JP5702223B2 - Film coating nozzle, coating apparatus and coating method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a nozzle, a coating apparatus, and a coating method for coating a liquid material on a surface of an object to be coated over a wide range with a uniform thickness.

  Efficient in equipment that applies liquid material in a uniform thickness over a wide area on the surface of an object to be coated, such as application of resist solutions in the manufacture of electrical and electronic products, and application of phosphor pastes in the manufacture of display devices In order to perform application well, generally, a slit nozzle in which one elongated gap is formed and a comb nozzle in which a plurality of thin tubes are arranged in a straight line at a narrow interval are used. Although these nozzles can be applied with a small number of movements, the pressure does not become uniform in the nozzle due to the difference in the distance from the inlet to the outlet of the nozzle and the flow resistance at the outlet. Variations will occur. Various techniques have been proposed so far in order to eliminate the variation in the coating amount and realize coating with a uniform thickness.

  For example, Patent Document 1 relates to an extrusion type nozzle that is used to apply a coating liquid to the surface of a sheet-like object and a belt-like object to be continuously run, and has two stages for spreading the coating liquid in the width direction. An extrusion type nozzle comprising a manifold and a two-stage slit for rectifying the coating liquid, wherein the slit on the coating liquid inflow side of the two stages is formed by a replaceable member, and this member is formed of the coating liquid. It is disclosed that a uniform coating can be performed by exchanging with an optimum one according to the viscosity or the like.

  Patent Document 2 relates to an apparatus for forming a protective film on a painted surface of an automobile body in an automobile. A nozzle device in which a large number of pores are arranged close to the surface to be coated under a relatively low pressure. When forming a smooth protective film using the flattening property of the paint on the coated surface while ejecting water-soluble paint from a distance, the paint is ejected from the nozzle device by providing a communicating portion at the tip opening in the pore It is disclosed that a smooth protective film is applied by forming a thin film.

  By the way, as in Patent Document 2, when a large number of nozzles are arranged in a row, the length of the branch flow path from one inflow port to each discharge port differs, and Due to the fact that the longer one is subjected to larger flow resistance and the pressure loss becomes larger, the amount of liquid material discharged from the nozzle is larger in the short central part of the branch flow path and gradually toward the end. There has been a problem of variation in discharge amount, which is reduced.

  Therefore, the applicant has a fluid discharge path structure in which a plurality of branch paths for branching a flow path are provided from one inlet to a plurality of discharge ports, and an upper branch is formed. The width of the compartment is wider than the distance between the lower branch entrances, and the upper and lower compartments are communicated with a pipe arranged at the center of the lower branch, and the pipe is branched vertically. By making it shorter than the path, the total length of each branch path is made almost equal, the pressure loss of the fluid passing through any branch path is made almost equal, and the discharge amount of the fluid discharged from each discharge port is high A technique for equalizing with accuracy has been proposed (Patent Document 3).

JP 2002-370057 A JP-A-8-224503 Japanese Patent No. 4037861

  In recent years, there has been a growing demand for higher functionality and thinner layers of equipment in the display field and the like, and there is a growing demand for uniform coating film thickness. However, in the slit nozzle as in Patent Document 1, if the coating gap, which is the distance between the nozzle tip and the coating object, fluctuates due to the influence of the flatness of the coating object, the parallelism of the moving means, and the like, it will affect that. As a result, the coating amount fluctuates, the coating film thickness becomes non-uniform, and the desired coating film shape may not be obtained. In addition, since the slit nozzle has only one elongated gap, the pressure for extruding the liquid material is not evenly applied, and it may be deformed from a weak portion or may be destroyed when it is severe. When applying a liquid material having a high viscosity, a relatively high pressure is applied, which is particularly remarkable. When the above deformation occurred, the coating amount naturally changed, and a coating film having a uniform thickness could not be obtained.

