JP2003313036A - Method for dividing glass and apparatus for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for dividing glass which can divide both sides of two laminated glass substrates and can enhance production efficiency by overcoming a number of restrictions in dividing both sides. <P>SOLUTION: The invention relates to the method for dividing the glass comprising dividing both sides of a panel formed by laminating two glass substrates 5. The opposite side of a first dividing blade 1 for dividing one side of the panel is provided with a mechanism 3 for supporting the panel and further the opposite side of a second dividing blade 2 for dividing the other side of the panel is similarly provided with a mechanism 4 for supporting the panel, by which the panel is divided from both sides of the panel while the panel is supported from the opposite sides of the dividing blades 1, 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass cutting method and an apparatus therefor in a method for manufacturing a flat panel display using a glass substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Referring to FIG. 5, in a flat panel display manufacturing process using a glass substrate, the conventional glass substrate is cut by cutting the surface of the glass substrate 5 placed on a surface plate 6 with a wheel cutter or the like. To do. In order to divide the two glass substrates bonded together, it was necessary to reverse the front and back of the glass substrate whose one side was divided and to divide the other glass substrate in the same manner as the glass substrate of the side which was previously divided.

When the glass substrate is cut, for example, it is necessary to support the glass substrate, which is cut by the pressure of pressing the wheel cutter against the glass substrate, so as not to bend.

When attempting to cut the two glass substrates bonded together from both sides, a cutting mechanism for cutting the glass substrates is naturally required on the back side as well. At this time, the surface plate that supports the glass substrate in the line that is going to cut the glass substrate, that is, the line where the cutting mechanism for cutting the back side of the glass substrate comes, it is necessary to cut out or divide the surface plate. As a result, that part loses the function of supporting the glass substrate.

A portion of the glass substrate that has lost the function of supporting the glass substrate from the back side cannot be separated from the front side. Further, in the cutting from the glass substrate back surface, a mechanism for supporting the glass substrate from the glass substrate surface is required, and it is separately provided, but when cutting from the glass substrate surface at the same line as the cutting position from the glass substrate back surface or in the vicinity thereof, It is necessary to remove the mechanism that supports the glass substrate from the surface of the glass substrate. Therefore, it was very difficult to simultaneously cut the glass substrate from both the front and back sides.

Further, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-119654, the back side cutting blade substitutes the function of supporting the glass substrate at the time of front side cutting by pressing the cutting blade from both sides, and vice versa. A method of substituting the front side cutting blade for the function of supporting the glass substrate at the time of back side cutting, that is, a method of sandwiching the cutting position of the glass substrate with the front and back cutting blades and pressing the glass substrate with both blades to divide the glass substrate is considered.

However, this method requires precise control of the pressure on both edges and the balance thereof. Further, for example, when the two bonded glass substrates each have different cutting conditions such as a cutting pressure and a cutting amount due to a difference in glass type, a difference in glass thickness, a difference in processes processed up to that time, and the like. This method cannot be used when the dividing lines of the two glass substrates are different.

[0008]

As described above, in the conventional cutting device, the two laminated glass substrates are cut one by one, so that the front and back reversing / positioning steps are increased, and the cutting needs to be performed twice. However, it complicates the process, which makes efficiency inferior. When performing simultaneous double-sided cutting to improve efficiency, there are many restrictions as described above, and it is not practical to set the conditions.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
An object of the present invention is to provide a glass cutting method capable of cutting both sides of a two-bonded glass substrate, overcoming many restrictions in performing the two-side cutting, and improving production efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glass cutting device capable of realizing such a method.

