JP2010279874A - Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection device, liquid ejection method, method of manufacturing electro-optical device and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid ejection head, a liquid ejection device and a liquid ejection method which suppress a deterioration in the precision of a planar shape or of a thickness of a formed film caused by the deviation of fly direction of an ejected droplet from a predetermined direction without requiring an increase in process time necessary for the measurement of landing position precision or the correction of the position and without requiring an increase in the load of a controller controlling the processes, to provide a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, and to provide electronic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid ejection head includes an ejection nozzle hole for ejecting a liquid and a guide needle. The guide needle is arranged in a position where the guide needle penetrates an opening of the ejection nozzle hole in a nozzle hole forming surface where one end of the ejection nozzle hole is opened. The liquid ejection method is carried out by ejecting the liquid from the ejection nozzle hole opened to the nozzle hole forming surface and the direction of the liquid ejected from the ejection nozzle hole is guided by the guide needle arranged in the position where the guide needle penetrates the opening of the ejection nozzle hole on the nozzle hole forming surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid discharge head that discharges a liquid, a liquid discharge device that discharges a liquid, a liquid discharge method that discharges a liquid, and an electro-optical device that forms at least a part by discharging a liquid And an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device. Examples of the electro-optical device include a liquid crystal device and an organic EL (Organic Electro Luminescence) device.

Conventionally, as a technique for forming a functional film such as a color filter film of a color liquid crystal device or the like, a liquid material containing a functional film material using a drawing apparatus having a droplet discharge head for discharging the liquid material as droplets A technique is known in which a liquid material is disposed (drawn) at an arbitrary position on a substrate by ejecting the liquid droplets, and a functional film is formed by drying (disposing) the disposed liquid material. . A drawing apparatus used for forming such a film selectively discharges minute droplets from the discharge nozzle holes of the droplet discharge head while moving the droplet discharge head relative to the substrate. Therefore, a film having a precise planar shape can be formed. Since the size of a minute liquid material can be defined and the size can be realized with high accuracy, a film having a precise film thickness can be formed.
Patent Document 1 discloses a material discharge apparatus, a discharge method, and a color filter that can reduce manufacturing time by discharging a material using a plurality of head portions each having a nozzle row including a plurality of nozzles. A manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method, a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a liquid crystal device, a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for an EL device, and an electronic device manufactured by these methods are disclosed.

However, when the flight direction of the ejected droplets deviates from a predetermined flight direction, the planar shape and film thickness that are required to be precise may not always be realized.
Patent Document 2 discloses a liquid material ejection method that can achieve high droplet landing position accuracy by grouping nozzles according to droplet landing position accuracy and correcting the nozzle position for each group. In addition, a method for manufacturing an organic EL element and a method for manufacturing a color filter are disclosed.

JP 2002-273868 A JP 2009-618 A

  However, in the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to determine the landing position accuracy for each nozzle, and when performing droplet discharge, it is necessary to perform nozzle position correction based on the correction value for each nozzle. There is. There is a problem that the process time of the step of arranging the liquid material for the measurement of the landing position accuracy and the position correction may increase. Moreover, there also existed a subject that possibility that the load of the control apparatus which controls implementation of these processes will increase is high. In particular, in an apparatus having a large number of nozzles as disclosed in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to determine the correction direction and the correction amount for a large number of nozzles, the process time in the manufacturing process significantly increases. There is a problem that the load on the control device for controlling the discharge device is likely to increase significantly.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  Application Example 1 A liquid material discharge head according to this application example includes a discharge nozzle hole for discharging a liquid material and a guide needle, and the guide needle is a nozzle having one end of the discharge nozzle hole opened. It is arrange | positioned in the position which penetrates the opening of the said discharge nozzle hole in a hole formation surface.

According to the liquid discharge head according to this application example, the guide needle is disposed in the opening of the discharge nozzle hole for discharging the liquid. Generally, when an object is present in a flow path through which a liquid material flows, kinetic energy is reduced by receiving resistance due to the liquid material hitting the object. What is subtracted is a component in a direction perpendicular to the object surface that the liquid hits.
The liquid material discharged from the opening of the discharge nozzle hole is subjected to resistance by being in contact with a guide needle existing in the opening of the discharge nozzle hole, so that the kinetic energy is reduced. What is reduced at this time is a component in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the guide needle, that is, a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide needle. For this reason, when the direction of the discharged liquid material is a direction intersecting the axial direction of the guide needle, the direction of the liquid material is corrected to a direction in which the intersecting angle becomes smaller. Accordingly, by arranging the guide needle at the opening of the discharge nozzle hole, the direction of the discharged liquid material can be corrected to a direction close to the direction along the axial direction of the guide needle.

  Application Example 2 In the liquid material discharge head according to the above application example, it is preferable that the surface of the guide needle is lyophilic with respect to the liquid material.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, the surface of the guide needle disposed in the opening of the discharge nozzle hole for discharging the liquid material has lyophilicity with respect to the liquid material. Since the surface of the guide needle is lyophilic with respect to the liquid material, the guide needle gets wet with the liquid material, so that the liquid material does not get wet from the portion of the guide needle wet with the liquid material. A force in the direction of spreading spreads on the part. Therefore, an axial force of the guide needle acts on the liquid material along the surface of the guide needle. Thereby, the direction of the discharged liquid can be guided to the direction of the guide needle.

  Application Example 3 In the liquid discharge head according to the application example described above, it is preferable that a plurality of the guide needles are provided for one discharge nozzle hole.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, a plurality of guide needles are arranged for one discharge nozzle hole. By using a plurality of guide needles, the surface area of the guide needles can be increased while keeping the same cross-sectional area of the guide needles in the cross-sectional area of the discharge nozzle hole as the cross-section of the flow path of the liquid material.

  Application Example 4 In the liquid material discharge head according to the application example described above, it is preferable that a tip of the guide needle protrudes from the nozzle hole forming surface.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, the guide needle has a tip protruding from the nozzle hole forming surface, and there is a protruding portion of the guide needle in the liquid droplet immediately after being discharged from the discharge nozzle hole. It becomes a state to do. As a result, the flight direction of the liquid droplets discharged and starting to fly can be corrected by the guide needle.

  Application Example 5 In the liquid material discharge head according to the application example described above, the discharge nozzle hole is formed such that the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface. It is preferable that they substantially coincide with the axial direction of the nozzle holes.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The flight direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by design. Since the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, the flight direction of the liquid material is set by guiding the flight direction of the liquid material to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by the guide needle. Deviation from the direction can be suppressed.

  Application Example 6 In the liquid material discharge head according to the application example described above, the discharge nozzle hole has an axial direction formed substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the guide needle has an axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. It is preferable to incline with respect to the axial direction of the nozzle hole.

  According to this liquid discharge head, the axial direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The flight direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by design. By guiding the axial direction of the guide needle with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, the flight direction of the liquid material is guided by the guide needle in the direction inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, The flight direction can be guided in a direction different from the direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface.

  Application Example 7 In the liquid material discharge head according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the axial direction of the guide needle is determined according to characteristics of an object on which the liquid material is landed.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, the axial direction of the guide needle is determined according to the characteristics of the target object on which the liquid material is landed. Therefore, the discharge direction of the liquid material from the discharge nozzle hole is determined according to the characteristics of the target object. It becomes possible to make it an appropriate direction, and the discharge nozzle hole can be used efficiently. For example, in general, discharge is not performed from the discharge nozzle hole facing the boundary portion of the region where the liquid material is landed. In accordance with the shape of the landing target, in the discharge nozzle hole facing the non-landing portion, the direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, so that the landing position is set to the region where the liquid material is disposed. Can do. As a result, the discharge nozzle hole that stops when the inclined guide needle is not disposed can also be operated effectively according to the shape of the landing target.

  Application Example 8 In the liquid discharge head according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the liquid material discharge head further includes needle support means for supporting the guide needle so that the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed.

  According to this liquid material discharge head, the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed using the needle support means for supporting the guide needle so that the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed. For example, the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed in the direction in which the liquid material is discharged toward the most preferable direction at the time when the liquid material is discharged from the discharge nozzle hole according to the shape of the landing target.

  Application Example 9 In the liquid material discharge head according to the above application example, needle direction control means for controlling the direction of the guide needle by controlling the needle support means, and the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole Landing position information acquisition means for acquiring information on the landing position of the landing, the needle direction control means, the direction of the guide needle according to the information on the landing position acquired by the landing position information acquisition means Is preferably controlled.

According to this liquid material discharge head, the landing position information acquisition unit acquires information on the landing position of the liquid material, and the needle direction control unit controls the direction of the guide needle according to the acquired information on the landing position.
For example, when the landing position of the liquid material discharged and landed in the discharge nozzle hole is deviated from a predetermined position, information on the landing position of the liquid material is acquired by the landing position information acquisition unit. The needle direction control means tilts the direction of the guide needle in a direction to correct the deviation of the landing position of the liquid material, thereby guiding the liquid material in the direction of correcting the deviation of the ejection direction, thereby reducing the deviation of the landing position. can do.

  Application Example 10 A liquid material ejection apparatus according to this application example includes the above-described liquid material ejection head and a moving device that relatively moves the liquid material ejection head and a substrate on which the liquid material is landed. Features.

  According to the liquid material discharge apparatus according to this application example, by including the guide needle, the liquid material discharge head that can guide the discharge direction of the liquid material in an appropriate direction is provided. The liquid material can be landed on the surface.

  [Application Example 11] A liquid material discharge method according to this application example is a liquid material discharge method for discharging a liquid material from discharge nozzle holes formed in an opening on a nozzle hole forming surface. The direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole is guided by a guide needle disposed at a position penetrating the opening of the discharge nozzle hole.

According to the liquid material discharge method according to this application example, the direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole is guided by the guide needle disposed in the opening of the discharge nozzle hole for discharging the liquid material.
Generally, when an object is present in a flow path through which a liquid material flows, kinetic energy is reduced by receiving resistance due to the liquid material hitting the object. What is subtracted is a component in a direction perpendicular to the object surface that the liquid hits. The liquid material discharged from the opening of the discharge nozzle hole is subjected to resistance by being in contact with a guide needle existing in the opening of the discharge nozzle hole, so that the kinetic energy is reduced. What is reduced at this time is a component in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the guide needle, that is, a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide needle. For this reason, when the direction of the discharged liquid material is a direction intersecting the axial direction of the guide needle, the direction of the liquid material is corrected to a direction in which the intersecting angle becomes smaller. Accordingly, by arranging the guide needle at the opening of the discharge nozzle hole, the direction of the discharged liquid material can be corrected to a direction close to the direction along the axial direction of the guide needle.
When the direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole is regulated by the shape of the discharge nozzle hole by guiding the direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole by the guide needle In comparison with this, the direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole can be defined more accurately.

