamber to the cooling processing chamber. An image featuring There is provided an apparatus for manufacturing shows apparatus.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the pressure difference is 1 ×.
Less than 10 ⁻¹ Pa, the pressure of the cooling treatment chamber continuously connected through the open opening increases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed, and the pressure of the sealing chamber during the steady operation The pressure difference with the highest cooling process chamber is 1 x 1
It is 0 ^-1 Pa or more as a preferable aspect.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an image for forming a display panel by sequentially transporting a panel member constituting a panel of an image display device to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers and subjecting the panel member to a plurality of processes. A method for manufacturing a display device, wherein at least a part of the processing chambers of the plurality of processing chambers is continuously connected via an open opening provided in a carrying path of the panel member, A method for manufacturing an image display device, characterized in that, during operation, a conductance of the open opening is used to generate a pressure difference between adjacent processing chambers connected via the open opening. Is.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the pressure difference is 1 ×
Less than 10 ⁻¹ Pa, reducing the pressure of the processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening in the order in which the panel members are conveyed, and in some of the processing chambers, the panel members are baked. A plurality of bake processing chambers for processing, and a part of the processing chambers are a plurality of cooling processing chambers for cooling the panel member, which are preferable modes.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the first to fourth aspects of the present invention.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an image display device, which is manufactured by using any one of the above manufacturing devices.

Further, in the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, the panel member includes a rear panel having an electron source, and a front panel having a phosphor for displaying an image by irradiation of electrons from the electron source. Is included as a preferable embodiment.

According to the present invention, not only can a plurality of different treatments be performed in succession, but in a treatment chamber continuously connected through an open opening, while performing a necessary treatment, other The pressure can be gradually increased or decreased to a pressure close to the vacuum degree or the external pressure of the processing chamber of
It is possible to minimize the pressure change in the processing chamber due to the transportation of the panel member.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 (a) is a diagram schematically showing a first example of a manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 (b) is a temperature of a panel member forming a display panel of an image display device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a profile and a pressure profile in the manufacturing apparatus, FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the first and second baking processing chamber portions shown in FIG. 1 (a), and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an opening. Hereinafter, the manufacturing apparatus and the manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described based on these.

A processing chamber (FIG. 1) for performing a predetermined process.
In (a), reference numerals 1, 2a to 2h, and 3 to 6), 1 is a pretreatment chamber, 2a to 2h are a bake treatment chamber, 3 is a surface cleaning treatment chamber, and 4 is a getter treatment chamber ( Panel getter processing chamber), 5 is a sealing chamber, and 6 is a cooling chamber. The respective processing chambers are arranged and connected in series in the order shown in the drawing along the carrying direction (direction from left to right in the drawing) of the panel members 7a to 7d (see FIG. 2), and the carrying means (shown in the drawing). The predetermined processing is performed when the panel members 7a to 7d are sequentially conveyed by (not performed). In addition, each processing chamber is evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown),
The required vacuum atmosphere is created.

Between the atmosphere and the pretreatment chamber 1, between the pretreatment chamber 1 and the bake treatment chamber 2a, the bake treatment chamber 2h and the surface cleaning treatment chamber 3
Between the surface cleaning treatment chamber 3 and the getter treatment chamber 4, between the getter treatment chamber 4 and the sealing treatment chamber 5, between the sealing treatment chamber 5 and the cooling treatment chamber 6, and between the cooling treatment chamber 6 and the atmosphere. Are provided with gate valves 8a to 8g, respectively. The gate valves 8a to 8g are controlled to open and close as the panel members 7a to 7d are conveyed. Further, the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h are continuously connected to each other via open openings 9a to 9g provided in the transport path of the panel members 7a to 7d.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the bake processing chambers 2a and 2b in particular, and the open opening 9a connecting the bake processing chambers 2a and 2b is of a size capable of carrying the panel members 7a-7b. However, it is a sandwiching opening of a size that causes a pressure difference between the baking processing chambers 2a and 2b during steady operation of the present apparatus. That is, the open opening 8a is formed by the panel member 7
In order to obtain conductance that causes a pressure difference between the bake processing chambers 2a and 2b during the steady operation of the apparatus within a range that allows the conveyance of a to 7b, the length L and width W shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are obtained. , The height H is adjusted.

The open openings 9b to 9g provided in the transfer path between the bake processing chambers 2b to 2h are also the same as the open opening 9a. The open openings 9a to 9g may all have the same size, but may have different sizes. The sizes of the open openings 9a to 9g are determined in accordance with the magnitude of the differential pressure generated between the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h adjacent to each other with the panel members 7a to 7d sandwiched therebetween. Good.

In the present invention, the open openings 9a to 9a are provided.
The size of g means both the cross-sectional area and the length L.

Here, based on FIG. 2, the panel members 7a-
Explaining 7d, the panel members 7a to 7d constitute the display panel 144, 7a is a rear plate (hereinafter referred to as RP) that constitutes the back surface of the display panel, and 7b is the front surface of the display panel. Face plate (hereinafter referred to as FP). For example, in the manufacture of an image display device including a display panel that excites a phosphor by irradiation of an electron beam from an electron-emitting device to display an image, the RP 7a is used as a phosphor excitation means on an insulating substrate. It is possible to have an electron source in which a plurality of electron-emitting devices are arranged in a matrix. Also, FP
7b can be formed by forming a phosphor, a metal back, or the like on an insulating transparent substrate. 7c is an outer frame that constitutes the side surface of the display panel, and includes RP7a and FP7.
It is arranged between b and constitutes the display panel which is an airtight container with RP7a and FP7b. 7d is a spacer, which maintains the distance between RP7a and FP7b. In the illustrated example, the outer frame 7c and the spacer 7d are arranged and fixed on the RP 7a in advance. Further, a sealing material can be provided in advance at an appropriate position such as the end surface of the outer frame 7c.

