JP2009029001A - Printing mask cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple cleaning device for removing foreign substances stuck to a printing mask. <P>SOLUTION: The cleaning device is provided with: a housing section 53 which removaby houses the printing mask 52; and a pair of upper and lower air knives 54a, 54b which blow air to the printing mask 52 annexed to the housing section 53 movably in arrow A, B directions with respect to the housed printing mask 52. Each of the air knives 54a, 54b is provided with: a first air knife for blowing the air to the printing mask 52 from its front surface; and a second air knife for blowing the air to the printing mask 52 from its rear surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing mask cleaning apparatus, and is mainly used in a manufacturing process of a plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as PDP).

As such a conventional cleaning device, there is a cleaning device that sprays cleaning liquid from nozzles provided on both sides of the printing mask and cleans the printing mask while preventing the cleaning liquid from splashing from the nozzles by a hood-like member. It is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-71705

By the way, printing masks used in the manufacturing process of plasma display panels (PDP) and the like are becoming larger and more difficult to handle as the panels become larger.
If the printing mask is stored without being used for a long time, foreign matters such as dust adhere to it, and it is necessary to perform cleaning again before use. Mask cleaning must be performed using a cleaning solution with a dedicated large-scale cleaning apparatus, and the cleaning process is composed of a plurality of processes such as a cleaning section, a water cleaning section, and a drying section. For this reason, it is necessary to take time for the adhesion of slight foreign matter.

  In addition, since the cleaning liquid for removing the printing paste and the pure water for washing them off are used, the resin part of the printing mask undergoes a shape change due to the penetration of the cleaning liquid, and it takes more time for this shape change to return. Has occurred. For example, when the printing mask is washed in the PDP phosphor printing process, it takes 30 minutes for the washing section, 10 minutes for the washing section, and 10 minutes for the drying section. Furthermore, it takes 24 hours to leave the print mask in order to wait for the shape change due to the cleaning liquid of the print mask to return.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and does not use a cleaning liquid when light foreign matter adheres, etc., and cleaning with compressed air reduces the total time required for printing mask cleaning. The present invention provides a mask cleaning device that performs and facilitates handling of a large printing mask.

  The present invention provides a printing mask cleaning device comprising: a storage unit that detachably stores a print mask; and an air knife that is attached to the storage unit so as to be movable with respect to the stored print mask and blows air to the print mask. To do.

  According to the present invention, air is blown onto the printing mask by the air knife movably attached to the printing mask, so that the foreign matter adhering to the printing mask is efficiently removed and the printing mask can be easily cleaned. And efficiency improvement.

A mask cleaning device according to the present invention includes a storage unit that detachably stores a print mask, and an air knife that is attached to the storage unit so as to be movable with respect to the stored print mask and blows air onto the print mask. Features a cleaning device.
The air knife may be a first air knife that blows air from the front surface of the printing mask and a second air knife that blows air from the back surface of the printing mask.
The storage unit may include a roller that movably supports at least one of the printing mask and the air knife.
The air knife may blow air obliquely against the front or back surface of the printing mask.
The storage unit may include an air nozzle that blows air onto the air knife so as to reduce the weight when the air knife moves.
The storage unit may include an air nozzle that blows air onto the print mask so that the weight when the print mask is stored or taken out is reduced.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of a PDP according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The PDP 100 includes a pair of a back substrate assembly 50 and a front substrate assembly 50a as shown in FIG. The drawing shows one pixel (RGB three cells).

In the front substrate assembly 50a, electrodes X and Y extending in the lateral direction for generating a surface discharge along the substrate surface are arranged on the inner surface of the glass substrate 11 as a display electrode pair S that defines a display row. The electrodes X and Y are each composed of a wide band-shaped transparent electrode 41 made of an ITO thin film and a narrow band-shaped bus electrode 42 made of a metal thin film.
The bus electrode 42 is an auxiliary electrode for ensuring proper conductivity. A dielectric layer 17 is provided so as to cover the electrodes X and Y. A protective film 18 is coated on the surface of the dielectric layer 17. Both the dielectric layer 17 and the protective film 18 are translucent.