  Application Example 12 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example described above, the surface of the guide needle is preferably lyophilic with respect to the liquid material.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, the surface of the guide needle disposed at the opening of the discharge nozzle hole for discharging the liquid material has lyophilicity with respect to the liquid material. Since the surface of the guide needle is lyophilic with respect to the liquid material, the guide needle gets wet with the liquid material, so that the liquid material does not get wet from the portion of the guide needle wet with the liquid material. A force in the direction of spreading spreads on the part. Therefore, an axial force of the guide needle acts on the liquid material along the surface of the guide needle. Thereby, the direction of the discharged liquid can be guided to the direction of the guide needle.

  Application Example 13 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example described above, it is preferable that a plurality of the guide needles are provided for one discharge nozzle hole.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, a plurality of guide needles are arranged for one discharge nozzle hole. By using a plurality of guide needles, the surface area of the guide needles can be increased while keeping the same cross-sectional area of the guide needles in the cross-sectional area of the discharge nozzle hole as the cross-section of the flow path of the liquid material.

  Application Example 14 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example described above, it is preferable that a tip of the guide needle protrudes from the nozzle hole forming surface.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, the guide needle has a tip protruding from the nozzle hole forming surface, and there is a protruding portion of the guide needle in the liquid droplet immediately after being discharged from the discharge nozzle hole. It becomes a state to do. As a result, the flight direction of the liquid droplets discharged and starting to fly can be corrected by the guide needle.

  Application Example 15 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example, the discharge nozzle hole has an axial direction formed substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the guide needle has an axial direction that is the discharge direction. It is preferable that they substantially coincide with the axial direction of the nozzle holes.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The flight direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by design. Since the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, the flight direction of the liquid material is set by guiding the flight direction of the liquid material to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by the guide needle. Deviation from the direction can be suppressed.

  Application Example 16 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example, the discharge nozzle hole has an axial direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the guide needle has an axial direction that is the discharge nozzle hole. It is preferable to incline with respect to the axial direction of the nozzle hole.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, the axial direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The flight direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole by design. By guiding the axial direction of the guide needle with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, the flight direction of the liquid material is guided by the guide needle in the direction inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, The flight direction can be guided in a direction different from the direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface.

  Application Example 17 In the liquid discharge method according to the application example, the liquid discharge method includes an object characteristic acquisition step of acquiring characteristics of an object on which the liquid is landed, and the axial direction of the guide needle is the object characteristic It is preferable to be determined according to the characteristic acquired in the acquisition step.

According to this liquid material discharge method, the characteristics of the object on which the liquid material is landed are acquired in the object characteristics acquisition step, and the axial direction of the guide needle is determined according to the acquired characteristics. For this reason, it becomes possible to make the discharge direction of the liquid material from the discharge nozzle hole an appropriate direction according to the characteristics of the landing target, and the discharge nozzle hole can be used efficiently.
For example, in general, discharge is not performed from the discharge nozzle hole facing the boundary portion of the region where the liquid material is landed. In accordance with the shape of the landing target, in the discharge nozzle hole facing the non-landing portion, the direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, so that the landing position is set to the region where the liquid material is disposed. Can do. As a result, the discharge nozzle hole that stops when the inclined guide needle is not disposed can also be operated effectively according to the shape of the landing target.

  Application Example 18 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example described above, the liquid material discharge method further includes a direction adjustment step of adjusting an discharge direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole by changing an axial direction of the guide needle. It is preferable.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, in the direction adjusting step, the discharge direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole is adjusted by changing the axial direction of the guide needle. Accordingly, for example, the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed in the direction in which the liquid material is discharged toward the most preferable direction at the time when the liquid material is discharged from the discharge nozzle hole according to the shape of the landing target. .

  Application Example 19 In the liquid material discharge method according to the application example, the liquid material discharge method further includes a landing position information acquisition step of acquiring landing position information of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole, and the direction adjustment step includes: It is preferable to adjust the axial direction of the guide needle based on the landing position information.

  According to this liquid material discharge method, the landing position information of the liquid material that has been discharged and landed from the discharge nozzle hole in the landing position information acquisition step is acquired, and in the direction adjustment step, the guide needle of the guide needle is acquired based on the acquired landing position information. Perform axial adjustment. For example, when the landing position of the liquid material discharged and landed in the discharge nozzle hole is deviated from a predetermined landing position, information on the landing position of the liquid material is acquired in the landing position information acquisition step. In the direction adjusting step, the direction of the guide needle is tilted in a direction to correct the deviation of the landing position of the liquid material, thereby guiding the liquid material in the direction of correcting the deviation of the landing position and reducing the deviation of the landing position. be able to.

  [Application Example 20] The liquid material discharge method according to the application example described above further includes an object characteristic acquisition step of acquiring characteristics of an object on which the liquid material is landed, and the direction adjustment step includes the acquisition of the object characteristic. It is preferable to adjust the guide needle in the axial direction according to the characteristics acquired in the process.

According to this liquid material discharge method, the characteristics of the object on which the liquid material is landed are acquired in the object characteristics acquisition step, and the axial adjustment of the guide needle is performed in the direction adjustment step according to the acquired characteristics. For this reason, it becomes possible to make the discharge direction of the liquid material from the discharge nozzle hole an appropriate direction according to the characteristics of the landing target, and the discharge nozzle hole can be used efficiently.
For example, in general, discharge is not performed from the discharge nozzle hole facing the boundary portion of the region where the liquid material is landed. In accordance with the shape of the landing target, in the discharge nozzle hole facing the non-landing portion, the direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole, so that the landing position is set to the region where the liquid material is disposed. Can do. As a result, the discharge nozzle hole that stops when the inclined guide needle is not disposed can also be operated effectively according to the shape of the landing target.

  [Application Example 21] A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to this application example includes the above-described liquid discharge head, the above-described liquid discharge device, or the above-described liquid discharge method. A film is formed.

  According to the method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to this application example, by having the guide needle, the liquid discharge head that can guide the discharge direction of the liquid to an appropriate direction, and the guide needle, the liquid is discharged. A liquid discharge apparatus having a liquid discharge head capable of guiding the discharge direction of a body in an appropriate direction, or a liquid discharge method capable of guiding the discharge direction of a liquid in an appropriate direction by a guide needle A functional film is formed using the same. For this reason, the liquid for forming the functional film can be landed and disposed at an appropriate position for forming the functional film. Thereby, a functional film having a suitable function can be formed by having an accurate shape and thickness, and an electro-optical device having a suitable function can be manufactured.

  Application Example 22 An electronic apparatus according to this application example includes an electro-optical device manufactured by using the above-described method for manufacturing an electro-optical device.

  According to the electronic apparatus according to this application example, the liquid discharge head, the liquid discharge apparatus, or the liquid discharge liquid that can land and arrange the liquid for forming the functional film at an appropriate position for forming the functional film An electro-optical device in which a functional film is formed using a body discharge method is provided. Since the functional film has a suitable function by having an accurate shape and thickness, the electro-optical device having the functional film has a suitable function. Thereby, an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device can realize a suitable function.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a droplet discharge device. (A) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the droplet discharge head from the nozzle plate side. (B) is a perspective sectional view showing a structure around a pressure chamber of a droplet discharge head. (A) is sectional drawing in the direction substantially parallel to the extension direction of a nozzle row which shows the structure of the part of the discharge nozzle of a droplet discharge head. (B) is sectional drawing in the direction substantially perpendicular | vertical to the extension direction of a nozzle row which shows the structure of the part of a discharge nozzle. (C) is a top view of the part of a discharge nozzle. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the functional liquid in the discharge nozzle at the time of non-discharge. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the state in which a functional liquid is discharged straight from a discharge nozzle. (C) is explanatory drawing which shows the state when the force by which a discharge direction is bent acts on the functional liquid discharged from a discharge nozzle. (D) is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the direction of the force which acts on the functional liquid discharged from a discharge nozzle. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a head unit. Explanatory drawing which shows the electrical structure and signal flow of a droplet discharge head. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement position of a discharge nozzle. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land linearly in the extension direction of a nozzle row. (C) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land linearly in the main scanning direction. (D) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land in surface shape. The disassembled perspective view which shows schematic structure of a liquid crystal display panel. (A) is a top view which shows typically the planar structure of a counter substrate. (B) is a top view which shows typically the planar structure of a mother opposing substrate. (A) is a schematic top view which shows a stripe arrangement | sequence. (B) is a schematic plan view showing a mosaic arrangement. (C) is a schematic plan view showing a delta arrangement. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a discharge nozzle portion in a droplet discharge head in a direction substantially perpendicular to an extending direction of a nozzle row. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a discharge nozzle portion in a droplet discharge head in a direction substantially parallel to an extending direction of a nozzle row. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement position of a discharge nozzle. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land linearly in the extension direction of a nozzle row. (C) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land in surface shape. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a discharge nozzle portion in a droplet discharge head in a direction substantially parallel to an extending direction of a nozzle row. Explanatory drawing which shows the shape of the guide needle in the direction substantially parallel to a nozzle formation surface with a discharge nozzle. (A) is the perspective view which showed an example of the mobile telephone. (B) is the perspective view which showed an example of portable information processing apparatuses, such as a word processor and a personal computer. (C) is the perspective view which showed an example of the wristwatch type electronic device. (D) is an external perspective view showing a liquid crystal television as an example of information equipment.

  Preferred embodiments of a liquid material discharge head, a liquid material discharge device, a liquid material discharge method, a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, and an electronic apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, in the step of manufacturing a color filter substrate of a liquid crystal display panel constituting a liquid crystal display device which is an example of an electro-optical device, the liquid having nozzle holes used in the step of manufacturing a functional film such as a color filter film is used. An example of a droplet discharge apparatus having an inkjet droplet discharge head as an example of a body discharge head will be described. In the drawings referred to in the following description, the vertical and horizontal scales of members or portions may be shown differently from actual ones for convenience of illustration.

