JP2965216B2 - Method for manufacturing minute object and apparatus used for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a minute object and an apparatus used for manufacturing the method.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, minute objects such as powders and precision parts have been used for various purposes. For example, as beads, glass beads,
Inorganic pigments such as calcium carbonate and titanium oxide, resin beads such as acrylic and polyurethane, and the like are used for fillers, abrasives, spacers for liquid crystal display devices, and the like. Also, electroplating devices, ball mills, various polishing devices, silicon wafer cutters, and the like are used as parts of precision machines and precision tools.

Conventionally, as a method for producing these fine objects, for example, in the case of powder and granules, to obtain fine particles by a method such as mechanical pulverization or classification using a pulverizer or a classifier, or in the case of precision parts, etc. Methods such as hot pressing and etching have been used.
Alternatively, metal has been plated in a particulate form by a special method.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional method for manufacturing a minute object,
In the case of fine particles, even if the classification is repeated several times, the particle size distribution is always produced, it is difficult to obtain a uniform particle size, and the shape can be freely made with any shape. This cannot be controlled by mechanical pulverization, and fine particles having a desired shape cannot be obtained. That is, it has been extremely difficult to obtain fine particles having a uniform particle shape and particle system using the conventional apparatus and manufacturing method.

In addition, the conventional method for manufacturing precision parts and the like by hot pressing, etching, etc., is difficult to mass-produce because etching has a complicated work process and low productivity and poor workability, resulting in a high product cost. There was a problem that it would be. In the case of hot pressing, there is a problem that high temperature and high pressure are required at the time of pressing, the shape reproducibility is not perfect, and the shape that can be pressed is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a minute object with a uniform shape and high reproducibility.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention provides an intaglio plate having a recess corresponding to the shape of a minute object, after filling the recess with an ionizing radiation-curable resin, irradiating ionizing radiation to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin filled in the recess, and then This is a method for manufacturing a minute object in which the resin cured from the intaglio is peeled off to obtain a minute object.

In addition, the release sheet is brought into contact with the intaglio plate, and ionizing radiation is irradiated while the release sheet is in contact with the intaglio to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin interposed between the intaglio plate and the release sheet. In addition, a roll intaglio can be used for the intaglio, or ionizing radiation can be irradiated twice or more.

Further, the present invention is also an apparatus for manufacturing a micro object having an intaglio having a concave portion corresponding to the shape of the micro object and an ionizing radiation irradiating device on the front side and / or the back side of the intaglio.

Further, in the above manufacturing apparatus, the intaglio plate is a roll concave plate, and may be provided with a peelable sheet that comes into contact with the roll intaglio and a pressing roll that presses the peelable sheet, or a plurality of ionizing radiation irradiation devices.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
First, an intaglio 2 having a concave portion 1 corresponding to the shape of a minute object and a manufacturing apparatus having an ionizing radiation irradiation device 3 on the surface side of the intaglio plate 2 are used. A method of irradiating the intaglio 2 with ionizing radiation 5 to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 filled in the recesses 1 and then peeling off the cured resin from the intaglio 2 to obtain a fine object 6 It is.

The intaglio 2 used in the present invention is provided with a concave portion 1 corresponding to the shape of a minute object by means of electronic engraving, etching, mill pressing, electroforming, or the like. The width is about 0.1 to 5000 μm and the depth is about 0.1 to 5000 μm.
m and a depth of 1 to 100 μm are preferred. Also, the shape of the recess 2,
The pattern or the like is not particularly limited, but a shape that is widened so as to be removable from the concave portion should be avoided. For example, a hemisphere, a truncated pyramid, a truncated cone, a line, or the like that is narrowed toward the back of the plate is preferable. The material of the intaglio 2 is a metal such as copper, stainless steel, titanium or the like, a ceramic such as glass or ceramics, a synthetic resin such as a fluororesin such as PTFE or PVDF or a silicon resin such as polysiloxane or the like. .

The ionizing radiation 5 may be applied from the front side as shown in FIG. 1, but may be applied from the back side or from both the front side and the back side (note that the irradiation is performed from the back side). In this case, it is necessary to use an intaglio plate 2 made of a material that is permeable to ionizing radiation, such as transparent glass.)

