JP2014181889A - Airflow processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide airflow processing equipment capable of effectively restraining an airflow from flowing round to a lower side of a base material, because adjustment does not have to be performed each time the width of the base material is changed.SOLUTION: Airflow processing equipment includes an air supply part that is provided on an upper side of a film-like base material during conveyance and that supplies an airflow toward a top surface of the base material during the conveyance, and a suction exhaust part that performs suction exhaust of the airflow supplied from the air supply part and flowing around both side edges of the base material during the conveyance to flow to a lower side.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air flow treatment device, and more particularly to an air flow treatment device that supplies an air flow toward an upper surface of a film-like substrate being conveyed.

  In the step of drying the coating film after applying the solvent to the upper surface of the continuous film-like substrate, drying with hot air is mainly performed. As a method of applying hot air to a film-like substrate, a method of applying hot air only to one side (coating film surface) and a method of applying hot air to both the coating film surface and its back surface are known.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, as a method of applying hot air only to one side, the back surface of the film-like substrate 111 is held by a guide roller, and hot air is supplied from the slit-like nozzle 121 to apply the coating film surface. Typical methods include a method of applying a hot air (slit nozzle method) and a method of blowing hot air in parallel with the conveyance direction of the substrate as described in Patent Document 1.

  Moreover, as a method of applying hot air to both the coating film surface and the back surface thereof, as described in Patent Document 2, nozzles that supply hot air are alternately arranged above and below the base material along the transport direction of the base material. The so-called floating method is common.

  The slit nozzle method is effective in terms of the ease of drying (drying efficiency) for the film-like substrate, and the slit nozzle method is often used in a film-like substrate drying apparatus. In general, a plurality of slit-like nozzles are provided in the conveying direction of the film-like substrate.

  Here, considering the stability of the substrate conveyance, it is effective to provide the slit-shaped nozzle so as to correspond to the upper side of each guide roller. With such an arrangement, the guide roller located immediately below suppresses the occurrence of fluttering of the film-like substrate due to hot air supplied from the slit-like nozzle.

  However, when a product coated with a thick solvent or a product coated with a difficult-to-dry solvent is dried, not only the position directly above the guide roller but also a slit in the middle of the guide roller in order to improve the drying efficiency. -Shaped nozzles may be provided.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the hot air supplied from the slit-shaped nozzle 121 toward the substrate 111 being transported at the location where the film-shaped substrate is not held by the guide roller 112, In the central part of the width direction of the base material 111, it flows in the transport direction of the base material 111 according to the transport of the base material 111, but at both side edges of the base material 111, it flows around the both side edges of the base material 111 and flows downward. To go. As a result, the upper and lower pressure balance of the base material 111 becomes unstable, and the base material 111 moves up and down (so-called fluttering occurs). The fluttering of the base material greatly affects the generation of scratches on the base material and makes the coating film unstable.

  As a countermeasure against hot air wrapping around the lower side of the base material, a method of closing the air supply port of the nozzle in accordance with the width of the base material is known as described in Patent Document 3, but the width of the base material is changed. There is an inconvenience that an adjustment is required every time it is performed.

Japanese Patent No. 4822036 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-024858 JP-A-7-027475

  As described above, as a countermeasure against the hot air wrapping around the lower side of the base material, a method is known in which the air supply port of the nozzle is closed in accordance with the width of the base material, but every time the width of the base material is changed. However, there is an inconvenience that adjustment is required.

  The present invention has been devised to pay attention to the above problems and to effectively solve them. An object of the present invention is to provide an airflow treatment device that does not need to be adjusted every time the width of a substrate is changed, and that can effectively suppress the wraparound of the airflow to the lower side of the substrate.

  The present invention is provided on the upper side of the film-like base material being transported, and an air supply unit that supplies an air flow toward the upper surface of the base material being transported, and is supplied from the air supply unit and is being transported An air flow treatment device comprising: a suction exhaust unit that sucks and exhausts an air flow that flows around a side edge portion of the substrate and flows downward.

  According to the present invention, the air flow that is supplied from the air supply unit and flows around the both side edges of the substrate being transported and flows downward is actively sucked and exhausted by the suction exhaust unit. Therefore, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the substrate is effectively suppressed, and the substrate is prevented from fluttering. In addition, since the direction of the air flow in the vicinity of both side edges of the base material is regulated by the positive suction exhaust by the suction exhaust portion, it is easy to cope with the change in the width of the base material.

