JP6552977B2 - Elastic sheet for sealing device and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an elastic sheet for a sealing device and a method for producing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to an elastic sheet used in a sealing device used in a process of manufacturing a panel-shaped functional material device and a method of manufacturing the same.

In recent years, panel-shaped functional material devices are utilized in various fields. Examples of the functional material device include a modular display, a lighting device, and an optical element. More specifically, as functional material devices, touch panels, liquid crystal displays, OLED (organic light emitting diode) elements, organic EL displays, organic EL illuminators, optical films, optical filters, dye-sensitized solar cells, organic thin film solar cells A battery etc. are illustrated. These functional material devices are formed into a panel shape and incorporated into various devices. In recent years, the shape of the panel may be a three-dimensional panel shape such as a curved shape or a dome shape in addition to the conventional flat panel.

The functional material device usually includes a barrier layer and a protective layer so as to prevent chemical deterioration such as oxidation or hydrolysis of the functional material and physical deterioration such as dropping of the functional material. Such a barrier layer or protective layer is bonded in a vacuum environment using a so-called sealing device so as to be in close contact with and integrated with the functional material.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sealing device A including a vacuum chamber, an elastic diaphragm 31, and an elastic sheet 22, and a sealing substrate (for example, a barrier layer) held on the elastic sheet 22 by the sealing device; A technology for integrating a molded substrate (for example, the main body of an organic EL display device) placed on a jig 5 in a vacuum environment is disclosed, and according to the technology, air from a functional material thin film layer is disclosed. It is disclosed that a functional material device having a three-dimensional shape that eliminates the above can be manufactured. For reference, the figure in Patent Document 1 is cited and shown as FIG.

JP, 2015-79587, A

In such a sealing device, the molded substrate placed on the jig 5 and the sealed substrate held by the elastic sheet 22 are accurately overlapped and integrated, and air is left between the molded substrate and the sealed substrate. In order not to do so, it is necessary to integrate in a vacuum environment to manufacture a functional material device. Therefore, in the conventional sealing device shown in FIG. 8, the seal member 25 is provided between the frame 21 holding the elastic sheet 22, the peripheral portion 30a of the upper vacuum vessel, and the peripheral portion 1a of the lower vacuum vessel. , And 37 to realize vacuuming in the vacuum chamber.

However, it is difficult to enhance the reliability of the seal between the frame 21 and the peripheral portions 30a, 1a of the vacuum vessel. Since the elastic sheet 22 is fixed to and held by the frame 21 so as to be tensioned with a predetermined tension, a strong tensile force is applied to the frame 21 by the elastic sheet 22. The tensile force causes the frame 21 to This is because the shape of the shape 21 is easily distorted, and the distance between the peripheral portions 30a and 1a is likely to vary. Increasing the rigidity of the frame body 21 is also limited due to constraints such as handling of the elastic sheet.

An object of the present invention is to increase the reliability of sealing of an opening of a vacuum container of a sealing device.

As a result of intensive investigations, the inventor forms an elastic sheet for a sealing device using a mesh, and provides a sealing member on the elastic sheet so as to penetrate the mesh, thereby enhancing the reliability of the seal of the opening of the vacuum container. As a result, the present invention was completed.

The present invention is an elastic sheet used for a sealing device used in a process of manufacturing a panel-shaped functional material device, wherein the elastic sheet is provided with an adsorption layer in a predetermined plane pattern with respect to the mesh having elasticity. And a sealing member having a closed shape is disposed to surround the adsorption layer, the sealing member being formed to penetrate the mesh, and at the portion where the sealing member is formed, It is an elastic sheet for a sealing device in which the resin material constituting the seal member is filled so as to be inserted between the mesh lines, and the space between the mesh lines is filled without gaps by the resin material filling ( First invention).

The present invention is also a method of manufacturing the elastic sheet for a sealing device according to the first invention, wherein the formation of the sealing member is performed by meshing a liquid or paste resin material in a region where the sealing member is to be formed. Filling the inside, and curing the resin material in the region,
It is a manufacturing method of the elastic sheet for sealing devices made by including (2nd invention). In the second invention, it is preferable that the liquid or paste resin material is a photocurable resin material, and the resin material be cured by irradiation of ultraviolet light (third invention).

