JP2012040625A - Method for manufacturing gas barrier film - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture a gas barrier film having a cut sheet shape by cutting a long gas barrier film without breaking the gas barrier film.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a gas barrier film includes cutting the long gas barrier film in a width direction thereof, and then cutting both width directional ends where the cutting is performed without holding one of the gas barrier films in a direction perpendicular to a cutting-plane line, or is performed by using a cutting device on a point contact basis.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a gas barrier film, in which a long gas barrier film is cut to produce a cut sheet-like gas barrier film.

  Packaging used for packaging parts, parts, food, clothing, electronic parts, etc. that require moisture resistance in various devices such as optical devices, display devices such as liquid crystal displays and organic EL displays, semiconductor devices, thin film solar cells, etc. As a material, a gas barrier film is used in which a film (gas barrier film) exhibiting gas barrier properties is formed (film formation) on a plastic film (support) such as a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.

As a gas barrier film formed on the gas barrier film, films made of various inorganic compounds (inorganic substances) such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and aluminum oxide are known.
Here, as described in Patent Document 1, these gas barrier films have low strength and are easily broken by contact. Moreover, since a gas barrier film will become hard when it exceeds 300 nm and it will become easy to produce a crack etc., generally a gas barrier film is a thin film | membrane.

By the way, as a method for producing such a gas barrier film with good production efficiency, a supply roll formed by winding a long support (web-like support (substrate / base)) into a roll is supplied. There is known a so-called roll-to-roll method in which film formation is performed on a support fed from a roll and the film-formed support is wound again in a roll shape.
In this roll-to-roll film formation, a long support is passed (inserted) from the supply roll to the take-up roll through a predetermined path passing through the film formation chamber for film formation on the support, and then supplied. The film formation is continuously performed on the conveyed support in the film formation chamber while the feeding of the support from the roll and the winding of the film-formed support by the winding roll are performed in synchronization.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-108531

In many cases, the gas barrier film is used as a cut sheet having a predetermined size. Therefore, the gas barrier film in which the gas barrier film is formed by roll-to-roll needs to be cut (cut) into a cut sheet having a predetermined size.
As a method for making a long sheet-like material into a cut sheet of a predetermined size, a frame-like blade having the same shape as the sheet to be cut is used in that a cut sheet having a desired size / shape can be obtained in one step. So-called punching (die cutting) is preferably used.

Here, as described above, since the gas barrier film is a film made of an inorganic compound, it is a relatively hard and brittle film. Further, as described in Patent Document 1, when the gas barrier film becomes thick, it loses flexibility and becomes more easily cracked.
Furthermore, when the thickness is increased to a certain level, the gas barrier performance cannot be improved even if the gas barrier film is further increased. This is because gas barrier barrier performance is determined by the density of molecules forming the film. Therefore, after the film formation of a certain level or more, the property in the thickness direction does not change. However, as the gas barrier film becomes thicker, the embedding property of the inorganic substance against disturbances such as foreign matters mixed during film formation is also improved. However, in this case, the ease of cracking becomes dominant, and as a result, the performance decreases. Therefore, as described above, the gas barrier film formed on the gas barrier film is generally a thin film.

When a long gas barrier film having such a gas barrier film is cut into a cut sheet having a predetermined shape by punching or the like, the gas barrier film is cracked or cracked by the force applied by the cutting, and the gas barrier film is destroyed. Gas barrier performance is significantly reduced.
Moreover, the destruction of the gas barrier film directly propagates the force like vibration not only in the peripheral area where the die / presser touches, but also in the part sufficiently away from the cutting part and not in contact with the die, It became clear that the defect was caused by the destruction of the barrier film.

  Moreover, as described in Patent Document 1, in various processes from completion of cutting to a cut sheet shape, when the gas barrier film is contacted, the gas barrier film is easily broken. Will drop significantly.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and a long gas barrier film formed by forming a gas barrier film on a support is cut to form a cut sheet of a predetermined size / shape. A production method for producing a gas barrier film, which suppresses the destruction of the gas barrier film due to cutting or contact, and makes it possible to stably produce a cut sheet-like gas barrier film having a desired gas barrier property. It is providing the manufacturing method of a gas barrier film.

  In order to achieve the above object, the method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention comprises a film roll formed by winding a long gas barrier film formed by forming a gas barrier film on a support in the form of a roll. When the gas barrier film is pulled out and cut to produce a cut sheet-shaped gas barrier film of a predetermined size, the long gas barrier film is cut in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and then both end portions in the width direction. Is cut in the longitudinal direction of the long gas barrier film to form a cut sheet-like gas barrier film of the predetermined size, and the cutting of the gas barrier film is performed in one direction perpendicular to the cutting line. Cutting without holding the gas barrier film or making point contact with the gas barrier film To provide a method of manufacturing a gas barrier film, which comprises carrying out the steps.

