JP2004291456A - Tube for liquid drop jet device and liquid drop jet device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tube for a liquid drop jet device capable of realizing stable ejection of a liquid drop from a head by enhancing a degassing property of ink by preventing a gas from being mixed into the ink. <P>SOLUTION: This tube 48 comprises an inner pipe 102 having a fluid path 101 for the ink flowing therein, a cylindrical hollow layer 103 formed at the outer side of the inner pipe 102, and an outer pipe 104 formed at the outer side of the hollow layer 103. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tube for a droplet discharge device and a droplet discharge device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the development of electronic devices such as computers and portable information devices, the use of liquid crystal display devices, particularly color liquid crystal display devices, has been increasing. In this type of liquid crystal display device, a color filter is usually used to color a display image. As one of the methods for manufacturing a color filter, there has been conventionally known an inkjet method in which R (red), G (green), and B (blue) inks are applied to a substrate in a predetermined pattern. Have been.
[0003]
As an inkjet apparatus employing this inkjet method, for example, an inkjet head that discharges ink in a predetermined pattern on a substrate, an ink tank that stores ink, and a tube that supplies ink from the ink tank to the inkjet head are provided. Equipped configurations are known. In such an ink jet apparatus, degassing of ink is required in order to ensure the stability of ejection from a head. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus provided with a degassing device during supply. .
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-42771
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the ink jet apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the degassing device is provided, the configuration of the tube itself is not completely airtight during the supply. Therefore, even if the ink is degassed by the degassing device, gas may be mixed into the ink during the supply in the tube.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to suppress gas mixing into ink to increase the deaeration of the ink, and to realize stable ejection of droplets from the head. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tube for a droplet discharge device which has improved design and high production efficiency, and a droplet discharge device provided with the tube.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a tube for a droplet discharge device according to the present invention is a tube for a droplet discharge device that forms a supply path for supplying a liquid material to a head that discharges a droplet, Characterized by comprising an inner layer provided with a flow path through which an air flows, an intermediate layer formed outside the inner layer and configured to be able to decompress, and an outer layer formed outside the intermediate layer.
[0008]
According to the tube for a droplet discharge device of the present invention, since the intermediate layer is formed between the inner layer and the outer layer, the intermediate layer is decompressed (for example, at atmospheric pressure or less) to form a liquid flowing through the inner layer into the liquid material from the outside. This eliminates the problem of mixing with the liquid, enables the original gas concentration of the liquid material to be maintained, and makes it possible to realize a stable droplet discharge property from the head. Moreover, since airtightness can be ensured not in a part of the tube but in the entire supply path, airtightness with respect to the liquid material is further enhanced, and sufficient airtightness can be ensured even in a long tube.
In addition, since the inner layer and the outer layer are provided via the intermediate layer, only the inner layer can be changed according to the type of the liquid material, for example, compared to a configuration in which the intermediate layer formed by laminating the inner layer and the outer layer is not provided. Therefore, even when the type of the liquid used is changed, the outer layer can be reused. That is, only by changing the inner layer, good liquid distribution can be secured regardless of the type of the liquid. Therefore, the designability of the tube for the droplet discharge device is improved, and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved. In addition, it is preferable to appropriately change the inner layer by, for example, appropriately selecting a material composed of a material that enhances the fluidity of each liquid material. In addition, abrasion resistance, solvent resistance, etc., depending on the use environment. Can be appropriately selected in consideration of the above. Specifically, for example, even when handling a liquid material that requires special airtightness, it is not necessary to consider the gas barrier properties of the tube, and it is cheaper, because the inner layer can be selected by focusing only on the characteristics of the liquid material. It is possible to adapt to a wide range of applications.
[0009]
The intermediate layer is preferably formed of, for example, a hollow layer. In addition, the intermediate layer may be formed by, for example, being filled with a porous material. As a means for reducing the pressure of the intermediate layer, for example, a vent may be provided in the outer layer to penetrate from the outside to the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer may be depressurized from the vent. With such a configuration, the pressure in the intermediate layer can be easily controlled.
