JP5897263B2 - Paste application head, paste application device, and paste application method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for applying a paste on a substrate quantitatively, and in particular, a paste application head for accurately applying a paste as a sealing material used in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display panel or the like to a glass substrate, The present invention relates to a paste coating apparatus and a paste coating method.

  In the manufacture of liquid crystal display panels, a glass substrate having a large size is used in order to reduce the manufacturing cost. The substrate surface of the glass substrate is divided into a plurality of regions, and a paste pattern having the same shape is formed in each region. A liquid crystal display panel can be formed in each divided area by drawing and dividing each area. Thus, the size of the glass substrate to be used is increased, the number of chamfers is increased, and a plurality of liquid crystal display panels can be obtained from one glass substrate.

  And as a device for this, since the life of the sealing material, which is the paste to be applied, has been improved, the paste storage cylinder for storing the sealing material to be discharged onto the glass substrate has a large capacity. Proposals have been made to replace it. Thereby, the filling amount of the sealing material in the paste storage cylinder can be increased. However, in order to discharge the sealing material stored in the paste storage tube from the nozzle onto the glass substrate for drawing a predetermined pattern on the glass substrate, air pressure (pneumatic pressure) is contained in the paste storage tube. However, if the capacity of the paste storage cylinder is increased, the free capacity of the paste storage cylinder (the space in which air exists) increases as the sealing material is discharged from the paste storage cylinder, and the air pressure is changed. Even if you try to adjust the amount of pressure applied to the sealing material in the paste storage cylinder, the pressure will be transmitted to the surface of the sealing material via the air in this empty capacity, so adjustment of the pressure applied to the sealing material Will cause a time delay. For this reason, in order to draw a fine paste pattern with high accuracy, it is necessary to frequently adjust the drawing conditions, in particular the pressurization and depressurization of the sealing material in the paste storage cylinder, and the control is difficult to cope with. Become.

  In addition, as the amount of paste applied is reduced, when the sealing material is applied in a frame-like pattern to the position of the glass substrate corresponding to the outer peripheral portion of the glass plate of the liquid crystal display panel, the amount of sealing material applied is reduced. There is a tendency to apply a stable and highly accurate sealing material. For this reason, it has become difficult to achieve compatibility between an increase in the size of the glass substrate and fine adjustment of the pressure on the sealing material.

  On the other hand, a screw-type paste applicator has been proposed as one that can finely adjust the discharge amount of the sealing material (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The paste coating apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a rod-like screw in which two or more spiral convex portions are provided in a cylindrical space inside a cylinder in which a nozzle is formed in a bearing portion. This seal is supplied by rotating the screw with a servo motor and supplying the seal material stored in the storage container into the internal space of the cylinder through a pipe. The material is extruded from the nozzle by the convex part of the rotating screw. Here, in this technique, it is possible to control the discharge amount according to the rotation angle of the screw, thereby reducing the variation in the discharge amount of the sealing material.

JP 2007-136397 A

  However, in the screw-type paste applicator, the accompanying components such as the screw itself, a motor serving as a drive source thereof, a motor control circuit, and control software are increasing. Furthermore, the components that come into contact with the sealant after filling the paste storage cylinder need to be cleaned periodically, and the gap between the outer periphery of the screw and the inner wall of the cylinder inner container when the screw part is disassembled and assembled Such a process becomes complicated and requires a lot of time.

  Further, when foreign matters are mixed from the outside, the component parts are complicated, and there is a concern that the foreign matters can be reliably removed when disassembled, and there is a problem that the maintainability during cleaning cannot be improved. Further, since the screw is rotated, the generation of foreign matter due to wear is likely to occur at the drive portion.

  From the above, there are problems in terms of tact due to the need for cleaning time and the risk of contamination with foreign matter.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a paste coating head, a paste coating apparatus, and a paste coating method that solve such problems and realize high-definition sealing material coating on a large glass substrate.

To achieve the above object, paste coating head of the present invention, the parent paste receiving cylinder the coating material storage cylinder for accommodating the coating material is kept housed the coating material filled, and temporarily stores the coating material while, Ri consists child paste receiving cylinder having a function for drawing by discharging a paste from a nozzle at a constant coating pressure, the parent paste containing cylinder, and a child paste containing cylinder is an air pressure applied for applying an air pressure means are provided, the first flow path of the coating material from the outlet for taking out the coating material from the parent paste containing cylinder is connected to the gate valve, discharging the coating material on the substrate from the lower end of the gate valve is child paste receiving cylinder connected to the second flow path leading to the nozzles of the second flow path is connected to the lower end of the child paste containing cylinder, further, the coating material for detecting the storage amount of the coating material on top of the child paste receiving cylinder conserved quantity detection means Characterized in that it was obtained.

The first embodiment of the paste coating head, air pressure application means parent paste containing cylinder when to replenish the coating fabric material to the child paste containing cylinder from the parent paste containing cylinder, the parent in the open state of the gate valve the air pressure is applied to the paste containing cylinder, the air pressure application means child paste receiving cylinder, when discharging the coating material from a nozzle, applying an air pressure to the child paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve It is characterized by .

The second embodiment according to the any of the paste coating head, the coating material storage amount detecting means of the child paste containing cylinder is stored amount of the coating material by receiving the optical light reflected by the liquid surface of the coating material It is a sensor which detects this .