The bake processing chambers 2a to 2h, the surface cleaning processing chamber 3, the getter processing chamber 4, the sealing chamber 5 and the cooling processing chamber 6 are
Each of them is provided with temperature control means (not shown) for controlling the panel members 7a to 7d to a predetermined temperature. As the temperature control means, for example, a hot plate can be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the panel members 7a ...
When 7b is divided into two parts, that is, the RP 7a side and the FP 7b side, and conveyed at the same time, it is preferable to provide two temperature control means corresponding to each. In particular, when a hot plate is used as the temperature control means, two hot plates can be positioned vertically and the upper hot plate can be moved vertically by the lifting means, and the RP7a or FP7b can be held respectively. It is preferably provided with a chuck. As this chuck, a claw-type chuck that holds the peripheral edge of the RP 7a or FP 7b, an electrostatic chuck, a vacuum chuck, or the like can be used. If such a temperature control means for the hot plate is used, the RP 7a and the FP 7b can be held in close contact with each other for reliable temperature control, and at the same time, the RP can be controlled.
After holding 7a and FP7b, by raising the hot plate above, RP7a and FP7b can be processed in a state in which they are separated by an easy-to-process interval.

In the pretreatment chamber 1, the gate valve 8a is opened with the gate valve 8b closed, and the panel members 7a to 7d.
, The gate valve 8a is closed to exhaust the inside to a predetermined depressurized state, the gate valve 8b is opened, and the panel members 7a to 7d are sent to the bake processing chamber 2a. This is a processing chamber that prevents the vacuum atmosphere in the processing chambers after the bake processing chamber 2a from being damaged by the loading of 7d.

In the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h, the panel members 7a to 7d are heated by the above-mentioned temperature control means (not shown), so that the moisture and gas adhering to or adsorbed on the panel members 7a to 7d are removed. It is a processing chamber that performs a baking process to release the bake.

The surface purification treatment chamber 3 includes panel members 7a to 7a.
This is a processing chamber in which the surface of d is irradiated with an electron beam, ions, ultraviolet rays, or plasma to perform a surface cleaning process for cleaning these surfaces.

Getter processing chamber (panel getter processing chamber) 4,
A getter film is formed on a part of the surface of the panel members 7a to 7d exposed to the inside of the display panel for the purpose of maintaining the degree of vacuum in the display panel formed by combining and sealing the panel members 7a to 7d. This is a processing chamber for performing getter processing. This getter processing can be performed by causing a panel getter flash device (not shown) to generate a panel getter flash toward the RP 7a and / or FP 7b and depositing a getter film. Getter flash is an instantaneous evaporation of getter material such as Ba.

The getter processing chamber may be a processing chamber that performs not only the panel getter processing but also the chamber getter processing. This chamber getter processing is the same as the panel getter processing described above.
d is a process of depositing a getter film for the purpose of functioning as a getter after sealing, whereas a member other than the panel forming members 7a to 7d in the processing chamber is used as a getter on the spot. This is a process for depositing a getter film for the purpose of functioning and increasing the degree of vacuum in the processing chamber. This chamber getter process is preferably performed prior to the panel getter process. For example, a chamber getter flash device (not shown) may be provided on a chamber getter plate (not shown) disposed in the processing chamber 4. Can be flashed to form a getter film. As the getter material, for example, Ba or the like can be used as in the panel getter process. By performing this chamber getter processing prior to the panel getter processing, it is possible to increase the degree of vacuum during the panel getter processing and suppress deterioration of the getter film deposited by the panel getter processing. Further, it is possible to easily maintain the high vacuum atmosphere of the sealing processing chamber 5 connected to the getter processing chamber 4.

The above-mentioned chamber getter process may be performed by interposing a preliminary getter chamber (chamber getter process chamber) immediately before the getter process chamber 4, where the process chamber is separated from the panel getter process.

The sealing processing chamber 5 is a processing chamber in which the panel members 7a to 7d are combined and sealed by using a softened or melted sealing material to assemble the display panel.
In the sealing treatment chamber 5, the panel members 7a to 7d are cooled to a temperature below a temperature at which the sealing material previously attached to the panel members 7a to 7d loses the adhesiveness necessary for sealing, and the sealing treatment chamber 5 In the case of being conveyed to, the local heating means (not shown) for locally heating the sealing location (sealing material) is preferably provided. As the local heating means, for example, a hot plate that locally heats the vicinity of the position where the sealing material of the panel members 7a to 7d is attached can be used.
Further, local heating is performed by providing a high-frequency induction heating device for local heating, or a glass window for heating is provided in the sealing treatment chamber 5, and a sealing place is provided through the glass window for heating. It can also be performed by irradiating infrared rays or laser light.

Further, the present invention will be described while following the processing procedure by the above apparatus.

The panel members 7a to 7d are conveyed from the left to the right in FIG. 1 (a) by a conveying means (not shown) and pass through the respective processing chambers, and various treatments are performed during the passage. It

First, the pretreatment chamber 1 is brought to atmospheric pressure with the gate valve 8b closed, the gate valve 8a is opened, the panel members 7a to 7d are loaded, the gate valve 8a is closed, and the inside of the pretreatment chamber 1 is closed. After creating a predetermined vacuum atmosphere, the gate valve 8b is opened and the panel members 7a to 7d are sent to the bake processing chamber 2a.

When carrying in the above-mentioned panel members 7a to 7d, RP7a and FP7b are placed on a jig for carrying,
A space is formed between RP7a and FP7b. The loading and carrying are not limited to using a jig, but the RP 7a and the FP 7b can be carried as they are by the supporting and carrying unit on the apparatus main body side.

Panel members 7a to 7d in the pretreatment chamber 1
The temperature is usually room temperature, and the temperature is left as it is. In addition, the pretreatment chamber 1 opens the gate valve 8b and sends the panel members 7a to 7d to the bake treatment chambers 2a to 2h in order to easily maintain the necessary vacuum atmosphere after the bake treatment chambers 2a to 2h. It is preferable to sufficiently reduce the pressure. However, in this example, the open openings 9a-9
In the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h connected in series via g, the degree of vacuum is sequentially increased along the conveyance direction of the panel members 7a to 7d, and the gate valve 8b is opened by the conductance of the open openings 9a to 9g. Since the increase in atmospheric pressure in the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h when opened is minimized, it is possible to reduce the load required for decompressing the pretreatment chamber 1 each time the panel members 7a to 7d are carried in. In the illustrated example, after the panel members 7a to 7d are loaded, the pretreatment chamber 1 is depressurized to 1000 to 100 Pa.