  In such a method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention, when the point-contact cutting means is not used, the cutting in the width direction is more downstream than the cutting line in the drawing direction of the long gas barrier film. It is preferable to carry out without holding the gas barrier film, and when not using the point-contact cutting means, cutting at both ends in the width direction is carried out without holding the region to be the cut sheet-like gas barrier film. Is preferred.

Moreover, it is preferable to perform the cutting | disconnection of the said width direction, conveying the said elongate gas barrier film to a longitudinal direction.
At this time, the cutting in the width direction is performed by a rotating body having a rotating shaft extending in the width direction, and a cutting blade extending in the width direction fixed to a circumferential surface in the rotation of the rotating body. It is preferable to perform the rotation of the rotating body and the conveyance of the long gas barrier film in synchronization with each other using a cutting means.

Further, the long gas barrier film transporting means disposed between the film roll and the widthwise cutting means may be provided at both ends of the widthwise direction on the gas barrier film side with respect to the support. It is preferable that only the part to be cut comes into contact.
In this case, the transport means is a pair of rollers for sandwiching and transporting the long gas barrier film, and the gas barrier film side roller is other than the contact portion with the portion to be cut. A stepped roller having a small diameter portion is preferred.

In addition, a slitter that cuts the end portion in the width direction by simultaneously sandwiching the gas barrier film in the thickness direction with two circular rotary blades, or a gas barrier film with one circular rotary blade and a blade receiver. It is preferable to use a slitter that is sandwiched and cut simultaneously in the thickness direction.
Alternatively, it is preferable that the end in the width direction is cut one end at a time with a guillotine cutter without holding a region that becomes the cut sheet-like gas barrier film.

Furthermore, it is preferable that only the portions of the gas barrier film at both ends in the width direction are in contact with the support on the gas barrier film side until the cutting at both ends in the width direction is completed.
In this case, it is preferable to pass the long gas barrier film through the apparatus for cutting in the width direction in contact with a width direction end region to be cut later.

In the method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention having the above-described configuration, when the gas barrier film is cut (cut) and formed into a cut sheet of a predetermined size, one gas barrier film in a direction perpendicular to the cutting line ( The gas barrier film is cut without holding the gas barrier film sandwiching the cutting line (that is, in a free state (open state)). Or a gas barrier film is cut | disconnected by the cutting | disconnection means which contacts a cutting | disconnection part with a point like the slitter using a circular rotary blade.
Therefore, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to prevent an excessive force from being applied to the gas barrier film at the time of cutting, and it is possible to suitably suppress the destruction of the gas barrier film due to the cutting.

In addition, in the gas barrier film, not only at the time of cutting as described above, but also when various members such as a transport roller contact the gas barrier film, the hands of workers, etc., the gas barrier film also cracks, cracks, etc. It is often destroyed.
Here, generally, the gas barrier film is often not properly formed in the vicinity of the end in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction) of the long gas barrier film. Therefore, it is preferable that this end region is cut without being made into a product. In addition, when the width of the long gas barrier film does not match the size of the target cut sheet in one direction, it is necessary to cut not only the short length but also the end portion to obtain a predetermined size. .

On the other hand, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, first, a long gas barrier film is cut in the width direction to form a short gas barrier film, and then both ends in the width direction (the state where the gas barrier film is long). At both ends in the width direction.
Therefore, according to the present invention, until a cut sheet of a predetermined size is used, the portion that does not become the end product in the width direction is used to transport the gas barrier film by the transport roller, to pass the film to the film forming apparatus, etc. Operation, handling, etc. can be performed, and contact with the product area | region of a gas barrier film can be avoided.
That is, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, damage to the gas barrier film due to contact of various members or contact of workers can be suitably prevented.

  Therefore, according to the production method of the present invention, it is possible to stably produce a cut sheet-like gas barrier film having a desired gas barrier property, in which a decrease in gas barrier property due to damage to the gas barrier film is suppressed.

(A)-(C) are figures which show notionally an example of the gas barrier film which can be utilized for the manufacturing method of the gas barrier film of this invention. (A) And (B) is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the gas barrier film of this invention. (A) And (B) is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the gas barrier film of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention will be described in detail on the basis of a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

  The method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention is to cut a long gas barrier film (web-like gas barrier film) to produce a cut sheet-like gas barrier film of a predetermined size.

  In the production method of the present invention, the usable long gas barrier film is not particularly limited. As conceptually shown in FIG. 1 (A), the gas barrier film 12 is formed on the surface of the long support Z. All known gas barrier films formed can be used.

Specifically, as the support Z (web-shaped substrate (substrate)), various known materials that are used as a support for gas barrier films can be used.
Specifically, plastics (polymer materials) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyacrylonitrile, polyimide, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, etc. ) Is a preferred example of the support Z.
Further, the support Z has a protective layer, an adhesive layer, a light reflection layer, an antireflection layer, a light shielding layer, a planarization layer, a buffer layer, on the surface (formation surface of the gas barrier film 12) such as the plastic film as described above. Layers (films) for obtaining various functions such as a stress relaxation layer may be formed.

