JP3899305B2 - Substrate cooling apparatus and method for PDP - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a PDP substrate for drying and cooling a film such as an electrode, a transparent dielectric layer, a rib, or a phosphor layer formed on a glass substrate in the manufacture of a plasma display substrate (hereinafter referred to as a PDP substrate). The present invention relates to a PDP substrate cooling apparatus and method for cooling a PDP substrate in a drying apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, this type of PDP substrate drying apparatus dries an electrode film formed on a front substrate for PDP, and dries a film such as a transparent dielectric layer formed on the front substrate. Yes. The PDP substrate drying apparatus dries the rib film formed on the back substrate for PDP, and dries the film such as the phosphor layer formed on the back substrate. After completion of each drying, the substrate for PDP on which the various films are formed is cooled by a cooling device. Here, there is an electrode as a material which must not be completely dried in the drying apparatus. Therefore, the solvent that has not evaporated remains in the film in the PDP substrate on which the electrode is formed when it is first carried into the cooling device, and the solvent remaining in the film continues to evaporate in the cooling device. When the cooling gas is blown directly directly onto such a film, the temperature of the part of the film that is exposed to the gas will drop and the part of the film that is not exposed to the gas will remain hot. Therefore, a part of the film that is not exposed to gas remains at a high temperature and the solvent in the film continues to evaporate, and a part of the film that is exposed to gas decreases in temperature and the solvent evaporates. It is suppressed. In this way, the evaporation state differs depending on the location of the film, resulting in uneven drying. Therefore, a cooling device is provided in which the gas outlet is disposed as high as possible above the substrate so that the gas does not directly and strongly hit the film formed on the substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-314623
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above structure, since the cooling gas blowout port is provided at a position as far as possible from the substrate, the ceiling of the cooling device becomes high, and as a result, the volume of the cooling device increases. As the volume of the cooling device increases, the consumption of cooling gas for cooling increases, and it takes time to cool because the cooling gas is cooled so that it does not directly hit.
[0005]
Therefore, a cooling device provided with a cooling gas outlet below the substrate so that the substrate is held by a plurality of rollers and the cooling gas is blown directly from the bottom of the substrate to the lower surface of the substrate through the rollers. Has been proposed.
[0006]
While the cooling gas is sprayed on the lower surface of the substrate, the rollers are rotated in the forward and reverse directions to swing the substrate in the transport direction. Even if the cooling gas is sprayed from below the rollers, the rollers are used for cooling. The part where gas is blocked is eliminated. In addition, a plurality of holes for blowing out the cooling gas are provided orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate, and the cooling gas is sprayed onto the lower surface of the substrate from the holes. Therefore, even if the cooling gas hits the lower surface of the substrate strongly, this cooling device does not directly hit the film on the substrate, so that the cooling gas outlet can be brought close to the substrate. As a result, since the height of the cooling device can be reduced, the volume of the cooling device can be reduced. By reducing the volume of the cooling device, the consumption of the cooling gas can be reduced and the cooling time can be shortened because the cooling gas is sprayed directly onto the lower surface of the substrate.
[0007]
However, in the above structure, the cooling gas blown out from a plurality of holes provided independently perpendicular to the substrate transport direction is uniformly sprayed in the substrate transport direction by the swing of the substrate. However, since the cooling gas is blown out from the holes arranged at a predetermined interval in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction, the substrate is not uniformly blown in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction. There is a problem that strip-shaped drying unevenness occurs along the direction.
[0008]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the cooling gas is sprayed uniformly over the entire lower surface of the substrate, thereby reducing the strip-like drying unevenness that occurs along the substrate transport direction. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for cooling a substrate for a PDP.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.
[0010]
  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the PDP substrate isIt is mounted on a plurality of rollers and reciprocates in the first direction, and the cooling member having the air supply holes is reciprocated in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the horizontal plane of the PDP substrate. The cooling gas is sprayed onto the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate by supplying cooling gas from between the adjacent rollers through the air supply holes.PDP substrate coolingMethodI will provide a.
[0011]
  According to a second aspect of the invention,After the cooling gas is sprayed onto the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate to cool it, the reciprocating motion in the first direction is stopped, and the cooling member is brought into direct contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate to cool it.PDP substrate cooling according to the first aspectMethodI will provide a.
[0012]
  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the aboveThe speed at which the cooling member is reciprocated in the second direction is faster than the speed at which the PDP substrate is reciprocated in the first direction.PDP substrate cooling according to the first or second aspectMethodI will provide a.
[0013]
  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the aboveThe stroke for reciprocating the cooling member in the second direction is substantially equal to the pitch in the second direction of the plurality of air supply holes formed in the cooling member.PDP substrate cooling according to any one of the first to third aspectsMethodI will provide a.
[0014]
  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention,A plurality of rollers for supporting a PDP substrate;
A rotation drive unit that rotates each of the rollers to reciprocate the PDP substrate in a first direction;
A cooling member disposed between the adjacent rollers and having a supply hole for supplying a cooling gas toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate;
A reciprocating motion drive unit for reciprocating the cooling member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
And a controller for controlling the rotation of each roller by the rotation driving unit and the reciprocating operation of the cooling member by the reciprocating driving unit.A substrate cooling apparatus for a PDP is provided.
[0015]
  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the aboveA rising position where the upper surface of the cooling member contacts the lower surface of the PDP substrate, the cooling member is separated downward from the PDP substrate, and the cooling gas from the air supply hole of the cooling member is the PDP 5th aspect provided with the raising / lowering part which raises / lowers between the descent | fall position which reaches the lower surface of the board for operationThe substrate cooling apparatus for PDP described in 1. is provided.
[0016]
  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention,The plurality of air supply holes are formed in a row in the second direction on the upper surface of the cooling member, and a plurality of air supply holes are formed in the first direction. 5th or 6th aspect in which the line parallel to the first direction passing through the center is shifted in the second directionThe substrate cooling apparatus for PDP described in 1. is provided.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, a PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 including the cooling device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a base 501 disposed on the entire bottom surface of a rectangular parallelepiped drying chamber 502. An upper / lower transfer unit 300 arranged in a rectangular parallelepiped upper / lower transfer space 506 in the left half of FIG. 1, an exhaust unit 400 arranged in the lower part of the right half of FIG. The PDP substrate cooling device 200, the drying unit 100 stacked in four stages on the PDP substrate cooling device 200, the control unit 600 controlling the operation of the drying unit 100, and the four stacks. The drying unit 100 and the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 are provided with an air supply unit 420 that supplies gas.
[0022]
1 is disposed outside the drying chamber 502 in the lower left part of FIG. 1 and along the upper and lower sides on the right side in FIG. The exhaust pipe 404, the drying section gas supply pipe 423, the cooling section gas supply pipe 424, and the filter unit 504 disposed on the ceiling of the vertical transfer space 506 are provided.
[0023]
The loading / unloading port 505 includes the PDP substrate 10 in which a film such as an electrode, a transparent dielectric layer, a rib, or a phosphor layer is formed on the glass substrate 10 as an example of an object to be dried outside the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500. It is a carry-in port for carrying in the drying chamber 502 and a carry-out port for carrying the PDP substrate 10 after drying in the PDP substrate drying device 500 out of the PDP substrate drying device 500.
[0024]
The vertical transfer unit 300 includes a substrate transfer unit 310 for taking in and out the PDP substrate 10 and a vertical drive unit 320 for moving the substrate transfer unit 310 up and down.
[0025]
The substrate transfer unit 310 has a rectangular tube shape so that the substrate 10 for PDP can be taken in and out of the loading / unloading port 505, the four drying units 100, and the substrate cooling device 200 for PDP. To drive.
[0026]
The vertical drive unit 320 appropriately moves the substrate transfer unit 310 up and down to four positions facing the four stages of the drying unit 100 and positions facing the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 and the loading / unloading port 505. Position and stop. The position of the substrate transfer unit 310 facing the substrate cooling apparatus 200 for PDP and the loading / unloading port 505 is set as a reference position 20.
[0027]
The vertical drive unit 320 is connected to the control unit 600 and drives the vertical drive shafts 321a and 321b to move up and down in synchronization with the vertical drive shafts 321a and 321b disposed in parallel with the vertical direction. Drive motors 322a and 322b are provided. Therefore, by driving the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b, the motor can be positioned and stopped at the five positions including the reference position 20. The bottom surface of the substrate transfer unit 310 is attached to the upper ends of the vertical drive shafts 321a and 321b, the lower ends are free, and the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b are placed in the middle of the vertical shafts of the vertical drive shafts 321a and 321b. It is fixed to the drying chamber 502. The two vertical drive motors 322a and 322b are rotated in the forward and reverse synchronization under the control of the control unit 600 to raise and lower the vertical drive shafts 321a and 321b, thereby stopping the positioning of the substrate transfer unit 310 at the predetermined position. It is possible.
[0028]
Hereinafter, the left side in FIG. 1 is the front side, and the right side is the back side.
[0029]
The substrate transfer unit 310 includes a housing 315, a loading / unloading side transfer port 312, a drying unit side transfer port 313, a roller 311, and a heater 314.
[0030]
The casing 315 has a rectangular tube shape and has openings on the front side and the back side, a loading / unloading side transfer port 312 at the front side opening, and a drying unit side transfer port 313 at the back side opening. I have.
[0031]
A plurality of, for example, four rollers 311 are provided in the casing 315 below the transfer ports 312 and 313 on both sides, at equal intervals in parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the direction in which the PDP substrate 10 enters. The PDP substrate 10 can be rotated in the forward and reverse synchronous manner, for example, by a motor (not shown) under the control of the control unit 600 so as to move the PDP substrate 10 to the transfer ports 312 and 313 on both sides. A chain belt (not shown) is passed over a gear (not shown) provided at one end of the roller 311 and power is transmitted to the chain belt from a motor (not shown) so as to be driven and rotated all at once. .
[0032]
The heater 314 is provided on almost the entire inner upper surface of the housing 315 in order to heat and maintain the interior of the housing 315 at a constant temperature.
[0033]
On the other hand, a filter unit 504 is provided on the ceiling of the upper / lower transfer space 506, and clean air that has passed through the filter unit 504 passes through the upper / lower transfer space 506 and is an exhaust port 503 provided at the lower portion of the drying chamber 502. By exhausting more, the inside of the drying chamber 502 is kept clean.
[0034]
The drying unit 100 maintains a temperature suitable for drying the electrode, the transparent dielectric layer, the rib, or the phosphor layer on the PDP substrate 10 sent from the vertical transfer unit 300, respectively. In the case of electrodes having different temperatures and electrodes, for example, approximately 120 ° C., in the case of a transparent dielectric layer, approximately 160 ° C., and in the case of a rib or phosphor layer, the temperature is controlled at approximately 100 ° C. Each chamber is disposed so as to overlap with the heat insulating material 108 interposed therebetween.
[0035]
Each drying unit 100 includes a housing 101, a front door 102, a rear maintenance door 103, a swing roller 104, a front heater 105, a rear heater 106, a side heater 107, an upper heater unit 110, The lower heater unit 120 is provided.
[0036]
The casing 101 has a rectangular tube shape, and includes a front-side opening 101a and a back-side opening 101b on the front side and the back side, respectively, a front door 102 disposed in the front-side opening 101a, and a back-side opening. And a rear maintenance door 103 disposed at 101b.
[0037]
The front door 102 is arranged at the front side opening so that it can be opened and closed and sealed by a hinge 161 arranged at the lower end edge of the front side opening 101a in order to insert and remove the PDP substrate 10 from the substrate transfer part 310. By opening and closing the front door 102 only when the PDP substrate 10 is taken in and out, it is possible to minimize the escape of heat in the drying unit 100. The front heater 105 is provided on almost the entire inner side of the front door 102 in order to keep the inner side of the front door 102 at a constant temperature, for example, approximately about 80 ° C., so that the condensation of the solvent does not occur inside the front door 102. It has been.
[0038]
In order to perform maintenance of the drying unit 100, the back surface maintenance door 103 is disposed in the back surface side opening 101b so that it can be opened and closed and sealed by a hinge 162 disposed at the upper edge of the back surface side opening 101b. The back heater 106 is provided on almost the entire inside of the back door 103 in order to keep the inside of the back door 103 at a constant temperature, for example, about 80 ° C., so that no condensation of the solvent occurs inside the back door 103. ing.