[0010]
The inner layer is preferably made of a material that exhibits gas permeability under normal pressure or reduced pressure. Thus, for example, even when there is a gas contained in the liquid material, it is possible to easily degas the liquid material by reducing the pressure of the intermediate layer.
[0011]
Further, the intermediate layer may be provided with a spacer for forming a space between the inner layer and the outer layer. This makes it possible to reliably secure the intermediate layer between the inner layer and the outer layer, to avoid extreme friction between the inner layer and the outer layer, and to eliminate problems such as breakage of each of the inner layer and the outer layer. It becomes possible. In particular, when the inner layer and the outer layer are made of a flexible material, the effect of suppressing friction is more remarkable. In addition, as the spacer, for example, a spherical member having a predetermined outer diameter between the inner layer and the outer layer may be configured to be formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction and the radial direction of the tube. Alternatively, for example, a configuration in which a porous material layer is formed between an inner layer and an outer layer may be employed.
[0012]
Meanwhile, the outer layer may be formed of a rigid body. In this case, the inner layer can be protected from an external impact or the like, and the flow path of the liquid material can be reliably protected. Further, when the liquid material requires light-shielding properties, for example, when a liquid material having photopolymerizability or the like is used, it is preferable to use an outer layer having high light-shielding properties, for example, an outer layer made of a light-shielding metal material.
[0013]
In the tube for a droplet discharge device according to the present invention, it is not necessary to consider the gas barrier property of the inner layer, and a material may be selected in consideration of securing the fluidity of the liquid material and the resistance. The outer layer is not particularly limited in specification, but it is preferable to select an outer layer having high airtightness. Further, the amount of reduced pressure in the intermediate layer is not particularly limited, but the effect of the present invention can be obtained when the reduced pressure amount is small and the pressure is slightly reduced compared to the atmospheric pressure. On the other hand, when the pressure reduction amount is large, the gas contained in the liquid material can be sucked into the intermediate layer through the inner layer, and the degassing property in the intermediate layer is further improved. Further, by preparing a spare inner layer in advance within the range of the cross-sectional area of the intermediate layer (that is, by providing a plurality of inner layers), even if the inner layer being used is broken, By replacing the inner layer, it is possible to easily cope with the problem.
[0014]
As a specific configuration of a tube for a droplet discharge device, for example, when a polythiophene derivative (PEDOT) used for a hole injection layer of an organic EL element is supplied as a liquid material, ethylene tetrafluoride and ethylene are used as an inner layer. It is preferable to apply a material made of a polymer fluororesin (ETFE resin) and a material made of polyurethane as an outer layer.
Further, for example, when a fluorene-based polymer derivative used for a light-emitting layer of an organic EL element is supplied as a liquid, an inner layer made of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene is used as an outer layer, and a vinyl chloride-based resin is used as an outer layer. It is preferable to apply what consists of.
[0015]
In the tube for a droplet discharge device of the present invention, in addition to suctioning the intermediate layer in the process of supplying the liquid material, it is possible to prevent gas from entering even when the liquid material is kept inside for a long time. In this case, airtightness can be ensured without particularly maintaining a reduced pressure during the stay.
[0016]
Next, a droplet discharge device of the present invention is a droplet discharge device including a base and a head that discharges a liquid material to a material to be dropped on the base, and accommodates the liquid material. It is characterized by comprising a storage section and a supply section for supplying the liquid material from the storage section to the head, wherein the supply section is configured by the tube for the droplet discharge device. According to such a droplet discharge device, the droplet discharge property from the nozzle is stabilized, the droplet can be reliably landed at a target point, and the nozzle is hardly clogged, and the liquid is stably discharged. It becomes possible to discharge the body.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a droplet discharge device provided with a tube for a droplet discharge device of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet device 30 according to the droplet discharge device of the present invention. The ink jet device 30 includes a base 31, a substrate moving unit 32, a head moving unit 33, an ink jet head (head) 34, an ink (liquid) supply unit 35, and the like. The base 31 is provided with the substrate moving means 32 and the head moving means 33 thereon.