In order to solve the problem of the slit nozzle, it is also conceivable to use a comb-like nozzle as in Patent Document 2. However, in Patent Document 2, since the paint is jetted into an uneven thin film, and the smoothing of the paint film is due to the fluidity of the paint after application, as a means of obtaining a paint film having a uniform thickness It is insufficient. In Patent Document 2, there is no mention of the problem of pressure loss caused by providing pores.
Patent Document 3 is for forming a large number of parallel lines, such as applying a phosphor paste in the recesses on the surface of the substrate, and does not have a nozzle for performing film-like coating.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a technique for making the amount of inflow from all the channels communicating with the discharge ports uniform, minimizing the influence of the application gap, and performing film-form application more accurately than before. With the goal.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a branch block having a branch path structure, a tip member having a discharge port formed wide in the longitudinal direction, a narrow tube inlet communicating with the branch path structure, and a discharge port of the tip member. And a tube-like coating nozzle comprising a plurality of thin tubes having a narrow tube outlet, wherein the branch block has a plurality of branch portions each having a chamber for branching a flow path communicating with the inlet. Provided, and the length to the outlet of the flow path branched by the branch portion provided in the same stage is configured to be equal, and the tip member has a groove portion that forms a discharge port that opens downward The length S in the short direction of the end face of the discharge port is configured to be longer than the inner diameter D of the narrow tube outlet, and the narrow tube outlets are arranged at substantially equal intervals on the innermost surface of the groove. It is a film-form application nozzle characterized by this.
According to a second invention, in the first invention, the length W in the longitudinal direction of the end face of the discharge port is configured to be longer than the distance between the capillary outlets disposed at both ends of the innermost surface of the groove. It is characterized by being.
A third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the length of the groove portion in the short direction is expanded stepwise from the innermost surface to the end surface of the outlet.
A fourth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, the groove section has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in the short direction, and the capillary outlet is located on the vertical center line of the cross-sectional shape.
A fifth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, a cross-sectional shape in the short direction of the groove portion is a semicircular shape or a semi-elliptical shape, and the narrow tube outlet is located on a vertical center line of the cross-sectional shape. To do.
According to a sixth invention, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the length S in the short direction of the end face of the discharge port is 1.2 to 2.5 times the inner diameter D of the outlet of the thin tube. It is characterized by being.
In a seventh invention according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, the branch block and / or the tip member is composed of a plurality of modules that can be assembled and disassembled, and the combination of the modules is variable. It is characterized by being able to.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a film coating nozzle according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, a tank for storing liquid material, and a discharge for controlling supply or stop of the liquid material supplied from the tank to the nozzle. It is a coating apparatus provided with a valve, a work table for placing an object to be coated, and a moving mechanism for relatively moving the nozzle and the object to be coated placed on the work table.
According to a ninth invention, in the eighth invention, a base member for fixing the nozzle, a rotating shaft disposed in a central portion of the base member, a mounting member for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft, An adjustment mechanism including an adjustment screw disposed on the mounting member is provided.
A tenth aspect of the invention relates to a film-form application nozzle according to the seventh aspect of the invention, a tank that stores liquid material, a discharge valve that controls supply or stop of liquid material supplied from the tank to the nozzle, and an application target A coating apparatus comprising: a work table for placing an object; and a moving mechanism for relatively moving the nozzle and an object to be coated placed on the work table, wherein the branch block and / or the tip member are connected to each other. A base member that is fixed in a state in which the base member is fixed, a rotating shaft that is disposed at a central portion of the base member, a mounting member that rotatably supports the rotating shaft, and an adjustment screw that is disposed on the mounting member. A coating apparatus comprising an adjusting mechanism including the coating mechanism.
An eleventh invention is characterized in that, in any one of the eighth to tenth inventions, a plurality of the tanks are provided and a switching valve for selectively switching the communication with one tank to be used is provided.
A twelfth invention is characterized in that, in any of the eighth to eleventh inventions, a pump is provided between the discharge valve and the switching valve.
In a thirteenth aspect based on the twelfth aspect, the pump is a positive displacement pump.

A fourteenth aspect of the invention is a coating method in which a liquid material is coated in the form of a film while moving the article to be coated and / or the nozzle by a moving mechanism using the film-like coating nozzle according to any one of the first to seventh aspects of the invention. .
According to a fifteenth aspect, in the fourteenth aspect, a highly viscous liquid material is applied in a film form.