The gas barrier film 12 is not particularly limited, and various known films that exhibit gas barrier properties (water vapor barrier properties) can be used.
Specifically, metal oxides such as aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and indium tin oxide (ITO); metal nitrides such as aluminum nitride; metal carbides such as aluminum carbide; silicon oxide, Silicon oxides such as silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbide and silicon oxynitride carbide; silicon nitrides such as silicon nitride and silicon nitride carbide; silicon carbides such as silicon carbide; hydrides thereof; mixtures of two or more of these; and Films made of inorganic compounds such as these hydrogen-containing materials are preferably exemplified.
Such a gas barrier film 12 may be formed by a known method such as plasma CVD or sputtering.

In the present invention, the gas barrier film is not limited to a single-layer film made of an inorganic compound that exhibits gas barrier properties, like the gas barrier film 12 shown in FIG. 1A, and has various layer configurations. A gas barrier film can be used.
As an example, a structure in which a plurality of inorganic layers exhibiting gas barrier properties such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and aluminum oxide exemplified in the gas barrier film 12 illustrated in FIG. A gas barrier film in which an inorganic layer and a layer made of an organic compound (organic layer) are combined as described in Patent Document 1 can also be used. Specifically, a gas barrier film 12b in which organic layers 14 and inorganic layers 16 are alternately stacked as shown in FIG.

In the gas barrier film 12b in which the organic layers 14 and the inorganic layers 16 are alternately stacked, the organic layer 14 is not particularly limited, and films made of various organic substances can be used.
Specifically, polyester, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, methacrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer, polystyrene, transparent fluororesin, polyimide, fluorinated polyimide, polyamide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, cellulose acylate, polyurethane, poly Ether ether ketone, polycarbonate, alicyclic polyolefin, polyarylate, polyethersulfone, polysulfone, fluorene ring modified polycarbonate, alicyclic modified polycarbonate, fluorene ring modified polyester, acryloyl compound, thermoplastic resin, or polysiloxane, etc. An organic silicon compound film is preferably exemplified.
Among these, from the viewpoint of smoothness and heat resistance effective for gas barrier properties, the organic layer 14 composed of a polymer of a radically polymerizable compound and / or a cationically polymerizable compound having an ether group as a functional group is suitable. An acrylic resin or a methacrylic resin mainly composed of a polymer of acrylate and / or methacrylate monomers is preferably exemplified.
Such an organic layer 14 may be formed by a known method such as a coating method or flash vapor deposition.

  In the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier film formed by alternately forming the organic layers 14 and the inorganic layers 16 is “organic layer 14 / inorganic layer 16 / organic layer 14” as shown in FIG. The three-layer structure is not limited, and may have one organic layer and one inorganic layer, or a five-layer structure (“organic layer 14 / inorganic layer 16 / It may be a gas barrier film having a layer structure of four or more layers, such as the gas barrier film 12c of the organic layer 14 / inorganic layer 16 / organic layer 14 ”).

The organic layer 14 basically smoothes the film-forming surface of the inorganic layer 16 that exhibits gas barrier properties, so that the inorganic layer 16 can exhibit sufficient gas barrier properties.
Moreover, when it has the organic layer 14 in the uppermost layer (surface), it becomes a protective layer.

  As will be described in detail later, the production method of the present invention is to produce a cut sheet-like gas barrier film of a predetermined size by cutting (cutting) a long gas barrier film. In the present invention, a gas barrier film (in the case of a laminated type of organic layer 14 / inorganic layer 16 in the case of a laminated type, an inorganic layer 16 that exhibits gas barrier properties) is cut by performing a predetermined method described later. A force is applied to prevent the gas barrier film from being broken by this force.

Here, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, when the gas barrier film has the organic layer 14, the organic layer 14 also acts as a buffer layer to buffer the force applied to the inorganic layer 16 by cutting in addition to the above-described function. To express.
Therefore, a gas barrier film in which the inorganic layer 16 and the organic layer 14 are combined, particularly, as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C described later, the organic layers 14 and the inorganic layers 16 are alternately stacked. By using the long gas barrier film having the gas barrier film, the gas barrier film by cutting is more preferable due to the synergistic effect of the gas barrier film destruction prevention effect according to the present invention and the buffer effect developed by the organic layer 14. The destruction of the (inorganic layer 16) can be prevented, and preferable results can be obtained. In addition, when the uppermost layer has the organic layer 14, the surface flatness is excellent, so that it is possible to ensure good adhesion with a conveying means such as a nip roller. For example, a stepped roller as described later is used. Moreover, the conveyance which contacts only the non-product area | region of a gas barrier film edge part can be performed stably with few holding margins.