[0039]
Within the housing 101, a plurality of swing rollers 104 are provided at equal intervals below the doors 102 and 103 on both sides in parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the direction in which the PDP substrate 10 enters. For example, four are provided, and the PDP substrate 10 is taken in and out of the upper and lower transfer unit 300 and is moved forward and backward by a motor (not shown), for example, under the control of the control unit 600 so as to swing left and right in FIG. Synchronous rotation is possible. A chain belt (not shown) is passed over a gear (not shown) provided at one end of the swing roller 104, and power is transmitted to the chain belt from a motor (not shown) so that they are simultaneously driven and rotated. ing. Further, the stroke for swinging the PDP substrate 10 to the left and right can be set, for example, in a range between a half pitch on the left and a half pitch on the right from the position where the roller 104 is stopped. Here, the pitch represents the arrangement pitch of the oscillating rollers 104 arranged at equal intervals.
[0040]
The upper heater unit 110 is provided on almost the entire inner upper surface of the housing 101 in order to heat the interior of the housing 101 and maintain it at a constant temperature for film drying, and a swing roller so as to face the upper heater unit 110. A lower heater unit 120 is provided below 104.
[0041]
The side heater 107 also has almost the entire side surfaces inside the housing 101 in order to keep both side surfaces inside the housing 101 at a constant temperature so that condensation of the solvent does not occur on the opposite side surfaces inside the housing 101. Are provided respectively.
[0042]
Also, in the upper heater unit 110, the air supply pipe 112 and the exhaust pipe 113 are alternately inserted at equal intervals above the doors 102 and 103 on both sides at an equal interval in the horizontal direction, and the PDP substrate 10 enters. A plurality of the gas supply pipes 423 and the exhaust pipe 404 communicate with each other. By communicating with each other, gas can be supplied from the drying unit gas supply pipes 423 to the drying units 100 through the supply pipes 112, and the gas in each drying unit 100 can be supplied from the exhaust pipes 113 to the discharge pipes 404. It is possible to exhaust. Details of the upper heater unit 110 and the lower heater unit 120 will be described later. Here, the gas is a gas different from the cooling gas supplied to the drying unit.
[0043]
The air supply unit 420 includes a device that sends out gas disposed outside the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500, for example, a gas supply source 421 that is a pump, and a preheating heater 438 that heats the gas. .
[0044]
The gas supply source 421 is disposed so as to be connected to the drying section gas supply pipe 423 communicating with each supply pipe 112 in each drying section 100. The preheating heater 438 is disposed in the gas supply pipe 423 for the drying unit. For example, when the set temperature in the drying unit 100 is 100 ° C., the gas supply source 421 arranged in this way is configured to supply the gas at about 80 ° C. to about 100 ° C. heated by the preheating heater 438 to each drying unit 100. It is possible to supply air through each air supply pipe 112.
[0045]
Such a configuration of the drying unit 100 is the same as the configuration of the drying unit 100 in the other stages in the four stages.
[0046]
A PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 disposed via a heat insulating material 108 further below the drying unit 100 disposed at the bottom of the four-stage drying unit 100 includes a housing 201, a front door 202, and a rear surface maintenance. Door 203, front heater 205, rear heater 236, side heater 207, upper heater 211, swing roller unit 250, cooling plate elevating part 270, and cooling plate front and rear reciprocating part 290. ing. Here, the oscillating roller unit 250 is an example of a rotation drive unit, the cooling plate front-rear reciprocating unit 290 is an example of a reciprocating motion driving unit, the cooling plate lifting unit 270 is an example of a lifting unit, and the front heater 205, the back heater 236, the side heater 207, and the upper heater 211 are examples of a heater for preventing condensation.
[0047]
The casing 201 has a rectangular tube shape and includes a front-side opening 201a and a back-side opening 201b on the front side and the back side, respectively, a front door 202 disposed in the front-side opening 201a, and a back-side opening. And a rear maintenance door 203 arranged at 201b.
[0048]
The front door 202 is disposed at the front opening so that it can be opened and closed and sealed by a hinge 261 disposed at the lower end edge of the front opening 201a in order to insert and remove the PDP substrate 10 from the substrate transfer section 310. By opening and closing the front door 202 only when the PDP substrate 10 is taken in and out, it is possible to minimize the escape of heat in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. The front heater 205 is provided on almost the entire inner side of the front door 202 in order to keep the inner side of the front door 202 at a constant temperature, for example, approximately about 80 ° C., so that no condensation of solvent occurs inside the front door 202. .
[0049]
The back maintenance door 203 is disposed in the back side opening 201b so that it can be opened and closed and sealed by a hinge 262 disposed at the upper edge of the back side opening 201b in order to perform maintenance of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. The rear heater 236 is provided on almost the entire inner side of the rear door 203 in order to keep the inner side of the rear door 203 at a constant temperature, for example, about 80 ° C., so that the condensation of the solvent does not occur inside the rear door 203. ing.
[0050]
The upper heater 211 keeps the upper surface inside the housing 201 at a constant temperature, for example, approximately around 80 ° C. so that the solvent does not dew on the upper surface inside the housing 201. It is provided throughout.
[0051]
The side heater 207 also holds almost the entire side surfaces inside the case 201 in order to keep both side surfaces inside the case 201 at a constant temperature so that condensation of the solvent does not occur on the opposite side surfaces inside the case 201. Respectively.
[0052]
The front heater 205, the back heater 236, the upper heater 211, and the side heater 207 are maintained at about 80 ° C. at least during the cooling process. Here, the cooling process refers to a period during which the PDP substrate 10 is being cooled in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, and is a period in which a cooling stage by air cooling described later and a cooling stage by heat transfer are combined.
[0053]
The swing roller unit 250, the cooling plate back-and-forth reciprocating unit 290, and the cooling plate lifting / lowering unit 270 will be schematically described below based on the schematic diagram in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 that performs the cooling process of FIG.
[0054]
Within the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, the swing roller unit 250, the cooling plate lifting / lowering part 270, the cooling plate front / rear reciprocating part 290, and the unit mounting plate 281 are arranged in this order from top to bottom.
[0055]
First, the outline of the swing roller unit 250 will be described below.
[0056]
Within the casing 201, a plurality of swing rollers 204 are provided, for example, four, in parallel to the lateral direction at equal intervals between the doors 202, 203 on both sides and perpendicular to the direction in which the PDP substrate 10 enters. The book is provided. Roller side gears 254 are fixedly provided at the ends of the four swing rollers. Here, the swing roller 204 is an example of a roller.
[0057]
On the other hand, a swinging motor 251 is provided outside the casing 201, and a motor side gear 252 is fixedly provided on a motor output shaft 256 of the swinging motor 251. By passing the toothed belt 253 over the motor-side gear 252 and the four roller-side gears 254, the rotation of the swinging motor 251 is simultaneously transmitted to the four swinging rollers 204. Accordingly, by rotating the swing motor 251 in the forward and reverse directions, the swing rollers 204 are simultaneously rotated in the forward and reverse directions, so that the PDP substrate 10 swings in the transport direction.
[0058]
While the PDP substrate 10 placed on each swing roller 204 as described above is swung left and right by each swing roller 204, the cooling gas is supplied from below the gap between the swing rollers 204. A cooling plate 206 provided with a plurality of air supply holes 241 sprayed on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 cools the PDP substrate 10 by air cooling while reciprocating in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. Here, the cooling plate 206 is an example of a cooling member. Further, after the cooling of the cooling plate 206 by air cooling is completed and the swinging of the PDP substrate 10 is stopped, the water cooling plate 291 supporting the cooling plate 206 is raised, and the cooling plate 206 is placed on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. Heat is taken away by heat transfer and directly cooled. In this way, a two-stage cooling method is performed. Here, the water cooling plate 291 is an example of a cooling medium circulation member.
[0059]
Hereinafter, an outline of the cooling plate front-rear reciprocating portion 290 will be described.
[0060]
The cooling plate front-rear reciprocating unit 290 is a device that reciprocates the cooling plate 206 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 and orthogonal to the transport direction, and includes a reciprocating motor 278, a crank mechanism unit 91, and a slider. Part 92. A reciprocating motor 278 is fixed to the unit mounting plate 281. The reciprocating motor 278 is an example of a motor. The cylinder mounting plate 282 provided in the slider portion 92 is disposed above the unit mounting plate 281, and the cylinder mounting plate 282 is reciprocated in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction with respect to the unit mounting plate 281 by the reciprocating motor 278. It comes to exercise.
[0061]
Hereinafter, the outline of the cooling plate elevating part 270 will be described.
[0062]
The cooling plate elevating unit 270 is a device for elevating and lowering the cooling plate 206 and the water cooling plate 291 disposed above the cooling plate front and rear reciprocating unit 290. 282 is fixedly provided. A water cooling plate 291 is fixedly provided on a cylinder output shaft 288 that moves in the vertical direction of the elevating cylinder 271, and the water cooling plate 291 has a surface on which the PDP substrate 10 is placed above the cylinder mounting plate 282. The cylinder mounting plate 282 is moved up and down while maintaining substantially parallel. Three cooling plates 206 for blowing cooling gas to the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 are fixedly provided on the upper surface of the water cooling plate 291 that moves up and down. The water cooling plate 291 is connected to a water cooling pump 292. By circulating water between a cooling water passage (not shown) formed in the water cooling plate 291 and the water cooling pump 292, the water cooling plate 291 and the cooling plate 206 provided on the upper surface thereof are always cooled. Here, the cooling water is an example of a cooling medium, and the cooling water passage is an example of a circulating cooling medium passage. During the cooling process, at least from the time when the PDP substrate 10 is carried into the PDP substrate cooling device 200 until the cooling is completed and the PDP substrate 10 is carried out of the PDP substrate cooling device 200, the water cooling plate 291 and the water cooling are performed. The water is circulated to and from the service pump 292.
[0063]
Next, the details of the swing roller unit 250 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the schematic description based on FIG. 2 described above, four swing rollers 204 are used.
[0064]
First, the swing roller unit 250 includes a swing roller 204, a swing motor 251, a motor side gear 252, a toothed belt 253, a roller side gear 254, a guide roller 255, a motor mounting bracket 257, Bearings 259a and 259b are provided. Within the housing 201, a plurality of swing rollers 204 are provided, for example, 5 in parallel to the lateral direction at equal intervals between the doors 202, 203 on both sides and perpendicular to the direction in which the PDP substrate 10 enters. The book is provided. Here, when the PDP substrate 10 is placed on each swing roller 204 and transported, the shaft of each swing roller 204 in FIG. 3 is prevented so that the PDP substrate 10 is not damaged and dust is not generated. A cylindrical substrate protection member 258 that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the swing roller 204 is provided on the entire periphery of the portion that can contact the PDP substrate 10 in the longitudinal direction. The material of the substrate protection member 258 is excellent in heat resistance and does not damage the PDP substrate 10, for example, heat resistance such as fluorine resin such as Teflon (registered trademark), butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, or silicon rubber. Resin is desirable. Also, the surface including the upper tangent line of each substrate protection member 258, that is, the surface on which the PDP substrate 10 is placed, and the installation surface of the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 at the bottom of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 The five swing rollers 204 are provided so that the unit mounting plate 281 provided substantially in parallel is substantially parallel.
[0065]
In order to support each rocking roller 204, a bearing 259a is provided in a hole formed on the right side surface of the housing 201 in FIG. 3, and a bearing is formed in a hole formed on the left side surface opposite to the bearing 259a. 259b is provided. Further, the left end portion of each swing roller 204 is supported by a bearing 259b, the vicinity of the right end portion of each swing roller 204 is supported by a bearing 259a, and a shaft end portion 192 which is the right end portion of each swing roller 204 is provided. Projecting from the housing 201 are provided. A roller side gear 254 is fixedly provided at each shaft end 192.
[0066]
On the other hand, the swinging motor 251 swings outside the right side surface of the casing 201 so that the motor output shaft 256 of the swinging motor 251 is parallel to the axial direction of the swinging roller 204 and perpendicular to the conveying direction. Below the roller 204, it is fixed to the right side surface of the housing 201 by a motor mounting bracket 257. A motor side gear 252 is fixedly provided on the motor output shaft 256.
[0067]
The motor side gear 252 and each roller side gear 254 are passed over so that the teeth of one toothed belt 253 are engaged with each other. The toothed belt 253 is rotatable between the motor side gears 254 and between the motor side gears 252 and the roller side gears 254 so that the teeth are engaged with the motor side gears 252 and the roller side gears 254 sufficiently. The six guide rollers 255 are disposed on the right side surface of the housing 201, for example.
[0068]
Therefore, when the swinging motor 251 rotates forward and backward, the motor output shaft 265 and the motor side gear 252 simultaneously rotate forward and backward. Forward / reverse rotation of the motor-side gear 252 is transmitted to all the roller-side gears 254 through the toothed belt 253 and guided by the guide rollers 255. The forward / reverse rotation of each roller gear 254 is transmitted to each swing roller 204 connected to each roller gear 254, and each swing roller 204 rotates in the forward / reverse synchronous manner.