The third embodiment according to any one of the paste application heads is characterized in that the volume of the child paste storage cylinder is smaller than the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder .

To achieve the above object, the paste application apparatus of the present invention, one or more coating that includes a nozzle discharge port for discharging the coating material from the coating material storage cylinder and the coating material storage cylinder filled with coating material set girder gantry movably head is installed on one or a plurality cradle, the gantry is moved relative to the substrate mounted on the installed substrate mount table on the platform, the with respect to the gantry by coating head moves, the coating head is moved relative to the substrate, there is for discharging the coating material onto the substrate from the discharge nozzles, the coating material for accommodating the coating material of the coating head parent paste containing cylinder that storage cylinder is kept housed an equivalent coating material filled, and while temporarily storing the equivalent coating material, functions to draw by discharging a paste from a nozzle at a constant applied pressure Ri consists child paste receiving cylinder with the parent paste containing cylinder and the slave paste containing cylinder, provided with an air pressure application means for applying air pressure, the coating of the outlet for taking out the coating material from the parent paste receiving cylinder The first flow path of the material is connected to the gate valve, the gate valve is connected to the second flow path connected to the nozzle for discharging the coating material to the substrate from the lower end portion of the child paste storage cylinder, and the second flow path is the child paste. and connected to the lower end of the storage cylinder, further in, characterized in that provided that the coating material storage amount detecting means for detecting a storage amount of the coating material on top of the child paste receiving cylinder.

The first embodiment of the paste coating apparatus, air pressure application means parent paste containing cylinder when to replenish the coating material to the child paste containing cylinder from the parent paste containing cylinder, the parent paste in the open state of the gate valve the air pressure is applied to the storage cylinder, the air pressure application means child paste receiving cylinder, when discharging the coating material from the nozzle, to apply air pressure to the child paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve Turkey And features .

The second embodiment according to any of the above paste coating device, the coating material storage amount detecting means of the child paste containing cylinder is stored amount of the coating material by receiving the optical light reflected by the liquid surface of the coating material It is a sensor which detects this .

The third embodiment according to any one of the above paste application apparatuses is characterized in that the volume of the child paste storage cylinder is smaller than the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder .

To achieve the above object, paste application method of the present invention, one or more coating that includes a nozzle discharge port for discharging the coating material from the coating material storage cylinder and the coating material storage cylinder filled with coating material set girder gantry movably head is installed on one or a plurality cradle, the gantry is moved relative to the substrate mounted on the installed substrate mount table on the platform, the with respect to the gantry by coating head moves, the coating head is moved relative to the substrate, there is for discharging the coating material onto the substrate from the discharge nozzles, the coating material for accommodating the coating material of the coating head the storage cylinder, parent paste receiving cylinder to be housed the coating material filled, and while temporarily storing the coating material, the machine for drawing by discharging a paste from a nozzle at a constant applied pressure Consisted of children paste receiving cylinder having, by the air pressure application means provided in the parent paste containing cylinder and the slave paste containing cylinder, to enable application of air pressure, the from outlet to take out the coating material from the parent paste receiving cylinder joint up the first flow path of the coating material to the gate valve, tied up the gate valve from the lower end of the child paste receiving cylinder in the second flow path leading to a nozzle for discharging the coating material to the substrate, the second flow path the joint Geteoki, the further the lower end of the child paste containing cylinder, the coating material storage amount detecting means provided in the upper portion of the child paste containing cylinder, the result of detecting the stored amount of the coating material of the coating fabric material decreasing characterized by applying the coating material onto a substrate with periodic replenishment of the coating material from the parent paste receiving cylinder to child paste containing cylinder according to.

The first embodiment of the paste application method, when to replenish the coating material to the child paste containing cylinder from the parent paste receiving cylinder, the parent paste accommodated in the open state of the gate valve by the air pressure application means of the parent paste receiving cylinder the air pressure is applied to the cylinder, when discharging the coating material from the nozzle, and wherein applying the air pressure to the child paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve by the air pressure application means child paste receiving cylinder To do .

The second embodiment according to the any of the paste coating method, a sensor for detecting the storage amount of the coating material in the child paste containing cylinder, optical in the liquid surface of the coating material in the child paste receiving cylinder within The reflected light is received and the storage amount of the coating material is detected .

A third embodiment according to the any one of the paste application method is characterized in Kushida that smaller than the volume of the volume of the child paste containing cylinder parent paste receiving cylinder.

According to the present invention, when using a parent paste storage cylinder having a large paste storage capacity and a child paste storage cylinder having a small storage capacity, when the paste in the child paste storage cylinder is discharged from the nozzle, the child paste storage cylinder is discharged from the parent paste storage cylinder. Since the tube is replenished with paste, it is possible to accurately adjust the pressure applied to the paste in the child paste storage tube, reduce the amount of paste coating, and form a fine coating paste pattern with high accuracy. can together be, it is possible to perform auxiliary supply of the paste to child paste containing cylinder easily.

It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the paste coating device by this invention. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of one Embodiment of the coating head in FIG. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a specific example of a paste storing / discharging unit 20 of the coating head shown in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows each part in FIG. 3 in detail. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a specific example of a configuration in a flow path block in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is a figure which shows one specific example of the paste pattern apply | coated on a glass substrate by embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a specific example of a paste pattern application drawing operation shown in FIG. 5 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows other embodiment of the coating head by this invention.