[0018]
The substrate moving means 32 is provided on the base 31 and has a guide rail 36 arranged along the Y-axis direction. The substrate moving means 32 is configured to move the slider 37 along the guide rail 36 by, for example, a linear motor. The slider 37 is provided with a motor (not shown) for the θ-axis. This motor is, for example, a direct drive motor, and its rotor (not shown) is fixed to the table 39. Under such a configuration, when power is supplied to the motor, the rotor and the table 39 rotate in the θ direction, and the table 39 is indexed (rotated).
[0019]
The table 39 positions and holds the substrate S. That is, the table 39 has a known suction holding means (not shown), and the substrate S is suction-held on the table 39 by operating the suction holding means. The substrate S is accurately positioned and held at a predetermined position on the table 39 by positioning pins (not shown) of the table 39. The table 39 is provided with a discard area 41 for the ink jet head 34 to discard or test-punch ink. The discard area 41 is formed extending in the X-axis direction, and is provided on the rear end side of the table 39.
[0020]
The head moving means 33 includes a pair of stands 33a, 33a erected on the rear side of the base 31, and a traveling path 33b provided on the stands 33a, 33a. They are arranged along the axial direction, that is, the direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction of the substrate moving means 32. The traveling path 33b is formed with a holding plate 33c passed between the gantry 33a, 33a and a pair of guide rails 33d, 33d provided on the holding plate 33c. A slider 42 for holding the inkjet head 34 in the length direction of 33d is movably held. The slider 42 travels on the guide rails 33d, 33d by operation of a linear motor (not shown) or the like, thereby moving the inkjet head 34 in the X-axis direction.
[0021]
Motors 43, 44, 45, 46 as swing positioning means are connected to the inkjet head 34. When the motor 43 is operated, the ink jet head 34 moves up and down along the Z axis, and positioning on the Z axis is possible. The Z axis is a direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the X axis and the Y axis. When the motor 44 is operated, the inkjet head 34 swings along the direction β in FIG. 1 to be positioned, and when the motor 45 is operated, the inkjet head 34 swings in the γ direction, and the positioning is performed. When the motor 46 is operated, the ink jet head 34 swings in the α direction and can be positioned.
[0022]
As described above, the inkjet head 34 can be positioned by linearly moving in the Z-axis direction on the slider 42, and can swing and position along α, β, and γ. Therefore, the position or posture of the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head 34 with respect to the substrate S on the table 39 side can be accurately controlled.
Here, as shown in FIG. 2A, the inkjet head 34 includes, for example, a nozzle plate 12 and a diaphragm 13 made of stainless steel, and the two are joined via a partition member (reservoir plate) 14. A plurality of spaces 15 and a pool 16 are formed between the nozzle plate 12 and the vibration plate 13 by the partition member 14. The interior of each space 15 and the liquid pool 16 is filled with ink, and each space 15 and the liquid pool 16 communicate with each other via a supply port 17. A plurality of nozzle holes 18 for ejecting ink from the space 15 are formed in the nozzle plate 12 in a line. On the other hand, a hole 19 for supplying ink to the liquid pool 16 is formed in the vibration plate 13.
