JP2013074267A

JP2013074267A - Coating system

Info

Publication number: JP2013074267A
Application number: JP2011214561A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Masanori Isozaki; 昌紀磯崎
Original assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2011-09-29
Filing date: 2011-09-29
Publication date: 2013-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2031-09-29
Also published as: JP5849576B2

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating system in which the coating operation of a coating device can be prevented from being affected adversely from a peripheral device to cause degradation in uniformity of the thickness of coating liquid.SOLUTION: The coating system comprises a coating device 2 which performs coating operation for coating the surface of a substrate with coating liquid, and an upstream side transfer robot 3 installed on the periphery of the coating device 2 and performing operations A, C for generating a vibration having adverse effect on the coating operation of the coating device 2. The operations A and C of the upstream side transfer robot 3 are prohibited during the coating operation of the coating device 2.

Description

本発明は、基板の表面に塗布液を塗布する塗布装置及びその周辺装置を運用する塗布システムに関する。 The present invention relates to a coating apparatus that applies a coating liquid to a surface of a substrate and a coating system that operates a peripheral device thereof.

液晶ディスプレイに用いられるカラーフィルタの製造工程等では、ガラス基板にレジスト膜を形成するためダイコーターと称される塗布装置によって基板の表面にレジスト液が塗布される（例えば特許文献１参照）。 In a manufacturing process of a color filter used for a liquid crystal display, a resist solution is applied to the surface of a substrate by a coating device called a die coater in order to form a resist film on a glass substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

特開２００４−２１６２７９号公報JP 2004-216279 A

こうした塗布装置は、塗布液を吐出する塗布ヘッドと基板との間隔を一定に保ちながら塗布ヘッド又は基板を移動させて塗布液を均一な厚さに塗布する。塗布ヘッドの移動速度や基板との間隔が僅かでも乱れれば塗布液の厚さの均一性が悪化する。塗布装置は製造ライン内に設置されることが一般的であり、その周辺には各種の周辺装置が設置される。周辺装置の中には振動を発する動作を行うものもあるが、こうした周辺装置が発する振動の他装置への悪影響を低減する防振対策等は各種存在する。しかし、完璧な防振対策には限界があるので、塗布装置の塗布操作に悪影響を及ぼす振動を発する周辺装置が存在する場合、塗布操作中に悪影響を受けて塗布ヘッドの移動速度や基板との間隔に乱れが生じ塗布液の厚さの均一性が悪化するおそれがある。 Such a coating apparatus applies the coating liquid to a uniform thickness by moving the coating head or the substrate while keeping the distance between the coating head that discharges the coating liquid and the substrate constant. If the moving speed of the coating head and the distance from the substrate are disturbed even slightly, the thickness uniformity of the coating solution is deteriorated. Generally, the coating apparatus is installed in a production line, and various peripheral devices are installed in the vicinity thereof. Some peripheral devices perform operations that generate vibrations, but there are various anti-vibration measures that reduce the adverse effects of such vibrations generated by the peripheral devices on the device. However, since there are limits to perfect anti-vibration measures, when there are peripheral devices that generate vibrations that adversely affect the coating operation of the coating device, the coating head movement speed and the substrate There is a possibility that the interval is disturbed and the uniformity of the thickness of the coating liquid is deteriorated.

そこで、本発明は、塗布装置の塗布操作が周辺装置からの悪影響を受けて塗布液の厚さの均一性が悪化することを回避できる塗布システムを提供することを目的とする。 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coating system capable of avoiding that the coating operation of the coating apparatus is adversely affected by peripheral devices and the thickness uniformity of the coating liquid is deteriorated.

本発明の塗布システムは、基板（Ｓ）の表面（ｆ）に塗布液を塗布する塗布操作を実行する塗布装置（２）と、前記塗布装置の周辺に設置され、前記塗布装置が実行する前記塗布操作に悪影響を与える振動を発する所定動作を行う周辺装置（３）と、前記塗布装置による前記塗布操作の実行中に、前記周辺装置による前記所定動作の実行を禁止させる動作禁止手段（５）と、を備えるものである（請求項１）。 The coating system of the present invention includes a coating device (2) that performs a coating operation for coating a coating liquid on the surface (f) of the substrate (S), and the coating device that is installed around the coating device and that is executed by the coating device. A peripheral device (3) that performs a predetermined operation that generates a vibration that adversely affects the coating operation, and an operation prohibiting unit (5) that prohibits the peripheral device from performing the predetermined operation while the coating device is performing the coating operation. (Claim 1).