  Preferably, the suction exhaust section includes a pair of suction openings that are opened in the vicinity of both side edges of the base material, and a suction duct connected to the pair of suction openings. According to such an aspect, the airflow that flows around the both side edges of the substrate being conveyed and flows downward can be effectively sucked and exhausted from the pair of suction openings.

  Specifically, for example, the pair of suction openings are opened upward. In this case, preferably, each of the pair of suction openings is provided with a regulating member that regulates the suction direction in an inclined direction in which each of the pair of suction openings faces downward and is opposed to each other. According to such an aspect, the direction of the airflow that flows around the side edge portions of the base material being conveyed and flows downward can be regulated in an inclined direction in which each of the airflow faces downward and backs against each other. . Thereby, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the substrate is further effectively suppressed.

  Alternatively, each of the pair of suction openings may be open on an inclined surface that faces upward and faces each other. According to such an aspect, the direction of the airflow that flows around the both side edges of the base material being conveyed and flows downward is perpendicular to the inclined surfaces that face each other upward and facing each other. May be restricted in direction. Thereby, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the substrate is further effectively suppressed.

  Preferably, the air supply unit has a slit-like nozzle. According to such an aspect, it is possible to supply an air flow uniformly in the direction in which the slit-like nozzle extends. Specifically, for example, the slit-like nozzle extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the substrate.

  Further, the present invention is a suction / exhaust device used in the suction / exhaust portion of the airflow treatment device having any one of the above-described features, and a pair of suction openings that open in the vicinity of both side edges of the base material And a suction duct connected to the pair of suction openings.

  According to the present invention, the airflow that flows around the both side edges of the substrate being conveyed and flows downward can be effectively sucked and exhausted from the pair of suction openings.

  According to the present invention, the air flow that is supplied from the air supply unit and flows around the both side edges of the substrate being transported and flows downward is actively sucked and exhausted by the suction exhaust unit. Therefore, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the substrate is effectively suppressed, and the substrate is prevented from fluttering. Moreover, since the direction of the air flow in the vicinity of both side edges of the base material is regulated by the positive suction exhaust by the suction exhaust portion, it is possible to cope with a change in the width of the base material.

It is a schematic side view which shows the airflow processing apparatus by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective view which expands and shows the suction exhaust part in the airflow processing apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic front view which expands and shows the suction exhaust part in the airflow processing apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic front view which expands and shows the suction exhaust part in the airflow treatment apparatus by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic front view which expands and shows the suction exhaust part in the airflow treatment apparatus by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows collectively the experimental conditions and experimental result in a specific Example. It is a schematic side view which shows an example of the conventional drying apparatus. It is a schematic perspective view which expands and shows a part of drying apparatus of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an airflow treatment device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic perspective view showing the suction / exhaust part in the air flow treatment device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic front view showing the suction / exhaust part.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the air flow treatment device 10 according to the present embodiment is provided on the upper side of a film-like substrate 11 being conveyed, and air is directed toward the upper surface of the substrate 11 being conveyed. An air supply unit 20 for supplying a flow, and a suction exhaust unit (suction exhaust unit) that sucks and exhausts an air flow that is supplied from the air supply unit 20 and flows around the both side edges of the substrate 11 being conveyed and flows downward. Device) 30.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of guide rollers 12 are arranged at equal intervals along the conveyance direction of the film-like substrate 11. An interval between the guide rollers 12 is, for example, 500 mm. Each guide roller 12 is rotatably supported by a housing (not shown) in a state in which the rotation axis is oriented in a direction that is perpendicular and horizontal to the conveyance direction of the base material 11.

  A film-like base material 11 extending along the transport direction is guided on each guide roller 12, and the back surface of the film-like base material 11 is held by each guide roller 12. For example, the material of the film-like substrate 11 is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the width is, for example, 1000 mm, and an ink containing an organic solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is applied as a solvent on the upper surface. ing. When the film-like base material 11 is transported on the guide rollers 12 in the transport direction by a transport mechanism (not shown), each guide roller 12 is driven to rotate around its respective rotation axis, thereby causing the film-shaped base material 11 to rotate. Is stably guided in the transport direction.