Next, in the rear substrate assembly 50, the address electrodes 43 are arranged on the inner surface of the glass substrate 21 in a direction orthogonal to the display electrodes S, and the dielectric layer 25 is provided so as to cover the address electrodes 43. One linear rib (partition) 29 is provided between each address electrode 43 on the layer 25. The ribs 29 can also be formed in a lattice shape.
In the rear substrate assembly 50, the discharge spaces (discharge cells) 30 are partitioned for each subpixel (unit light emission region) EU by these ribs 29, and the gap size of the discharge space 30 is defined.

A phosphor layer 28 of three colors R, G, and B for color display is provided so as to cover the rear wall surface including the upper portion of the dielectric layer 25 and the side surfaces of the ribs 29.
The rib 29 is made of a material mainly composed of low-melting glass, and is formed to be transparent or opaque depending on the type of additive. As a method for forming the ribs 29, a process of providing a cutting mask on a solid film-like low melting point glass layer and patterning by sandblasting is used.

A display electrode S corresponds to one row in the matrix display, and one address electrode 43 corresponds to one column. Three columns correspond to one pixel (pixel) EG. That is, one pixel EG is composed of three subpixels EU of R, G, and B arranged in the line direction.
By the counter discharge (address discharge) between the address electrode 43 and the electrode Y, a wall charge is formed in the dielectric layer 17 for selecting a cell to be displayed. When a pulse is alternately applied to the electrodes X and Y, a surface discharge (main discharge) for display is generated in the subpixel EU in which wall charges are formed by the address discharge.

  The phosphor layer 28 is excited locally by ultraviolet rays generated by surface discharge and emits visible light of a predetermined color. Of this visible light, the light transmitted through the glass substrate 11 becomes display light. Since the arrangement pattern of the ribs 29 is a so-called stripe pattern, the portion corresponding to each column in the discharge space 30 is continuous in the column direction across all the lines. The light emission colors of the subpixels EU in each column are the same.

Next, a production line for the PDP 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the glass substrate 11 is carried into the front substrate carrying-in part 101, and the transparent electrode forming part 102 is patterned with a strip-like transparent electrode 41 made of an ITO film on the surface of the substrate 11 by combining vapor deposition or sputtering and etching. To do.

Next, a metal bus electrode 42 is formed on the edge portion of each transparent electrode 41 by using a printing method or the like in the bus electrode forming portion 103.
Next, the dielectric layer 17 and the protective film 18 are formed in the dielectric layer forming part 104 and the protective film forming part 105, and the front substrate assembly 50a is completed.

  On the other hand, the glass substrate 21 is carried into the back substrate carrying-in unit 106, and the address electrode forming unit 107 forms the metal address electrode 43 on the substrate 21 using a printing method or the like. Next, the dielectric layer forming unit 108 forms the dielectric layer 25 on the address electrodes 43, and the partition wall forming unit 109 forms the partition walls 29. Next, in the phosphor layer forming unit 110, the phosphor layer 28 is formed by the screen printing method as follows.

  That is, in the phosphor layer forming unit 110, in a screen printing apparatus (not shown), a partition is formed by aligning a printing mask provided with openings having a predetermined width at a pitch three times the partition pitch with respect to the glass substrate 21. 29 so as to be in contact with 29.

Then, a phosphor paste of a predetermined emission color (for example, R) is dropped between the partition walls 29 through the opening of the printing mask using a squeegee.
Subsequently, for other emission colors (G and B), the phosphor paste 28a is printed using the corresponding printing mask so that the gaps between the barrier ribs 29 are almost completely filled.
Thereafter, the phosphor paste is dried and fired at a temperature of 500 to 600 ° C. Thereby, the phosphor layer 28 is completed.

  Next, in the seal frit forming portion 111, a seal frit material is applied to the peripheral portion of the surface of the substrate 21 by a printing method. As a result, a sealing frit for sealing is formed on the peripheral edge of the substrate 21, and the rear substrate assembly 50 is completed.

Next, in the panel assembly section 112, the front substrate assembly 50a and the rear substrate assembly 50 are combined as shown in FIG. Next, in the sealing / exhaust portion 113, the seal frit of the assembly 50 is heated and the inside is exhausted. As a result, the two substrate assemblies are bonded (sealed), and the space in the space between the bonded substrate assemblies is exhausted.
Next, a discharge gas is sealed in the space (between cells) in the gas sealing portion 114, and the PDP 100 is completed.