この塗布システムによれば、塗布装置による塗布操作の実行中に、塗布操作に悪影響を与える動作の実行が禁止されるので、塗布操作が周辺装置からの悪影響を受けて塗布液の厚さの均一性が悪化することを回避できる。 According to this coating system, during the execution of the coating operation by the coating apparatus, execution of an operation that adversely affects the coating operation is prohibited, so that the coating operation is adversely affected by the peripheral device and the thickness of the coating liquid is uniform. It is possible to avoid the deterioration of sex.

本発明の塗布システムの一態様において、前記動作禁止手段は、前記塗布操作が実行中か否かを判別可能な情報（Ｓｇ２）を出力する情報出力手段（２１）と、前記塗布操作の実行中に前記所定動作が禁止されるように、前記情報出力手段が出力する前記情報に基づいて前記周辺装置を制御する禁止制御手段（２２）と、を有してもよい（請求項２）。この態様によれば、塗布操作が実行中か否かを判別可能な情報に基づいて周辺装置を制御するので、塗布操作に悪影響を与える周辺装置の動作を塗布操作の実行中に確実に禁止することができる。 In one aspect of the coating system of the present invention, the operation prohibiting unit includes an information output unit (21) that outputs information (Sg2) that can determine whether or not the coating operation is being performed, and the application operation is being performed. And a prohibition control means (22) for controlling the peripheral device based on the information output by the information output means so that the predetermined operation is prohibited. According to this aspect, since the peripheral device is controlled based on the information that can determine whether or not the coating operation is being performed, the operation of the peripheral device that adversely affects the coating operation is reliably prohibited during the coating operation. be able to.

上記態様において、前記情報出力手段は、前記塗布操作の実行中に前記情報として禁止信号（Ｓｇ２）を出力し、前記禁止制御手段は、前記禁止信号が出力されている間に前記所定動作が禁止されるように前記周辺装置を制御してもよい（請求項３）。この場合は、禁止信号の出力と塗布操作の実行とが同期するので、禁止信号の出力の有無のみで所定動作の禁止を行なえば足りる。これにより制御内容が簡素化される。 In the above aspect, the information output unit outputs a prohibition signal (Sg2) as the information during execution of the application operation, and the prohibition control unit prohibits the predetermined operation while the prohibition signal is output. The peripheral device may be controlled as described above (claim 3). In this case, since the output of the prohibition signal and the execution of the application operation are synchronized, it is sufficient to prohibit the predetermined operation only by the presence or absence of the output of the prohibition signal. Thereby, the control content is simplified.

また、前記所定動作は、動作開始から動作終了までの動作期間の途中で停止できない動作であり、前記情報出力手段は、前記塗布操作の実行中に前記情報として禁止信号（Ｓｇ２）を出力し、前記禁止制御手段は、前記塗布操作の開始時期よりも前記動作期間以上先行する時期に開始し前記禁止信号の出力停止に合わせて終了する禁止制御モードを設定し、前記禁止制御モードが設定されている間に前記所定動作の開始を禁止してもよい（請求項４）。周辺装置が行う所定動作が動作期間の途中で中断できない動作の場合、塗布操作の実行前に所定動作が開始しても、その終了前に塗布操作が開始する可能性がある。そこで、塗布操作の開始時期よりも動作期間以上先行する時期に開始し禁止信号の出力停止に合わせて終了する禁止制御モードを設定し、その禁止制御モードが設定されている間に所定動作の開始を禁止することにより、所定動作の終了前に塗布操作が開始する事態を確実に回避できる。 Further, the predetermined operation is an operation that cannot be stopped in the middle of an operation period from the operation start to the operation end, and the information output means outputs a prohibition signal (Sg2) as the information during the execution of the application operation, The prohibition control means sets a prohibition control mode that starts at a timing that is more than the operation period before the start timing of the coating operation and ends when the prohibition signal is stopped, and the prohibition control mode is set. The start of the predetermined operation may be prohibited during the period (claim 4). When the predetermined operation performed by the peripheral device is an operation that cannot be interrupted in the middle of the operation period, even if the predetermined operation starts before the application operation is performed, the application operation may start before the end. Therefore, a prohibition control mode is set that starts at a time that is more than the operation period before the start time of the coating operation and ends when the output of the prohibition signal is stopped, and the predetermined operation starts while the prohibition control mode is set. By prohibiting, it is possible to reliably avoid a situation in which the coating operation starts before the end of the predetermined operation.