In the production method of the present invention, when the long gas barrier film has a gas barrier film in which the organic layers 14 and the inorganic layers 16 are alternately laminated, the structure shown in FIGS. 1 (B) and 1 (C) As shown, the lowermost layer and the uppermost layer (the layer formed on the surface of the support Z and the layer opposite to the support Z) are preferably organic layers 14.
At this time, the lowermost organic layer 14 is preferably thicker than the uppermost organic layer 14, and the uppermost organic layer 14 is preferably thicker than the inorganic layer 16. Further, as shown in FIG. 1C, in the case of a gas barrier film having a layer structure of five layers or more, in addition to the above conditions, an intermediate organic layer 14 (an organic layer 14 other than the lowermost layer and the uppermost layer) The thickness of the lowermost organic layer 14 is preferably equal to or less than the thickness of the organic layer 14 of the uppermost layer 14.
The thickness of each layer is not particularly limited, but the thickness of the uppermost organic layer 14 is 80 to 1000 nm, the thickness of the other organic layers 14 is 500 to 3000 nm, and the thickness of the inorganic layer 16 is 15. It is preferably ˜100 nm.

By having the said structure, more suitable gas barrier property can be obtained, the transparency of a gas barrier film can be ensured, the destruction prevention effect of the inorganic layer 16 by the cutting | disconnection by having the above-mentioned organic layer 14 can be obtained suitably, etc. In that respect, favorable results can be obtained.
In particular, if the inorganic layer 16 becomes too thick, it tends to be broken at the time of cutting. Therefore, by setting the film thickness within the above range, the destruction of the inorganic layer 16 due to cutting can be more preferably prevented, and a preferable result is obtained. Obtainable.

The method for producing a gas barrier film of the present invention is such that a gas barrier film is drawn out from a film roll formed by winding such a long gas barrier film into a roll, and is cut (cut) to form a cut-sheet-shaped gas barrier of a predetermined size. It is a film.
Specifically, a long gas barrier film is pulled out from a film roll, and is first cut in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (drawing direction) of the long gas barrier film) to produce a cut sheet A short gas barrier film having a length corresponding to the gas barrier film is used. In the production method of the present invention, the both ends in the width direction of the short gas barrier film are then cut in the longitudinal direction, the both ends in the width direction are cut off, and a cut sheet-like gas barrier film of a predetermined size (predetermined shape) And
As a matter of course, in the cutting in the longitudinal direction of both ends in the width direction after making the gas barrier film short by cutting in the width direction, the width direction and the longitudinal direction are the length before being cut in a short length. These are the width direction and the longitudinal direction in the scale state (hereinafter simply referred to as “width direction” and “longitudinal direction”).

An example of the cutting in the width direction is conceptually shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B).
In this example, first, a long film L is formed by two transport roller pairs 24 from a film roll 20 formed by winding a long gas barrier film L (hereinafter referred to as a long film L for convenience) into a roll shape. Pull out.
The drawn long film L is cut in the width direction by a rotary cutter 28 (omitted in FIG. 2B) while being conveyed in the longitudinal direction (= drawing direction) indicated by an arrow a in the drawing by the conveying roller pair 24. Thus, a short gas barrier film S (hereinafter referred to as a short film S for convenience) corresponding to the length of the cut sheet to be manufactured.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, on the downstream side in the transport direction of the rotary cutter 28 (= the drawing direction of the long film L, hereinafter simply referred to as downstream), the long film L before cutting (that is, the short film S to be cut). The member which contacts) is not arranged.
Therefore, the short film S produced by cutting the long film L in the width direction is guided by a slide-shaped guide 30 (not shown in FIG. 2B) and dropped, and both ends in the next width direction. Used for cutting parts.

  In addition, it is preferable to perform the paper passing of the long film L to the cutting device in the width direction in contact with the non-product region at the end in the width direction to be cut later.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the rotary cutter 28 has a known rotary having a blade 28 b extending in the width direction on the peripheral surface of a columnar rotating body 28 a having a rotation axis (center line) coinciding with the width direction. It is a cutter. In addition, the code | symbol 32 in FIG. 2 (A) is a support stand (lower blade / blade receptacle).
Similarly to the known rotary cutter, the rotary cutter 28 synchronizes with the conveyance of the long film L (the rotation speed of the tip of the blade 28b coincides with the conveyance speed of the long film L) and conveys the long film L. By rotating in the direction (arrow b direction), the long film L conveyed in the longitudinal direction is cut in the width direction.