Next, the panel members 7a to 7d are transferred to the bake processing chamber 2a, and heated in the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h by a temperature control means (not shown) to be baked. This baking treatment is performed on the panel members 7a to 7d so that impurities such as hydrogen, oxygen, and water adhering to or adsorbed on the panel members 7a to 7d can be released as a gas without damaging the panel members 7a to 7d.
It is preferable to heat to 0 ° C to 400 ° C, and 350 ° C to
It is more preferable to heat to 380 ° C. In the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h, the degree of vacuum is lowered due to the moisture and gas components released from the panel members 7a to 7d.
As the front side of the panel members 7a to 7d in the conveying direction is reduced, the degree of vacuum is less likely to decrease due to the release of the gas components.
Since the differential pressure between the adjacent bake processing chambers 2a to 2h is maintained by the conductance of 9 g, the pressure in the last bake processing chamber 2h can be kept low. Like the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h, the open opening 9a to
When the processing chambers connected in series via 9 g are provided, the differential pressure between the adjacent processing chambers is preferably less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. If the pressure difference is too large, it will be difficult to form the open openings 9a to 9g through which the panel members 7a to 7d can be conveyed. If the pressure difference is too small, the baking processing chamber 2a
It becomes difficult to obtain the pressure required for 2 hours. The pressure of the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h in this example is equal to the panel members 2a to 2h.
It is set to be gradually lower along the transport direction of h. Specifically, the pressure in the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h is 50 Pa in sequence.
To 5 × 10 ⁻⁵ Pa.

A gate valve 8c is provided between the bake processing chamber 2h which is the last processing chamber in which the bake processing is performed and the surface cleaning processing chamber 3 which is the next adjacent processing chamber. When the baking process in the baking chamber 2h is completed,
The gate valve 8c is opened, and the panel members 7a to 7d are transported to the surface purification processing chamber 3. Since the pressure in the bake processing chamber 2h is kept low as described above, it is possible to suppress the pressure increase in the surface purification processing chamber 3 caused by opening the gate valve 8c. In this example, as described above, the pressure in the baking processing chamber 2h is 5 × 10 ⁻⁵ Pa.
And the pressure in the surface purification treatment chamber 3 is 1 × 10 ^-5 P
It is set to a. When the processing chambers connected in series with the open openings 9a to 9g, such as the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h, are provided, the processing with the highest pressure among the processing chambers connected via the open openings 9a to 9g. The pressure difference between the pressure of the chamber (the baking processing chamber 2a in this example) and the pressure of the next processing chamber (the surface cleaning processing chamber 3 in this example) adjacent to the processing chamber connected through the open openings 9a to 9g is 1 It is preferably × 10 ^-1 Pa or more. The larger this pressure difference, the larger the opening 9
The benefit of providing a processing chamber connected through a-9g is significant.

The baked panel members 7a to 7d in the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h are subjected to surface cleaning processing in the surface cleaning processing chamber 3. In the surface purification processing chamber 3, temperature control means (not shown) reduces the temperature of the panel members 7a to 7d. In the example shown, the baking process causes 45
The panel members 7a to 7d that have been conveyed after being heated to 0 ° C
Is cooled down to 100 ° C. by the time it is carried out.

The cooling of the panel members 7a to 7d is performed in the subsequent processing chamber or in the cooling chamber 6 until the temperature can be taken out (cooling time taken out).
This is for facilitating the shortening of the process, and can be continuously performed in the getter processing chamber 4 and the sealing processing chamber 5 as necessary. How much the temperature is lowered in the surface purification treatment chamber 3 depends on the treatment contents in the treatment chambers thereafter, but it is preferable to lower the temperature to 1/2 or less of the maximum temperature in the bake treatment chambers 2a to 2d. 1 / maximum temperature in processing chambers 2a-2d
It is more preferable to lower the temperature to 3 or less.

The surface purification treatment in the surface purification treatment chamber 3 is effective when the temperature of the panel members 7a to 7d is relatively high, and the surface purification treatment chamber 3 is connected immediately after the baking treatment chambers 2a to 2h. If left, the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h
Since it is easy to carry out an effective surface purification treatment by utilizing the residual heat of heating in (1), it is preferable. Further, the surface purification treatment chamber 3 is
In order to easily maintain the required degree of vacuum in the getter processing chamber 4 and the sealing processing chamber 5 following the surface cleaning processing chamber 3, at least the panel members 7a to 7d are adjacent to other processing chambers (in the drawings, getter processing is performed). Before sending to chamber 4)
It is preferable to reduce the pressure to 10 ^-4 Pa or less and 10 ^-5 Pa
It is more preferable to reduce the pressure below. In the example shown in the drawing, the pressure in the surface purification treatment chamber 3 is reduced to 1 × 10 ⁻⁵ Pa.

The surface cleaning treatment is preferably performed on both the RP7a side and the FP7b side, but it is also possible to treat only one of them. In addition, the surface purification treatment,
Not only the panel members 7a to 7d, but also any region of the surface purification treatment chamber 3 can be performed. Particularly, in the getter processing chamber 4, when the chamber getter processing is performed prior to the panel getter processing, by irradiating the surface cleaning processing chamber 3 with an electron beam or the like, the panel members 7a to ad are subjected to baking processing and surface cleaning processing. The desorbed gas can be ionized to promote adsorption to the getter during the chamber getter process.

The panel member 7 which has passed through the surface purification processing chamber 3
The a to 7d are conveyed to the getter processing chamber 4 and subjected to getter processing.

In the getter processing in the getter processing chamber 4,
As described above, there are chamber getter processing and panel getter processing. This example will be described as performing both of these.

