JP2006015176A - Paste coating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a coating film on both surfaces of an object, which can swell when a paste is applied directly, by directly applying the paste without applying the paste on a dummy sheet. <P>SOLUTION: In the paste applying device, a pair of heat roller surfaces is coated with a liquid-like or a paste-like coating medium to form the film having a predetermined thickness in a predetermined shape. After the films formed on the heat roller surfaces are dried by operating a heater of the heat roller, it is transferred onto both surfaces of an object of a lengthy shape fed out from an unwinding part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a double-sided coating type coating apparatus capable of simultaneously coating a coating liquid on both sides of a long workpiece.

  Conventionally, when an electrode paste is applied directly to a polymer membrane when manufacturing a membrane electrode membrane assembly used in a fuel cell, the polymer membrane swells and deforms, adjusting the film thickness and ensuring uniformity. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, a manufacturing method is used in which an electrode film is once applied to a dummy film, dried, and then transferred to a polymer film.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-64574

  By the way, in the manufacturing method of the membrane electrode membrane assembly described in Patent Document 1, the membrane electrode assembly is applied once to a water-repellent dummy sheet, dried on the dummy sheet, and then transferred to a polymer membrane to form a membrane electrode assembly. . Since this manufacturing method is based on a three-step process of coating, drying, and transfer, a very large space is required even if a plurality of devices or a single device as in Patent Document 1 are combined. Because of the many processes, the manufacturing time also requires a lot of time. In addition, once the electrode film is applied to the dummy sheet and then transferred to both sides of the polymer film, handling of the dummy sheet becomes a problem when processing in a single wafer, and the electrode film is transferred to both sides of the polymer film. When doing so, alignment becomes difficult. Also, when it is applied to a long sheet and transferred as it is, it is difficult to correct the misalignment due to coating, and even in this manufacturing method, it is very difficult to align both sides. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide a membrane electrode membrane assembly that solves such problems, facilitates alignment, reduces the size of the apparatus, and shortens the time.

  As the first manufacturing method to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, it has a mechanism that continuously conveys a long object using an unwinding part and a moving grip or an unwinding part and a winding part. A pair of coating units are provided on both sides of the object, and the application paste is applied to the object. The coating unit uses a slit coater as a mechanism for applying the coating paste, uses a heat roller in the slit coater coating direction, and discharges the coating paste from the slit coater while rotating the heated heat roller. A rectangular coating film is obtained on the heat roller. After the film is applied to the heat roller, the position of the film applied to the pair of heat rollers is aligned, the object to be processed is sandwiched between the heat rollers, and the heat roller is rotated and applied at the same speed. The film is transferred to an object to be processed.

  As a second manufacturing method, it has a mechanism for transporting the above-mentioned long object to be processed, has a pair of coating units on both sides of the object, and applies a coating paste to the object. Is. The coating unit uses a spray as a mechanism for applying the coating liquid, and has a heat roller in the spray application direction. In addition, a heat-resistant mask having an opening of an arbitrary shape is carried on the heat roller. With this spray and mask, the coating liquid discharged from the spray is patterned and applied onto a heated heat roller. After coating the film on the heat roller, align the position of the film applied to the pair of heat rollers, sandwich the workpiece with the heat roller, and rotate the heat roller at the same speed to apply The film is transferred to an object to be processed.

  As a third production method, the apparatus has a mechanism for conveying the above-described long object to be processed, has a pair of coating units on both sides of the object, and applies a coating paste to the object. Is. The coating unit has a circular or elliptical screen mask having 0 to a plurality of openings having an arbitrary shape, and has a heater and a spray inside the screen mask, and has an arbitrary shape on the workpiece. A film can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, both sides of the film can be formed at the same time, so that it is easy to align the electrode films on both sides. In addition, since both sides are coated simultaneously, the number of processes is reduced and the production time can be shortened. Furthermore, since the number of processes is reduced, the apparatus can be downsized and the installation space can be reduced.

