JP2003145472A - Suction table and suction-fixing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent any suction traces from being left on a glass substrate even when the glass substrate of low strength is sucked and fixed so as not to be deviated when cleaning the glass substrate. SOLUTION: In a suction table in which suction grooves formed in a surface of the table are evacuated, and the glass substrate is sucked and fixed by the suction grooves, the suction grooves are concentrated in an outer peripheral part of a suction surface of the table, and the suction force is generated in the outer peripheral part of the surface of the suction table in a concentrated manner to suck and fix the glass substrate. The outer peripheral part of the glass substrate difficult to deviate against the friction force when cleaning a terminal part of the glass substrate can be sucked, the suction force of the suction grooves can be reduced accordingly to prevent any suction traces from being left in the glass substrate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, in an outer lead bonding (OLB) step which is one of the manufacturing steps of a liquid crystal display device, a glass substrate of the liquid crystal display device is sucked and fixed on the surface of a table by vacuum suction. The present invention relates to an adsorption table suitable for use and an adsorption fixing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in an outer lead bonding (OLB) process, there is a terminal cleaning process for cleaning a terminal portion formed on a glass substrate. In this process, a liquid crystal substrate terminal cleaning device is used.

This liquid crystal substrate terminal cleaning device will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), a conventionally known liquid crystal substrate terminal cleaning device has a suction table 1, on which a glass substrate 10 is fixed by vacuum suction. To be done. In this fixed state, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), two rollers 2 are arranged vertically with the glass substrate 10 interposed therebetween, and the cleaning tape 3 onto which the solvent has been dropped.
It is pressed against the terminal portion of the glass substrate 10 from above and below via. In this state, by moving the glass substrate 10 fixed to the suction table 1 together with the suction table 1,
The upper and lower cleaning tapes 3 move simultaneously while being in contact with the upper surface and the lower surface of the terminal portion of the glass substrate 10 to clean the terminal portion.

At this time, a frictional force is generated between the cleaning tape 3 and the glass substrate 10, so that the glass substrate 10 is not displaced on the suction table 1 and the good cleaning is not hindered. As the suction table 1, FIG.
A suction table in which concentric suction grooves 11 are formed on the entire suction surface as shown in (3) is adopted to obtain a necessary suction holding force.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a detailed configuration example of the suction groove 11 formed in the suction table 1 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, a suction groove 11 having a quadrangular cross section provided on the surface of the suction table 1 (same as the suction surface) is provided with a suction pipe hole 13 passing through the inside of the table by a drill hole 12. By communicating and depressurizing the suction pipe hole 13 with a vacuum source such as a vacuum pump (not shown), the glass substrate 10 placed on the upper part thereof is vacuum-sucked by the suction groove 11 and fixed on the suction table 1. It has become.

[0008]

However, the conventional suction table 1 in which the concentric suction grooves 11 are formed on almost the entire suction surface as described above makes the glass substrate using a thin glass plate weak in strength. When 10 is sucked with the suction force that does not cause the above-mentioned displacement, the suction force is too strong, and a suction mark is formed on the glass surface of the glass substrate 10, and a part of the glass surface is deformed concentrically, for example. I had a problem.

This deformation remains even after the glass substrate 10 is removed from the suction table 1, and when a liquid crystal display panel is assembled and displayed using such a glass substrate 10, an image is not displayed in the suction mark portion. The problem occurs.

Therefore, if the suction holding force of the suction table 1 is weakened so that no suction mark is formed on the glass surface, the glass substrate 10 is displaced due to the frictional force during the cleaning of the glass substrate 10 and good cleaning cannot be performed. was there.

In particular, suction marks are likely to occur at the central portion of the glass substrate 10 (which has a low strength because it is separated from the outer peripheral sealing member described later).

There are various types of glass substrates described above, but glass substrates for liquid crystal display panels mounted on mobile devices such as notebook computers have tended to be thin and light in weight, and are thin and strong. There is a tendency that a large number of cases in which a weak glass substrate is sucked and cleaned by the suction table 1 are coming out, and it is demanded to solve the above problems as soon as possible.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a suction table and a suction table which can prevent the substrate from having a suction mark even when a weak substrate is sucked. It is to provide an adsorption fixing method.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, a first feature of the present invention is a suction table for sucking and fixing a substrate, wherein the outer peripheral portion of the substrate is concentrated and sucked and fixed. It is to be equipped with a suction means.

A second feature of the present invention is that in a suction fixing method of vacuum-sucking and fixing a substrate on the surface of a suction table, a vacuum suction force is intensively generated on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate to generate the substrate. Is to be adsorbed and fixed.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the structure of a suction device having a suction table embodying the present invention. However, the portions corresponding to the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

In the suction table 1 of this suction device, a plurality of suction grooves 11 each having a quadrangular shape are formed side by side inwardly from the peripheral portion, concentrated on the outer peripheral portion of the suction surface (table surface) having a quadrangular shape. The suction groove 1 is located near the center of the suction surface.
It has a structure without 1. In other words, a plurality of suction grooves 11 that are looped in a rectangular shape along the outer peripheral portion of the suction surface of the suction table 1 are formed side by side in the central direction from the outer peripheral end of the suction surface.