[0023]
Further, a piezoelectric element (piezo element) 20 is joined to the surface of the diaphragm 13 opposite to the surface facing the space 15 as shown in FIG. The piezoelectric element 20 is located between the pair of electrodes 21 and is configured to bend so that it projects outward when energized. The vibration plate 13 to which the piezoelectric element 20 is bonded under such a configuration is configured to bend outward simultaneously with the piezoelectric element 20, thereby reducing the volume of the space 15. It is increasing. Therefore, the ink corresponding to the increased volume in the space 15 flows from the liquid pool 16 through the supply port 17. When the current supply to the piezoelectric element 20 is released from such a state, both the piezoelectric element 20 and the diaphragm 13 return to their original shapes. Accordingly, since the space 15 also returns to the original volume, the pressure of the ink inside the space 15 increases, and the ink droplets 22 are ejected from the nozzle holes 18 toward the substrate. The inkjet system of the inkjet head 34 may be a system other than the piezo jet type using the piezoelectric element 20 described above.
[0024]
Returning to FIG. 1, the ink supply means 35 includes an ink supply source 47 for supplying ink droplets to the inkjet head 34, and an ink supply tube 48 for sending ink from the ink supply source 47 to the inkjet head 34. is there. That is, a method is adopted in which the ink is temporarily stored in an ink supply source 47 made of a container made of stainless steel or the like, and the ink is supplied to the head from the ink supply source 47 by an ink supply tube 48.
In addition, as the ink supply source 47, one provided with an ink pack (accommodating member) having the configuration shown in FIG. 3 can be applied. That is, the ink supply source 47 shown in FIG. 3 is constituted by a bag-shaped ink pack (storage member) 49 filled with ink liquid, a case 50a for storing the ink pack 49, and a lid 50b thereof. . The ink pack 49 has a tube 49a serving as an ink outlet, and the case 50 has a concave portion 50c for drawing out the tube 49a. An ink supply tube 48 is connected to a tube 49 a drawn out of the concave portion 50 c of the case 50, and the ink supply tube 48 is connected to the inkjet head 34. The ink pack 49 may be configured so that the ink flows out by piercing the ink pack 49 with a needle connected to the ink supply tube 48 instead of discharging the ink from the tube 49a. As the ink pack 49, the case 50a and the lid 50b that house the ink pack 49, those described in Japanese Patent No. 3024260 are preferably used.
[0025]
On the other hand, an ink supply tube (tube) 48 for sending ink from the ink supply source 47 to the inkjet head 34 has the configuration shown in FIG. FIG. 4A is a partially cutaway perspective view of the tube 48, and FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along the line BB 'of FIG. 4A. The tube 48 includes an inner tube (inner layer) 102 having a flow path 101 through which ink flows, a substantially cylindrical hollow layer (intermediate layer) 103 formed outside the inner tube 102, and an outer tube 103 outside the hollow layer 103. The outer tube (outer layer) 104 is formed.
[0026]
The outer tube 104 is provided with a ventilation hole 105 penetrating from the outside to the hollow layer, and is configured to be able to decompress the hollow layer 103 from the ventilation hole 105. The inner tube 102 is formed of a material having gas permeability under normal pressure or reduced pressure, for example, a cylindrical member having fine pores that block liquid permeation and allow gas permeation.
[0027]
The tube 48 having such a configuration has a problem that a gas is mixed from the outside into the ink flowing through the flow path 101 formed inside the inner tube 102 by reducing the pressure of the hollow layer 103 to an atmospheric pressure of about 400 Pa or less. As a result, it is possible to realize a stable droplet discharge property from the head 34 (see FIG. 1). In addition, since airtightness can be ensured not in a part of the tube 48 but in the entire flow path of the ink, the airtightness of the ink is extremely high.
[0028]
Further, since the inner tube 102 and the outer tube 104 are provided with the hollow layer 103 interposed therebetween, according to the type of ink to be ejected, only the inner tube 102 can be replaced in order to increase the flowability of the ink. . That is, even when the type of ink to be used is changed, the outer tube 104 can be reused, and only by changing the inner tube 102, good ink circulation can be ensured regardless of the type of ink. Therefore, the designability of the tube 48 is enhanced, and the manufacturing efficiency of the tube 48 can be increased.