  The air supply unit 20 has a plurality of slit-shaped nozzles 21. In the present embodiment, each slit-like nozzle 21 extends in a direction that is perpendicular and horizontal to the transport direction of the substrate 11. Thereby, an air flow is uniformly supplied from each slit-like nozzle 21 in the width direction of the film-like base material 11. For example, the length of the slit-shaped nozzle 21 is 1100 mm, and the height of the slit-shaped nozzle 21 is about 20 mm with respect to the upper surface of the film-shaped substrate 11.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of slit-shaped nozzles 21 are arranged in the middle between the group of first nozzles 21 a disposed on the respective guide rollers 12 and the adjacent first nozzles 21 a. And a group of two nozzles 21b.

  The suction / exhaust section 30 of the present embodiment is disposed below each second nozzle 21b.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the suction exhaust part 30 specifically includes a pair of suction openings 31 that open in the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate 11 and a pair of suction openings 31. And a suction duct 32 connected thereto.

  In the present embodiment, each suction opening 31 has a funnel shape having a rectangular opening in the horizontal plane as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (a shape in which the horizontal sectional area is smaller in the lower region than in the upper region). And is open upward in the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate 11. The rectangular opening of each suction opening 31 has, for example, a length of 100 mm in the conveyance direction of the base material 11 and a length of 150 mm in the width direction of the base material 11. The rectangular opening of each suction opening 31 is provided so that a part thereof overlaps the base material 11 and the other part protrudes outward from both side edges of the base material 11 in plan view.

On the other hand, the suction duct 32 is connected to the lower end of each suction opening 31 and extends in a direction perpendicular and horizontal to the transport direction of the base material 11, and a suction exhaust mechanism (not shown) (for example, a fan). )It is connected to the. For example, the cross-sectional area of the suction duct 32 is about 100 cm ² , the output of the suction / exhaust mechanism (suction / exhaust fan) is 5 kW, and the amount of exhaust is 20 m ³ / min. When the suction / exhaust mechanism is operated, the air flow in the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate 11 is sucked and exhausted through the suction duct 32 and the pair of suction openings 31.

  Next, the operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, after a film-like base material 11 delivered from a feeding unit of a conveyance mechanism (not shown) is guided on each guide roller 12 of an air flow treatment device 10, a winding (not shown) Set in the department. Then, the transport mechanism is operated in a state where the back surface of the film-like base material 11 is held by each guide roller 12, and the transport of the film-like base material 11 is started. In the present embodiment, the film-like base material 11 being transported is transported to the airflow treatment device 10 after a solvent is applied to the upper surface thereof.

  In the air flow treatment device 10, as shown in FIG. 1, supply of air flow from each slit-shaped nozzle 21 of the air supply unit 20 toward the upper surface of the substrate 11 being conveyed is started, and a suction exhaust unit Suction exhaust is started from the 30 pairs of suction openings 31.

  The air flow supplied from each slit-shaped nozzle 21 flows in the transport direction of the base material 11 in accordance with the transport of the base material 11 at the center in the width direction of the base material 11. Thereby, the solvent apply | coated to the upper surface of the film-form base material 11 is dried.

  On the other hand, the air flow supplied from each slit-shaped nozzle 21 tends to flow downward on both side edges of the base material 11 around both side edges of the base material 11.

  Here, immediately below the first nozzle 12 a, the air flow that tries to go around both side edges of the base material 11 is blocked by the guide roller 12, and is prevented from flowing into the lower side of the film-like base material 11. The

  On the other hand, immediately below the second nozzle 12 b, the air flow that tries to go around both side edges of the base material 11 is positively transmitted through the pair of suction openings 31 that open in the vicinity of both side edges of the base material 11. Therefore, it is prevented from flowing into the lower side of the film-like substrate 11.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the air flow that is supplied from the air supply unit 20 and flows around the both side edges of the substrate 11 being conveyed and flows downward is sucked by the suction exhaust unit 30. It is actively sucked and exhausted. Therefore, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the base material 11 is effectively suppressed, and the base material 11 is prevented from fluttering.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, for example, even when the base material 11 having a different width is transported in the same transport line, the suction of the base material 11 is positively performed by the suction exhaust unit 30. Since the direction of the air flow in the vicinity of the side edge portions is restricted, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the base material 11 is effectively suppressed. That is, according to the present embodiment, it is easy to cope with a change in the width of the base material 11.