As shown in FIG. 7, each suction groove 11 is provided with a drill hole 13 in some places and a suction pipe hole 13 inside the table.
Is in communication with. The suction pipe hole 13 is connected to the vacuum source 16 via the pipe 14 shown in FIG. 1, and the glass substrate 10 is placed on the suction table 1 (see FIG. 2A). When the vacuum source 16 is operated, the glass substrate 10 is fixed by vacuum suction. With the glass substrate 10 fixed, the terminal cleaning process as described in the section of the prior art is performed.

The outer shape of the suction table 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the terminal portion A formed on the outer periphery of the glass substrate 10 is larger than the conventional one, and the glass substrate 10 is fixed on the suction table 1. It is sized to be located at.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
After the glass substrate 10 is placed on the suction surface of the suction table 1 as shown in FIG. 2A, the suction source 11 is depressurized by the operation of the vacuum source 16 so that the suction groove 11 is formed. The pressure is reduced and the glass substrate 10 is cut into these grooves 1
Adsorb by 1 and fix on the adsorption table 1.

According to the present embodiment, the suction grooves 11 are intensively formed near the outer periphery of the suction table 1, and the portion (outer periphery) near the outer periphery of the glass substrate 10 is formed by these suction grooves 11. When the terminal portion A on the outer side of the glass substrate 10 is cleaned, a frictional force is applied to this portion and a moment that causes the glass substrate 10 to rotate about its center acts as an axis, so that the glass substrate 10 is attracted and fixed. Since the suction part for fixing the suction table 1 to the suction table 1 is located on the outer peripheral portion away from the center of rotation, even if the area to which the suction force is applied is smaller than in the conventional case, the rotation particularly compared to the case of suction around the center of rotation is performed. The resistance to the moment can be increased.

That is, the adsorption of the outer peripheral portion of the glass substrate 10 is
Since the glass substrate 10 has a large resistance against displacement and the glass substrate 10 is unlikely to be displaced even with a small adsorption area (holding force), the adsorption groove 1
Even if the suction force of the first glass substrate 10 is weakened, the frictional force can prevent the glass substrate 10 from being displaced. That is, since it is possible to weaken the suction force while ensuring the suction, suction marks are less likely to occur on the glass surface of the glass substrate 10.

Here, when the suction grooves 11 are concentrated on the outer peripheral portion of the suction table 1 as shown in FIG.
Even when the suction area on the suction groove 11 is reduced by reducing the number of the holes, the glass substrate 10 can be satisfactorily cleaned against the frictional force generated when the terminal portion A of the glass substrate 10 is cleaned. It has been confirmed by experiments that a holding power can be obtained.

When the glass substrate 10 is a liquid crystal substrate as shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal 22 is placed between the two glass plates 21.
Is inserted, and in order to seal this liquid crystal 22, 2
The outer peripheral portion of the glass plate 21 is sealed by a seal member 23 applied along the outer periphery thereof. Therefore, in the portion near the outer periphery of the glass substrate 10, the strength of the glass plate 21 against the suction force is relatively high due to the presence of the seal member 23.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2A, the suction grooves 11 concentratedly provided on the outer peripheral portion of the suction surface are provided on the outer peripheral portion of the glass substrate 10, that is, by the sealing member 23. Is provided so as to face a place having a relatively high strength or its vicinity so that a place having a relatively high strength is adsorbed, and for this reason also, an adsorption mark is generated on the glass surface of the glass substrate 10. Can be prevented.

Further, since the shape of the suction groove 11 is square, the suction groove 11 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the suction table 1 so as to face the seal member 23 applied to the outer periphery of the glass substrate 10. It is possible to concentrate without waste, and the outer peripheral portion of the glass substrate 10 can be effectively adsorbed to that extent, and the above effect can be obtained.

The larger the number of the suction grooves 11 concentratedly formed on the outer peripheral portion of the suction table 1 is, the larger the suction area for the glass substrate 10 is.
Even if the suction force for each suction groove is reduced, the suction force with respect to the glass substrate 10 as a whole can be secured, and further, it is possible to make it difficult for scratches to be attached to the glass substrate 10. However, if the number of the suction grooves 11 is increased, the suction grooves 11 will eventually move to the suction table 1.
Since the groove 11 near the center of the glass substrate 10 does not adsorb the outer peripheral portion of the glass substrate 10,
It does not sufficiently function as an adsorption force that effectively prevents the glass substrate 10 from being displaced due to the frictional force. Therefore, there is an optimum relationship between the number of suction grooves 11 and the suction force per suction groove, and in this example, in consideration of such a case, the number of suction grooves as shown in FIG. Adsorption table 1
However, the shape of the suction groove 11 may be, for example, a zigzag shape, and is not limited to this example.