[0029]
The ink jet device 30 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration is used, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, to form a plurality of color filter regions 51 in a matrix on a rectangular substrate S from the viewpoint of increasing productivity. Applicable to These color filter regions 51 can be used as color filters suitable for a liquid crystal display device by cutting the substrate S later. In the color filter region 51, as shown in FIG. 7, R ink, G ink, and B ink are respectively formed and arranged in a predetermined pattern, in this example, a conventionally known stripe type. The pattern may be a mosaic type, a delta type, a square type, or the like, in addition to the stripe type.
[0030]
In order to form such a color filter region 51, first, a black matrix 52 is formed on one surface of a transparent substrate S as shown in FIG. The black matrix 52 is formed by applying a resin having no light transmission property (preferably black) to a predetermined thickness (for example, about 2 μm) by a method such as spin coating and patterning. For the smallest display element surrounded by the lattice of the black matrix 52, that is, the filter element 53, for example, the width in the X-axis direction is about 30 μm, and the length in the Y-axis direction is about 100 μm.
[0031]
Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, ink droplets (droplets) 54 are ejected from the inkjet head 34 and land on the filter element 53. The amount of the ink droplet 54 to be ejected is set to a sufficient amount in consideration of the volume reduction of the ink in the heating step.
After all the filter elements 53 on the substrate S are filled with the ink droplets 54 in this manner, a heating process is performed using a heater so that the substrate S has a predetermined temperature (for example, about 70 ° C.). The heat treatment evaporates the solvent of the ink and reduces the volume of the ink. In the case where the volume decrease is remarkable, the ink discharging step and the heating step are repeated until a sufficient ink film thickness as a color filter is obtained. By this processing, the solvent contained in the ink evaporates, and finally only the solid content contained in the ink remains to form a film, thereby forming the color filter 55 as shown in FIG. 8C.
[0032]
Next, in order to flatten the substrate S and protect the color filter 55, a protective film 56 is formed on the substrate S so as to cover the color filter 55 and the black matrix 52 as shown in FIG. In forming the protective film 56, a method such as a spin coating method, a roll coating method, and a ripping method can be adopted. However, similarly to the case of the color filter 55, the ink jet device 30 shown in FIG. You can do it too.
[0033]
Next, as shown in FIG. 8E, a transparent conductive film 57 is formed on the entire surface of the protective film 56 by a sputtering method, a vacuum evaporation method, or the like. Thereafter, the transparent conductive film 57 is patterned, and the pixel electrode 58 is patterned corresponding to the filter element 53 as shown in FIG. When a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is used for driving the liquid crystal display panel, this patterning becomes unnecessary.
[0034]
Further, the ink jet device 30 of the present embodiment can also be used for forming a thin film that is a component of an organic EL element. FIG. 9 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of an organic EL panel as an electric EL device. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 270 denotes an organic EL panel. The organic EL panel 270 includes a substrate 210 made of glass or the like, a large number of organic EL elements forming pixels 271 arranged in a matrix, and a sealing substrate 220 (see FIG. 10). Things.
The substrate 210 is made of, for example, a transparent substrate such as glass, and includes a display region 202a located at the center of the substrate 210, and a non-display region 202b located at the periphery of the substrate 210 and arranged outside the display region 202a. Is divided into The display area 202a is an area formed by the organic EL elements arranged in a matrix, and is also called an effective display area.
[0035]
FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an organic EL element forming the pixel 271 of the organic EL panel shown in FIG. The organic EL element is formed by forming SiO 2 on a glass substrate 210 on which ITO 211 is patterned. ₂ A film 212 and a polyimide film 213 are stacked. The polyimide film 213 constitutes a partition, between which a patterned ITO 211 is disposed, on which a hole injection / transport layer 216 and a light emitting layer 218 are formed. A cathode 219 and a sealing layer 220 are formed on 218.
[0036]
In the organic EL element having the above-described configuration, for example, when the hole injection / transport layer 216 and / or the light emitting layer 218 are formed, the ink jet device 30 shown in FIG. 1 can be used. A specific film forming method will be described taking a film forming step of the hole injection / transport layer 216 as an example.