Here, in the example shown in FIG. 2, as an example, the long gas barrier film L is drawn out and transported with the gas barrier film facing upward in the drawing.
As described above, the long film L is pulled out from the film roll 20 by the two conveying roller pairs 24 and is cut while being conveyed in the longitudinal direction. In the transport roller pair 24, the roller 24b that contacts the lower support Z is a normal cylindrical roller, but the roller that contacts the upper gas barrier film in the figure is the end (or the vicinity of the end). This is a so-called stepped roller 24a whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the other region (central region).
Further, the stepped roller 24a contacts only the regions of the both ends in the width direction of the long film L that are cut off at the subsequent cutting at both ends in the width direction. That is, the stepped roller 24a contacts only the non-product area of the long film L.

In the gas barrier film, the gas barrier film 12 and the inorganic layer 16 that exhibits gas barrier properties in the laminated gas barrier film are thin and fragile. For this reason, when a member such as a pair of conveying rollers directly contacts the gas barrier film, the gas barrier film (inorganic layer 16) in that portion often cracks or breaks. Furthermore, unnecessary contact with the product region of the gas barrier film is not preferable in any way, and contributes to the manufacture of an inappropriate product.
On the other hand, as shown in the figure, the roller that contacts the gas barrier film is a stepped roller 24 and is configured to contact only the non-product area that will be separated later, thereby destroying or damaging the gas barrier film in the product area. It is possible to prevent the above-mentioned problem and to manufacture a proper product stably.

As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, after the long film L is cut in the width direction, the both ends in the width direction are then cut. 3A and 3B conceptually shown in this example, the slitter 40 cuts both ends in the width direction of the short film S in the longitudinal direction (arrow a direction), and has a predetermined size. A cut sheet-like gas barrier film C (hereinafter referred to as product film C for convenience) is used.

As shown in FIG. 3, the slitter 40 has a rotation axis in the width direction (that is, rotates in the longitudinal direction) and is disposed at a cutting position indicated by a broken line in the drawing, and the short film S is in the thickness direction (vertical direction). It is a known slitter that cuts the end in the width direction of the short film S in the longitudinal direction by shearing with two circular (disk-shaped) rotary blades 40a (upper and lower blades) sandwiched between the two. In the illustrated example, as a preferred embodiment, slitters 40 located at the same position in the longitudinal direction are arranged at the cutting positions at both ends in the width direction of the short film S, and the both ends of the short film S are cut simultaneously. ing.
The cutting by the slitter 40 may be performed by moving the slitter 40, transporting the short film S, or relatively moving both. Further, it is preferable that the transport of the short film S up to the slitter 40 and the transport of the short film S for cutting by the slitter are performed in contact with both ends in the width direction cut by the slitter 40.

  Here, in the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier film on one side orthogonal to the cutting line, that is, the gas barrier film on one side across the cutting line is not held, or the point is in contact with the gas barrier film. The gas barrier film in the width direction and the longitudinal direction is cut by the cutting means.

Specifically, the cutting of the long film L in the width direction is performed without pressing the gas barrier film on the downstream side in the drawing direction of the long film L from the cutting position, or point contact with the gas barrier film to be cut. Cutting is performed by cutting means.
In the illustrated example, when the long film L is cut in the width direction, the gas barrier film that is cut off on the downstream side (right side in the drawing) from the cutting position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The long film L is cut into the short film S by the rotary cutter 28 without holding the portion to be. In other words, in the illustrated example, the cutting in the width direction is performed in a state where the portion that becomes the short film S is free (a state in which it is a free end).

Moreover, the cutting of the both ends of the width direction of the short film S is performed without pressing the region opposite to the end to be cut, that is, the region to be the product film C (in a free state), or a gas barrier for cutting. Cutting is performed by cutting means that makes point contact with the film.
In the example of illustration, the both ends of the short film S are cut | disconnected in the longitudinal direction by the slitter 40 which has the two rotary blades 40a which are in point contact with the short film S, and it is set as the product film C of predetermined size.

Further, in the present invention, after the long film L is cut in the width direction to form a short film S, both ends in the width direction of the short film S are cut in the longitudinal direction to form a cut sheet-like gas barrier film of a predetermined size. The product film C is as follows.
The production method of the present invention has such a configuration, and thus, when the long film L is cut to produce a cut sheet-like product film C having a predetermined size (predetermined shape), the gas barrier film is preferably destroyed. Therefore, it is possible to stably manufacture a gas barrier film that exhibits a predetermined gas barrier property.

When a long film-like material is cut and a cut-sheet-like film-like material having a predetermined size with four sides cut out (hereinafter also simply referred to as a cut sheet) is produced, the desired size and Since a cut sheet having a shape is obtained, so-called punching (die cutting) is generally used in which cutting is performed using a frame-shaped blade corresponding to the four sides of the cut sheet.
However, according to the study of the present inventor, when a gas barrier film formed by forming a gas barrier film on the surface of the support Z is cut by punching, a gas barrier film (lamination as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C) is obtained. In the case of a mold, cracks and cracks are generated in the inorganic layer 16) exhibiting gas barrier properties, and the gas barrier film is destroyed. Further, the cracks and cracks are formed not only in the vicinity of the cut portion but also in the vicinity of the center of the cut sheet-like gas barrier film.