[0069]
The swing motor 251 is connected to the control unit 600. Therefore, the control unit 600 is configured to move the PDP substrate 10 in and out of the vertical transfer unit 300 while swinging in the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 (for example, the left-right direction in FIG. 1) in the housing 201. Under the control, the five swing rollers 204 can be rotated in forward and reverse synchronization by the swing motor 251.
[0070]
Further, a substrate detection sensor (not shown) is provided on the back side in the housing 201 so as to detect the position of the rocking stop position 70 of the PDP substrate 10 and is connected to the control unit 600. Therefore, the PDP substrate 10 can be stopped at the swing stop position 70 by detecting the PDP substrate 10 with a substrate detection sensor (not shown) and stopping the swing motor 251 under the control of the control unit 600. It is like that.
[0071]
Further, the stroke of swinging the PDP substrate 10 to the left and right is such that the PDP substrate 10 when the swing roller 204 is stopped after the PDP substrate 10 has been carried into the PDP substrate cooling device 200 from the transfer unit 300. The range from the rocking stop position 70 can be, for example, a range between a left end position 80 of ½ pitch to the left and a right end position 90 of ½ pitch to the right. Here, the pitch represents the arrangement pitch of the oscillating rollers 204 arranged at equal intervals.
[0072]
Further, the rotation of the swing motor 251 is detected by a rotation angle detection sensor (not shown) provided in the swing motor 251, for example, an encoder, and the distance from the swing stop position 70 to the left end position 80 is detected by the controller 600. The rotation distance from the rocking stop position 70 to the right end position 90 can be controlled.
[0073]
The swing stroke S0 from the left end position 80 to the right end position 90 is related to the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204. In order to prevent the cooling gas supplied to the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 from being blocked by the swing roller 204, the swing stroke S0 is more preferably equal to or greater than the arrangement pitch of the swing roller 204. However, when cooling by heat transfer, which will be described later, is performed using the left end position 80 and the right end position 90, the swing stroke S0 is set to the same distance as the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204. The reason why the swing stroke S0 is made equal to the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204 will be described when the cooling by heat transfer is described.
[0074]
In addition, an inverter (not shown) stored in the control unit 600, the swing motor 251 and the control unit 600 are connected, and the control unit 600 changes the rotational speed of the swing motor 251 so that the PDP substrate 10 is changed. The speed of the rocking motion can be changed. The speed at which the PDP substrate 10 is swung is too low, and the PDP substrate 10 slips on each substrate protection member 258 on which the PDP substrate 10 is placed, or conversely, the PDP substrate 10 is cooled too slowly. The speed may be such that the working gas is not sprayed on the same portion of the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, and the rocking speed in this embodiment is set to approximately 20 mm / s, for example.
[0075]
Next, based on FIGS. 5-9, the detail of the cooling plate back-and-forth reciprocation part 290 and the cooling plate raising / lowering part 270 is demonstrated below.
[0076]
First, details of the cooling plate front-rear reciprocating portion 290 will be described.
[0077]
The unit mounting plate 281 is a rectangular plate, and is fixed so as to form the bottom of the casing 201 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. The unit mounting plate 281 is substantially parallel to the installation surface of the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500. ing. The LM guide rails 280a and 280b are fixed to the upper surface of the unit mounting plate 281 along the longitudinal direction in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 and in parallel with two apart. Two LM guide blocks 283a and 283b are slidably provided on one LM guide rail 280a, and two LM guide blocks 283c and 283d are slidably provided on the other LM guide rail 280b. It has been. The four LM guide blocks 283a, 283b, 283c, and 283d are fixed to the lower surface of the cylinder mounting plate 282 so that the upper surfaces of the four LM guide blocks 283a, 283b, 283c, and 283d are positioned at approximately four corners of the cylinder mounting plate 282 that is a rectangular plate. Therefore, the cylinder mounting plate 282 is substantially parallel to the surface including the tangent line on the upper side of each substrate protection member 258 along the axial direction of the LM guide rails 280a and 280b, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. It can be slid. The cylinder mounting plate 282, the LM guide blocks 283a to 283d, and the LM guide rails 280a and 280b constitute a slider portion 92.
[0078]
The reciprocating motor 278 that reciprocates the cylinder mounting plate 282 in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the unit mounting plate 281 so that the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 of the reciprocating motor 278 protrudes upward. It is fixedly provided at the end portion in the longitudinal direction. The center of a circular plate-like output shaft flange 293 is fixed to the upper end of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. Along with the rotation of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285, the surface of the output shaft flange 293 rotates around the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 in a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. Yes. A rectangular plate-like motor-side crank plate 276 has a longitudinal lower surface such that one end in the longitudinal direction passes through the center of the output shaft flange 293 and the other end is separated from the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. The other end of the motor-side crank plate 276 is reciprocated around the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 as the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 rotates. The motor output shaft 285 rotates on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction. The crank plate 276 is an example of a crank arm.
[0079]
The motor-side crank plate 276 has an elongated groove 295 extending straight from the other end side, that is, the side away from the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 toward the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. It is formed leaving both ends in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction. The groove part 295 is an example of a groove. Only the lower end side of the motor side pin 286 is provided so as to be slidable in the groove portion 295, and the lower end portion in the groove portion 295 is orthogonal to the axial direction of the motor side pin 286. In addition, a female thread portion 296 is formed so as to penetrate along the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 295. On the other hand, the upper end side of the motor side pin 286 protrudes above the upper surface of the motor side crank plate 276. The female screw portion 296 is an example of a female screw, and the motor side pin 286 is an example of a crank pin.
[0080]
A male screw portion 191 having the same screw diameter and pitch as the female screw portion 296 formed on the motor-side pin 286 is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft, and a pin fixing screw shaft 289 having a hexagon head 297 at one end thereof, The motor side crank plate 276 passes through the other end side hole 299a formed from the other end side to the other end side and penetrates into the groove portion 295. The pin fixing screw shaft 289 is an example of a position adjusting screw. The pin fixing screw shaft 289 is screwed into a female screw portion 296 formed in the lower portion of the motor side pin 286 provided in the groove portion 295, and further, one end formed on one end portion side of the motor side crank plate 276. The hexagonal head 297 is provided so as to be on the other end side of the motor side crank plate 276 through the part side hole 299b. The other end side hole 299a and the one end side hole 299b are so-called fool holes, and the pin fixing screw shaft 289 can be freely rotated in the flaw hole.
[0081]
Therefore, when the pin fixing screw shaft 289 is rotated forward and backward with respect to the motor side crank plate 276, the motor side pin 286 is restricted from rotating around the axis of the pin fixing screw shaft 289 by the groove portion 295. The pin 286 is advanced and retracted in the groove 295 with respect to the pin fixing screw shaft 289.
[0082]
In such a state, the pin fixing screw shaft 289 is in a rotatable state, and the motor side pin 286 and the pin fixing screw shaft 289 screwed into the pin fixing screw shaft 289 are in the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 295. It can be moved along
[0083]
In order to fix the motor side pin 286 in the groove portion 295, a screw formed on the male screw portion 191 of the male screw portion 191 of the pin fixing screw shaft 289 penetrating on one end side of the motor side crank plate 276 The fixing nut 294 on which the nut female thread portion 298 having the same screw diameter and pitch is formed is screwed. By fixing the fixing nut 294 onto the pin fixing screw shaft 289, the pin is fixed so that the motor side crank plate 276 is sandwiched between the hexagon heads 297 and the fixing nut 294 disposed at both ends of the motor side crank plate 276. The screw shaft 289 is fixed to the motor side crank plate 276. The fixing nut 294 is an example of a nut. In this way, the pin fixing screw shaft 289 is fixed to the motor side crank plate 276, that is, the rotation around the axis of the pin fixing screw shaft 289 and the movement along the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 295 are restricted. Thus, the motor-side pin 286 screwed therein is fixed at an arbitrary position in the groove 295.
[0084]
When the motor-side pin 286 fixed at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 295 as described above is to be further fixed at a different position along the longitudinal direction of the groove portion 295, the adjustment is performed as follows. The role played by the position of the motor-side pin 286 along the longitudinal direction of the groove 295 will be described later.
[0085]
First, the fixing nut 294 fastened at one end of the motor side crank plate 276 is loosened from the pin fixing screw shaft 289. Then, by rotating the pin fixing screw shaft 289 so as to be screwed into the motor side pin 286, the motor side pin 286 approaches the other end side, that is, away from the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. ing. On the contrary, by rotating the pin fixing screw shaft 289 so as to be loosened with respect to the motor side pin 286, the motor side pin 286 is separated from the other end side, that is, close to the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. It has become.
[0086]
In this way, by rotating the pin fixing screw shaft 289 forward and backward with respect to the motor side crank plate 276 with the fixing nut 294 loosened, the shaft center of the motor side pin 286 and the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 are rotated. The distance from the axis can be changed. The motor side pin 286 can be changed to an arbitrary position when the distance between the axis of the motor side pin 286 and the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 is between 10 mm and 30 mm, for example. Although the distance between the shaft center of the motor side pin 286 and the shaft center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 is 10 mm to 30 mm, the distance is not limited to this, and the size of the PDP substrate 10 and the PDP substrate 10 It is necessary to change according to the type of the film formed on the surface and the arrangement pitch of the air supply holes formed in the cooling plate 206 described later. That is, by changing the distance between the shaft center of the motor side pin 286 and the shaft center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285, the stroke in which the cooling plate 206 connected to the slider portion 92 of the crank slider mechanism described later reciprocates can be changed. The reciprocating stroke is related to the size of the PDP substrate 10 and the like. The relationship between the reciprocating stroke and the size of the PDP substrate 10 will be described later.
[0087]
Further, the front part of the rectangular plate-like reciprocating crank plate 274 is fixed to the rear part of the lower surface of the cylinder mounting plate 282 located on the side where the reciprocating motor 278 is provided, and the rear part of the reciprocating crank plate 274 is It is provided so as to exit from the cylinder mounting plate 282 to the reciprocating motor 278 side. A reciprocating pin 287 is fixed to the rear portion of the reciprocating crank plate 274 so as to be fixed in the vertical direction. The front part is the left side in FIG. 5 and the rear part is the right side.
[0088]
On the other hand, holes are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate-like intermediate crank plate 275 in the thickness direction of the plate, and ball bearings 279a are attached to the holes formed at one end. A ball bearing 279b is attached to the hole formed at the end. The intermediate crank plate 275 is an example of a connecting rod. Ball bearings 279 a and 279 b are fitted to the motor side pin 286 and the reciprocating side pin 287, and the intermediate crank plate 275 is connected to the ball bearings 279 a and 279 b with respect to the motor side pin 286 and the reciprocating side pin 287. Each is attached to be freely rotatable.
[0089]
Thus, the motor-side crank plate 276, the intermediate crank plate 275, the reciprocating-side crank plate 274, the motor-side pin 286, and the reciprocating-side pin 287 provided on the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 are used for the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. The crank mechanism portion 91 is configured in a plane orthogonal to the axial direction, that is, the moving surface of the slider portion 92 described above. Therefore, the crank slider mechanism is configured by connecting the cylinder mounting plate 282 and the crank mechanism 91 that constitute the slider 92 described above via the reciprocating crank plate 274.
[0090]
The crank slider mechanism can operate as follows. First, the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 is rotated by rotating the reciprocating motor 278, and the rotation of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 causes the motor-side crank plate 276 to rotate around the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. To do. The rotation of the motor side crank plate 276 causes the motor side pin 286 provided on the motor side crank plate 276 along the vertical direction to rotate around the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. Due to the rotation of the motor side pin 286, one end of the intermediate crank plate 275 rotates around the axis of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 via a ball bearing 279 a provided at one end of the intermediate crank plate 275. The rotation of one end of the intermediate crank plate 275 conveys the cylinder mounting plate 282 together with the reciprocating pin 287 provided on the reciprocating crank plate 274 via the ball bearing 279b provided on the other end of the intermediate crank plate 275. Reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the direction.
[0091]
7 to 9, the cooling plate 206 attached to the cylinder mounting plate 282 via the elevating cylinder 271 and the water cooling plate 291 is transported between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60. The intermediate position 55 is defined as an intermediate position between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60. Positioning can be stopped at these three positions. A plate-like reciprocating positioning dog 277 is attached to an output shaft flange 293 provided on the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 so as to protrude in the radial direction.
[0092]
The reciprocating frequency counting sensor 284a and the intermediate positioning sensor 284b are arranged on the unit mounting plate 281 around the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 at intervals of 90 degrees. When the cooling plate 206 is at the front end position 50, the reciprocating positioning dog 277 is attached so as to shield the reciprocating frequency counting sensor 284a. When the cooling plate 206 is at the intermediate position 55, the reciprocating positioning dog 277 is attached so as to shield the intermediate positioning sensor 284b.
