JP2020021090A - Coating device for film formation substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress variation in film thickness generated in a film formation area.SOLUTION: A coating device 100 for coating a film formation area of a substrate 1 with a film comprises a coating head 105 for delivering liquid, which is film formation material, by drops into the film formation area of the substrate and a control device 106 for controlling the coating head. The substrate with a concave groove formed along the outer periphery of the film formation area includes a concave part group consisting of a plurality of concave parts arranged in parallel between the concave groove and the film formation area. Each concave part of the concave part group is shaped into such a form that liquid coating the substrate is harder to flow in a direction from the concave groove toward the film formation area than a direction from the film formation area toward the concave groove. The control device controls the coating head so that the coating head delivers liquid by drops into the film formation area after delivering liquid by drops into the concave group of the substrate or the concave parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a film forming substrate coating apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a liquid crystal display device, a liquid (here, an alignment film material liquid) that is a film forming material is applied to a film forming region including a display region of a substrate and a peripheral region thereof by an inkjet method. A sealant is annularly applied by a dispense method to a position around the film formation area of the substrate at a predetermined interval, and a liquid crystal material is applied by a dispense method to a region surrounded by the sealant on the substrate. .

  By the way, when the liquid as the above-mentioned film forming material is applied to the film forming region of the substrate by the ink jet method, the liquid may spread on the substrate and spread to the region where the sealant is formed. If the liquid spreads to the region where the sealant is formed and an alignment film is formed in the region where the sealant is formed, the adhesion of the sealant to the substrate at the portion of the alignment film deteriorates.

  In order to prevent the liquid of the film forming material applied to the substrate from spreading to the outside of the film forming region, as described in Patent Document 1, the film forming region on the substrate and the sealant outside the film forming region are disclosed. In some cases, a groove surrounding the film formation region is formed between the film and the application region. In the process in which the liquid applied to the inside of the groove on the substrate is wet-spread toward the periphery, the wet-spread of the liquid is stopped by the groove so as not to spread to the sealant application region.

JP 2007-322627 A

  As a recent trend, in a liquid crystal display device such as a mobile terminal represented by a mobile phone, it is required that the size of the display area be as large as possible with respect to the size of the product body. As a result, the area outside the display area tends to be narrower within a certain range of the external dimensions of the substrate.

  Therefore, the distance between the groove formed in the region surrounding the film formation region on the substrate and the display region is reduced. For this reason, the liquid of the film-forming material which is dropped on the substrate inside the groove and spreads to the outer periphery does not decrease the amount of liquid in the process of reaching the groove, and the surface formed at the edge of the groove. Due to the tension, a liquid pool which rises up like a bank at the time of the groove is temporarily formed. When this liquid pool is formed, a part of the liquid that has spread from the inside to the outer peripheral edge of the substrate rebounds in the liquid pool and flows backward toward the inside of the film formation region. As a result, the film thickness of the film forming material becomes uneven even inside the display area.

  An object of the present invention is to suppress unevenness in film thickness occurring in a film formation region.

  The present invention is a coating apparatus for coating a film on a film forming region of a substrate, wherein the coating device controls the coating head by dropping a liquid droplet of a film forming material on the film forming region of the substrate. The substrate is a substrate in which a concave groove is formed along the outer periphery of the film forming region, and a plurality of concave portions are juxtaposed between the concave groove and the film forming region. And the shape of each of the recesses of the recess group is such that the liquid applied on the substrate is moved from the groove toward the film formation region in a direction from the film formation region toward the groove. Has a shape that is difficult to flow in the direction toward, and the control device is configured to control the application head so that the application head drops the droplet in the concave groove or the concave portion of the substrate and then drops into the film formation region. Is controlled.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress unevenness in film thickness occurring in a film formation region.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a liquid crystal display panel to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the coating apparatus. FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing the substrate of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating a main part of the substrate according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a main part of the substrate according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a main part of the substrate according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view illustrating a main part of the substrate of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view showing a main part of the substrate of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view illustrating a main part of a substrate according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a state in which a droplet is dropped into a concave groove. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a concave groove and a concave portion.