なお、本発明の理解を容易にするために添付図面の参照符号を括弧書きにて付記したが、それにより本発明が図示の形態に限定されるものではない。 In addition, in order to make an understanding of this invention easy, the reference sign of the accompanying drawing was attached in parentheses, but this invention is not limited to the form of illustration by it.

以上説明したように、本発明の塗布システムによれば、塗布装置による塗布操作の実行中に、塗布操作に悪影響を与える動作の実行が禁止されるので、塗布操作が周辺装置からの悪影響を受けて塗布液の厚さの均一性が悪化することを回避できる。 As described above, according to the coating system of the present invention, during the execution of the coating operation by the coating device, execution of an operation that adversely affects the coating operation is prohibited, so that the coating operation is adversely affected by the peripheral device. Thus, it can be avoided that the uniformity of the thickness of the coating solution is deteriorated.

塗布システムの全体構成を示した図。The figure which showed the whole structure of the coating system. 塗布システムの制御系を示したブロック図。The block diagram which showed the control system of the coating system. 塗布システムが実行するタクトの一例を示したタイミングチャート。The timing chart which showed an example of the tact which an application system performs.

図１に示すように、塗布システム１は、基板Ｓを矢印方向に搬送する搬送経路を持つ生産ラインに適用される。塗布システム１は、ガラス製の基板Ｓの表面ｆに塗布液であるレジスト液を塗布する塗布操作を実行する塗布装置２と、塗布装置２の周辺に設置され、搬送上流側に設置された空冷セクションＳＣで処理された基板Ｓを塗布装置２に移送する上流側移送ロボット３と、塗布装置２にてレジスト液が塗布された基板Ｓを搬送下流側の不図示の下流セクションに移送する下流側移送ロボット４と、これらの各装置を制御する制御ユニット５とを含む。 As shown in FIG. 1, the coating system 1 is applied to a production line having a transport path for transporting the substrate S in the direction of the arrow. The coating system 1 includes a coating apparatus 2 that performs a coating operation for coating a resist solution, which is a coating liquid, on a surface f of a glass substrate S, and an air cooling system that is installed around the coating apparatus 2 and installed on the upstream side of conveyance. An upstream transfer robot 3 that transfers the substrate S processed in the section SC to the coating apparatus 2, and a downstream side that transfers the substrate S coated with the resist solution in the coating apparatus 2 to a downstream section (not shown) on the downstream side of the transfer. A transfer robot 4 and a control unit 5 for controlling each of these devices are included.

塗布装置２は、基板Ｓを水平に保持するステージ１０と、基板Ｓの表面ｆにレジスト液を塗布する塗布ヘッド１１とを含む。塗布装置２による塗布操作は、塗布ヘッド１１が所定の流量でレジスト液を吐出しながら基板Ｓとの間隔を一定に保ちつつ一方向（図の上方向）に所定速度で移動することによって実行される。塗布ヘッド１１の移動は不図示の駆動装置にて行なわれ、その駆動装置の制御は制御ユニット５にて行なわれる。なお、塗布ヘッド１１の構造は移動方向と直交する方向に延びるスリットを有する周知の構造と同じであるので説明を省略する。各移送ロボット３、４はガラス基板搬送用ロボットとして市販されているものと同じである。制御ユニット５は、マイクロプロセッサ及びその動作に必要なＲＯＭ、ＲＡＭ等の記憶装置やハードディスク等の外部記憶装置を含んだコンピュータとして構成されている。 The coating apparatus 2 includes a stage 10 that holds the substrate S horizontally, and a coating head 11 that applies a resist solution to the surface f of the substrate S. The coating operation by the coating apparatus 2 is executed by the coating head 11 moving at a predetermined speed in one direction (upward in the drawing) while discharging the resist solution at a predetermined flow rate and maintaining a constant distance from the substrate S. The The movement of the coating head 11 is performed by a drive device (not shown), and the drive device is controlled by the control unit 5. The structure of the coating head 11 is the same as a known structure having a slit extending in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction, and the description thereof is omitted. The transfer robots 3 and 4 are the same as those commercially available as glass substrate transfer robots. The control unit 5 is configured as a computer including a microprocessor, a storage device such as a ROM and a RAM necessary for its operation, and an external storage device such as a hard disk.