[0093]
The controller 600 is connected to a reciprocating motor 278, a reciprocating frequency counting sensor 284a, and an intermediate positioning sensor 284b. When the sensors are shielded from light by the reciprocating positioning dog 277 at the two positions, ie, the front end position 50 and the intermediate position 55, a signal is sent from each sensor toward the control unit 600. Therefore, under the control of the control unit 600, the cooling plate 206 can be stopped at the intermediate position 55 by receiving the signal from the intermediate positioning sensor 284b and stopping the rotation of the reciprocating motor 278. The control unit 600 can recognize the number of reciprocations of the cooling plate 206 by receiving a signal from the reciprocation number counting sensor 284a. Further, by rotating the reciprocating motor 278 in one direction, the cooling plate 206 can be continuously reciprocated between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60. In addition, an inverter (not shown) stored in the control unit 600, a reciprocating motor 278, and the control unit 600 are connected, and the control unit 600 changes the rotational speed of the reciprocating motor 278 so that the cooling plate 206 The speed of reciprocation can be changed. In order to spray the cooling gas uniformly on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, the reciprocating speed of the cooling plate 206 is preferably set as shown in the following equation (1).
[0094]
[Expression 1]
Speed of reciprocating motion ≧ oscillating speed × 1.5 (1)
Here, the reciprocating speed is an average speed (mm / s) at which the cooling plate 206 reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the swing speed is an average speed at which the PDP substrate 10 is swung in the transport direction ( mm / s).
[0095]
The speed of the reciprocating motion is made higher than 1.5 times the rocking speed as in the above equation (1) when the rocking speed and the speed of the reciprocating motion are close to the same. This is because the cooling gas blown to the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 repeatedly becomes the same portion, and the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 may not be uniform. The speed of the reciprocating motion of the cooling plate 206 is made faster than the swing speed of the PDP substrate 10 when the swing speed of the PDP substrate 10 is increased, the PDP substrate 10 slides on the swing roller 204. Because.
[0096]
Therefore, in this embodiment, since the swing speed of the PDP substrate 10 is set to 20 mm / s, for example, the reciprocating speed of the cooling plate 206 is set to 35 mm / s.
[0097]
The distance between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60 is adjusted by adjusting the pin fixing screw shaft 289, that is, changing the distance L between the center of the motor side pin 286 and the center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285. Can be changed. Here, the distance between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60 is a reciprocating stroke. For example, when the distance L between the center of the motor side pin 286 and the center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 is set to 10 mm, the cooling plate 206 moves 10 mm from the intermediate position 55 to the front end position 50 with respect to the intermediate position 55. Therefore, the movement from the intermediate position 55 to the rear end position 60 is 10 mm, and the reciprocating stroke can be 20 mm. Next, when L is set to 30 mm, the cooling plate 206 moves 30 mm from the intermediate position 55 to the front end position 50 with respect to the intermediate position 55, and moves 30 mm from the intermediate position 55 to the rear end position 60. The stroke can be 60 mm. As described above, when the reciprocating stroke is changed, it is necessary to actually measure the distance between the front end position 50 and the rear end position 60 of the cooling plate 206 with, for example, a scale in order to confirm whether or not the desired stroke has been achieved. is there.
[0098]
Next, the cooling plate lifting / lowering part 270 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0099]
The cylinder output shaft 288 of the elevating cylinder 271 protrudes upward around the center of the lower surface of the cylinder mounting plate 282 that can reciprocate in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the upper end of the cylinder output shaft 288 is An elevating cylinder 271 is fixedly provided so as to penetrate the cylinder mounting plate 282 so as to be movable in the direction and to be positioned above. Above the cylinder mounting plate 282, the center of the lower surface of the rectangular water cooling plate 291 is fixed to the upper end of the cylinder output shaft 288.
[0100]
In addition, the vertical sliding bearings 273a and 273b are provided to be fixed to the cylinder mounting plate 282 at approximately equal intervals so as to sandwich the elevating cylinder 271 in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The vertical sliding shafts 272a and 272b are supported by the vertical sliding bearings 273a and 273b, respectively, so as to be vertically movable. The upper ends of the vertical sliding shafts 272a and 272b are respectively fixed to the lower surface of the water cooling plate 291 and the lower ends thereof are free ends. Therefore, the upper surface of the water cooling plate 291 can be moved up and down while being substantially parallel to the cylinder mounting plate 282, that is, substantially parallel to the surface including the tangent line on the upper side of each substrate protection member 258.
[0101]
Note that, for example, cooling water of approximately 23 ° C. is circulated in a cooling water passage (not shown) formed in the water cooling plate 291, and the water cooling plate 291 is made of, for example, aluminum having high heat conductivity. . Six cooling plates 206 made of a rectangular plate material are disposed on the upper surface of the water cooling plate 291 (in FIG. 2, for the sake of simplification, there are four swing rollers 204, and the swing plate 206 in FIG. In the detailed description of the moving roller unit 250, the number of the swinging rollers 204 is five. In FIG. It is provided in close contact. The material of each cooling plate 206 is a material having high heat conductivity, for example, aluminum. As shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of air supply holes 241 for supplying a cooling gas are formed on the upper surface thereof in the conveying direction.₁The air supply holes 241 formed side by side in the transport direction are formed as one row, and the one row is a in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.₂A plurality of rows are formed at intervals of. A plurality of air supply holes 241 formed in the cooling plate 206 communicate with an air supply passage (not shown), and a cooling gas air supply pipe 424 communicates with the air supply passage. Therefore, cooling gas is supplied to the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 placed on the rocking roller 204 from the cooling unit gas supply pipe 424 through a supply passage (not shown) and a plurality of supply holes 241 for cooling. It can be done.
[0102]
As described above, the cooling plate 206 provided on the upper surface of the water cooling plate 291 can be moved in the vertical direction with respect to the cylinder mounting plate 282 between the lowered position 30 and the raised position 40 by the elevating cylinder 271. . The lowering position 30 and the rising position 40 are positioned by, for example, a stopper (not shown) provided inside the elevating cylinder 271.
[0103]
The lowered position 30 is a position where the cooling gas is sprayed on the lower surface without being too far from the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 placed on the rocking roller 204, and the raised position 40 is on the rocking roller 204. The lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 placed on the substrate is positioned slightly higher, for example, by about 10 mm. The distance by which the PDP substrate 10 is lifted from the swing roller 204 is not limited to 10 mm, and almost all of the upper surface of each cooling plate 206 may be in contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. That is, the upper surface of each cooling plate 206 constitutes the same plane, and preferably a surface including the upper tangent line of each substrate protection member 258 of each swing roller 204 and a surface formed by the upper surface of each cooling plate 206. However, it is sufficient if it is almost parallel.
[0104]
Further, the elevating cylinder 271 is connected to an electromagnetic valve (not shown), and the electromagnetic valve (not shown) is connected to the control unit 600, so that the cooling plate 206 freely rises and falls under the control of the control unit 600. Be able to.
[0105]
Here, when the cooling plate 206 is raised to the ascending position 40 and brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, the cooling plate 206 does not exist in the peripheral portion where the swing roller 204 of the PDP substrate 10 is in contact. A portion where the plate 206 cannot contact the PDP substrate 10 is generated. Therefore, the cooling plate 206 is once lowered to the lowered position 30 so that the cooling plate 206 can also come into contact with the peripheral portion of the PDP substrate 10 with which the rocking roller 204 is in contact. 204. Then, the PDP substrate 10 is moved by a distance S1 in the transport direction so that the peripheral portion of the PDP substrate 10 in contact with the rocking roller 204 can come into contact with the cooling plate 206, and the cooling plate 206 is moved up again. It is raised to 40 so as to come into contact with the PDP substrate 10. The distance S <b> 1 that moves in the transport direction is related to the roller diameter of the swing roller 204 and the arrangement pitch of the swing roller 204. For example, when the arrangement pitch of the oscillating rollers 204 is more than twice the roller diameter of the oscillating roller 204, it is preferable to satisfy the following conditions.
[0106]
[Expression 2]
P−D ≧ S1 ≧ D (2)
Here, P represents the arrangement pitch (mm) of the swing roller 204, and D represents the roller diameter (mm) of the swing roller 204. After the PDP substrate 10 is moved in the swing direction by the distance S1 satisfying the equation (2), the cooling plate 206 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate, so that the cooling plate 206 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. The cooling plate 206 can be brought into contact with a portion that cannot be contacted. Here, the portion that cannot be contacted is a gap generated along the conveying direction of each cooling plate 206 disposed in the gap between each swing roller 204 because the PDP substrate 10 is placed on the swing roller 204. is there.
[0107]
Further, when the arrangement pitch of the oscillating rollers 204 is less than twice the roller diameter of the oscillating roller 204, it is preferable that the following condition is satisfied.
[0108]
[Equation 3]
S1 = P / 2 (3)
By satisfying this equation, the cooling plate 206 can be brought into contact with a portion of the PDP substrate 10 which cannot be contacted because it is placed on the swing roller 204.
[0109]
From the above formulas (2) and (3), formula (3) that can be applied without considering the swing roller diameter and the pitch of the swing rollers is used in this embodiment. That is, the distance S1 between the two positions in the swing direction of the PDP substrate 10 when the cooling plate 206 is raised is set to ½ of the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204. Here, when performing cooling by air cooling, since the distance S0 at which the PDP substrate 10 is swung by the swinging roller 204 in the swinging direction is the arrangement pitch P of the swinging roller 204, when the cooling plate 206 is raised. The distance between the two positions can be ½ of S0. That is, the cooling plate 206 can be moved up to two positions between the rocking stop position 70 and the left end position 80 or the right end position 90.
[0110]
In this way, the swing stroke S0 of the PDP substrate 10 performed during cooling by air cooling is set to the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204, and the distance S1 between the two positions at the time of cooling by heat transfer is 1 of the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers. By setting to / 2, the swing stroke S0 is between the left end position 80 and the right end position 90, and the two-position distance S1 is between the left end position 80 and the swing stop position 70, or swings with the right end position 90. It can be between the stop position 70. Therefore, only the three swing directions, that is, the right end position 90, the swing stop position 70, and the left end position 80 may be stored in a storage unit (not shown) of the control unit 600.
[0111]
Further, the position is not limited to the above three positions, and when there is room for storing three or more pieces of position information in the storage unit, the swing stroke S0 is set to be equal to or greater than the arrangement pitch of the swing rollers 204, for example, the swing roller 204 Set the right end position 90 and the left end position 80 twice as much as the arrangement pitch, set S1 to a distance satisfying the expression (3) or (4), and set two positions different from the left end position 80 and the right end position 90 You may do it.
[0112]
Hereinafter, the relationship between the reciprocating stroke and the arrangement pitch of the air supply holes 241, the size of the PDP substrate 10 in the direction orthogonal to the reciprocating stroke and the conveying direction, the reciprocating stroke and the type of film formed on the PDP substrate 10 The relevance to the above will be described in this order.
[0113]
First, the arrangement pitch a of the air supply holes 241 formed in the cooling plate 206 in a direction orthogonal to the swinging direction shown in FIG.₂And the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206, it is preferable to set the reciprocating stroke as shown in the following equation (2).
[0114]
[Expression 4]
Reciprocating stroke ≒ a₂    .... (4)
Here, the reciprocating stroke represents the distance (mm) from the front end position 50 to the rear end position 60 of the cooling plate 206.
[0115]
As shown in the above formula (2), the arrangement pitch a of the air supply holes 241 formed so that the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206 is in the direction of the reciprocating stroke.₂This is because the cooling gas can be uniformly sprayed in the reciprocating direction on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 by making the distance approximately equal to the above.
[0116]
Further, the front end position 50 of the cooling plate 206 described above is such that the cooling gas supplied from the cooling plate 206 on the rear end side facing the PDP substrate 10 placed on the swing roller 204 is PDP. The position may be such that it slightly deviates from the rear end side of the working substrate 10. On the other hand, the rear end position 60 of the cooling plate 206 is a front end cooling plate facing the PDP substrate 10 placed on the swing roller 204 when each cooling plate 206 is at the rear end position 60. The position may be such that the cooling gas supplied from 206 slightly deviates from the front end side of the PDP substrate 10.
[0117]
In addition, it is formed on the PDP substrate 10 after satisfying the relationship between the reciprocating stroke and the arrangement pitch of the air supply holes 241 and the relationship between the reciprocating stroke and the size of the PDP substrate 10 in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The reciprocating stroke can also be changed depending on the type and thickness of the film to be coated and the amount of the solvent contained in the dried film. That is, depending on the type of film, the thickness of the film, and the amount of solvent contained in the film, if it is desired to increase the cooling rate, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206 can be reduced by reducing the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206. Conversely, when it is desired to reduce the cooling rate, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206 can be increased by increasing the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206.