(Example 1) (FIGS. 1 to 4)
In a liquid crystal display panel to which the present invention is applied, as shown in FIG. 1, a film forming area 2 indicated by a dashed line is composed of a display area DA of a rectangular substrate 1 and a small area around the display area DA. A liquid which is a film forming material (here, an alignment film material liquid) is applied to the formation region 2 by the ink jet coating apparatus 100 shown in FIG. Then, around the film forming region 2 of the substrate 1, a sealant 3 is applied in a ring shape by a dispense method at a predetermined interval, and a liquid crystal material ( (Not shown) is applied dropwise by a dispensing method. Thereafter, an opposing substrate (not shown) is bonded via a sealant 3 to enclose a liquid crystal material, thereby forming a liquid crystal display panel. The “film formation region 2” is not a region where a film is formed by the applied liquid, but a design region set as a film formation region.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the coating apparatus 100 includes a Y-axis direction moving stage 102 on a gantry 101, and supports the substrate 1 on a substrate holding member 103 provided on an upper surface of the Y-axis direction moving stage 102. On the gantry 101, a portal frame 104 that straddles the Y-axis moving stage 102 is provided, and the portal frame 104 includes a plurality of coating heads 105 juxtaposed in the X-axis direction. The coating apparatus 100 is configured to move the substrate 1 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis direction moving stage 102 and to apply a film-forming material dropped from a number of nozzles provided at regular intervals in the X-axis direction of the coating head 105. The liquid is applied dropwise to each position of the substrate 1 along the Y-axis direction. The coating apparatus 100 controls the movement of the Y-axis direction moving stage 102 and the dropping of droplets from each nozzle of the coating head 105 (the amount of droplets dropped from the nozzles, the dropping interval (frequency), etc.). The control device 106 is provided.

  3 shows an AA cross section of the substrate 1 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows an AR region of the substrate 1 shown in FIG. That is, in the substrate 1, a long concave groove 10 having a predetermined depth is formed along the outer peripheral side of the film forming region 2, and in the present embodiment, a plurality of concave grooves 10 are juxtaposed. A groove group 10N is formed. The groove group 10 </ b> N is composed of a plurality of grooves 10 (first to n-th grooves 11, 12, 13... 1 n (not shown)) separated from each other along the outer periphery of the film formation region 2. Each of the concave grooves 11, 12, 13,... Is formed in parallel with each side of the outer periphery of the film formation region 2 and overlaps each other. The coating apparatus 100 is for dropping and applying a liquid as a film forming material to the substrate 1 on which the grooves 11, 12, 13,... Of the groove group 10N are formed.

Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described in more detail.
(A) Before the liquid of the film forming material dropped from the coating head 105 of the coating apparatus 100 is applied to the film forming area 2 of the substrate 1, the concave groove 10 ( It is also applied to the first to n-th concave grooves 11, 12, 13,... 1n). Therefore, the liquid applied to the film formation region 2, spreads to the outer periphery, and reaches the edge of the groove 10, and the edge of the groove 10 is wet by the liquid already applied to the groove 10. Therefore, it comes into contact with the liquid at the edge of the groove 10 and is integrated therewith, and penetrates into the groove 10 without forming a liquid pool.

  Specifically, first, the substrate 1 is supplied to the coating apparatus 100 in FIG. At this time, the substrate 1 is supplied onto the substrate holding member 103 such that the long side direction is parallel to the Y direction. The substrate holding member 103 is positioned on the near side in the Y-axis direction in FIG. When the supply of the substrate 1 is completed, the control device 106 controls the Y-axis direction moving stage 102 to start moving the substrate holding member 103 toward the back side in the Y-axis direction in FIG. During this movement, droplets are ejected from each nozzle of the coating head 105 to the side of the groove group 10N on the substrate 1 closest to the display area DA, that is, the innermost groove 11. Is done.