When the panel members 7a to 7d are transferred to the getter processing chamber 4, chamber getter processing is performed. This chamber getter process is to increase the degree of vacuum in the subsequent panel getter process, and is an evaporation type getter material (for example, barium, etc.) contained in the chamber getter flash device (not shown). Surface of a chamber getter plate (not shown) other than the panel members 7a to 7d provided in the getter processing chamber 4 by heating and evaporating the getter material of (4) by a method such as resistance heating. Then, a getter film made of barium or the like is deposited. The getter film has a thickness of generally 5 nm to 500 nm, preferably 10 nm to 20 nm.
It is 0 nm, more preferably 20 nm to 200 nm. By this chamber getter processing, the getter film adhered to the chamber getter plate adsorbs and removes the gas in the getter processing chamber 4, and the inside of the getter processing chamber 4 can be made into a high vacuum.

The getter processing chamber 4 is depressurized to 10 ^-5 Pa or less during the panel getter processing in order to prevent deterioration of the getter film deposited on at least a part of the panel members 7a to 7d by the panel getter processing. Preferably 1
More preferably, the pressure is reduced to 0 ^-6 Pa or less. In the illustrated example, the pressure is reduced to 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ Pa. Further, the getter processing chamber 4 shown in the drawing is a panel member 7a to 7d which is loaded from the surface cleaning processing chamber 3 at 100 ° C.
Is carried out to the sealing treatment chamber 5 at the same 100 ° C., but if the temperature at the time of carrying in the panel members 7a to 7d is too high for the panel getter getter treatment in the getter treatment chamber 4, In the getter processing chamber 4, the panel member 7a
Further temperature reduction of ~ 7d can also be performed.

The chamber gettering process in the gettering chamber 4 described above is a process for removing the gas in the chamber. The chamber gettering process is a panel in the gettering chamber 4 as in the illustrated example. Although the getter processing may be performed before the getter processing chamber 4, a preliminary getter processing chamber (not shown) is provided between the getter processing chamber 4 and the surface cleaning processing chamber 3, and the getter processing chamber 4 is an independent processing chamber different from the getter processing chamber 4. You can also do it. In this case, the getter processing in the getter processing chamber 4 can be limited to the panel getter processing.

Subsequent to the above chamber getter processing,
Panel getter processing is performed in the getter processing chamber 4.
In this panel getter process, an evaporation type getter material (for example, getter material such as barium) contained in a panel getter flash device (not shown) is heated and evaporated by a method such as resistance heating to perform the panel getter flash. Then, a getter film made of barium or the like is deposited on at least a part of the panel members 7a to 7d. The thickness of this getter film is generally 5 nm to 500 nm, preferably 10 nm.
nm-200 nm, more preferably 20 nm-200
nm.

Since the panel members 7a to 7d carried in from the surface purification processing chamber 3 have been cooled down as described above, the panel getter processing in the getter processing chamber 4 causes the panel members 7a to 7d to adhere to the surfaces of the panel members 7a to 7d. It is possible to prevent the obtained getter film from being deteriorated by the heat of the panel members 7a to 7d and becoming difficult to function as a getter for maintaining a high degree of vacuum in the display panel after sealing.

The getter film obtained by the panel getter treatment is FP
Although it is preferable to deposit it on 7b, it is also possible to form it on RP7a or the like. However, since the getter material generally has conductivity, it may cause problems such as generation of a large leak current and reduction of the withstand voltage of the drive voltage when driving the image display of the manufactured display panel.
For example, when a getter film is deposited on the RP 7a, the outer frame 7c
Since a conductive getter film is also formed on the spacer 7d, an electrical problem may occur during driving.
In such a case, the getter film should be formed only on the necessary part of the RP7a while covering the portion where the getter film should not be deposited by a deposition mask of a thin metal plate to prevent the getter film from being deposited. It is preferable to form a film.

In the getter processing chamber 4, although the degree of vacuum temporarily decreases when the getter material is flushed, the getter processing chamber 4 is evacuated to a high vacuum. Further, in addition to the formation of the getter film by the evaporative getter material described above, a non-evaporable getter film or a non-evaporable getter member made of a titanium material or the like may be provided in advance on the RP 7a or FP 7b.

Panel member 7a passing through the getter processing chamber 4
7d are conveyed to the sealing processing chamber 5 and a sealing process is performed.

The RP7a side and the F which have been carried into the sealing processing chamber 5
The P7b side is each a temperature control means (not shown).
Attached to. At this time, the sealing material on the frame 7c arranged and fixed to the RP 7a and the spacer 7d do not come into contact with the FP 7b, and a slight space is left therebetween. Further, at the time of this attachment, the relative positions of RP7a and FP7b are determined. The relative position can be determined based on the end face reference by the abutting pin, but not limited to this.

The sealing treatment is carried out by cooling the panel members 7a to 7d as it is while the adhesive is kept softened by the residual heat during the baking treatment.
If the adhesion of the sealing material is insufficient,
After locally heating the sealing portion with a local heating means (not shown) to bring the sealing material into a softened state with adhesiveness, the outer frame 7c arranged and fixed to the RP 7a is brought into contact with and pressed by the FP 7b. However, it is carried out by setting the temperature of the sealing material to be equal to or lower than its curing and solidifying temperature. The sealing process ends when the temperature of the sealing material falls below the curing and fixing temperature, and thereafter, RP7a and FP7b are removed from the temperature control means, and RP7
The display panel composed of a, FP 7b, outer frame 7c and spacer 7c is transported to the cooling processing chamber 6.

In the sealing treatment, if the local heating is performed as described above, even if the panel members 7a to 7b are cooled to a temperature below which the sealing material can be sealed by the local heating, the sealing is performed. The material can be heated to a temperature at which it can be adhered to facilitate sealing. In addition, since the heating of the sealing material is performed by the local heating, the entire panel members 7a to 7c are not reheated, and the heat energy is saved,
It is also possible to prevent the release of gas components due to reheating.

In the illustrated example, the outer frame 7c provided on the RP 7a is sealed by using a sealing material provided in advance on the end surface of the outer frame 7c.
It may be provided in advance at the position of FP7b corresponding to c. In addition, the outer frame 7c is provided in advance on the FP 7b, and a sealing material is provided on the end surface of the outer frame 7c.
It is also possible to provide a sealing material at the position of RP7a corresponding to c, and further to provide a sealing material at both the end surface of the outer frame 7c and the position of FP7b or RP7a corresponding to this outer frame 7c. You can also leave it.