Ionizing radiation curable resin 4 for irradiating the above ionizing radiation
A known ultraviolet curable resin or electron beam curable resin can be used. As such a resin, a prepolymer, oligomer and / or monomer having a polymerizable unsaturated bond or an epoxy group in a molecule can be used. There are appropriately mixed compositions.

Examples of the prepolymer and oligomer used for the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 include unsaturated polyesters such as a condensate of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol, polyester methacrylate, polyether methacrylate, polyol methacrylate, and melamine. Methacrylates such as methacrylate, polyester acrylate, epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate,
Polyether acrylate, polyol acrylate,
There are acrylates such as acrylates such as melamine acrylate. Examples of the above monomers include styrene monomers such as styrene and α-methylstyrene, methyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, and acrylic acid. Acrylates such as methoxyethyl, butoxyethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, methoxybutyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, phenyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid Methacrylic esters such as lauryl, 2- (N, N-diethylamino) ethyl acrylate, 2- (N, N-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate, 2- (N, N-dibenzylamino) acrylate ) Ethyl, methacrylic acid (N, N Dimethylamino) methyl, substituted amino alcohol esters of acrylic acid-2-(N, unsaturated acids such as N- di-diethylamino) propyl, ethylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate,
1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, dipropylene glycol diacrylate,
Polyfunctional compounds such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, propylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and / or polythiol compounds having two or more thiol groups in the molecule, for example, trimethylolpropane trithioglycolate, trimethylol And propane lithiopropionate and pentaerythritol tetrathioglycolate.

The ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 can impart any physical property to a minute object by arbitrarily mixing one or more of the above compounds, or arbitrarily combining the amounts and types of monomers. For example, a monofunctional or bifunctional acrylate monomer is used when the physical properties of the micro object are required to be flexible, and a trifunctional or more functional group is used when the micro object is required to have heat resistance, hardness, solvent resistance and the like. It is preferable to use an acrylate monomer. In this case, the monomer is selected in consideration of suitability for filling the concave portion.

Examples of the above-mentioned monofunctional acrylate-based monomer include 2-hydroxyacrylate, 2-hexyl acrylate, phenoxyethyl acrylate and the like. Bifunctional acrylate monomers include ethylene glycol diacrylate and 1.6-hexanediol diacrylate, and trifunctional or higher acrylate monomers include trimethylolpropane triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, and dipentaerythritol. Hexaacrylate and the like can be mentioned.

Hydroquinone, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, benzoquinone, and the like can be added to the composition as a polymerization inhibitor in order to prevent the compound from curing before irradiation with ionizing radiation. Further, in order to make the above composition curable by ultraviolet rays, acetophenones, benzophenones, Michler benzoyl benzoate, α-amyloxyester, tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, thioxanthone, etc. As a photosensitizer, n-butylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-butylphosphine and the like may be mixed and used.

The ionizing radiation used to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin 3 is, among electromagnetic waves or charged particle beams, one having the ability to ionize a substance, and there are various types. There are visible light, ultraviolet light, electron beam and the like, and in addition, X-ray, γ-ray and the like can be used.

As the ionizing radiation irradiation device, for example, ultra-high pressure mercury,
Light sources such as high-pressure mercury lamps, low-pressure mercury lamps, carbon arc lamps, black light lamps, metal halide lamps, Cockloft-Walton types, bandeograph types, resonant transformer types, insulating core transformer types, or linear types, dynamitron types, high-frequency types, etc. Examples of the apparatus include an irradiation source such as various electron beam accelerators.

In the present invention, the method of peeling the minute object 6 obtained by curing the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 from the inside of the concave portion 1 is performed, for example, in a state of being cured to some extent without being completely cured in the concave portion (immediately a semi-cured state). A method of completely re-irradiating with ionizing radiation after being taken out from the concave portion, a method of designing the ionizing radiation-curable resin to shrink after curing in the concave portion (for shrinking the ionized radiation-curable resin after curing) It is advisable to add a solvent to the resin or use a monomer or prepolymer having high shrinkage.), Use an elastic material for the intaglio, cure the resin, and then curve and peel the intaglio. There are a method, a method of mechanically vibrating a plate with ultrasonic waves or the like, and a method of vacuum suction.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The present invention uses a peelable sheet 11 as shown in FIG.
The minute object 6 can also be manufactured by using a manufacturing apparatus including a peelable sheet 11 that comes into contact with the roll intaglio 12 and a pressing roll 13 that presses the peelable sheet 11.

