JP6845107B2 - Continuous coating device and continuous coating method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a continuous coating apparatus and a continuous coating method in which a coating liquid is continuously applied to a long film conveyed by roll-to-roll to form a circuit pattern with high accuracy.

Conventionally, technologies such as sputtering, CVD, and photolithography have been known for forming circuit patterns, but in recent years, circuit patterns using various printing technologies have been used to contribute to low cost, energy saving, and resource saving. Forming technology (printed electronics) is attracting attention. Above all, after the metal ink is dropped from the inkjet nozzle to the base material to form a circuit pattern, the insulating layer is dropped from the inkjet nozzle to the base material, and the metal ink is further dropped from the inkjet nozzle to the base material to form a circuit. A technique for forming a multi-layered circuit pattern by forming a pattern has been developed.

Further, in order to apply the coating liquid to the long film, it is often practiced to continuously apply the long film by roll-to-roll transfer from the viewpoint of production efficiency. However, when the long film is transported by roll-to-roll and applied, it is necessary to apply the film in response to the distortion and expansion and contraction that occur in the long film.

In Patent Document 1, an imaging device and a coating head are provided facing one coating roll, and the distortion of a long film wound around the coating roll and conveyed is grasped by using the imaging device, and the distortion is determined according to the distortion. Described is a continuous coating apparatus that forms a coating pattern with high accuracy by correcting the discharge timing of the coating liquid by the coating head.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-666544

However, even with the continuous coating apparatus having the configuration of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the coating pattern cannot be accurately formed on the long film. Specifically, if the cross section of the coating roll is not a perfect circle, an error will occur in the transfer of the long film by the coating roll, and it is only necessary to correct the discharge timing of the coating liquid by the coating head according to the distortion of the long film. There is a problem that a coating pattern cannot be formed on a long film with high accuracy.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous coating apparatus capable of accurately applying a coating liquid to a long film while continuously transporting the coating liquid in a roll-to-roll manner.

In order to solve the above problems, the continuous coating device of the present invention is a continuous coating device that continuously conveys a long film and coats a predetermined pattern, and an alignment pattern is provided on a film contact surface around which the long film is wound. A coating roll that is a substantially cylindrical roll body that rotates around the central axis of the roll body as a rotation axis, a pattern reading unit that reads the alignment pattern, and the predetermined long film wound around the coating roll. A coating head for applying a pattern and a control unit for controlling the coating operation of the coating head are provided, and the control unit discharges a coating liquid from the coating head based on the reading result of the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit. It is characterized by correcting the timing.

According to the continuous coating apparatus of the present invention, the coating liquid can be accurately applied to the long film while being continuously conveyed by roll-to-roll. Specifically, the control unit corrects the discharge timing of the coating liquid from the coating head based on the reading result of the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit, so that even if the coating roll is distorted, the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit Since it can be grasped from the reading result of, the timing of discharging the coating liquid from the coating head can be corrected based on the distortion, and the coating liquid can be applied to the long film with high accuracy.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, the continuous coating device of the present invention is a continuous coating device that continuously conveys a long film and coats a predetermined pattern, and has an alignment pattern on a film contact surface around which the long film is wound. Is a substantially cylindrical roll body provided with, a coating roll that rotates around the central axis of the roll body as a rotation axis, a control unit that controls the rotation operation of the coating roll, and a pattern reading unit that reads the alignment pattern. A coating head for coating the predetermined pattern on the long film wound around the coating roll, and the control unit rotates the coating roll based on the reading result of the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit. It is characterized by correction.

According to the continuous coating apparatus of the present invention, the coating liquid can be accurately applied to the long film while being continuously conveyed by roll-to-roll. Specifically, the control unit corrects the rotation operation of the coating roll based on the alignment pattern reading result by the pattern reading unit, so that even if the coating roll is distorted, the alignment pattern reading result by the pattern reading unit is used. Since it can be grasped, the rotational movement of the coating roll can be corrected based on the distortion, and the coating liquid can be applied to the long film with high accuracy.

Further, the coating roll may be configured by winding a thin plate or a film provided with the alignment pattern around the outer peripheral surface of a substantially cylindrical roll body.

By doing so, the alignment pattern can be easily provided on the film contact surface of the coating roll.

Further, the alignment pattern may be in contact with the long film, and the static friction coefficient of the alignment pattern may be different from the static friction coefficient of a portion of the coating roll on the film contact surface other than the alignment pattern.

By doing so, the long film wound around the coating roll is less likely to slip, and the coating liquid can be applied with higher accuracy.

Further, the alignment pattern may protrude from the film contact surface of the coating roll.

By doing so, slippage is less likely to occur on the long film wound on the coating roll, and the coating liquid can be applied with higher accuracy.

