JP2011123208A - Sticking apparatus for polarizing film and manufacturing system for liquid crystal display including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sticking apparatus for polarizing films excellent in area efficiency and productivity without obstructing laminar flow environment. <P>SOLUTION: The sticking apparatus 100 includes: a first feeding section 1; a second feeding section 1a; a half cutter 3; a knife edge 4; and a first take up section 2 and a second take up section 2a that take up a removing film, and also includes a same type of second film conveying mechanism 52 in the right portion. In 2F, a panel conveying mechanism 60 is provided to convey liquid crystal panels 5. The direction of conveying the liquid crystal panels 5 is straight along a first film conveying mechanism 51 and the second film conveying mechanism 52. Nip rolls 6, 6a for bonding the polarizing films are provided on the bottom surface of the liquid crystal panels 5. A rotating member for rotating the liquid crystal panel by 90° and 180° are provided. The nip rolls 16, 16a stick the polarizing films on the bottom surface of the rotated liquid crystal panels 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a polarizing film laminating apparatus and a liquid crystal display manufacturing system including the same.

  Conventionally, liquid crystal display devices have been widely manufactured. Usually, a polarizing film is bonded to a liquid crystal panel used in a liquid crystal display device in order to control transmission or blocking of light. The polarizing film is bonded so that its absorption axis is orthogonal.

  As a method for attaching a polarizing film to a liquid crystal panel, there is a so-called chip to panel method in which a polarizing film is attached after being cut into a size corresponding to the liquid crystal panel. However, this method has a disadvantage that the production efficiency is low because the polarizing films are bonded to the liquid crystal panel one by one. On the other hand, as another method, there is a so-called roll to panel method in which a polarizing film is supplied to a guide roll and continuously adhered to a liquid crystal panel. According to this method, bonding can be performed with high production efficiency.

  As an example of the roll to panel method, Patent Document 1 discloses an optical display device manufacturing system. In the manufacturing system, an optical film (polarizing film) is bonded to the upper surface of the liquid crystal panel, and then the liquid crystal panel is turned to bond the polarizing film from the lower surface.

  Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 disclose a polarizing plate bonding apparatus that bonds a polarizing plate to both surfaces of a substrate.

Patent No. 4307510 (published on May 15, 2009) JP 2005-37417 A (published February 10, 2005) JP 2009-157387 A (released on July 16, 2009)

  However, the conventional apparatus has the following various problems.

  First, when a polarizing film is bonded to a liquid crystal panel, it is usual to work in a clean room in order to prevent foreign matters such as dust from entering the bonding surface. In the clean room, air is rectified. This is because it is necessary to bond the polarizing film in a state where the liquid crystal panel is rectified by downflow in order to suppress the yield reduction due to the foreign matter.

  In this regard, the manufacturing system of Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a polarizing film is bonded to the liquid crystal panel from the upper surface and the lower surface. However, when laminating from the upper surface of the polarizing film, there is a demerit that the airflow (downflow) is hindered by the polarizing film and the rectification environment to the liquid crystal panel is deteriorated. As an example in the case of laminating from the upper surface of the polarizing film, FIGS. 7A and 7B show air velocity vectors in the top-paste type manufacturing system. In FIG. 7, a region A is a region where an unwinding unit and the like for unwinding the polarizing film are installed, a region B is a region through which the polarizing film passes, and a region C is peeled off from the polarizing film. This is an area in which a take-up unit or the like for winding the film is installed. Also, clean air is supplied from a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter 40. In FIG. 7A, since the grating 41 through which clean air can pass is installed, the airflow can move in the vertical direction via the grating 41. On the other hand, in FIG. 7B, since the grating 41 is not installed, the airflow moves along the floor after contacting the floor at the bottom of FIG. 7B.

  In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the areas A to C are arranged in the 2F portion, and clean air from the HEPA filter 40 is blocked by the polarizing film. Therefore, it is difficult to generate an airflow in the vertical direction with respect to the liquid crystal panel passing through the 2F portion. On the other hand, the horizontal airflow vector is large (vector density is high). In other words, it can be said that the rectification environment has deteriorated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, the manufacturing system includes an L-shaped polishing cleaning device 10 and an inspection device 30, which are connected to a straight line. For this reason, since the manufacturing system has a complicated structure as a whole and occupies a large area, it can be said that it is an inefficient structure especially in a clean room where area efficiency is required.

  Furthermore, in the manufacturing system of Patent Document 1, only one film unwinding roll and one winding roll are provided. For this reason, when the polarizing film of the unwinding roll is used up, it is necessary to once stop the line and to replace the original film of the new polarizing film with the unwinding roll. For this reason, it can be said that work efficiency is low. The winding roll is also provided at one place, and the same is true.