  In the present embodiment, the pair of suction openings 31 is not provided with a regulating member that positively regulates the suction direction outward in the width direction of the base material 11, but as shown in FIG. In addition, each of the pair of suction openings 31 may be provided with a regulating member 33 that regulates the suction direction in an inclined direction such that each of the openings 31 faces downward and backs away from each other (second embodiment). . Specifically, the restricting member 33 is, for example, a fin or a rib having a flat plate shape along the inclined direction. According to such an aspect, the direction of the airflow that flows around the both side edges of the base material 11 being conveyed and flows downward is an inclined direction in which each of the airflow faces downward and is opposed to each other, that is, the base The material 11 can be positively regulated outward in the width direction. Thereby, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the base material 11 is suppressed more effectively.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the pair of suction openings 31 are opened upward. However, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the pair of suction openings 31 ′ is upward and relative to each other. You may open | release in the inclined surface which faces each other (3rd Embodiment). According to such an aspect, the direction of the airflow that flows around the both side edge portions of the substrate 11 being conveyed and flows downward is perpendicular to the inclined surfaces that face each other upward and facing each other. It can be positively regulated in a certain direction, that is, outward in the width direction of the base material 11. Thereby, the wraparound of the air flow to the lower side of the base material 11 is suppressed more effectively.

  Next, specific examples verified by using the respective embodiments will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film having a thickness of 12 μm is used as the film-like substrate 11, and the back surface of the substrate 11 is held by the guide roller 12 and is 3 m / min It was transported in the transport direction at the transport speed. Then, hot air (heated air flow) was supplied from the slit-shaped nozzles 12 to the film-like substrate 11 being conveyed at a wind speed of 25 m / s.

  As an example according to the first embodiment, supply of hot air is started from each slit-shaped nozzle 12 and, as shown in FIG. 3, suction exhaust from a pair of suction openings 31 opened upward. Has started. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the base material 11 did not flutter, and a good conveyance state was obtained.

  Next, as an example according to the third embodiment, the supply of hot air from each slit-shaped nozzle 12 is started, and as shown in FIG. 5, the inclined surfaces face each other upward and face each other. Suction exhaust was started from the opened pair of suction openings 31 ′. Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the base material 11 did not flutter, and a good conveyance state was obtained.

  Next, as a comparative example, as shown in FIG. 6, supply of hot air from each slit-shaped nozzle 12 was started with the pair of suction openings 31 removed from the first embodiment. In this case, it was confirmed that the substrate 11 was fluttered.

  Next, as a second example according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the entire opening of the pair of suction openings 31 opened upward is overlapped with the base material 11 in plan view. While being arranged, supply of hot air from each slit-shaped nozzle 12 was started, and suction and exhaust were started from a pair of suction openings 31 opened upward. In this case, it was confirmed that the fluttering of the base material 11 was significantly reduced as compared with the comparative example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Airflow processing apparatus 11 Film-like base material 12 Guide roller 20 Air supply part 21 Slit-like nozzle 30 Suction exhaust part (suction exhaust apparatus)
31 A pair of suction openings 31 ′ A pair of suction openings 32 Suction duct 33 Restricting member 111 Film-like base material 112 Guide roller 121 Slit-like nozzle

Claims (8)

An air supply unit that is provided on the upper side of the film-like substrate being conveyed and supplies an air flow toward the upper surface of the substrate being conveyed;
A suction exhaust unit that sucks and exhausts an air flow that is supplied from the air supply unit and flows around the side edges of the substrate being conveyed and flows downward;
An air flow treatment device comprising: The suction exhaust part is
A pair of suction openings that open in the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate;
A suction duct connected to the pair of suction openings;
The air flow treatment device according to claim 1, wherein The air flow treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of suction openings are opened upward. The air flow according to claim 3, wherein each of the pair of suction openings is provided with a regulating member that regulates a suction direction in an inclined direction in which each of the openings is directed downward and is opposed to each other. Processing equipment. 3. The air flow processing device according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of suction openings is open on an inclined surface that faces upward and faces each other. The air flow processing device according to claim 1, wherein the air supply unit has a slit-like nozzle. The air flow treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the slit-like nozzle extends in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the base material. A suction / exhaust device used in the suction / exhaust part of the airflow treatment device according to claim 1,
A pair of suction openings that open in the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate;
A suction duct connected to the pair of suction openings;
A suction exhaust apparatus comprising:

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