[0118]
Further, the distance between the cooling plate 206 and the PDP substrate 10 can be changed according to the type and thickness of the film formed on the PDP substrate 10 and the amount of the solvent contained in the dried film. Anyway. For example, the cooling plate 206 having a different thickness may be used, or the distance between the cooling plate 206 and the PDP substrate 10 may be changed by sandwiching a plate having good heat conductivity between the cooling plate 206 and the water cooling plate 291. In this embodiment, the reciprocating stroke is set to 30 mm.
[0119]
In addition, an exhaust pipe 213 is provided below the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 and connected to the exhaust pipe 404. A plurality of exhaust holes 242 are formed in the exhaust pipe 213, and the exhaust pipe 213 and the exhaust pipe 404 communicate with each other, whereby the cooling gas in the cooling unit is discharged from each exhaust hole 242 through the exhaust pipe 213 and the exhaust pipe 404. It is possible to exhaust. The shape of the exhaust hole 242 is not limited to a circular shape, and an elongated slit-shaped opening may be provided.
[0120]
As described above, in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, the swing roller is moved by the swing in the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 by the swing roller 204 and the cooling plate 206 reciprocating in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. The cooling gas can be uniformly supplied to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 placed on the substrate 204.
[0121]
On the other hand, the cooling unit gas supply pipe 424 communicating with each supply hole 241 of the lower cooling plate 206 in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is connected to the preheating heater 438 disposed in the drying unit gas supply pipe 423. The gas supply source 421 supplies a cooling gas that is not heated, for example, a normal temperature cooling gas, through each supply hole 241 of the lower cooling plate 206 in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. It is possible to mind.
[0122]
As an example of the gas supplied to the drying unit 100 and the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 and the cooling gas, air can be used.₂A lot of air and N₂An inert gas contained in a large amount is used.
[0123]
The above-mentioned to-be-dried material means a film such as an electrode, a transparent dielectric layer, a rib, or a phosphor layer formed on the PDP substrate 10 for the back substrate, and a PDP substrate for the front substrate. It refers to the electrode or transparent dielectric layer film formed on the top 10. For this reason, the exhaust unit 400 collects the gas and the cooling gas carried through the exhaust pipe 404 communicating with the drying units 100 and the exhaust pipes 113 and 213 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 in one place. It is an apparatus for separating the solvent contained in these gases and exhausting the gas not containing the solvent out of the furnace.
[0124]
The exhaust unit 400 includes a heat exchanger 401 for condensation of solvent gas, a condensation collection container 402, a thermal exhaust fan 403, and a connection exhaust pipe 405.
[0125]
One end of the heat exchanger 401 for condensation of solvent gas disposed on the back side of the exhaust unit 400 is connected to the exhaust pipe 404, and the other end is connected to one end of the thermal exhaust fan 403 via the connection exhaust pipe 405. The other end of the fan 403 is connected to the external exhaust pipe 406.
[0126]
The heat exhaust fan 403 connected to the solvent gas dew condensation heat exchanger 401 at one end includes exhaust pipes 113 and 213, a discharge pipe 404, and solvent gas dew condensation from the inside of each drying unit 100 and the substrate cooling apparatus 200 for PDP. Gas and cooling gas are sucked into the heat exhaust fan 403 through the heat exchanger 401. When the gas and the cooling gas pass through the solvent gas dew condensation heat exchanger 401, the solvent contained in the gas and the cooling gas is cooled and liquefied by the solvent gas dew heat exchanger 401. The dew collecting container 402 is disposed below the gas dew condensation heat exchanger 401. Therefore, the cooling gas not containing the solvent is exhausted from the external exhaust pipe 406 communicating with the other end of the thermal exhaust fan 403.
[0127]
The operations of the drying unit 100, the PDP substrate cooling device 200, the vertical transfer unit 300, the exhaust unit 400, and the air supply unit 420 of the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 configured as described above are performed by the control unit 600. The operation is controlled by a stored operation control program.
[0128]
The PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 configured as described above operates as follows.
[0129]
First, the operation before the PDP substrate 10 to be dried and cooled is carried into the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 will be described below.
[0130]
In each of the four drying sections 100, the gas in the drying section 100 is obtained by the upper heater 111 and the lower heater 121 provided in each drying section 100 so that the temperature in the drying section 100 becomes a predetermined temperature. Heat.
[0131]
In addition, clean air from the filter unit 504 provided above the upper / lower transfer unit 300 passes through the upper / lower transfer space 506 and is exhausted from the lower furnace exhaust port 503 to keep the inside of the drying chamber 502 clean. I'm leaning.
[0132]
On the other hand, the vertical transfer unit 300 stands by at the reference position 20. Here, the height of the flow surface on the upper surface of the roller of the substrate cooling apparatus for PDP 200 is the same as the height at which the loading / unloading port 505 is loaded and unloaded, that is, the height of the reference position 20. All the front doors 102 and the maintenance doors 103 of the four-stage drying unit 100 are closed, and the front door 202 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is also closed.
[0133]
Next, as an example of the drying unit 100 and the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 performed under the control of the control unit 600, drying and cooling of the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 will be sequentially described.
[0134]
Outside the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500, for example, the PDP substrate 10 having electrodes formed on the PDP substrate 10 as the back substrate is carried in from the carry-in / carry-out port 505. Then, all the rollers 311 of the substrate transfer unit 310 stopped at the reference position 20 rotate synchronously in the clockwise direction, so that the PDP substrate 10 is transferred onto the rollers 311 and the PDP substrate 10 is moved to the rollers. The roller 311 rotates until it is stably placed on the 311. Here, the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction are the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1.
[0135]
Thereafter, when the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 311, the roller 311 stops rotating. On the other hand, a certain drying unit 100 set at a desired temperature by the control unit 600, for example, the front door 102 in the uppermost drying unit 100 opens around the fulcrum of the lower edge of the front side opening.
[0136]
After the front door 102 is opened, the substrate transfer unit 310 on which the PDP substrate 10 is placed on the roller 311 moves up and down to the position facing the drying unit 100 where the front door 102 is open. , The PDP substrate 10 is lifted while being stably placed on the roller 311, positioned at a position facing the uppermost drying unit 100, and stopped.
[0137]
When the positioning is completed, all the rollers 104 of the drying unit 100 where the front door 102 is open continue to rotate in the clockwise direction, and all the rollers 311 of the substrate transfer unit 310 also rotate in the clockwise direction. As the roller 104 and the roller 311 rotate in synchronization with each other, the PDP substrate 10 is transferred onto the roller 104, and the roller 104 and the roller 311 are moved until the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 104. Rotate.
[0138]
Thereafter, when the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 104, the roller 104 and the roller 311 stop rotating, and the substrate transfer unit 310 rotates synchronously with the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b to the reference position 20. The PDP substrate 10 is then moved down and then loaded from the loading / unloading port 505.
[0139]
After the substrate transfer unit 310 is lowered to the reference position 20, the front door 102 of the drying unit 100 on which the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 104 is closed.
[0140]
After the front door 102 of the drying unit 100 is closed, the upper heater provided in each drying unit 100 so that the temperature in the drying unit 100 becomes a predetermined temperature (for example, a temperature of about 120 ° C.). 111 and the lower heater 121 are temperature controlled by the control unit 600.
[0141]
In addition, while the temperature in the drying unit 100 is maintained at about 120 ° C., the gas is supplied toward the upper heater 111 from each supply hole 141 formed in each supply pipe 112, Gas does not directly strike the electrode on the PDP substrate 10 and flows in the drying unit 100 while keeping the solvent concentration above the electrode substantially uniform, and the gas is accompanied by the solvent evaporated from the electrode of the PDP substrate 10. Then, the air is sucked into the exhaust pipes 113 through the exhaust holes 142 and exhausted from the drying unit 100 through the exhaust pipes 404. The gas is a gas heated in advance by a preheating heater 438 provided on the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 423 for the drying section. For example, the temperature of the gas is 80 ° C. to 100 ° C.
[0142]
Further, as described above, in the drying unit 100, the heater 105 attached to the inside of the front door 102, the back heater 106 attached to the inside of the back maintenance door 103, and the side heater 107 are heated to, for example, 80 degrees. Thus, condensation of the solvent evaporated from the electrode of the PDP substrate 10 is prevented.
[0143]
In this manner, in the drying unit 100 set to a temperature of about 120 ° C., all the rollers 104 periodically repeat forward and reverse synchronous rotation, thereby stably mounting the PDP substrate on the rollers 104. 10 swings in the transport direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1). Therefore, the gas supplied from the air supply holes 141 formed obliquely upward in the air supply pipe 112 flows in the drying unit 100 so that the outflowed gas does not hit the same part of the electrode on the PDP substrate 10. By swinging the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction, the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 can be uniformly dried, and drying unevenness can be reduced. This rocking is performed during the drying process.
[0144]
As described above, in the drying unit 100 controlled at a constant temperature, the electrode of the PDP substrate 10 that is swung to the left and right at a constant cycle finishes the drying process when a predetermined time elapses, and the front door 102 opens. .
[0145]
When drying of the electrodes of the PDP substrate 10 is completed and the front door 102 is opened, the front door 102 is opened from the reference position 20 in the substrate transfer unit 310 on which the PDP substrate 10 is not placed on the roller 311. Ascending by the synchronous rotation of the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b up to a position facing the drying unit 100 is positioned and stopped at a position facing the drying unit 100. When the positioning is completed, all the rollers 311 of the substrate transfer unit 310 continue to rotate counterclockwise, and all the rollers 104 of the drying unit 100 with the front door 102 open also rotate synchronously in the clockwise direction. As the roller 104 and the roller 311 rotate in synchronization with each other, the PDP substrate 10 is transferred onto the roller 311, and the roller 104 and the roller 311 are moved until the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 311. Rotate.
[0146]
When the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the roller 311, the roller 104 and the roller 311 stop rotating, and the substrate transfer unit 310 moves the vertical drive motors 322 a and 322 b from the drying unit 100 to the reference position 20. , And is positioned and stopped at the reference position 20, that is, a position facing the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200.
[0147]
All the swing rollers 204 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 with the front door 202 open are synchronously rotated in the clockwise direction, and all the rollers 311 of the substrate transfer unit 310 are also synchronously rotated in the clockwise direction.
[0148]
When the swing roller 204 and the roller 311 rotate in synchronization with each other, the PDP substrate 10 is transferred onto the swing roller 204 and until the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the swing roller 204. The swing roller 204 and the roller 311 rotate.
[0149]
When the PDP substrate 10 is stably placed on the swing roller 204, the swing roller 204 and the roller 311 stop rotating, and the substrate transfer unit 310 is positioned above the PDP substrate cooling device 200. As a result, the front door 202 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is closed after the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b are moved up to a position where there is no hindrance to the opening and closing of the front door 202. After the front door 202 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is closed, the substrate transfer unit 310 is lowered from the drying unit 100 to the reference position 20 by the synchronous rotation of the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b, and is loaded again at the reference position 20. -It is provided in the substrate 10 for PDP carried in from the carry-out port 505.
[0150]
Hereinafter, an example in which the cooling process is optimally performed by the controller 600 in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 by two-stage cooling, that is, a cooling stage by air cooling and a cooling stage by heat transfer will be described. Here, the cooling stage by air cooling is an example of the first cooling stage, and the cooling stage by heat transfer is an example of the next cooling stage.
[0151]
First, the operation in the cooling stage by air cooling performed by reciprocating the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, together with the oscillation in the conveyance direction of the PDP substrate 10 by the oscillation roller 204 will be described.
[0152]
When the PDP substrate 10 is loaded into the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, the rotation of the swing roller 204 that has been rotated for loading stops, and the PDP substrate 10 stops at the swing stop position 70. Here, the electrode formed on the PDP substrate 10 carried into the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is not completely dried in the drying unit 100, and the solvent still remains in the electrode. . After the rotation of the swing roller 204 is stopped, the swing motor 251 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions under the control of the control unit 600 based on the detection result of the rotation angle by an encoder (not shown) attached to the swing motor 251. By rotating the swing motor 251 in the forward and reverse directions, all the six swing rollers 204 are simultaneously rotated in the forward and reverse directions via the motor side gear 252, the roller side gear 254, and the toothed belt 253. Therefore, the PDP substrate 10 placed on the swing roller 204 is moved from the swing stop position 70 to the left by a distance half the pitch of the swing roller 204, for example, the left end position 80 of approximately 80 to 120 mm and the right. By repeatedly moving to a distance half the arrangement pitch of the swing roller 204, for example, the right end position 90 of 80 to 120 mm, the swing roller 204 swings in the transport direction.