  On the other hand, in the polarizing plate bonding apparatus of patent document 2 and patent document 3, since the polarizing plate is bonded from the lower surface to the substrate, the downflow is not hindered. As shown in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 3, the polarizing plate laminating apparatus has an L-shape, and is an inefficient structure in a clean room, similar to the manufacturing system of Patent Document 1.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said conventional problem, Comprising: The objective is to provide the bonding apparatus of the polarizing film excellent in area efficiency and production efficiency, without preventing a rectification environment.

  In order to solve the above problems, the polarizing film laminating apparatus of the present invention is a film transporting mechanism for transporting a polarizing film, a panel transporting mechanism for transporting a liquid crystal panel, and a pasting that bonds the polarizing film to the liquid crystal panel. In the polarizing film laminating apparatus having the joint portion, the film transport mechanism includes a first film transport mechanism and a second film transport mechanism, and the first film transport mechanism is protected by a release film. A plurality of unwinding sections for unwinding the polarized film, a cutting section for cutting the polarizing film, a removing section for removing the release film from the polarizing film, and a plurality of winding sections for winding the removed release film. The second film transport mechanism includes a plurality of unwinding sections for unwinding the polarizing film protected by the release film, and cutting the polarizing film. A cutting section, a removing section for removing the release film from the polarizing film, and a plurality of winding sections for winding the removed release film, and the panel transport mechanism is provided above the film transport mechanism. The liquid crystal panel transport direction in the panel transport mechanism is linear along the first film transport mechanism and the second film transport mechanism, and the polarizing film from which the release film is removed is provided on the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel. The 1st bonding part which is a bonding part to bond is provided between the said 1st film conveyance mechanism and a panel conveyance mechanism, and a 2nd bonding part is provided between the said 2nd film conveyance mechanism and a panel conveyance mechanism, respectively. In the panel transport mechanism, the liquid crystal panel on which the polarizing film is bonded by the first bonding unit is turned 90 ° and turned into a reversed state that is turned 180 °. Is provided, the second bonding unit is characterized in that is laminated polarizing film on the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel becomes inverted state.

  According to the above invention, since the unwinding unit and the winding unit are provided in plural, when the remaining amount of the original film of the polarizing film in one unwinding unit is reduced, the other unwinding is performed on the original film. It is possible to connect the webs provided in the sections. As a result, the operation can be continued without stopping the unwinding of the polarizing film, and the production efficiency can be increased.

  Next, in the said invention, it has the structure which bonds a polarizing film from the lower surface with respect to both surfaces of a liquid crystal panel. Therefore, unlike the case of pasting from the upper surface, the rectifying environment to the liquid crystal panel is not hindered. For this reason, the foreign material mixing to the bonding surface in bonding of a liquid crystal panel can be prevented.

  Finally, the panel transport mechanism is provided above the film transport mechanism, and the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel in the panel transport mechanism is linear along the first film transport mechanism and the second film transport mechanism. For this reason, the bonding apparatus of the said film will have a substantially linear shape. That is, it does not have a complicated structure such as an L shape. Therefore, the installation is very simple and the area efficiency is excellent.

  In addition, the polarizing film bonding apparatus of the present invention includes a cleaning unit for cleaning the liquid crystal panel before the polarizing film is bonded to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel by the first bonding unit, and the liquid crystal panel has a rectangular shape. It is preferable that the panel transport mechanism transports the liquid crystal panel to the cleaning unit in a state where the long sides of the liquid crystal panel are orthogonal to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel.

  Thereby, the liquid crystal panel can be cleaned by the cleaning unit in a state where the long sides of the liquid crystal panel are orthogonal to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel. That is, since the distance of the liquid crystal panel along the transport direction can be reduced, the tact time required for cleaning can be further shortened. As a result, it is possible to provide a polarizing film laminating apparatus that is further excellent in production efficiency.

  Further, the polarizing film laminating apparatus of the present invention has a defect display (mark) attached to the polarizing film unwound from the first unwinding portion in the first film transport mechanism and the second film transport mechanism. A defect detection unit that detects the defect, a bonding avoidance unit that discriminates the defect display (defect portion) and stops the transportation of the liquid crystal panel, and a recovery unit that collects the polarizing film from which the bonding with the liquid crystal panel is avoided It is preferable to have.

  According to the defect detection unit, the bonding avoidance unit, and the recovery unit, since the bonding between the polarizing film having a defect and the liquid crystal panel can be avoided, the yield can be increased.