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

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a paste coating apparatus according to the present invention, wherein 1 is a frame, 2A and 2B are frames, 3A and 3B are fixed portions, 4A to 4D are movable portions, and 5A to 5D are coating portions. A head, 6 is a substrate holding board, 7 is a θ-axis rotary table, 8 is a glass substrate, 9 is a main control unit, 10 is a sub-control unit, 11 is a monitor, and 12 is a keyboard.

  In the figure, on the gantry 1, fixed portions 3A and 3B are provided along two sides of the gantry 1 in the X-axis direction, and two movable portions 4A and 4C are provided on one fixed portion 3A. Two movable parts 4B and 4D are respectively provided on the other fixed part 3B. A frame 2A is provided along the Y-axis direction from one of the movable parts 4A and 4B arranged opposite to each other, and the Y-axis direction extends from one to the other of the movable parts 4C and 4D arranged opposite to each other. A frame 2B is provided along. These fixed portions 3A and 3B, movable portions 4A to 4D, and frames 2A and 2B constitute an X-axis drive mechanism for coating heads 5A to 5D.

  Two coating heads 5A and 5B are provided on the frame 2A so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the frame 2A (that is, the Y direction), and two coating heads 5C and 5D are provided on the frame 2B. The frame 2B is provided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (that is, the Y direction). The drive mechanism for such movement is provided in the frames 2A and 2B and the coating heads 5A to 5D. Hereinafter, such a drive mechanism may be referred to as a Y-axis drive mechanism.

  A substrate holding plate 6 is provided between the fixed portions 3A and 3B of the X-axis drive mechanism on the gantry 1, and in order to make this substrate holding plate 6 rotatable in the θ axis direction, the θ axis is rotated. A table 7 is provided, and a substrate holder 6 is provided on the θ-axis rotary table 7. The glass substrate 8 is sucked and held on the substrate holding plate 6. Further, the gantry 1 is provided with a monitor 11 and a keyboard 12 and incorporates a main control unit 9 and a sub-control unit 10.

  2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of one embodiment of the coating heads 5A to 5D in FIG. 1, wherein 13 is a base, 14 is a detector, 15 is a Z-axis servomotor, 16 is a Z-axis guide, 17 Is a Z-axis table, 18 is an image recognition camera, 19 is an optical distance meter, 20 is a paste storage / discharge unit, 21 is a nozzle support, and 22 is a nozzle.

  Since the configuration and operation of the coating heads 5A to 5D are the same, they are collectively referred to as the coating head 5.

  In this figure, the base 13 of the coating head 5 is attached to the frames 2A and 2B so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The detection unit 14 provided on the frame 13 causes the coating head 5 to The position on the frames 2A and 2B, that is, the position in the Y-axis direction on the substrate holding board 6 (FIG. 1) is detected.

  The base 13 is provided with a Z-axis servomotor 15 and a Z-axis guide 16 attached thereto. A Z-axis table 17 is attached to the Z-axis guide 16 with respect to the Z-axis guide 16 in the Z-axis direction (up and down). It is attached to be movable in the direction). Further, an optical distance meter 19 and an image recognition camera 18 are provided on the Z-axis table 17, and a paste storage / discharge unit 20 is provided on the optical distance meter 19.

  The Z-axis servo motor 15 is a paste storage / discharge unit along the Z-axis guide 16 under the control of the sub-control unit 10 (FIG. 1) based on the detection result of the optical distance meter 19 installed on the Z-axis table 17. 20, the optical distance meter 19, and the image recognition camera 18 are driven in the Z-axis direction.

  A nozzle support 21 is provided at the lower end of the paste storage / discharge unit 20, and a nozzle 22 having a paste discharge opening opened toward the glass substrate 8 (FIG. 1) is attached to the tip of the paste support / discharge unit 20. Yes. The paste storage / discharge unit 20 and the nozzle 22 communicate with each other via a nozzle support 21, and the position of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 22 is the distance of the optical optical distance meter 19 on the upper surface of the glass substrate 8. Although it deviates from the reflection point of the measurement light, it is very close. Since the amount of deviation is set so as not to be affected by the unevenness of the surface of the glass substrate 8, the surface of the glass substrate 8 is controlled by controlling the Z-axis servo motor 15 based on the measurement result of the optical distance meter 19. The vertical distance (interval) to the surface (upper surface) of the glass substrate 8 can always be kept constant by moving the tip of the nozzle 22 up and down in accordance with the undulation (unevenness).

  3 is an external perspective view showing a specific example of the paste storing / discharging unit 20 of the coating head 5 shown in FIG. 2, wherein 23 is a parent paste storing cylinder (parent syringe), and 24 is a child paste storing cylinder (child syringe). ), 25 is a gate valve cylinder, and 26 is a flow path block. The same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in FIG.

  In the figure, the paste storage / discharge unit 20 has two functions of paste storage and discharge, and a parent paste storage cylinder 23 for executing the paste storage function and a paste discharge function. The main feature is that it is composed of the child paste storage cylinder 24. The parent paste storage cylinder 23 is a paste storage cylinder having a function of storing a replenished application material (here, a paste as a sealing material), and the child paste storage cylinder 24 has a substantially constant application pressure. The paste storage cylinder has a function of drawing by discharging the paste from the nozzle 22.

