JP2007271888A - Film sticking device for display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a sticking roller from partially wearing even if the width of the sticking roller is wider than the width of a display panel when a polarizing film is stuck on the display panel by the sticking roller. <P>SOLUTION: A film sticking device for the display panel includes a work table 1 such that the area of its table surface 11 is larger than the mounted display panel P and a sticking machine body 2 which has the sticking roller 22 whose axial length is nearly equal to the width of the table surface 11 and can move relatively to the table surface 11, and moves the sticking roller 22 by applying predetermined pressing force to stick the film A supplied by a film supply means on the display panel P. A plurality of spacers 14 divided along the moving direction of the sticking roller 22 are disposed on a panel unmounted surface of the table surface 11 where the display panel P is not mounted to provide a plane almost in level with the film surface to be stuck on the display panel P over the panel unmounted surface by respective top surfaces of the spacers 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a film sticking device for a display panel, and more particularly to a technique for preventing uneven wear of a sticking roller used for film sticking.

  In addition to the liquid crystal panel, the display panel includes an organic EL panel, a plasma display panel, and the like. Usually, various optical films are attached to each of these display panels. A polarizing film is attached as essential. In addition, a retardation film may be attached separately.

  In order to attach a polarizing film to a liquid crystal panel, it is necessary to apply it with high precision in a clean environment in order to prevent the polarization axis from becoming distorted and to prevent foreign matter from getting caught. There is. Various proposals have been made in order to efficiently realize such a polarizing film sticking step (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  As an example, a conventional polarizing film sticking apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 is a front view showing a conventional polarizing film sticking apparatus, FIG. 5 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of a work table used in the conventional polarizing film sticking apparatus (both are schematic views).

  In this polarizing film sticking apparatus, a work table 1 having a table surface 11 on which a liquid crystal panel P as a work is placed and a polarizing film A supplied onto the liquid crystal panel P by a film supply means (not shown) are applied to the liquid crystal panel P. A pasting machine main body 2 to be pasted. In addition, although not shown in figure, the adhesive material is previously apply | coated to the single side | surface (surface on the side facing the liquid crystal panel P) of the polarizing film A. FIG.

  The table surface 11 is provided with positioning means for positioning the liquid crystal panel P at a predetermined position. In this example, the positioning means protrudes so as to contact two adjacent sides P1 and P of the liquid crystal panel P. The first and second stoppers 12 and 13 are formed.

  In this example, the first stopper 12 has a prismatic shape protruding on the table 11 and the second stopper 13 is formed as a cylindrical pin, both of which are formed on the surface of the liquid crystal panel P (polarized light). The height is such that it does not protrude from the film application surface.

  Although not shown, the work table 1 is provided with negative pressure adsorption means, so that the liquid crystal panel P does not move from the position defined by the first and second stoppers 12 and 13. Fixed to.

  The pasting machine body 2 includes a pasting head 21 that can be moved relative to the table surface 11 of the work table 1 in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction by driving means such as a cylinder (not shown), and a pasting roller supported by the pasting head 21. 22.

  The sticking roller 22 is made of an elastic body such as rubber, and both ends thereof are supported by the sticking head 21 as shown in FIG. In addition, the polarizing film A is cut | disconnected by the magnitude | size corresponding to the liquid crystal panel P from the raw fabric roll currently supported by the film supply means which is not shown in figure, and is supplied on the liquid crystal panel P. FIG.

  In order to affix the polarizing film A to the liquid crystal panel P, as shown in FIG. 6, first, the liquid crystal panel P is abutted against the first and second stoppers 12 and 13, and then positioned by a negative pressure adsorption means (not shown). The liquid crystal panel P is fixed on the table surface 11. Next, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, after the sticking machine body 2 is positioned on one end side of the liquid crystal panel P, the sticking roller 22 is lowered so that the end of the polarizing film A is the end of the liquid crystal panel P. Contact.

