JP2013150983A - Droplet discharging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a droplet discharging apparatus capable of carrying out a drawing operation with high precision following the movement of a workpiece.SOLUTION: A droplet discharging apparatus 1 carries out a drawing operation on a workpiece W by discharging a functional liquid from an inkjet-type functional liquid discharging head 13 while moving the workpiece W relative to the functional liquid discharging head 13. The droplet discharging apparatus includes an X-axis table 2 moving the workpiece W in an arbitrary X-axis direction, a timing means for measuring the moving time of the workpiece W by the X-axis table 2, and a discharge controlling means for controlling the discharge timing of the functional liquid discharging head 13 according to the moving time.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid droplet ejection apparatus that performs drawing on a work by ejecting a functional liquid from the functional liquid droplet ejection head while moving the work with respect to the ink jet type functional liquid droplet ejection head.

  Conventionally, as this type of droplet discharge device, a discharge head group of functional droplet discharge heads, a set table (stage) on which a substrate is placed, a transport mechanism that moves the set table in the main scanning direction, a control device, The thing provided with (refer patent document 1) is known. A linear encoder is disposed on the side of the set table with respect to the main scanning direction, and the control device acquires the amount of movement of the set table based on the encoder signal read by the linear encoder, and acquires the acquired movement. The conveyance of the conveyance mechanism is controlled based on the amount, and the ejection of the ejection head group is controlled.

JP 2005-246123 A

  However, such a droplet discharge device has a problem that the amount of movement cannot be accurately detected due to the scale error of the linear encoder, the pitching of the set table, or the like. That is, since the accurate movement amount cannot be detected due to the influence of the detection error by the linear encoder (movement amount detection means), the drawing process cannot be accurately performed for the movement of the workpiece (set table).

  An object of the present invention is to provide a droplet discharge device capable of performing a drawing process with high accuracy with respect to movement of a workpiece.

  The droplet discharge device of the present invention is a droplet discharge device that performs drawing on a workpiece by discharging a functional liquid from the functional droplet discharge head while moving the workpiece with respect to the inkjet functional droplet discharge head, A moving means for moving the work in any one direction, a time measuring means for measuring the moving time of the work by the moving means, a discharge control means for controlling the discharge timing of the functional liquid droplet discharge head based on the moving time, It is characterized by having.

  According to this configuration, by controlling the ejection of the functional liquid droplet ejection head based on the movement time of the workpiece, there is no influence of the detection error of the movement amount detection means such as a scale error and a yawing error. Therefore, the drawing process can be performed with high accuracy with respect to the movement of the workpiece.

  In this case, the movement amount detection means for detecting the movement amount of the work by the movement means, and the work has reached the reference position, which is an arbitrary position excluding the movement start position, from the movement start position based on the detected movement amount. And a reference position detecting means for detecting this, and it is preferable that the time measuring means starts measuring the movement time from the time when it is detected that the reference position has been reached.

If an error occurs in the movement speed of the workpiece by the moving means due to the influence of non-reproducible changes in each drawing process, such as the temperature change of each member, the ejection control error due to the movement time is accumulated over time. . In particular, such a movement speed error is likely to occur from the start of movement until the movement speed reaches the target value.
According to the above configuration, since the discharge control is performed based on the movement time from the time when the movement amount detected by the movement amount detection unit has reached the reference position, the error accumulated over time from the movement start position is calculated at the reference position. It can be reset, and the drawing process can be performed with higher accuracy with respect to the movement of the workpiece.

  In this case, it is preferable that the reference position is a drawing start position at which drawing on the workpiece is started.

  According to this configuration, since errors accumulated over time are reset at the drawing start position, errors accumulated immediately before drawing can be reset, and drawing processing can be performed more accurately with respect to workpiece movement. Can do. When a mother board formed by connecting a plurality of workpieces is set, a plurality of drawing start positions for the plurality of workpieces become reference positions.

  In this case, it is preferable that a plurality of reference positions are set at equal intervals between the drawing start position and the drawing end position where drawing on the workpiece is finished.

  According to this configuration, since the accumulated error is reset at a plurality of positions at regular intervals during the drawing process, the drawing process can be performed more accurately with respect to the movement of the workpiece.