  In this embodiment, a standard syringe with a capacity of 120 cc is used as the parent paste storage cylinder 23, and the paste is filled from the top of the parent paste storage cylinder 23 using a dedicated jig. Is done by. As the parent paste storage cylinder 23, a commercially available filled paste storage cylinder can be used, and at that time, it can be dealt with by changing to a screw type luer taper specification. Moreover, since the pressurization for paste application is not performed, a plastic syringe can also be used.

  The child paste storage cylinder 24 stores paste discharged from the nozzle 22 for drawing, and the child paste storage cylinder is filled with the paste stored in the parent paste storage cylinder 23. The volume of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is about 0.5 cc, which is about 1/250 times the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder 23 (120 cc), but is usually 1/10 to 1/100. You may use the paste storage cylinder of the volume of the ratio of about twice.

  The flow block 26 is provided with a paste discharge passage from the child paste storage cylinder 24 to the noise support 21 and a paste filling passage for filling the paste from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 into the child paste storage cylinder. Yes. The gate valve cylinder 25 is for operating a gate valve that opens and closes the paste filling flow path from the parent paste storage tube 23 to the child paste storage tube 24.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing each part in FIG. 3 in more detail, wherein 27 is a paste filling flow path on the parent paste storage cylinder 23 side, 28 is a paste discharge flow path, 29 is a valve chamber, 30 is a gate valve, 31 Is a tube for applying pressure, 32 is a fiber sensor, and 33 is an air piping tube. The parts corresponding to those in FIG.

  In the figure, one end of a paste filling flow path 27 is connected to the lower end of the parent paste storage cylinder 23, and a gate valve 30 is stored at the other end of the paste filling flow path 27. Connected to the valve chamber 29. This is referred to as a paste filling channel 27 on the parent paste storage cylinder 23 side. Although not shown, a paste filling passage connected from the valve chamber 29 to the paste discharge passage 28, that is, a paste filling passage on the side of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is connected.

  Normally, the gate valve 30 closes the paste filling flow path 27 on the parent paste storage cylinder 23 side by pushing a rod (not shown) by operating the gate valve cylinder 25, thereby The entire paste filling flow path is kept closed by the gate valve 30, but when the paste stored in the parent paste storage tube 23 is filled into the child paste storage tube 24, the gate valve cylinder 25 is activated. Then the rod pulls the gate valve 30. At this time, the paste from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 is filled in the paste filling flow path 27 on the parent paste storage cylinder 23 side. However, when the gate valve 30 is pulled by the rod, The paste filling flow path 27 is opened. Thereby, the whole paste filling flow path will be in an open state. At this time, air pressure is applied from the air pipe tube 33 as means for applying air pressure into the parent paste storage cylinder 23, and thereby, the child paste is transferred from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 via the paste filling flow path 27. The paste is pumped to the storage cylinder 24 and filled into the child paste storage cylinder 24.

  Here, the pressure of the paste generated when the paste is pumped through the paste filling flow path 27 is also applied to the nozzle 22 side via the paste discharge flow path 28 from the child paste storage cylinder 24. In contrast, since the inner diameter of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is much larger, almost all of the paste is pumped to the child paste storage cylinder 24 side. In addition, depending on the properties of the paste, the paste may leak out from the nozzle 22, but in this case, abandoned drawing (processing for discharging the paste at a position different from the original drawing position) in the cleaning operation of the nozzle 22 is performed. By doing so, the paste adhering to the nozzle 22 is removed.

  In the child paste storage cylinder 24, the fiber sensor 32 installed on the upper side thereof detects the liquid level position of the paste in the child paste storage cylinder 24, so that the amount of paste stored in the child paste storage cylinder 24 is always constant. When the filling amount of the paste filled in the child paste storage cylinder 24 from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 through the paste filling flow path 27 reaches the first predetermined threshold value, the filling is completed. As a thing, the cylinder 25 for gate valves operates, pushes a rod, and the gate valve 30 closes the paste filling flow path 27. FIG. At the same time, the application of the air pressure from the air piping tube 33 to the parent paste storage cylinder 23 is completed. The first threshold value at this time is, for example, about 0.5 cc as described above, but is not limited thereto.

  Here, air pressure is applied from the air pipe tube 33 into the parent paste storage cylinder 23 only when the paste is filled from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 into the child paste storage cylinder 24. As long as the gate valve 30 can close the paste filling flow path 27 by pressing, air pressure may be constantly applied from the air piping tube 33 in the parent paste storage cylinder 23.

  On the other hand, in the child paste storage cylinder 24, the amount of paste stored by the drawing operation is reduced, and the storage amount is reduced to, for example, a second threshold value that cannot fully draw the paste pattern on the set glass substrate 8. In this case, the fiber sensor 32 detects this and turns off. Further, when the amount of the paste stored from the parent paste storage tube 23 in the child paste storage tube 24 becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, the fiber sensor 32 detects this and turns on.

  In the automatic operation, when the amount of paste stored in the child paste storage cylinder 24 becomes equal to or less than the second threshold due to the drawing of the paste pattern, the fiber sensor 32 is turned off when the drawing operation of the glass substrate at this time ends. To do. Then, the loading / unloading operation of the glass substrate 8 is performed, and the above paste filling operation from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 to the child paste storage cylinder 24 is automatically started during the operation time zone (the time zone when the drawing operation is not performed). Is done. When the amount of paste stored in the child paste storage cylinder 24 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the fiber sensor 32 is turned on and the filling operation to the child paste storage cylinder 24 is terminated. As a result, the paste pattern drawing operation is performed on the next newly mounted glass substrate 8.

