JP2005111683A - Thin film printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve space efficiency by making the carrying system of a thin film printer suitable for a mobile type of a plate cylinder. <P>SOLUTION: In this thin film printer, pinions 3, 3 having nearly the same diameters are fixed to both ends of a plate cylinder 1 shaft, and a surface plate 4 is secured beneath the plate cylinder 1 so as to lay racks 6, 6 parallel to each other at both sides of the surface plate. At the back of the plate cylinder 1, an anilox roll 7 and a doctor roll 8 are laid in parallel to the plate cylinder 1. At the outside of the racks 6, 6, a double-arm robot 24 for carrying a substrate is arranged opposed to one side face of the surface plate 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a thin film printing apparatus that forms a film by printing a thin film having a predetermined thickness on the surface of a liquid crystal glass substrate, and more particularly to a transport system thereof.

The size of liquid crystal glass substrates has been increased with each generation, and the size of glass substrates after the so-called sixth generation is 1500 × 1800 mm or more, although there are some differences depending on the manufacturer.
For this reason, it has become necessary to increase the efficiency of the installation space and work space of a manufacturing apparatus such as a thin film printing apparatus in response to the increase in size of the glass substrate.
Furthermore, there is a demand for an apparatus that can cope with a glass substrate having a small size before the sixth generation and that can obtain the same effect.

However, as shown in FIG. 10, the conventional thin film printing apparatus transmits the rotation of the traveling motor 11 to the outer pinion 20 via the speed reducer 19, and rotates the left and right inner pinions 21, 21 fixed coaxially. This is a platen-moving printing device that slides downward racks 6 and 6 meshing with the inner pinions 21 and 21 and reciprocates the surface plate 4 integrated with the racks 6 and 6 before and after the plate cylinder 1. .
A drive gear 22 is fixed to one end of the plate cylinder 1 and the drive gear 22 is connected to the outer pinion 20 via two idlers 23 and 23.
As a result, the rotation of the traveling motor 11 is transmitted to the drive gear 22 via the outer pinion 20, and the plate cylinder 1 is rotated in the same direction as the moving direction of the surface plate 4.
In this manner, in the case of the platen moving type, the platen 4 and the racks 6 and 6 greatly protrude to the rear of the plate cylinder 1 during printing, so that not only the front of the plate cylinder 1 but also the rear as the glass substrate increases in size. Even now it requires a lot of moving space.

In order to solve this problem, the present applicant places a platen 4 on a rack 6, 6 laid on both sides of the platen 4. Has developed a thin-film printing device and has applied for it earlier.
As a result, the platen 4 and the racks 6 and 6 do not protrude greatly behind the plate cylinder 1 during printing, and the space can be reduced accordingly.

However, when printing is performed using a plate cylinder moving type, as shown in FIG. 11, in the case of a direct transport system that transports the substrate 18 by a roller, the arrangement configuration on the substrate discharge side of the substrate transport path stops at the movement start end AA ′. The plate cylinder 1 is composed of an anilox roll 7 and a doctor roll 8 and is not different from the conventional one. However, since the plate cylinder 1 moves and stops at the end BB ′ on the substrate supply side of the substrate transport path, the plate cylinder is placed at the end BB ′. One stop space is required, and the conveyance path becomes longer than that of the conventional one.
Therefore, there arises a problem that the effect of reducing the space obtained by the plate cylinder moving type is eliminated.

  The problem to be solved is that when printing is performed by a plate cylinder moving type, a stop space for the plate cylinder is required on the substrate supply side of the substrate conveyance path, and the conveyance path becomes longer than the conventional one.

  In the present invention, a thin film is formed on the surface of the substrate by transferring the material liquid applied to the plate mounted on the plate cylinder to the substrate when the plate cylinder passes over the substrate fixed on the stage by rotating the plate cylinder. In this apparatus, the apparatus is a plate cylinder moving type in which the stage is placed and moved while the plate cylinder rotates to transfer the material liquid onto the substrate, while the substrate is placed on the side of the stage. The main feature is to provide a substrate transfer robot for supplying / discharging.