[0011]

A glass cutting device according to a first aspect of the present invention relates to a glass cutting device for cutting both sides of a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates together. The device includes a first cutting blade that cuts one surface of the panel and a second cutting blade that cuts the other surface of the panel. A first mechanism that supports the panel is provided on the opposite side of the first cutting blade across the panel. A second mechanism for supporting the panel is provided on the opposite side of the second dividing blade across the panel.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second mechanisms are roller-shaped and are moved following the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structure is such that the first cutting blade and the second mechanism can be moved at the same time, and the second cutting blade and the first mechanism can be moved at the same time. There is.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second mechanisms for supporting the panel have a width so that they face the first and second cutting blades, respectively. There is no need to control the relative position of the first and second mechanisms that support the panel with high precision, and the first or second cutting blade or the second cutting blade and the first or second support the panel. Without increasing the number of mechanisms for controlling the position of the mechanism and complicating the two bonded glass substrates even if the positions of the two bonded glass substrates do not match. There is.

According to a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the conditions for cutting one surface of the panel by the first cutting blade and the first mechanism, the second cutting blade and the second cutting blade are described. By the mechanism of 2, the condition for dividing the other side of the panel can be set separately.

A glass cutting method according to a second aspect of the present invention relates to a glass cutting method of cutting a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates to each other on both sides. A mechanism for supporting the panel is provided on the opposite side of the first cutting blade that divides one side of the panel, and a second side that divides the other side of the panel.
Similarly, a mechanism for supporting the panel is also provided on the opposite side of the dividing blade, and the panel is divided from both sides of the panel while supporting the panel from the opposite side of the dividing blade.

According to the present invention, in a glass cutting method for cutting a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates to each other on both sides, both sides of the glass substrate can be cut without inverting the front and back sides, thus simplifying the process. It is expected that productivity can be improved by the above, and the yield can be improved and the device can be downsized and the cost can be reduced by eliminating the reversing work.

[0018]

1 is a schematic view of a glass cutting apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a cutting blade 1 for cutting the surface side of the glass substrate 5 and a mechanism 3 for supporting the glass substrate 5 on the opposite side of the cutting blade 1 with the glass substrate 5 interposed therebetween are further provided. A cutting blade 2 for cutting the back side of the glass substrate 5 and a mechanism 4 for supporting the glass substrate 5 on the opposite side of the cutting blade 2 with the glass substrate 5 sandwiched therebetween.

As the cutting blades 1 and 2, a diamond wheel cutter, a carburized steel wheel cutter or the like is used.

Further, the mechanisms 3 and 4 for supporting the glass substrate provided on the opposite side use a roller-shaped base material made of metal such as iron, aluminum, stainless steel or the like, or made of resin, and further damage the glass to the surface thereof. A resin or rubber sheet may be attached for the purpose of prevention and idling prevention.

At this time, the dividing blade 1 is, as shown in FIG.
A height position adjusting mechanism 7 and a pressing force adjusting mechanism 8 for the glass substrate 5 are provided for the glass substrate 5. Further, like the dividing blade 1, the mechanisms 3 and 4 supporting the dividing blade 2 and the glass substrate 5 are independently provided with a height position with respect to the glass substrate 5 and a pressing pressure adjusting mechanism.

The height of the cutting blades 1 and 2 with respect to the glass substrate 5 is adjusted by adjusting the zero point with respect to the glass substrate (the height at which the cutting blade is in contact with the glass surface) and adjusting the cut amount from the zero point position with respect to the glass substrate 5. To do. The cutting depth is
For example, it is about 0.1 to 0.3 mm from the glass surface.

In order to cut the glass substrate 5, the mechanism 3 for supporting the glass substrate 5 supports the glass substrate 5 from the back side, and the cutting blade 1 is adjusted from the opposite side to the adjusted pressure, for example, 0.1 to 0.3M.
Press at about Pa.

The pressing blade 1 and the mechanism 3 that supports the substrate are moved along the dividing line of the glass substrate 5 while maintaining their relative positions, scribed, and broken as necessary. The back side of the glass substrate 5 has a cutting blade 2
And the mechanism 4 for supporting the glass substrate 5 on the opposite side thereof is used to perform the division in the same manner as when the front side of the glass substrate 5 is divided.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, even if the front surface side cutting position and the back surface side cutting position of the glass substrate 5 are not flush with each other, the cutting can be performed.