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

  First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  1 and 2 show the overall configuration of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an apparatus in which a coating film 9 is coated on the front and back of a long object 5 by using an unwinding portion 6, a moving grip 8 and a disk cutter 7, and then cut and separated to take out one by one. It is. Further, FIG. 2 shows a configuration in which the workpiece 5 is unwound from the unwinding portion 6 and coated with the coating films 9 and 9 ′, and then wound by the winding portion 10 while being long. A cover film unwinding portion 11 for unwinding the cover film 11 is provided on the inner side (near) of the winding portion 10, and the winding portion after the winding surface side of the non-processed product 5 is covered with the cover film. 10 is wound up.

  1 and 2 differ in how the film is taken out after coating, but in order to perform the same processing in the coating parts A and A ′, FIG. 1 is referred to as a single wafer type B1 and FIG. 2 is referred to as a continuous type B2. Hereinafter, the coating part will be described.

  The coating sections A and A ′ spread and discharge the coating liquid supplied from a supply pump (not shown) in the width direction on the surfaces of the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ by the slit coaters 1 and 1 ′. That is, the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are installed at positions separated by a desired film thickness (hereinafter referred to as coating positions) in the discharge direction of the slit coaters 1 and 1 ′. Then, while rotating the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ at a constant speed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, the coating liquid is discharged from the slit coaters 1, 1 ′ to form the rectangular films 4, 4 ′ on the heat rollers 2, 2 ′. 'Film on top. At this time, a mask having an opening with an arbitrary shape may be provided to form a film with an arbitrary shape. The films 4 and 4 ′ coated on the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are dried on the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′. Thereafter, the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ are moved in the direction of the workpiece 5. At this time, the coating parts A and A ′ are operated substantially simultaneously. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the thin films 9 and 9 ′ formed on the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are transferred to the workpiece 5.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the workpiece 5 is sandwiched between the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ in synchronization so that the positions of the films 4, 4 ′ applied on the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ are aligned. As it is, the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are rotated at the same speed, and the coating films 4 and 4 ′ are transferred onto the workpiece 5. After the transfer, the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ return to the coating position, and the roller cleaners 3 and 3 ′ provided near the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are brought into contact with the heat roller surface to clean the surface of the heat roller. . On the other hand, the workpiece 5 to which the coating film is transferred moves to the next step. Here, the processing method is different depending on the single wafer type B1 (FIG. 1) and the continuous type B2 (FIG. 2). In the sheet type B 1, the sheet moves in the moving direction as it is after the transfer, is handled by the moving grip 8, and is cut into pieces one by one by the disk cutter 7. On the other hand, in the continuous type B2, the film is taken up by the take-up unit 10 as it is, but the cover film 11 is taken up together so that the coating films 9 and 9 ′ transferred in the middle are not damaged.

  As described above, the present embodiment forms a film directly on the heat roller, transfers the film to the object to be processed after being in a predetermined dry state, and prevents the film from swelling and being processed. A processing product for drying other than the waste is not required, and a large facility such as a drying furnace is not required.

  Next, using FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, as a second embodiment, when the spray coaters 13 and 13 ′ are used instead of the slit coaters 1 and 1 ′ in the coating parts A and A ′. Examples will be described. The basic operation method is not much different from the case of using the slit coater 1, 1 ′ other than the coating parts A, A ′. Even when the sprays 13, 13 ′ are used for the coating parts A, A ′, Corresponds to two types of single wafer type B1 and continuous type B2.

  The difference from using slit coaters 1 and 1 'is that the heat roller surface is provided with an opening of a desired shape, and a mask having a thickness equivalent to the film thickness to be deposited is 12 and 12' is in contact with the heat roller surface. Thus, they are configured to move synchronously and be separated from the heat roller surface after film formation. The masks 12 and 12 ′ have heat resistance. One to a plurality of sprays 13 and 13 'are provided in the film width direction so as to face the heat rollers 2 and 2' depending on the size of the film to be formed.