上流側移送ロボット３は、基板Ｓを上流側から下流側へ移送が完了するまでの間に複数態様の動作Ａ〜Ｄが順番に実行される。動作Ａはロボットの基板Ｓを把持する不図示のハンド部を上流側に振り向けつつ昇降させる動作である。動作Ｂは振り向けられたハンド部にて基板Ｓを把持して空冷セクションＳＣから取り出す動作である。動作Ｃは基板Ｓをハンド部にて把持しながらハンド部を下流側に振り向けつつ昇降させる動作である。動作Ｄは基板Ｓを把持したハンド部を塗布装置２の所定位置に移動させて収納する動作である。各動作Ａ〜Ｄはその開始から終了までの動作期間の途中で中断できない動作である。なお、下流側移送ロボット４も上流側移送ロボット３と同様に複数態様の動作を順番に実行する。上流側移送ロボット３が行う動作Ａ〜Ｄはいずれも振動を発する動作であるが、これら動作Ａ〜Ｄのうち、動作Ａ及び動作Ｃが塗布装置２による塗布操作に悪影響を与える振動を発するものであることが判明した。即ち、動作Ａ及びＣが塗布操作中に行なわれた場合に、塗布装置２の塗布操作が乱れて基板Ｓに塗布されたレジスト液の厚さ分布が許容限度を超えて不均一になることが明らかとなった。そこで、制御ユニット５は上述した各装置２〜４の基本的な動作制御の他に、塗布装置２の塗布操作の実行中に上流側移送ロボット３の動作Ａ及び動作Ｃの実行を禁止する以下の動作禁止制御を実行する。 The upstream transfer robot 3 sequentially performs a plurality of operations A to D until the transfer of the substrate S from the upstream side to the downstream side is completed. The operation A is an operation of raising and lowering a hand unit (not shown) that holds the substrate S of the robot while turning it toward the upstream side. The operation B is an operation of grasping the substrate S by the hand portion to which it is directed and taking it out from the air cooling section SC. The operation C is an operation of moving up and down while swinging the hand unit to the downstream side while holding the substrate S by the hand unit. The operation D is an operation in which the hand unit holding the substrate S is moved to a predetermined position of the coating apparatus 2 and stored. Each operation A to D is an operation that cannot be interrupted during the operation period from the start to the end. Note that the downstream transfer robot 4 also sequentially performs a plurality of operations in the same manner as the upstream transfer robot 3. The operations A to D performed by the upstream transfer robot 3 are all operations that generate vibrations. Among these operations A to D, the operations A and C generate vibrations that adversely affect the coating operation performed by the coating apparatus 2. It turned out to be. That is, when the operations A and C are performed during the coating operation, the coating operation of the coating apparatus 2 may be disturbed, and the thickness distribution of the resist solution applied to the substrate S may become uneven beyond the allowable limit. It became clear. Therefore, the control unit 5 prohibits the execution of the operation A and the operation C of the upstream transfer robot 3 during the execution of the coating operation of the coating device 2 in addition to the basic operation control of the devices 2 to 4 described above. The operation prohibition control is executed.

制御ユニット５には動作禁止制御を実行するためのプログラムが記憶されている。制御ユニット５はこのプログラムを実行することにより、図２に示す各機能部２１〜２４がその内部に論理的に構成される。 The control unit 5 stores a program for executing the operation prohibition control. By executing this program, the control unit 5 logically configures the functional units 21 to 24 shown in FIG.