  According to the present invention, in addition to the branch path structure capable of distributing a uniform amount, the configuration of a plurality of thin tubes that receive a uniform amount of liquid material supplied from the branch path and the groove portion that recovers the pressure influences the influence of coating gap fluctuations. By minimizing the thickness, it is possible to perform a film-like coating having a more uniform thickness than in the past.

In addition, since the force applied by the supply pressure can be dispersed by a plurality of thin tubes, a high pressure can be applied, so that it is possible to realize a film-like coating using a high-viscosity liquid material that has been difficult with the prior art. Is possible.
In addition, when each part is modularized, the nozzle configuration can be easily changed by simply changing the module for changing the size of the object to be coated, and cleaning is also easy.

It is sectional drawing of the whole structure of the nozzle which concerns on this invention. (A) is a front view, (b) shows an AA arrow view. It is a partial expanded sectional view of the tip part of the nozzle concerning the present invention. (A) is a front view, (b) shows a BB arrow line view. It is explanatory drawing explaining the state at the time of application | coating. (A) shows a conventional slit nozzle and (b) shows the present invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the modification of the enlarged diameter part shape of the nozzle which concerns on this invention. (A) shows the case where it expands linearly, (b) shows the case where it expands curvedly. It is explanatory drawing explaining the aspect of modularization of the nozzle which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the aspect of modularization of the nozzle which concerns on this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the adjustment mechanism which can be provided in the nozzle concerning the present invention. (A) is a front view, (b) shows a side partial sectional view. It is explanatory drawing explaining the structural example of the coating device using the nozzle which concerns on Example 1. FIG.

  Below, the embodiment of the nozzle of the present invention is described. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the nozzle inflow side is referred to as “upper” and the discharge side is referred to as “lower”, the longitudinal direction of the branch blocks 3 to 5 or the tip member 12 is “width direction”, and the short direction is “depth”. Sometimes referred to as “direction”.

[Overall nozzle structure]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the overall structure of a nozzle according to the present invention. In the same figure, (a) is the figure seen from the front, (b) shows sectional drawing at the time of cut | disconnecting along the AA line shown in (a) and seeing in the direction of the arrow.
The nozzle 1 of the present invention includes a first-stage branch block 3, a second-stage branch block 4, and a third-stage branch block 5, and is provided with one nozzle inlet 2 and a discharge port. Twelve narrow tubes 14 are provided. In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1, the liquid material 43 that has flowed in from one nozzle inlet 2 is branched at three stages of branch portions (branch chambers) and arranged in a straight line. It has a structure that flows from the thin tube 14 to the groove 15 and discharges. The number of branch blocks may be two or more, for example, four or five. Each branch block is provided with a branch chamber constituting a branch portion, and a plurality of thin tubes 14 are communicated with each branch chamber. Therefore, the number of the thin tubes 14 is at least 4 or more, preferably 6 or more, and more preferably 8 or more.

  The flow of the liquid material flowing into the nozzle 1 will be described. First, the liquid material 43 flowing in from one nozzle inlet 2 branches into two equal and substantially equal-length flows 9 in one branch part (branch chamber) 6 provided in the first-stage branch block 3. Is done. Next, in each of the two branch portions 7 provided in the second-stage branch block 4, the liquid material 43 branched in the first stage is further branched into two equal and substantially equal-length flows 10. . Next, in each of the four branch portions 8 provided in the third-stage branch block 5, the liquid material 43 branched in the second stage is branched into three equal and substantially equal-length flows 11. . Then, it flows into three thin tubes 14 communicating with each of the four branch portions 8 provided in the third-stage branch block 5, flows out into the groove portion 15, and is discharged. Here, the lengths of the branch flows between the branch portions provided in the same branch block are made equal.

  With this configuration, any branch flow in the branch portion provided in the same branch block is subjected to the same pipe friction and the like, and the pressure loss is also equal. Therefore, the branch flow is linearly arranged in the width direction. The amount of discharge from each thin tube 14 provided, and hence the amount of fluid material flowing into the groove 15 can be made substantially equal. This is important in performing a film-like coating having a uniform thickness.