  The coating liquid pumped from a coating liquid tank (not shown) is applied to the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ using the sprays 13, 13 ′. At this time, the sprays 13 and 13 ′ are reciprocated so as to cover the width direction, and as shown in FIG. 8, the forward rotation and the reverse rotation are repeated with the mask attached to the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′. A film thickness should be obtained. When coating is performed until the required film thickness is obtained and the coating films 4 and 4 'are dried, the heat rollers 2 and 2' are removed from the heat-resistant masks 12 and 12 'as shown in FIG. 3 while moving in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. At this time, the coating parts A and A ′ are assumed to perform the same operation.

  When the application is completed, as shown in FIG. 7, the position of the film applied to the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ is synchronized, and the workpiece 5 is sandwiched between the heat rollers 2, 2 ′. As it is, the heat rollers 2 and 2 ′ are rotated at the same speed to transfer the coating film onto the workpiece 5. After the transfer, the heat rollers 2, 2 ′ return to the coating position, and the surface of the heat roller is cleaned by the roller cleaners 3, 3 ′.

  On the other hand, the workpiece 5 to which the coating films 9 and 9 ′ have been transferred proceeds to the next step. Here, the processing method is different depending on the single wafer type B1 and the continuous type B2. In the sheet type B 1, the sheet moves in the moving direction as it is after the transfer, is handled by the moving grip 8, and is cut into pieces one by one by the disk cutter 7. On the other hand, in the continuous type B2, the film is taken up by the take-up unit 10 as it is, but the cover film 11 is taken up together so that the coating films 9 and 9 ′ transferred in the middle are not damaged.

  In the above description, when forming a thin film on the heat roller, it is necessary to reciprocate the mask and the heat roller together. However, the spray can be moved not only in the width direction but also in the rotation direction of the heat roller. By doing so, the mask and the heat roller can be stopped and applied. In this configuration, it is possible to remove the mask from the heat roller by fixing the mask and moving the heat roller, eliminating the need for a mask attaching / detaching mechanism, and simplifying the configuration.

  As a third embodiment, a system in which a film is applied to both surfaces by direct spraying instead of a transfer mold will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  Even if this spray coating method is used, both the single-wafer type B1 and the continuous type B2 can be handled.

  The difference between this method and the second embodiment is that the mask is formed by belts 14 and 14 'having openings corresponding to the coating shape, and a plurality of sprays 13 and 13' and a plurality of heaters 15 are provided therein. The point which is provided and the point which the heat press rollers 17 and 17 'which consist of a roller pair are provided in the position after passing an application part. Roller cleaners 16 and 16 'are provided inside the belt-like mask.

  That is, one to a plurality of sprays 13 and 13 ′ are provided in the width direction of the film depending on the desired film shape, and one to a plurality of sprays 13 and 13 are provided in the traveling direction of the workpiece 5 depending on the desired film thickness. 'Is provided. And heat-resistant masks 14 and 14 'having one or more openings having a desired heat-resistant film shape so as to surround the sprays 13 and 13' are provided. A plurality of heaters 15 and 15 'are arranged between a plurality of sprays 13 and 13' provided inside the heat-resistant belt-shaped masks 14 and 14 '. That is, a plurality of heaters 15 and 15 ′ are arranged in multiple stages in the traveling direction of the workpiece 5. There is an object to be processed 5 in the discharge direction of the sprays 13 and 13 ′, and coating portions A and A ′ by spraying are arranged on both sides of the object to be processed 5.