In FIG. 2, 14 is a supply device for supplying the ionizing radiation-curable resin, 15 is a coating device for applying the ionizing radiation-curable resin to the sheet, 16 is a drying device for volatilizing the solvent, 3a, 3b,
3c denotes an ionizing radiation irradiation device, and 17 denotes a feed roll.

A method for manufacturing a minute object using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

First, a predetermined amount of the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 supplied by the resin supply device 14 is applied to the peelable sheet 11 by the coating device 15, and the solvent contained in the resin is volatilized and dried by the drying device 16. In order to control the fluidity of the resin 4 applied to 11, the resin 4 is semi-cured by irradiating it with ionizing radiation by the ionizing radiation irradiating device 3a.

Next, the release sheet 11 and the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 are brought into contact with the roll intaglio 12 by the pressing roll 13 to squeeze the resin of the convex portion of the intaglio 12, and the concave portion corresponding to the shape of the minute object of the roll intaglio 12. Only 1 is filled with the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4. Then, while the peelable sheet 11 is in contact with the roll intaglio 12, ionizing radiation is irradiated from the ionizing radiation irradiation device 3b to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin in the recess.
After irradiation with ionizing radiation, the peelable sheet 4 is peeled from the intaglio 1. This cures the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4
Is temporarily detached from the concave portion 1 of the roll intaglio 12 while being temporarily adhered to the release sheet, and as a result, a minute object 6 according to the manufacturing method of the present invention is obtained.

As a method for filling the concave portion 1 of the roll intaglio 12 with the ionizing radiation-curable resin, a roll coating method (in the figure, 15 indicates a roll coating device) as shown in FIG. Other appropriate application means such as a coating method, a knife coating method, and a coating method using a die head may be employed. As another method, a method may be used in which the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 is stored in the upper portion of the contact portion between the roll intaglio 12 and the pressing roll 13 without using a special coating device, and the concave portion 1 is naturally filled.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, ionizing radiation may be irradiated by the ionizing radiation irradiation device 3a to perform semi-curing, but the irradiation device 3a for the semi-curing may not be used. The solvent drying device 11 may not be used when the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4 does not contain a diluting solvent.

As a more preferable coating method, resin 4 is directly intaglio 12
It is preferable to apply the same method as the above-mentioned film application, scrape off the resin at the convex portion of the intaglio plate 12 with a doctor blade, and leave the resin only at the concave portion of the plate, and then contact the sheet 11 (the resin is transferred to the concave portion). From the point of complete filling to prevent the formation of bubbles).

Irradiation of ionizing radiation from the ionizing radiation irradiating device 3b is generally performed from the peelable sheet 11 side as shown in the figure.In addition, when the roll intaglio 12 is formed of an ionizing radiation transmitting material such as quartz or glass, Irradiation may be performed from the inside of the roll intaglio 12 (specifically, by an irradiation device installed in the hollow of the roll), or irradiation may be performed simultaneously from both directions on the side of the peelable sheet 11 and the inside of the intaglio.

In the present invention, after the peelable sheet 11 is peeled from the roll intaglio 12 to obtain a minute object, the resin can be more completely cured by further irradiating the minute object 6 with the ionizing radiation irradiation device 3c.

In addition, an uneven pattern can be provided on the surface of the peelable sheet (on the side in contact with the ionizing radiation-curable resin) to impart unevenness to the surface of the minute object.

The releasable sheet 12 may be a sheet that is releasable from the ionizing radiation-curable resin 4. Such sheets include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene,
Fluorinated resins such as polyacrylate and polyvinylidene fluoride, polypropylene, cellulose triacetate, plastic films made of cellophane, and the like, or metal foils of copper, iron, aluminum and the like, and these may be used alone or appropriately laminated It may be used as a let sheet.
In order to further enhance the releasability, the surface may be subjected to a known release treatment. Release treatment is, for example, a fluorine-based resin, various waxes, a release agent such as silicone acrylic resin,
Forming coating films added to vehicles such as cellulose resin and vinyl resin, and resins such as fluorine resin, silicone, melamine resin, polyolefin resin, ionizing radiation cross-linkable polyfunctional acrylate, polyester, epoxy, etc. Can be formed by coating, extrusion or the like.