  Then, with a predetermined pressing force applied to the application roller 22, the application head 21 is moved in the horizontal direction as shown by an arrow X in FIG. Roll toward the side. In this way, the polarizing film A is stuck to the liquid crystal panel P by the pressing force of the sticking roller 22.

JP 2003-161935 A

  However, the conventional apparatus has a problem that the sticking roller 22 is unevenly worn. That is, this type of polarizing film sticking device is generally larger than the maximum size liquid crystal panel P on which the film is expected to be stuck on the work table 1 in order to have versatility so that it can be applied to liquid crystal panels of different sizes. A work table having the area of the table surface 11 is used, and in accordance with this, the application roller 22 having a length substantially the same as the width 11W of the table surface 11 is also used for the application roller 22.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when the polarizing film A is pasted on the small-sized liquid crystal panel P, it does not come into contact with the portion that contacts the liquid crystal panel P with the edge portion of the liquid crystal panel P as a boundary on the pasting roller 22. There will be a part.

  In this case, the liquid crystal panel P is made of a hard glass substrate, whereas the sticking roller 22 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and the sticking roller 22 bites into the edge portion of the liquid crystal panel P by the pressing force of the sticking roller 22. As the pasting operation is repeated, wear (partial wear) occurs in the biting portion. For this reason, scraps generated due to wear of the sticking roller 22 adhere to the polarizing film, which may cause display defects.

  The sticking roller 22 is configured to press the polarizing film A against the liquid crystal panel P with a constant pressing force while being supported by the sticking head 21. Since the load is different, the parallelism of the sticking roller 22 with respect to the table surface 11 gradually goes out as the sticking operation is repeated.

  Then, the pressing force of the sticking roller 22 against the polarizing film 11 is not uniform, and the pressing force on the edge portion side becomes strong. As a result, the polarizing film A has a θ shift (rotation about an axis perpendicular to the film surface). Misalignment), which causes an error in the polarization axis and may cause a display failure.

  Such a problem also occurs in a display panel other than a liquid crystal panel, and may occur in the same manner when not only a polarizing film but also another optical film (for example, a retardation film) is attached. .

  Therefore, the problem of the present invention is that when the polarizing film is pasted on the display panel by the pasting roller, the width of the pasting roller is larger than the width of the display panel, and therefore the polarizing film is pasted on the liquid crystal panel by a part of the pasting roller. In this case, the uneven wear of the sticking roller is surely prevented.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the area of the table surface is larger than that of the display panel placed as a work and has a positioning means for the display panel, and the table surface And a sticking machine body that has a sticking roller having an axial length substantially the same as the width of the sticking machine and is movable relative to the table surface in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the sticking roller, and is mounted on the table surface. Film supply means for supplying a predetermined film to the display panel, the sticking roller is moved by applying a predetermined pressing force by the applicator body, and the film supplied by the film supply means is displayed on the display panel. In the film sticking device of the display panel to be attached to the panel, on the panel non-mounting surface on which the display panel of the table surface is not mounted, A plurality of spacers divided along the moving direction of the sticking roller are arranged, and each upper surface of the spacer provides a plane substantially the same as the film surface to be stuck to the display panel on the panel non-mounting surface It is characterized by being.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the height of each of the spacers can be adjusted by an elevating means with the table surface as the lowest lowered position.

  A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the second aspect, a feed screw shaft driven by a stepping motor is used as the elevating means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, an interval between the spacers is 5 mm or less.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, an interval between the display panel and the spacer adjacent to the display panel is 1/5 or less of an axial length of the sticking roller. It is characterized by being.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the positioning unit includes a stopper that contacts two adjacent sides of the display panel, and the height of each of the stoppers can be adjusted by an elevating unit. At the time of sticking, the upper surface of each stopper is aligned with the same height as the film face to be stuck on the display panel.