[0153]
After the swinging motion in the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 by the swing roller 204 is started, the cooling gas is supplied from the plurality of air supply holes 241 of the cooling plate 206 toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. Further, after the cooling gas is supplied from the supply hole 241, the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 of the reciprocating motor 278 is continuously rotated in one direction. When the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 rotates, the reciprocating crank plate 274, the intermediate crank plate 275, the motor side crank plate 276, the cylinder mounting plate 282, the motor side pin 286, the reciprocating side pin 287, the LM rails 280a, 280b, and the LM guide. The cylinder mounting plate 282 is reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction by a crank slider mechanism constituted by the blocks 283a to 283d. As the cylinder mounting plate 282 reciprocates in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, the five cooling plates 206 are moved by the swing roller 204 via the elevating cylinder 271 and the water cooling plate 291 attached to the cylinder mounting plate 282. Reciprocally move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the PDP substrate 10. Therefore, the swinging of the PDP substrate 10 by the swing roller 204 in combination with the blowing of the cooling gas accompanied by the reciprocating motion of the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the transporting direction is combined. The cooling gas is uniformly sprayed on the entire lower surface.
[0154]
Since the five cooling plates 206 are arranged in the gaps of the swing rollers 204, the cooling gas is sprayed in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction along the gaps of the swing rollers 204. .
[0155]
In this case, the reciprocating speed of the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction is, for example, 35 mm / s, and the swing speed of the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction by the swing roller 204 is, for example, 20 mm / s. .
[0156]
Further, the distance of reciprocating movement in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the cooling plate 206, that is, the reciprocating stroke from the front end position 50 to the rear end position 60 of the cooling plate 206 is set to 30 mm, for example. In this case, the pin fixing screw shaft 289 is rotated to set the distance L between the shaft center of the motor side pin 286 and the shaft center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 to 15 mm. That is, the distance between the shaft center of the motor-side pin 286 and the shaft center of the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 is set to ½ for the required reciprocating stroke.
[0157]
As described above, the cooling gas is uniformly sprayed on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, so that the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 are cooled with a small temperature difference over the entire PDP substrate 10. The That is, the solvent contained in the electrode evaporates substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate 10 and can be cooled while reducing the occurrence of drying unevenness.
[0158]
Further, the cooling gas sprayed on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 is accompanied by a solvent evaporated from the electrode, and a plurality of cooling gases are formed in the exhaust pipe 213 provided in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. The air is exhausted out of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 through the exhaust hole 242. In this way, the concentration of the solvent evaporated from the electrodes is kept substantially constant in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 by circulating the cooling gas in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. By keeping the solvent concentration in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 substantially constant, evaporation of the solvent in the electrode can be promoted.
[0159]
As described above, the cooling step by air cooling performed by spraying the cooling gas uniformly on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 ends after the solvent contained in the electrode formed on the PDP substrate 10 has completely evaporated. To do. In the case of electrodes, this cooling stage is, for example, approximately 2 minutes. The time of about 2 minutes is the temperature of the electrode on the PDP substrate 10, for example, the time until the temperature drops to about 50 ° C. When the temperature of the electrode decreases to about 50 ° C., the solvent in the electrode Will completely evaporate.
[0160]
Therefore, when the cooling step by air cooling performed by blowing the cooling gas is finished after elapse of a predetermined time, for example, approximately 2 minutes, it takes time to cool the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 from 50 ° C. to room temperature by air cooling, for example. Therefore, in order to lower the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 to room temperature in a short time, a cooling step by heat transfer is entered.
[0161]
Hereinafter, the operation of the cooling stage by heat transfer performed by directly applying the cooling plate 206 to the PDP substrate 10 will be described.
[0162]
After the PDP substrate 10 is carried into the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 and the solvent in the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 is completely evaporated, that is, after the cooling step by air cooling is completed, the PDP substrate 10 is attached to the swinging motor 251. According to the detection result of the rotation angle by an encoder (not shown), the rotation of the swing motor 251 stops under the control of the control unit 600 so that the PDP substrate 10 stops at the swing stop position 70.
[0163]
On the other hand, the rotation of the reciprocating motor 278 stops at a position where the reciprocating positioning dog 277 provided on the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 shields the intermediate positioning sensor 284b. That is, the cooling plate 206 stops at the intermediate position 55. After the reciprocating motor 278 stops rotating, the cooling gas supplied from the cooling plate 206 is stopped by the air supply unit 420.
[0164]
Next, the cylinder output shaft 288 is moved upward by driving the elevating cylinder 271, and the water cooling plate 291 is lifted upward. As the water cooling plate 291 moves upward, the upper surfaces of the five cooling plates 206 provided on the water cooling plate 291 so as to be arranged in the gaps of the six swing rollers 204 are used for the PDP. The PDP substrate 10 is slightly lifted from the rocking roller 204 by about 10 mm, for example, by contacting the lower surface of the substrate 10 almost simultaneously.
[0165]
Further, the water temperature circulated through a cooling water passage (not shown) in the water cooling plate 291 is about 23 ° C. The water cooling plate 291 and the cooling plate 206 are made of a material having high heat conductivity, such as aluminum, and the water cooling plate 291 and the cooling plate 206 are provided in close contact with each other. It is the same.
[0166]
The heat of the PDP substrate 10 held in contact with the upper surfaces of the five cooling plates 206 moves from the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 to the upper surface of the cooling plate 206, and moves from the upper surface of the cooling plate 206 to the lower surface. Move. Furthermore, the heat of the lower surface of the cooling plate 206 moves to the cooling water in the water cooling plate 291 through the upper surface of the water cooling plate 291. The heat transferred to the cooling water in the cooling plate 206 circulates between the cooling plate 206 and the outside of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, so that the cooling water is circulated from the cooling plate 206 to the PDP. It moves out of the substrate cooling apparatus 200. The cooling water containing heat is cooled outside the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 through, for example, a passage formed in a heat radiating plate (not shown), then moved to the water cooling pump 292, and again the water cooling pump 292. Then, the cooling water cooled into the water cooling plate is sent out by the water cooling pump 292. In this manner, the heat of the PDP substrate 10 is transferred to the cooling water in the water-cooling plate 291 via the cooling plate 206, and the cooling water in the water-cooling plate 291 is circulated to sequentially take the heat in the cooling water. Thus, the PDP substrate 10 can be efficiently cooled.
[0167]
Next, when a predetermined time, for example, about 20 to 30 seconds elapses after the cooling plate 206 is raised, the cylinder output shaft 288 is lowered by driving the elevating cylinder 271, and the cooling plate 206 is also lowered again. The PDP substrate 10 is placed on the swing roller 204.
[0168]
When the cylinder output shaft 288 has finished descending, the swing motor 251 is moved from the swing stop position 70 of the PDP substrate 10 toward the left end position 80, for example, by a distance half the pitch of the swing rollers. Rotate. When the movement of the PDP substrate 10 to the left end position 80 is detected by an encoder (not shown) provided in the swinging motor 251, the control unit 600 stops the rotation of the swinging motor 251. In this case, the left end position 80 is used, but the right end position 90 may be used, and it may be stopped at either the left or right end position.
[0169]
When the rotation of the swinging motor 251 stops, the cylinder output shaft 288 is raised again by driving the elevating cylinder 271, and the upper surfaces of the six cooling plates 206 are brought into contact with the lower surfaces of the PDP substrate 10 and lifted. As described above, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the cylinder output shaft 288 is lowered by driving the elevating cylinder 271, and then the PDP substrate 10 is moved from the left end position 80 toward the swing stop position 70.
[0170]
In this manner, by repeatedly moving the PDP substrate 10 to the left and right and raising and lowering the cooling plate 206, the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 in contact with the swing roller 204 can be alternately cooled by the cooling plate 206. it can.
[0171]
As described above, the cooling step by heat transfer performed by repeatedly moving the cooling plate 206 up and down ends when the PDP substrate 10 is lowered to approximately room temperature. In the case of an electrode, for example, the predetermined time until the end is approximately 3 minutes. As described above, the end of the cooling time by air cooling and the end of the cooling time by heat transfer may be detected by, for example, a timer (not shown) included in the control unit 600, but a sensor for counting the number of reciprocations The end of the cooling time by air cooling may be detected by the number of reciprocations of the cooling plate 206 by 284a. Although the cooling time of the cooling stage by heat transfer is about 3 minutes in the above, the purpose of cooling by heat transfer is to make the PDP substrate 10 easy to handle in the next process by cooling it to near room temperature. The cooling time of the cooling stage by heat transfer is not limited to about 3 minutes, and if there is sufficient time for cooling in the production cycle time, it may be about 3 minutes or more to increase production efficiency. If the cooling time is not so long, it may be set to approximately 3 minutes or less. However, when the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 is lowered to near room temperature, the temperature difference between the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 and the cooling plate 206 that is maintained at approximately room temperature becomes small, so that the PDP substrate 10 is cooled. The speed becomes slow, and it takes a long time for the temperature of the PDP substrate 10 to reach room temperature. Therefore, if there is sufficient time for cooling during the production cycle time, it is preferable to take a longer cooling time by heat transfer. In the cooling by heat transfer after the cooling by air cooling is completed, the temperature of the electrode after air cooling has dropped to approximately 50 ° C. even if the PDP substrate 10 is not uniformly cooled at the same time, and there is no solvent in the electrode. Since it does not remain, drying unevenness does not occur. Further, as an example, the cooling time by air cooling in the case of the electrode has been described as approximately 2 minutes and the cooling time by heat transfer is approximately 3 minutes. However, the transparent dielectric layer and the phosphor layer may have the same cooling time.
[0172]
In the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200, the heater 205 attached to the inside of the front door 202, the back heater 236 attached to the inside of the back maintenance door 203, the side heater 207, and the upper heater 211 are, for example, 80 Condensation of the solvent that is heated and evaporated from the electrodes of the PDP substrate 10 is prevented.
[0173]
When the cooling step by air cooling and the cooling step by heat transfer are completed, that is, the cooling process is completed, the substrate transfer unit 310 is located above the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 and hinders the opening and closing of the front door 202. After ascending to a position where there is no substrate, the substrate front door 202 is opened.
[0174]
When the process of cooling the electrodes of the PDP substrate 10 is completed and the front door 202 is opened, the substrate transfer unit 310 on which the PDP substrate 10 is not placed on the roller 311 is the PDP in which the front door 202 is open. The position is lowered by the synchronous rotation of the vertical drive motors 322a and 322b to a position facing the substrate cooling apparatus 200, that is, the reference position 20, and is positioned and stopped at a position facing the reference position 20. When the positioning is completed, all the rollers 311 of the substrate transfer unit 310 are rotated in the counterclockwise direction, and all the swinging rollers 204 of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 in which the front door 202 is open are also synchronized in the clockwise direction. Rotate. When the roller 204 and the roller 311 rotate in synchronization with each other, the PDP substrate 10 is transferred onto the roller 311, and the PDP substrate 10 passes through the substrate transfer unit 310 and is carried out from the loading / unloading port 505. Until the rotation, the swing roller 204 and the roller 311 rotate. Here, the flow surface height of the upper surface of the roller of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200 is the same as the carry-in / carry-out height of the carry-in / carry-out port 505, that is, the height of the reference position 20.
[0175]
As described above, the PDP substrate drying apparatus 500 dries the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 in the uppermost drying unit 100 set at a certain temperature, and then cools by air cooling in the PDP substrate cooling apparatus 200. After performing the above, cooling by heat transfer is performed, and finally, the operation of unloading from the loading / unloading port 505 is executed by an operation program stored in the control unit 600 in advance.
[0176]
According to the first embodiment, each swing roller 204 that supports the PDP substrate 10 and can swing in the transport direction, the swing unit 250 that rotates each swing roller 204, and the adjacent swing roller. The cooling plate 206 is disposed below the gap 204 and has an air supply hole 241 for supplying the cooling gas toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, and the cooling plate 206 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A reciprocating unit 290 that reciprocates the cooling plate, and a reciprocating unit that reciprocally rotates the rocking rollers 203 by the rocking unit 250 to move the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction. The swinging roller is controlled by the control unit 600 so that the reciprocating motion for moving the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction is performed simultaneously. Uniformly cooling gas across the underside of 04 in the placed substrate for PDP 10 can blowing. Therefore, cooling is performed in a state where the temperature distribution is uniform over the entire PDP substrate 10, and the solvent contained in the electrodes on the PDP substrate 10 is also evaporated substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate 10. Thus, cooling can be performed while reducing drying unevenness. As described above, FIG. 11 shows an example in which drying unevenness is reduced by reciprocating and cooling the cooling plate 206 in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction while swinging the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction. Show. The hatched portion below the two curves shown in the figure is a region where unevenness in drying occurs. As shown in the figure, when compared with the same flow rate, the distance between the PDP substrate 10 and the cooling plate 206 is shorter when the cooling plate 206 is reciprocated than when the cooling plate 206 is not reciprocated. However, uneven drying is less likely to occur. That is, even in the distance between the PDP substrate 10 and the cooling plate 206 in which drying unevenness occurs when the reciprocating motion is not performed, there is a region where the drying unevenness is eliminated by reciprocating the cooling plate 206.