According to the elastic sheet for a sealing device (first invention) of the present invention, sealing of a vacuum container is performed by sandwiching the seal member formed on the mesh of the elastic sheet for a sealing device with the opening of the vacuum container. This increases the reliability of the seal.
Further, according to the method of manufacturing an elastic sheet for a sealing device of the second invention, the reliability of the seal can be further enhanced, and such a sealing member can be integrated efficiently and reliably into the mesh constituting the elastic sheet. .
Furthermore, according to the elastic sheet manufacturing method for a sealing device of the third invention, the sealing member can be manufactured particularly efficiently.

It is a perspective view which shows the elastic sheet of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the elastic sheet of 1st Embodiment. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows a portion of a seal member of an elastic sheet. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows a portion of an adsorption layer of an elastic sheet. It is a schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing method of the sealing member of the elastic sheet of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the usage pattern of the elastic sheet of 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the elastic sheet of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the sealing device of a prior art.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example an elastic sheet that can be used in a sealing device for manufacturing an organic EL light emitting panel. The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described below, but may be modified in form.

The perspective view of the elastic sheet 1 for sealing devices of 1st Embodiment is shown in FIG. 1, and XX sectional drawing of the elastic sheet 1 for sealing devices is shown in FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the seal member S, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the adsorption layer R. As shown in FIG.
The elastic sheet 1 is configured by providing an adsorption layer R in a predetermined plane pattern with respect to a mesh M having elasticity. The adsorption layer R is provided to be exposed at least on one side of the mesh M. The elastic sheet 1 has a closed sealing member S so as to surround the adsorption layer R. Further, the sealing member S is formed so as to penetrate the mesh M as shown in FIG. This seal member S is used for sealing a vacuum vessel. As described later, the sealing member S is formed so as to be sealable on both sides of the elastic sheet 1 by being sandwiched between the openings of the vacuum container of the sealing device.

The mesh M has the elasticity required in the sealing device. As a material of the wire which comprises a mesh, polyester, polyamide, urethane, stainless steel etc. can be illustrated. High-strength core-sheath fibers (for example, “VECRY” manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) can also be used as the lines constituting the mesh. As the mesh M, the thing of 50-1000 mesh can be used preferably, and the thing of 80-250 mesh can be used especially preferably as a raw material of the elastic sheet for sealing devices. In this embodiment, a 120-mesh mesh using a monofilament made of polyester resin is used.

The adsorption layer R is provided in a predetermined plane pattern. In the present embodiment, the adsorption layer R is provided in a plurality of parallel streak patterns. The planar pattern on which the adsorption layer is provided is not particularly limited, and may be a streak, a concentric circle, a comb, a wave, a lattice, a pattern in which a plurality of dots are dispersed, or a solid coat. A pattern in which a plurality of holes are scattered may be used. These planar patterns are determined according to the shape of the object to be held, the method of peeling, and the like.

The sealing substrate to be held is held by the elastic sheet 1 by the adsorption layer R. For example, the adsorption layer R may be formed by applying an adhesive to the mesh M in a predetermined pattern. Or the adsorption layer R can also be comprised by integrating the elastic layer made from rubber | gum with a smooth surface on the mesh M like the example shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the adsorption layer R is configured of an elastic layer having a smooth surface. In the following description of the present embodiment, the adsorption layer R is also expressed as an elastic layer.

As a material constituting the elastic layer of the present embodiment, a rubber material such as silicone rubber, fluorine rubber or isoprene rubber, or a resin material such as urethane resin can be used. These resin materials are preferably curable resins such as a rubber to be crosslinked and a resin that is cured by a reaction. The degree of elasticity of the elastic layer R is preferably about 40 to 80 in terms of Duro A hardness, and more preferably about 60 to 70 in terms of Duro A hardness. In this embodiment, the elastic layer is formed of a crosslinked silicone rubber having a duro A hardness of 65 degrees.

The surface Pt of the elastic layer is, for example, a smooth surface having a surface roughness Ra of 0.01 to 0.20 μm. The smooth surface Pt has adsorptivity, and holds the object (sealing substrate) using the adsorptivity of the smooth surface Pt. In the present embodiment, a mirror-like smooth surface having a surface roughness Ra of 0.1 μm or less is used.