[0037]
First, before the liquid composition (ink) for forming the hole injection / transport layer 216 is dropped, the bank composed of the polyimide film 213 is subjected to an ink repellent process by an atmospheric pressure plasma process. Atmospheric pressure plasma processing conditions are as follows: atmospheric pressure, power 300 W, electrode-substrate distance 1 mm, oxygen plasma processing, oxygen gas flow rate 80 ccm, helium gas flow rate 10 SLM, table transfer speed 5 mm / s, followed by CF4 plasma processing The test was performed at a CF4 gas flow rate of 100 ccm, a helium gas flow rate of 10 SLM, and a table transfer speed of 3 mm / s.
[0038]
After the surface treatment of the substrate, an ink containing a polythiophene derivative (PEDOT) is prepared in an inert gas atmosphere, for example, in a glove box (nitrogen gas 1.1 atm, water concentration and oxygen concentration 1 ppm or less), and the ink is used in an inkjet apparatus. 15 pl was ejected from 30 heads 34 (see FIG. 1), and the pattern was applied. The discharge was performed in a nitrogen gas atmosphere having a water concentration of 1% or less and an oxygen concentration of 1 ppm or less. Then, the solvent was removed under vacuum (1 torr) at room temperature for 20 minutes, and then the hole injection / transport layer 216 was formed by heat treatment in air at 200 ° C. (on a hot plate) for 10 minutes. The light-emitting layer 218 is also formed by preparing an ink containing a fluorene-based polymer derivative, for example, and discharging the ink using the inkjet apparatus 30 shown in FIG. It is possible to do.
[0039]
In the case where the polythiophene derivative (PEDOT) is supplied as ink in the step of forming the hole injection / transport layer 216, the inner tube 102 of the tube 48 is made of a copolymer fluoroethylene resin of ethylene tetrafluoride and ethylene. It is preferable to use a material made of (ETFE resin). In this case, it is preferable to use a material made of polyurethane as the outer tube 104.
In the case where the fluorene-based polymer derivative is supplied as ink in the step of forming the light emitting layer 218, the inner tube 102 of the tube 48 is made of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. The outer tube 104 is preferably made of a vinyl chloride resin.
As described above, by changing the configuration (particularly, the constituent material) of the inner tube 102 and / or the outer tube 104 according to the type of ink to be supplied, it is possible to design a cylinder made of a material suitable for each ink, and thus to improve the quality It is possible to ensure the ink circulation.
[0040]
The tube for the droplet discharge device according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the tube 48 applied to the inkjet device 30 shown in FIG. Hereinafter, modified examples of the tube 48 will be described.
[0041]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tube 481 corresponding to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4B. In this case, a spacer 111 for forming a space between the inner pipe 102 and the outer pipe 104 is provided in the hollow layer 103. ing. The spacer 111 is a spherical spacer made of resin. In this case, in order to prevent the spacer 111 from blocking the air hole 105, the air pipe 115 of the air hole 105 may be protruded into the hollow layer 103. More specifically, it is preferable to project the inner tube 102 and the ventilation tube 115 to such an extent that the distance between the inner tube 102 and the ventilation tube 115 becomes smaller than the spacer 111. When the spacer 111 is made of a porous material, the spacer 111 is unlikely to block the ventilation hole 105 or the like, so that the ventilation pipe 115 does not necessarily have to be in a protruding form.
By forming such a spacer 111, it is possible to reliably secure the hollow layer 103 between the inner tube 102 and the outer tube 104, and to reduce extreme friction between the inner tube 102 and the outer tube 104. It is possible to avoid such a problem that the inner pipe 102 and the outer pipe 104 are damaged, and the like. In such a configuration, especially when the inner pipe 102 and the outer pipe 104 are formed of a flexible material, the friction suppressing effect becomes more remarkable.
