JP2012176591A - Method and apparatus for molding photocurable material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a molding method for photocurable material that can drop out generation of hardened unevenness in photocurable material and harden photocurable material efficiently without exception when the molding object of photocurable material is molded using upper and lower dies including materials, such as metals and the like.SOLUTION: The photocurable material 11 is supplied to at least either an upper die 7 or a lower die 9 including a materials of protection from light, such as ultraviolet rays, and the upper die 7 is moved closer to the lower die 9 for positioning, whereas light UR emitted from light sources 19A and 19B outside the upper die 7 and the lower die 9 is radiated, through turning the path, to the photocurable material 11 placed between the upper die 7 and the lower die 9.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for molding a photocurable material, for example, to obtain a molded body of a material such as an ultraviolet curable resin using a mold.

  Conventionally, a molding method for obtaining a molded body made of an ultraviolet curable resin using a lower mold and an upper mold made of quartz glass that transmits ultraviolet rays is known.

  In the above conventional molding method, the uncured ultraviolet curable resin existing between the lower mold and the upper mold is irradiated with ultraviolet rays through at least one of the lower mold and the upper mold to cure the ultraviolet curable resin, A molded body is obtained.

  However, quartz glass is expensive, has a drawback that it is difficult to process and is easily chipped. Therefore, it is possible to adopt a molding method using a lower mold and an upper mold that are made of a metal such as nickel, which is less expensive than quartz glass, is easy to process, and is not easily chipped (having toughness). .

  In this molding method, since the lower mold and upper mold do not transmit ultraviolet light, the uncured ultraviolet curable resin existing between the lower mold and upper mold is irradiated with ultraviolet light from the gap between the upper mold and lower mold. Then, the ultraviolet curable resin is cured (see, for example, FIG. 15 of Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-279774 A

  By the way, in the molding method described in Patent Document 1, since the ultraviolet curable resin is simply irradiated with ultraviolet rays through a narrow gap between the lower mold and the upper mold, curing unevenness occurs in the ultraviolet curable resin. There is a problem of fear.

  This problem occurs not only in the ultraviolet curable resin but also in a material (a material such as a photocurable resin) that is cured by an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength other than ultraviolet rays.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is formed of a photocurable material using an upper mold and a lower mold that are made of a material such as a metal that is inexpensive, easy to process, and tough. To provide a molding method and a molding apparatus for a photocurable material that can eliminate curing unevenness in a photocurable material and can efficiently cure the photocurable material when molding a body. With the goal.

  The invention according to claim 1 supplies a photo-curable material to at least one of an upper mold made of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays and a lower mold made of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays. A photocurable material supplying step, a mold moving positioning step for positioning the upper mold close to the vicinity of the lower mold, and light emitted from a light source outside the upper mold and the lower mold, This is a method for molding a photocurable material, which includes a light irradiation step of irradiating a photocurable material existing between an upper mold and the lower mold by changing a course.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for molding a photocurable material according to the first aspect, the light irradiation step may be performed by changing a position of the light source, changing a posture of the light source, or light emitted from the light source. A method of forming a photocurable material, which is a step of irradiating the photocurable material with light in at least one of the manner of changing the convergence position.

  The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a lower mold installation body in which a lower mold made of a material which does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays is installed, and an upper mold made of a material which does not transmit light such as ultraviolet light. The upper mold installation body that is movable and positionable relative to the lower mold installation body in a direction approaching or moving away from the lower mold installation body, and the light emitted from the light source is routed to the photocurable material. And a light irradiation unit that changes and irradiates.

  According to the present invention, in the case of molding a molded body of a photocurable material using an upper mold and a lower mold made of a material such as a metal that is inexpensive, easy to process and has toughness, The occurrence of uneven curing in the material can be eliminated, and the effect that the photo-curable material can be cured efficiently without leaking is achieved.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a shaping | molding apparatus. It is the II-II arrow line view in FIG. It is a figure which shows the shaping | molding method (manufacturing method) of a lens array. It is a figure which shows the shaping | molding method of a lens array. It is a figure which shows the shaping | molding method of a lens array. It is a figure which shows the modification of an ultraviolet irradiation part, Comprising: It is VI arrow view in FIG.4 (b). It is a figure which shows the modification of an ultraviolet irradiation part, Comprising: It is VI arrow view in FIG.4 (b). It is a figure which shows the modification of an ultraviolet irradiation part, Comprising: It is a figure corresponding to FIG.4 (b). It is a figure which shows the modification of an ultraviolet irradiation part, Comprising: It is a figure corresponding to FIG.4 (b). It is a figure which shows the modification of the shaping | molding method of a lens array.