  The groove 11 has a groove along the X direction and a groove along the Y direction. The groove along the X direction is different from the groove along the X direction located on the leading side of the substrate 1. For each of the grooves located on the side, the droplets are ejected from the nozzles located corresponding to the grooves along the X direction at the timing when the grooves pass under each nozzle of the coating head 105. Further, with respect to the groove along the Y direction, during the period from when the leading end of the groove reaches below the coating head 105 to when the rear end passes below the coating head 105, Droplets are ejected at preset intervals in the Y direction from nozzles located opposite the concave grooves. The dropping of the droplet is controlled by the control device 106. That is, the control device 106 controls the application head 105 so that the liquid droplet is dropped on the concave groove 10 before being dropped on the film formation region 2.

  When the substrate holding member 103 reaches the end on the back side in the Y-axis direction in FIG. 2 or the position where the substrate 1 has completely passed through the coating head 105, the substrate holding member 103 is then moved toward the side where the carry-in / carry-out position is located. The film is moved, and during this movement, the liquid is dropped and applied to the inside of the film formation region 2. The liquid is applied by dropping from each nozzle of the coating head 105 located opposite to the film formation region 2 in accordance with the timing at which the film formation region 2 of the substrate 1 passes under the coating head 105. Droplets are discharged such that the droplets are dropped at a preset arrangement interval. That is, the control device 106 controls the application head 105 so that the liquid droplet is dropped on the groove 10 and then dropped on the film formation region 2.

  When the substrate 1 has passed under the coating head 105 and the drop application of the liquid to the substrate 1 is completed and the substrate holding member 103 reaches the carry-in / carry-out position, the substrate 1 on which the liquid has been applied is carried out. If there is a substrate 1 to be subsequently processed, the next substrate 1 is supplied instead to the substrate holding member 103, and the above operation is repeated until there is no more substrate 1 to be subsequently processed.

  In addition, the amount of the droplet dropped into the above-described groove 10 is such that the dropped droplet is dropped in such an amount that the droplet contacts the edge located inside (closer to the display area DA) of the groove 10. The amount (size) can be determined by experiment, and the larger the depth of the groove, the larger the required amount of droplet. The amount of the droplets dropped on the concave groove 10 is the amount of the liquid droplets dropped on the same position of the concave groove 10, and it can be dropped by one drop or a plurality of times by the same position. Good.

  At this time, the droplet may spread over the entire groove width of the concave groove 10 as shown in FIG. 10A or FIG. 10B, or may be formed as shown in FIG. 10C or FIG. It is not necessary to cover the entire groove width of the groove 10. The droplet is preferably dropped so as to be at a position at least in contact with the inner edge (closer to the display area DA) of the concave groove 10. Further, the droplets may be continuously dropped into the concave groove 10 or may be dropped at intervals. Even if the liquid is dropped at intervals, the liquid that spreads and wets from the film formation region 2 enters the groove 10 from the part that is dropped and wet in the groove 10 without forming a liquid pool. In any case, if a space for accommodating the liquid that has spread from the film forming region 2 can be secured in the concave groove 10, the spread of the liquid that has spread from the inside of the film forming region 2 can be suppressed. Therefore, in consideration of this point, the amount of the droplet to be dropped into the concave groove 10 and the interval between the droplets are determined. The amount and interval of the droplets can also be determined by experiments. Further, the drop amount may be changed depending on the location in the concave groove 10.

  Further, FIG. 10 shows an example in which the droplet is dropped only on the innermost groove 11 of the groove 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the liquid may be dropped on the outer grooves 12, 13,. May be. In this way, even if the liquid gets over the innermost groove 11 and spreads, it can be kept wet by any of the outer grooves 12, 13... 1n. Needless to say, the same applies to the case where the droplet is dropped into all the grooves 10 and the case where the droplet is dropped only to an arbitrary groove 10. What is necessary is just to determine suitably according to the state of the liquid spreading in the film formation area 2. However, in order to effectively suppress unevenness in the thickness of the film forming material caused by a part of the liquid that has spread and splashed by the liquid pool generated at the edge of the concave groove 11 and reaching the display area DA, it is necessary to perform one method. It is effective to drop droplets into the inner groove 11.