Further, here, as shown in FIG.
The glass substrate 10 is smaller than the suction table 1, and the outer edge of the glass substrate 10 has a groove 11A on the outer peripheral side within the suction groove 11.
When the suction groove 11A on the outer peripheral side is not used, the suction groove 11A on the outer peripheral side may not be used. In order not to use only the suction grooves 11A on the outer peripheral side, for example, the suction grooves 11 may be individually sucked to reduce the pressure.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the adsorption device according to the present invention. However, the portions corresponding to the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals. As in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the suction table 1 of this suction device forms a plurality of suction grooves 11 each having a rectangular shape in a concentrated manner on the outer peripheral portion of the suction surface having a square shape, and the suction table 1 has a suction shape. The structure has no suction groove near the center of the surface. Each suction groove 1
As shown in FIG. 7, 1 communicates with suction pipe holes 13 inside the table through drill holes 12 in places, and the suction pipe holes 13 are connected to external pipes 14.

The characteristic part of the second embodiment is that the pipe 1
4 is connected to a vacuum source 16 via a pressure adjusting valve 15, the pressure adjusting valve 15 is controlled by a controller 17, and the suction groove 11
The degree of pressure reduction, that is, the suction force is adjustable. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
After placing the glass substrate 10 on the suction surface of the suction table 1, the suction source 11 is evacuated by the vacuum source 16 through the pressure adjusting valve 15 and the pipe 14 to reduce the pressure in the suction pipe hole. Then, the glass substrate 10 is adsorbed in the groove 11 and fixed to the adsorption table 1.

At this time, the controller 17 controls the pressure regulating valve 1 according to the thickness of the glass plate 21 (see FIG. 3) of the glass substrate 10.
5, the pressure reduction degree of the suction groove 11 is adjusted, and the glass substrate 10 is sucked onto the suction table 1 by an appropriate suction force.

That is, the thinner the glass plate 21 of the glass substrate 10 is, the smaller its strength is. Therefore, when the suction force of the suction table 1 is large, the glass plate 21 of the glass substrate 10 is likely to have a suction mark. If the glass plate 21 is thick, its strength increases. Therefore, even if the suction force of the suction table 1 is slightly increased, it is difficult for the glass plate 21 to have a suction mark. It is not moved by the applied frictional force, its fixed position is more stable, and the terminal part can be cleaned well.

Therefore, depending on the thickness of the glass plate 21 of the glass substrate 10, there is no suction mark and the fixation to the suction table 1 does not deviate (the terminal part of the glass substrate does not deviate satisfactorily). The optimum suction force is selected, and the controller 17 controls the suction force of the suction table 1 according to the thickness of the glass substrate 10 to hold the glass plate 21 for various glass substrates 10. It is possible to clean the terminal portion without leaving a suction mark on the glass plate and preventing the glass substrate 10 sucked and fixed to the suction table 1 from being displaced.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various other modes in specific configurations, functions, actions, and effects without departing from the scope of the invention. .

[0036]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the substrate from having an adsorption mark even when the substrate having weak strength is adsorbed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of a suction device having a suction table embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a glass substrate is sucked on the suction table shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a structural example of the glass substrate shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a second embodiment of an adsorption device embodying the present invention.

5A and 5B are a plan view and a side view for explaining a cleaning state of a terminal portion of a general glass substrate.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a suction surface of a conventional suction table.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view including a suction groove formed in a general suction table.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 adsorption table 10 glass substrates 11 Adsorption groove 12 drill holes 14 Piping 15 Pressure control valve 16 vacuum source 17 Control device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A suction table for suction-fixing a substrate, comprising a suction means for centrally suction-fixing an outer peripheral portion of the substrate. 2. The suction means comprises a suction groove formed on the surface of the suction table, and a pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure of the suction groove with the substrate placed on the surface of the suction table. The suction table according to claim 1, wherein the suction table is provided. 3. The depressurizing means is arranged in a vacuum source for depressurizing the suction groove and a pipe communicating between the suction groove and the vacuum source, and a depressurization degree of the suction groove is set. The suction table according to claim 2, further comprising: a pressure control unit that controls the suction force with respect to the substrate by changing the suction table according to the type of the substrate. 4. The surface of the table has a quadrangular shape, and a plurality of suction grooves looped in a quadrangular shape along the outer peripheral portion of the surface of the table are formed in a line from the outer peripheral edge of the table surface toward the center. The suction table according to claim 2 or 3. 5. A suction-fixing method for vacuum-sucking and fixing a substrate on the surface of a suction table, wherein a vacuum suction force is intensively generated on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate to fix the substrate by suction. An adsorption fixing method characterized by: