JP2017148742A - Device for cleaning nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for cleaning a nozzle, capable of cleaning the entire circumference of the nozzle without an uncleaned portion.SOLUTION: There is provided a device for cleaning a nozzle, which cleans a tip portion of a tubular nozzle 1 for spraying solution material from the tip portion. The device for cleaning a nozzle comprises: a deformable block 11 that has a nozzle contact surface 12 and which is resiliently deformed by a side surface of the nozzle 1 pressed against the nozzle contact surface 12; and nozzle contact and separation means for relatively moving the nozzle 1 and the deformable block 11 in directions containing a component perpendicular to a direction of an axis of the nozzle 1. When the nozzle 1 located at a first position by the nozzle contact and separation means is pressed against the deformable block 11 located at a second position by the nozzle contact and separation means, the axis of the nozzle 1 cuts into the inside of the deformable block 11 farther than a position of the nozzle contact surface 12 on the assumption that the deformable block 11 does not deform at the second position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a nozzle cleaning device that wipes and cleans the tip of a nozzle that sprays a solution material.

  Conventionally, an electrospray apparatus that deposits a solution material sprayed from a nozzle as a thin film on a substrate is known.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an electrospray apparatus. The electrospray apparatus 300 includes a nozzle 301 and a ground plate 302, and a substrate 303 is placed on and held by the surface of the ground plate 302 on the nozzle 301 side. The earth plate 302 is grounded. When a voltage is applied to the nozzle 301, a potential difference is generated between the nozzle 301 and the earth plate 302, and the charged solution material sprayed from the nozzle 301 forms a spray 304. Fly toward the plate 302. The solution material adheres to the substrate 303 placed between the nozzle 301 and the earth plate 302, whereby a coating film made of the solution material is formed on the substrate 303.

  When the spraying of the solution material is repeated with such an electrospray apparatus 300, the solution material adheres to the tip 305 of the nozzle 301 due to liquid dripping during the spraying, and if left untreated, the spraying state deteriorates and the substrate becomes a substrate. There is a possibility that the quality of the coating film to be formed (film thickness accuracy, etc.) may be lowered or the dripped solution material may fall into the electrospray apparatus 300 and the apparatus may be contaminated. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to wipe off the liquid dripping at the tip of the nozzle using a nozzle cleaning device disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  In Patent Document 1, a nozzle is sandwiched between two blocks via a belt-like cloth, and these blocks are rotated around a nozzle by a rotation mechanism, whereby the entire nozzle can be wiped off.

JP 2004-314004 A

  However, the nozzle cleaning device disclosed in Patent Document 1 may be difficult to realize when a plurality of nozzles are arranged in the electrospray device, for example. Specifically, since one set of blocks and a rotation mechanism are required for each nozzle, when a large amount of nozzles are arranged, a large amount of blocks and rotation mechanisms are required, which are arranged in the electrospray apparatus. It becomes difficult to do. Further, if the rotation mechanism is eliminated and the nozzle is merely sandwiched between the blocks, a non-contact portion 308 where the belt-like cloth 307 does not contact the nozzle 301 is generated in the vicinity of the contact portion between the blocks 306 as shown in FIG. There is a problem that the solution material or the like adhering to the non-contact portion 308 cannot be wiped off.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle cleaning device that can clean the entire circumference of the nozzle without leakage.

  In order to solve the above problems, a nozzle cleaning device of the present invention is a nozzle cleaning device that cleans the tip of a tubular nozzle that sprays solution material from the tip, and has a nozzle contact surface. A deformation block that elastically deforms when the side surface of the nozzle is pressed against the nozzle, and nozzle contact / separation means that relatively moves the nozzle and the deformation block in a direction including a component orthogonal to the central axis direction of the nozzle. And when the nozzle is pressed against the deformation block by the nozzle contacting / separating means when the nozzle is positioned at the first position and the deformation block is positioned at the second position, the deformation is temporarily performed at the second position. The center axis of the nozzle bites into the inside of the deformed block rather than the position of the nozzle contact surface when it is assumed that the block has not deformed. That.