<Droplet ejection method>
First, a droplet discharge method used for forming a functional film such as a filter film will be described. The droplet discharge method has an advantage that a material is less wasted and a desired amount of material can be accurately placed at a desired position. Examples of the discharge technique of the droplet discharge method include a charge control method, a pressure vibration method, an electromechanical conversion method, an electrothermal conversion method, and an electrostatic suction method.
Among them, the electromechanical conversion method uses the property that a piezoelectric element (piezoelectric element) deforms in response to a pulsed electric signal, and the piezoelectric material is deformed and the liquid containing the material is stored in the space. Pressure is applied through a member formed of a flexible material, and the liquid material is pushed out from this space and discharged from a discharge nozzle (discharge nozzle hole). The piezo method has the advantage that there is almost no influence on the composition of the material due to the heat, because the liquid is hardly heated. Further, since the size of the droplet can be easily adjusted by adjusting the driving conditions such as the driving voltage, there is an advantage that an accurate discharge amount can be realized. In this embodiment, since the composition of the material is not affected, the degree of freedom in selecting the liquid material is high, and since the size of the droplet can be easily adjusted, the controllability of the droplet is good. A droplet discharge head using the piezo method will be described as an example.

<Droplet ejection device>
Next, the overall configuration of the droplet discharge device 1 including the droplet discharge head 17 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a droplet discharge device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the droplet discharge device 1 includes a head mechanism unit 2, a work mechanism unit 3, a functional liquid supply unit 4, and a maintenance device unit 5. The head mechanism unit 2 includes a droplet discharge head 17 that discharges a functional liquid as a liquid as droplets. The work mechanism unit 3 includes a work mounting table 23 on which a work 20 that is a discharge target of liquid droplets discharged from the liquid droplet discharge head 17 is mounted. The functional liquid supply unit 4 includes a relay tank and a liquid supply tube. The liquid supply tube is connected to the droplet discharge head 17, and the functional liquid is discharged to the droplet discharge head 17 through the liquid supply tube. To be supplied. The maintenance device unit 5 includes devices for inspecting or maintaining the droplet discharge head 17. The droplet discharge device 1 also includes a discharge device control unit 6 that comprehensively controls these mechanism units.

  Furthermore, the droplet discharge device 1 includes a plurality of support legs 8 installed on the floor, and a surface plate 9 that is supported by the support legs 8 and has a flat, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. On the upper side of the surface plate 9, the work mechanism unit 3 is arranged in a state extending in the longitudinal direction of the surface plate 9 (this direction is expressed as “X-axis direction”). Above the work mechanism unit 3, the head mechanism unit 2 supported by two support columns fixed to the surface plate 9 is parallel to the upper surface of the surface plate 9 and is orthogonal to the work mechanism unit 3. (This direction is expressed as “Y-axis direction”.) The side of the surface plate 9 communicates with the droplet discharge head 17 of the head mechanism section 2. A functional liquid tank or the like of the functional liquid supply unit 4 having a supply pipe is disposed in the vicinity of one support column of the head mechanism unit 2 and the maintenance device unit 5 along with the work mechanism unit 3 in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, a discharge device control unit 6 is accommodated below the surface plate 9.

  The head mechanism unit 2 includes a head unit 21 having a droplet discharge head 17, a head carriage 25 having a head unit 21, and a moving frame 22 on which the head carriage 25 is suspended. By moving the moving frame 22 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis table 12, the droplet discharge head 17 is freely moved in the Y-axis direction. Moreover, it holds at the moved position. The workpiece mechanism unit 3 moves the workpiece mounting table 23 in the X-axis direction by moving the workpiece mounting table 23 in the X-axis direction by the X-axis table 11, thereby freely moving the workpiece 20 mounted on the workpiece mounting table 23 in the X-axis direction. Moreover, it holds at the moved position.

  As described above, the droplet discharge head 17 moves to the discharge position in the Y-axis direction and stops, and discharges the functional liquid as droplets in synchronization with the movement of the workpiece 20 below in the X-axis direction. By controlling the workpiece 20 moving in the X-axis direction and the droplet discharge head 17 moving in the Y-axis direction relatively, the droplets are landed at an arbitrary position on the workpiece 20 to obtain a desired plane. It is possible to perform shape drawing.

<Droplet ejection head>
Next, the droplet discharge head 17 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the droplet discharge head. 2A is an external perspective view of the droplet discharge head as viewed from the nozzle plate side, and FIG. 2B is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the structure around the pressure chamber of the droplet discharge head. FIG. 3 is a view showing the structure of the discharge nozzle portion of the droplet discharge head. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the discharge nozzle portion of the droplet discharge head in a direction substantially parallel to the extending direction of the nozzle row, and FIG. 3B is a view of the discharge nozzle portion. FIG. 3C is a sectional view showing the structure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of the nozzle row, and FIG. 3C is a plan view of a discharge nozzle portion.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the droplet discharge head 17 is a so-called two-unit type, and includes a liquid introduction unit 71 having two connection needles 72 and 72, and a side of the liquid introduction unit 71. A head substrate 73 that is continuous, a pump portion 75 that is continuous with the liquid introduction portion 71, and a nozzle plate 76 that is continuous with the pump portion 75 are provided. A pipe connection member is connected to each connection needle 72 of the liquid introduction part 71, a liquid supply tube is connected via the pipe connection member, and functions from the functional liquid supply part 4 connected to the liquid supply tube. Liquid is supplied. A pair of head connectors 77, 77 are mounted on the head substrate 73, and a flexible flat cable (FFC cable) is connected via the head connector 77. The droplet discharge head 17 is connected to the discharge device control unit 6 via an FFC cable, and signals are exchanged via the FFC cable. The pump unit 75 and the nozzle plate 76 constitute a substantially rectangular head main body 74.

  A flange portion 79 is formed in a square flange shape on the base side of the pump unit 75, that is, the base side of the head main body 74 so as to receive the liquid introduction unit 71 and the head substrate 73. The flange portion 79 is formed with a pair of screw holes (female screws) 79 a for small screws for fixing the droplet discharge head 17. The droplet discharge head 17 is fixed to the head holding member by a head set screw that passes through a head holding member for holding the droplet discharge head 17 and is screwed into the screw hole 79a.

  On the nozzle forming surface 76a of the nozzle plate 76, two nozzle rows 78A are formed which are formed on the nozzle plate 76 and include discharge nozzles 78 for discharging droplets. The two nozzle rows 78A are arranged in parallel to each other, and each nozzle row 78A is configured by, for example, 180 (schematically illustrated) discharge nozzles 78 arranged at an equal pitch. . That is, two nozzle rows 78A are disposed on the nozzle forming surface 76a of the head body 74 with the center line therebetween. The discharge nozzle 78 corresponds to a discharge nozzle hole, and the nozzle formation surface 76a corresponds to a nozzle hole formation surface.

  In a state where the droplet discharge head 17 is attached to the droplet discharge device 1, the nozzle row 78A extends in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. The positions of the discharge nozzles 78 constituting the two nozzle rows 78A are shifted from each other by a half nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction. One nozzle pitch is 140 μm, for example. At the same position in the X-axis direction, droplets discharged from the discharge nozzles 78 constituting each nozzle row 78A land on a straight line at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction by design. When the nozzle pitch of the discharge nozzles 78 in the nozzle row 78A is 140 μm, the center-to-center distance between the landing positions that are connected in a straight line is 70 μm by design.

As shown in FIG. 2B, in the droplet discharge head 17, the pressure chamber plate 51 constituting the pump unit 75 is stacked on the nozzle plate 76, and the vibration plate 52 is stacked on the pressure chamber plate 51. .
The pressure chamber plate 51 is formed with a liquid reservoir chamber 55 that is always filled with the functional liquid supplied from the liquid introducing portion 71 via the liquid supply hole 53 of the vibration plate 52. The liquid reservoir 55 is a space surrounded by the vibration plate 52, the nozzle plate 76, and the wall of the pressure chamber plate 51. Further, the pressure chamber plate 51 is formed with a pressure chamber 58 partitioned by a plurality of head partition walls 57. A space surrounded by the vibration plate 52, the nozzle plate 76, and the two head partition walls 57 is a pressure chamber 58.

  The pressure chambers 58 are provided corresponding to the discharge nozzles 78, and the number of pressure chambers 58 and the number of discharge nozzles 78 are the same. The functional liquid is supplied from the liquid storage chamber 55 to the pressure chamber 58 via the supply port 56 positioned between the two head partition walls 57. A set of the head partition wall 57, the pressure chamber 58, the discharge nozzle 78, and the supply port 56 is arranged in a line along the liquid storage chamber 55, and the discharge nozzles 78 arranged in a line form a nozzle line 78A. Yes. Although not shown in FIG. 2B, another row of discharge nozzles 78 arranged in a row at a substantially symmetrical position with respect to the liquid reservoir chamber 55 with respect to the nozzle row 78 </ b> A including the illustrated discharge nozzles 78. A nozzle row 78A is formed, and the corresponding head partition wall 57, pressure chamber 58, and supply port 56 are arranged in a row.

One end of each piezoelectric element 59 is fixed to the portion of the diaphragm 52 that constitutes the pressure chamber 58. The other end of the piezoelectric element 59 is fixed to a base (not shown) that supports the entire droplet discharge head 17 via a fixing plate (not shown).
The piezoelectric element 59 has an active portion in which an electrode layer and a piezoelectric material are laminated. By applying a driving voltage to the electrode layer, the active portion is in the longitudinal direction (the thickness direction of the diaphragm 52 in FIG. 2B). ). By contracting the active portion, the diaphragm 52 to which one end of the piezoelectric element 59 is fixed receives a force that is pulled to the side opposite to the pressure chamber 58. When the diaphragm 52 is pulled to the opposite side of the pressure chamber 58, the diaphragm 52 is bent to the opposite side of the pressure chamber 58. Thereby, since the volume of the pressure chamber 58 increases, the functional liquid is supplied from the liquid reservoir chamber 55 to the pressure chamber 58 through the supply port 56. Next, when the driving voltage applied to the electrode layer is released, the active portion returns to the original length, and the piezoelectric element 59 presses the diaphragm 52. When the diaphragm 52 is pressed, it returns to the pressure chamber 58 side. As a result, the volume of the pressure chamber 58 suddenly returns to the original, that is, the increased volume is reduced, so that pressure is applied to the functional liquid filled in the pressure chamber 58 and the pressure chamber 58 communicates with the pressure chamber 58. The functional liquid is discharged as droplets from the discharge nozzle 78 formed in this manner.

  The discharge device control unit 6 controls the discharge of the functional liquid to each of the plurality of discharge nozzles 78 by controlling the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 59, that is, by controlling the drive signal. More specifically, the volume of droplets ejected from the ejection nozzle 78, the number of droplets ejected per unit time, and the like can be changed. This makes it possible to change the distance between the droplets that have landed on the substrate, the amount of the functional liquid to land on a certain area on the substrate, and the like. For example, by selectively using a discharge nozzle 78 that discharges droplets from among a plurality of discharge nozzles 78 arranged in the nozzle row 78A, the range of the length of the nozzle row 78A in the extending direction of the nozzle row 78A. In this case, a plurality of droplets can be discharged simultaneously at the pitch interval of the discharge nozzles 78. In a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the nozzle row 78A, the substrate and the discharge nozzle 78 are moved relative to each other, and the discharge nozzle 78 is located at an arbitrary position on the substrate where the discharge nozzle 78 can face in the relative movement direction. It is possible to arrange liquid droplets discharged from the liquid crystal. In addition, the volume of the droplet discharged from each of the discharge nozzles 78 is variable between 1 pl and 300 pl (picoliter), for example.