As the sealing material, one having a low melting point is preferable in order to eliminate the need for local heating in the sealing treatment chamber 5 and to reduce the local heating time and the amount of heat thereof. A low melting point metal or its alloy such as gallium is used. -It is preferable to use an indium-based alloy, a gallium-tin-based alloy, an aluminum-gallium-based alloy, or the like. However, by using local heating, the sealing material is not limited to those having such a low melting point, and by using a commonly used frit glass as the sealing material, it is easy to obtain a strong sealing state. be able to.

In this example, the sealing treatment chamber 5 has been described as having a temperature control means (not shown), but this temperature control means may be omitted. However, if this temperature control means is provided and set to a temperature below the set temperature of the temperature control means (the temperature control means of the getter processing chamber 4 in the drawing) in the processing chamber immediately before the sealing processing chamber 5, sealing will occur. Also in the processing chamber 5, the panel members 7a to 7d can be cooled. Further, when the local heating means performs local heating in the sealing treatment chamber 5, the temperature of the panel members 7a to 7d is suppressed from being increased by the heat generated by the local heating means being transmitted to the periphery of the sealing location, and the cooling treatment chamber 6 is controlled. The cooling time can be shortened.

The temperature in the sealing treatment chamber 5 in the temperature profile shown in the drawing is maintained at 100 ° C., which is the temperature of the panel members 7a to 7d other than the locally heated portion. Further, the vacuum atmosphere in the sealing treatment chamber 5 directly influences the vacuum atmosphere in the display panel to be manufactured, and thus is preferably a high vacuum, specifically 10 ⁻⁶ Pa or less. . In the example shown, 10 ^-6 P
It is a.

The display panel assembled by the sealing treatment in the sealing treatment chamber 5 is conveyed to the cooling treatment chamber 6 and cooled to the take-out temperature (25 ° C. in the illustrated example), and then the cooling treatment chamber. The pressure of 6 is raised to the atmospheric pressure, and it is taken out from the gate valve 8g. As the temperature control means (not shown) of the cooling processing chamber 6, a cooling plate or the like having a temperature control function by water cooling is used unless damage due to a sudden temperature drop of the sealed display panel occurs. However, natural cooling may be performed in the cooling processing chamber 6.
After the display panel is taken out, the post-treatment chamber 6 is shielded by the gate valve 8g, and before the start of the next step, an independent vacuum exhaust system (not shown) allows the post-treatment chamber 6 to reach the same degree as the sealing treatment chamber 5. It is preferable to reduce the pressure.

In the illustrated example, the baking chamber 2
Except for a to 2h, all are partitioned by gate valves 8a to 8g, but it is sufficient to provide them at least between processing chambers having different pressure profiles, and between the inside of the apparatus and the atmosphere outside, for example, It is possible to omit the gate valve (gate valve 8e in the drawing) between the processing chambers having the same pressure profile, such as the panel getter processing chamber 4 and the sealing processing chamber 5. Further, between the processing chambers having different temperatures of the temperature profiles (between the processing chambers having different set temperatures of the temperature control means), for example, a heat shielding member (plate shape, plate shape, It is preferable that a panel member (for example, a film shape) is arranged so that the panel member can be transported between the processing chambers while shielding heat radiation.

When processing is performed in the state where there is only one set of panel members 7a to 7d between the pretreatment chamber 1 and the cooling treatment chamber 6, the deviation of the treatment time in each treatment chamber does not cause any particular problem. When a plurality of sets of panel members 7a to 7d are transported back and forth between the processing chamber 1 and the cooling processing chamber 6 to perform sequential processing, when the transportation cannot be performed smoothly due to the processing time difference in each processing chamber. Cause In this case, for a process having a long processing time, the same processing process is performed over a plurality of processing chambers or the same processing in the same processing chamber is performed so that the processing time can be matched with that of another process having a short processing time. A plurality of panel members 7a to 7 at the same time.
It can be dealt with by making it possible to do for d. Particularly when the same processing step is performed across a plurality of processing chambers, the plurality of processing chambers are opened to the opening portions 9a to 9g.
It is preferable to connect with.

In the illustrated example, the open opening 9a
After the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h connected through 9g to 9g, the surface cleaning processing chamber 3, the getter processing chamber 4, the sealing chamber 5 and the cooling processing chamber 6 are connected. However, it is possible to provide one or two or more of these or other processing chambers other than these. The processing chambers connected in series using the open openings 9a to 9g may be other processing chambers instead of the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h.

FIG. 4A shows a second manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4B is a diagram schematically showing an example of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a temperature profile of a panel member forming a display panel of the image display device and a pressure profile in the manufacturing device. Incidentally, FIG.
1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same processing chambers or members.

In the apparatus of this example, a cooling treatment chamber 10a, which is connected in series between the bake treatment chamber 2 and the surface purification treatment chamber 3 provided as a single treatment chamber, through open openings 9a to 9g. 10h is interposed. Also,
Although the open openings 9a to 9g are large enough to convey the panel members 7a to 7b as described with reference to FIG. 2, the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10a to 10a to 10g are adjacent to each other during the steady operation of the present apparatus.
It is a sandwich opening having a size that causes a pressure difference between h.
That is, the open openings 9a-9g are the panel members 7a-7b.
The length L, the width W, and the height H are adjusted so that the conductance that causes the pressure difference between the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h can be obtained during the steady operation of the present device within the range in which the conveyance of the device is allowed. Is.

In this example, the panel members 7a to 7d are carried into the pretreatment chamber 1 in the same manner as in the first example described above, the pressure in the pretreatment chamber 1 is reduced to 10 ^-5 Pa, and then the gate valve is used. 8b is opened and the panel members 7a to 7d are conveyed to the bake processing chamber 2. The panel members 7a to 7d transferred from the pretreatment chamber 1 to the bake treatment chamber 2 are the single bake treatment chamber 2
It undergoes the necessary baking treatment while passing through. In the example shown in the drawing, the baking treatment chamber 2 is heated to 450 ° C. to release and remove the adhering or adsorbing water and gas components. Further, the baking processing chamber 2 in this example is decompressed to 10 ⁻⁴ Pa.