  In addition, although the example has been described in which the dropping of the liquid to the concave groove 10 and the dropping of the liquid to the film formation region 2 are performed separately, they may be performed together. That is, when the substrate 1 passes directly below the coating head 105, the droplet is dropped on the concave groove 10 and the liquid is also dropped on the film formation region 2 of the substrate 1. Thus, the application is completed by one movement of the substrate holding member 103, and efficient application can be performed. Further, by setting both ends of the movement of the Y-axis direction movement stage 102 to the carry-in / carry-out position of the substrate 1, the coating on the substrate 1 can be performed more efficiently and repeatedly.

  In the application of the liquid (a) described above by the coating apparatus 100, the liquid is applied to the groove 10 (droplets are dropped) and then applied to the film formation region 2. In other words, when the liquid applied to the film forming region 2 spreads to the outer periphery and reaches the edge of the concave groove 10, the liquid that has already been applied to the concave groove 10 surely wets the edge of the concave groove 10. ing. Therefore, the formation of a liquid pool due to the liquid that has reached the edge of the concave groove 10 is less likely to occur, and the rebound of the liquid due to the liquid pool is reliably suppressed, and the occurrence of uneven film thickness can be reliably suppressed.

  Further, the concave groove 10 reduces the amount of liquid that spreads to the outer periphery by the amount of the liquid that has spread from the inside of the film forming area 2 beyond the display area DA and penetrates into the groove, and the sealing agent is applied. The effect of suppressing the spread of wetness to the region is also large.

(B) As described above, the concave grooves 10 formed on the substrate 1 form the plurality of concave groove groups 10N provided on the outer periphery of the film formation region 2 so as to be separated from each other. The groove width Li (i = 1, 2, 3,...) Is smaller as the outer concave groove 10 is farther away from the outer periphery of the film formation region 2. That is, among the plurality of first grooves 11 to n-th groove 1n forming the groove group 10N, the groove width L1 of the first groove 11 closest to the outer periphery of the film formation region 2 is the largest. A large amount of liquid that spreads and wets is received in the first groove 11 having a large width to suppress the rebound and spread of the liquid, and then a small amount of liquid that passes through each groove 11, 12, 13,. Are successively received in the grooves 12, 13... Having smaller widths L 2, L 3,..., And bounce and wet spreading are suppressed (L 1> L 2> L 3).

  In other words, the liquid is reliably received in each of the grooves 11, 12, 13..., The application liquid spreads over the sealing material application area, and the liquid rebounds in the above-mentioned (a) due to each of the grooves 11, 12, 13,. While suppressing the occurrence of film thickness unevenness in the film formation region 2 by the suppression effect of the above, the total width W formed by the groove group 10N along the direction orthogonal to the outer periphery of the film formation region 2 and the width of all the grooves 10 are wide. , The space occupied by the groove group 10N in the product main body can be reduced, and a larger display area DA can be secured for the product main body.

(C) The distance Si (i = 1, 2,...) Between the adjacent grooves 10 formed in the above (b) formed on the substrate 1 is smaller than the groove width Li of the grooves 10. As a result, in the groove group 10N of (b) described above, the total value of the groove widths Li is smaller than that in which the distance Si between the grooves 10 is not less than the groove width Li of the grooves 10. The total width W of the groove group 10N obtained by adding the total value of the intervals Si between the adjacent grooves 10 can be further reduced. Therefore, the space occupied by the groove group 10N in the product main body can be further reduced, and a larger display area DA can be secured for the product main body.

  In the groove group 10N of this embodiment, the groove widths L1 to L3 of the first to third grooves 11 to 13 are L1 = 0.18 mm, L2 = 0.09 mm, and L3 = 0.06 mm. The distance S1 between the first groove 11 and the second groove 12 and the distance S2 between the second groove 12 and the third groove 13 are S1 = S2 = 0.01 mm. When the above-described coating was performed on the substrate 1 on which the concave grooves 10 having such dimensions were formed, it was possible to suppress the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA.