  According to the nozzle cleaning device, the entire circumference of the nozzle can be cleaned without leakage. Specifically, the central axis of the nozzle exceeds the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle by biting into the inner side of the deformation block rather than the position of the nozzle contact surface when it is assumed that the deformation block has not been deformed at the second position. The part can be brought into contact with the nozzle contact surface of the deformation block. By performing cleaning of the nozzle in this state twice, it is possible to clean the entire circumference of the nozzle without leakage. It is also possible to simultaneously clean a plurality of nozzles arranged in a predetermined direction.

  A pressing block having a pressing surface facing the nozzle contact surface and less elastically deforming than the deformation block; and the deformation block and the pressing block in a direction including a component orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of the nozzle. A block contacting / separating means for relatively moving the block, the deforming block and the pressing block are brought close to each other by the block contacting / separating means, and the nozzle is sandwiched between the nozzle contact surface and the pressing surface. Anyway.

  By doing so, the nozzle is pushed into the deformation block by the pressing block, and it is possible to easily form a form in which the portion exceeding the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle contacts the nozzle contact surface of the deformation block.

  Further, it is possible to separate the nozzle from the deformed block and another deformed block or the pressing block by the nozzle contacting / separating means in the direction of the central axis of the nozzle until there is no overlapping portion. A belt-like cloth body may be provided between the nozzle and the deformation block and another deformation block or the pressing block.

  In this way, when the nozzle, the deformation block, and the pressing block are brought close to each other when cleaning the nozzle, the cloth body is sandwiched between the nozzle and the deformation block, so that cleaning becomes easier. Also, the nozzle tip can be cleaned.

  Moreover, it is good for the both ends of the said cloth body to be wound by the roll which can be wound up.

  By doing so, it is possible to always clean the nozzle in a portion where the cloth body is not soiled.

  According to the nozzle cleaning device of the present invention, the entire circumference of the nozzle can be cleaned without leakage.

It is the schematic which shows an electrospray apparatus provided with the nozzle cleaning apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the cleaning form of the nozzle by the nozzle cleaning apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows an electrospray apparatus provided with the nozzle cleaning apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the cleaning form of the nozzle by the nozzle cleaning apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the nozzle cleaning apparatus in 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the conventional electrospray apparatus. It is the schematic which shows the cleaning form of the nozzle by the conventional nozzle cleaning apparatus.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1A and 1B are schematic views showing an electrospray apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a bottom view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electrospray apparatus 100 includes a nozzle 1 and a ground plate 2. A substrate 200 is disposed on the surface of the earth plate 2 (on the surface in the Z2 direction side).

  In the first embodiment, the electrospray device 100 is provided with a nozzle cleaning device 3 that cleans the tip of the nozzle 1. The nozzle 1 can be moved relative to the ground plate 2 and the nozzle cleaning device 3 by a moving device (not shown), and the nozzle 1 is located immediately below the ground plate 2 as shown by a solid line when the substrate is applied. When the nozzle 1 is cleaned, it is located in the vicinity of the nozzle cleaning device 3 as indicated by a chain line. In particular, a moving device that relatively moves the nozzle 1 and the nozzle cleaning device 3 is also referred to as a nozzle contacting / separating means in this description.

  The nozzle 1 is a tubular member made of a conductor, and the opening faces the Z-axis direction. The nozzle 1 is connected to a solution material supply means (not shown) and is filled with a solution material (for example, polyimide which is a conductive polymer). In the present embodiment, a tubular body having an inner diameter of 0.8 mm and an outer diameter of 1.2 mm is used as the nozzle 1.

  Further, a power source 150 is connected to the nozzle 1 so that the solution material is sprayed from below (Z2 direction) to above (Z1 direction) in a state where a voltage is applied to the solution material passing through the inside of the nozzle 1. It is configured. The solution material sprayed from the nozzle 1 forms a spray 10 between the nozzle 1 and the substrate 200 and is deposited on the substrate 200 as a thin film (not shown).