禁止信号出力部２１は塗布装置２が塗布操作の開始とともに出力する実行信号Ｓｇ１を受信すると禁止信号Ｓｇ２を出力する。禁止制御部２２は禁止制御モード設定部２３と禁止制御実行部２４とを備えている。禁止信号Ｓｇ２は禁止制御部２２の各部２３、２４に送られる。 The prohibition signal output unit 21 outputs the prohibition signal Sg2 when it receives the execution signal Sg1 that the coating apparatus 2 outputs together with the start of the coating operation. The prohibition control unit 22 includes a prohibition control mode setting unit 23 and a prohibition control execution unit 24. The prohibition signal Sg2 is sent to the units 23 and 24 of the prohibition control unit 22.

禁止制御モード設定部２３は、上流側移送ロボット３から出力される動作信号Ｓｇ３を参照して各動作Ａ〜Ｄの開始及び終了を特定する。禁止制御モード設定部２３は上流側移送ロボット３の動作Ｄの終了を特定した場合、その特定時から所定期間後に禁止制御モードを設定する。この所定期間は動作Ａの動作期間と塗布装置２の塗布操作とが重ならないように設定される。これにより、禁止制御モードは塗布操作の開始時期よりも動作Ａの動作期間以上先行する時期に開始される。禁止制御モード設定部２３は禁止制御モードを設定する際にモード設定信号Ｓｇ４を出力し、そのモード設定信号Ｓｇ４は禁止制御モードの設定が解除されるまで出力される。禁止制御モードの解除は、禁止信号出力部２１による禁止信号Ｓｇ２の出力停止に同期して行なわれる。 The prohibition control mode setting unit 23 refers to the operation signal Sg3 output from the upstream transfer robot 3 and identifies the start and end of each operation A to D. When the prohibition control mode setting unit 23 specifies the end of the operation D of the upstream transfer robot 3, the prohibition control mode setting unit 23 sets the prohibition control mode after a predetermined period from the specification. This predetermined period is set so that the operation period of the operation A and the coating operation of the coating apparatus 2 do not overlap. As a result, the prohibition control mode is started at a time that precedes the start time of the coating operation by the operation period of operation A or more. The prohibition control mode setting unit 23 outputs a mode setting signal Sg4 when setting the prohibition control mode, and the mode setting signal Sg4 is output until the prohibition control mode is canceled. The prohibition control mode is released in synchronization with the prohibition signal output unit 21 stopping the output of the prohibition signal Sg2.

禁止制御実行部２４は、禁止信号Ｓｇ２又はモード設定信号Ｓｇ４を受信している間、上流側移送ロボット３の動作Ａ及び動作Ｃが開始されないように、上流側移送ロボット３を制御する。 The prohibition control execution unit 24 controls the upstream transfer robot 3 so that the operations A and C of the upstream transfer robot 3 are not started while receiving the prohibition signal Sg2 or the mode setting signal Sg4.

次に、制御ユニット５が実行する動作禁止制御の一例を図３のタイミングチャートを参照しながら説明する。基板Ｓが塗布装置２に搬入されて塗布操作後に基板Ｓが搬出されるまでのタクトＴａは時刻ｔ０から開始して時刻ｔ５にて終了する。塗布装置２は、上流側移送ロボット３から受け渡された基板Ｓの固定や塗布ヘッド１１の初期化等を含む前処理を時刻ｔ０から時刻ｔ２まで実行し、その前処理に続いて塗布操作を時刻ｔ４まで実行する。塗布操作の終了に続いて基板Ｓの固定解除等を含む後処理を時刻ｔ５まで実行する。なお、塗布操作にはいわゆる初期ビードを形成する予備塗布が含まれる。 Next, an example of the operation prohibition control executed by the control unit 5 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. The tact Ta from when the substrate S is carried into the coating apparatus 2 to when the substrate S is unloaded after the coating operation starts at time t0 and ends at time t5. The coating apparatus 2 executes preprocessing including fixing of the substrate S delivered from the upstream transfer robot 3 and initialization of the coating head 11 from time t0 to time t2, and performs coating operation following the preprocessing. Execute until time t4. Subsequent to the end of the coating operation, post-processing including unfixing of the substrate S is performed until time t5. The application operation includes preliminary application for forming a so-called initial bead.