[Tip]
FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the tip of the nozzle according to the present invention. In the same figure, (a) is the figure seen from the front, (b) shows sectional drawing at the time of cut | disconnecting along the BB line shown in (a) and seeing in the direction of the arrow.
The nozzle tip member 12 of the present invention includes a tube portion 13 composed of a plurality of thin tubes 14 and an elongated groove portion 15 that communicates with the tube portion 13 and joins the liquid material 43 together.

Each inflow port 16 of the thin tube 14 constituting the tube portion 13 communicates with the branch portion 8 provided in the third branch block 5 of the branch path structure including the aforementioned branch blocks 3 to 5. On the other hand, the end portion on the outlet 17 side of the thin tube 14 is fitted into the tip member 12 having the groove portion 15 and is fixed by brazing, solder, adhesive, or the like. When discharging the liquid material 43 that dislikes contact with the adhesive for fixing, it may be fixed by “fitting” without using the adhesive. The end face of the outlet 17 is located on the same plane as the innermost face 19 of the groove 15. A plurality of the thin tubes 14 are linearly arranged in the longitudinal direction at substantially equal intervals to constitute the tube portion 13. In order to obtain the effect of expanding the diameter in the width direction, it is preferable to arrange the thin tubes 14 with a predetermined interval. However, if the thin tubes 14 are too far apart, a film cannot be formed. However, it arrange | positions so that it may become about 4-12 times of the internal diameter D.
The inner diameter (the inner diameter of the discharge port) of the thin tube 14 of the present invention is, for example, φ0.3 to 1.0 mm, and the film thickness to be produced is, for example, 20 to 500 μm.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the groove portion 15 has a rectangular shape elongated in the longitudinal direction, and forms a rectangular parallelepiped space surrounded by the innermost walls 22 and 23 and the innermost surfaces 19 and 23 through which the tube portion 13 communicates. doing. The groove 15 constitutes an enlarged diameter portion that enlarges the diameter of the outlet of the thin tube 14. On the other hand, the outer side surface in the longitudinal direction of the tip member 12 has an inclined surface 21 and is tapered by the two surfaces 21 and 21. A tip surface 18 that is a horizontal surface is formed between the inclined surface 21 and the groove 15. Further, the inner surface 23 defining the width direction length W of the groove portion 15 is formed with a thickness on the inner surface in the short direction of the tip member 12. However, the width direction length W of the groove portion 15 is a wide shape occupying most of the tip member 12, and is not a thick wall for forming a narrow slit nozzle.
The length W in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the groove 15 is preferably configured to be longer than the distance between the capillaries 14 arranged at both ends in the width direction. This is because the pressure can be recovered by expanding the diameter in the width direction at both ends of the groove portion 15 in the width direction. The inner wall 23 that defines the length W in the longitudinal direction can be formed of an inclined surface, a stepped shape, or a curved surface (see the description of the inner wall 22 that defines the length S in the short direction described later).

In the present invention, the groove 15 is expanded not only in the width direction but also in the depth direction. That is, the length S in the short direction of the groove portion 15 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter D of the narrow tube (D <S) (see FIG. 2B). As a result, the liquid material 43 flowing out from the branch portion 8 through the thin tube 14 is once expanded in the groove portion 15 before being discharged toward the object 29, so that the pressure lost in the thin tube 14 is recovered to a certain extent. . By providing such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the influence from the coating gap G, which is the distance between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the workpiece 29. It is preferable that the cross-sectional shape in the short direction is a line symmetric with respect to the center line of the inner diameter D of the thin tube so that the liquid material is evenly distributed in the groove portion 15.
The length S in the short direction of the groove portion 15 and the inner diameter D of the narrow tube are appropriately changed depending on the physical property value of the liquid material 43 to be used, a desired application shape, and the like. The length S is preferably about 1.2 to about 2.5 times the inner diameter D of the capillary tube, more preferably about 1.5 to about 2.0 times. When the inner diameter of the inlet 16 and the outlet 17 of the narrow tube 14 are different, the inner diameter of the outlet 17 is used as a reference.

The thin tube 14 in the present invention is the thinnest even including the branch portions (6, 7, 8), and the flow resistance here is the largest. However, since a plurality of the thin tubes 14 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the tip member 12, the force applied by the supply pressure is dispersed. That is, even a liquid material (for example, a liquid material having a high viscosity) that needs to be subjected to a high pressure that causes deformation or the like in a conventional slit nozzle that discharges by one slit is deformed if the nozzle 1 of the present invention is used. It becomes possible to discharge without causing such as.
The nozzle of the present invention can be used, for example, for application of a liquid material having a viscosity of 300 to 500,000 mPa · s, and is particularly suitable for application of a highly viscous liquid material. Here, the high viscosity means, for example, a viscosity of 50000 mPa · s or more, preferably a viscosity exceeding 100,000 mPa · s.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a state during application. Reference numeral 24 in the figure indicates the moving direction of the nozzle 1.
FIG. 3A shows the case of a conventional slit nozzle, and the liquid material 43 to be discharged passes through the slit (δ) from the reservoir 25 and is directly discharged to the application object 29. On the other hand, FIG. 3B shows the case of the present invention, and the liquid material 43 to be discharged passes through the narrow tube 14 (α) from the branch portion, expands in the groove portion 15 (γ), and is discharged to the application object 29. The
In any case, there is a gap G (hereinafter referred to as “application gap G”) between the tip of the nozzle 1 and the object 29 during application. The application gap G may fluctuate due to the influence of the flatness of the workpiece 29 and the parallelism of the moving mechanism 31. When the application gap G becomes larger or smaller, the liquid material 43 sandwiched between the tip end surface of the nozzle 1 and the surface of the object to be coated 29 is pulled or crushed, and the inside (β, ε) The pressure becomes lower or higher.

  In general, a flow passing through a narrow flow path has a high speed and a small pressure, and conversely, a flow passing through a wide flow path has a low speed and a high pressure. In the conventional slit nozzle, since it suddenly goes outside (ε) from the narrow slit (δ), the pressure in the liquid material (ε) sandwiched between the nozzle and the object to be coated increases. That is, the pressure difference increases between the inside of the slit (δ) and the inside of the liquid material (ε) sandwiched between the nozzle and the object to be coated, and the liquid material is difficult to come out. If the pressure fluctuation in the liquid material (ε) due to the fluctuation of the coating gap G is added here, the pressure in the slit (δ) is small, so even a slight pressure fluctuation is affected, and the coating amount is stable. Otherwise, the film thickness becomes non-uniform.

On the other hand, in the nozzle of the present invention, before it goes out of the thin tube 14 (α) to the outside (β) of the nozzle 1, it temporarily expands a little at the groove 15 (γ) to recover the pressure, and then goes out to the outside (β). The pressure in the liquid material (β) sandwiched between the nozzle and the object to be coated increases but is not abrupt. That is, the pressure difference is large between the narrow tube (α) and the liquid material (β) sandwiched between the nozzle and the object to be coated, but the pressure difference is small between the groove 15 (γ) and the liquid material (β). The liquid material is easy to get out. If pressure fluctuation in the liquid material (β) due to fluctuation of the coating gap G is added here, the pressure in the groove 15 (γ) is not small, so even a slight pressure fluctuation is not affected and the coating amount is stable. As a result, the film thickness becomes uniform.
Therefore, if the nozzle of the present invention is used, the groove portion 15 constitutes an enlarged diameter portion, so that the coating amount is stable even if the coating gap fluctuates due to the influence of the flatness of the workpiece or the parallelism of the moving mechanism. Can be applied in a uniform film thickness.

[Modification of groove shape]
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the length S in the short direction of the groove portion 15 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter D of the narrow tube (D <S), but the short length at the discharge port end face 20 that is the most downstream. The hand direction length S may be finally expanded. An example is shown in FIG.
FIG. 4A shows the groove 15 having a trapezoidal cross section in the short direction. The angle formed by the inner walls 22a and 22b, which are flat surfaces, varies depending on the length S of the groove portion in the lateral direction and the inner diameter D of the thin tube, but is preferably 90 degrees or less, and more preferably 60 degrees or less.
FIG. 4B shows the groove 15 having a semicircular or semi-elliptical cross section in the short direction.
The inner walls 22a and 22b may have any shape as long as the distance in the short direction is expanded step by step, but it is preferable that the inner walls 22a and 22b be configured by smooth surfaces (planar surfaces or curved surfaces).
In either case of FIGS. 4A and 4B, it is preferable not to have a shape with a throttle in the middle from the narrow tube outlet 17 to the end face of the groove. This is because it is easier to process and the flow in the groove 15 is not complicated.
By making the discharge port in the shape as described above, it is possible to expand gently as compared with the shape expanding in a right angle described with reference to FIG. 2, and it is possible to restore the pressure with less pressure loss.

[modularization]
The nozzle 1 of the present invention can be modularized according to the mode of the branch portions (6, 7, 8). 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the modularization.
FIG. 5 shows a branch block (3, 4, 5) in which the branch portions (6, 7, 8) having the same length of the branch flow (9, 10, 11) are grouped into a single block. It is. It is a module for each branch stage. The modules (3, 4, 5) are connected to each other by a fastening member (not shown). Examples of the fastening member include screws and bolts. Alternatively, each module may be fixed to a plate-like body serving as a base instead of directly connecting the modules. Here, it is preferable to provide a positioning pin (not shown) or the like so that there is no deviation in the connection of the flow path when connecting or fixing, so that the position can be easily determined. Needless to say, a seal member (not shown) for preventing leakage of the liquid material is provided in the flow path connecting portion of each module.

  In FIG. 6, the branch parts (6, 7, 8) are grouped into a single unit. It can be said that it is modularization of the smallest unit. The tip member 12 is modularized in accordance with the lowermost module 5. Similarly to FIG. 5, the modules are connected to each other by a fastening member (not shown) or fixed to a plate-like body serving as a base. The same applies to the positioning pins and the seal members. In the case of FIG. 6, the module constituting both ends of the tip member 12 is different in the shape of the groove 15 from the other modules. This is because the inner wall 23 that defines the length in the width direction of the groove 15 must be provided. In FIG. 6, the modules other than the tip member 12 (particularly the third-stage module 8) are different in the thickness of the side wall from the other modules in the modules at both ends. For the purpose of alignment, when fixing to a member such as a base plate, it is of course possible to form each module in the same shape (see, for example, FIG. 7A).

  By modularizing as described above, it is possible to easily change the nozzle configuration simply by changing the combination of modules in response to a change in the size of an object to be coated, and cleaning is also easy.

[Adjustment mechanism]
Since the inclination of the nozzle around the vertical axis and the axis perpendicular to the width axis greatly affects the uniformity of the film thickness, an adjustment mechanism may be provided when installing the nozzle 1 of the present invention in the coating apparatus. preferable. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an adjustment mechanism to which the nozzle 1 according to the present invention can be attached. In the figure, (a) is a front view, and (b) is a side sectional view.
In the adjusting mechanism 35 of the present invention, a rotating shaft 37 is disposed at a substantially central portion of a nozzle structure 44 in which each module (6, 7, 8) is fixed to a base plate 36. The rotating shaft 37 is attached to a mounting plate 39. Insert into fixed bearing 38. Here, the base plate 36 and the mounting plate 39 are not fixed, and the base plate 36 and the nozzle structure 44 fixed thereto can be freely rotated. As a result, the nozzle structure 44 as a whole can rotate around an axis (vertical axis in FIG. 7A) perpendicular to the vertical axis and the width axis (reference numeral 41). The mounting plate 39 is provided with one adjusting screw 40 on each of the left and right sides, and by moving the screws forward and backward (reference numeral 42), the amount of pushing the upper surface of the base plate 36 is adjusted, and the nozzle structure. The inclination of the nozzle 1 is adjusted by slightly rotating 44. When a screw with a scale such as a micrometer head is used as the adjustment screw, the adjustment amount can be confirmed and recorded, and the operation becomes easy.
By providing such a mechanism, the non-uniformity of the film thickness due to the inclination of the nozzle 1 can be eliminated, and a more uniform and accurate coating film shape can be formed.