The glass substrate 5 may be divided into the front surface side and the back surface side separately or simultaneously.

The flow according to the present invention described above is shown in FIG. 4 in comparison with the prior art.

In the present embodiment, the mechanism for supporting the substrate has a roller shape, but is not limited to this, and may have a block shape, a rod shape, or a plate shape.

In FIG. 2 according to the present embodiment, a coiled spring is shown as the pressing force adjusting mechanism for the glass substrate 5, but a leaf spring pressing mechanism or an adjusting mechanism using an air cylinder may be used.

In this embodiment, when the glass substrate 5 is cut, the cutting blade and the mechanism for supporting the glass substrate are moved, but the mechanism for supporting the cutting blade and the glass substrate is fixed and the glass substrate 5 is moved. Good.

In the present embodiment, the number of the mechanisms for dividing the front surface and the back surface of the glass substrate 5 is one, but a plurality of mechanisms may be provided.

The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

[0034]

According to the present invention, since a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates together is divided from both the front and back sides, it is possible to eliminate the front and back reversing / alignment steps of the glass substrate, and the division can be performed at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to greatly improve productivity. Further, as described above, since the front and back reversing work is deleted, it is possible to avoid the risk of the substrate cracking or chipping due to this. Particularly in an automatic machine, an expensive substrate upside down device is not required, so that the cost of the device and the size of the device can be reduced. The above is more effective as the size of the glass substrate increases.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a glass cutting method of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a height of a cutting blade and a pressing force adjusting mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a cutting method when the front and back cutting positions of the glass substrate are not flush with each other.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a comparison between work flows of the present invention and a conventional technique.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a glass substrate cutting method by a conventional apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 cutting blades, 3 panel support mechanism from the back side,
4 Mechanism for supporting the panel from the front side, 5 Glass substrate,
6 surface plate, 7-cutting blade height adjusting mechanism, 8-cutting blade pressing force adjusting mechanism, 9-cutting blade, 10-cutting blade 10-cutting blade pressing and pressing spring.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification Code FI Theme Coat (Reference) G02F 1/1333 500 G02F 1/1333 500

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A glass cutting method for cutting both sides of a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates together, the first cutting blade cutting one surface of the panel, and the first cutting blade sandwiching the panel. A first mechanism that is provided on the opposite side of the dividing blade to support the panel, a second dividing blade that divides the other surface of the panel, and an opposite side of the second dividing blade across the panel. And a second mechanism that supports the panel and is provided in the glass cutting device. 2. The glass cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second mechanisms are roller-shaped and are moved following the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade. . 3. A structure in which the first cutting blade and the second mechanism can be moved simultaneously, and further a structure in which the second cutting blade and the first mechanism can be moved at the same time. The glass cutting device described in 1. 4. The first and second mechanisms for supporting the panel have a width so that the first and second cutting blades and the first and second supporting blades respectively supporting the panel facing each other. A mechanism for controlling the position of the first cutting blade or the second cutting blade and the first or second mechanism supporting the panel while eliminating the need to control the relative position of the second mechanism with high accuracy. The invention is characterized in that two bonded glass substrates can be simultaneously divided into front and back even if the dividing positions of the two laminated glass substrates do not coincide with each other without increasing the complexity. The glass cutting device described. 5. A condition for cutting one surface of the panel by a first cutting blade and the first mechanism, and a second cutting blade and the other of the panel by the second mechanism. The glass cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the time conditions can be set separately. 6. A glass cutting method for cutting both sides of a panel formed by bonding two glass substrates together, wherein a mechanism for supporting the panel is provided on the opposite side of a first cutting blade for cutting one surface of the panel, Further, a mechanism for supporting the panel is also provided on the opposite side of the second cutting blade that divides the other surface of the panel, and the panel is divided from both sides of the panel while supporting the panel from the opposite side of the cutting blade. And the glass cutting method.