制御ユニット５は塗布装置２の塗布操作に合わせて禁止信号を出力する。禁止制御モードは動作Ｄの終了時刻ｔ１から所定期間Ｔ１後に開始され、禁止信号の出力停止と同期して終了する。上述したように、所定期間Ｔ１は動作Ａの動作期間と塗布操作とが重ならないように設定されるので、禁止制御モードは塗布操作の開始時期ｔ２よりも動作Ａの動作期間以上先行する開始時期ｔａに開始される。従って、動作Ａが２点鎖線で示したように、仮に禁止制御モードの開始時期ｔａと同時に開始されたとしても、動作Ａは塗布操作の開始前に終了するので塗布操作に悪影響を及ぼすことはない。 The control unit 5 outputs a prohibition signal in accordance with the coating operation of the coating apparatus 2. The prohibition control mode starts after a predetermined period T1 from the end time t1 of the operation D, and ends in synchronization with the output stop of the prohibition signal. As described above, since the predetermined period T1 is set so that the operation period of the operation A and the application operation do not overlap, the prohibition control mode is a start time that precedes the operation period of the operation A by at least the operation period of the operation A. Start at ta. Therefore, even if the operation A is started at the same time as the start timing ta of the prohibition control mode as indicated by the two-dot chain line, the operation A ends before the start of the coating operation, and thus the coating operation is not adversely affected. Absent.

禁止制御モードの設定中は動作Ａ及び動作Ｃの開始が禁止される。禁止制御モードが解除されていれば動作Ｃは動作Ｂの終了後直ちに開始される。しかし、図示の場合は禁止制御モードが設定されているので、動作Ｂの終了時刻ｔ３から禁止制御モードの解除時刻ｔ４までの制限期間Ｔ２だけ動作Ｃの開始が繰り下げられる。そして、動作Ｃの終了後、所定のインターバルを経て時刻ｔ５に動作Ｄが開始される。 While the prohibition control mode is set, the start of the operation A and the operation C is prohibited. If the prohibition control mode is cancelled, the operation C is started immediately after the end of the operation B. However, since the prohibition control mode is set in the illustrated case, the start of the operation C is postponed for the limited period T2 from the end time t3 of the operation B to the release time t4 of the prohibition control mode. Then, after the operation C is completed, the operation D is started at a time t5 through a predetermined interval.

以上から明らかなように、塗布システム１によれば、塗布装置２による塗布操作の実行中に、塗布操作に悪影響を与える上流側移送ロボット３の動作Ａ及び動作Ｃの実行が禁止されるので、塗布操作が上流側移送ロボット３からの悪影響を受けてレジスト液の厚さの均一性が悪化することを回避できる。しかも、塗布システム１は、上流側移送ロボット３の各動作Ａ〜Ｄが開始後に中断できない動作であることを考慮して禁止制御モードを設定し、その禁止制御モードの設定中に上流側移送ロボット３の動作Ａ及びＣを禁止しているので、動作Ａ又は動作Ｃの終了前に塗布操作が開始する事態を確実に回避できる。 As is apparent from the above, according to the coating system 1, during the execution of the coating operation by the coating device 2, the execution of the operations A and C of the upstream transfer robot 3 that adversely affects the coating operation is prohibited. It can be avoided that the coating operation is adversely affected by the upstream transfer robot 3 and the thickness uniformity of the resist solution is deteriorated. Moreover, the coating system 1 sets the prohibition control mode in consideration of the fact that the operations A to D of the upstream transfer robot 3 cannot be interrupted after the start, and the upstream transfer robot is set during the setting of the prohibition control mode. Since the third operations A and C are prohibited, it is possible to reliably avoid the situation where the coating operation starts before the end of the operation A or the operation C.