The inventors have studied in detail the cause of the destruction of the gas barrier film. As a result, it was found that the main cause is that the gas barrier film (inorganic layer 16) is subjected to a force during cutting, and the force is propagated in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction, thereby destroying the gas barrier film. .
Furthermore, as a result of repeated studies on the method for preventing the gas barrier film from being broken during the cutting, the cutting is performed without pressing the gas barrier film on one side orthogonal to the cutting line during the cutting. And found that this destruction can be prevented. In other words, it has been found that the gas barrier film can be prevented from being broken by cutting by using at least one side in the direction orthogonal to the cutting line as a free end (open end). It has also been found that the gas barrier film can be prevented from being broken by cutting even when using a cutting means that cuts the gas barrier film by making point contact with the slitter 40.

As a result of repeated examinations and experiments regarding the cutting process of the gas barrier film, the present inventor has found that there is a phenomenon that not only the cut surface but also the inner product part is broken when being cut. The reason is considered that the inorganic film (inorganic layer 16) forming the gas barrier film is not a chemical bond chain like the organic film but is bonded only by intermolecular force for each molecule. In other words, the bonding of the inorganic film is larger in the inside of the film than in the organic film, and when a certain force is applied (when propagated), it is easy to propagate and break in a continuous or dotted line with the sparse part as a base point. . For this reason, it is presumed that when a very large force is applied to the cut surface as in the case of cutting, and the force is applied to the entire surface of the film, it breaks along the weak part (like a crack).
In consideration of the characteristics of such an inorganic film, the present inventor, in order to prevent the destruction of the gas barrier film, when cutting the gas barrier film in which the gas barrier film is formed on the support Z, We thought it important to avoid applying force to the entire product area. That is, by cutting with one end as a free end without pressing the gas barrier film to be cut, the force applied to the gas barrier film at the time of cutting, that is, the stress applied by pressing, is stretched in the direction of the blade at the time of cutting It is considered that the stretching force can be reduced by providing the open end to move the entire film, preventing an unnecessary force from being applied to the gas barrier film, and as a result, preventing the gas barrier film from being broken.
In addition, when using a point contact cutting means, the force applied to one point is dispersed throughout the gas barrier film, so that it is possible to prevent the gas barrier film from being damaged when it is cut. Conceivable.
Therefore, according to the present invention in which cutting is performed without pressing the gas barrier film on one side orthogonal to the cutting line, the breakage of the gas barrier film due to cutting can be suitably prevented.

Here, when the long film-like material is cut in the width direction and the longitudinal direction to make a cut sheet in this way, in consideration of handling and simplification of the process, It is usual to cut in the longitudinal direction and then cut in the width direction.
That is, by cutting the width direction last, the film-like object can be handled as one object until the end. For example, in the example shown in FIG. By disposing the slitter 40 as shown in FIG. 1, the end in the width direction in the longitudinal direction and the cut in the width direction are continuously performed, and a long film-like product can be formed into a cut sheet.

However, in a gas barrier film in which a gas barrier film is formed on the surface of a support, when cutting is performed in this order to produce a cut sheet-shaped product film C, both ends in the width direction are cut and then transported, In order to cut the direction, a member such as a conveyance roller needs to come into contact with an area to be a product of the gas barrier film. In addition, when work by the operator, such as paper passing work or transport work, is required between the cutting of the width direction end in the longitudinal direction and the cutting in the width direction, the product is also in contact with the region. It becomes necessary to do.
As described above, the gas barrier film (inorganic layer 16 in the case of a laminated type) is thin and fragile. Therefore, when a local force is applied to the contacted portion, the gas barrier film is cracked or cracked, and the gas barrier film is destroyed.

On the other hand, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the non-product area is left until immediately before the product film C is obtained by first cutting in the width direction and then cutting both ends in the width direction. be able to.
Therefore, by using a stepped roller or the like as shown in FIG. 2, the non-product area is brought into contact with or cut the long film L until it becomes the product film C until just before the product film C is obtained. Etc. can be performed. Therefore, operations such as conveyance of the long film L and cutting in the width direction of the long film L can be reliably performed while suitably preventing damage to the gas barrier film in the product region. In addition, even if the operator needs to touch the gas barrier film for paper passing or conveyance, the work can be done by touching the non-product areas at both ends in the width direction, which will be cut later. The damage of the gas barrier film in the product area can be prevented.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, the long film L is cut in the width direction, and then both ends in the width direction are cut, and the cutting is performed without pressing the gas barrier film, or is cut by a cutting means by point contact. For example, it is possible to stably manufacture a gas barrier film having a predetermined size (predetermined shape) that exhibits a predetermined gas barrier property, in which destruction of the gas barrier film is significantly suppressed.

