JP2008093497A - Droplet jetting inspection instrument, droplet jetting and applying apparatus and method of manufacturing coated body - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a droplet jetting inspection instrument capable of correctly inspecting the shape and applied position of droplets to be jetted and applied. <P>SOLUTION: The droplet jetting inspection instrument is provided with a transparent shielding body 13, an imaging part 14 arranged at a position opposed to a droplet jetting head 2 positioned in an inspection position across the transparent shielding body 13 and capable of imaging the droplets jetted from a nozzle and applied on the transparent shielding body 13 and a droplet state judging part 15 for judging whether the shape and the applied position of the droplets which are imaged by the imaging part 14 are proper or not. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet ejection inspection apparatus, a droplet ejection coating apparatus, and a method for manufacturing an applied body, and in particular, a droplet ejection coating apparatus and an ejection for manufacturing an applied body by spraying droplets onto an application target. The present invention relates to a liquid droplet ejection inspection apparatus that inspects the shape and application position of a liquid droplet to be applied, and a method for manufacturing an application body to which an ejected liquid droplet is applied.

  As described in Patent Document 1 below, an invention of an ink droplet ejection coating apparatus that manufactures an application body by applying ink droplets ejected from nozzles of an inkjet head to an application target is known. This ink droplet ejection coating device includes an ink droplet ejection inspection device that inspects the shape of an ink droplet that is spray-coated.

  According to the present invention, the inkjet head that ejects ink droplets from the nozzles, the stage that can move to face the inkjet head, and the imaging device are provided. In order to inspect whether or not the pattern formation region on which the substrate, which is the application target of ink droplets, is placed on the stage and the shape of the ink droplets ejected from the inkjet head and the like are appropriate A dummy area is formed in which ink droplets are hit by trial. The ink droplets that have been trial-launched in the dummy area are imaged by the imaging device, and it is determined whether or not the shape of the ink droplets is appropriate.

  When it is determined that the shape or the like of the ink droplet is appropriate, the ink droplet spray application on the substrate placed in the pattern formation region of the stage is started.

When it is determined that the shape of the ink droplet is not appropriate, various measures for making the shape of the ink droplet appropriate, for example, cleaning the nozzle of the inkjet head, adjusting the applied voltage, replacing the inkjet head Etc. are performed.
JP 2003-282247 A

  However, in the ink droplet spray coating apparatus described above, no consideration is given to the following points.

  In the ink droplet spray coating apparatus described above, the pattern formation area and the dummy area are formed on the stage, and the stage is large. For this reason, the inertial force when moving the stage is increased, the speed at which the stage is moved is slowed, and this is one factor that impedes the productivity improvement of the work of spraying and applying ink droplets onto the substrate to manufacture the coated body It has become.

  In addition, when inspecting the shape of the ink droplet sprayed and applied to the dummy area, the stage is moved to a position where the dummy area and the inkjet head face each other, the ink droplet is sprayed and applied to the dummy area, and the dummy area is imaged. The stage is moved to a position facing the apparatus, and the shape of the ink droplet is imaged. For this reason, it takes a long time from the time when the ink droplets are spray-applied to the dummy area until the image is picked up by the imaging device, and during this time, moisture evaporates from the ink droplets. Can not be inspected.

  Further, ink droplets are sprayed and applied to the dummy area, and after the imaging of the ink droplets is completed, the substrate is placed on the pattern forming area on the stage, and the ink droplets are sprayed and applied onto the substrate. For this reason, it takes time until the ink droplet is imaged by the imaging device after the ink droplet is spray-applied to the dummy region, and during that time, the substrate cannot be placed on the stage, and is placed on the stage. This is one of the factors that hinder the productivity improvement of the operation of manufacturing the coated body by spraying ink droplets on the substrate.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a droplet ejection inspection apparatus and a droplet capable of accurately inspecting the shape and application position of a droplet to be spray-coated. It is an object to provide a spray coating apparatus, a liquid spray coating apparatus capable of improving the productivity of an operation for manufacturing a coated body by spraying droplets onto a coating target, and a method for manufacturing the coated body.