  According to the invention described in claim 1, a plurality of spacers divided along the moving direction of the sticking roller are arranged on the panel non-mounting surface on which the display panel of the work table is not mounted, Each upper surface of the spacer provides a substantially same plane as the film surface to be adhered to the display panel on the panel non-mounting surface, so that a load (pressure resistance) can be applied almost uniformly over the entire surface of the pasting roller. Therefore, uneven wear does not occur locally. Therefore, no foreign matter adheres to the film due to scraping scrapes of the affixing roller, or theta deviation of the film due to a deviation in parallelism with the table surface of the affixing roller does not occur.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the height of each spacer can be adjusted by the elevating means with the table surface at the lowest position. Even when the size of the display panel is different, each spacer is placed on the panel non-mounting surface. The upper surface can provide a plane substantially the same as the film surface attached to the display panel.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the height position of the spacer can be controlled with high accuracy in units of 1 mm or less, for example. .

  According to the invention described in claim 4 in which the distance between the spacers is 5 mm or less, the load on the sticking roller at each spacer portion can be made substantially uniform.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the uneven wear of the sticking roller between the display panel and the spacer is set so that the distance between the display panel and the spacer adjacent to the display panel is 1/5 or less of the axial length of the sticking roller. Can be prevented.

  The positioning means consists of stoppers that contact two adjacent sides of the display panel. Each stopper can be adjusted in height by the lifting means, and at least when the film is applied, the upper surface of each stopper is substantially the same as the film surface that is attached to the display panel. According to the invention described in claim 6 that is arranged at the same height, uneven wear on the positioning means side of the sticking roller can be prevented.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2 schematically showing a film sticking apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a table surface of the film sticking apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the vertical drive mechanism of a spacer. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to components that do not require any change from the conventional example described above.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, also in this film sticking apparatus, the work table 1 on which the display panel is placed and the film are stuck on the display panel on the work table 1 as in the conventional example described above. And a pasting machine main body 2.

  In this example, the display panel is a liquid crystal panel P, and the film affixed thereto is a polarizing film A. In addition, the polarizing film A may be cut | disconnected by the magnitude | size corresponding to the liquid crystal panel P from the raw fabric roll currently supported by the film supply means which is not shown in figure, and may be supplied on the liquid crystal panel P.

  The table surface 11 of the work table 1 has a larger area than the maximum size liquid crystal panel P on which a film is scheduled to be attached in order to be compatible with liquid crystal panels P of different sizes, that is, to have versatility. is doing.

  The table surface 11 is provided with first and second stoppers 12 and 13 projecting so as to come into contact with two adjacent sides P1 and P2 of the liquid crystal panel P as positioning means for the liquid crystal panel P. Yes. In this case, the first and second stoppers 12 and 13 are placed at one corner of the table surface 11 (in this example, the lower left corner of FIG. 2) in order to be able to place a small size to a large size liquid crystal panel P. Be placed.

  Similar to the conventional example, the first stopper 12 has a prismatic shape protruding so as to come into surface contact with one side P1 of the liquid crystal panel P, and the second stopper 13 is the other side P2 of the liquid crystal panel P. The liquid crystal panel P can be positioned by abutting against the stoppers 12 and 13.

  Also in this example, the work table 1 is provided with negative pressure suction means (not shown), and after the liquid crystal panel P is positioned by the first and second stoppers 12 and 13, the negative pressure suction means is used. The liquid crystal panel P can be securely fixed.

  As in the above-described conventional example, the pasting machine body 2 includes a pasting head 21 that can be moved relative to the table surface 11 of the work table 1 in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction by a driving unit such as a cylinder (not shown), and a table surface 11. And a sticking roller 22 supported by the sticking head 21 so as to be parallel to each other.