  During the paste pattern drawing operation, the application pressure (air pressure) is applied from the application pressure applying tube 31 as an application means for applying air pressure to the child paste storage cylinder 24 while the gate valve 30 is closed. Even if this is done, it is possible to prevent the paste from flowing back to the parent paste storage cylinder 24 side. In such a backflow preventing state, a slight air pressure was applied from the electropneumatic regulator (not shown) to the child paste storage cylinder 24 via the coating pressure adding tube 31 and pressurized from the nozzle 22. The paste is discharged and applied to the glass substrate 8 (FIG. 1).

  For this reason, in the child paste storage cylinder 24, the amount of paste is stabilized in a substantially constant state at the position where the fiber sensor 32 becomes the ON-OFF threshold value, and the fluctuation of the free capacity of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is reduced. be able to. By frequently repeating the filling operation and the application operation in the child paste storage cylinder 24 by turning the fiber sensor 31 on and off, the inside of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is not emptied, and the fluctuation of the application pressure is also suppressed. be able to.

  On the other hand, as in the conventional case, when only a paste storage cylinder having a large volume, such as the parent paste storage cylinder 23, is used, the free volume increases as the paste is consumed, and the air is a compressive fluid. Even if the pressure is adjusted, the change in pressure is first transmitted to the air, and then to the paste. Variations occur in the paste discharge operation, rendering the drawing process unstable. In that respect, in the present invention, the child paste storage tube 24 having a small volume is provided with respect to the parent paste storage tube 23, and the paste for drawing is discharged from the child paste storage tube. Even in this child paste storage cylinder, although air pressure is applied as in the case of the parent paste storage cylinder 23, the volume is originally small, and the fluctuation of the free volume can be reduced by monitoring with the fiber sensor 31. A means for adjusting the pressure to be applied. The followability to the control of the electric air regulator (not shown) is improved, and the discharge amount is stabilized. That is, by supplying the sealing material 27 to the child paste storage cylinder 24 in such a short cycle, the paste volume in the child paste storage cylinder 24 is kept almost constant and stable drawing processing is performed. Will be able to.

  In this embodiment, the volume of the child paste storage cylinder 24 is about 0.5 cc, and the ratio is about 1/250 times the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder 23. A paste storage cylinder having a volume of 100 times may be used.

  In the past, due to the problem of line width stability after applying the paste, it was often necessary to delicately manage the application pressure at the start and end, and at the corners. As a result, it is possible to manage the coating pressure without time delay to the paste, so that the drawing of the end of the pattern and the una portion is also stabilized.

  Here, in the parent paste storage cylinder 23, air pressure is applied from the air piping tube 33 only when the paste is pumped to the child paste storage cylinder 24, and in the child paste storage cylinder 24, the paste is only drawn on the glass substrate 8. Air pressure is applied from the pressure applying tube 31. Except when air pressure is applied, both the parent paste storage cylinder 23 and the child paste storage cylinder 24 are open to atmospheric pressure.

  Comparing this embodiment with a conventional mechanical syringe system using a screw-type paste storage cylinder, from the viewpoint of maintainability, as described above, the mechanical syringe system consists of complicated means, and the gap Adjustment is difficult and maintainability during cleaning is not good. On the other hand, in the cleaning using the child paste storage cylinder according to this embodiment, the parent paste storage cylinder 23, the child paste storage cylinder 24, the flow path block 26 including the gate valve 30 and the paste filling flow path 27, the nozzle 22, the flow It is limited to plugs and gaskets attached to the road block 26. Since the gate 25 for the partition valve, which is the drive source of the gate valve 30, does not contact the paste, it can remain fixed on the apparatus main body side and is not a cleaning target. Therefore, the number of objects to be cleaned is smaller, there are no complicated shapes, and the time required for disassembly and reassembly is greatly reduced compared to cleaning the rotor blades and surrounding parts with the conventional screw-type coating head. it can. In addition, accuracy adjustment time after assembly can be shortened, and maintainability is greatly improved.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a specific example of the configuration in the flow path block 26 in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein 23a and 24a are paste storage tube mounting portions, 27a is a paste filling flow path, 29a is a front wall surface, Reference numeral 34 denotes a suction port, and 35 denotes a discharge port. Parts corresponding to those in the previous drawings are given the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.

  In the drawing, a front wall 29a of the valve chamber 29 is provided with a suction port 34 and a discharge port 35. The valve 30 (FIG. 4) is arranged to open and close the suction port 34 and the discharge port 35. It contacts or leaves the front wall 29a.

  The paste filling flow path 27 on the side of the parent paste storage cylinder 23 connects the parent paste storage cylinder 23 attached to the attachment portion 23 a to the suction port 34 of the valve chamber 29, and the discharge port of the valve chamber 29. 35 is connected to the paste discharge flow path 28 from the sub paste storage cylinder 24 attached to the attachment portion 24a by the paste filling flow path 27a on the sub paste storage cylinder 24 side.