  A first feature according to an embodiment of the present invention is that, in the liquid droplet ejection inspection apparatus, the transparent shield and the liquid droplet ejection head located at the inspection position are disposed at a position sandwiching the transparent shield. A liquid for determining whether or not an imaging unit capable of imaging a droplet ejected from the nozzle and applied to the transparent shield, and a shape and application position of the droplet imaged by the imaging unit are appropriate A drop state determination unit.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid droplet ejecting head in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets are formed in the liquid droplet ejecting and coating apparatus and are movable between an inspection position and an application body manufacturing position. And a table on which an object to be coated on which droplets ejected from the nozzle are applied is placed and is movable relative to the droplet ejecting head located at a coated body manufacturing position. A droplet ejection inspection device according to any one of the above.

  A third feature according to an embodiment of the present invention is that, in the method of manufacturing an application body, the liquid droplet injection inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is used for spray application on the transparent shielding body. A step of determining whether or not the shape and application position of the liquid droplet are appropriate, and whether or not the shape and application position of the liquid droplet are appropriate by spraying and applying the liquid droplet on the transparent shield The step of placing the application object on a table arranged adjacent to the transparent shield, and the shape and application position of the droplets applied by spraying on the transparent substrate are appropriate. And a step of spraying droplets onto the application object placed on the table when determined to be present.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately inspect the shape and application position of a droplet to be applied by spraying, and the productivity of an operation for manufacturing a coated body by spraying and applying a droplet to an object to be applied. Improvements can be made.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ink droplet ejection coating apparatus 1 that is a droplet ejection coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ink droplet ejection head 2 that is a droplet ejection head, a table 3, and droplets. And an ink droplet ejection inspection device 4 which is an ejection inspection device.

  The ink droplet ejection head 2 is supported by a support mechanism (not shown) and is movable in the arrow X direction between the inspection position and the application body manufacturing position. FIG. 1 shows a state where the ink droplet ejection head 2 is located at the inspection position.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ink droplet ejecting head 2 forms a plurality of ink chambers 5 that store ink, which is liquid supplied from an ink tank (not shown), and a part of the wall of each ink chamber 5. And a plurality of piezoelectric elements 7 provided at positions corresponding to the respective ink chambers 5 in contact with the diaphragms 6, and a nozzle plate 8 forming a part of the wall of each ink chamber 5. . A plurality of nozzles 9 communicating with each ink chamber 5 are formed in the nozzle plate 8.

  A controller 10 that applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element 7 is connected to the ink droplet ejection head 2. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 7, the piezoelectric element 7 is deformed in a contracting direction, and the deformation causes the diaphragm 6 to bend in the direction of increasing the volume of the ink chamber 5, and is accommodated in the ink chamber 5 whose volume is increased. Increased ink volume. Thereafter, the piezoelectric element 7 that has shrunk is restored by cutting off the voltage application, and the volume of the ink chamber 5 is restored, whereby an ink droplet in which a part of the ink in the ink chamber 5 is a droplet from the nozzle 9. 11 is injected.

  The table 3 is connected to a moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the table 3, and the table 3 can be moved in the arrow Y direction by driving the moving mechanism. When the table 3 moves to one end in the Y direction, an application target 12 such as a substrate to which the ink droplets 11 ejected from the nozzles 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2 are applied is placed on the table 3. The ink droplet ejection head 2 is moved to the application body manufacturing position that is the position facing the surface of the table 3, and the ink droplet 11 ejected from the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2 is applied to the application object 12 on the table 3. By applying, an application body is manufactured.

  The ink droplet ejection inspection device 4 includes a transparent shield 13, a camera 14 that is an imaging unit, and an ink droplet state determination unit 15 that is a droplet state determination unit.

  The transparent shield 13 is a transparent disk-shaped member formed of a glass plate or a resin plate, and is disposed at a position lateral to the table 3 and perpendicular to the moving direction (Y direction) of the table 3. . When the ink droplet ejection head 2 is located at the inspection position, the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2 faces the transparent shield 13 in parallel. When the ink droplet 11 is ejected from the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2 located at the inspection position, the ejected ink droplet 11 is applied to the surface of the transparent shield 13.