The elastic layer R is integrated with the mesh M in such a form that a part of the elastic layer enters the opening portion of the mesh M. Therefore, the thickness of the elastic layer is different between the portion where the mesh line is present and the mesh opening portion. In FIG. 4, a state where the elastic layer R has entered the opening portion is indicated by a broken line. In the present embodiment, the diameter of the line forming the mesh M is 80 μm, the thickness of the elastic layer at the position where the lines forming the mesh intersect is 8 μm, and the thickness of the elastic layer in the mesh opening of the mesh Is set to 100 μm.

Such an elastic layer (adsorption layer R) can be obtained, for example, by the following method.
First, a transfer surface having a smooth surface is prepared, and a paste-like resin material is screen-printed on the transfer surface to form a flat pattern to be an elastic layer on the transfer surface using the paste-like resin material. Next, the mesh M is disposed so as to cover the flat pattern formed on the transfer surface by the resin material, and the mesh M is pressed toward the transfer surface, and a part of the paste-like resin material is mesh M The resin material has a predetermined thickness by adjusting the position in the thickness direction of the mesh while entering the opening. Thereafter, the resin material is cured, and the elastic layer having a predetermined pattern is integrated with the mesh M. Thereafter, the elastic layer is peeled off from the transfer surface integrated with the mesh M, and the elastic sheet 1 in which the adsorption layer (elastic layer) R is integrated with the mesh M can be obtained.

The seal member S will be described.
As a material which comprises sealing member S, rubber materials, such as silicone rubber, fluororubber, and isoprene rubber, and resin materials which have elasticity, such as urethane resin, can be used. These resin materials are preferably curable resins such as a rubber to be crosslinked and a resin that is cured by a reaction. The degree of elasticity of the sealing member S is preferably about 40 to 90 in Duro A hardness, and more preferably about 50 to 80 in Duro A hardness. In the present embodiment, the seal member S is formed of a 55 ° cross-linked silicone rubber having a Duro A hardness.

The resin material constituting the seal member S is preferably liquid or pasty in an uncured state. This is because the seal member S which penetrates the mesh M can be easily formed. The resin material constituting the sealing member S is preferably a photocurable resin material, and particularly preferably a photocurable resin material that is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. Further, the resin material constituting the sealing member S is preferably a resin having good adhesion to the lines constituting the mesh M from the viewpoint of improving the sealing property. As UV curable silicone rubber, KER-4690 of Shin-Etsu Silicone etc. are illustrated, for example.

The sealing member S is provided in a closed shape so as to surround the adsorption layer R. In the present embodiment, it is provided in a square planar shape. This shape is determined according to the shape of the opening to be sealed in the vacuum container of the sealing device. The cross-sectional shape of the seal member S is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the seal member S be shaped so as to protrude from the mesh M at both sides of the elastic sheet 1 so as to be sealable on both sides of the elastic sheet 1 . In addition, when a sealing member is provided also in the opening part side of a vacuum vessel, the sealing member of the elastic sheet 1 may not protrude from the mesh M.

In the cross-sectional shape of the sealing member S in the present embodiment, the surfaces (upper and lower surfaces of the sealing member S) in contact with the mating member (the opening of the vacuum vessel) are flat, and the cross-section is rectangular. The specific cross-sectional shape of the seal member, in particular, the shape of the portion in contact with the mating member may be determined by the seal performance etc. required, and a ridge or lip may be provided on the portion in contact with the mating member May be formed stepwise.

As shown in FIG. 3, the seal member S is formed so as to penetrate the mesh M. In the portion where the seal member S is provided, the resin material constituting the seal member S is filled so as to enter between the lines of the mesh M. The space between the mesh lines is filled without gaps by the resin filling. Therefore, even in the mesh portion, the movement of air in the direction crossing the seal member S (the left-right direction in FIG. 2) is prevented.

The elastic sheet 1 of the said embodiment can be used as a component of the sealing apparatus used in the manufacture process of the panel-shaped functional material device. For example, like the elastic sheet in the sealing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 (the elastic sheet 22 in the sealing device illustrated in FIG. 8), the elastic sheet 1 of the above embodiment can be preferably used. In the sealing device, the sealing substrate is adsorbed and held on the surface Pt of the adsorption layer R of the elastic sheet 1, and the sealing substrate and the molded substrate are integrated. The specific form in which the elastic sheet 1 is used, the operation of the sealing device, and the like are substantially the same, and thus the detailed description will be omitted. However, in the elastic sheet 1 of the said embodiment, since the sealing member S is integrated with the mesh M, the method of sealing a vacuum vessel differs. As shown in FIG. 6, when the elastic sheet 1 of the above embodiment is used for a sealing device, the opening of the lower vacuum vessel VC2 provided with the holding jig J and the opening of the upper vacuum vessel VC1 provided with the diaphragm DF The seal member S provided on the elastic sheet 1 is sandwiched between the opposing portions, and the opening of the vacuum vessel can be sealed.