  When applying the paste to the glass substrate 8 (FIG. 1), the inlet port 34 and the outlet port 35 are blocked by the gate valve 30 in the valve chamber 29 by the action of the cylinder 25 for the gate valve (FIG. 4). The paste filling path 27 is in a cut-off state. As a result, the paste in the child paste storage cylinder 23 is sent to the nozzle 22 via the paste discharge flow path 28. When filling the paste into the child paste storage cylinder 23, the gate valve 30 is separated from the front wall surface 29 a of the valve chamber 29 by the action of the cylinder 25 for the valve in the valve chamber 29, and the suction port 34 and the discharge port 35. Are opened, and the parent paste storage cylinder 23 and the child paste storage cylinder 24 communicate with each other via the paste filling channels 27 and 27a. As a result, the paste is filled from the parent paste storage cylinder 23 into the child paste storage cylinder 24 as described above.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a specific example of a paste pattern applied on the glass substrate 8 in this embodiment, where PTa to PTd are paste patterns, and Sa to Sd are application start positions of the paste patterns PTa to PTd.

  In this figure, in this specific example, four paste patterns PTa to PTd are applied on the substrate 8 by the four application heads 5A to 5D shown in FIG. These paste patterns PTa to PTd have the same shape, and two-dimensional path data from the application start position Sa to Sd to the end position is set.

  Here, the application start position Sa of the paste pattern PTa is at the coordinates (X1, Yl) with the center 0 of the glass substrate 8 as the origin, and the application start position Sb of the paste pattern PTb is at the coordinates (X2, Y2). It is assumed that the application start position Sc of the paste pattern PTc is similarly set to the coordinates (X3, Y3) and the application start position Sd of the paste pattern PTd is also set to the coordinates (X4, Y4).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the paste pattern application drawing operation shown in FIG. 6 of the above embodiment.

  In the figure, first, the power is turned on (step 100), and the apparatus is initially set (step 200).

  In this initial setting, in FIG. 1, the servo motor is driven to rotate the θ-axis rotary table 7, thereby moving the substrate holder 6 in the θ-axis direction to position it at a predetermined reference angle. By driving the linear motors of 4B and the coating heads 5A to 5D, the coating heads 5A to 5D are moved to set the paste discharge at the tip of the nozzles at a predetermined origin position, and the paste pattern Two-dimensional path data and positioning mark data from the application start position to the end position of PTa to PTd, paste application height (from the surface of the glass substrate 8 to the paste discharge port at the tip of the nozzle 22 for each of the application heads 5A to 5D) ) And other settings.

  These data are input from the keyboard 12 (FIG. 1), and each input data is input to the microcomputer which is a component of the main controller 9 (FIG. 1) and the microcomputer which is a component of the sub controller 10 (FIG. 1). The data is stored in a built-in RAM and stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk included as an external storage device for the control units 9 and 10.

  When the above initial setting (step 200) is completed, the glass substrate 8 is then placed on the substrate holder 6 and held (step 300).

  Subsequently, the glass substrate 8 is positioned (step 400). In this process, the positioning mark on the glass substrate 8 on which the arbitrary image recognition camera 18 initially set in step 200 of the image recognition cameras 18 (FIG. 3) of the coating heads 5A to 5D is placed on the substrate holding board 6 is used. The positioning mark is photographed by positioning at a position where photographing can be performed. The inclination of the glass substrate 8 in the θ-axis direction is corrected by driving the θ-axis rotary table 7 with a servo motor based on the detection result of the center of gravity position of the photographed positioning mark.

  When the positioning of the glass substrate 8 in step 400 is completed, a paste application operation is then performed (step 500). Details of the coating operation will be described.

  First, it is confirmed whether or not there is an uncoated pattern on the glass substrate 8, that is, whether or not there is a pattern that has to be coated but has not yet been coated and drawn. Since all patterns to be applied have not been applied at the start of application, the application heads 5A to 5D are moved to the next application start point.

  It is confirmed that patterns to be drawn (here, four patterns) have the same shape, and if the patterns are the same, it is confirmed that the patterns can be applied simultaneously.

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the nozzles 22 are within the interference range at the application start position, and a process of moving to the application start point is performed. In the case of interference, a standby operation to stop and wait is performed.

  When the movement to the application start point is completed, the gap setting process for the nozzles 22 of the application heads 5A to 5D is performed. This gap is the height of the tip of the nozzle 22 from the paste application surface of the glass substrate 8, and this step is performed by driving the Z-axis servo motor 15 (FIG. 2) in the application heads 5A to 5D. The Z-axis table 17 (FIG. 2) is moved in the Z-axis direction, and paste patterns PTa to PTd (FIG. 6) for applying the position of the paste discharge port at the tip of each nozzle 22 (distance from the upper surface of the glass substrate 8). The coating height is set.

  For this purpose, first, for each of the coating heads 5 </ b> A to 5 </ b> D, the nozzles 22 are lowered by the initial moving distance based on the initial moving distance data for the nozzles 22 set in advance, and the surface of the glass substrate 8 is moved. Are measured with distance meters (that is, optical distance meters 19 (FIG. 3)) provided respectively. Next, it is confirmed for each of the coating heads 5A to 5D whether or not the tip of each nozzle 22 is set to a height for drawing a paste pattern, and the tip of each nozzle 22 is set to a height for drawing a paste pattern. If so, the gap setting process ends.