  Moreover, the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a sticking inspection apparatus for inspecting sticking misalignment in the polarizing film pasting device and the liquid crystal panel in which the polarizing film is pasted by the second pasting unit. It is to be prepared.

  Thereby, it is possible to test | inspect the sticking deviation which arose in the liquid crystal panel which bonded the polarizing film.

  Moreover, the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention determines the presence or absence of sticking misalignment based on the inspection result by the sticking misalignment inspection apparatus, and sorts the liquid crystal panel to which the polarizing film is bonded based on the determination result. It is preferable to provide a sorting and conveying device.

  Thereby, when the pasting deviation has arisen in the bonded liquid crystal panel, it is possible to quickly sort defective products and to shorten the tact time.

  Moreover, the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device of this invention is a bonding foreign substance automatic inspection apparatus which inspects the foreign substance in the liquid crystal panel by which the polarizing film was bonded by the said polarizing film bonding apparatus and the said 2nd bonding part. It is preferable to provide.

  Thereby, it is possible to inspect the foreign matter mixed in the liquid crystal panel to which the polarizing film is bonded.

  Moreover, the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention determines the presence or absence of foreign matter based on the inspection result by the bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device, and sorts the liquid crystal panel to which the polarizing film is bonded based on the determination result. It is preferable to provide a sorting / conveying device to be used.

  Thereby, when the foreign material is mixed in the liquid crystal panel which bonded the polarizing film, it can classify | categorize a defective product rapidly and can shorten a tact time.

  Moreover, the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device of this invention is equipped with the bonding foreign material automatic test | inspection apparatus which test | inspects the foreign material in the liquid crystal panel by which the polarizing film was bonded by the said 2nd bonding part, and is based on the said sticking | shift detection apparatus. Based on the inspection result and the inspection result by the bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device, the presence or absence of sticking misalignment and foreign matter is determined, and based on the determination result, a sorting and conveying device that sorts the liquid crystal panel on which the polarizing film is bonded It is preferable to provide.

  As a result, when the liquid crystal panel bonded with the polarizing film is stuck or mixed with foreign matter, defective products can be quickly sorted, and the tact time can be shortened.

  In the bonding apparatus of this invention, as mentioned above, the 1st bonding part which is a bonding part which bonds the polarizing film from which the peeling film was removed to the lower surface of a liquid crystal panel is the said 1st film conveyance mechanism and panel conveyance mechanism. Between the second film transport mechanism and the panel transport mechanism, a polarizing film is bonded to the panel transport mechanism by the first bonding section. The liquid crystal panel is provided with a reversing part that turns the liquid crystal panel 90 degrees and is turned 180 degrees, and the second bonding part is for attaching a polarizing film to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel that has been turned over.

  Therefore, (1) a plurality of unwinding sections and winding sections are provided and the production efficiency is high, and (2) the polarizing film is bonded to the both surfaces of the liquid crystal panel from the lower surface, thereby hindering the rectifying environment. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal panel on which a polarizing film with little foreign matter is bonded.

  (3) The panel transport mechanism is provided above the film transport mechanism, and the liquid crystal panel transport direction in the panel transport mechanism is linear along the first film transport mechanism and the second transport mechanism. . That is, it does not have a complicated structure such as an L shape. Accordingly, the installation is very simple and the area efficiency is excellent.

It is a side view which shows the bonding apparatus of the polarizing film which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the bonding apparatus of the said polarizing film. It is sectional drawing which shows the velocity vector of the airflow in a bottom paste type manufacturing system. It is a side view which shows the peripheral part of the 1st bonding part in the bonding apparatus of the said polarizing film. It is a block diagram which shows the relationship of the washing | cleaning part etc. with which the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device which concerns on this Embodiment is provided. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement order of the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device which concerns on this Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the velocity vector of the airflow in an upper sticking type manufacturing system.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 as follows. First, the structure of the bonding apparatus (polarizing film bonding apparatus) 100 according to the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a bonding apparatus 100. As shown in the figure, the laminating apparatus 100 has a two-stage structure, and a 1F (first floor) portion is a film transport mechanism 50, and a 2F (second floor) portion is a panel transport mechanism 60.

  The film transport mechanism 50 unwinds the polarizing film (polarizing plate) and transports it to the laminating section and winds up the peeling film that is no longer needed, while the panel transport mechanism 60 is wound by the film transport mechanism 50. The liquid crystal panel 5 is conveyed with respect to the taken-out polarizing film. The film transport mechanism 50 includes a first film transport mechanism 51 that first bonds a polarizing film to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5, and a surface opposite to the bonding surface by the first film transport mechanism 51 from the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5. The 2nd film conveyance mechanism 52 which bonds a polarizing film is provided.