  Next, the lighting inspection unit 115 performs a lighting inspection of the PDP 100 using an inspection line using a lighting inspection device. A drive circuit is mounted on the PDP 100 that has passed the inspection in the circuit incorporation unit 116 to complete the PDP module.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an apparatus for cleaning a printing mask for a screen printing apparatus in the phosphor layer forming unit 110 shown in the production line of FIG.
As shown in the figure, the print mask cleaning device 51 includes a storage unit 53 that stores the print mask 52 so that the print mask 52 can be taken out, and a storage unit 53 that can move in the directions of arrows A and B with respect to the stored print mask 52. A pair of upper and lower air knives 54a and 54b for blowing air onto the printing mask 52 are provided.

  The storage unit 53 is formed of an aluminum frame, and includes an entrance / exit 55 through which a printing mask 52 is put in / out, and four open windows 56a to 56d on both side surfaces. The air knives 54a and 54b are respectively provided with handles (handles) 57a and 57b and air supply fittings 58a and 58b.

  The storage unit 53 includes an air source connection fitting 59, air relay fittings 60a and 60b, and a cock 61 that opens and closes the air flow path. One end of the air source connection fitting 59 is connected to the compressed air source 62 via an air hose 62a. The other end of the air source connection fitting 59 is connected to the cock 61 via the internal pipe 63, and the cock 61 is connected to the air relay fittings 60 a and 60 b via the internal pipe 64.

The air relay fittings 60a and 60b are connected to the air supply fittings 58a and 58b via the air hoses 65a and 65b, respectively.
Therefore, when the cock 61 is opened, compressed air is supplied from the compressed air source 62 to the air knives 54a and 54b.
The storage portion 53 is movably supported by four wheels (two of which are not shown) 66 provided at the bottom.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the printing mask cleaning device 51 shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the air knives 54a and 54b.
As shown in FIG. 3, the air knives 54a and 54b are slidably fitted in the window frame portions of the open windows 56a and 56b formed on one side of the accommodating portion 53, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
Therefore, if the operator operates the grips 57a and 57b, the air knives 54a and 54b can be easily moved in the direction of arrow A or B (FIG. 3).

  Further, the printing mask 52 stored in the storage unit 53 is supported by a roller 69 provided at the bottom of the storage unit 53, so that the printing mask 52 can be easily put into and out of the storage unit 53. A hand clamp 67 is provided on the window frame of the open window 56 c formed on the other side of the storage portion 53, and the hand clamp 67 fixes the print mask 52 to be stored in a predetermined position of the storage portion 53.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the air knives 54a and 54b include a receiving chamber 70 for receiving compressed air supplied through the air hoses 65a and 65b and the air supply fittings 58a and 58b, and a sliding direction of the air knife. , A slit 71 that discharges obliquely (for example, 45 degrees) on the surface of the printing mask 52 and a guide path 72 that guides compressed air from the receiving chamber 70 to the slit 71 are provided. In addition, the effect of blowing off foreign matter on the printing mask is enhanced by inclining the air discharge angle with respect to the moving direction of the air knife.

  In the phosphor layer forming unit 110 shown in the production line of FIG. 2, when screen printing of the phosphor paste is performed as described above, the print mask 52 is printed from a printing mask storage place to a screen printing apparatus (not shown). It is mounted on the mask cleaning device 51 and conveyed.

  That is, the operator first takes out the print mask 52 from the print mask storage place and stores it in the storage portion 53 of the print mask cleaning device 51 using the roller 69 as shown in FIG. Then, the print mask 52 is fixed by the hand clamp 67 (FIG. 4).

Next, the operator moves the printing mask cleaning device 51 using the wheels 66. During the movement, the printing mask cleaning device 51 is brought close to the compressed air source 62. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the compressed air source 62 is connected to the air source connection fitting 59 via the air hose 62a.
Therefore, when the cock 61 is opened, compressed air is ejected from the slits 71 of the air knives 54a and 54b.

  The operator holds the handles 57a and 57b and reciprocates the air knives 54a and 54b in the directions of arrows A and B, respectively. As a result, dust adhering to the surface of the printing mask 52 (for example, the squeegee sliding surface) is blown off and removed. Thereafter, the front and back surfaces of the printing mask are replaced, and the other surface is cleaned.