As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge nozzle 78 is a hole having a substantially cylindrical space formed in the nozzle plate 76, and the edge of the opening that opens into the pressure chamber 58 of the hole is chamfered. The wall surface of the discharge nozzle 78 is treated so as to be lyophilic with respect to the functional liquid so that the liquid surface of the functional liquid can easily reach the edge of the nozzle forming surface 76a. The nozzle forming surface 76a is treated so as to have liquid repellency with respect to the functional liquid in order to suppress adhesion of the functional liquid.
In the pressure chamber 58, the needle support portion 32 is fixed to the vibration plate 52 and disposed at a position facing the discharge nozzle 78 in the vibration plate 52. A guide needle 31 is erected on the needle support portion 32. The guide needle 31 penetrates the position of the axis of the substantially cylindrical discharge nozzle 78 and protrudes from the nozzle forming surface 76 a of the nozzle plate 76. The surface of the guide needle 31 is processed so as to be lyophilic with respect to the functional liquid.

  As shown in FIGS. 2B, 3A, and 3B, the diaphragm pressing member 33 is fixed to the surface of the diaphragm 52 opposite to the surface to which the needle support portion 32 is fixed. ing. The diaphragm pressing member 33 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is arranged in a state of extending substantially parallel to the nozzle row 78A. Since the portion of the diaphragm 52 where the diaphragm pressing member 33 is fixed is fixed to the diaphragm pressing member 33 having high rigidity, the diaphragm 52 is driven by driving the piezoelectric element 59 and pressing the diaphragm 52. Even when is deformed, it hardly deforms. Accordingly, the needle support portion 32 fixed to the pressure chamber 58 side of the portion of the diaphragm 52 where the diaphragm pressing member 33 is fixed supports the guide needle 31 with little movement even when the piezoelectric element 59 is driven. ing. Thereby, the relative position between the guide needle 31 and the discharge nozzle 78 is such that the guide needle 31 shown in FIG. 3 penetrates the position of the axis of the discharge nozzle 78 even when the piezoelectric element 59 is driven to discharge a droplet. The positional relationship is maintained.

<Discharge from discharge nozzle>
Next, the behavior of the droplets of the functional liquid 80 discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the behavior of functional liquid droplets discharged from the discharge nozzle. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state of the functional liquid in the discharge nozzle during non-discharge, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which the functional liquid is discharged straight from the discharge nozzle. . FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where a force that causes the discharge direction to bend is applied to the functional liquid discharged from the discharge nozzle, and FIG. 4D is discharged from the discharge nozzle. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the direction of the force which acts on a functional liquid.

  In the droplet discharge device 1, the position of the liquid surface of the functional liquid 80 in the discharge nozzle 78 of the liquid droplet discharge head 17 is appropriately adjusted by appropriately adjusting the supply pressure of the functional liquid 80 from the functional liquid supply unit 4. The position is adjusted. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the position of the liquid surface of the functional liquid 80 is generally adjusted to the opening position of the discharge nozzle 78. By having the liquid level at this position, the functional liquid 80 can be substantially prevented from flowing out of the discharge nozzle 78 when the droplet discharge head 17 is not operating. At the same time, in addition to the operation of the droplet discharge head 17, the pressure can be prevented from being used to move the functional liquid 80 in the droplet discharge head 17.

  The shape of the liquid surface of the functional liquid 80 in the discharge nozzle 78 is such that the wall surface of the discharge nozzle 78 is lyophilic with respect to the functional liquid 80, so that the portion wetted by the wall surface with respect to the center side is on the atmosphere side. It becomes a shape. Since the droplet discharge head 17 is attached to the droplet discharge apparatus 1 with the nozzle formation surface 76a facing downward in the vertical direction, the meniscus of the liquid surface of the functional liquid 80 in the discharge nozzle 78 is on the lower side. . Furthermore, since the surface of the guide needle 31 disposed in the center of the discharge nozzle 78 is lyophilic with respect to the functional liquid 80, the portion in contact with the surface of the guide needle 31 spreads wet on the surface of the guide needle 31. Due to the force, a downward force is received along the surface of the guide needle 31. For this reason, the portion of the functional liquid 80 that is in contact with the surface of the guide needle 31 is located at a position lower than the surrounding liquid level determined by the supply pressure of the functional liquid 80 from the functional liquid supply unit 4. . The force that the functional liquid 80 spreads on the surface of the guide needle 31 is referred to as lyophilic force. The direction of the lyophilic force by the guide needle 31 is a direction parallel to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle 78 as indicated by an arrow a.

  Next, the state of droplets of the functional liquid 80 when the functional liquid 80 is discharged in a predetermined appropriate direction will be described. As described above, when the piezoelectric element 59 is driven and the pressure in the pressure chamber 58 is increased, the functional liquid 80 is pushed out as shown in FIG. The direction of the pushing force applied to the extruded droplet 80 a is the axial direction of the discharge nozzle 78, which is a cylindrical hole indicated by the arrow A in FIG. Discharged in the axial direction.

At this time, the direction of the lyophilic force generated by the presence of the guide needle 31 is substantially the same as the direction of the pushing force, and the discharge direction of the droplet 80a is substantially affected by the lyophilic force. rare. For this reason, the discharge direction by discharge pressure is maintained irrespective of presence of lyophilic power.
Since the guide needle 31 exists in the movement path of the droplet 80a, the droplet 80a receives a drag force when the droplet 80a hits the guide needle 31. However, the moving direction of the ejected droplet 80a is the axial direction of the ejection nozzle 78, which is along the surface of the guide needle 31 and parallel to the axis of the guide needle 31, so that the droplet 80a is guided. It is not in a state of hitting the needle 31. For this reason, when the droplet 80a is discharged in an appropriate direction, the discharge direction of the droplet 80a is not substantially affected by the presence of the guide needle 31, and the discharge direction by the discharge pressure is maintained. Is done.

  Next, the state of the liquid droplets of the functional liquid 80 when the direction in which the functional liquid 80 is discharged is a direction deviated from a predetermined appropriate direction will be described. As shown in FIG. 4C, when a foreign substance such as the deposit 82 adheres to the wall surface of the discharge nozzle 78, the droplet is ejected due to the influence of the drag due to the presence of the deposit 82. The direction of the movement may deviate. For example, the droplet 80d indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4C is different in the direction indicated by the arrow d from the set appropriate direction in which the discharge direction is the same as the direction indicated by the arrow a. is there.

  When the droplet 80d is about to be discharged in the direction of the arrow d different from the axial direction of the discharge nozzle 78, the direction of the lyophilic force generated by the presence of the guide needle 31 is as described above. 78 is the axial direction (the direction of arrow a), which is different from the direction in which the droplet 80d is to be ejected. The droplet 80d is subjected to the resultant force of the pushing force due to the discharge pressure whose force direction is the direction of the arrow d and the force due to the lyophilic force whose force direction is the direction of the arrow a. The direction of the resultant force is closer to the direction of the force due to the lyophilic force (the direction of the arrow a) than the direction of the pushing force (the direction of the arrow d). For this reason, the direction in which the droplet 80d is discharged is corrected to the side approaching a predetermined direction (the direction of arrow A) by the lyophilic force.

  When the droplet 80d is about to be discharged in the direction of the arrow d different from the axial direction of the discharge nozzle 78, the droplet 80d hits the guide needle 31 due to the presence of the guide needle 31. The droplet 80d receives a drag force when it hits the guide needle 31. The component force in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 in the drag is a force generated by rubbing the droplet 80d and the surface of the guide needle 31 against each other. This component force reduces the discharge speed of the droplet 80d. The component force in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 (the direction of the arrow c in FIG. 4C) is the reaction force caused by the droplet 80 d colliding with the surface of the guide needle 31. The direction in which the droplet 80d is ejected is corrected by this component force. The direction in which the droplet 80d1 in which the direction in which the droplet 80d is discharged is corrected is corrected is closer to the predetermined direction (the direction of the arrow A).

As shown in FIG. 4D, the force Fd1 applied to the droplet 80d1 is obtained as a resultant force of the above-described force, and the droplet 80d1 is ejected in the direction of the force Fd1.
The force Fd in which the pushing force due to the pressure in the pressure chamber 58 is affected by the deposit 82 acts to discharge the droplet 80d in the direction of the arrow d. The lyophilic force Fa due to the guide needle 31 getting wet with the functional liquid 80 forming the droplet 80d is a force in the direction of the arrow a parallel to the axial direction of the guide needle 31. The component force Fc in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 (the direction of the arrow c) of the drag force caused by the droplet 80d hitting the guide needle 31 is the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 and This is a force in a direction to bring the direction of Fd closer to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 (direction of arrow A). A component force FA is a component force in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the guide needle 31 (in the direction of arrow A), which is a drag generated when the droplet 80d hits the guide needle 31.
Note that the magnitudes of the force Fd, the lyophilic force Fa, the component force Fc, and the component force FA vary depending on the direction of the initial pushing force, the shape of the guide needle 31, and the like, and the force Fd1 depends on the magnitude of each force. The direction and size are also different directions and sizes.

<Head unit>
Next, a schematic configuration of the head unit 21 provided in the head mechanism unit 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the head unit. The X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 5 coincide with the X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the droplet discharge device 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the head unit 21 includes a carriage plate 61 and nine droplet discharge heads 17 mounted on the carriage plate 61. The droplet discharge head 17 is fixed to the carriage plate 61 via a head holding member (not shown). In the fixed droplet discharge head 17, the head main body 74 is loosely fitted in a hole (not shown) formed in the carriage plate 61, and the nozzle plate 76 (head main body 74) protrudes from the surface of the carriage plate 61. Yes. FIG. 5 is a view as seen from the nozzle plate 76 (nozzle formation surface 76a) side. The nine droplet discharge heads 17 are divided in the Y-axis direction to form three groups of head groups 62 each having three droplet discharge heads 17. The nozzle row 78 </ b> A of each droplet discharge head 17 extends in the Y-axis direction when the head unit 21 is attached to the droplet discharge device 1.