  The first film transport mechanism 51 includes a first unwinding unit 1, a second unwinding unit 1a, a first winding unit 2, a second winding unit 2a, a half cutter 3, a knife edge 4, and a defect film winding roller. 7 · 7a. The first unwinding unit 1 is provided with a polarizing film original, and the polarizing film is unwound. A known polarizing film may be used as the polarizing film. Specifically, a polyvinyl alcohol film is dyed with iodine or the like, and a film stretched in a uniaxial direction can be used. Although it does not specifically limit as thickness of the said polarizing film, A polarizing film 5 micrometers or more and 400 micrometers or less can be used preferably.

  In the original film of the polarizing film, the direction of the absorption axis is located in the flow direction (MD direction). The polarizing film has an adhesive layer (which may be an adhesive layer) protected by a release film. As the release film (also referred to as a protective film or a separator), a polyester film, a polyethylene terephthalate film, or the like can be used. Although it does not specifically limit as thickness of the said peeling film, The peeling film of 5 micrometers or more and 100 micrometers or less can be used preferably.

  Since there are two unwinding parts and two unwinding parts corresponding to the unwinding part in the bonding apparatus 100, when the remaining amount of the raw material of the first unwinding part 1 decreases, The original fabric provided in the second unwinding portion 1a can be connected to the original fabric of the first unwinding portion 1. As a result, it is possible to continue the operation without stopping the unwinding of the polarizing film. With this configuration, production efficiency can be increased. Of course, a plurality of unwinding sections and winding sections may be provided, and three or more winding sections may be provided.

  The half cutter (cutting unit) 3 half-cuts a polarizing film (a film laminate composed of a polarizing film, an adhesive layer and a peeling film) protected by the peeling film, and cuts the polarizing film and the adhesive layer. As the half cutter 3, a known member may be used. Specifically, a cutter, a laser cutter, etc. can be mentioned. After the polarizing film and the adhesive layer are cut by the half cutter 3, the release film is removed from the polarizing film by the knife edge (removal unit) 4. The configuration near the knife edge 4 will be described later with reference to FIG. An adhesive layer is applied between the polarizing film and the release film, and after the release film is removed, the adhesive layer remains on the polarizing film side. The adhesive layer is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include acrylic, epoxy, and polyurethane adhesive layers. What is necessary is just to change the thickness of an adhesive bond layer suitably.

  On the other hand, the 2nd film conveyance mechanism 52 is the structure similar to the 1st film conveyance mechanism 51, and is the 1st unwinding part 11, the 2nd unwinding part 11a, the 1st winding part 12, and the 2nd winding part 12a. , Half cutter 13, knife edge 14 and defect film winding rollers 17 and 17 a. About the member which attached | subjected the same member name, the effect | action same as the member in the 1st film conveyance mechanism 51 is shown.

  Next, the panel transport mechanism 60 will be described. The panel transport mechanism 60 transports the liquid crystal panel 5. Although not shown, clean air is supplied to the upper surface of the liquid crystal panel 5 in the panel transport mechanism 60. That is, downflow rectification is performed. Thereby, conveyance and bonding of the liquid crystal panel 5 can be performed in a stable state.

  The panel transport mechanism 60 is provided on the upper part of the film transport mechanism 50. Thereby, space saving of the bonding apparatus 100 can be achieved. Further, the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel 5 in the panel transport mechanism 60 is linear along the first film transport mechanism 51 and the second film transport mechanism 52. As a result, the bonding apparatus 100 has a linear shape. Therefore, the bonding apparatus 100 does not have a complicated structure such as an L shape. Due to the above structure, the bonding apparatus 100 has a structure that is very simple to install and excellent in area efficiency. In particular, in a clean room, area efficiency is required, which is very preferable. Moreover, the merit that it is also easy to install several bonding apparatuses 100 side by side is also mentioned.

  Although not shown in the figure, the panel transport mechanism 60 is provided with a roller for transporting the liquid crystal panel 5, thereby transporting the liquid crystal panel 5. In the bonding apparatus 100, the liquid crystal panel 5 is conveyed from the left side, and then conveyed from the right side in the figure, that is, from the upper part of the first film conveying mechanism 51 to the upper part of the second film conveying mechanism 52.