  If the tip of the nozzle 22 is not set to the height at which the paste pattern is drawn, the nozzle is lowered by a small distance, and the distance to the paste application surface of the glass substrate 8 is measured by the optical distance meter 19. The distance measurement and the minute distance descent of the nozzles 22 are repeated, and this process is repeated until the tips of all the nozzles 22 are set to the height at which the paste pattern is drawn.

  When the above gap setting process is completed, a paste application movement process is then performed. While the paste discharge port at the tip of the nozzle 22 of each of the coating heads 5A to 5D is opposed to the glass substrate 8, the coating heads 5A to 5D are moved in the X and Y axis directions according to the paste pattern data. Then, a slight air pressure is applied to the child paste storage cylinder 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the coating heads 5A to 5D, and the discharge of the paste is started from the paste discharge port at the tip of each nozzle 22. Thus, the paste application process (step 500) is performed.

  When the paste application process (step 500) is completed, the glass substrate 6 on which the paste application has been completed is then released from the substrate holder 6 (FIG. 1), and the glass substrate 8 is discharged out of the apparatus (step 600). When a paste pattern is formed in the same pattern on a plurality of glass substrates 6 (“No” in step 700), the above operation from step 300 is re-executed on the substrate 6 on which a paste pattern is newly applied and drawn. Thereafter, when a series of paste pattern drawing processes for all the glass substrates 6 are finished (“Yes” in step 700), the operation is finished (step 800).

  As described above, in this embodiment, by providing the child paste storage cylinder 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4), the coating pressure applied to the paste in the child paste storage cylinder 24 is stabilized from start to finish. The coating start positions Sa to Sd of PTa to PTd, the respective end ends, and the corner portions were also able to have a stable coating amount as with the straight portions.

  Here, in the process of forming a paste pattern with the same pattern on a plurality of glass substrates 6 (repeating steps 300 to 700), each time the paste pattern drawing operation on the glass substrate 6 is completed, the glass substrate 6 is unloaded. Although the insertion operation is performed, a time zone during which the application operation is not performed is utilized, and the paste filling process and the discard drawing process from the parent paste storage cylinder 24 side to the child paste storage cylinder 24 are performed as necessary. I am doing so. By doing so, replenishment (filling) of the paste into the child paste storage cylinder 24 can be executed every time when one glass substrate 8 is carried in / out.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the coating head according to the present invention. Reference numeral 36 denotes an ultrasonic sensor, and the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in FIG.

  In this figure, this embodiment uses an ultrasonic sensor 36 instead of the fiber sensor 32 in FIG. 4 as means for detecting the liquid level of the paste in the child paste storage cylinder 24 in the coating head 5. It is. The only difference from the coating head 5 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 is that the distance from the transmission of ultrasonic waves to the reception of the distance to the paste liquid surface is detected. Other configurations and operations are as shown in FIG. It is the same as the head 5.

  The liquid level detecting means is intended to detect the amount of paste in the child paste storage cylinder 24. For this reason, in addition to using ultrasonic waves in this way, the child paste storage cylinder 24 is used. There is no problem at all even if it is replaced with a method of installing an optical transmission sensor on the outer wall surface of the wall or a method of monitoring using a mass meter.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since it is no longer affected by the residual capacity of the paste in the parent paste storage cylinder 23, it is possible to perform stable drawing from start to finish while maintaining the set value of the application pressure according to the initial condition setting. became.

  In addition, maintenance such as cleaning can be performed without greatly reducing the processing tact, and the risk of contamination by foreign matters can be reduced.

  Furthermore, not only the normal application but also the application pressure management time by suck back can be reduced, so that the drawing at the end portion at the start point and the end point is stabilized.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2A, 2B Frame 3A, 3B Fixed part 4A-4D Movable part 5A-5D Coating head 6 Substrate holding board 7 θ axis rotary table 8 Glass substrate 13 Base 14 Detection part 15 Z-axis servomotor 16 Z-axis guide 17 Z Axis table 18 Image recognition camera 19 Optical distance meter 20 Paste storage / discharge unit 21 Nozzle support 22 Nozzle 23 Parent paste storage cylinder (parent syringe)
24 Child paste storage cylinder (child syringe)
23a, 24a Paste storage cylinder mounting part 25 Gate valve cylinder 26 Flow path block 27, 27a Paste filling flow path 28 Paste discharge flow path 29 Valve chamber 29a Front wall 30 Partition valve 31 Tube for applying pressure 32 Fiber sensor 33 Air piping Tube 34 Inlet port 35 Outlet port 36 Ultrasonic sensor

Claims (12)