After performing the baking process in the baking process chamber 2 and reducing the pressure in the baking process chamber 2 to a predetermined pressure, the gate valve 8h is opened and the panel members 7a to 7d are opened.
Is transported to the cooling processing chamber 10a. The panel members 7a to 7d transported to the cooling processing chamber 10a have open openings 9a to 9d.
It is sequentially conveyed to the cooling processing chambers 10b to 10h via g. The temperature control means of the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h are sequentially set at lower set temperatures, and the panel members 7a to 7d are set.
Will be gradually cooled. Also, the cooling processing chamber 1
The degree of vacuum of 0a to 10h is sequentially increased along the transport direction of the panel members 7a to 7d, similarly to the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h in the first example. Specifically, the pressure in the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h of this example is 10 ⁻⁴ P sequentially.
The pressure is reduced from a to 10 ^-5 Pa. Particularly, the pressure in the first cooling processing chamber 10a is a pressure that does not significantly change when the panel members 7a to 7d are transferred from the baking processing chamber 2, and the pressure in the final cooling processing chamber 10h is large when the gate valve 8c is opened. The pressure does not fluctuate.

That is, according to the present example, the panel members 7a to 7d whose temperature has been raised by the baking process are opened to the opening 9
cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h connected in series via a to 9g
The cooling process chambers 10a to 10h can suppress the pressure fluctuation when the panel member is transported from the baking process chamber 2 to the surface cleaning process chamber 3 at the same time.

The processing chambers after the surface purification processing chamber 3 in this example are similar to the processings after the surface purification processing chamber 3 in the first example.

In the present example, the bake processing chamber 2 is a single processing chamber, but this is the same as in the example of FIG.
It is also possible to provide a plurality of bake processing chambers 2a to 2h connected via the open openings 9a to 9g. Further, in the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h in this example, the surface cleaning processing chamber 3 may be omitted and may be interposed between the bake processing chamber 2 and the getter processing chamber 5.

FIG. 5 (a) shows a second manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 5B is a diagram schematically showing an example of FIG. 5, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a temperature profile of a panel member forming a display panel of the image display device and a pressure profile in the manufacturing device. Incidentally, FIG.
1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same processing chambers or members.

In the apparatus of this example, the cooling processing chamber 6 which is provided as a single processing chamber in the first example is provided with an opening 9a.
Cooling processing chambers 6a to 6h connected in series by 9 to 9g
And the plurality of baking processing chambers 2 in the first example.
A single baking processing chamber 2 is provided for a to 2h. Further, although the open openings 9a to 9g are large enough to convey the panel members 7a to 7b as described in FIG. 2, the cooling processing chambers 6 adjacent to each other during the steady operation of the present apparatus.
It is a sandwich opening having a size that causes a pressure difference between a to 6h. That is, the open openings 9a to 9g correspond to the panel member 7a.
The length L, the width W, and the height H are adjusted so that the conductance that causes the pressure difference between the cooling processing chambers 6a to 6h can be obtained during the steady operation of the present apparatus within the range in which the conveyance of 7 to 7b is allowed. There is something.

In this example, the panel members 7a to 7d are loaded into the pretreatment chamber 1 in the same manner as in the first example described above, the pressure in the pretreatment chamber 1 is reduced to 10 ^-5 Pa, and then the gate valve is used. 8b is opened and the panel members 7a to 7d are conveyed to the bake processing chamber 2. The panel members 7a to 7d transferred from the pretreatment chamber 1 to the bake treatment chamber 2 are the single bake treatment chamber 2
It undergoes the necessary baking treatment while passing through. In the example shown in the drawing, the baking treatment chamber 2 is heated to 450 ° C. to release and remove the adhering or adsorbing water and gas components. Further, the baking processing chamber 2 in this example is decompressed to 10 ⁻⁴ Pa.

The panel members 7a to 7d which have been subjected to the baking treatment in the baking treatment chamber 2 are conveyed to the surface cleaning treatment chamber 3 through the gate valve 8c, and then to the getter treatment chamber 4 and the sealing treatment chamber 5. The sheets are sequentially conveyed and undergo the same processing as the sealing processing chamber 5 from the surface processing chamber 3 in the first example.

The panel members 7a to 7d that have been sealed in the sealing processing chamber 5 are cooled by the gate valve 8f.
The panel members 7a to 7d that have been transported to the cooling processing chamber 6a are sequentially transported to the cooling processing chambers 6b to 6h through the open openings 9a to 9g. Cooling processing chamber 6a-6h
The set temperature of the temperature control means of is set gradually lower,
The panel members 7a to 7d are gradually cooled.
Moreover, in this example, the cooling processing chambers 6a to 6h connected in series through the open openings 9a to 9g are the baking processing chambers 2a to 2h in the first example and the cooling processing chamber 10a in the second example. Contrary to 10h, the panel members 7a-7
The degree of vacuum is gradually lowered along the carrying direction of d. Specifically, the pressure in the cooling processing chambers 6a to 6h is 10 ⁻⁵ in order.
The pressure is increased from Pa to 1 Pa. Particularly, the pressure in the first cooling processing chamber 6a is a pressure that does not largely change when the panel members 7a to 7d are transferred from the sealing processing chamber 5, and the pressure in the final cooling processing chamber 6h is the gate valve 8g.
The pressure is such that the pressure does not fluctuate significantly when the panel members 7a to 7d are taken out by opening.

That is, according to this example, the panel members 7a to 7d which have been subjected to the sealing treatment can be slowly cooled in the cooling treatment chambers 6a to 6h connected in series through the open openings 9a to 9g, and at the same time, The cooling processing chambers 6a to 6h can suppress the pressure fluctuation when the panel members 7a to 7d that have passed through the sealing processing chamber 5 are taken out.

In this example, the bake processing chamber 2 is a single processing chamber, but this is the same as in the example of FIG.
It is also possible to provide a plurality of bake processing chambers 2a to 2h connected via the open openings 9a to 9g. Further, the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h in the second example may be interposed between the bake processing chamber 2 and the surface cleaning processing chamber 3.