The three droplet discharge heads 17 included in one head set 62 are more than the discharge nozzles 78 at the ends of one droplet discharge head 17 of the droplet discharge heads 17 adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction. The discharge nozzle 78 at the end of one of the droplet discharge heads 17 is disposed at a position where it is shifted by a half nozzle pitch. In the three droplet discharge heads 17 included in the head set 62, if the positions of all the discharge nozzles 78 in the X axis direction are the same, the discharge nozzles 78 are arranged at equal intervals of a half nozzle pitch in the Y axis direction. In other words, at the same position in the X-axis direction, the droplets ejected from the ejection nozzles 78 constituting each nozzle row 78A included in each droplet ejection head 17 are arranged at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction by design. To land on a straight line.
Since the droplet discharge heads 17 overlap each other in the Y-axis direction, the head set 62 is configured in a stepwise manner in the X-axis direction.

  The three head groups 62 included in the head unit 21 are arranged at positions where one head group nozzle array included in each of the head units 21 is shifted by a half nozzle pitch of the nozzle array 78A in the Y-axis direction. In other words, each head unit 21 has the other of the droplet discharge heads 17 constituting the adjacent head sets 62 with respect to the discharge nozzle 78 at the end of the droplet discharge head 17 in one head set 62. The discharge nozzle 78 at the end of the droplet discharge head 17 in the head set 62 is disposed at a position shifted by a half nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction.

<Discharge of functional liquid>
Next, a discharge control method in the droplet discharge device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrical configuration of the droplet discharge head and a signal flow.

As described above, the droplet discharge device 1 includes the discharge device control unit 6 that controls the operation of each unit of the droplet discharge device 1. The ejection device control unit 6 includes a CPU 44 that outputs a control signal for controlling the operation of each unit of the droplet ejection device 1 and a head driver 17 d that performs electrical drive control of the droplet ejection head 17.
As shown in FIG. 6, the head driver 17d is electrically connected to each droplet discharge head 17 via an FFC cable. Further, the droplet discharge head 17 corresponds to the piezoelectric element 59 provided for each discharge nozzle 78 (see FIG. 2), a shift register (SL) 85, a latch circuit (LAT) 86, and a level shifter (LS). ) 87 and a switch (SW) 88.

  The ejection control in the droplet ejection apparatus 1 is performed as follows. First, the CPU 44 transmits dot pattern data obtained by converting the arrangement pattern of the functional liquid on the drawing target such as the workpiece 20 to the head driver 17d. Then, the head driver 17d decodes the dot pattern data to generate nozzle data that is ON / OFF (discharge / non-discharge) information for each discharge nozzle 78. The nozzle data is converted into a serial signal (SI) and transmitted to each shift register 85 in synchronization with the clock signal (CK).

The nozzle data transmitted to the shift register 85 is latched at the timing when the latch signal (LAT) is input to the latch circuit 86, and further converted into a gate signal for the switch 88 by the level shifter 87. That is, when the nozzle data is “ON”, the switch 88 is opened and the drive signal (COM) is supplied to the piezoelectric element 59. When the nozzle data is “OFF”, the switch 88 is closed and the piezoelectric element 59 is closed. The drive signal (COM) is not supplied. Then, the functional liquid is discharged as droplets from the discharge nozzle 78 corresponding to “ON”, and the discharged droplets of the functional liquid land on the drawing object such as the workpiece 20, and the drawing object. The functional liquid is placed on the top.
The timing at which the latch signal (LAT) is input to the latch circuit 86 is common to, for example, each nozzle row 78A in the droplet discharge head 17, and the functional liquid is substantially simultaneously supplied from the discharge nozzles 78 constituting each nozzle row 78A. Droplets are ejected.

<Landing position>
Next, the relationship between the discharge nozzles 78 and the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles 78 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the discharge nozzles and the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles. FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement positions of the discharge nozzles, and FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed linearly in the extending direction of the nozzle rows, FIG. 7C is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed linearly in the main scanning direction, and FIG. 7D is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed in a planar shape. is there. The X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 7 coincide with the X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the droplet discharge device 1. By discharging a liquid droplet at an arbitrary position while moving the discharge nozzle 78 relative to the workpiece 20 in the direction of the arrow v shown in FIG. , A droplet can be landed at an arbitrary position in the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the discharge nozzles 78 constituting the nozzle row 78A are arranged at the center distance of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction. As described above, the positions of the discharge nozzles 78 constituting the two nozzle arrays 78A in the droplet discharge head 17 are shifted from each other by a half of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction.
As shown in FIG. 7B, the landing point 81 indicating the landing position and the landing circle 81A indicating the wet and spreading state of the landed droplet indicate the state of one landed droplet. By discharging droplets from all of the discharge nozzles 78 of the two nozzle rows 78A onto the virtual line L indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. A straight line is formed in which the landing circles 81 </ b> A are connected at an interval of 2 centers.

As shown in FIG. 7C, by continuously ejecting droplets from one ejection nozzle 78, a straight line formed by landing circles 81A in the X-axis direction is formed. The minimum value of the center-to-center distance between the landing points 81 in the X-axis direction is denoted as the minimum landing distance d. The minimum landing distance d is a product of the relative movement speed (movement distance / movement time) in the main scanning direction and the minimum discharge interval (time) of the discharge nozzle 78.
The minimum discharge interval of the discharge nozzle 78 is an interval at which the latch signal (LAT) described above is input to the latch circuit 86.
As shown in FIG. 7 (d), each droplet is ejected at the timing of landing on the virtual lines L1, L2, and L3 indicated by the alternate long and short dash lines, so that the interval between the centers of the nozzle pitch P is ½. A landing surface in which straight lines connecting the landing circles 81A are arranged in parallel in the X-axis direction is formed. Each landing point 81 when the distance between the virtual lines L1, L2, and L3 shown in FIG. 7D is the minimum landing distance d is a position at which the droplet of the functional liquid can be placed by the droplet discharge device 1. is there.

  In order to draw an image by arranging a droplet or to fill a predetermined section with a liquid material, a landing point 81 that is suitable for drawing the image or filling the section is a landing point where the droplet is arranged. Select 81. By determining whether or not to dispose droplets for each of the landing points 81 shown in FIG. 7D, an arrangement table that defines the positions at which the functional liquids are arranged is formed. According to the arrangement table, by performing discharge at a time corresponding to the corresponding discharge nozzle 78, a desired image is drawn and a desired section is filled.

<Configuration of LCD panel>
Next, a liquid crystal display panel as an example of an object on which a functional film is formed using the droplet discharge device 1 will be described. The liquid crystal display panel 200 (see FIG. 8) is an example of a liquid crystal device, and is a liquid crystal display panel including a color filter for a liquid crystal display panel that is an example of a color filter.
First, the configuration of the liquid crystal display panel 200 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel 200 shown in FIG. 8 is an active matrix type liquid crystal device using a thin film transistor (TFT (Thin Film Transistor) element) as a drive element, and is a transmissive liquid crystal device using a backlight (not shown). .

  As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display panel 200 includes an element substrate 210 having a TFT element 215, a counter substrate 220 having a counter electrode 207, and an element substrate 210 and a counter substrate 220 bonded by a sealing material (not shown). And a liquid crystal (not shown) filled in the gap. A polarizing plate 231 or a polarizing plate 232 is disposed on the surface of the element substrate 210 and the counter substrate 220 which are bonded to each other on the opposite side of the surfaces bonded to each other.

  The element substrate 210 has a TFT element 215, a conductive pixel electrode 217, a scanning line 212, and a signal line 214 formed on a surface of the glass substrate 211 facing the counter substrate 220. An insulating layer 216 is formed so as to fill in between these elements and conductive films, and the scanning line 212 and the signal line 214 are formed so as to cross each other with the insulating layer 216 interposed therebetween. Yes. The scanning line 212 and the signal line 214 are insulated from each other with the insulating layer 216 interposed therebetween. A pixel electrode 217 is formed in a region surrounded by the scanning lines 212 and the signal lines 214. The pixel electrode 217 has a shape in which some corners of the rectangular shape are lacking in the rectangular shape. A TFT element 215 including a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconductor portion, and a gate electrode is incorporated in a portion surrounded by the cutout portion of the pixel electrode 217, the scanning line 212, and the signal line 214. By applying a signal to the scanning line 212 and the signal line 214, the TFT element 215 is turned on / off to control energization to the pixel electrode 217.

  On the surface of the element substrate 210 that is in contact with the liquid crystal, an alignment film 218 is provided to cover the entire region where the scanning lines 212, the signal lines 214, and the pixel electrodes 217 are formed.

  The counter substrate 220 has a color filter (hereinafter referred to as “CF”) layer 208 formed on the surface of the glass substrate 201 facing the element substrate 210. The CF layer 208 includes a partition wall 204, a red filter film 205R, a green filter film 205G, and a blue filter film 205B. On the glass substrate 201, the black matrix 202 which comprises the partition 204 in the grid | lattice form is formed, and the bank 203 is formed on the black matrix 202. FIG. A square filter film region 225 is formed by a partition wall 204 composed of the black matrix 202 and the bank 203. In the filter film region 225, a red filter film 205R, a green filter film 205G, or a blue filter film 205B is formed. The red filter film 205 </ b> R, the green filter film 205 </ b> G, and the blue filter film 205 </ b> B are formed at positions and shapes that face the pixel electrodes 217, respectively.

  A planarizing film 206 is provided on the CF layer 208 (on the element substrate 210 side). On the planarizing film 206, a counter electrode 207 made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO is provided. By providing the planarization film 206, the surface on which the counter electrode 207 is formed is made substantially flat. The counter electrode 207 is a continuous film having a size covering the entire region where the pixel electrode 217 is formed. The counter electrode 207 is connected to a wiring formed on the element substrate 210 through a conduction portion (not shown).

  An alignment film 228 that covers at least the entire surface of the pixel electrode 217 is provided on the surface of the counter substrate 220 in contact with the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal includes an alignment film 228 of the counter substrate 220, an alignment film 218 of the element substrate 210, and a sealing material that bonds the counter substrate 220 and the element substrate 210 in a state where the element substrate 210 and the counter substrate 220 are bonded to each other. The space surrounded by is filled.

  Although the liquid crystal display panel 200 has a transmissive configuration, a reflective layer or a transflective liquid crystal device may be provided by providing a reflective layer or a transflective layer.

<Mother counter substrate>
Next, the mother counter substrate 201A will be described with reference to FIG. The counter substrate 220 is divided to form the above-described CF layer 208 on the mother counter substrate 201A that becomes the glass substrate 201, and then the mother counter substrate 201A is divided into individual counter substrates 220 (glass substrates 201). Formed. FIG. 9A is a plan view schematically illustrating the planar structure of the counter substrate, and FIG. 9B is a plan view schematically illustrating the planar structure of the mother counter substrate. In the present embodiment, a substrate in which the CF layer 208 or the like is formed on the mother counter substrate 201A or a state in the middle of forming the CF layer 208 or the like is also referred to as a mother counter substrate 201A.