(Example 2) (FIG. 5)
Second Embodiment A substrate 1 according to a second embodiment will be described.
(D) A recess group 20N in which a plurality of recesses 20 having a predetermined depth are juxtaposed is arranged between the recess groove 10 formed in the substrate 1 and the display area DA. 2 has a shape that makes it more difficult for the liquid applied to the film forming region 2 to flow in the opposite direction from the groove 10 to the film forming region 2 than in the direction toward the groove 10 from the film forming region 2. In this embodiment, the concave portions 20 are arranged at a predetermined pitch along the outer peripheral edge of the film formation region 2.

  The concave group 20 </ b> N makes it harder for the liquid to flow in the opposite direction than the liquid flowing from the inside to the outside of the film formation region 2. Specifically, the space between the concave portions 20 formed by the concave portions 20 of the concave portion group 20N is a main path when the liquid applied to the film formation region 2 spreads wet. The space between the recesses 20 is such that the inside of the film formation region 2 (the side near the display region DA) is wide and narrows outward. Further, on the side facing the display area DA, the surface forming the concave portion 20 is configured not to be parallel to the display area DA. That is, since the space between the concave portions 20 is narrower from the concave groove 10 side to the display area DA side, it is difficult for the liquid to flow, and the liquid spreads from the inside of the film forming region 2 and the groove of the concave groove 10 is formed. In this case, a liquid pool is formed, and even if the flow of the liquid rebounds in the liquid pool, an inward flow (backflow) generated due to the rebound is suppressed (attenuated).

  The concave group 20N is more resistant to a flow that spreads outward (in a direction from the film formation region 2 toward the concave groove 10) than the case without the concave group 20N. The speed of the flow at the time of arrival can be reduced as compared with the case where there is no concave group 20N. The lower the speed at which the liquid hits the liquid pool, the lower the rebound of the liquid flow, and consequently, the concave group 20N contributes to the suppression of the rebound. Furthermore, since the liquid that spreads wet flows into each concave portion 20 when passing through the concave portion group 20N, this reduces the amount of liquid flowing toward the concave groove group 10N, and as a result, the edge of the concave groove 10 Of the liquid in the film formation region 2 can be suppressed, and the unevenness of the film thickness generated in the film formation region 2 can be suppressed.

  It is also experimentally shown that even when the liquid flows into the concave portion 20 and the liquid accumulates in the concave portion 20, the effect of suppressing the flow from the concave groove 10 toward the film forming region 2 can be obtained. Has been confirmed. Observation of the surface of the substrate 1 and the liquid film covering the concave portion 20 revealed that a bank-like bulge was observed in the liquid film along the contour of the concave portion 20 and that the liquid film formed along the contour of the concave portion 20 was raised. It is presumed that the portion becomes a resistance to the flow in the direction from the concave groove 10 side toward the film formation region 2, and this flow is suppressed.

  The liquid swells at the contour of the recess 20 whether or not the liquid has penetrated into the recess 20, but the line forming the contour is not parallel to the display area DA and forms an angle. For this reason, the rebound generated by the swelling of the liquid at the contour of the concave portion 20 does not directly go to the display area DA side, and the rebounds from the contours of the concave portions 20 arranged side by side interfere with each other and weaken. The unevenness of the film thickness generated in the region 2 can be suppressed.

(E) Each of the concave portions 20 constituting the above-described concave portion group 20 </ b> N formed on the substrate 1 is a concave portion 21 formed of an isosceles triangle having an apex angle of an acute angle, and a bottom side thereof is parallel to an extending direction of the concave groove 10 and By arranging it so as to be located on the concave groove 10 side, the flow of the liquid (d) can be reliably formed.

  In the outer peripheral edge of the film formation region 2, a concave portion 22 formed of an isosceles triangle is disposed at a position directly facing a corner portion of two sides (vertical side and horizontal side) orthogonal to each other. The concave portion 22 forms an isosceles triangle having the same shape as the concave portion 21, the bottom side is located on the side of the concave groove 10, and the central axis orthogonal to the bottom side is 45 degrees with respect to the vertical side and the horizontal side of the outer periphery of the film formation region 2. It is arranged diagonally so as to form.