The thin film printing apparatus of the present invention is provided with the substrate transfer robot on the side of the stage, and therefore has an advantage that the substrate can be supplied / discharged without being obstructed by the plate cylinder stopped before and after the stage.
In addition, the substrate transport path before and after the stage, which is necessary in the case of the direct transport system, becomes unnecessary, and the space for that can be reduced.
In addition, since the substrate is supplied / discharged by one double arm robot, the installation space for the transfer system can be reduced.
In addition, since the substrate transfer robot can be installed in front of the stage, the degree of freedom of the transfer system is increased, and various measures are possible depending on the installation environment.
Further, since the transport system is provided on the side of the stage, maintenance space can be taken in three directions, and maintenance of the transport system is facilitated.
In addition, since the substrate is supplied when the plate cylinder is at the printing start position and is discharged when the plate cylinder is at the return position, the substrate supply / discharge and printing are simultaneously performed in parallel, thereby reducing the tact time.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a thin film printing apparatus embodying the present invention.
The thin film printer is a rack and pinion driven printing machine that prints a thin film with a predetermined film thickness on the surface of the substrate by flexographic transfer, and an LM (linear motion) guide is used for travel guidance. use.
In FIG. 1, the shaft of the plate cylinder 1 is rotatably attached to the bearing of the side frame 2, and pinions 3 and 3 having substantially the same diameter are fixed to both ends of the shaft.
A surface plate 4 is installed under the plate cylinder 1, and linear guides 5 and 5 and racks 6 and 6 are laid in parallel on both sides.
An anilox roll 7 and a doctor roll 8 are installed in parallel with the plate cylinder 1 behind the plate cylinder 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, a double arm robot 24 for transporting a substrate is disposed outside the racks 6 and 6 so as to face one side surface of the surface plate 4.

The side frame 2 has linear bearings 9, 9 fixed to the bottoms of both sides, and the linear bearings 9, 9 are slidably engaged with the linear guides 5, 5.
Further, a pressing mechanism (not shown) is provided, and the plate cylinder 1 is pressure-bonded to the anilox roll 7 by controlling the ball screw with a pulse motor.

The pinions 3 and 3 mesh with the racks 6 and 6, and connect the pinions 3 and 3 to the traveling motor 11 via the first transmission gear 10 that always meshes with the pinion 3 on one side.
As a result, when the traveling cylinder 11 is rotated with the plate cylinder 1 and the pinions 3 and 3 being freely rotated, the plate cylinder 1 and the pinions 3 and 3 are moved while rotating on the racks 6 and 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the racks 6 and 6 are configured so that both end portions 6a and 6a can move up and down and are provided with a rack lifting mechanism (not shown), and when the plate cylinder 1 at the end portion 6a is moved, FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), when the end 6a is raised to connect the racks 6 and 6 to the pinions 3 and 3 and the plate cylinder 1 at the end 6a is rotated on the spot, FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the end 6a is lowered to separate the racks 6 and 6 from the pinions 3 and 3.
The surface plate 4 includes a pin lifting / lowering unit (not shown), and lifts and lowers the substrate by raising and lowering the pin when the double arm robot 24 supplies / discharges the substrate.

The anilox roll 7 has a driving motor 12 connected to one shaft end and a second transmission gear 13 fixed to the other shaft end.
The doctor roll 8 is brought into contact with the anilox roll 7 on the peripheral surface, and the third transmission gear 14 that is always meshed with the second transmission gear 13 is fixed to the shaft end and driven at a reduced speed.