In order to form a space between the inner tube 102 and the outer tube 104, a porous material layer may be formed by filling the hollow layer 103. In this case, the porous material layer plays the role of a spacer and functions as a reduced pressure layer because the porous material layer itself has air permeability.
[0042]
Next, in the tube 482 shown in FIG. 6, the outer tube 104 is formed of a rigid body made of a metal material such as an aluminum tube, and is fixed to a predetermined tube holding portion via a fixing jig 106. Fixed. In this case, it is possible to protect the inner tubes 102a and 102b from external impact and the like, and it is possible to reliably protect the ink flow path 101. In this case, the outer tube 104 has a light-shielding property. For example, even when the supplied ink has a photopolymerization property, it is possible to avoid a problem such as polymerization starting during the supply. ing. Further, it includes a plurality of inner tubes 102a and 102b, and it is possible to use them simultaneously as a flow path. However, for example, the inner tube 102a is mainly used and the inner tube 102b is used as a spare, so that it can be used. Even when the inner tube 102a is broken, it can be easily handled by switching to the inner tube 102b.
[0043]
As described above, the embodiment of the tube for a droplet discharge device of the present invention has been described. However, the tube for a droplet discharge device of the present invention not only sucks the hollow layer in the process of supplying ink, but also forms the inside of the flow path. It is possible to prevent gas from entering even when the ink is kept for a long time, and in this case, it is possible to secure airtightness without particularly maintaining a reduced pressure during the stay. When the pressure in the hollow layer 103 is reduced through the vent hole 105, the pressure can be reduced by suction with a pump. ₂ It is also possible to adopt a decompression method using a gas.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet apparatus as an embodiment of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are a perspective view and a sectional view of a main part showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet head.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an ink supply source.
FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view and a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ink supply tube.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a modification of the ink supply tube.
FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a modification of the ink supply tube.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a color filter region on a substrate.
FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a main part showing a method of forming a color filter region in the order of steps.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a configuration of an organic EL panel that can be manufactured using the droplet discharge device of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a configuration of an organic EL panel that can be manufactured using the droplet discharge device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference numeral 30 denotes an ink jet apparatus, 31 denotes a base, 34 denotes an ink jet head (head), 47 denotes an ink supply (supply source), 48 denotes an ink supply tube (tube), 101 denotes an ink flow path (flow path), and 102 denotes an inner pipe ( Inner layer), 103: hollow layer (intermediate layer), 104: outer tube (outer layer), 105: vent

Claims (9)

A droplet discharge device tube forming a supply path for supplying a liquid material to a head that discharges droplets,
An inner layer having therein a flow path through which the liquid material flows,
An intermediate layer formed outside the inner layer and configured to be capable of reducing pressure;
A tube for a droplet discharge device, comprising: an outer layer formed outside the intermediate layer. A droplet discharge device tube forming a supply path for supplying a liquid material to a head that discharges droplets,
A plurality of inner layers provided therein with a flow path through which the liquid material flows,
An outer layer formed outside the inner layer,
A tube for a droplet discharge device, comprising: an intermediate layer formed between the plurality of inner layers and the outer layer and configured to be capable of reducing pressure. The tube for a droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a hollow layer. The droplet discharge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer layer is provided with a ventilation hole that penetrates the intermediate layer from the outside and depressurizes the intermediate layer. Tube for equipment. The tube for a droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner layer is made of a material exhibiting gas permeability under normal pressure or reduced pressure. The tube for a droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a spacer for forming a space between the inner layer and the outer layer is provided in the intermediate layer. The tube for a droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer are made of a flexible material. The tube for a droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer layer is formed of a rigid body. A droplet discharge device including a base and a head that discharges a liquid material to the material to be dropped on the base,
An accommodating portion for accommodating the liquid material,
A supply unit that supplies the liquid material from the storage unit to the head,
A droplet discharge device, wherein the supply unit is configured by the droplet discharge device tube according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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