  FIG.5 (b) is a figure which shows the molded object 1 of the photocurable material which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Various products (products such as lens arrays or moth-eye structures or semi-finished products) can be listed as the molded body 1. In this embodiment, a lens array will be described as an example.

  The lens array 1 includes a flat body portion 3 and a large number of convex portions 5 and is integrally formed. The main body 3 is formed in a flat plate shape such as a circle or a rectangle, for example. In the present embodiment, an example of a rectangular flat plate will be described.

  The convex part 5 is formed in, for example, a spherical crown shape, and the plane of the spherical crown is in contact with the planes of the main body part 3 (planes at both ends in the thickness direction). Moreover, the convex part 5 is provided in the both sides of the main-body part 3 along with the horizontal direction of FIG.5 (b), and the direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG.5 (b). Thereby, the lens array 1 which is an aggregate | assembly of many convex lenses is formed.

  In the lens array 1, so-called dot and space patterns are formed on both surfaces in the thickness direction of the main body 3 (lens array 1). By changing the shape of the convex portion 5, So-called line and space patterns may be formed on both surfaces in the thickness direction. That is, the lens array has a three-dimensional shape represented by this locus when the configuration shown in FIG. 5B is moved by a predetermined distance in the direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 5B. May be.

  Moreover, the aspect by which the convex part 5 is formed only in one surface of the thickness direction of the main-body part 3 may be sufficient.

  Next, a molding method (manufacturing method) of the lens array 1 will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the state where the upper mold 7 is separated from the lower mold 9, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4A, an uncured photocurable material ( For example, a photo-curing resin such as an ultraviolet-curing resin; in this embodiment, an explanation will be given by taking an ultraviolet-curing resin as an example.

  The upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 are made of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays (a metal such as nickel or a material such as ceramics; in this embodiment, nickel will be described as an example). . In the ultraviolet curable resin supply step, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is supplied to the lower mold 9, but instead of or in addition to supplying the ultraviolet curable resin 11 to the lower mold 9, The cured resin 11 may be supplied. That is, any mode may be used as long as the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is supplied to at least one of the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9.

  When the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is supplied to the upper mold 7 (the lower surface of the upper mold 7), the ultraviolet curable resin 11 having a high viscosity is used and the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is attached to the upper mold 7. Even when the viscosity of the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is low, it may be possible to supply the ultraviolet curable resin 11 to the upper mold 7 due to the surface tension of the ultraviolet curable resin 11.

  Subsequently, in order to mold the ultraviolet curable resin, as shown in FIG. 4B, the upper mold 7 is positioned close to the vicinity of the lower mold 9 (mold movement positioning step).

  Subsequently, in order to uniformly cure the ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is irradiated with light (ultraviolet light) UR (ultraviolet irradiation process).

  In the ultraviolet irradiation process, the ultraviolet UR emitted from the light source outside the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 is irradiated to the ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9. Further, when this irradiation is performed, the path of the ultraviolet ray UR is changed. Details of the change in the course will be described later.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5A, the upper mold 7 is separated from the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11, and the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11 is separated from the lower mold 9 (mold release step). The upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 are preliminarily subjected to a mold release process so that the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11 can be easily released. Further, in order to separate the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11 from the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9, ejector pins may be provided on the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9.

  By the way, when the upper mold 7 is moved and positioned in the mold movement positioning step, the upper surface of the lower mold 9 and the lower surface of the upper mold 7 are slightly separated from each other as shown in FIG. , Facing each other in parallel. Therefore, the molding pattern (concave portion for forming the convex portion 5 of the lens array 1) 13 is not formed on the upper surface of the lower mold 9, and the molding pattern (the convex portion 5 of the lens array 1 is also formed on the upper surface of the upper die 7. If there is no concave portion for forming the, a space 17 between the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 is a rectangular thin flat plate.

  However, actually, since the molding patterns 13 and 15 are formed on the molds 7 and 9, there are convex portions corresponding to the molding pattern 13 of the lower mold 9 on the lower surface of the space 17. Convex portions corresponding to the molding pattern 15 of the upper mold 7 are formed on the upper surface. As will be understood, the shape of the space 17 in which the convex portions corresponding to the molding patterns 13 and 15 are formed is the shape of the lens array 1.