It is a perspective view of the workpiece | work used as a process target. 1 is a perspective view of a droplet discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a droplet discharge device. It is a side view of a droplet discharge device. It is a plane schematic diagram of a head unit. It is a front and back external perspective view of a functional liquid droplet ejection head. It is the top view (a) and front view (b) of an X-axis table. It is a control block diagram of a droplet discharge device. It is the figure which showed discharge control operation | movement (a) of a functional droplet discharge head, and its modification (b) on the axis | shaft of movement.

  Hereinafter, a droplet discharge device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This droplet discharge device is incorporated in a flat panel display production line, and uses, for example, a function droplet discharge head into which a special ink or a functional liquid that is a light-emitting resin liquid is introduced, and the color of a liquid crystal display device A light emitting element or the like to be used for each pixel of a filter or an organic EL device is formed. In particular, this droplet discharge device detects the movement by the moving amount detection means by controlling the discharge timing of the functional droplet discharge head based on the movement time of the set table (work) from the start of drawing to the end of drawing. Discharge control can be performed with high accuracy without being affected by errors.

  Here, before describing the details of the droplet discharge device 1, the workpiece W to be processed will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece W includes a cavity portion Wa that discharges a functional liquid and constitutes a pixel, and a bank portion Wb that partitions the pixel. The drawing process is performed by performing three discharges from the discharge nozzle 57 of the functional liquid droplet discharge head 13 to the cavity Wa.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the droplet discharge device 1 is disposed on an X-axis support base 21 supported by a stone surface plate, and extends in the X-axis direction (first direction) which is the main scanning direction. An X-axis table (moving means) 2 that moves the workpiece W in the X-axis direction, and a pair of Y-axis support bases 31 spanned across the X-axis table 2 via a plurality of columns 11. A Y-axis table 3 disposed above and extending in the Y-axis direction, which is a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction (X-axis direction), and a plurality of ( 12) functional droplet discharge heads 13 and 10 carriage units 4 each mounted individually. Further, the droplet discharge device 1 has a chamber 5 that accommodates these devices in an atmosphere in which temperature and humidity are controlled, and a function of supplying the functional liquid to the functional droplet discharge head 13 through the chamber 5. A liquid supply unit 6 and a control unit 108 (see FIG. 8) that controls each component of the droplet discharge device 1 are provided. The droplet discharge device 1 discharges and drives the functional droplet discharge head 13 in synchronization with the driving of the X-axis table 2 and the Y-axis table 3, thereby providing three-color functional droplets supplied from the functional liquid supply unit 6. And a predetermined drawing pattern is drawn on the workpiece W.

  The droplet discharge device 1 also includes a maintenance device 7 including a flushing unit 15, a suction unit 16, a wiping unit 17, and a discharge performance inspection unit 18, and these units are used for maintenance of the functional droplet discharge head 13. The function of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 is maintained and recovered. In the droplet discharge device 1 of the present embodiment, the workpiece W is drawn with the carriage unit 4 facing the portion (drawing area) where the X-axis table 2 and the Y-axis table 3 intersect, and the Y-axis table 3 and the maintenance device are drawn. 7 performs the function maintenance / recovery processing of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 with the carriage unit 4 facing the portion (maintenance area) where the 7 (the suction unit 16 and the wiping unit 17) intersect.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the Y-axis table 3 includes 10 bridge plates 32 each having 10 carriage units 4 suspended therein, and 10 sets of 10 bridge plates 32 that are supported by both ends. A Y-axis slider (not shown) and a pair of Y-axis linear motors (not shown) are provided on the pair of Y-axis support bases 31 and move the bridge plate 32 in the Y-axis direction. In addition, the Y-axis table 3 performs sub-scanning of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 during drawing via each carriage unit 4 and causes the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 to face the suction unit 16 and the wiping unit 17. In this case, the carriage units 4 can be moved independently and individually, or the ten carriage units 4 can be moved together.