  Between the film conveyance mechanism 50 and the panel conveyance mechanism 60, nip rolls (first bonding part) 6 and 6a and nip rolls 16 and 16a (second bonding part), which are bonding parts, are respectively provided. The nip rolls 6, 6 a and 16, 16 a are members that play a role of bonding a polarizing film from which the release film has been removed to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5.

  The polarizing film conveyed to the nip rolls 6 and 6a is bonded to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5 via an adhesive layer. As the nip rolls 6 and 6a, known configurations such as a pressure roll and a pressure roll can be employed. Moreover, what is necessary is just to adjust suitably the pressure and temperature at the time of bonding in the nip rolls 6 and 6a. The configuration of the nip rolls 16 and 16a is the same. In addition, although not shown in figure, in the bonding apparatus 100, as a preferable structure, the defect display (mark) detection part is provided between the 1st unwinding part 1 and the half cutter, and the defect part of a polarizing film is detected. It is the composition which becomes.

  In addition, the said fault display is provided at the 1st unwinding part 11 or the 2nd unwinding part 11a side rather than a defect display detection part by detecting and providing a detection and providing a fault display at the time of the original film of a polarizing film. It is attached to the polarizing film by the defect display imparting unit. The defect display imparting unit includes a camera, an image processing device, and a defect display forming unit. First, a polarizing film is imaged by the camera, and the presence or absence of a defect can be inspected by processing the imaging information. Specific examples of the drawback include foreign matters such as dust and fish eyes. When a defect is detected, a defect display is formed on the polarizing film by the defect display forming unit. A mark such as ink is used as the defect display.

  Further, a bonding avoiding unit (not shown) discriminates the mark with a camera and transmits a stop signal to the panel transport mechanism 60 to stop the transport of the liquid crystal panel 5. Thereafter, the polarizing film in which the defect is detected is not bonded by the nip rolls 6 and 6a and is wound up by the defective film winding roller (collecting unit) 7 and 7a, and the liquid crystal panel 5 and the polarizing film having the defect Can be avoided. If the said series of structures is provided, since the bonding of the polarizing film having a defect and the liquid crystal panel 5 can be avoided, the yield can be increased, which is very preferable. A publicly known inspection sensor can be used suitably as a fault detection part and a pasting avoidance part.

  Thereafter, the liquid crystal panel 5 is turned 90 ° by a reversing unit (not shown) and then turned 180 °. The liquid crystal panel 5 may be turned 180 ° and then turned 90 °, and as a result, the liquid crystal panel 5 may be turned 90 ° and turned 180 °. Specific examples of the swivel unit include a suction conveyance mechanism, and the swivel is performed after the substrate is sucked. Specific examples of the reversing unit include a mechanism for sandwiching a substrate by a robot arm.

  After the liquid crystal panel 5 is reversed by the reversing means, the liquid crystal panel 5 is conveyed to the nip rolls 16 and 16a. Then, a polarizing film is bonded to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5. Thereby, a polarizing film will be bonded on both surfaces of the liquid crystal panel 5, and it will be in the state by which two polarizing films were bonded on the both surfaces of the liquid crystal panel 5 by the mutually different absorption axis. Thereafter, if necessary, the both sides of the liquid crystal panel 5 are inspected for whether or not there is a sticking deviation. The inspection can be usually performed by an inspection unit equipped with a camera. The inspection of the misalignment will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the laminating apparatus 100 from above, 2F schematically showing the panel transport mechanism 60, and 1F schematically showing the film transport mechanism 50, respectively. Although the liquid crystal panel 5 has a rectangular shape, it is of course not limited thereto, and may be a square shape. The upper right corner of the liquid crystal panel 5 is hatched for convenience of explanation using the drawings so that the positional relationship is clear. Moreover, in order to show the reverse state of a surface, the front or back display is also attached | subjected.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal panel 5 is transported in a state where the long sides of the liquid crystal panel 5 are orthogonal to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel 5 (right direction in the figure). This state is referred to as a long side frontage. Thereafter, the liquid crystal panel 5 at the long edge is conveyed to the region 26. The region 26 is an opening, and nip rolls 6 and 6a are arranged above and below the region 26. First, in the region 26, a polarizing film is bonded to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5. In addition, the 2nd winding part 2a is located in the lower part of the area | region 22a, and the 1st winding part 2 is located in the lower part of the area | region 22.

  Next, the liquid crystal panel 5 moves to the upper part of the regions 21 and 21a. In addition, the 1st unwinding part 1 and the 2nd unwinding part 1a are located in the lower part of area | region 21 * 21a. As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel 5 is turned 90 ° by the suction conveyance mechanism at this position. Thereby, the liquid crystal panel 5 is transported in a state where the short sides of the liquid crystal panel 5 are orthogonal to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel 5. This state is called a short side frontage.