  The nozzle of the present invention described above is a coating device provided with an XYZ drive mechanism for moving the nozzle and the workpiece relative to each other, a gantry type device for moving a frame provided with the nozzle with respect to a fixed workpiece, and a continuous transfer. The present invention can be applied to various coating apparatuses that perform film-like coating on a workpiece, such as a coating apparatus that performs coating from a nozzle fixed to the workpiece.

  Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the examples.

[Coating equipment]
The coating apparatus according to the embodiment is an adhesive / filler coating apparatus for performing opto-carbonizing which directly attaches a protective glass and a liquid crystal display to improve visibility. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of the coating apparatus according to the embodiment.
The coating apparatus 26 of the present embodiment includes a tank 27 that stores the liquid material 43, a discharge valve 28 that controls whether the liquid material 43 supplied from the tank 27 is supplied to the nozzle 1 of the present invention or is stopped, The nozzle 1 of the present invention, a work table 30 on which the workpiece 29 is placed, and a moving mechanism 31 that relatively moves the nozzle 1 of the present invention and the workpiece 29 placed on the work table 30 are provided.
The tank 27 is a pressure vessel that supplies the liquid material 43 by supplying compressed gas. The viscosity of the liquid material 43 stored in the present embodiment is, for example, 1500 to 100,000 mPa · s. In this embodiment, by preparing a plurality of tanks and using them alternately, the operation can be continued without stopping the apparatus every time the liquid material 43 is replenished. In this embodiment, the switching valve 33 is provided so that the tank 27 to be used can be selected. However, a configuration in which one tank 27 is used may be used.

  In the present embodiment, a pump 34 is provided between the switching valve 33 and the discharge valve 28 so that the liquid material 43 is supplied without or while supplying the compressed gas to the tank 27. As the pump 34, for example, a positive displacement pump such as a syringe pump, a diaphragm pump, a vane pump, or a gear pump is preferably used. By using a positive displacement pump, a fixed amount of liquid material 43 can be supplied, and the discharge amount can be controlled with high accuracy.

The discharge valve 28 controls whether to supply or stop the liquid material 43 supplied from the tank 27 to the nozzle 1 of the present invention, and controls the discharge amount by controlling the opening time. .
The nozzle 1 is the nozzle described in FIGS. 1 and 2 described in the above embodiment. Depending on the size of the object 29 to be applied and the desired application shape, the number of branches, the number of branches, the number of thin tubes 14, the length in the width direction of the grooves 15 and the like can be appropriately changed. The inner diameter of the thin tube 14 is, for example, φ0.6 mm.

The work table 30 is used to place and fix the object 29 to be fixed. For example, the object 29 is firmly fixed by suction by vacuuming or abutment by a positioning pin, and is not displaced by relative movement. To do.
The moving mechanism 31 moves the nozzle 1 and the coating object 29 placed on the work table 30 in the direction of reference numeral 32. The movement mechanism 31 moves only the nozzle 1 and moves only the work table 30. Any one that moves the nozzle 1 and the work table 30 may be used. In this example, an XYZ robot was used.

  When a coating test was performed with the coating apparatus of this example described above under the condition of a film thickness of 100 μm or less, an accuracy of ± 5% was obtained with respect to the desired film thickness. It was confirmed that by using the coating apparatus 26 of this example, a film-like coating having a uniform thickness can be performed.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a technique for uniformly applying a liquid material over a wide range on the surface of an object to be coated, such as application of a resist solution in electrical / electronic product manufacturing, phosphor paste in display device manufacturing, Not only for application, but also for application of optical elastic resin (SVR) for bonding protective covers used in flat panel displays, application of sealing materials for sealing the entire surface of organic EL panels, application of heat radiation grease, etc. Available.