[0177]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, when the cooling rate is compared at the same flow rate, the average cooling rate can be increased by reducing the distance between the PDP substrate 10 and the cooling plate 206. As described above, when the cooling plate 206 is brought close to the PDP substrate 10 in order to increase the average cooling rate of the PDP substrate 10, the cooling plate 206 is reciprocated in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction in order to suppress the occurrence of drying unevenness. It is more effective to move and cool. That is, while the PDP substrate 10 is swung in the transport direction, the cooling plate 206 is reciprocated in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction to cool the PDP substrate 10, thereby maintaining the quality of the PDP substrate 10. The cooling time can be shortened.
[0178]
In addition to the effects described above, there are the following effects.
[0179]
There is a passage (not shown) for circulating cooling water, and the upper surface of the cooling plate 206 is placed on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 by a gap between the water cooling plate 291 provided in close contact with the lower surface of the cooling plate 206 and the adjacent swing roller 204. Are in contact with each other, the rising position 40 where the heat of the PDP substrate 10 can be transferred to the cooling water of the water cooling plate 291 via the cooling water, and the cooling plate 206 is separated downward from the PDP substrate 10 and the cooling plate 206 A cooling plate lifting / lowering portion 270 that moves up and down between the lowering position 30 where the cooling gas from the air supply hole 241 reaches the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 is provided, and the oscillation of the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction is stopped. Thereafter, the upper surface of the cooling plate 206 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 through the gap between the adjacent swing rollers 204, so that the heat of the PDP substrate 10 is cooled by the cooling plate 2. Through the water-cooled plate 291 which is provided in close contact with the lower surface of the 6, it can be moved to the coolant circulating provided in the water-cooled plate 291. Therefore, the cooling by directly and efficiently taking the heat of the PDP substrate 10 enables cooling in a shorter time than the cooling performed by blowing the cooling gas to the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. It becomes possible to contribute to the improvement of productivity.
[0180]
Further, the control unit 600 swings the swinging roller so that the reciprocating speed of reciprocating the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 is faster than the speed of swinging the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction. By controlling the operation of the unit 250 and the reciprocating part 290 before and after the cooling plate, the cooling gas sprayed from the cooling plate 206 toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 repeatedly hits the same place on the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. It becomes possible to spray more uniformly on the entire lower surface of the substrate 10 for PDP without any problem. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0181]
Further, the stroke of the reciprocating motion for reciprocating the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 is substantially equal to the pitch of the plurality of air supply holes 241 formed in the cooling plate 206 in the reciprocating motion pitch. By adjusting the front and rear reciprocating portions 290 of the cooling plate, the cooling gas supplied from the air supply holes 241 can be continuously blown to the PDP substrate 10 without interruption in the reciprocating motion direction. It becomes possible to spray more uniformly on the entire lower surface of the substrate 10. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0182]
The cooling plate front / rear reciprocating unit 290 includes a reciprocating motor 278 which is a driving source for reciprocating motion, a crank mechanism 91, and a slider 92. The reciprocating motor 278 connected to the crank mechanism 91 rotates. The movement is converted into a reciprocating movement in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction guided by the slider part 92 by connecting the crank mechanism part 91 and the slider part 92. That is, the crank mechanism 91 includes a motor-side crank plate 276 having one end provided on the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 of the reciprocating motor 278, and the reciprocating motor output shaft 285 from the other end of the motor-side crank plate 276. Only one end portion is provided to be movable in the groove portion 295 along the vertical direction in a groove portion 295 formed in the motor-side crank plate 276 in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the motor output shaft 285 for reciprocation toward the axis. A motor-side pin 286 in which a hole is formed in the lower end along the longitudinal direction of the groove 295 and a female screw part 296 is formed in the inner surface of the hole, and the motor-side pin 286 passes through both ends of the motor-side crank plate 276. Pin fixing screw shaft 289 screwed into the female screw portion 296, and a motor side pin by screwing into one end of the pin fixing screw shaft 289 86 has a fixing nut 294 for fixing the position thereof in the groove 295 so that the position thereof can be adjusted, and bearings 279a and 279b at both ends. The bearing 279a is provided at one end of the nut 294 so as to be rotatable with respect to the motor side pin 286. An intermediate crank plate 275. In the crank mechanism portion 91, the fixing nut 294 is loosened and the pin fixing screw shaft 289 is rotated forward and backward with respect to the motor side pin 286, whereby the motor side pin 286 is reciprocated in the groove portion 295. Thus, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling plate 206 that reciprocates perpendicularly to the conveying direction can be changed by adjusting the position of the motor side pin 286. As a result, by changing the reciprocating stroke according to the arrangement pitch of the air supply holes 241 formed in the cooling plate 206 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction and the size of the PDP substrate 10 in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, A film formed on the PDP substrate 10 can be sprayed with cooling gas uniformly in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 and on the entire PDP substrate 10 along the direction. The cooling rate can be changed by changing the reciprocating stroke according to the type of the film, the thickness thereof, and the amount of the solvent contained in the film. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0183]
Further, according to the PDP substrate cooling method of the present invention, the PDP substrate 10 is placed on at least two swing rollers 204 and swings in the transport direction, while the gap between the adjacent swing rollers 204 is changed. When cooling an object to be dried on the PDP substrate 10 by supplying a cooling gas from below, the PDP substrate 10 placed on each swing roller 204 is swung in the transport direction. At the same time, the cooling plate 206 for supplying the cooling gas is reciprocated in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the cooling gas is sprayed on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. As a result, the PDP substrate 10 is cooled by air cooling in a state where the temperature distribution is uniform, and the solvent contained in the electrode is also evaporated substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate 10, Cooling can be performed while reducing drying unevenness.
[0184]
Further, as the first cooling stage, after cooling by air cooling by blowing a cooling gas to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10, that is, after the solvent of the electrode on the PDP substrate 10 has completely evaporated, As the cooling stage, the swing of the PDP substrate 10 in the transport direction is stopped, and the cooling plate 206 is brought into direct contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 in the gap between the adjacent swing rollers 204 to perform cooling by heat transfer. Two-stage cooling is performed. As a result, cooling by removing the heat of the PDP substrate 10 directly and efficiently enables cooling in a shorter time than cooling by air cooling alone, contributing to improvement of productivity. Is possible.
[0185]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can implement with another various aspect.
[0186]
For example, FIG. 13 shows an air supply hole 241 formed in the cooling plate 206 as the first modification. A plurality of air supply holes 241 for supplying the cooling gas are provided on the upper surface of the cooling plate 206 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction₂The air supply holes 241 formed side by side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction are arranged in one row, and a in the substrate transport direction is a.₁The air supply holes 241 formed in a plurality of rows at intervals and arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction in the row and the air supply holes 241 aligned in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction in the adjacent row in the transport direction The phase is shifted by 1/2 pitch in the orthogonal direction. Here, the pitch is a in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.₂This is the pitch of the air supply holes 241 formed side by side. Thus, by forming the air supply holes 241 in a staggered manner on the cooling plate 206, there is an effect similar to that where the air supply holes are densely formed in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and along the transport direction. It is also possible to reduce the stroke of the reciprocating motion in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction in order to prevent the strip-shaped drying unevenness that occurs in the sheet. For example, in FIGS. 14 and 15, when the air supply holes 241 are formed in a staggered pattern on the cooling plate 206, which is the first modified example, the cooling plate 206 does not reciprocate in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. That is, the range of the cooling gas sprayed onto the lower surface of the PDP substrate 10 when only the swing in the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10 is performed. As shown in FIG. 15, when the PDP substrate 10 is swung in the transport direction, the portion where the cooling gas is sprayed along the transport direction and the portion where the gas is not sprayed are ½ × a.₂Occurs at intervals. Here, the hatching portion indicates a portion to which the cooling gas is sprayed.
[0187]
As a second modification, the circular air supply holes 241 arranged on the staggered pattern shown in FIG. 14 are equal to the area of one circular air supply hole 241 as shown in FIG. One air supply hole 243 having a circular shape deformed in a direction orthogonal to the shape is formed in a staggered pattern. Further, the elliptical air supply holes 243 are air supply holes 243 arranged along the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and air supply holes 243 arranged along the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction in the adjacent row. Are formed long in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction so as to overlap each other in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. The cooling plate 206 in which the elliptical air supply holes 243 formed so as to overlap in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction in adjacent rows is reciprocated in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate 10. The range in which the cooling gas is sprayed when the PDP substrate 10 is only swung in the transport direction without moving is the hatched portion in FIG. Therefore, the elliptical air supply holes 243 formed so as to overlap in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction in adjacent rows can swing the cooling plate 206 in the conveyance direction without reciprocating in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. As a result, the cooling gas can be sprayed uniformly over the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate 10. Therefore, without requiring the cooling plate front-rear reciprocating portion 290, it is possible to reduce strip-like drying unevenness that occurs along the conveying direction, reduce the number of parts, and reduce costs.
[0188]
It is to be noted that, by appropriately combining arbitrary embodiments of the various embodiments described above, the effects possessed by them can be produced.
[0189]
  Of the present inventionAccording to the above embodimentAccording to the PDP substrate cooling apparatus, at least two rollers that support the PDP substrate and can swing in the transport direction, a rotation drive unit that rotates the rollers, and a gap between adjacent rollers And a reciprocating drive unit that reciprocates the cooling member in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and a cooling member having an air supply hole that supplies the cooling gas toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate Oscillating movement for rotating the rollers in the forward and reverse directions by the rotational drive unit to move the PDP substrate in the transport direction, and moving the cooling member in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction by the reciprocation drive unit. By controlling the operation by the control unit so as to perform the reciprocating motion simultaneously, the cooling gas can be uniformly sprayed on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate placed on the roller. Can. Therefore, the temperature distribution is cooled in a uniform state over the entire PDP substrate, and the solvent contained in the material to be dried on the PDP substrate is also evaporated substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate. Thus, cooling can be performed while reducing drying unevenness.
[0190]
A cooling medium passage having a circulating cooling medium passage is provided in close contact with the lower surface of the cooling member, and the upper surface of the cooling member is disposed on the lower surface of the PDP substrate through a gap between the adjacent rollers. An elevated position where the heat of the PDP substrate can be moved to the cooling medium of the cooling medium circulation member via the cooling medium circulation member, and the cooling member is separated downward from the PDP substrate; When the cooling gas from the air supply hole of the cooling member is provided with an elevating part that moves up and down between the lowering position where the cooling gas reaches the lower surface of the PDP substrate, the PDP substrate is swung in the transport direction. After the movement is stopped, the upper surface of the cooling member directly contacts the lower surface of the PDP substrate through the gap between the adjacent rollers, so that the heat of the PDP substrate is provided in close contact with the lower surface of the cooling member. Cooling medium circulation Through the wood, it can be moved directly to the cooling medium circulating provided in the coolant member. Therefore, by cooling the PDP substrate by directly and efficiently removing heat, it is possible to cool in a short time and contribute to improvement of productivity.
[0191]
Further, the control unit is configured to make the speed of the reciprocating motion of reciprocating the cooling member in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate faster than a speed of swinging the PDP substrate in the transport direction. When the rotation driving unit and the reciprocation driving unit are configured to control the operation, the cooling gas sprayed from the cooling member toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate is the same as the lower surface of the PDP substrate. It becomes possible to spray more uniformly on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate without repeatedly hitting the place. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0192]
Further, the stroke of the reciprocating motion for reciprocating the cooling member in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the PDP substrate is approximately the pitch in the reciprocating motion direction of the plurality of air supply holes formed in the cooling member. When the operation of the cooling member is controlled so as to be equal, the cooling gas supplied from the air supply hole is continuously blown to the PDP substrate without interruption in the reciprocating direction. As a result, it becomes possible to spray more uniformly on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0193]
The reciprocating drive unit includes a motor that is a driving source for the reciprocating motion, a crank mechanism connected to the motor, and a crank mechanism that is connected to the crank mechanism so that the rotational motion of the motor is linearly moved through the crank mechanism. In the case of providing the slider portion to be converted, the rotational motion of the motor connected to the crank mechanism is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction guided by the slider portion by the connection of the crank mechanism portion and the slider portion. It has been converted to movement. That is, the crank mechanism includes a crank arm having one end provided on the output shaft of the motor, and a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the output shaft from the other end of the crank arm toward the axis of the output shaft. In the groove formed in the crank arm, only one end portion is provided so as to be movable in the groove along the vertical direction, and a hole is formed in the one end portion along the longitudinal direction of the groove portion. A crank pin having a female screw formed therein, a position adjusting screw that penetrates through both ends of the crank arm and is screwed into the female screw of the crank pin, and is screwed into at least one end of the position adjusting screw. A nut for fixing the crank pin in the groove so that the position of the crank pin can be adjusted; and a connecting rod having bearings at both ends and rotatably provided to the crank pin via the bearing at one end thereof. There. In the crank mechanism, the nut is loosened and the position adjusting screw is rotated forward and backward with respect to the crank pin, so that the crank pin is moved forward and backward in the groove with respect to the output shaft. By adjusting the position, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling member that reciprocates perpendicularly to the transport direction can be changed. As a result, depending on the type of object to be dried, its thickness, and the amount of solvent contained in the object to be dried, if it is desired to increase the cooling rate, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling member can be reduced by reducing the reciprocating stroke of the cooling member. If the cooling rate can be lowered and the cooling rate is lowered, the reciprocating stroke of the cooling member can be increased to increase the reciprocating speed of the cooling member.