  The earth plate 2 is made of a metal plate, for example, and has a flat plate shape as shown in FIG. The earth plate 2 is configured to contact the substrate 200 from the side opposite to the nozzle 1 with respect to the substrate 200 to hold the substrate 200 and to ground when the thin film is formed. As a result, a potential difference is generated between the nozzle 1 and the earth plate 2, and electric lines of force are formed between the nozzle 1 and the earth plate 2 as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Then, the solution material ejected from the nozzle 1 when a voltage is applied flies toward the earth plate 2 under the influence of the lines of electric force (that is, flies in the Z-axis direction) to form the spray 10. In this description, the Z-axis direction is also referred to as a spray traveling direction.

  Here, the surface of the earth plate 2 facing the substrate 200 is entirely a ground surface, and the spray 10 spreads in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to form a thin film on the substrate 200.

  In addition, the electrospray apparatus 100 has a moving device (not shown) that moves the nozzle 1 and the earth plate 2 relative to each other as described above. In a state where the substrate 200 is gripped by the earth plate 2 by the moving device, the spray 10 moves on the surface of the substrate 200 by the relative movement of the nozzle 1 and the earth plate 2 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A thin film larger than the size of the spray 10 can be formed.

  In this embodiment, a plurality of nozzles 1 are arranged as shown in FIG. 1B (in the example of FIG. 1B, five nozzles are arranged in the Y-axis direction). This makes it possible to apply a wide range at once.

  The nozzle cleaning device 3 has two deformation blocks 11 (deformation block 11a and deformation block 11b) that are arranged apart from each other in the X-axis direction. Further, as described above, there is a nozzle contacting / separating means for relatively moving the nozzle 1 and the cleaning device 3.

  Each deformation block 11 is a block composed of a material that is easily deformed when the nozzle 1 is pressed against it, and is composed of a sponge in this embodiment. By moving the deformation block 11 and the nozzle 1 relative to each other in the direction including the component orthogonal to the central axis direction of the nozzle 1 (X-axis direction in this embodiment) by the nozzle contacting / separating means, the tip of the nozzle 1 is The outer peripheral surface is pressed against a predetermined surface of the deformation block 11.

  In this description, a predetermined surface of the deformation block 11 against which the nozzle 1 is pressed is referred to as a nozzle contact surface 12. In the present embodiment, the surfaces of the deformation block 11 a and the deformation block 11 b facing each other are the nozzle contact surfaces 12. ing. When the nozzle 1 is pressed against the nozzle contact surface 12, the deformable block 11 is elastically deformed following the shape of the nozzle 1, and the nozzle 1 enters the deformed block 11. As the nozzle 1 bites in this way, the nozzle contact surface 12 comes into close contact with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion of the nozzle 1.

  The deformation block 11 has a long shape in the arrangement direction of the nozzles 1 (Y-axis direction in this embodiment), and all the nozzles 1 can be pressed against the nozzle contact surface 12 of the deformation block 11 at the same time.

  FIG. 2 shows a nozzle cleaning mode by the nozzle cleaning device in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As described above, the nozzle 1 is pressed against the nozzle contact surface 12 of the deformation block 11 by the nozzle contact / separation means. In the present embodiment, after the nozzle 1 has moved to a position between the deformation block 11a and the deformation block 11b, it is first pressed against the deformation block 11a as shown in FIG. The nozzle contact surface 12 of the deformation block 11 a is deformed following the shape of the nozzle 1 and is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle 1. At this time, dirt such as liquid dripping that has adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle 1 is wiped and cleaned by the nozzle contact surface 12.

  Note that the nozzle 1 and the deformation block 11a are relatively moved in the Y-axis direction, the Z-axis direction, and the like while maintaining the state where the nozzle 1 is pressed against the deformation block 11a. Dirt can be cleaned. Moreover, the dirt adhering to the nozzle 1 can be more efficiently cleaned by including the cleaning liquid such as the solvent of the solution material in the deformation block 11a.

  Here, assuming that the position of the nozzle 1 when the nozzle 1 is pressed against the deformation block 11a is the first position and the position of the deformation block 11a is the second position, in the present invention in FIG. As indicated by the width d, the position of the nozzle 1 is larger than the position of the nozzle contact surface 12 (illustrated by a chain line in FIG. 2A) when it is assumed that the deformation block 11a is not deformed at the second position. The central axis bites into the deformation block 11a. By doing so, the nozzle contact surface 12 can be brought into close contact with a portion exceeding the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle 1, and the portion can be cleaned.