Those coating material parent paste receiving cylinder to be accommodated to the coating material storage cylinder is filled for accommodating the coating material, and saves the equivalent coating material temporarily ejected paste from a nozzle at a constant applied pressure consists of child paste storage cylinder having a function for drawing Te,
It said parent paste containing cylinder, and is the element paste containing cylinder, provided with an air pressure application means for applying air pressure,
Said first flow path of this coating material of the from output port retrieving the coating material from the parent paste receiving cylinder connected to the gate valve, the said gate valve to the substrate the coating material from the lower end of the element paste receiving cylinder connected to the second flow path leading to a nozzle for discharging said second flow path is connected to the lower end of the element paste receiving cylinder,
Further, the paste coating head, characterized in that the coating material storage amount detecting means for detecting a storage amount of the coating material on top of the element paste receiving cylinder is provided. In the paste application head according to claim 1,
The air pressure application unit of the parent paste containing cylinder, when replenishing the coating material in the element paste containing cylinder from the parent paste containing cylinder, the air pressure to the parent paste receiving cylinder within the open state of the gate valve Applied,
The air pressure application means child paste containing cylinder, when discharging the coating material from the nozzle, and wherein the benzalkonium be applied the air pressure in the resonator paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve Paste application head. In the paste coating head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,
The coating material storage amount detecting means of said child paste containing cylinder is pasted, characterized in that by receiving the optical light reflected by the liquid surface of the coating material is a sensor that detects the storage amount of the coating material head. In the paste application head according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The paste application head characterized in that the volume of the child paste storage cylinder is smaller than the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder. Was filled with the coating material coating material containing cylinder and those coating materials gantry was set only movably one or more coating heads having a nozzle discharge port for discharging the coating material from the storage cylinder is 1 or on multiple frame by installed, those the gantry with respect to the substrate mounted on the installed substrate mount table on those cross-platform is moved, those coating head moves to those said gantry, those substrate in the coating apparatus by those coating head is moved to eject those wherein the discharge nozzles onto the person substrate equivalent coating material with respect to,
The coating material the coating material storage cylinder parent paste receiving cylinder to be accommodated those coating material filled is for housing of the coating head, and saves the equivalent coating material temporarily, at a constant coating pressure consists child paste receiving cylinder having a function for drawing by discharging a paste from a nozzle,
It said parent paste containing cylinder, and is the element paste containing cylinder, provided with air pressure means for applying air pressure,
Said first flow path of this coating material of the from output port retrieving the coating material from the parent paste receiving cylinder connected to the gate valve, the said gate valve to the substrate the coating material from the lower end of the element paste receiving cylinder connected to the second flow path leading to a nozzle for discharging said second flow path is connected to the lower end of the element paste receiving cylinder,
Further, the paste coating apparatus characterized by the coating material storage amount detecting means for detecting a storage amount of the coating material on top of the element paste receiving cylinder is provided. The paste coating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
The air pressure application unit of the parent paste containing cylinder, when replenishing the coating material in the element paste containing cylinder from the parent paste containing cylinder, the air pressure to the parent paste receiving cylinder within the open state of the gate valve Applied,
The air pressure application means child paste containing cylinder, when discharging the coating material from the nozzle, and wherein the benzalkonium be applied the air pressure in the resonator paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve paste coating apparatus. In the paste applying apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein,
The coating material storage amount detecting means of said child paste containing cylinder is pasted, characterized in that by receiving the optical light reflected by the liquid surface of the coating material is a sensor that detects the storage amount of the coating material apparatus. In the paste application device according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
The paste application apparatus characterized in that the volume of the child paste storage cylinder is smaller than the volume of the parent paste storage cylinder. Was filled with the coating material coating material containing cylinder and those coating materials gantry was set only movably one or more coating heads having a nozzle discharge port for discharging the coating material from the storage cylinder is 1 or on multiple frame by installed, those the gantry with respect to the substrate mounted on the installed substrate mount table on those cross-platform is moved, those coating head moves to those said gantry, those substrate in those coating head is moved, the coating method of ejecting those the nozzle from the discharge port onto the skilled substrate equivalent coating material with respect to,
Wherein the coating material receiving cylinder for containing the coating material of the coating head, parent paste receiving cylinder to be accommodated those coating material filled, and while temporarily storing those coating materials, certain coating pressure in consisted of children paste receiving cylinder having a function for drawing by discharging a paste from a nozzle,
The air pressure application means provided in the parent paste containing cylinder and the element paste containing cylinder, to enable application of air pressure,
Substrate the coating material of the first flow path of this coating material from outlet to take out the coating material from the parent paste containing cylinder tie up the gate valve, the gate valve from the lower end of the element paste receiving cylinder joint Geteoki joint up to the second channel leading to a nozzle for discharging, the second flow path to the lower end of the element paste containing cylinder, the
Further, by the coating material storage amount detecting means provided in an upper portion of the element paste containing cylinder, child from the parent paste containing cylinder in response to a decrease of the coating fabric material of the result of detecting the storage amount of the coating material paste application method characterized by applying an equivalent coating material on the substrate with periodic replenishment of those coating material paste containing cylinder. The paste application method according to claim 9, wherein
When replenishing the coating material in the element paste containing cylinder from the parent paste containing cylinder, applying air pressure to the parent paste receiving cylinder within the open state of the gate valve by the air pressure application means of the parent paste receiving cylinder And
When discharging the coating material from the nozzle, the paste, wherein the benzalkonium be applied the air pressure in the resonator paste receiving cylinder within the closed state of the gate valve by the air pressure application means child paste receiving cylinder Application method. In the paste applying method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein,
The sensor for detecting the storage amount of the coating material of the child paste receiving cylinder, the storage amount of the coating material by receiving the optical light reflected by the liquid surface of the coating material in the child paste receiving cylinder within A method of applying paste, comprising detecting the paste. In the paste application | coating method of any one of Claims 9-11 ,
Paste coating wherein the volume of the child paste containing cylinder Kushida smaller than the volume of pre Kioya paste receiving cylinder.

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