The processing chambers connected in series through the open openings 9a to 9g are not limited to the bake processing chambers 2a to 2h and the cooling processing chambers 10a to 10h and 6a to 6h. A plurality of processing chambers 3 or getter processing chambers 4 can be similarly connected.

The panel members 7a to 7h are conveyed by R
It can also be performed by dividing into three members of P7a, FP7b, and the outer frame 7c in which the spacer 7d is fixedly arranged. In this case, in the sealing processing chamber 5, the RP 7 is provided on one side of the outer frame 7c.
Since a is sealed and the FP 7b is sealed on the other side of the outer frame 7c, both end surfaces of the outer frame 7c and / or the outer frame 7c
It is necessary to provide a sealing material at the positions of RP7a and FP7b corresponding to. In this case, RP7a and F
It is possible to locally heat both the sealed portions of P7b by the local heating means to perform the sealing.

As described above, the three panel members 7a to 7d are
When carrying in the apparatus as one member for processing, the processing chambers from the pre-processing chamber 1 to the getter processing chamber 4 are arranged in three lines, and the above three members are loaded into separate lines and three getter processing chambers are loaded. It is also possible to connect 4 so that they merge into one sealing treatment chamber 5, and to perform the sealing treatment by merging the above three members in this sealing treatment chamber 5. In addition, as described in FIG. 2, when the panel members 7a to 7d are carried in as two members, the processing chambers from the pretreatment chamber 1 to the getter processing chamber 4 are arranged in two lines, and the above two members are connected. The two getter processing chambers 4 are connected to each other so as to be merged into one sealing treatment chamber 5, and the two members are merged in the sealing treatment chamber 5 for sealing treatment. You can also In the case of the above-described 3-line or 2-line process, the getter processing chamber 4 may be provided only for any member (FP7b is preferable) and the getter processing chamber 4 for other members may be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a part of a display panel created by using the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 denote the same members.

As shown, the display panel is RP7.
It is formed as a sealed panel-shaped vacuum container or reduced pressure container by a, the FP 7b, and the outer frame 7c. When formed as a reduced pressure container, an inert gas such as argon gas or neon gas or hydrogen gas can be contained therein under reduced pressure. Further, in the case of forming it as a vacuum container, the inside thereof can be set to a high vacuum of 10 ^-5 Pa or higher, preferably 10 ^-6 Pa or higher.

Spacers 7d are arranged in the display panel to form an atmospheric pressure resistant structure. The illustrated spacer 7d includes a main body 611 made of an alkali-free insulating material such as alkali-free glass, and a high-resistance film 609 formed of a high-resistance material arranged so as to cover the surface of the main body 611.
And a metal (tungsten,
(Copper, silver, gold, molybdenum, alloys thereof, etc.) Film 610
And is electrically connected and bonded onto the wiring 606 through a conductive adhesive 608. When manufacturing the display panel based on the example of FIG. 1, one end of the spacer 7d is bonded and fixed to the RP 7a by the adhesive 608 in advance before being carried into the pretreatment chamber, and the spacer 7d When the sealing process is completed, the other end of the spacer 7d and the FP 7b are placed in contact with each other while being electrically connected.

RP7a is a transparent substrate 604 such as glass.
A base film (SiO ₂ , SnO _2, etc.) 505 for preventing the entry of alkali such as sodium is provided thereon, and a plurality of electron beam emitting devices 612 arranged in an XY matrix are provided on the base film 605. Has become. Wiring 606
Constitutes one cathode side wiring of the cathode side XY matrix wiring connected to the electron emitting element 612. Also,
According to the present invention, the electron-emitting device 6 which is a phosphor excitation means
Instead of 12, it is also possible to manufacture a display panel having a plasma generating element. In the case of this display panel, an inert gas such as argon gas or neon gas or hydrogen gas is contained therein under reduced pressure.

FP7b is a transparent substrate 601 such as glass.
An anode metal (aluminum, silver, copper, etc.) film 60 connected to a phosphor layer 602 and an anode source (not shown) thereon.
3 and 3 are arranged. Further, in the case of a display panel having the plasma generating element, a color filter can be used instead of the phosphor layer 602.

When a display panel is manufactured based on the example of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the outer frame 7c has one end surface of the adhesive 608 attached to the RP 7a before being carried into the pretreatment chamber 1.
The other end surface is fixedly adhered to the FP 7b by the sealing material by the sealing processing in the sealing processing chamber 5.

[0091]

According to the present invention, in manufacturing an image display device in which panel members constituting a display panel of the image display device are baked and then combined and sealed to form a display panel, a high melting point seal is used. Various treatments can be efficiently performed without hindering the use of the dressing. Further, in manufacturing an image display device in which an electron-emitting device or a plasma generation device is provided with a large capacity of 1 million pixels or more in the XY directions, and the large-capacity pixel is provided on a large screen with a diagonal size of 30 inches or more. The manufacturing process time can be significantly shortened, and the display panel
It is also easy to make a high vacuum of ^-6 Pa or more.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a first example of a manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and a temperature profile of a panel member and a pressure profile in each processing chamber in this apparatus.

2 is an enlarged schematic view of the first and second baking processing chamber portions shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an open opening portion.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a second example of a manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and a temperature profile of a panel member and a pressure profile in each processing chamber in this apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a second example of a manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and a temperature profile of a panel member and a pressure profile in each processing chamber in this apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a display panel of an image display device created by using the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 pretreatment room 2,2a ~ 2h Bake treatment room 3 Surface purification treatment room 4 Getter processing room 5 Sealing processing room 6,6a-6h Cooling chamber 7a Rear plate (RP) 7b Face plate (FP) 7c outer frame 7d spacer 8a-8h Gate valve 9a-9g open opening 10a-10h Cooling chamber 601 transparent substrate 602 phosphor layer 603 Anode metal film 604 transparent substrate 605 Base film 606 wiring 607 Low melting point adhesive 608 metal film 609 High resistance film 610 metal film 611 body 612 electron-emitting device

Claims (34)