  Here, an aspect of changing the course of ultraviolet rays in the ultraviolet ray irradiation process will be described with an example.

  As modes for changing the path of ultraviolet rays in the ultraviolet ray irradiation process, modes A for changing the position of the light source (ultraviolet generation source), modes B for changing the attitude of the light source, and modes C for changing the convergence position of the light emitted from the light source are listed. be able to. In the ultraviolet ray irradiation process, the ultraviolet ray UR is irradiated to the ultraviolet curable resin 11 in at least one of the aspects A, B, and C.

  Aspect A will be described in detail. When changing the position of the light source in the aspect A, without changing the emission direction of the ultraviolet ray UR at the light source (without changing the attitude of the light source), the position of the light source is changed (the light source is translated), The ultraviolet curable resin 11 is irradiated with the ultraviolet UR emitted from the light source as it is.

  In this case, a point light source, a line light source, and a surface light source can be listed as the light source. Further, the light emitted from the light source is a divergent beam or a parallel beam. For example, an LED is used as the light source. However, since the light source is generally expensive, a point light source is often used (the same applies to modes B and C), and ultraviolet rays emitted from this point light source are , Divergent ray bundle.

  In the aspect A, as shown in FIG. 6 (viewed in the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 4B), the pair of ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B are moved (translated) from the position P1 to the position P2, and the ultraviolet curable resin. 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet UR.

  Next, the aspect B will be described in detail. In the case of changing the posture of the light source in the mode B, as shown in FIG. 9, without changing most of the position of the light source, the emission direction of the ultraviolet ray UR at the light source is changed (the light source is appropriately tilted and emitted from the light source). The ultraviolet curable resin 11 is irradiated with the ultraviolet UR emitted from the light source as it is (by changing the traveling direction of the ultraviolet UR).

  In this case as well, a point light source, a line light source, and a light source can be listed as the light source. The light emitted from the light source is a divergent light beam or a parallel light beam, but it is desirable that the light is converted into a parallel light beam by an optical system (an optical element such as a lens).

  Next, the aspect C will be described in detail. When the light convergence position is changed in the aspect C, the ultraviolet ray UR emitted from the light source is not changed as shown in FIG. 8 without changing the emission direction of the ultraviolet ray UR at the light source and without changing the position of the light source. The ultraviolet curable resin 11 is cured mainly at this convergence position.

  Also in this case, a point light source, a line light source, and a light source can be listed as the light source. The ultraviolet light UR emitted from the light source is converted into a convergent light source bundle by an optical system (an optical element such as a lens), and the position of the optical element is changed (for example, by changing the focal length of the convex lens). The convergence position of the ultraviolet ray UR changes. In addition, there are cases where the shape of the convergence position of the light source is a dot shape and a shape such as a straight line.

  Further, in the case of the mode C, the convergence position of the light source is initially set far from the light source (see the ultraviolet ray UR1 in FIG. 8), and then gradually moved closer to the light source ( (Refer to ultraviolet rays UR2 and UR3 in FIG. 8). As a result, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing far from the light source is cured first, and the cured portion gradually expands closer to the light source.

  The aspect C will be further described. As shown in FIG. 1, when two ultraviolet ray generators are provided (19A, 19B), one ultraviolet ray generator (ultraviolet ray generator on the left side in FIG. 1) 19A is initially made of ultraviolet curable resin 11. The ultraviolet ray converges at the center, and thereafter, the ultraviolet ray converges gradually toward one ultraviolet ray generator 19A (left side in FIG. 1), and finally, at the left end of the ultraviolet ray generator 19A, the ultraviolet ray converges. To converge.

  The other ultraviolet ray generator (the ultraviolet ray generator on the right side in FIG. 1) 19B irradiates the ultraviolet curable resin 11 with ultraviolet rays in the same manner (symmetrically) as the one ultraviolet ray generator 19A. That is, the other ultraviolet ray generator 19B first causes the ultraviolet ray to converge at the center of the ultraviolet curable resin 11, and thereafter the ultraviolet ray convergence position gradually moves toward the other ultraviolet ray generator 19B (FIG. 1). Finally, the ultraviolet rays are converged at the right end of the ultraviolet ray generator 19B.

  The ultraviolet curable resin 11 transmits ultraviolet rays well before being cured. In addition, it is desirable that the ultraviolet curable resin 11 transmits ultraviolet light well even after curing. In particular, in aspect A and aspect B, it is particularly desirable that the ultraviolet curable resin 11 be able to transmit ultraviolet rays well even after being cured. On the other hand, in the aspect C, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 may not transmit ultraviolet light after being cured.