In the present invention, when irradiating with ionizing radiation from the peelable sheet 11 side, the peelable sheet 11 needs to use a material that is permeable to ionizing radiation. The thickness of the peelable sheet 11 is not particularly limited, but is generally 10 to 100 μm, preferably 2 to 100 μm.
5 to 50 μm.

The fine objects obtained by the present invention are used as various kinds of fillers, abrasives, light diffusing agents (including matting agents), spacers for liquid crystal display elements, and the like as fine particles having a uniform particle size and shape. Also, it can be used as a precision part for applications such as silicone wafer cutters.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, after filling the ionizing radiation-curable resin into the concave portion of the intaglio having a concave portion corresponding to the shape of the minute object, curing the ionizing radiation-curable resin filled in the concave portion by irradiating with ionizing radiation, Then, by adopting the method of peeling the resin cured from the intaglio to obtain a fine object, compared with the conventional method of classification and hot press, the method of manufacturing the fine object by etching, etc., the size of the Since particles having a uniform shape can be obtained, particles having a uniform shape without a particle size distribution can be obtained, and fine components having a good shape reproducibility can be obtained.

Also, for example, by providing a number of the same concave portions in the intaglio,
It is possible to mass-produce these uniformly shaped minute objects at once, which has the effect of improving workability.

Further, the release sheet is brought into contact with the intaglio plate, and while the release sheet is in contact with the intaglio plate, ionizing radiation is irradiated from the release sheet side and / or the inside of the intaglio plate to intervene between the intaglio plate and the release sheet. When a method for curing an ionizing radiation-curable resin is used, the surface shape of the intaglio plate of the manufactured minute object can be made uniform. Further, for example, by providing a concavo-convex pattern on the sheet surface, concavities and convexities can be provided on the surface of the minute object.

Further, by using a roll intaglio as the intaglio, it is possible to continuously manufacture minute objects, and the productivity is further improved. Also, when combined with a release sheet using a roll intaglio, the resin filled in the recess may leak to the outside,
There is no risk of dropping, and the shape reproducibility is further improved.

The manufacturing apparatus for a micro object of the present invention includes the intaglio having a concave portion corresponding to the shape of the micro object and the ionizing radiation irradiation device on the front side and / or the back side of the intaglio, so that the above manufacturing method can be reliably performed. .

Furthermore, when the intaglio is a roll intaglio, and provided with a peeling sheet that comes into contact with the intaglio and a pressing roll that presses the sheet,
Manufacturing efficiency, shape reproducibility of minute objects, etc. are further improved.

By providing a plurality of ionizing radiation irradiating devices, it is possible to irradiate ionizing radiation a plurality of times, and the releasability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the manufacturing process of the manufacturing method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the manufacturing process of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... concave part, 2 ... intaglio, 3a, 3b, 3c ... ionizing radiation irradiation apparatus, 4 ... ionizing radiation curable resin, 5 ... ionizing radiation, 6 ... minute object, 11 ... peelable sheet, 12 ... roll intaglio, 13 ... press roll

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B29C 35/00-35/18 B29C 39/00-39/44 B05D 3/00-5/12

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] An intaglio plate having a concave portion corresponding to the shape of a minute object is filled with an ionizing radiation-curable resin, and then irradiated with ionizing radiation to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin filled in the concave portion. A method for producing a minute object, wherein the resin cured from the intaglio is peeled off to obtain a minute object. 2. An intaglio plate is brought into contact with a release sheet, and while the release sheet is in contact with the intaglio plate, ionizing radiation is applied to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin interposed between the intaglio plate and the release sheet. The method for producing a minute object according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intaglio is a roll intaglio. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising irradiating the ionizing radiation twice or more after irradiating the ionizing radiation once.
4. The method for producing a minute object according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. An apparatus for producing a minute object, comprising: an intaglio having a recess corresponding to the shape of the minute object; and an ionizing radiation irradiating device on the front side and / or the back side of the intaglio. 6. The apparatus for manufacturing a micro object according to claim 5, wherein the intaglio is a roll plate, and further comprising: a releasable sheet in contact with the intaglio plate; and a pressing roll for pressing the releasable sheet. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of ionizing radiation irradiation devices are provided.
7. An apparatus for manufacturing a micro object according to any one of claims 6 to 6.