  Each carriage unit 4 is divided into two groups of 6 functional liquid droplet ejection heads 13 of R, G, and B, 4 functional liquid droplet ejection heads 13 each (total 12), and 12 functional liquid droplet ejection heads 13 each. A head unit 42 including a head plate 41 to be supported is provided (see FIG. 5). Each carriage unit 4 has a θ rotation mechanism 43 that supports the head unit 42 so as to be capable of θ correction (θ rotation), and a suspension member 44 that supports the head unit 42 on the bridge plate 32 via the θ rotation mechanism 43. And. In addition, each of the carriage units 4 has a sub tank 45 disposed thereon (actually disposed on the bridge plate 32), utilizes a natural water head from the sub tank 45, and a pressure regulating valve (not shown). The functional liquid is supplied to each functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 via (omitted). Although the above-described configuration is used in the present embodiment, the number of carriage units 4 and the number of functional liquid droplet ejection heads 13 mounted on each carriage unit 4 are arbitrary.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 is a so-called double ink jet head, and includes a functional liquid introduction part 51 having two connection needles 54 and a double head connected to the functional liquid introduction part 51. A substrate 52 and a head main body 53 that discharges the functional liquid are provided below the head substrate 52.

  The functional liquid introduction part 51 has a pair of connecting needles 54 and is supplied with the functional liquid from the sub tank 45. The head main body 53 includes a double pump unit 55 configured by a piezo element and the like, and a nozzle plate 56 having a nozzle surface 58 on which a plurality of discharge nozzles 57 are formed. A large number of discharge nozzles 57 formed on the nozzle surface 58 of the nozzle plate 56 constitute two nozzle rows NL arranged in parallel with each other and shifted by a half nozzle pitch position. , 180 discharge nozzles 57 arranged at equal pitches. By applying the drive waveform output from the control unit 108 to each pump unit 55 (piezoelectric element) via the head substrate 52, the functional liquid is discharged from each discharge nozzle 57.

  The drawing operation of the droplet discharge device 1 is performed by discharging the functional liquid from the functional droplet discharge head 13 to the workpiece W while moving the workpiece W in the X-axis direction. Strictly speaking, first, the first drawing operation (forward path) is performed while the workpiece W is moved in the X-axis direction (to the rear side in FIG. 3) by the X-axis table 2. Thereafter, the head unit 42 is moved in the Y-axis direction by two heads (sub-scanning), and the workpiece W is moved in the X-axis direction (toward the front side in FIG. 3), and the second drawing operation (return path) is performed. )I do. Then, the head unit 42 is again sub-scanned by two heads, and the third drawing operation (forward path) is performed while moving the workpiece W in the X-axis direction again (to the back side in FIG. 3). In this way, by moving the drawing and the drawing operation of the work W three times while changing the corresponding functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 with respect to the position on the work W by sub-scanning, the colors of R, G, and B are changed. The drawing process is performed efficiently. Although details will be described later, during the drawing process, the discharge nozzles 57 are individually controlled based on the movement time of the set table 61 (work W) and the discharge pattern data.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the X-axis table 2 includes a set table 61 for setting a work W, and a pair of left and right X-axis first sliders that slidably support the set table 61 in the X-axis direction. 62, a pair of left and right X-axis second sliders 63 that slidably support the flushing unit 15 and the discharge performance inspection unit 18 in the X-axis direction, and a pair of X-axis first sliders that extend in the X-axis direction A pair of left and right moving the set table 61 (work W) in the X-axis direction via 62 and moving the flushing unit 15 and the discharge performance inspection unit 18 in the X-axis direction via the pair of X-axis second sliders 63. An X-axis linear motor 64 and a pair of X-axis linear motors 64 are arranged in parallel to guide the movement of the X-axis first slider 62 and the X-axis second slider 63. A pair of (two) X-axis common support bases 65, a pair of X-axis first sliders 62, and a pair of X-axis common support bases 65 that detect the movement position (movement amount) of the set table 61. Linear encoder (movement amount detection means) 76.

  The set table 61 is composed of a suction table for sucking and setting the workpiece W, and has a θ rotation mechanism (not shown) that corrects the position of the workpiece W that has been suction set in the θ-axis direction. A pair of pre-drawing flushing units 73 are attached to a pair of sides parallel to the Y-axis direction of the set table 61.

  The pair of linear encoders 76 correspond to the pair of X-axis linear motors 64, respectively. That is, the right linear encoder 76 corresponds to the right X-axis linear motor 64 in FIG. 7, and the left linear encoder 76 corresponds to the left X-axis linear motor 64 in FIG. Each linear encoder 76 is disposed along the side end of the set table 61 in the Y-axis direction, and is provided as a component on the X-axis common support base 65 side (fixed side) and extends in the X-axis direction. And a linear sensor 78 that is provided on the X-axis first slider 62 side (moving side) and reads the linear scale 77. A control unit 108 (see FIG. 8) described later controls the movement of the X-axis linear motor 64 by feeding back an encoder signal that is a detection result of the corresponding linear encoder 76 (linear sensor 78).