  In the ultraviolet irradiation process, as described above, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in at least one of the three aspects A, B, and C. Thereby, as a form of irradiation of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curable resin 11, irradiation of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curable resin 11 using only the mode A, or irradiation of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curable resin 11 using only the mode B, Alternatively, irradiation of the ultraviolet curable resin 11 using only the mode C, irradiation of the ultraviolet curable resin 11 using only the combination of the mode A and the mode B, or modes A and C UV irradiation to the UV curable resin 11 using only a combination of the above, or UV irradiation to the UV curable resin 11 using only a combination of the modes B and C, or modes A, A and B and C Irradiation of ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curable resin 11 using a combination of the above can be mentioned.

  Next, an example of the molding apparatus 21 for executing the above-described molding method will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the molding apparatus 21 includes a lower mold installation body 23, an upper mold installation body 25, and an ultraviolet irradiation unit 27.

  The lower mold installation body 23 is provided integrally with the base body 29, and the lower mold 9 is installed on the lower mold installation body 23.

  The upper mold installation body 25 is provided on the base body 29 so as to be movable and positionable relative to the lower mold installation body 23 in a direction approaching or moving away from the lower mold installation body 23 (vertical direction in FIG. 1). It has been. The upper mold 7 is installed on the upper mold installation body 25.

  The ultraviolet irradiation unit 27 is provided on the base body 29 outside the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9. The ultraviolet irradiation unit 27 is configured to irradiate the ultraviolet curable resin 11 with ultraviolet rays. Then, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is uniformly cured to obtain a molded body (lens array 1) of the ultraviolet curable resin 11 with the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9. The ultraviolet curable resin 11 is present between the upper mold 7 installed on the upper mold installation body 25 and the lower mold 9 installed on the lower mold installation body 23. The ultraviolet irradiation unit 27 irradiates the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source while changing the course of the ultraviolet curable resin 11.

  Further, the molding device 21 is provided with a photo-curing resin supply device 31 that supplies an uncured photo-curing resin to the lower die 9 installed on the lower die installation body 23.

  The molding device 21 will be described in more detail.

  In the molding apparatus 21, the lower mold 9 is integrally installed on the planar upper surface of the lower mold installation body 23. The lower mold 9 is installed using a fastener such as a bolt (not shown).

  In a state where the lower mold 9 is installed on the lower mold installation body 23, the lower surface of the flat lower mold 9 is in surface contact with the upper surface of the lower mold installation body 23, and the lower mold 9 in which the molding pattern 13 is formed. The surface is the top surface.

  The upper mold installation body 25 is provided on the base body 29 via a linear guide bearing or the like (not shown), and is a servo motor or the like in a direction (vertical direction) approaching or moving away from the lower mold installation body 23. The actuator can be moved and positioned by an actuator (not shown). Thereby, the upper mold installation body 25 can be moved and positioned relative to the lower mold installation body 23.

  The planar lower surface of the upper mold installation body 25 is parallel to the upper surface of the lower mold installation body 23, and when viewed from above and below, the entire upper surface of the lower mold installation body 23 and the lower surface of the upper mold installation body 25. The whole surface of each other overlaps each other.

  The upper mold 7 is integrally installed on the upper mold installation body 25 using a fastener such as a bolt. In a state where the upper mold 7 is installed on the upper mold installation body 25, the upper mold 7 is in contact with the lower surface of the upper mold installation body 25, and the surface of the upper mold 7 on which the molding pattern 15 is formed. Is on the bottom.

  Here, when the state where the lower mold 9 is installed on the lower mold installation body 23 and the upper mold 7 is installed on the upper mold installation body 25 is viewed from above and below, the entire upper surface of the lower mold 9 and the lower surface of the upper mold 7 are observed. The lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are present inside the upper surface of the lower mold installation body 23 and the lower surface of the upper mold installation body 25.

  The ultraviolet irradiation unit 27 (ultraviolet generators 19A and 19B) is provided on the base body 29 apart from the lower mold 9 installed on the lower mold installation body 23 and the upper mold 7 installed on the upper mold installation body 25. Yes.

  And the ultraviolet-ray radiate | emitted from the light source of ultraviolet-ray generator 19A, 19B changes this course, and the lower mold | type 9 installed in the lower mold | type installation body 23, and the upper mold | type 7 installed in the upper mold | type installation body 25 The uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between them is irradiated.