  One end of the rotating shaft 16 is connected to the center position of the transparent shield 13, and the rotation driving unit 17 is connected to the other end of the rotating shaft 16. By driving the rotation driving unit 17, the transparent shield 13 rotates in the arrow Z direction around the center line of the rotation shaft 16, and the region of the transparent shield 13 that faces the nozzle 9 is the rotation direction of the transparent shield 13. Move along (Z direction).

  On the surface side of the transparent shield 13, an ink droplet removal unit 18 that is a droplet removal unit that removes the ink droplets 11 applied to the surface of the transparent shield 13 is disposed. The ink droplet removing unit 18 is formed of a water-absorbing member and is pressed against the surface of the transparent shield 13. The transparent shield 13 to which the ink droplet 11 is applied rotates, and the applied ink droplet 11 reaches the position of the ink droplet removing section 18 so that the ink droplet 11 is absorbed and removed by the ink droplet removing section 18. .

  The camera 14 is disposed at a position sandwiching the transparent shield 13 with respect to the ink droplet ejecting head 2 located at the inspection position, and images the ink droplet 11 ejected from the nozzle 9 and applied to the transparent shield 13. The camera 14 is connected to an ink droplet state determination unit 15 that is a droplet state determination unit that performs image processing on the captured image and determines whether the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 are appropriate. .

  When the ink droplet state determination unit 15 determines that the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 are not appropriate, a means for correcting the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 is provided. As this means, for example, a process for cleaning the nozzle 9 and the nozzle plate 8 of the ink droplet ejecting head 2 or a piezoelectric element corresponding to the nozzle 9 ejected with the ink droplet 11 determined to have an inappropriate shape or application position. 7 or the like for adjusting the voltage to be applied to. These processes are performed according to a preset program based on the determination result of the ink droplet state determination unit 15.

  Here, FIG. 3 shows the timing at which the application object 12 is placed on the table 3, the application body is manufactured by spraying the ink droplet 11 onto the application object 12, and the inspection of the ink droplet 11 is performed. This will be explained based on.

  The table 3 moves in the direction of the arrow Y shown in FIG. 1 to place the application object 12 on the table 3 or to take out the application body on which the ink droplet 11 has been applied (in / out position); It moves to the application body manufacturing position where the ink droplet 11 is applied to the application object 12 on the table 3.

  The ink droplet ejection head 2 moves in the direction of the arrow X shown in FIG. 1, whereby the inspection position where the nozzle 9 faces the transparent shield 13 and the application body where the nozzle 9 faces the application object 12 on the table 3. Move to the manufacturing position.

  Ink droplets 11 are ejected from the nozzles 8 of the ink droplet ejecting head 2 at a predetermined frequency when the ink droplet ejecting head 2 is located at the inspection position and when it is located at the application body manufacturing position.

  The rotation of the transparent shield 13 is performed when the ink droplet ejecting head 2 is located at the inspection position, and is not performed when the ink droplet ejecting head 2 is located at the application body manufacturing position.

  Imaging of the ink droplet 11 by the camera 14 is performed immediately after the ink droplet 11 is ejected from the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2 located at the inspection position. The imaging by the camera 14 may be an image of one line of ink droplets 11 ejected from the plurality of nozzles 9, or the plurality of lines of ink droplets 11 ejected from the plurality of nozzles 9 are imaged to obtain an average value. You may make it ask.

  In such a configuration, the ink droplet ejection coating apparatus 1 is formed with only a region (pattern formation region) on which the object 12 is placed on the table 3 and ejects from the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejection head 2. A region for determining whether or not the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 is appropriate by trial hitting the ink droplet 11 is formed on the transparent shield 13. For this reason, the size of the table 3 can be reduced, and the inertial force when the table 3 is moved can be reduced. Thereby, the speed at which the table 3 is moved can be increased, and the productivity of the operation of manufacturing the application body by spraying the ink droplets 11 onto the application object 12 can be improved.