  When this cleaning operation is completed, the printing mask 52 is conveyed to the screen printing apparatus while being mounted on the printing mask cleaning apparatus 51. The screen printing apparatus applies (prints) the phosphor paste between desired barrier ribs of the rear substrate assembly on which the barrier ribs are formed using the printing mask 52.

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a modification of the printing mask cleaning device 51 shown in FIG.
In the printing mask cleaning device 51 a shown in FIG. 6, the air knives 54 c and 54 d are slidably fitted into the window frame portions of the open windows 56 c and 56 d formed on the other side of the storage portion 53 and supported by the rollers 68. ing.

  The air source connection fitting 59 is connected to the air knives 54c and 54d via an internal pipe (not shown) and a cock, similarly to the one-side air knives 54a and 54b. The air knives 54c and 54d have the same configuration as the air knives 54a and 54b shown in FIG.

  Accordingly, in this modified example, the operator can blow compressed air from both sides by operating the four air knives 54a to 54d, so that only one side is cleaned. More effective cleaning is possible.

7 and 8 are main part explanatory views showing another modification of the printing mask cleaning device 51 shown in FIG.
In the modification, as shown in FIG. 7, air nozzles 73 are provided between rollers 68 that support the air knives 54a and 54b. These air nozzles 73 are connected to a cock 74 via an internal pipe 75, and the cock 74 is connected to an air source connection fitting 59 (FIG. 3) via an internal pipe 76.

  Accordingly, when the cock 74 is opened during the operation of the air knives 54a and 54b, compressed air is ejected from the space between the rollers 68 in the direction of the arrow and is discharged onto the conveying surfaces of the air knives 54a and 54b. Since the force is exerted, the load caused by the load applied to the roller of the air knife and the resistance due to the friction with the roller during the movement of the air knife are reduced, and the operator can easily move the air knives 54a and 54b.

Further, in this modification, as shown in FIG. 8, air nozzles 77 are also provided between the rollers 69 that support the printing mask 52, and are connected to the cock 78 via an internal pipe 79.
The cock 78 is connected to the air source connection fitting 59 (FIG. 3) via the internal pipe 80.

  Therefore, when the air source connection fitting 59 can be connected to an appropriate compressed air source as shown in FIG. It ejects in the direction of the arrow and is ejected onto the support surface of the printing mask. Since the force acts in the direction in which the printing mask 52 is lifted by the discharge of the compressed air, the operator can easily carry out and carry in the printing mask 52.

It is a principal part disassembled perspective view of PDP which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the manufacturing line of PDP which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view of the printing mask cleaning apparatus which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the printing mask cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. It is a principal part cross-sectional view of the printing mask cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing another embodiment of the present invention. It is principal part explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of this invention. It is principal part explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

51 Print Mask Cleaning Device 52 Print Mask 53 Storage Unit 54a Air Knife 54b Air Knife 54c Air Knife 54d Air Knife 55 Entrance / Exit 56a, 56b, 56c, 56d Opening Window 57a, 57b, 57c, 57d Handle 58a, 58b Air Supply Fitting 59 Air Source connection fitting 60a, 60b Air relay fitting 61 Cock 62 Compressed air source 62a Air hose 63 Internal piping 64 Internal piping 65a, 65b Air hose 66 Wheel 67 Hand clamp 68 Rolling 69 Rolling 70 Receiving chamber 71 Slit 72 Guide path 73 Nozzle 74 Cock 75 Internal piping 76 Internal piping 77 Nozzle 78 Cock 79 Internal piping 80 Internal piping

Claims (6)

  A printing mask cleaning apparatus comprising: a storage unit that detachably stores a printing mask; and an air knife that is attached to the storage unit so as to be movable with respect to the stored printing mask and blows air onto the printing mask.   2. The printing mask cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air knife includes a first air knife that blows air from the front surface of the printing mask and a second air knife that blows air from the back surface of the printing mask.   The printing mask cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes a roller that movably supports at least one of the printing mask and the air knife.   The printing mask cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air knife has a slit that blows air obliquely with respect to the front surface or the back surface of the printing mask in the moving direction of the air knife.   The printing mask cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes an air nozzle that blows air onto a conveyance surface of the air knife so as to reduce a weight when the air knife moves.   The printing mask cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes an air nozzle that blows air on a support of the print mask so as to reduce a weight when the print mask is stored or taken out.

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