In the present invention, the cutting in the width direction and the cutting at both ends in the width direction may be performed in the same manner as in the cutting (cutting process) of the normal gas barrier film, as long as the above conditions are satisfied.
In addition, the present invention is not limited to performing cutting in the width direction using the rotary cutter 28 and cutting both ends in the width direction using the slitter 40. Further, the slitter for cutting by point contact is not limited to the shear type slitter 40 using the two rotary blades 40a, and uses an upper (gas barrier film side) circular rotary blade and a lower blade receiver. Further, a press slitting type slitter that sandwiches the short film S in the thickness direction between the two can also be suitably used.

For example, the long film L may be cut in the width direction by a so-called guillotine cutter without pressing the downstream side of the cutting line. Alternatively, the long film L may be cut in the width direction using a disk-shaped rotary blade that makes point contact with the long film L.
However, in this case, it is necessary to stop conveyance and to cut the long film L. That is, it is necessary to carry the long film L intermittently. Therefore, an error is likely to occur in the cut length of the short film S, and further, there is a possibility that the long film L (gas barrier film) is burdened and the gas barrier film is damaged by repeating conveyance / stop. In addition, the production efficiency is also greatly reduced by performing intermittent conveyance.
Therefore, it is preferable to use a cutting means capable of cutting the long film L while conveying the long film L, as in the illustrated rotary cutter 28, for cutting the long film L in the width direction.

In addition, the two slitters 40 arranged at the same position in the longitudinal direction corresponding to both ends are not limited to cutting both ends in the width direction at the same time. It is good also as a product film C by cut | disconnecting one end at a time sequentially. In this case, the two slitters may be arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction, and the end portions may be cut continuously one end at a time. One slitter may end the width direction end portion one by one. Cutting may be performed.
Alternatively, both end portions in the width direction may be cut sequentially one by one using a guillotine cutter to obtain the product film C. Alternatively, the short film S may be conveyed in the width direction, and end portions in the width direction may be sequentially cut by a rotary cutter to obtain a product film C. Further, in cutting both ends in the width direction, different cutting means may be used, such as cutting one end with a guillotine cutter and the other end with a slitter.
At this time, the short film S is cut without holding the product region.
That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, in any case, in order to prevent the gas barrier film as a product from being destroyed, if the worker or the apparatus needs to contact the short film S, the product It is preferable not to contact the region to be the region (product film C) but to contact the end in the width direction to be cut.

  As mentioned above, although the manufacturing method of the gas barrier film of this invention was demonstrated in detail, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned example, You may perform various improvement and change in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. Of course.

For example, in FIG. 2, the long film L may be transported by using a clip that grips a portion to be cut at both ends in the width direction, instead of a pair of transport rollers using stepped rollers. Alternatively, in the long film L, sprocket holes may be formed at portions to be cut at both ends in the width direction, and the long film L may be conveyed by a sprocket gear that engages with the sprocket holes.
Further, the cut sheet-like gas barrier film produced in the present invention is not limited to a rectangle such as a square or a rectangle, and a long sheet-like material such as a shape having a curved side is cut in the width direction, and then Various shapes obtained by cutting both ends in the width direction in the longitudinal direction can be used.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific examples of the present invention.

[Example 1]
A film roll 20 was prepared by winding a long film L having a width of 1000 mm having a three-layer gas barrier film 12b as shown in FIG.

As the support Z, a PET film having a thickness of 100 μm was used.
The organic layer 14 was prepared by preparing a paint in which an acrylate monomer and a photopolymerization initiator were dissolved in an organic solvent, applying the paint with a die coater and drying, and then curing the paint film with ultraviolet rays. The film thickness of the organic layer 14 in the lowermost layer (support surface) was 1000 nm, and the film thickness of the organic layer in the uppermost layer was 500 nm.
The inorganic layer 16 was an aluminum oxide layer having a thickness of 50 nm formed by reactive sputtering.

Each layer is formed by feeding a long film from a roll wound in a roll shape, carrying it in the longitudinal direction, forming a film, and winding the formed film again in a roll shape. Done by two rolls.
The two organic layers 14 were formed using the same apparatus.

Such a film roll 20 was first cut with a cutting device in the width direction using a rotary cutter 28 as shown in FIG. 2 to obtain a short film S having a length of 500 mm (width 1000 mm).
As described above, this cutting apparatus has no member that contacts the long film L before cutting (the short film C to be cut) downstream of the cutting position by the rotary cutter 28.
Next, both end portions in the width direction of the short film S were cut by a slitter 40 as shown in FIG. 3 to produce a 500 × 600 mm rectangular gas barrier film.

[Comparative Example 1]
Instead of the rotary cutter 28 and the slitter 40, a 500 × 600 mm frame-shaped cutting blade was used, and a rectangular gas barrier film of 500 × 600 mm was produced by punching.