  In the coating method, the workpiece 5 is conveyed at a constant speed, and the heat-resistant masks 14 and 14 'are rotated at the same speed. At this time, the coating portions A and A ′ are synchronized and rotated so that the openings of the heat-resistant masks 14 and 14 ′ coincide with each other. From the sprays 13 and 13 ′ disposed inside the heat-resistant masks 14 and 14 ′, the coating liquid fed by pressure is sprayed from the coating liquid tank (not shown) onto the workpiece 5. The coating liquid sprayed from the spray adheres to the workpiece 5 while being dried by the heaters 15 and 15 ′. The film thickness adjustment at this time is determined by the number of sprays 13 and 13 ′ in the traveling direction and the traveling speed of the workpiece 5. When the dried coating liquid adheres to the object 5 to be processed, it is pressed by the heat press rollers 17 and 17 'arranged in the traveling direction of the object 5 to adjust the porous and film thickness. Subsequent processing differs depending on the sheet type B1 and continuous type B2. When placed on the single-wafer mold B1, it moves in the moving direction as it is after the transfer, is handled by the moving grip 8, and is cut into pieces one by one by the disk cutter 7. On the other hand, in the continuous type B2, the film is taken up by the take-up unit 10 as it is, but the cover film 11 is taken up together so that the coating films 9 and 9 ′ transferred in the middle are not damaged.

  By configuring in this way, a film having a desired shape and a desired thickness can be formed on a workpiece by simply rotating the mask so that it has the same peripheral speed as the movement of the workpiece. Compared to Example 2, it is easy to operate and a highly accurate film can be produced.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet-type B1 coater type direct double-side coating apparatus. It is a whole block diagram of a continuous type B2 coater type direct double-side coating apparatus. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet-type B1 spray type direct double-side coating apparatus. It is a whole block diagram of a continuous type B2 spray type direct double-side coating apparatus. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet-type B1 spray double-side coating apparatus. It is a whole block diagram of a continuous type B2 spray double-side coating apparatus. It is detailed explanatory drawing at the time of transcription | transfer of a coating device. It is detailed explanatory drawing at the time of application | coating of a spray type coating device. It is detailed explanatory drawing at the time of application | coating of a spray type coating device.

Explanation of symbols

A, A '... coating unit, B1 ... single wafer type conveyance unit, B2 ... continuous type conveyance unit, 1, 1' ... slit coater, 2, 2 '... heat roller, 3, 3' ... roller cleaner, 4, 4 '... coating film, 5 ... workpiece, 6 ... unwinding part, 7 ... dice cutter, 8 ... moving grip, 9, 9' ... coating film, 10 ... winding part, 11 ... cover film, 12, 12 '... heat-resistant mask, 13, 13' ... spray, 14, 14 '... heat-resistant mask, 15, 15' ... heater, 16, 16 '... mask cleaner, 17, 17' ... heat press roller.

Claims (4)

  A liquid or pasty coating medium is applied onto a pair of heat roller surfaces to form a film having a predetermined shape and a predetermined thickness, and the film formed on the heat roller surface is heated by a heater of the heat roller. A paste coating apparatus characterized by being configured to transfer onto both sides of a long object to be processed fed from an unwinding section after being operated and dried. In the paste coating apparatus according to claim 1,
A paste coating characterized in that a moving grip is provided on the downstream side of the film transferred to a long workpiece, and the workpiece is cut by a cutter provided at a position facing the moving grip. Engineering equipment. In the paste coating apparatus according to claim 1,
A winding roll and a cover film unwinding portion are provided on the downstream side of the film transferred to a long object to be processed, and a cover film is provided on the winding surface side of the winding roll to wind the film. Characteristic paste coating device. In the paste coating apparatus provided with a pair of coating parts across the workpiece,
The coating part is formed of a heat-resistant belt, and a plurality of spray nozzles are arranged in a moving direction of a workpiece and a plurality of heaters are sandwiched in the same direction in a mask having a plurality of openings. It is provided and configured
The heater is operated, and the coating medium is discharged from the nozzle while rotating the mask so that the peripheral speed is substantially the same in the moving direction of the object to be processed, thereby forming a film on the object to be processed. A paste coating apparatus characterized in that it is configured as described above.

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