  More specifically, the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 are formed in a rectangular flat plate shape as described above. Two ultraviolet ray generators of the same specification are provided (reference numerals 19A and 19B). The ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B include, for example, a linear light source (or a narrow and narrow surface light source).

  One ultraviolet generator 19 </ b> A of the pair (two) of ultraviolet generators is slightly separated from the lower mold 9 installed on the lower mold installation body 23, and the lower mold 9 installed on the lower mold installation body 23. It is provided on the side of In addition, the longitudinal direction of the line light source of one ultraviolet ray generator 19A is parallel to the extending direction of one side of the rectangular upper surface of the lower mold (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1).

  Furthermore, when the upper mold 7 installed in the upper mold installation body 25 is positioned close to the vicinity of the lower mold 9 installed in the lower mold installation body 23 in order to mold the ultraviolet curable resin 11. (Refer to FIG. 4B), the ultraviolet rays emitted by one ultraviolet ray generator 19A pass between the lower die 9 and the upper die 7 from one side of the lower die 9 and the upper die 7 (lower die). The ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 is irradiated (through an opening in the gap between the upper mold 7 and the upper mold 7).

  The other ultraviolet ray generator 19B of the pair of ultraviolet ray generators is developed in the center plane of the lower mold installation body 23 (including the center of the lower mold installation body 23 and moving in the moving direction of the upper mold installation body 25). A plane parallel to one side of the rectangular upper surface of the mold 9; a plane including the center of the lower mold installation body 23 and extending in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction).

  When the upper mold 7 installed in the upper mold installation body 25 is positioned close to the vicinity of the lower mold 9 installed in the lower mold installation body 23 in order to mold the ultraviolet curable resin 11 (See FIG. 4B), the ultraviolet light emitted by the other ultraviolet ray generator 19B passes between the lower die 9 and the upper die 7 from the other side of the lower die 9 and the upper die 7 (lower die). The ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 is irradiated (through an opening in the gap between the upper mold 7 and the upper mold 7).

  One ultraviolet ray generator 19 </ b> A is supported by the base body 29 via a rotation device (swing device) (not shown). When the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is irradiated with the ultraviolet ray UR, as shown in FIG. 9, the posture of one ultraviolet ray generator 19A changes (swings), and the traveling direction of the ultraviolet ray UR changes. Yes.

  The other ultraviolet ray generator 19B is also supported by the base body 29 and changes the traveling direction of the ultraviolet ray UR in the same manner as the one ultraviolet ray generator 19A, but the other ultraviolet ray generator 19B is fixed to the base body 29. However, the traveling direction of the ultraviolet ray UR emitted by the other ultraviolet ray generator 19B may not be changed.

  The ultraviolet curable resin supply unit (ultraviolet curable resin supply device) 31 is a device that supplies a certain amount of uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 to the lower mold 9 and is supported by the base body 29 by a moving positioning device (not shown). And it moves between a position P3 for supplying the ultraviolet curable resin 11 to the lower mold 9 and a retracted position P4.

  Moreover, the supplied ultraviolet curable resin 11 does not easily spread over the entire upper surface of the lower mold 9 simply by supplying the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 onto the lower mold 9 with the ultraviolet curable resin supply device 31. It may occur itself.

  Therefore, there is a case where a method of spreading the ultraviolet curable resin 11 in a film shape over the entire upper surface of the lower mold 9 by spin coating or bar coating may be employed. In the case of spin coating, the lower mold installation body 23 is provided on the base body 29 via a bearing, and the lower mold installation body 23 is configured to rotate.

  Next, operation | movement of the shaping | molding apparatus 21 is demonstrated.

  The molding device 21 performs the following operation under the control of a control device (not shown).

  First, as an initial state, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the upper mold installation body 25 on which the upper mold 7 is installed is raised, and the lower mold 9 is installed on the lower mold installation body 23. The ultraviolet curable resin supply device 31 is located at the retracted position P4.

  In the initial state, the ultraviolet curable resin supply device 31 stops supplying the ultraviolet curable resin 11, and the ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B do not generate ultraviolet rays.

  In the initial state, when the operator starts the molding device 21, the ultraviolet curable resin supply device 31 moves to the supply position P3, and supplies a certain amount of the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 on the lower mold 9. After the supply, the ultraviolet curable resin supply device 31 moves to the retracted position P4 (see FIGS. 3B and 4A).