Further, the thin plate or the film may have translucency, and the alignment pattern may be provided on the surface on the side in contact with the roll body.

By doing so, the alignment pattern can be provided without causing unevenness on the film contact surface of the coating roll, so that it is possible to prevent the long film from being damaged.

With a simple configuration, the coating liquid can be accurately applied to a long film while being continuously conveyed by roll-to-roll.

It is a figure explaining the continuous coating apparatus and continuous coating method in this invention. It is a figure which shows the coating roll in Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining an example of the long film which laminated the 1st insulating layer, the 1st layer circuit pattern, and the 2nd insulating layer. It is a figure explaining an example of the long film which laminated the 2nd layer circuit pattern on the 2nd insulating layer. It is a top view explaining the coating head in Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the processing flow of the discharge cycle adjustment part in Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the processing flow of the coating data adjustment part in Example 2 of this invention.

Example 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a continuous coating apparatus and a continuous coating method in the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a coating roll according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a long film in which a first insulating layer, a first layer circuit pattern, and a second insulating layer are laminated. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a long film in which a second layer circuit pattern is laminated on a second insulating layer. FIG. 5 is a top view for explaining the coating head according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the discharge cycle adjusting unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transport direction of the long film 2 is the X direction, the width direction of the long film 2 orthogonal to the X direction is the Y direction, and the XY plane composed of the X direction and the Y direction. The direction orthogonal to is the Z direction. The long film 2 is unwound from a winding roll (not shown), conveyed by a roll-to-roll method of being wound on a winding roll (not shown), and is a continuous coating device located between the unwinding roll and the winding roll. 10 is guided from the substantially + X direction to the substantially -X direction (see FIG. 1). The long film 2 conveyed to the continuous coating device 10 is wound around the coating roll 1 in a state where an appropriate tension is applied so as not to bend. After being wound around the coating roll 1, the long film 2 is continuously conveyed in the + X direction.

The coating roll 1 has a cylindrical shape and is arranged along the Y-axis direction in which the central axis is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the long film 2, so that the long film 2 is wound around the coating roll 1. Then, it rotates with this central axis as a rotation axis. Further, this rotating shaft is connected to a servomotor (not shown), and the coating roll 1 can be rotated and stopped by driving and controlling the servomotor by the control unit 9. Further, the long film 2 is configured to be wound around the coating roll 1 from substantially the + X direction and conveyed in the + X direction so that the holding angle θ of the long film 2 has a sufficient size. The holding angle θ of the long film 2 is set to about 120 ° to 180 ° because the larger the holding angle θ, the less slippery the film 2 can be transported stably. The cross-sectional diameter of the coating roll 1 has a large size (for example, 300 to 400 mm) so that the winding length of the long film 2 becomes long, and the length in the Y direction is that of the long film 2. The length corresponds to the width.

The long film 2 in the first embodiment is configured to be guided from the substantially + X direction to the substantially −X direction, wound around the coating roll 1, and then continuously conveyed in the + X direction, but the conveying direction is not necessarily the same. Not limited to this, the long film 2 may be wound around the coating roll 1 so as to have a sufficiently large holding angle θ by applying an appropriate tension so as not to bend, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the convenience of the manufacturing process. For example, the long film 2 may be wound around the coating roll 1 from the substantially −X direction and continuously conveyed in the −X direction, or may be wound around the coating roll 1 from the substantially −Z direction and wound in the substantially −Z direction. It may be configured to carry continuously.

The coating roll 1 in this embodiment is shown in FIG. FIG. 2A is a coating roll 1 of this embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a modified example thereof.

The coating roll 1 is provided with an alignment pattern 11 on the film contact surface around which the long film 2 is wound. In this embodiment, the alignment pattern 11 is a scale of the scale, and a pattern reading unit 12 for reading the alignment pattern 11 is provided so as to face the film contact surface of the coating roll 1. In this embodiment, the pattern reading unit 12 is composed of an area camera, and the alignment pattern 11 is imaged by using strobe light or an electronic shutter of a CMOS sensor. Then, the pattern reading unit 12 sequentially performs imaging while moving in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the coating roll 1 by a driving device (not shown), so that the alignment patterns 11 provided at a plurality of locations in the width direction of the coating roll 1 are provided. Can be read. The result read by the pattern reading unit 12 is input to the control unit 9 of FIG. The shape of the alignment pattern 11 is not limited to the scale shape as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and may be a diagram shape provided at equal intervals as shown in FIG. 2 (b).