The thin film printing apparatus embodying the present invention is configured as described above. As shown in FIG. 4, the drive motor 12 is first rotated to rotate the anilox roll 7 and the doctor roll 8 in opposite directions to each other. Is moved in the axial direction to drop the coating liquid between the anilox roll 7 and the doctor roll 8.
At this time, the excess coating liquid attached to the anilox roll 7 is scraped off by the scraping plate 16.
The coating solution is kneaded between the two rolls and held as a liquid film on the peripheral surface of the anilox roll 7.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the end portions 6a of the racks 6 and 6 are lowered to separate the pinions 3 and 3, and the traveling motor 11 is rotated to rotate the plate cylinder 1 on the spot.
Then, the plate cylinder 1 is accelerated until the rotational speed of the plate cylinder 1 becomes equal to that of the anilox roll 7, and when the speed reaches the same speed, the side frame 2 is pushed in to press the plate cylinder 1 to the anilox roll 7.
At this time, the starting point of the pressure bonding is stored, and when the plate cylinder 1 rotates once and returns to the start point, the plate cylinder 1 is separated from the anilox roll 7.
As a result, the thin film of the coating solution is transferred to the plate 17 mounted on the plate cylinder 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the pins 25 of the surface plate 4 are raised to receive the substrate 18 from the double arm robot 24, and then the pins 25 of the surface plate 4 are lowered to suck and fix the substrate 18.
Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the ends 6a of the racks 6 and 6 are raised and connected to the pinions 3 and 3, and the traveling motor 11 is rotated forward to rotate the plate cylinder at a speed of, for example, 20 to 30 m / min. 1 is moved in the printing direction.
Thereby, the thin film of the coating solution is transferred and applied from the plate 17 to the substrate 18.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the pin 25 of the surface plate 4 is raised to lift the substrate 18 and delivered to the double arm robot 24, and then the pin 25 of the surface plate 4 is lowered.
Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the traveling motor 11 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the plate cylinder 1 is moved in the return direction at a maximum speed of, for example, 30 m / min to return to the original print start position.
The above processing is repeated until the number of printed substrates reaches the predetermined number.
When the plate 17 is replaced in order to change the printing pattern, after the plate cylinder 1 is moved in the printing direction, the end portions 6a of the racks 6 and 6 are lowered to separate the pinions 3 and 3 so that the plate cylinder is separated. The plate 17 is removed from the plate cylinder 1 by rotating 1 on the spot.

  By providing the substrate transfer robot on the side of the stage, it can be applied to an application for improving the space efficiency of the transfer system particularly in the plate cylinder moving thin film printing apparatus.

It is the schematic of the thin film printer which implemented this invention. 1 is a layout view of a thin film printing apparatus embodying the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of the rack which both ends can move up and down. It is a schematic diagram when apply | coating a coating liquid to an anilox roll. It is a schematic diagram when transferring the thin film of a coating liquid to a plate. It is a schematic diagram when raising a pin and receiving a board | substrate. It is a schematic diagram when moving a plate cylinder in a printing direction. It is a schematic diagram when raising a pin and lifting and delivering a substrate. It is a schematic diagram when moving a plate cylinder in the return direction of printing. It is the schematic of the conventional thin film printing apparatus. It is a schematic diagram of the conventional direct conveyance system.

Explanation of symbols

1 plate cylinder 2 side frame 3 pinion 4 surface plate 5 linear guide 6 rack 7 anilox roll 8 doctor roll 9 linear bearing
10 1st transmission gear
11 Traveling motor
12 Drive motor
13 Second transmission gear
14 3rd transmission gear
15 Dispenser
16 scraper
17th edition
18 Board
19 Reducer
20 Outside pinion
21 Pinions
22 Drive gear
23 Idler
24 double arm robot
25 pin

Claims (4)

In an apparatus for forming a thin film on the surface of a substrate by transferring the material liquid applied to the plate mounted on the plate cylinder when the plate cylinder passes over the substrate fixed on the stage by rotating the plate cylinder,
This device
Place the stage,
On the other hand, while the plate cylinder moves while rotating, the plate cylinder moves to transfer the material liquid to the substrate,
A thin film printing apparatus comprising a substrate transfer robot for supplying / discharging a substrate to a side of the stage. The substrate transfer robot is provided on either side of the stage,
2. The thin film printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate transfer robot is a double arm robot that simultaneously supplies and discharges a substrate. On the stage,
2. The thin film printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an elevating means for raising and lowering the substrate to receive / deliver the substrate. The substrate transfer robot is
Supply the substrate when the plate cylinder is at the printing start position,
2. The thin film printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is discharged when the plate cylinder is at a printing return position.

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