[0194]
In addition, two air supply holes formed in the cooling member are formed on the upper surface of the cooling member side by side in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and air supply is formed side by side in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. One row of holes, and two rows of the air supply holes forming the row in the transport direction of the PDP substrate are formed in the cooling member, and one of the two rows is perpendicular to the transport direction. And the air supply holes arranged in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction in the adjacent row are configured so that the phases are different in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Can be the same as that the air supply holes are densely formed in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[0195]
In addition, two air supply holes are formed on the upper surface of the cooling member in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the air supply holes formed in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction are arranged in one row. Further, the air supply holes that form the row in the transport direction of the PDP substrate are formed in the cooling member in two rows, and are arranged in one of the two rows in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. The air supply holes and the air supply holes arranged in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction in the adjacent row have different phases in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction and are orthogonal to the transport direction. In the case of being formed long in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction so as to overlap each other, it is the same as reciprocating the cooling member in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Therefore, the reciprocating drive unit is not required, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.
[0196]
Further, in the cooling of the PDP substrate, when a heater for preventing condensation is provided on each wall surface inside the PDP substrate cooling apparatus, it is possible to prevent the solvent evaporated from the material to be dried from condensing on each wall surface. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the condensation from falling on the PDP substrate and deteriorating the quality.
[0197]
In addition, according to the PDP substrate cooling method of the present invention, the PDP substrate is placed on at least two rollers and is swung in the transport direction, while cooling gas from below the gap between the adjacent rollers. When the object to be dried on the PDP substrate is cooled by supplying the PDP substrate, the cooling is performed simultaneously with the swinging of the PDP substrate placed on each roller in the transport direction. The cooling gas is sprayed onto the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate while reciprocating a cooling member that supplies the working gas in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. As a result, it is cooled by air cooling in a state where the temperature distribution is uniform over the entire PDP substrate, and the solvent contained in the material to be dried evaporates substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate, Cooling can be performed while reducing drying unevenness.
[0198]
  Also, as the first cooling stage, after cooling by air cooling by blowing the cooling gas to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate, the solvent in the material to be dried on the PDP substrate has completely evaporated. Thereafter, as the next cooling stage, the swing of the PDP substrate in the transport direction is stopped, and the cooling member is directly brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate in the gap between the adjacent rollers to cool by heat transfer. In the case of two-stage cooling that performs cooling, cooling by taking away the heat of the PDP substrate directly and efficiently enables cooling in a shorter time than cooling by air cooling alone. Thus, it becomes possible to contribute to the improvement of productivity.
【The invention's effect】
  According to the PDP substrate cooling method of the present invention, the PDP substrate is placed on a plurality of rollers and reciprocated in the first direction, and the cooling member having the air supply hole is moved in the first direction and the above-described direction. The cooling gas is supplied to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate by supplying a cooling gas from between the adjacent rollers through the air supply hole while reciprocating in a second direction orthogonal to each other in a horizontal plane of the PDP substrate. Cool by blowing gas. As a result, the PDP substrate is cooled by air cooling with a uniform temperature distribution, and the solvent contained in the PDP substrate to be dried is also substantially uniform throughout the PDP substrate. It can evaporate and cool while reducing drying unevenness.
  In addition, after cooling the cooling gas by spraying the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate, the reciprocating motion in the first direction is stopped, and the cooling member is brought into direct contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate for cooling. When performing such two-stage cooling, cooling by taking away the heat of the PDP substrate directly and efficiently enables cooling in a shorter time than cooling by air cooling alone. It becomes possible to contribute to the improvement of productivity.
  Further, when the speed at which the cooling member is reciprocated in the second direction is faster than the speed at which the PDP substrate is reciprocated in the first direction, The cooling gas sprayed toward the lower surface can be sprayed more uniformly over the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate without repeatedly hitting the same place on the lower surface of the PDP substrate. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
  The stroke of the reciprocating motion for reciprocating the cooling member in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the PDP substrate is the plurality of air supply holes formed in the cooling member. When configured to be approximately equal to the pitch in the second direction, the cooling gas supplied from the air supply holes is continuously blown onto the PDP substrate without interruption in the second direction. Thus, it becomes possible to spray more uniformly on the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate. Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
  Further, according to the PDP substrate cooling apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of rollers that support the PDP substrate, a rotation driving unit that rotates the rollers to reciprocate the PDP substrate in a first direction, A cooling member disposed between the adjacent rollers and having a supply hole for supplying a cooling gas toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate; and a second member orthogonal to the first direction. A reciprocating motion drive unit that reciprocates in the direction of the direction, and a control unit that controls the rotation of each roller by the rotational drive unit and the reciprocating operation of the cooling member by the reciprocating motion drive unit. The cooling gas can be sprayed uniformly over the entire lower surface of the supported PDP substrate. Therefore, the temperature distribution is cooled in a uniform state over the entire PDP substrate, and the solvent contained in the material to be dried on the PDP substrate is also evaporated substantially uniformly over the entire PDP substrate. Thus, cooling can be performed while reducing drying unevenness.
  A rising position for bringing the upper surface of the cooling member into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate; and the cooling gas from the air supply hole of the cooling member when the cooling member is separated downward from the PDP substrate. Is provided with an elevating part that moves up and down between the lowering position reaching the lower surface of the PDP substrate and after the reciprocation of the PDP substrate in the first direction is stopped, the lower surface of the PDP substrate is By bringing the upper surface of the cooling member into contact, the heat of the PDP substrate can be directly moved to the lower surface of the cooling member. Therefore, the heat of the PDP substrate is directly and efficiently Cooling by depriving it makes it possible to cool in a short time and contribute to the improvement of productivity.
  The air supply holes are formed in a plurality of rows formed side by side in the first direction on the upper surface of the cooling member, and each air supply in each of the adjacent rows is formed. When configured so that a line parallel to the first direction passing through the center of the hole is shifted in the second direction, the air supply holes are densely formed in a direction orthogonal to the first direction. It can be the same as Therefore, cooling can be performed while further reducing drying unevenness.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional right side view showing a configuration of a PDP substrate drying apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are a front view and a partial cross-sectional view showing a drive unit of a swing unit of a PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of a swing roller and a swing motor in a swing roller unit of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a right side view showing a cooling plate back-and-forth reciprocating part and a cooling plate lifting part of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
6 is an AA arrow view in FIG. 5 showing a cooling plate back-and-forth reciprocating part and a cooling plate lifting part of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
7 is a view taken along the line BB in FIG. 6 showing a cooling plate back-and-forth reciprocating part and a cooling plate elevating part of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 7 showing a reciprocating part before and after the cooling plate of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
9 is an enlarged view of a part D in FIG. 6 showing a reciprocating part before and after the cooling plate of the PDP substrate cooling apparatus in the PDP substrate drying apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relationship among a conventional average cooling rate, a cooling gas supply amount, and between a PDP substrate and a cooling plate.
11 shows two types of cooling gas supply amounts for the case of reciprocating the cooling plate according to the first embodiment in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and the case of not reciprocating the conventional cooling plate, and for PDP. It is a graph showing the relationship between a board | substrate-cooling plate and a drying nonuniformity.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of air supply holes formed in the cooling plate according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of air supply holes formed in a cooling plate according to a first modification of the first embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of air supply holes formed in a conventional cooling plate.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating drying unevenness on the PDP substrate caused by the conventional cooling method in the arrangement of the air supply holes of FIG.
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating air supply holes formed in a cooling plate according to a second modification.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a range in which cooling gas is blown by a conventional cooling method in an air supply hole formed in a cooling plate according to a second modification.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... PDP board | substrate, 30 ... Down position, 40 ... Ascending position, 50 ... Front end position, 55 ... Middle position, 60 ... Rear end position, 70 ... Swing stop position, 80 ... Left end position, 90 ... Right end position, 91 ... crank mechanism part, 92 ... slider part, 100 ... drying part, 111 ... upper heater, 112 ... air supply pipe, 113 ... exhaust pipe, 120 ... lower heater unit, 141 ... air supply hole, 142 ... exhaust hole, 191 ... male screw 192 ... Shaft end, 200 ... PDP substrate cooling device, 204 ... Swing roller, 241 ... Air supply hole, 242 ... Exhaust hole, 243 ... Elliptical air supply hole, 250 ... Swing roller unit, 251 ... Swing Motor 252 ... motor side gear, 253 ... toothed belt, 254 ... roller side gear, 255 ... guide roller, 256 ... motor side output shaft, 257 ... motor mounting bracket, 258 ... substrate protection part 259a ... Bearings, 259b ... Bearings, 270 ... Cooling plate lifting / lowering part, 271 ... Lifting cylinder, 272a ... Vertical sliding shaft, 272b ... Vertical sliding shaft, 273a ... Vertical sliding bearing, 273b ... Vertical sliding bearing, 274 reciprocating side crank plate ... 275 ... Intermediate crank plate, 276 ... Motor side crank put, 277 ... Reciprocating positioning dog, 278 ... Reciprocating motor, 279a ... Ball bearing, 279b ... Ball bearing, 280a ... LM rail, 280b ... LM rail, 281 ... Unit mounting plate, 282 ... Cylinder mounting plate, 283a to 283d ... LM guide block, 284a ... Reciprocating frequency counting sensor, 284b ... Intermediate positioning sensor, 285 ... Reciprocating motor output shaft, 286 ... Motor side pin, 287 ... Reciprocating Side pin, 288 ... Output shaft, 289 ... screw shaft for pin fixing, 290 ... reciprocating part of cooling plate, 291 ... water cooling plate, 292 ... water cooling pump, 293 ... output shaft flange, 294 ... fixing nut, 295 ... groove, 296 ... female screw Part, 297 ... hexagon head, 298 ... nut female thread part, 299a ... other end side hole, 299b ... one end side hole.

Claims (7)

A PDP substrate is placed on a plurality of rollers and reciprocated in a first direction, and a cooling member having an air supply hole is disposed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the horizontal plane of the PDP substrate. A substrate cooling method for PDP in which cooling gas is blown to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate by supplying cooling gas from between the adjacent rollers through the air supply hole while reciprocating in the direction. . After cooling by blowing the cooling gas to the entire lower surface of the PDP substrate, the reciprocating motion in the first direction is stopped, and the cooling member is directly brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate for cooling . Item 2. A method for cooling a substrate for a PDP according to Item 1. 3. The PDP substrate cooling method according to claim 1 , wherein a speed at which the cooling member is reciprocated in the second direction is faster than a speed at which the PDP substrate is reciprocated in the first direction . The stroke of reciprocating the cooling member in the second direction is approximately equal to the pitch in the second direction of the plurality of air supply holes formed in the cooling member. The substrate cooling method for PDP described in 2. A plurality of rollers for supporting a PDP substrate;
A rotation drive unit that rotates each of the rollers to reciprocate the PDP substrate in a first direction;
A cooling member disposed between the adjacent rollers and having a supply hole for supplying a cooling gas toward the lower surface of the PDP substrate;
A reciprocating motion drive unit for reciprocating the cooling member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
A substrate cooling apparatus for a PDP, comprising: a control unit that controls the rotation of each roller by the rotation driving unit and the reciprocating operation of the cooling member by the reciprocation driving unit . A rising position where the upper surface of the cooling member is brought into contact with the lower surface of the PDP substrate, the cooling member is separated downward from the PDP substrate, and the cooling gas from the air supply hole of the cooling member is The substrate cooling apparatus for PDP according to claim 5 , further comprising an elevating part that moves up and down between a lowered position that reaches a lower surface of the substrate for PDP . The plurality of air supply holes are formed in a row on the upper surface of the cooling member so as to be aligned in the second direction, and are arranged in the first direction. The substrate cooling apparatus for a PDP according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein a line parallel to the first direction passing through the center is shifted in the second direction .

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