  Further, on the outer periphery of the film forming region 2, at the position directly facing the corners of two sides (vertical side and horizontal side) orthogonal to each other, the recesses 21, 22 are formed on both sides of the recess 22 formed of the above-described isosceles triangle. For example, a concave portion 23 formed of a small isosceles triangle having half the length of the side is disposed. The concave portion 23 is arranged such that the bottom side is parallel to the extending direction of the concave groove 10 and is located on the concave groove 10 side. The bottom of each recess 23 is arranged on the same straight line as the bottom of each recess 21.

  In the recess group 20N of the present embodiment, the length a and height b of the bottom sides of the recesses 21 and 22 are set to 0.06 mm and b = 0.10 mm, and the length c and height d of the recess 23 are c = 0.03 mm and d = 0.05 mm. Further, the pitch interval p1 between the adjacent concave portions 21 is set to p1 = 0.1 mm, and the arrangement interval pc between the adjacent concave portions 21 and the concave portion 23 is set to pc = 0.085 mm. By forming the concave portion group 20N having such dimensions, the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA is further suppressed.

  In the concave group 20N, for example, the pitch interval p1 between the concave portions 21 formed of adjacent isosceles triangles may be set to p1 = 0.08 mm to increase the density of the concave portions 21.

(Example 3) (FIG. 6)
The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the concave group 20 </ b> N formed in the substrate 1. The concave group 20N of the third embodiment has a small shape having the same shape as the concave portion 23 disposed on both sides of the concave portion 22 between the concave portions 21 adjacent to each other and between the concave portions 21 adjacent to each other. That is, the concave portion 24 formed of an isosceles triangle is arranged. The apex of each recess 24 is arranged on the same straight line as the apex of each recess 21, 22 and is located at the center between the adjacent recesses 21, 22 and at the center between the adjacent recesses 21 and 22. You. The pitch interval p2 between the adjacent concave portions 24 is set to p2 = 0.1 mm. By arranging the concave portions 24 with such dimensions, the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA was also suppressed.

(Example 4) (FIG. 7)
The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in the configuration of the concave group 20N formed in the substrate 1. The concave group 20N according to the fourth embodiment is configured such that the vertexes of the concave portions 24 disposed between the adjacent concave portions 21 and the concave portions 21 and between the adjacent concave portions 21 and the concave portions 22 correspond to the vertexes of the concave portions 21 and 22. It is retracted by a distance e = 0.025 mm on the side of the concave groove 10 from the connecting straight line. By arranging the concave portions 24 with such dimensions, the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA was suppressed as in the third embodiment.

(Example 5) (FIG. 8)
The fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the concave group 20 </ b> N formed in the substrate 1. The concave group 20N according to the fifth embodiment has a configuration in which rhombic concave portions 25 are arranged between adjacent concave portions 21 and between the adjacent concave portions 21 and between the adjacent concave portions 21 and 22. The length f of the shorter diagonal line and the length g of the longer diagonal line of the recess 25 are f = 0.03 mm and g = 0.10 mm. Each of the two vertices on the longer diagonal line of each of the concave portions 25 is arranged on the same straight line as each of the vertices and the base of each of the concave portions 21 and 22, and the center between the adjacent concave portions 21 and 21, And it is arranged at the center between the adjacent concave portions 21 and 22. Even when the concave portion 25 is arranged in such a shape and size, the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA is suppressed.

(Example 6) (FIG. 9)
The sixth embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in the configuration of the concave group 20N formed in the substrate 1. The concave group 20N of the sixth embodiment is obtained by replacing each concave 21 in the concave group 20N of the fourth embodiment with a concave 26 having the same shape as the concave 25 used in the fifth embodiment. Even in the case where the recesses 26 were arranged in such a shape and size, the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA was suppressed as in the third embodiment.