  Next, the main control system of the droplet discharge device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the droplet discharge device 1 includes a droplet discharge unit 101 having a head unit 42 (functional droplet discharge head 13) and an X-axis table 2, and moves a workpiece W in the X-axis direction. A work moving unit 102 for moving the head unit 42, a head moving unit 103 for moving the head unit 42 in the Y-axis direction, a maintenance unit 104 having each unit of the maintenance device 7, and a functional liquid supply unit 6, a functional liquid supply unit 105 that supplies functional liquid to the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13, various sensors including a linear encoder 76, a detection unit 106 that performs various detections, and various types that drive and control the respective units. A drive unit 107 having a driver and a control unit 108 connected to each unit and controlling the entire droplet discharge device 1 are provided.

  The control unit 108 includes an interface 111 for connecting each means, a RAM 112 used as a work area for control processing, a ROM 113 for storing a control program and control data, ejection pattern data, and a detection unit 106. The hard disk 114 that stores programs for processing various data and the CPU 115 that calculates various data according to the programs stored in the ROM 113 and the hard disk 114 are connected to each other. And a bus 116. The CPU 115 is equipped with a timer 117 that measures time.

  The control unit 108 inputs various data from each means via the interface 111 and calculates to the CPU 115 according to a program stored in the ROM 113 or the hard disk 114 (or sequentially read out by a CD-ROM drive or the like). The processing result is output to each means via the drive unit 107 (various drivers).

  Here, the movement control of the set table 61 (work W) in the droplet discharge device 1 will be described. The control unit 108 controls the movement of the set table 61 by individually controlling the pair of X-axis linear motors 64 of the X-axis table 2. Each X-axis linear motor 64 feeds back an encoder signal (pulse train) obtained from the corresponding linear encoder 76, and drives and controls the X-axis linear motor 64 so that the command signal (pulse train) matches the encoder signal. Thereby, the set table 61 is moved at a moving speed based on the command signal.

  In order to suppress the error in the moving speed of the set table 61 and the meandering, the command signal of each X-axis linear motor 64 is changed to the pitch error of the linear scale 77, the meandering, the influence of the yawing of the set table 61, etc. 2 is corrected in consideration of the error characteristics. For example, a movement test of the set table 61 is performed with an operation equivalent to the drawing process, and the command signal is corrected based on a detection error (an error between the movement amount of the encoder signal and the actual movement amount) obtained by this movement test. . In this way, by correcting the command signal, it is possible to easily correct an error or meandering of the moving speed of the set table 61, and the set table 61 (work W) can be moved with high accuracy.

  Next, an ejection control operation in one main scan (forward movement path or backward movement path) of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 in the liquid droplet ejection apparatus 1 will be described. The control unit 108 measures the moving time of the set table 61 (work W) based on the count value of the timer 117 (time measuring means), and the set table timed from the start of drawing to the end of drawing in one main scan. Based on the movement time 61 and the discharge pattern data, the discharge timing of each discharge nozzle 57 is controlled (discharge control means). The discharge pattern data is bitmap data in which each pixel is arranged at each coordinate on the X axis corresponding to the discharge nozzle 57 of the nozzle row NL and the Y axis corresponding to the movement amount of the set table 61 by the X axis table 2. It is. It is assumed that the movement of the set table 61 by the X-axis table 2 is a constant speed from the start of drawing to the end of drawing, and is associated with the discharge pattern data by the speed and the measured moving time.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, in the discharge control operation, the control unit 108 detects that the movement amount detected from the encoder signal by the linear encoder 76 is from the movement start position to the drawing start position (reference position) (the maximum in the discharge pattern data). It is detected that the tip discharge position has been reached (reference position detection means), and counting of the movement time is started from this detection time point, and timer control is performed. In the timer control, a movement amount is calculated from the speed of the set table 61 and the measured movement time, and droplets are discharged from the corresponding discharge nozzles 57 based on the movement amount and the discharge pattern data. That is, a droplet is ejected from the ejection nozzle 57 at the coordinate where the pixel is arranged in the row of the Y-axis coordinate on the ejection pattern data corresponding to the movement amount.