  The counter substrate 220 is formed using a glass substrate 201 made of transparent quartz glass having a thickness of approximately 1.0 mm. As shown in FIG. 9A, the counter substrate 220 has a CF layer 208 formed in a portion excluding a slight frame region around the glass substrate 201. The CF layer 208 is formed by forming a plurality of filter film regions 225 in the form of a dot pattern, in the present embodiment in the form of a dot matrix, on the surface of a rectangular glass substrate 201, and forming the filter film 205 in the filter film region 225. Is formed by. An alignment mark (not shown) is formed at a position that does not cover the region where the CF layer 208 is formed on the glass substrate 201. The alignment mark is used as a reference mark for positioning when the glass substrate 201 is attached to a manufacturing apparatus such as the droplet discharge device 1 in order to execute various processes for forming the CF layer 208 and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 9B, a CF layer 208 of the counter substrate 220 is formed on each of the mother counter substrate 201 </ b> A so as to be divided into glass substrates 201.

<Color filter film arrangement>
Next, the arrangement of the filter films 205 (the red filter film 205R, the green filter film 205G, and the blue filter film 205B) in the CF layer 208 and the like formed on the counter substrate 220 and the like will be described with reference to FIG. . FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the arrangement of filter films of a three-color filter.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the filter film 205 includes a plurality of, for example, rectangular filter film regions that are partitioned by partition walls 204 formed in a lattice pattern by a resin material that does not transmit light and are arranged in a dot matrix. It is formed by filling 225 with a color material. For example, a film-shaped filter that fills the filter film region 225 by filling the filter film region 225 with a functional liquid that includes the color material constituting the filter film 205, evaporating the solvent of the functional liquid, and drying the functional liquid. A film 205 is formed. The filter film 205 corresponds to a functional film. The functional liquid containing the color material that constitutes the filter film 205 corresponds to a liquid material.

  As the arrangement of the red filter film 205R, the green filter film 205G, the blue filter film 205B, and the like in the three-color filter, for example, a stripe arrangement, a mosaic arrangement, a delta arrangement, and the like are known. FIG. 10A is a schematic plan view showing the stripe arrangement, FIG. 10B is a schematic plan view showing the mosaic arrangement, and FIG. 10C is a schematic plan view showing the delta arrangement. .

As shown in FIG. 10A, the stripe arrangement is an arrangement in which all the columns of the matrix are the same color red filter film 205R, green filter film 205G, or blue filter film 205B.
As shown in FIG. 10B, the mosaic arrangement is an arrangement in which the color of the filter film 205 is shifted by one for each row in the horizontal direction. In the case of a three-color filter, the mosaic arrangement is arbitrarily arranged on a vertical and horizontal straight line. The three filter films 205 are arranged in three colors.
As shown in FIG. 10C, the delta arrangement is an arrangement in which the filter films 205 are arranged differently, and in the case of a three-color filter, any three adjacent filter films 205 have different colors.

  In the three-color filter shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, or 10C, each of the filter films 205 is any one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). It is made of colored material. A set of filter films 205 each including a red filter film 205R, a green filter film 205G, and a blue filter film 205B that are formed adjacent to each other. A pixel filter 254 "). By selectively allowing light to pass through any one of or a combination of the red filter film 205R, the green filter film 205G, and the blue filter film 205B in one picture element filter 254, the amount of light to be further transmitted Full color display is performed by adjusting.

<Formation of liquid crystal display panel>
In the process of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel 200, the filter film 205 and the like can be formed using the droplet discharge device 1.
In forming the filter film 205, first, a partition wall for partitioning the filter film region 225 is formed on the glass substrate 201. The partition walls are formed by forming the black matrix 202 in a lattice shape, forming the bank 203 thereon, and disposing the partition walls 204 composed of the black matrix 202 and the bank 203 in the lattice shape.

  Next, the droplet discharge head 17 is made to face the surface of the glass substrate 201 on which the filter film region 225 partitioned by the partition wall 204 is formed. The functional liquid is disposed in the filter film region 225 by discharging the functional liquid from the discharge nozzle 78 of the droplet discharge head 17 toward the filter film region 225 where the filter film 205 is to be formed. This process is performed for each filter film 205 of the red filter film 205R, the green filter film 205G, or the blue filter film 205B.

Next, by drying the disposed functional liquid, the red filter film 205R, the green filter film 205G, or the blue filter film 205B is formed in the filter film region 225.
In the process of forming the liquid crystal display panel 200, in addition to the filter film 205, the pixel electrode 217, the scanning line 212, the signal line 214, the alignment film 228, and the like can be formed using the droplet discharge device 1. .

<Droplet discharge head-2>
Next, a droplet discharge head 170 having a different configuration around the guide needle 31 from the droplet discharge head 17 will be described with reference to FIG. The droplet discharge head 170 has basically the same configuration as the droplet discharge head 17, and the arrangement positions of the discharge nozzle 78 and the guide needle 31 are different from the droplet discharge head 17. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view in the direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of the nozzle row, showing the structure of the discharge nozzle portion of the droplet discharge head.

As shown in FIG. 11, the droplet discharge head 170 includes a nozzle plate 176 that is different from the nozzle plate 76 of the droplet discharge head 17 at a position where the discharge nozzle 78 is formed.
The discharge nozzle 78 in the nozzle plate 176 is formed at a central position in the longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber 58 that is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped space.
Similar to the droplet discharge head 17, the needle support portion 32 is fixed to the vibration plate 52 and disposed at a position facing the discharge nozzle 78 in the vibration plate 52 in the pressure chamber 58. A guide needle 31 is erected on the needle support portion 32. The guide needle 31 penetrates the position of the axis of the substantially cylindrical discharge nozzle 78 and protrudes from the nozzle forming surface 176a of the nozzle plate 176.
The piezoelectric element 59 vibrates in the same manner as the piezoelectric element 59 in the droplet discharge head 17 at a position where the center position in the cross section parallel to the surface of the diaphragm 52 substantially coincides with the position where the guide needle 31 is erected. One end is fixed to the plate 52. In other words, the piezoelectric element 59 is fixed substantially at the center of the portion of the diaphragm 52 that faces the pressure chamber 58.
The droplet discharge head 170 does not include a member corresponding to the diaphragm pressing member 33 included in the droplet discharge head 17.

  When the piezoelectric element 59 is driven to expand and contract, the vibration plate 52 is displaced in the approximate center of the portion facing the pressure chamber 58 and thus deformed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the approximate center of the portion facing the pressure chamber 58. The discharge head 170 performs a discharge operation. Since the diaphragm 52 is deformed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the approximate center, the substantially central portion is displaced without being inclined. The guide needle 31 erected at this position does not tilt even when the droplet discharge head 170 performs the discharge operation, and the posture in which the axial direction is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle forming surface 176a is maintained.

<Droplet discharge head-3>
Next, a droplet discharge head 180 having a different configuration around the guide needle 31 from the droplet discharge head 17 will be described with reference to FIG. The droplet discharge head 180 has basically the same configuration as the droplet discharge head 17, and the axial direction of the guide needle 181 is different from that of the droplet discharge head 17. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view in the direction substantially parallel to the extending direction of the nozzle row, showing the structure of the discharge nozzle portion of the droplet discharge head.
As shown in FIG. 12, the droplet discharge head 180 includes a guide needle 181 and a needle support portion 182 that are different from the guide needle 31 and the needle support portion 32 in the droplet discharge head 17.
In the guide needle 181 and the needle support portion 182, the axial direction of the guide needle 181 that is erected and supported by the needle support portion 182 is inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the nozzle forming surface 76 a.

  Similar to the case where the functional liquid 80 and the like are discharged from the droplet discharge head 17 described above, the liquid droplets such as the functional liquid 80 discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 are discharged in a direction along the guide needle 181. It is corrected in the near direction.

<Landing position>
Next, an example of the relationship between the discharge nozzles 78 of the droplet discharge head 180 and the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles 78 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the discharge nozzles and the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles. FIG. 13A is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement position of the discharge nozzles, and FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed linearly in the extending direction of the nozzle rows, FIG. 13C is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed in a planar shape. The X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 13 coincide with the X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the droplet discharge device 1. By discharging the liquid droplets at an arbitrary position while the X-axis direction is the main scanning direction and the discharge nozzle 78 is moved relative to the workpiece 20 in the direction of the arrow v shown in FIG. , A droplet can be landed at an arbitrary position in the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 13A, the discharge nozzles 78 constituting the nozzle row 78A are arranged at a center distance of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction. Similarly to the droplet discharge head 17, the positions of the discharge nozzles 78 constituting the two nozzle rows 78 </ b> A in the droplet discharge head 180 are shifted from each other by ½ of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction. ing.
The discharge nozzles 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, and 788 are arranged in this order in the Y-axis direction. The guide needles 181 disposed corresponding to the discharge nozzles 781, 782, 785, and 786 are inclined in a direction in which the direction of the discharged functional liquid 80 and the like is inclined in the negative direction of the Y-axis direction. Contrary to the discharge nozzles 781, 782, 785, and 786, the guide needles 181 arranged corresponding to the discharge nozzles 783, 784, 787, and 788 have the direction of the discharged functional liquid 80 and the like in the Y-axis direction. It is tilted in the direction of tilting.

As shown in FIG. 13B, the landing point 81 indicating the landing position and the landing circle 81A indicating the wet and spreading state of the landed droplet indicate the state of one landed droplet. By discharging droplets from all the discharge nozzles 78 of the two nozzle rows 78A on the virtual line L indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 13B, the discharge nozzles 781, 782, respectively. A landing lump 810A formed by four droplets discharged and landed from 783 and 784 is formed. A linear broken line is formed in which similar landing masses 810A are connected at an interval.
As shown in FIG. 13 (c), the liquid droplets are ejected at the timing of landing on the imaginary lines L1, L2, and L3 indicated by the alternate long and short dash lines, whereby the width in the Y-axis direction of the landing lump 810A A plurality of linear landing lump lines 811A having a width extending in the X-axis direction are formed.

  The landing lump line 811A has a higher density of droplets than the landing surface shown in FIG. Further, the region where the functional liquid 80 or the like between the landing lump lines 811A is not formed is formed without setting the discharge nozzle 78 that stops the operation to the discharge nozzle 78 of the droplet discharge head 180. Since the line segments spaced apart can be formed efficiently, it is effective for forming a functional film such as a circuit wiring.