  Thereafter, the liquid crystal panel 5 is inverted by 180 ° by the “mechanism for sandwiching with the robot arm”, and the polarizing film becomes the upper surface side.

  Further, after the liquid crystal panel 5 has moved to the region 36, a polarizing film is bonded to the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel 5 at the short side opening by the nip rolls 16 and 16a. Finally, if necessary, the both sides of the liquid crystal panel 5 are inspected for any misalignment. In addition, the 1st winding part 12 and the 2nd winding part 12a are located in the lower part of area | region 32 * 32a, and the 1st unwinding part 11 * 2nd unwinding is located in the lower part of area | region 31 * 31a. The part 11a is located.

  Thus, in the bonding apparatus 100, when bonding a polarizing film to the liquid crystal panel 5, it has the structure which bonds from the lower surface of a liquid crystal panel, and does not disturb the rectification environment to the liquid crystal panel 5. FIG. For this reason, foreign matter mixing into the bonding surface of the liquid crystal panel 5 can be prevented, and more accurate bonding can be performed.

  FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show the velocity vector of the airflow in the under-paste type manufacturing system similar to the present invention. In FIG. 3, a region A is a region where the unwinding part is installed, a region B is a region through which the polarizing film mainly passes, and a region C is a region where the winding unit and the like are installed. Further, clean air is supplied from the HEPA filter 40. In FIG. 7A, since the grating 41 through which clean air can pass is installed, the airflow can move in the vertical direction via the grating 41. On the other hand, in FIG.7 (b), since the grating 41 is not installed, after an airflow contacts a floor, it will move along a floor.

  Since the manufacturing system shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) is a bottom-attached type, the air current from the HEPA filter 40 is not hindered by the polarizing film, as shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). For this reason, the direction of the airflow vector is almost directed to the liquid crystal panel, and it can be said that a preferable rectification environment is realized in the clean room. In FIG. 3 (a), the grating 41 is installed and not installed in FIG. 3 (b), but both drawings show the same preferable state. In FIGS. 3 and 7, the panel transport mechanism is formed on both sides and is not installed as a series of structures. For this reason, the airflow can pass between the panel transport mechanisms. In the case of the configuration, the liquid crystal panel is held by a robot arm or the like (not shown) and then transferred between the panel transport mechanisms.

  Moreover, in the bonding apparatus 100, it is the structure which first conveys the liquid crystal panel 5 in a long side frontage, and then conveys in a short side frontage. When the liquid crystal panel 5 is not turned, it is desirable that the liquid crystal panel 5 and the polarizing film are bonded at the front edge of the long side because the bonding distance is small. However, in the bonding apparatus 100, in order to make the liquid crystal panel 5 into an inversion state, it is necessary to perform bonding in both the long-side opening and the short-side opening. For this reason, first, after bonding to one surface of the liquid crystal panel 5 at the short edge, the bonding may be performed to the other surface of the liquid crystal panel at the long edge.

  Next, the knife edge 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a peripheral portion of the nip rolls 6 and 6a in the bonding apparatus 100. FIG. FIG. 4 shows a situation in which the liquid crystal panel 5 is conveyed from the left direction and the polarizing film 5a is conveyed from the lower left direction. In the polarizing film 5a, the polarizing film 5a and the adhesive layer are cut by the half cutter 3, and the release film 5b is not cut (half cut).

  A knife edge 4 is provided on the release film 5b side. The knife edge 4 is an edge-shaped member for peeling the peeling film 5b, and the polarizing film 5a and the peeling film 5b having a low adhesive force are peeled off along the knife edge 4.

  Thereafter, the release film 5b is wound around the first winding portion 2 in FIG. In addition, it can replace with a knife edge and can also use the structure which winds up a peeling film using an adhesion roller. In that case, the winding efficiency of a peeling film can be improved by providing an adhesive roller in two places similarly to a winding part.

  Furthermore, as a preferable form, the bonding apparatus 100 includes a control unit 70, a cleaning unit 71, a bonding deviation inspection device 72, a bonded foreign material automatic inspection device 73, and a sorting and conveying device 74. The sticking misalignment inspection device 72, the bonding foreign substance automatic inspection device 73, and the sorting and conveying device 74 include these because they perform processing such as inspection on the liquid crystal panel 5 after bonding, that is, the liquid crystal display device. The bonding apparatus 100 is referred to as a liquid crystal display manufacturing system.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the relationship of each member included in the liquid crystal display device manufacturing system, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the liquid crystal display device manufacturing system. Hereinafter, the operation of the liquid crystal display device will be described together with the description of each member.