  The affixing roller 22 is made of an elastic body such as rubber, and has the same length (axial length) as the width 11W of the table surface 11 so as to cross the table surface 11. When the polarizing film A is stuck on the liquid crystal panel P, the sticking roller 22 moves in the arrow X direction from the initial position of the left end side of the table surface 11 in FIG. 2 toward the right end side. After sticking, it is lifted from the table surface 11 and returned to the initial position on the left end side.

  By the way, since the table surface 11 is larger than the liquid crystal panel P, there is a panel non-mounting surface on which the liquid crystal panel P is not placed on the table surface 11, and affixed between the panel mounting surface and the panel non-mounting surface. A step that causes uneven wear of the roller 22 occurs.

  Therefore, in the present invention, in order to prevent a step between the panel mounting surface and the panel non-mounting surface, the panel non-mounting surface is divided along the moving direction (arrow X direction) of the sticking roller 22. A plurality of spacers 14a to 14d in this example are arranged. In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish each spacer 14a-14d, it only calls the spacer 14. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the spacer 14 forms a plane substantially the same as the polarizing film A attached to the liquid crystal panel P on the panel mounting surface side on the panel non-mounting surface. Several types of spacers 14 having different heights are prepared, and the spacers 14 may be appropriately replaced according to the thickness of the liquid crystal panel P or the thickness of the polarizing film A. However, high-precision height adjustment is possible. In order to easily cope with the size of the liquid crystal panel P, it is preferable that the height of each spacer 14 can be adjusted by elevating means (vertical drive mechanism) having a servo function, for example.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the lifting means 15 suitable for adjusting the height of the spacer 14. The elevating means 15 includes a stepping motor (pulse motor) 15a and a feed screw shaft 15b connected to the stepping motor 15a via a predetermined coupling mechanism 15c. The feed screw shaft 15b is formed on the spacer 14 side. It is screwed into a female screw hole (not shown).

  According to this, the rotational motion of the stepping motor 15a is converted into a linear motion by the feed screw shaft 15b and the female screw hole, and the spacer 14 moves in the vertical direction. The stepping motor 15a is a motor capable of controlling the rotation angle with high accuracy by the number of input pulses, and can move the spacer 14 by 0.5 mm by 0.5 pulses (1 mm by 1 pulse), for example.

  Note that the lowest position of the spacer 14 is preferably the same as the table surface 11. According to this, the liquid crystal panel P of different sizes is stably mounted on the table surface 11 by lowering the spacer 14 (the spacer 14d in the example of FIG. 1) of the liquid crystal panel P to the lowest position. Can be placed.

  In order to automate the height adjustment of each spacer 14, the control unit (not shown) of the stepping motor 15 a is supplied with pulse-to-rotation angle data, the size of the table surface 11, and the positioning end point position by the first and second stoppers 12, 13. , Basic data such as the width dimension and arrangement of each spacer 14 and a processing program are written in advance.

  And each data of the thickness of liquid crystal panel P and external dimension (size) and the thickness of polarizing film A is input into the said control part from the input part which is not shown in figure. Thereby, according to a predetermined processing program, the control unit keeps the spacer 14d at the lowest position from the outer dimensions of the liquid crystal panel P as shown in the example of FIG. 1, and sets the remaining spacers 14a to 14c to the liquid crystal. The thickness is increased to the thickness of the panel P + the thickness of the polarizing film A.

  In this way, the upper surface of each spacer 14 is aligned with the height of the polarizing film A, and the panel mounting portion and the panel non-mounting portion are flush with each other. (Load) will be applied.

  As a result, deformation and scraping wear of the sticking roller 22 are prevented, and there is no deviation in parallelism, so that the occurrence of defects due to foreign matter adhesion or θ deviation on the polarizing film A can be greatly reduced.

  Further, the frequency of rewinding the sticking roller 22 is reduced, and the cost is reduced accordingly. Incidentally, in the past, rewinding was necessary about once a month, but according to the present invention, the rewinding frequency can be reduced to about once every six months.