[Comparative Example 2]
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the slitter 40 is disposed between the conveying roller pair 24, the width direction both ends are cut first, and then the width direction is cut by the rotary cutter 28, and the 500 × 600 mm A rectangular gas barrier film was produced.
In addition, the stepped roller of the downstream conveying roller pair 24 adjusted the position of the large-diameter portion in the width direction so that the long film after cutting both ends in the width direction could be properly conveyed.

For the three types of cut sheet-shaped gas barrier films thus produced, the water vapor transmission rate [g / (m ² · day)] was determined by the calcium corrosion method (the method described in JP-A-2005-283561). It was measured.

As a result, Example 1 was 9.2 × 10 ⁻⁵ and an excellent gas barrier property was obtained. In contrast, Comparative Example 1 was 3.2 × 10 ⁻³ and Comparative Example 2 was 1.2 × 10 ⁻³ , both of which were significantly lower in gas barrier properties than Example 1.
When the gas barrier film of Comparative Example 1 was cut by punching, the gas barrier film 12b (inorganic layer 16) was destroyed as described above, and the gas barrier property was considered to be lowered. In addition, it is considered that the gas barrier film of Comparative Example 2 was deteriorated in gas barrier properties because the gas barrier film 12b at the end in the width direction was broken during conveyance by the conveyance roller pair 24 arranged downstream of the slitter 40.
On the other hand, in Example 1 by the manufacturing method of this invention, it is thought that destruction of the gas barrier film at the time of a cutting | disconnection or conveyance is prevented suitably, and the gas barrier film 12b originally exhibited the gas barrier property which it has.
From the above results, the effects of the present invention are clear.

  The gas barrier film produced by roll-to-roll which can obtain high productivity is used for the purpose of cutting into a gas barrier film having a shape corresponding to the application.

12, 12b, 12c Gas barrier film 14 Organic layer 16 Inorganic layer 20 Film roll 24 Conveying roller pair 24a Stepped roller 28 Rotary cutter 30 Guide 32 Support base 40 Slitter

Claims (11)

The long gas barrier film formed by forming a gas barrier film on a support is wound into a roll, and the long gas barrier film is drawn out and cut to form a cut sheet-shaped gas barrier film of a predetermined size. In manufacturing
By cutting the long gas barrier film in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and then cutting both ends in the width direction in the longitudinal direction of the long gas barrier film, A gas barrier film, and
The method for producing a gas barrier film is characterized in that the gas barrier film is cut without holding one gas barrier film in a direction perpendicular to the cutting line, or by a cutting means that makes point contact with the gas barrier film.   The cutting in the width direction is performed without holding the gas barrier film on the downstream side in the pulling-out direction of the long gas barrier film with respect to the cutting line when the cutting means that makes point contact is not used. A method for producing a gas barrier film.   3. The method for producing a gas barrier film according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the point-contact cutting means is not used, the both ends in the width direction are cut without holding a region to be the cut sheet-like gas barrier film. .   The manufacturing method of the gas barrier film in any one of Claims 1-3 which perform the cutting | disconnection of the said width direction, conveying the said elongate gas barrier film to a longitudinal direction.   Cutting means comprising: a rotating body having a rotating shaft extending in the width direction; and a cutting blade extending in the width direction fixed to a circumferential surface in the rotation of the rotating body. 5. The method for producing a gas barrier film according to claim 4, wherein the rotation of the rotating body and the conveyance of the long gas barrier film are performed in synchronization with each other.   The long gas barrier film conveying means disposed between the film roll and the width direction cutting means is cut at both ends in the width direction on the gas barrier film side with respect to the support. The method for producing a gas barrier film according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas barrier film is in contact with only the portion.   The conveying means is a pair of rollers for nipping and conveying the long gas barrier film, and the other portion of the roller on the gas barrier film side has a smaller diameter than the abutting portion with the portion to be cut. The method for producing a gas barrier film according to claim 6, which is a stepped roller.   A slitter that cuts the end portion in the width direction by simultaneously sandwiching the gas barrier film in the thickness direction with two circular rotary blades, or a gas barrier film in the thickness direction with one circular rotary blade and a blade receiver. The method for producing a gas barrier film according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is performed by a slitter that is sandwiched and cut simultaneously.   The method for producing a gas barrier film according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the end portion in the width direction is cut by one end portion by a guillotine cutter without holding a region to be the cut sheet-like gas barrier film. .   Until the cutting | disconnection of the both ends of the said width direction is complete | finished, in the said gas barrier film side with respect to the said support body, it contacts only the part to be cut | disconnected of the width direction both ends of the said gas barrier film. The manufacturing method of the gas barrier film in any one.   The method for producing a gas barrier film according to claim 10, wherein the paper passage of the long gas barrier film to the apparatus for cutting in the width direction is performed in contact with a width direction end region to be cut later.

Images