  The control unit 70 is connected to the cleaning unit 71, the bonding deviation inspection device 72, the bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device 73, and the sorting and conveying device 74, and controls them by transmitting control signals thereto. The control unit 70 is mainly configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and includes a memory or the like as necessary.

  The washing | cleaning part 71 wash | cleans the liquid crystal panel 5 before bonding a polarizing film on the lower surface of a liquid crystal panel by a 1st bonding part (cleaning process, S1 of FIG. 6 (S shows a step)). As the cleaning unit 71, a known cleaning unit composed of a nozzle and a brush for injecting a cleaning liquid may be used. By cleaning the liquid crystal panel 5 immediately before the bonding by the cleaning unit 71, the bonding can be performed in a state where the adhered foreign matter on the liquid crystal panel 5 is small.

  As described above, when the cleaning unit 71 is provided, in order to shorten the tact time in the cleaning unit 71, the panel transport mechanism has a long side of the liquid crystal panel 5 with respect to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel 5. It is preferable to transport the liquid crystal panel 5 to the cleaning section in a state where the cross sections are orthogonal (long side frontage). Usually, since the cleaning in the cleaning unit 71 takes a long time, the above configuration is very effective from the viewpoint of shortening the tact time.

  Next, although the bonding process which bonds a polarizing film to the liquid crystal panel 5 is performed (S2 of FIG. 6), this process is as having demonstrated using FIGS.

  The sticking inspection device 72 inspects the presence or absence of sticking misalignment of the polarizing film in the bonded liquid crystal panel 5. The sticking displacement inspection device 72 is configured by a camera and an image processing device, and the camera is installed at the bonding position of the liquid crystal panel 5 to which the polarizing film is bonded by the nip rolls 16 and 16a. The liquid crystal panel 5 is photographed by the camera, and the photographed image information is processed, whereby it is possible to inspect the liquid crystal panel 5 for the sticking misalignment (stick misalignment inspection step, S3 in FIG. 6). Note that as the misalignment inspection apparatus 72, a conventionally known misalignment inspection apparatus can be used.

  The bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device 73 inspects the presence or absence of foreign matter in the bonded liquid crystal panel 5. The bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device 73 is configured by a camera and an image processing device, similarly to the bonding displacement inspection device 72, and the panel transport unit of the liquid crystal panel 5 after the polarizing film is bonded by the nip rolls 16 and 16a. The camera is installed in the (panel transport mechanism 60). The liquid crystal panel 5 is photographed by the camera, and the presence or absence of a bonded foreign material can be inspected on the liquid crystal panel 5 by processing the captured image information (bonded foreign material inspection step, S4). Examples of the foreign matter include foreign matters such as dust, fish eyes, and the like. In addition, as the bonding foreign material automatic inspection apparatus 73, a conventionally well-known bonding foreign material inspection apparatus can be used.

  S3 and S4 may be performed in the reverse order or simultaneously. One step can be omitted.

  The sorting and conveying device 74 determines the presence or absence of sticking misalignment and foreign matter based on the inspection results from the sticking misalignment inspection device 72 and the bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device 73. The sorting and conveying device 74 can receive output signals based on the inspection results from the sticking misalignment inspection device 72 and the bonding foreign matter automatic inspection device 73, and can sort the bonded liquid crystal panel 5 into a non-defective product or a defective product. Good. Therefore, a conventionally known sorting and conveying system can be used.

  In the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device, it is configured to detect both as a preferred mode, and when it is determined that either a misalignment or a foreign object has been inspected (YES), the bonded liquid crystal panel 5 is defective. (S7). On the other hand, when it is determined that neither sticking deviation nor foreign matter is detected (NO), the bonded liquid crystal panel 5 is classified as a non-defective product (S6).

  According to the manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device provided with the sorting and conveying device 74, the non-defective product and the defective product can be sorted quickly, and the tact time can be shortened.

  In addition, when only the pasting deviation inspection device 72 or the pasting foreign matter automatic inspection device 73 is provided, the sorting and conveying device 74 may be configured to determine the presence or absence of only one of pasting misalignment and foreign matter.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and the technical means disclosed in different embodiments can be appropriately combined. Such embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The polarizing film bonding apparatus according to the present invention can be used in the field of bonding a polarizing film to a liquid crystal panel.