  Since the ink droplet ejecting head 2 and the camera 14 are arranged at positions sandwiching the transparent shield 13, the ink droplet 11 ejected from the nozzle 9 of the ink droplet ejecting head 2 and applied to the transparent shield 13 is used. When imaging with the camera 14, the ink droplet 11 just after apply | coating can be imaged. For this reason, it is possible to take an image before moisture evaporates from the applied ink droplet 11, and the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 can be accurately imaged. Thereby, the determination accuracy of whether the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 are appropriate can be improved.

  In addition, when the ink droplet 11 is applied to the transparent shield 13, the ink droplet 11 for a plurality of lines ejected from the plurality of nozzles 9 is applied by rotating the transparent shield 13 with the rotation driving unit 17. be able to. For this reason, a plurality of lines of ink droplets 11 ejected from the plurality of nozzles 9 can be applied to the transparent shield 13, and the ink droplets 11 can be imaged by the camera 14 after the ejected ink droplets 11 are stabilized. Alternatively, a plurality of lines of ink droplets 11 ejected from a plurality of nozzles 9 can be applied to the transparent shield 13, and the plurality of lines of ink droplets 11 can be imaged to obtain an average value. For this reason, it is possible to increase the accuracy of determination as to whether or not the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11 are appropriate.

  The ink droplet 11 applied to the transparent shield 13 is removed by the ink droplet removing unit 18 in the process of rotating the transparent shield 13. For this reason, it does not occur that the ink droplets 11 are applied in an overlapping manner on the region where the ink droplets 11 are applied, and it is determined for a long time whether or not the shape and application position of the ink droplets 11 are appropriate. Can be performed over a wide range.

  Also, as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 3, the table 3 is moved to the loading / unloading position, and the operation of placing the application object 12 on the table 3 or the application of the ink droplets 11 is completed from the table 3. The removal operation and the operation of applying the ink droplet 11 to the transparent shield 13 to determine whether the shape and the application position are appropriate can be processed in parallel. Thereby, the placement of the application object 12 on the table 3 and the removal of the application body from the table 3 are performed while the ink droplet 11 is being jetted and applied to determine the shape and application position of the ink droplet 11. It is possible to improve the productivity of the operation of manufacturing the application body by spraying and applying the ink droplets 11 to the application object 12.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of an ink droplet jet coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal front view showing the structure of the ink droplet ejection head. It is a timing chart which shows the operation timing of an ink droplet jet application device.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Droplet ejection head, 3 ... Table, 4 ... Droplet ejection inspection apparatus, 9 ... Nozzle, 11 ... Droplet, 12 ... Application object, 13 ... Transparent shielding body, 14 ... Imaging part, 15 ... Droplet state Determination unit, 17 ... rotation drive unit, 18 ... droplet removal unit

Claims (5)

A transparent shield,
An imaging unit that is disposed at a position sandwiching the transparent shield with respect to a droplet ejection head located at an inspection position, and that can image a droplet ejected from the nozzle and applied to the transparent shield;
A droplet state determination unit that determines whether or not the shape and application position of the droplet imaged by the imaging unit are appropriate;
A droplet ejection inspection apparatus comprising:   The liquid droplet ejection inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation driving unit that rotates the transparent shield in a direction in which a region of the transparent shield facing the nozzle moves.   The droplet ejection inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a droplet removing unit that removes droplets applied to the transparent shield. A plurality of nozzles for ejecting droplets are formed, and a droplet ejecting head that is movable between an inspection position and an application body manufacturing position;
A table on which an object to be coated on which droplets ejected from the nozzle are applied is placed and is relatively movable with respect to the droplet ejection head located at the application body manufacturing position;
A droplet ejection inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A droplet spray coating apparatus comprising: A step of determining whether or not the shape and application position of the droplet sprayed and applied onto the transparent shield are appropriate using the droplet jet inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. ,
While spraying droplets on the transparent shield to determine whether the shape and position of the droplets are appropriate, the object to be coated on a table arranged adjacent to the transparent shield A process of placing an object;
A step of spraying and applying droplets to the coating object placed on the table when it is determined that the shape and application position of the droplets sprayed and applied on the transparent substrate are appropriate. When,
The manufacturing method of the application body characterized by the above-mentioned.

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