The manufacturing method of the elastic sheet 1 of the said embodiment is demonstrated.
The method of providing the adsorption layer R on the mesh may be, for example, a method of applying an adhesive on the surface of the mesh M or the like. Alternatively, the elastic layer having a flat surface may be integrated with the mesh M as the adsorption layer R by the method described above.

Hereinafter, a method of integrally forming the seal member S on the mesh M will be exemplified. In addition, the manufacturing method of the sealing member S is not limited to this.
As shown in FIG. 5, the container C capable of containing the mesh M in a stretched state is prepared, and the mesh M is disposed at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface of the container C while keeping the bottom surface of the container C horizontal. To do. Then, the uncured liquid or paste resin material P to be the sealing member S is poured into the container C so that the mesh M is buried in the uncured resin material P (FIG. 5A). In this production example, liquid ultraviolet curable silicone rubber is used as the resin material P.

At this time, the mesh M is moved up and down or vacuum degassing is performed so that the uncured resin material P is filled without gaps in the mesh, that is, between the lines of the mesh. Then, the surface of the liquid or paste-like resin material P is made to be a horizontal flat surface. If the resin material P is in a liquid state, the surface can be made to be a horizontal flat surface by standing still. When the viscosity of the resin material P is high or when the resin material P is in a paste form, the surface may be leveled with a blade or the like to be a horizontal flat surface.

Thereafter, the portion to be the sealing member S is irradiated with ultraviolet light to cure the portion (FIG. 5 (b)). For example, with the mask MS provided with the same opening (translucent portion) as the planar shape of the seal member placed on the upper surface of the uncured resin material P, the ultraviolet rays UVL are irradiated from above. Alternatively, ultraviolet irradiation may be performed by scanning with an ultraviolet beam. By performing such ultraviolet irradiation, the uncured resin material P is cured in the region SR where the seal member is to be formed, and remains uncured in the other regions.

When the resin material is cured in the region SR where the seal member is to be formed, the mesh M is taken out of the container C, and the uncured resin material P is removed by cleaning or the like. An elastic sheet is obtained. You may perform secondary bridge | crosslinking as needed. If an adsorption layer R is further provided on this elastic sheet, the elastic sheet 1 of the first embodiment is obtained.

In the above manufacturing method, the entire mesh M is embedded in the liquid uncured resin material, but it is not necessary to do so, and the liquid or paste resin material is a mesh in the region SR where the seal member is to be formed. It may be filled inside. For example, a paste-form resin material is screen-printed on the mesh M using a mesh plate having an opening of a shape in which the seal member is to be formed, and the paste-form resin material is filled only in the portion where the seal member is formed. You may do it. If the resin material is filled inside the mesh of the region SR where the seal is to be formed without gaps so that the seal by the seal member 1 is performed reliably, the seal member S with a reliable sealing property can be obtained.

In the above manufacturing method, although the manufacturing method using ultraviolet curing has been described, when the paste-like resin material is filled only in the portion where the seal member is formed, the resin material is cured by heat. Also, the seal member S having a predetermined shape can be formed.

Alternatively, the seal member S may be divided and formed in a plurality of steps, for example, first, the resin material is filled inside the mesh in the region SR where the seal member S is to be formed, and the base of the seal member is used. After being made, the seal member S may be completed by adding a peak portion or a lip of the seal on the base by another means (for example, a dispenser or the like). When the seal member S contacts the opening of the vacuum container with a smooth surface, the transfer member such as a film is in close contact with the surface of the liquid or paste resin material. The formation may be performed, and the film may be peeled off after the formation of the seal member S to expose a smooth seal member surface. Also, such film members may be used to help push the resin material between the lines of the mesh.