1.11 First unwinding part (unwinding part)
1a, 11a Second unwinding part (unwinding part)
2 ・ 12 First winding part (winding part)
2a, 12a Second winding part (winding part)
3.13 Half cutter (cutting part)
4.14 Knife edge (removal part)
5 Liquid crystal panel 5a Polarizing film 5b Peeling film 6, 6a, 16, 16a Nip roll (first bonding part, second bonding part)
7.7a / 17 / 17a Defect film take-up roller (collection part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 Film conveyance mechanism 51 1st film conveyance mechanism 52 2nd film conveyance mechanism 60 Panel conveyance mechanism 70 Control part 71 Washing | cleaning part 72 Bond misalignment inspection apparatus 73 Bonding foreign material automatic inspection apparatus 74 Sorting conveyance apparatus 100 Bonding apparatus (Polarization film of polarizing film) Pasting device)

Claims (8)

In a polarizing film laminating apparatus having a film transporting mechanism for transporting a polarizing film, a panel transporting mechanism for transporting a liquid crystal panel, and a laminating unit for laminating the polarizing film on the liquid crystal panel,
The film transport mechanism includes a first film transport mechanism and a second film transport mechanism,
The first film transport mechanism includes a plurality of unwinding sections for unwinding the polarizing film protected by the release film, a cutting section for cutting the polarizing film, and a removing section for removing the peeling film from the polarizing film. And a plurality of winding sections for winding the release film,
The second film transport mechanism includes a plurality of unwinding sections for unwinding the polarizing film protected by the release film, a cutting section for cutting the polarizing film, and a removing section for removing the peeling film from the polarizing film. And a plurality of winding sections for winding the release film,
The panel transport mechanism is provided above the film transport mechanism, and the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel in the panel transport mechanism is linear along the first film transport mechanism and the second film transport mechanism,
The 1st bonding part which is the bonding part which bonds the polarizing film from which the peeling film was removed on the lower surface of a liquid crystal panel is between the said 1st film conveyance mechanism and a panel conveyance mechanism, and a 2nd bonding part is said 1st. 2 are provided between the film transport mechanism and the panel transport mechanism,
The panel transport mechanism includes a reversing unit that turns the liquid crystal panel on which the polarizing film is pasted by the first laminating unit into a reversed state by turning 90 ° and reversing 180 °,
The said 2nd bonding part bonds a polarizing film on the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel used as the inversion state, The polarizing film bonding apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. Before laminating the polarizing film on the lower surface of the liquid crystal panel by the first laminating unit, a cleaning unit for cleaning the liquid crystal panel is provided,
The liquid crystal panel has a rectangular shape,
2. The polarizing film according to claim 1, wherein the panel transport mechanism transports the liquid crystal panel to the cleaning unit in a state where the long sides of the liquid crystal panel are orthogonal to the transport direction of the liquid crystal panel. Bonding device. In the first film transport mechanism and the second film transport mechanism, a defect detection unit that detects a defect display attached to the polarizing film unwound from the first unwinding unit;
Discriminating the above-mentioned defect display, a pasting avoidance unit for stopping the transport of the liquid crystal panel, and
It has a collection | recovery part which collect | recovers the polarizing films by which the bonding with a liquid crystal panel was avoided, The bonding apparatus of the polarizing film of Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. A polarizing film bonding apparatus according to claim 1;
The manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device provided with the sticking deviation test | inspection apparatus which test | inspects the sticking gap in the liquid crystal panel by which the polarizing film was bonded by the said 2nd bonding part.   5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a sorting / conveying device that determines presence / absence of pasting deviation based on an inspection result by the pasting deviation inspection apparatus, and sorts the liquid crystal panel to which the polarizing film is bonded based on the determination result. A manufacturing system of a liquid crystal display device according to 1. A polarizing film bonding apparatus according to claim 1;
The manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device provided with the bonded foreign material automatic test | inspection apparatus which test | inspects the foreign material in the liquid crystal panel by which the polarizing film was bonded by the said 2nd bonding part.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sorting and conveying device that determines the presence or absence of foreign matter based on the inspection result by the bonded foreign matter automatic inspection device, and sorts the liquid crystal panel to which the polarizing film is bonded based on the determination result. 7. A manufacturing system of a liquid crystal display device according to 6. A bonding foreign matter automatic inspection device for inspecting foreign matter in the liquid crystal panel on which the polarizing film is pasted by the second pasting unit,
Based on the inspection result by the pasting inspection apparatus and the inspection result by the pasting automatic inspection apparatus, the presence or absence of pasting and foreign matter is determined. Based on the determination result, the liquid crystal panel on which the polarizing film is bonded The manufacturing system of the liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, further comprising a sorting conveyance device that performs sorting.

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