  As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Included in the present invention. For example, the substrate 1 of the present invention is not limited to the one in which the groove group 10N including the plurality of grooves 10 is arranged, but may be the one in which the single groove 10 is arranged.

  Further, in the above-described Examples 2 to 6, the concave portion formed of an isosceles triangle is located along the outer peripheral edge of the film forming region 2 at a position directly facing the corner portion of two mutually orthogonal sides (vertical side and horizontal side). 22 are arranged. However, the concave portion 22 may not be arranged. Further, in the above-described embodiments 2 to 6, the small isosceles triangular concave portions 23 are arranged between the adjacent concave portions 21 and 22 and on both sides of the concave portion 22. Further, in the third and fourth embodiments, the concave portion 24 having the same shape as the concave portion 23 is disposed between the concave portions 21 adjacent to each other and between the concave portions 21 adjacent to each other. The recesses 23 and 24 need not always be arranged. Further, the triangular concave portion 22, concave portion 23, concave portion 24, rhombic concave portion 25 or concave portion 26 may be appropriately replaced and arranged at the corner in the above-described embodiment, or may be appropriately combined and arranged. good.

  In the second embodiment, it is not always necessary to drop the liquid droplets into the concave grooves 10 before applying the liquid to the film formation region 2. However, as in the first embodiment, a droplet of the liquid to be applied may be dropped on the concave portion 20 prior to application on the film formation region 2 as in the first embodiment. In this way, it is possible to promote the flow of the liquid that is wetted and spread by dropping the liquid onto the film formation region 2 into each of the concave portions 20 when passing through the concave portion group 20N. Needless to say, like the first embodiment, the droplet may be dropped in the concave groove 10 before the droplet is dropped on the film formation region 2. Thereby, the rebound of the liquid near the edge of the concave groove 10 is further suppressed, and the unevenness of the film thickness generated in the film formation region 2 can be suppressed.

  Further, as in the first embodiment, the width of the concave groove 10 of the substrate having the concave portion 20 may be made narrower as the distance from the film forming region 2 increases, or between the adjacent concave grooves 10. May be smaller than the groove width Li of the concave groove 10. Thus, similarly to the first embodiment, the space occupied by the groove group 10N in the product main body is reduced while suppressing the unevenness of the alignment film formed in the display area DA, and the display area larger than the product main body. DA can be secured.

  Note that the concave groove may be an annular shape surrounding the outer periphery of the film forming region 2 or a plurality of long concave grooves arranged. Further, the concave groove 10 is not limited to an annular shape closed on the outer periphery of the film formation region 2 and may have a shape having a gap in a part.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the concave portion group is constituted by the isosceles triangular and rhombic concave portions, but may have other shapes, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a polygon other than a triangle or a rhombus, a star shape, and the like. The shape of each recess 20 is such that the liquid applied to the film forming region 2 is less likely to flow in the direction from the groove 10 to the film forming region 2 than in the direction from the film forming region 2 to the concave groove 10. Any shape and arrangement may be used, and a combination of different shapes and arrangements may be used.

  Further, the edge of the concave groove or the concave portion may have a curved surface or a slope. For example, the substrate 1 in which the concave groove 10 is formed along the outer periphery of the film forming region 2, and a concave group 20 N in which a plurality of concave portions 20 are juxtaposed is provided between the concave groove 10 and the film forming region 2. The shape of each concave portion 20 of the concave portion group 20N is such that the liquid applied on the substrate 1 is in a direction from the groove 10 toward the film formation region 2 as compared with a direction from the film formation region 2 toward the groove 10. The substrate 1 may be a shape that is difficult to flow, and may have a curved or inclined surface at one or both edges of the concave groove 10 and the concave portion 20. FIG. 11 shows an example (A) having a vertical surface at the edge of the concave groove 10 and the concave portion 20 of the substrate 1, an example (B) having an inclined surface, and an example (C) having a curved surface.