  Further, in the discharge nozzle 78 at a position for discharging droplets such as the functional liquid 80 toward the end of the filter film region 225, by tilting the guide needle 181 toward the center side of the filter film region 225, The possibility that the droplets run on the partition wall 204 can be reduced. The discharge nozzle 78 located at the position facing the partition wall 204 is not operated because the discharged functional liquid 80 or the like normally lands on the partition wall 204, but the guide needle 181 is moved toward the center of the filter membrane region 225. By tilting, it can be operated as a discharge nozzle 78 that can dispose the functional liquid 80 or the like in the filter film region 225. Thus, the direction of the guide needle 181 is preferably determined in accordance with the arrangement standard of the functional liquid 80 or the like in the object on which the functional liquid 80 or the like is arranged.

<Droplet discharge head-4>
Next, a droplet discharge head 190 that is different from the droplet discharge head 17 in the configuration of the needle support portion that supports the guide needle 31 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the portion of the droplet discharge head discharge nozzle in a direction substantially parallel to the extending direction of the nozzle row. The droplet discharge head 190 has basically the same configuration as the droplet discharge head 17 and includes a needle support portion 192 that is different from the needle support portion 32 of the droplet discharge head 17.
As shown in FIG. 14A, the droplet discharge head 190 includes a pressure chamber 58, a discharge nozzle 78, and a diaphragm 52 that are substantially the same as those of the droplet discharge head 17. The droplet discharge head 190 includes a needle support portion 192 that is different from the needle support portion 32 of the droplet discharge head 17. The needle support portion 192 is fixed to the vibration plate 52, and the needle support portion 192 is guided to the needle support portion 192. A needle 31 is erected. The guide needle 31 penetrates the nozzle plate 76 at the portion of the discharge nozzle 78, and the tip side protrudes from the nozzle forming surface 76a.

  The needle support portion 192 includes a piezoelectric element and a pair of electrodes that sandwich the piezoelectric element. A signal line (not shown) is connected to the electrode, and the electrode is connected to the ejection device controller 6 via the signal line. When a voltage is applied to the needle support portion 192 through the signal line, the shape of the needle support portion 192 is curved with a minute size in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle formation surface 76a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14B, the top surface of the needle support portion 192 on which the guide needle 31 is erected is tilted, and the axial direction of the guide needle 31 is tilted. In a state where no voltage is applied to the needle support portion 192, as shown in FIG. 14A, the axial direction of the guide needle 31 is a direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle forming surface 76a. By applying a voltage to the needle support portion 192, the axial direction of the guide needle 31 can be tilted like, for example, the guide needle 31a shown in FIG. Further, by applying a voltage to the needle support portion 192 that is different from the voltage to be tilted like the guide needle 31a, the needle support portion 192 may be tilted like the guide needle 31b shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. it can.

As described above, the direction of the functional liquid 80 and the like discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 is guided in a direction approaching the axial direction of the guide needle 31a. Therefore, the discharge nozzle 78 is adjusted by adjusting the axial direction of the guide needle 31a. The direction of the functional liquid 80 discharged from the liquid can be adjusted.
For example, information on the arrangement position of the functional liquid 80 or the like is input to the discharge device control unit 6, and the discharge device control unit 6 cooperates the head mechanism unit 2 and the work mechanism unit 3 to input the functional liquid. The functional liquid 80 and the like are discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 toward the position specified in the information of the arrangement position such as 80. At this time, when the discharge nozzle 78 is located at a position where a droplet such as the functional liquid 80 is discharged toward the end of the filter film region 225, the guide needle 31 is inclined toward the center side of the filter film region 225. This reduces the possibility that the droplets run on the partition wall 204. When the same discharge nozzle 78 is located at a position where a droplet such as the functional liquid 80 is discharged toward the end of the filter film region 225, the guide needle 31 is made substantially perpendicular to the nozzle formation surface 76a, so that FIG. As described above, the functional liquid 80 and the like are easily arranged in the filter membrane region 225 substantially uniformly. By disposing the functional liquid 80 and the like substantially uniformly in the filter film region 225, the formed filter film 205 has a uniform thickness as compared with the case where the functional liquid 80 and the like are unevenly disposed. Can do.
The process of inputting information on the arrangement position of the functional liquid 80 or the like corresponds to the object characteristic acquisition process. The step of adjusting the direction of the guide needle 31 corresponds to the direction adjustment step. The needle support unit 192 corresponds to a needle support unit, and the discharge device control unit 6 corresponds to a needle direction control unit and a landing position information acquisition unit.

Furthermore, if the shape of the discharge nozzle 78 is formed without error, the discharge nozzle 78 having the same shape is formed, and the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 flies in a direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle formation surface 76a. However, among the many discharge nozzles 78, the shape is not necessarily constant, and there are also discharge nozzles 78 in which the direction of the functional liquid 80 to be discharged is shifted from the direction substantially perpendicular to the nozzle formation surface 76a due to the difference in shape. To do. In addition, the solute such as the functional liquid 80 adheres to the discharge nozzle 78 while it is being used, and the direction of the functional liquid 80 to be discharged is the nozzle formation so that the shape of the eyelid changes due to the attached solute. There is also a discharge nozzle 78 that deviates from a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface 76a.
In the droplet discharge head 190, the landing position of a droplet such as the functional liquid 80 discharged and landed for each discharge nozzle 78 in advance is measured, and when the landing position deviates from a predetermined position, the needle support portion By adjusting the voltage applied to 192 and tilting the guide needle 31 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the guide needle 31 is displaced, the displacement of the landing position can be corrected. The step of measuring the landing position of a droplet such as the functional liquid 80 that has been ejected and landed corresponds to the landing position information acquisition step.

<Guide needle shape example>
Next, the shape of the guide needle different from the guide needle 31 and the guide needle 181 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the shape of the guide needle together with the discharge nozzle in a direction substantially parallel to the nozzle forming surface.

The guide needle 196 shown in FIG. 15A has a cross section having a shape in which triangles having apex angles of approximately 60 ° project radially from six sides from hexagonal sides. Since the cross section is composed of six peaks and valleys, the circumference is longer than the circular cross section.
By increasing the length of the circumference of the cross section, the surface area of the guide needle 196 is larger than that of the guide needle 31 where the functional liquid 80 is wet. As a result, the lyophilic force described above becomes larger than that of the guide needle 31, so that the direction of the droplet is easily corrected to the direction of the guide needle 196.

The guide needle 197 shown in FIG. 15B has a substantially rectangular cross section. When the functional liquid 80 or the like moving in a direction parallel to the nozzle forming surface 76a hits the guide needle 197, the drag due to hitting the guide needle 197 differs depending on the moving direction. For example, when the moving direction is a direction substantially parallel to the short side of the rectangular cross section, the functional liquid 80 or the like hits the surface corresponding to the long side of the rectangular cross section of the guide needle 197. Compared with the case where the direction is another direction, the drag caused by the functional liquid 80 or the like hitting the guide needle 197 is increased.
By making the extending direction of the short side of the cross section of the guide needle 197 substantially coincide with the direction in which the displacement in the ejection direction is particularly necessary, the ejection direction in the direction in which the displacement is particularly necessary is suppressed. The shift can be efficiently suppressed.

The guide needle 198 shown in FIG. 15C is composed of four sub guide needles 198a having a substantially square cross section. By constituting the guide needle 198 with a plurality of sub guide needles 198a, the circumference is longer than that of the single guide needle 197 and the like.
By increasing the length of the circumference of the cross section, the guide needle 198 has a larger surface area where the functional liquid 80 spreads than the guide needle 197 and the like. As a result, the lyophilic force described above becomes larger than that of the guide needle 197, so that the direction of the droplet is easily corrected to the direction of the guide needle 198.

<Information equipment>
Next, a specific example of an information device as an electronic device including the electro-optical device will be described with reference to FIG. The information device according to the present embodiment is an information device including a liquid crystal display device having a configuration similar to that of the liquid crystal display panel 200 described above.

  FIG. 16A is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone. As shown in FIG. 16A, the mobile phone 600 includes a display unit 601 having the above-described liquid crystal display panel 200, and a mobile phone main body 602.

  FIG. 16B is a perspective view illustrating an example of a portable information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a personal computer. As shown in FIG. 16B, the information processing device 700 includes a display unit 702 having a liquid crystal display device having the same configuration as the liquid crystal display panel 200, an input unit such as a keyboard 701, an information processing body 703, It has.

  FIG. 16C is a perspective view illustrating an example of a wristwatch type electronic device. As shown in FIG. 16C, the wristwatch 800 includes a display unit 801 having a liquid crystal display device having the same configuration as the liquid crystal display panel 200, and a watch body 802.

  FIG. 16D is an external perspective view showing a liquid crystal television as an example of information equipment. As illustrated in FIG. 16D, the liquid crystal television 900 includes a display unit 901 and a television main body 902. The display unit 901 is equipped with a liquid crystal display device having the same configuration as the above-described liquid crystal display panel 200 as a display unit.

Hereinafter, effects of the embodiment will be described. According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The droplet discharge head 17 includes a guide needle 31 that penetrates the position of the shaft of the discharge nozzle 78 and protrudes from the nozzle forming surface 76 a of the nozzle plate 76. Since the guide needle 31 can guide the direction of the functional liquid 80 discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 in the axial direction of the guide needle 31, the direction of the functional liquid 80 discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 is a predetermined direction. It can suppress that it shifts from.

  (2) Since the surface of the guide needle 31 is lyophilic with respect to the functional liquid 80 or the like, the functional liquid 80 or the like around the guide needle 31 is in contact with the surface of the guide needle 31. Due to the force that the portion wets and spreads on the surface of the guide needle 31, a force is applied along the surface of the guide needle 31 toward the direction not wetted by the functional liquid 80 or the like. With this force, the direction of the functional liquid 80 discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 can be guided in the axial direction of the guide needle 31.

  (3) The guide needle 31 penetrates the position of the axis of the substantially cylindrical discharge nozzle 78 and protrudes from the nozzle forming surface 76a of the nozzle plate 76. The functional liquid 80 or the like discharged from the discharge nozzle 78 substantially flies in the direction of the force applied when discharged into droplets. At this time, since the functional liquid 80 and the like are in a state of surrounding a portion protruding from the nozzle forming surface 76a of the guide needle 31, the direction in which the functional liquid 80 and the like fly can be guided by the guide needle 31.

  (4) In the droplet discharge head 17, a vibration plate pressing member 33 having high rigidity is fixed to the surface of the vibration plate 52 opposite to the surface on which the needle support portion 32 is fixed. Thereby, it can suppress that the part to which the needle support part 32 in the diaphragm 52 was fixed deform | transforms, and can suppress that the attitude | position of the guide needle 31 fluctuates.