  In addition, in order to make the load with respect to the sticking roller 22 in each spacer 14 substantially uniform, it is preferable that the space | interval between each spacer 14 shall be 5 mm or less.

  Further, depending on the size of the liquid crystal panel P placed on the table surface 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the spacer 14 d is lowered to the lowest position, whereby the liquid crystal panel P and the next spacer 14 c. There is a gap between the two, and it is preferable that the interval be 1/5 or less of the axial length of the sticking roller.

  That is, if the gap is about this level, depending on the pressing force and elastic force of the sticking roller 22, a part of the sticking roller 22 does not enter so much between the liquid crystal panel P and the spacer 14c when the polarizing film A is stuck. Therefore, uneven wear of the sticking roller 22 can be prevented.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described based on the illustrated example, the height of the first and second stoppers 12 and 13 for positioning can be adjusted in the same manner as the spacer 14. According to this, the sticking roller 22 rotates in contact with not only the spacer 14 but also the first and second stoppers 12 and 13, and the load due to the pressing force of the sticking roller 22 is first and second. Since the two stoppers 12 and 13 can also be dispersed, the parallelism of the sticking roller 22 can be maintained more accurately.

  The number of spacers 14 arranged on the work table 1 may be set as appropriate depending on the size of the table surface 11 and the outer dimensions of the liquid crystal panel P to be handled. However, if the number of spacers 14 is increased, the spacers 14 and the liquid crystal The gap with the panel P can be made smaller, and the load applied to the sticking roller 22 can be further dispersed.

  In addition, the display panel to which the film is attached is not limited to the liquid crystal panel, and may be an organic EL panel or a plasma display panel. The attached film is not limited to the polarizing film, for example, a retardation film. Also good. Moreover, the sticking machine main body side may be fixed, and the work table side may be movable.

Sectional drawing along the II line of FIG. 2 which shows the film sticking apparatus by this invention typically. The top view which shows typically the table surface of the film sticking apparatus by this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the up-down drive mechanism of a spacer. The front view which shows typically an example of the conventional film sticking apparatus. The side view which shows the said conventional film sticking apparatus typically. The top view which shows typically the table used for the said conventional film sticking apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Work table 11 Table surface 12, 13 Stopper 14 (14a-14d) Spacer 15 Spacer raising / lowering means 15a Stepping motor 15b Feed screw shaft 2 Pasting machine main body 21 Pasting head 22 Pasting roller P Liquid crystal panel A Polarizing film

Claims (6)

A work table having an area of the table surface larger than the display panel placed as a work and having positioning means for the display panel; and a sticking roller having an axial length substantially equal to the width of the table surface, A pasting machine main body movable relative to the table surface in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pasting roller; and a film supply means for feeding a predetermined film to the display panel placed on the table surface. In the film sticking device of the display panel for sticking the film supplied by the film supply means to the display panel by moving the sticking roller by applying a predetermined pressing force by the sticking machine body,
A plurality of spacers divided along the moving direction of the sticking roller are disposed on a panel non-mounting surface of the table surface on which the display panel is not mounted, and the panel non-mounting is performed by each upper surface of the spacer. A film sticking device for a display panel, characterized in that a flat surface substantially the same as the film face to be stuck to the display panel is provided on a mounting surface.   2. The display panel film sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of each of the spacers can be adjusted by an elevating means with the table surface at the lowest position.   The film sticking device for a display panel according to claim 2, wherein a feed screw shaft driven by a stepping motor is used as the lifting means.   The film sticking device for a display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an interval between the spacers is 5 mm or less.   The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a distance between the display panel and the spacer adjacent to the display panel is 1/5 or less of an axial length of the sticking roller. Film sticking device. The positioning means includes a stopper that abuts two adjacent sides of the display panel, and the height of each stopper can be adjusted by an elevating means. At least when the film is applied, the upper surface of each stopper is attached to the display panel. The display panel film sticking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film surface is aligned at substantially the same height as the film surface.

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