[Claims] 1. A manufacturing apparatus for an image display device, wherein a panel member constituting a panel of the image display device is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel member is subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. And, at least some of the processing chambers of the plurality of processing chambers,
The panel members are continuously connected to each other via an open opening provided in the carrying path of the panel member, and the open opening is connected between adjacent processing chambers connected to each other via the open opening during steady operation. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device, which is of a size that causes a pressure difference between the two. 2. The manufacturing apparatus of an image display device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure difference is less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. 3. The manufacturing of the image display device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed. apparatus. 4. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 1, wherein the part of the processing chambers is a plurality of baking processing chambers for baking the panel member. 5. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 1, wherein the part of the processing chambers is a plurality of cooling processing chambers for cooling the panel member. 6. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device, wherein a panel member constituting a panel of the image display device is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel member is subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. The plurality of processing chambers include a plurality of bake processing chambers that bake the panel member, and another processing chamber that performs another process on the panel member after the bake processing. The bake chambers are continuously connected via an open opening provided in the transport path of the panel member, and the open opening is connected via the open opening during steady operation. The size of a pressure difference between the adjacent bake processing chambers, and further, a gate valve is provided in the transfer path from the bake processing chamber to the other processing chamber. Manufacturing equipment . 7. The manufacturing apparatus for an image display device according to claim 5, wherein the pressure difference is less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. 8. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein the pressure of the bake processing chamber continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed. Manufacturing equipment. 9. The pressure difference between the bake processing chamber having the highest pressure and the other processing chamber during the steady operation is 1 × 10 ⁻¹ P.
9. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 6, which is a or more. 10. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 6, wherein the other processing chamber is a sealing processing chamber that performs a sealing process by combining panel members. 11. The manufacturing apparatus for an image display device according to claim 6, wherein the other processing chamber is a getter processing chamber that performs getter processing on a panel member. 12. A surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment on a panel member is provided as the other treatment chamber between the bake treatment chamber and the sealing treatment chamber. The apparatus for manufacturing the image display device according to claim 10. 13. A surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment of a panel member is provided between the bake treatment chamber and the getter treatment chamber as the other treatment chamber. Item 12. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to item 11. 14. The surface cleaning process is a process for irradiating the surface of a panel member with an electron beam, ions, ultraviolet rays or plasma to clean the surface of the panel member. 13. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to item 13. 15. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device, wherein panel members constituting a panel of the image display device are sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel members are subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. The plurality of treatment chambers include a bake treatment chamber that performs a bake treatment on the panel member, and a plurality of cooling treatment chambers that perform a cooling treatment on the panel member after the bake treatment, and the plurality of cooling treatments. The chambers are continuously connected to each other through an opening opening provided in the conveyance path of the panel member, and the opening openings are adjacent to each other and are connected via the opening opening during steady operation. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device, which has a size that causes a pressure difference between the cooling processing chambers, and is further provided with a gate valve in a transfer path from the cooling processing chamber to the other processing chamber. 16. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 15, wherein the pressure difference is less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. 17. The image display device according to claim 15, wherein the pressure of the cooling processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening decreases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed. Manufacturing equipment. 18. The pressure difference between the cooling processing chamber having the highest pressure and the other processing chamber during the steady operation is 1 × 10 ⁻¹ P.
The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, which is a or more. 19. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 15, wherein the other processing chamber is a sealing processing chamber that performs a sealing process by combining panel members. 20. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 15, wherein the other processing chamber is a getter processing chamber for performing getter processing on a panel member. 21. A surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment of a panel member is further provided between the bake treatment chamber and the sealing treatment chamber as the other treatment chamber. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 19. 22. A surface purification treatment chamber for performing a surface purification treatment of a panel member is provided as the further another treatment chamber between the bake treatment chamber and the getter treatment chamber. 21. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to item 20. 23. The surface cleaning process is a process for cleaning the surface of the panel member by irradiating the surface of the panel member with an electron beam, ions, ultraviolet rays or plasma. 22. An image display device manufacturing apparatus according to item 22. 24. An apparatus for manufacturing an image display device, wherein panel members constituting a panel of the image display device are sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel members are subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. In the above, the plurality of processing chambers include a sealing processing chamber that performs sealing processing by combining the panel members, and a plurality of cooling processing chambers that cool the panel members after the sealing processing, The plurality of cooling processing chambers are continuously connected to each other through an opening opening provided in the transport path of the panel member, and the opening opening is provided through the opening opening during steady operation. An image having a size that causes a pressure difference between adjacent cooling processing chambers connected to each other, and further, a gate valve is provided in a transfer path from the sealing processing chamber to the cooling processing chamber. Display device Apparatus. 25. The apparatus for manufacturing an image display device according to claim 24, wherein the pressure difference is less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. 26. The image display device according to claim 24, wherein the pressure of the cooling processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening increases in the order in which the panel members are conveyed. Manufacturing equipment. 27. The pressure difference between the sealing chamber and the cooling processing chamber having the highest pressure is 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa or more during the steady operation, according to any one of claims 24 to 26. An apparatus for manufacturing the image display device according to 1. 28. A method of manufacturing an image display device, wherein a panel member constituting a panel of the image display device is sequentially conveyed to a plurality of decompressed processing chambers, and the panel member is subjected to a plurality of processes to form a display panel. Which is at least a part of the plurality of processing chambers,
It is continuously connected through an open opening provided in the carrying path of the panel member, and in steady operation, the conductance of the open opening is used to connect the adjacent through the open opening. A method of manufacturing an image display device, wherein a pressure difference is generated between the processing chambers. 29. The method of manufacturing an image display device according to claim 28, wherein the pressure difference is less than 1 × 10 ⁻¹ Pa. 30. The manufacturing of the image display device according to claim 28, wherein the pressure of the processing chambers continuously connected through the open opening is reduced in the order of transporting the panel members. Method. 31. The image display device manufacturing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the part of the processing chambers is a plurality of baking processing chambers for baking the panel member. 32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the part of the processing chambers is a plurality of cooling processing chambers for cooling the panel member. 33. A method of manufacturing an image display device, which is manufactured by using the manufacturing device according to claim 1. 34. The panel member according to claim 28, wherein the panel member includes a rear panel having an electron source and a front panel having a phosphor for displaying an image by irradiation of electrons from the electron source. 34. The method for manufacturing an image display device according to any one of 33.