  (5) In the droplet discharge head 170, the guide needle 31 is erected at a substantially central portion of the diaphragm 52. Since the diaphragm 52 is deformed in a symmetric shape with respect to the approximate center, the substantially central portion is displaced without being inclined, so that the guide needle 31 is prevented from being inclined while the droplet discharge head 170 is being driven. be able to.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment was described referring an accompanying drawing, suitable embodiment is not restricted to the said embodiment. The embodiment can of course be modified in various ways without departing from the scope, and can also be implemented as follows.

  (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the droplet discharge head 17 is an electromechanical conversion type droplet discharge head provided with a piezoelectric element 59 as a drive element. Not limited to electromechanical conversion. The driving method of the droplet discharge head may be other methods such as a charging control method, a pressure vibration method, an electrothermal conversion method, and an electrostatic suction method.

  (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, the droplet discharge head 17 includes two nozzle rows 78A, and each nozzle row 78A has a configuration including 180 discharge nozzles 78. The configuration of the ejection nozzle in the ejection head is not limited to the configuration in the droplet ejection head 17. The number of discharge nozzles included in the droplet discharge head may be any number, and the arrangement of discharge nozzles in the droplet discharge head may be any arrangement, for example, arranged in one row.

  (Modification 3) In the above embodiment, the head unit 21 of the droplet discharge device 1 includes the nine droplet discharge heads 17, but the number of droplet discharge heads included in the head unit is nine. Not exclusively. The head unit may be configured to include any number of droplet discharge heads.

  (Modification 4) In the embodiment described above, the droplet discharge device 1 includes one head unit 21, but the droplet discharge device includes not only one head unit. The droplet discharge device may be configured to include any number of head units.

  (Modification 5) In the above-described embodiment, the droplet discharge head 17 is configured to discharge one type of functional liquid. However, the droplet discharge head includes a plurality of liquid supply paths and respective liquid supply. It may be configured to include a nozzle array that can supply the liquid material through the passage.

(Modification 6) In the embodiment described above, the droplet discharge device 1 moves the workpiece mounting table 23 on which the mother counter substrate 201A and the like are mounted in the X-axis direction, and discharges the functional liquid from the droplet discharge head 17. The functional liquid was arranged by making it. Further, by moving the head unit 21 in the Y direction, the position of the droplet discharge head 17 (discharge nozzle 78) with respect to the mother counter substrate 201A and the like is adjusted. However, the relative movement in the discharge scan between the droplet discharge head provided with the nozzle array and the substrate can be performed by moving the substrate, and the relative movement in the sub-scan can also be performed by moving the droplet discharge head. It is not essential to do.
The relative movement in the discharge scan between the droplet discharge head and the substrate may be performed by moving the droplet discharge head in the direction of the discharge scan. The relative movement of the droplet discharge head and the base material in the sub-scanning direction may be performed by moving the base material in the sub-scanning direction. Alternatively, the relative movement of the droplet discharge head and the substrate in the discharge scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction can be performed by moving either the droplet discharge head or the substrate in the discharge scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. You may implement by moving both a droplet discharge head and a base material in a discharge scanning direction and a subscanning direction.

  (Modification 7) In the above embodiment, the droplet discharge head 17 is an inkjet droplet discharge head, but it is not essential that the droplet discharge head is an inkjet droplet discharge head. The droplet discharge head used in the electro-optical device manufacturing method described above or the droplet discharge head included in the electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus may be a droplet discharge head of a method different from the ink jet method.

  (Modification 8) In the above embodiment, the filter membrane region 225 as the functional membrane section in which the liquid material is disposed is a substantially rectangular region in plan view, but the shape of the region in which the liquid material is disposed is substantially square. It is not essential to have a shape. The shape of the region where the liquid material is arranged is a polygon different from a square, an oval, a circle, a shape with a curved corner of the polygon, a shape composed of a plurality of curves with different curvatures, The shape in which some of these shapes are omitted may be used.

  (Modification 9) In the above embodiment, in the liquid crystal display panel 200 including a color filter which is an example of an electro-optical device as an example of an object on which a functional liquid is arranged using a droplet discharge device, a filter film 205 is provided. A description has been given of the drawing discharge when forming the film. However, the electro-optical device of the target object on which the functional liquid is disposed is not limited to the liquid crystal device. The electro-optical device of the object on which the functional liquid is disposed is any electro-optical device as long as it is a device having a film as described above or an electro-optical device that needs to form a film as described above in the formation process. Other electro-optical devices such as organic EL devices and plasma display devices may also be used.

  (Modification 10) In the above-described embodiment, the CF layer 208 included in the liquid crystal display panel 200 is a three-color filter having three color filter films: a red filter film 205R, a green filter film 205G, and a blue filter film 205B. However, the color filter may be a multicolored color filter having many types of filter films. As the multicolor filter, for example, six colors having organic EL elements of cyan (blue green), magenta (purple red), and yellow (yellow) which are complementary colors of red, green and blue in addition to red, green and blue Examples include a color filter and a four-color filter in which green is added to three colors of cyan (blue green), magenta (purple red), and yellow (yellow).

  (Modification 11) In the above embodiment, the CF layer 208, which is a color filter included in the liquid crystal display panel 200, has been described. However, a color filter that can be suitably manufactured using the film forming method described above is a color filter of a liquid crystal display device. Not limited to filters. A color for an organic EL device that forms a color organic EL device in combination with a light-emitting layer that emits colorless or colored light by using the electro-optical device manufacturing method and the electro-optical device manufacturing apparatus described in the above embodiments. A filter can also be suitably manufactured.

  (Modification 12) In the embodiment described above, in the liquid droplet ejection head 17 and the like, the guide needle such as the guide needle 31 is fixed to the vibration plate 52 via the needle support portion 32 and the like. It is not essential to fix to. A structural member such as the pressure chamber plate 51 is disposed to a position where the guide needle can be erected at a position penetrating the discharge nozzle hole, such as a position facing the discharge nozzle hole, and the guide needle is fixed to the portion. It may be a configuration.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Droplet discharge apparatus, 6 ... Discharge apparatus control part, 11 ... X-axis table, 12 ... Y-axis table, 17 ... Droplet discharge head, 21 ... Head unit, 31, 31a, 31b ... Guide needle, 32 ... Needle Support part 51 ... Pressure chamber plate 52 ... Vibration plate 57 ... Head partition 58 58 Pressure chamber 59 ... Piezoelectric element 76 ... Nozzle plate 76a ... Nozzle forming surface 78 ... Discharge nozzle 78A ... Nozzle row 80: functional liquid, 80a, 80d: droplet, 81: landing point, 82: deposit, 170 ... droplet ejection head, 176 ... nozzle plate, 176a ... nozzle formation surface, 180 ... droplet ejection head, 181 ... guide Needle, 182 ... Needle support, 190 ... Droplet discharge head, 192 ... Needle support, 196, 197, 198 ... Guide needle, 198a ... Sub guide needle, 200 ... Liquid crystal display panel, 205 ... Filter membrane, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 17 ... Pixel electrode, 220 ... Counter substrate, 225 ... Filter film | membrane area | region, 600 ... Mobile phone, 601 ... Display part, 700 ... Information processing apparatus, 702 ... Display part, 810A ... Landing lump, 811A ... Landing lump line, 900 ... Liquid crystal television, 901... Display unit.

Claims (22)

A discharge nozzle hole for discharging a liquid material;
A guide needle,
The liquid discharge head, wherein the guide needle is disposed at a position penetrating the opening of the discharge nozzle hole on a nozzle hole forming surface where one end of the discharge nozzle hole is open.   The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the guide needle is lyophilic with respect to the liquid.   The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the guide needles are provided for one discharge nozzle hole.   4. The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the guide needle protrudes from the nozzle hole forming surface. 5.   The discharge nozzle hole is formed such that its axial direction is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The discharge nozzle hole has an axial direction formed substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the axial direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The liquid discharge head according to claim 6, wherein the axial direction of the guide needle is determined in accordance with characteristics of an object on which the liquid is landed.   5. The liquid discharge head according to claim 1, further comprising needle support means for supporting the guide needle so that the axial direction of the guide needle can be changed. Needle direction control means for controlling the direction of the guide needle by controlling the needle support means;
A landing position information acquisition means for acquiring information on a landing position where the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole has landed;
9. The liquid discharge head according to claim 8, wherein the needle direction control unit controls the direction of the guide needle according to the information on the landing position acquired by the landing position information acquisition unit. A liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A liquid discharging apparatus comprising: a moving device that relatively moves the liquid discharging head and a substrate on which the liquid is landed. A liquid material discharge method for discharging a liquid material from a discharge nozzle hole formed by opening on a nozzle hole forming surface,
Liquid material discharge characterized in that the direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole is guided by a guide needle disposed at a position penetrating the opening of the discharge nozzle hole on the nozzle hole forming surface. Method.   12. The liquid discharge method according to claim 11, wherein the surface of the guide needle is lyophilic with respect to the liquid.   The liquid discharge method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a plurality of the guide needles are provided for one discharge nozzle hole.   The liquid material discharge method according to claim 11, wherein a tip of the guide needle protrudes from the nozzle hole forming surface.   The discharge nozzle hole is formed such that its axial direction is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the axial direction of the guide needle substantially coincides with the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The liquid material discharge method according to claim 11.   The discharge nozzle hole is formed such that its axial direction is substantially perpendicular to the nozzle hole forming surface, and the axial direction of the guide needle is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the discharge nozzle hole. The liquid material discharge method according to claim 11. An object characteristic acquisition step of acquiring the characteristics of the object on which the liquid material is landed,
17. The liquid discharge method according to claim 16, wherein an axial direction of the guide needle is determined according to the characteristic acquired in the object characteristic acquisition step.   15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a direction adjustment step of changing an axial direction of the guide needle to adjust a discharge direction of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole. The liquid discharge method as described in 1. A landing position information acquisition step of acquiring landing position information of the liquid material discharged from the discharge nozzle hole;
The liquid material discharge method according to claim 18, wherein in the direction adjusting step, the axial direction of the guide needle is adjusted based on the landing position information. An object characteristic acquisition step of acquiring the characteristic of the object on which the liquid material is landed,
The liquid material discharge method according to claim 18, wherein in the direction adjustment step, the axial direction of the guide needle is adjusted in accordance with the characteristic acquired in the object characteristic acquisition step.   The liquid discharge head according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the liquid discharge device according to claim 10, or the liquid discharge method according to any one of claims 11 to 20. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, comprising forming a functional film constituting the electro-optical device.   An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device manufactured by using the electro-optical device manufacturing method according to claim 21.

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