The effect concerning the elastic sheet 1 for sealing devices of the said embodiment is demonstrated.
A sealing member S is integrally provided on the sealing device elastic sheet 1. By sandwiching the sealing member S between the openings of the vacuum container of the sealing device, the openings of the vacuum container can be sealed. . At this time, since the elastic sheet 1 is tightly stretched with a predetermined tension, the sealing member S is also arranged in a flat shape, and the gap with the opening of the vacuum vessel becomes uniform and is sandwiched. The seal when it is removed becomes more reliable. Further, since the seal member S disposed on the mesh M of the elastic sheet is displaceable in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the elastic sheet by the elasticity of the mesh M, the surface of the seal member S and the surface of the opening of the vacuum vessel Even if there is some non-uniformity in the gap between them, the elastic displacement can absorb the non-uniformity and make the seal more secure.

Further, in manufacturing the sealing device elastic sheet 1, the sealing member S is formed by filling the liquid or paste resin material P inside the mesh M in the region SR where the sealing member is to be formed, And curing the resin material P in the region SR, when using the obtained elastic sheet, in a direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 2) transverse to the seal member S. The movement of the air is reliably blocked and the seal is more secure. Moreover, according to such a manufacturing method, the seal member S can be integrated with the mesh M efficiently and reliably.

Furthermore, when the liquid or paste resin material used to form the seal member S is made a photocurable resin material, and the resin material is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light, the seal member S is particularly efficient. Can be manufactured.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, parts different from the above embodiment will be mainly described, and the detailed description of the same parts will be omitted. In addition, the embodiments described below can be implemented by combining some of them with each other or replacing some of them.

In FIG. 7, the perspective view of the elastic sheet 2 for sealing devices of 2nd Embodiment is shown. In the present embodiment, three suction portions R having a predetermined plane pattern (a pattern in which dots are scattered in the present embodiment) are provided for the mesh M. Then, three closed sealing members S, S are arranged so as to surround the respective suction portions R, R. Also according to this embodiment, the certainty of the seal is improved as in the elastic sheet 1 of the first embodiment.

Moreover, according to the elastic sheet 2 for sealing devices of 2nd Embodiment, three base | substrates can be hold | maintained at once, and sealing work can be made efficient. For example, in a process of forming a multilayer body having a multilayer structure by adsorbing and holding three types of substrates by the sealing device elastic sheet 2 and sequentially feeding it onto a molded substrate placed in one sealing device. It can be used. Alternatively, after sealing and holding three sealing substrates by the sealing device elastic sheet 2, the sealing substrate and the molding substrate are sent onto the molding substrates respectively placed in the three sealing devices. Can be used in the process of manufacturing three laminated bodies simultaneously.

Further, the specific configuration and application of the sealing substrate and the molded substrate, and the specific configuration of the sealing device are not particularly limited. Although the sealing device used for manufacture of a three-dimensional-shaped organic EL light emission panel is disclosed by patent document 1 illustrated as an example of the sealing device, the elastic sheet 1 for sealing devices of the said embodiment is It can also be used for a sealing device when manufacturing a flat panel. Moreover, it can also be used not for sealing of an organic light emission panel but sealing of a touch panel or a liquid crystal display device, for example.

The elastic sheet for a sealing device can be used for a sealing device for manufacturing a panel-shaped functional material device, and has high industrial utility value.

1 Sealing device elastic sheet M Mesh S Seal member R Adsorption layer (elastic layer)
Pt smooth surface (adsorption layer surface)
C container P uncured resin material MS mask SR seal member formation region UVL ultraviolet light VC1 and VC2 vacuum container DF diaphragm J jig

Claims (3)

An elastic sheet used in a sealing device used in the manufacturing process of a panel-shaped functional material device,
The elastic sheet is configured by providing an adsorption layer in a predetermined plane pattern with respect to the elastic mesh.
A closed sealing member is disposed so as to surround the adsorption layer,
The sealing member is formed so as to penetrate the mesh ,
In the portion where the seal member is formed, the resin material constituting the seal member is filled so as to enter between the mesh lines, and the space between the mesh lines is filled without gaps by filling the resin material. Elastic sheet for sealing device. A method for producing the elastic sheet for a sealing device according to claim 1,
The formation of the seal member
Filling the liquid or paste resin material inside the mesh in the area where the sealing member is to be formed, and curing the resin material in the area;
The manufacturing method of the elastic sheet for sealing devices made by including. The method for producing an elastic sheet for a sealing device according to claim 2, wherein the resin material in a liquid or paste form is a photocurable resin material, and the resin material is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

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