  After the cleaning of the nozzle 1 by the deformation block 11a is completed, the nozzle 1 relatively moves so as to be pressed against the deformation block 11b as shown in FIG. At this time, as in the case of the deformed block 11a, the nozzle 1 bites into the deformed block 11b so that the nozzle contact surface 12 of the deformed block 11b can also clean the portion exceeding the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle 1. It becomes. Accordingly, the remaining wiping 13 shown in FIG. 2A can be wiped off by the deformation block 11b, and the entire circumference of the nozzle 1 can be cleaned without omission by two cleanings by the deformation block 11a and the deformation block 11b.

  Further, as described above, by providing the deformed block 11 a and the deformed block 11 b long in the arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) of the nozzles 1, all the nozzles 1 can be simultaneously pressed against the nozzle contact surface 12 of the deformed block 11. Therefore, it is possible to clean a plurality of nozzles 1 at the same time.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an electrospray apparatus including a nozzle cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 (a) is a front view and FIG. 3 (b) is a bottom view.

  In the first embodiment described above, the two deformation blocks 11 are arranged, but in this second embodiment, the deformation block 21a is pressed against the deformation block 21a, and the pressure block 31b is pressed against the deformation block 21b. 21 and the pressing block 31 are arranged so as to face each other. Note that the surface of the pressing block 31 facing the deformation block 21 is referred to as a pressing surface 32 in this description.

  Further, the deformation block 21 and the pressing block 31 can be contacted / separated by a moving device (not shown), and this moving device is particularly referred to as a block contacting / separating means in this description.

  The pressing block 31 is made of a material that is less elastically deformed than the deformation block 21, and is made of hard rubber in this embodiment. In this embodiment, two combinations of the deformation block 21 and the pressing block 31 are provided: a combination of the deformation block 21a and the pressing block 31a, and a combination of the deformation block 21b and the pressing block 31b. The positional relationship of 31 is opposite in both combinations as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows a nozzle cleaning mode by the nozzle cleaning device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the nozzle 1 first moves to a position between the deformation block 21a and the pressing block 31a as shown in FIG. 4A, and then the deformation block 21a and the deformation block 21a as shown in FIG. The pressing block 31 a is close to the nozzle 1, and the nozzle 1 is sandwiched between the nozzle contact surface 22 and the pressing surface 32. Here, since the pressing block 31a is made of a material that is less elastically deformed than the deformation block a, the nozzle 1 is pressed against the deformation block 11a as shown in FIG. 4B. As in the first embodiment, when the nozzle 1 bites into the inside of the deformation block 21a, it is possible to easily form a form in which the portion exceeding the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle 1 contacts the nozzle contact surface 22 of the deformation block 21a. It is possible to perform cleaning of a portion exceeding the half circumference of the outer periphery of the nozzle 1.

  Then, by performing the same cleaning as above with the deformed block 21b and the pressing block 31b whose positions are reversed, the remaining wiping 23 can be wiped with the deformed block 21b, and the cleaning is performed twice by the deformed block 21a and the deformed block 21b. Thus, the entire circumference of the nozzle 1 can be cleaned without leakage.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 5 shows a nozzle cleaning device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the deformation block 41a and the deformation block 41b are provided. As shown in FIG. 5A, the nozzle 1, the deformation block 41a, and the deformation block 41b have no overlapping portion. The belt 1 can be separated in the direction of the central axis of the nozzle 1, and a belt-like cloth body 51 is provided between the nozzle 1 and the deformation block 41 a and the deformation block 41 b at that time.

  When the nozzle 1 is cleaned, as shown in FIG. 5B, the cloth body 51 is wound around the tip of the nozzle 1, and the nozzle 1 and the deformation block 41 and the deformation block 42 are in close contact with each other through the cloth body 51. . As a result, the cloth body 51 is sandwiched between the nozzle 1 and the deformation block 41 or the deformation block 42 to facilitate cleaning, and at the same time, the cloth body 51 is at the tip of the nozzle 1 (the upper surface of the nozzle 1 including the discharge port). Also, the tip of the nozzle 1 can be cleaned. In addition, the deformation block 41 and the deformation block 42 can be cleaned without getting dirty.