  Subsequently, until the upper mold 7 comes into contact with the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 and the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 becomes a film (until the distance between the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 becomes a predetermined slight distance). The upper mold installation body 25 is lowered (see FIG. 4B).

  Subsequently, the ultraviolet ray UR is irradiated from the ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B to the ultraviolet ray curable resin 11 before being cured to cure the ultraviolet ray curable resin 11 (see FIG. 4B). The ultraviolet UR irradiated toward the ultraviolet curable resin 11 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 9 at the molding patterns 13 and 15 of the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 (the inner surfaces of the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7). ) And diffused to cure the UV curable resin 11 uniformly. In this case, it is desirable that the inner surfaces of the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are mirror surfaces.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5A and the like, the upper mold installation body 25 is raised. Thereby, the upper mold 7 is separated from the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11.

  Subsequently, for example, the operator takes out the cured ultraviolet curable resin 11 from the lower mold 9 and returns to the initial state. The cured ultraviolet curable resin 11 taken out from the lower mold 9 becomes the lens array 1 (see FIG. 5B) and is used as a product or a semi-finished product.

  According to the molding apparatus 21, since the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are made of nickel, the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are compared with the case where the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are made of quartz glass. However, it is inexpensive, easy to process and has toughness and is difficult to chip.

  Further, since the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 are made of nickel, ultraviolet rays do not pass through the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9, but the ultraviolet curable resin 11 passes through the gap between the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9. Since the irradiation is performed, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 existing between the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 can be cured.

  Furthermore, since the path of the ultraviolet rays is changed, the entire ultraviolet curable resin 11 can be uniformly irradiated with the ultraviolet rays. Then, the ultraviolet curable resin 11 can be efficiently cured without causing uneven curing or leakage of the curing with the ultraviolet curable resin 11.

  By the way, the molding pattern of the lower mold 9 and the upper mold 7 has a lattice shape as shown in FIG. 2A in order to form the dot-and-space-shaped convex portions 5 on the lens array 1. In the case where the line-and-space-shaped convex portion 5 is formed in 1, the molding pattern of the lower die 9 and the upper die 7 may be in the form of vertical stripes as shown in FIG.

  Similarly to the case shown in FIG. 6, when the ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B are provided on the sides of the upper die 7 and the lower die 9, and the ultraviolet ray generators 19A and 19B are moved, as shown in FIG. In addition, it is desirable that the dimensions of the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 7) are larger than the dimensions of the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 9 in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 7). Thereby, an ultraviolet curable resin can be hardened more easily.

  Further, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ultraviolet ray generators 19 </ b> A and 19 </ b> B may rotate (swing) around an axis orthogonal to the paper surface of FIGS. 6 and 7 as the rotation center.

  Furthermore, in order to prevent the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 11 from spilling out from the lower mold 9 in the state shown in FIG. 4, a spill prevention plate 33 may be provided as shown in FIG. The spill prevention plate 33 is made of a material such as glass that transmits ultraviolet rays and is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape.

  Four spill prevention plates 33 are provided. For example, the spill prevention plates 33 are provided integrally with the lower die 9, and each protrudes upward from the four sides of the upper surface of the lower die 9.

1 Lens array (molded body)
7 Upper mold 9 Lower mold 11 UV curable resin (photo curable material)
23 Lower mold installation body 21 Molding device 25 Upper mold installation body 29 Ultraviolet irradiation part (light irradiation part)
19A, 19B UV generator

Claims (3)

A photocurable material supply step for supplying a photocurable material to at least one of an upper mold composed of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays and a lower mold composed of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays;
A mold movement positioning step for positioning the upper mold close to the vicinity of the lower mold; and
A light irradiation step of irradiating light emitted from a light source outside the upper mold and the lower mold to a photocurable material existing between the upper mold and the lower mold while changing a course. When,
A method for forming a photocurable material, comprising: In the shaping | molding method of the photocurable material of Claim 1,
The light irradiation step irradiates the photocurable material with light in at least one of a manner of changing a position of the light source, changing a posture of the light source, or changing a convergence position of the light emitted from the light source. A method for forming a photocurable material, which is a process. A lower mold installation body in which a lower mold composed of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays is installed;
An upper mold body that is configured of an upper mold made of a material that does not transmit light such as ultraviolet rays, and is movable and positionable relative to the lower mold body in a direction approaching or moving away from the lower mold body; and ,
A light irradiation unit that irradiates light emitted from a light source to the photocurable material while changing a course; and
A molding apparatus characterized by comprising:

Images