  By making the surface curved or inclined as described above, the surface tension generated at the edge is weakened, the swelling of the liquid at the contour of the concave groove 10 or the concave portion 20 is suppressed, and the rebound of the liquid caused by the swelling is also suppressed. In addition, the liquid can easily enter the concave groove 10 or the concave portion 20, and it is possible to more reliably suppress the spread of the liquid by receiving the spread of the liquid. Such a curved surface or inclined surface may be provided on the entire circumference or all edges of the concave groove 10 or the concave portion 20, or may be provided only on a part of the edge, for example, only on the edge on the display area DA side. When provided on the edge on the display area DA side, while suppressing the liquid from splashing to the display area DA side, the amount of liquid that spreads to the outer periphery is reduced, and the effect of suppressing the liquid from spreading to the sealant application area is also reduced. large. Of course, the droplets may be dropped as in the first embodiment after the edges of the concave groove 10 and the concave portion 20 are curved or inclined. Thereby, the above effect can be further enhanced.

  Further, the substrate 1 is provided with a first flow control unit along the outer periphery of the film formation region, and a plurality of second flow control units are provided between the first flow control unit and the film formation region 2. A second flow control unit group is provided side by side, and the shape of each second flow control unit is such that the liquid applied on the substrate 1 is moved in the direction from the film formation region 2 to the first flow control unit. In comparison, the substrate 1 may have a shape that is less likely to flow in the direction from the first flow controller to the film formation region 2.

  “Flow adjustment” in the first flow adjustment unit and the second flow adjustment unit refers to suppressing or promoting the flow of the liquid. Here, the first flow control unit and the second flow control unit may be concave portions 20 or convex portions. That is, it does not matter whether the substrate 1 is depressed or protrudes with respect to the flat surface having the same height as the display area DA. Both the first flow control unit and the second flow control unit may be recesses 20 or both may be protrusions. Either one of the first flow control unit and the second flow control unit may be the concave portion 20, and the other may be the convex portion.

  Further, the second flow adjustment unit is an isosceles triangle having a vertex at an acute angle, and the base of the isosceles triangle is parallel to the extending direction of the first flow adjustment unit and on the first flow adjustment unit side. May be arranged.

  The first flow control section forms a first flow control section group provided on the outer periphery of the film formation region so as to form a plurality of layers separated from each other, and the first outer flow control section separated from the outer periphery of the film formation region 2. The width may be smaller as the flow adjusting portion.

  Further, the edges of the first flow control unit and the second flow control unit may have a curved surface or a slope. For example, when the first flow control portion or the second flow control portion is a convex portion, the side surface of the edge may have a shape having a curved surface or an inclined surface.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which an ink jet type coating head is used has been described. However, as long as the liquid is dropped and dropped, the present invention can be applied to a case where another type of coating head is used. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Film formation area 10N Groove group 10, 11, 12, 13 Groove 20N Concave group 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 Concave 100 Coating device

Claims (3)

A coating apparatus for coating a film on a film forming region of a substrate,
A coating head for dropping liquid droplets of a film forming material on the film forming region of the substrate,
Having a control device for controlling the coating head,
The substrate is a substrate in which a concave groove along the outer periphery of the film forming region is formed, and between the concave groove and the film forming region, includes a concave group in which a plurality of concaves are juxtaposed, The shape of each recess of the recess group is such that the liquid applied on the substrate hardly flows in the direction from the groove to the film formation region as compared to the direction from the film formation region to the groove. None,
The film forming substrate, wherein the control device controls the coating head such that the coating head drops the droplet in the concave groove or the concave portion of the substrate and then drops the liquid in the film forming region. Coating equipment.   The concave group of the substrate may be an isosceles triangular concave portion having an acute angle at an apex angle, a bottom side being parallel to an extending direction of the concave groove, and being located on the concave groove side. The coating apparatus for a film-formed substrate according to claim 1, wherein: The concave grooves of the substrate form a group of concave grooves provided so as to form a plurality of layers separated from each other on the outer periphery of the film formation region,
The coating device for a film-formed substrate according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the coating head such that the droplet is dropped only into the innermost groove.

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