1: Nozzle 2: Nozzle inlet 3: First stage branch block (module) 4: Second stage branch block (module) 5: Third stage branch block (module) 6: First stage branch block (module) 7: Second stage branch (module) 8: Third stage branch (module) 9: First stage branch 10: Second stage branch 11: Third stage branch 12: Tip member 13 : Tube portion 14: Narrow tube 15: Groove portion 16: Narrow tube inlet port 17: Narrow tube outlet port 18: Front end surface 19: Backmost surface (surface where the tube portion communicates) 20: Discharge port end surface 21: Inclined surface 22: (Short) Direction) inner wall 23: (longitudinal direction) inner wall 24: nozzle moving direction 25: reservoir 26: coating device 27: tank 28: discharge valve 29: workpiece 30: work table 31: moving mechanism 32: moving method 33: Switching valve 34: Pump 35: Adjustment mechanism 36: Base plate (base member) 37: Rotating shaft 38: Bearing 39: Mounting plate (mounting member) 40: Adjustment screw 41: Rotating direction 42: Forward / backward moving direction 43: Liquid Material 44: Nozzle structure S: Length in the lateral direction of the groove D: Thin tube inner diameter G: Application gap α: In the thin tube β: In the liquid material sandwiched between the nozzle of the present invention and the coating object γ: In the groove δ: In slit ε: In liquid material sandwiched between conventional slit nozzle and workpiece

Claims (15)

A branch block having a branch channel structure; a tip member having a discharge port formed wide in the longitudinal direction; a narrow tube inlet communicating with the branch channel structure; and a capillary tube outlet communicating with the discharge port of the tip member. A film-form application nozzle comprising a tube portion provided with a plurality of thin tubes,
The branch block is provided with a plurality of branch portions composed of chambers for branching a flow channel communicating with the inflow port, and the lengths of the flow channels branched by the branch portions provided in the same step are equal to each other. And
The tip member has a groove portion that forms a discharge port that opens downward, and the length S in the short direction of the end surface of the discharge port is configured to be longer than the inner diameter D of the narrow tube outlet, A membrane-shaped coating nozzle, wherein the narrow tube outlets are disposed at substantially equal intervals on the innermost surface of the groove.   2. The film-like shape according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal length W of the end face of the discharge port is longer than the distance between the capillary outlets disposed at both ends of the innermost face of the groove. Application nozzle.   The film-shaped coating nozzle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a length in a short direction of the groove is expanded stepwise from an innermost surface to an end surface of the outlet.   The film-shaped coating nozzle according to claim 3, wherein a cross-sectional shape in a short direction of the groove portion is a trapezoidal shape, and the narrow tube outlet is located on a vertical center line of the cross-sectional shape.   The film-shaped coating nozzle according to claim 3, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the groove portion in a short direction is a semicircular shape or a semi-elliptical shape, and the narrow tube outlet is located on a vertical center line of the cross-sectional shape.   The film-like shape according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a length S in a short direction of an end face of the discharge port is 1.2 to 2.5 times an inner diameter D of an outlet of the thin tube. Application nozzle.   7. The film application nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the branch block and / or the tip member is composed of a plurality of modules that can be assembled and disassembled, and the combination of the modules can be varied. . The film-form application nozzle according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A tank for storing liquid material;
A discharge valve for controlling supply or stop of the liquid material supplied from the tank to the nozzle; and
A work table on which an object to be coated is placed;
A coating apparatus comprising: a moving mechanism that relatively moves the nozzle and an object to be coated placed on the work table. A base member for fixing the nozzle;
A rotating shaft disposed in a central portion of the base member;
An attachment member for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft;
An adjustment screw disposed on the mounting member;
The coating apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an adjusting mechanism including The film-form application nozzle according to claim 7,
A tank for storing liquid material;
A discharge valve for controlling supply or stop of the liquid material supplied from the tank to the nozzle; and
A work table on which an object to be coated is placed;
A coating apparatus comprising a moving mechanism for relatively moving the nozzle and an object to be coated placed on the work table,
A base member for fixing the branch block and / or the tip member in a connected state;
A rotating shaft disposed in a central portion of the base member;
An attachment member for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft;
An adjustment screw disposed on the mounting member;
An applicator characterized in that an adjusting mechanism is provided. A plurality of the tanks are provided,
11. The coating apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a switching valve for selectively switching communication with one tank to be used.   12. The coating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a pump is provided between the discharge valve and the switching valve.   13. The coating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.   8. A coating method in which a liquid material is coated in a film form using the film-shaped coating nozzle according to claim 1 while moving an object to be coated and / or a nozzle by a moving mechanism.   The coating method according to claim 14, wherein a highly viscous liquid material is coated in a film form.