本形態においては、上流側移送ロボット３が本発明に係る周辺装置に、制御ユニット５が本発明に係る動作禁止手段に、禁止信号出力部２１が本発明に係る情報出力手段に、禁止制御部２２が本発明に係る禁止制御手段に、それぞれ相当する。但し、本発明は上記形態に限定されず、本発明の要旨の範囲内において種々の形態にて実施できる。塗布操作が実行中であるか否かを識別する情報としては、その実行中に出力する禁止信号に限らない。例えば、塗布操作の不実行時に出力され実行時に出力停止される信号をこの情報として利用することもできる。上記形態は上流側移送ロボット３に対する振動対策であるが、下流側ロボット４やその他の周辺装置の動作が塗布装置の塗布操作に悪影響を及ぼすもののであれば、本発明に係る振動対策を適用することが可能である。 In this embodiment, the upstream transfer robot 3 is a peripheral device according to the present invention, the control unit 5 is an operation prohibiting unit according to the present invention, the prohibition signal output unit 21 is an information output unit according to the present invention, and a prohibition control unit. 22 respectively correspond to prohibition control means according to the present invention. However, this invention is not limited to the said form, It can implement with a various form within the range of the summary of this invention. The information for identifying whether or not the application operation is being executed is not limited to the prohibition signal output during the execution. For example, a signal that is output when the application operation is not executed and is stopped when the application operation is executed can be used as this information. The above form is a countermeasure against vibration for the upstream transfer robot 3, but if the operation of the downstream robot 4 and other peripheral devices adversely affects the coating operation of the coating apparatus, the vibration countermeasure according to the present invention is applied. It is possible.

周辺装置の所定動作としては、動作期間中の中断が可能な動作であってもよい。この場合には禁止制御モードを設定せずに、禁止信号の有無のみで当該動作を禁止させることも可能である。また、周辺装置は複数態様の動作が段階的に実行されるものである必要はない。周辺装置の動作が単一の動作態様であり、その動作が塗布操作に悪影響を与える場合には、塗布操作の実行中に当該動作を禁止させてもよい。 The predetermined operation of the peripheral device may be an operation that can be interrupted during the operation period. In this case, the operation can be prohibited only by the presence or absence of a prohibition signal without setting the prohibition control mode. Further, the peripheral device does not need to be executed in a stepwise manner. When the operation of the peripheral device is a single operation mode and the operation adversely affects the application operation, the operation may be prohibited during the application operation.

上記形態では、塗布液としてレジスト液を例示したが、本発明の適用範囲はこれらに限定されない。塗布液が乾燥して形成される塗布膜の厚さの精度に一定の制約があればどのような液体でも本発明の適用対象となり得る。 In the said form, although the resist liquid was illustrated as a coating liquid, the application range of this invention is not limited to these. Any liquid can be applied to the present invention as long as there is a certain restriction on the thickness accuracy of the coating film formed by drying the coating liquid.

１塗布システム
２塗布装置
３上流側移送ロボット（周辺装置）
５制御ユニット（動作禁止手段）
２１禁止信号出力部（情報出力手段）
２２禁止制御部（禁止制御手段）
Ｓｇ２禁止信号（情報）
Ｓ基板
ｆ表面 1 Coating system 2 Coating device 3 Upstream transfer robot (peripheral device)
5 Control unit (operation prohibition means)
21 Prohibition signal output section (information output means)
22 Prohibition control part (prohibition control means)
Sg2 prohibition signal (information)
S substrate f surface

Claims

A coating apparatus that performs a coating operation for coating the surface of the substrate with a coating liquid; and a peripheral apparatus that is installed around the coating apparatus and that performs a predetermined operation that generates a vibration that adversely affects the coating operation performed by the coating apparatus. And an operation prohibiting means for prohibiting execution of the predetermined operation by the peripheral device during execution of the application operation by the application device.

The operation prohibiting means includes an information output means for outputting information capable of determining whether or not the coating operation is being performed, and the information output means is configured to prohibit the predetermined operation during the execution of the coating operation. The coating system according to claim 1, further comprising prohibition control means for controlling the peripheral device based on the information to be output.

The information output means outputs a prohibition signal as the information during execution of the application operation,
The coating system according to claim 2, wherein the prohibition control unit controls the peripheral device so that the predetermined operation is prohibited while the prohibition signal is output.

The predetermined operation is an operation that cannot be interrupted during the operation period from the operation start to the operation end,
The information output means outputs a prohibition signal as the information during execution of the application operation,
The prohibition control means sets a prohibition control mode that starts at a timing that is more than the operation period before the start timing of the coating operation and ends in accordance with the output stop of the detection signal, and the prohibition control mode is set. The coating system according to claim 2, wherein the start of the predetermined operation is prohibited during operation.