  In this way, by performing timer control from the drawing start position, the error accumulated over time is reset at the drawing start position at which drawing on the workpiece W is started, so the error accumulated immediately before drawing is reset. Thus, the drawing process can be accurately performed with respect to the movement of the set table 61 (work W).

  Next, with reference to FIG. 9B, a modified example of the ejection control operation in one main scan will be described with respect to portions different from the above example. As shown in FIG. 9B, in the ejection control operation of this modification, a plurality of pitches are provided at equal intervals (for example, intervals of 2.5 mm to 5.0 mm) from the drawing start position to the drawing end position. A reference position (reference position) is set, and the control unit 108 resets the movement time when detecting that the pitch reference position has been reached from the movement amount based on the encoder signal. That is, when it is detected that the pitch reference position has been reached, the movement time (counter value) is set to zero, and then the movement time measurement is restarted as movement from the pitch reference position.

  In this way, by resetting the movement time at the pitch reference position, the accumulated error is reset at a plurality of pitch reference positions at regular intervals during the drawing process, so that the set table 61 (work W) is moved. On the other hand, the drawing process can be performed with high accuracy.

  The encoder signal used in the discharge control operation is preferably corrected based on the detection error of the linear encoder 76 obtained by performing the movement test.

  According to the above configuration, by controlling the ejection of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 based on the movement time of the set table 61 (work W), the movement amount detection means (scale error, yawing error, etc.) It is not affected by the detection error of the linear encoder 76). Therefore, the drawing process can be performed with high accuracy with respect to the movement of the set table 61 (work W).

  Further, depending on the movement time from the time when it is detected that the movement amount by the movement amount detection means (linear encoder 76) has reached a reference position (drawing start position and pitch reference position) which is an arbitrary position excluding the movement start position. Since the discharge control is performed, the error accumulated over time from the movement start position can be reset at the reference position, and the drawing process can be performed more accurately with respect to the movement of the set table 61 (work W). Note that the reference position can be set to any position except the movement start position.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration is such that one work W is set on the set table 61 and the one work W is set as a treatment target. A configuration may be adopted in which a mother substrate that is connected in a shape is set, and the processed mother substrate is divided for each workpiece W to obtain a plurality of workpieces W. In such a case, the control unit 108 performs timer control of the functional liquid droplet ejection head 13 from the drawing start position to the drawing end position for each of the plurality of works W on the mother substrate. In the modification, the movement time is reset at the pitch reference position set for each workpiece W.

  Further, the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment may be applied to an ink jet printer.

  1: droplet ejection device, 2: X-axis table, 13: functional droplet ejection head, 76: linear encoder, 108: control unit, 117: timer, W: workpiece

Droplet ejection apparatus of the present invention, while moving the workpiece relative to the droplet discharge head, a droplet discharge device for drawing the workpiece by ejecting droplets from the droplet discharge head, placing the workpiece A table, a pair of moving means for moving the table in one direction, and a pair of moving means for detecting the amount of movement of the table provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the pair of moving means Features.

In this case, a control unit that controls the moving unit is provided, and the control unit feeds back the detection result of one detection unit, thereby controlling one moving unit and feeding back the detection result of the other detection unit. Thus, it is preferable to control the other moving means.

Claims (4)

A liquid droplet ejection apparatus that performs drawing on the work by ejecting a functional liquid from the functional liquid droplet ejection head while moving the work with respect to the functional liquid droplet ejection head of an inkjet system,
Moving means for moving the workpiece in any one direction;
Time measuring means for measuring the movement time of the workpiece by the moving means;
A droplet discharge device comprising: discharge control means for controlling discharge timing of the functional droplet discharge head based on the moving time. A movement amount detection means for detecting a movement amount of the workpiece by the movement means;
Reference position detection means for detecting that the workpiece has reached a reference position, which is an arbitrary position excluding the movement start position, from the movement start position based on the detected movement amount,
2. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the time measuring unit starts measuring the moving time from the time when it is detected that the reference position is reached.   The droplet discharge apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference position is a drawing start position at which drawing on the workpiece is started.   4. The liquid according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the reference positions are set at equal intervals between the drawing start position and a drawing end position at which drawing on the workpiece is finished. Drop ejection device.

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