  Further, both ends of the cloth body 51 are wound around an unwinding roll 52 and a winding roll 53, and a winding operation is possible by driving both rolls, and the winding operation is performed every time cleaning is performed. Thus, the nozzle 1 can be cleaned in a clean state at all times.

  In addition, although the said description has shown the example which provided the cloth body 51 between the two deformation | transformation blocks and the nozzle 1, a cloth body is provided between a deformation | transformation block and a press block and a nozzle similarly to 2nd Embodiment. It may be provided.

  With the above nozzle cleaning device, it is possible to clean the entire circumference of the nozzle without leakage.

  The embodiments and examples disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description of the embodiments and examples but by the scope of claims for patent, and includes all modifications (modifications) within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims for patent.

  For example, in the first and second embodiments, the solution material is sprayed upward (Z1 direction) from the nozzle 1 to the substrate 200. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the solution material may be sprayed downward or laterally. good.

  In the first and second embodiments, a plurality of nozzles 1 are arranged only in the X-axis direction. However, a plurality of nozzles 1 may be arranged in the Y-axis direction.

  In the first and second embodiments, two deformation blocks are arranged in the X-axis direction, or two sets of deformation blocks and pressing blocks having different arrangement orders in the X-axis direction of the deformation blocks and the pressing blocks are provided. Although provided and the nozzle cleaning apparatus 3 is comprised, it is not restricted to such a structure. For example, by rotating the nozzle row or the nozzle cleaning device 3 about the Z-axis direction as the rotation center, it is possible to clean the opposite surface side of the nozzle 1 with the same deformation block, and the nozzle cleaning device 3 is configured with a small number of components. can do.

  In the above description, the nozzle is cylindrical. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the nozzle may have a cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross section.

  Further, the nozzle contact surface of the deformed block is not limited to a flat surface, and may have a shape that can easily wipe off dirt, such as an embossed shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nozzle 2 Ground plate 3 Nozzle cleaning apparatus 10 Spray 11 Deformation block 11a Deformation block 11b Deformation block 12 Nozzle contact surface 13 Wiping remaining 21 Deformation block 21a Deformation block 21b Deformation block 22 Nozzle contact surface 23 Unwiping remaining 31 Pressing block 31a Pressing block 31b Press block 32 Press surface 41 Deformation block 42 Deformation block 51 Cloth body 52 Unwinding roll 53 Winding roll 100 Electrospray device 150 Power supply 300 Electrospray device 301 Nozzle 302 Earth plate 303 Substrate 304 Spray 305 Tip 306 Block 307 Band-shaped cloth 308 Non Contact point

Claims (4)

A nozzle cleaning device for cleaning the tip of a tubular nozzle that sprays solution material from the tip;
A deformation block that has a nozzle contact surface and elastically deforms when the side surface of the nozzle is pressed against the nozzle contact surface;
Nozzle contact / separation means for relatively moving the nozzle and the deformation block in a direction including a component orthogonal to the central axis direction of the nozzle;
With
When the nozzle is pressed against the deformation block by the nozzle contacting / separating means when the nozzle is positioned at the first position and the deformation block is positioned at the second position, the deformation block is temporarily placed at the second position. The nozzle cleaning device, wherein the central axis of the nozzle bites into the inside of the deformation block rather than the position of the nozzle contact surface when it is assumed that the nozzle is not deformed. A pressing block having a pressing surface facing the nozzle contact surface and less elastically deforming than the deforming block;
A block contacting / separating means for relatively moving the deformation block and the pressing block in a direction including a component orthogonal to a rotation axis direction of the nozzle;
Further comprising
2. The nozzle cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the deformation block and the pressing block are brought close to each other by the block contacting / separating unit, and the nozzle is sandwiched between the nozzle contact surface and the pressing surface.   By the nozzle contact / separation means, the nozzle and the deformation block and another deformation block or the pressing block can be separated in the central axis direction of the nozzle until there is no overlapping portion, and the nozzle at that time 3. The nozzle cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a belt-like cloth body is provided between the first deformation block and the second deformation block or the pressing block. 4.   The nozzle cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein both ends of the cloth body are wound around a roll capable of winding operation.

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