Here, in the coating roll 1 of the present embodiment, the thin plate 13 (or film 13) on which the alignment pattern 11 is printed on the surface (the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the roll body 14) is a roll body 14 having a substantially cylindrical shape. It is configured by being wrapped around the outer peripheral surface. By doing so, it is possible to easily provide the alignment pattern 11 having a scale shape or a figure shape provided at equal intervals on the entire circumference of the film contact surface of the coating roll 1 which is a curved surface. Further, as a method of fixing the thin plate 13 to the roll body 14, a method of attaching to the roll body 14 using static electricity, a method of attaching with an adhesive, and a method of attaching the thin plate 13 to the roll body 14 at the end in the width direction (Y-axis direction) using a fixing jig. A method of pressing the thin plate 13 against the roll body 14 can be considered.

Further, the coefficient of static friction of the alignment pattern 11 is larger than the coefficient of static friction of the other portion of the thin plate 13, that is, the portion other than the alignment pattern 11 forming the film contact surface of the coating roll 1. By making the static friction coefficient different between the alignment pattern 11 and the film contact surface of the coating roll 1 in this way, the length of the film wound around the coating roll 1 is longer than that in the case where the alignment pattern 11 is not provided on the coating roll 1. The film 2 is less likely to slip.

Further, in this embodiment, since the alignment pattern 11 is printed on the thin plate 13, there is a slight step between the film contact surface of the coating roll 1 and the alignment pattern 11. That is, the alignment pattern 11 protrudes from the film contact surface of the coating roll 1. This also makes it difficult for the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1 to slip.

In this way, the alignment pattern 11 is provided on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1, and the pattern reading unit 12 reads the alignment pattern 11 so that the control unit 9 corrects the error of the rotation operation of the coating roll 1. it can. Specifically, even if the coating roll 1 is distorted, it is grasped from the reading result of the alignment pattern 11 by the pattern reading unit 12, and the control unit determines the timing of discharging the coating liquid from the coating head 5 or the coating roll. By correcting the rotation operation of 1, it is possible to cancel the error of the rotation operation of the coating roll 1.

For example, the control unit 9 monitors the numerical value of the encoder of the servomotor, rotates the coating roll 1 so that a predetermined point on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1 moves by 100 mm, and then the pattern reading unit 12 determines the alignment pattern 11. It is assumed that the scale is advanced by 101 mm in the reading result. In this case, in consideration of this error, the coating data is corrected so that the coating liquid is discharged from the coating head 5 when the predetermined point advances by 100 × (100/101) mm. By modifying the above, the coating liquid can be discharged when the predetermined point is accurately advanced by 100 mm.

On the other hand, the relationship between the encoder count and the amount of movement of a predetermined point on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1 is corrected so as to be converted to 100/101 times that before the correction, and the relationship after the correction is used for control. By controlling the rotational operation of the coating roll 1 by the portion 9, the coating liquid can be discharged when the predetermined point is accurately advanced by 100 mm.

While the coating roll 1 rotates once, the reading data of the alignment pattern 11 by the pattern reading unit 12 is acquired at a plurality of points, and the larger the number of acquisitions, the more accurately the rotation of the coating roll 1 is performed. It is possible to make corrections for operational errors.

Next, the long film 2 conveyed to the continuous coating apparatus 10 will be described. First, a first insulating layer is formed on the long film 2. A first layer circuit pattern including a positioning mark is formed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer, and a second layer circuit pattern is formed on the second insulating layer. A third insulating layer is formed, a third layer circuit pattern is formed on the third insulating layer, a fourth insulating layer is further formed on the third insulating layer, and a fourth insulating layer is formed on the third insulating layer. The circuit pattern is formed in multiple layers, such as forming a four-layer circuit pattern. At that time, the positioning mark formed at the same time as the first layer circuit pattern is not blocked by the subsequent insulating layer or circuit pattern, and corresponds to the circuit pattern of the lower layer at the time of pattern formation of each layer. Position using the mark and apply with high accuracy.

Regarding the circuit pattern of each layer and the formation of the insulating layer, the long film 2 is continuously conveyed from the unwinding roll by roll-to-roll, and a continuous coating device, a drying furnace, a continuous coating device, a drying furnace, a continuous coating device, and a drying furnace. As such, a method of winding on a take-up roll after passing through a plurality of continuous coating devices may be used, or a unwinding roll may be used in the pre-process of one continuous coating device, and a drying furnace and a take-up roll may be used in the post-process. It may be arranged and each layer may be formed by a batch method.

Specifically, the case of forming the second layer circuit pattern will be described as an example. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, a first layer circuit pattern is formed on the first insulating layer (not shown), but since the second insulating layer is formed on the first layer circuit pattern, the first layer circuit pattern is formed. Is not exposed on the surface. However, since the portion of the mark 21 and the mark 23 is exposed from the second insulating layer in the first layer circuit pattern, the second layer circuit pattern may be formed based on this. Further, if there is another portion where the first layer circuit pattern is exposed from the second insulating layer, this may be used as a positioning mark. Further, when the second insulating layer is transparent, the first layer circuit pattern of the lower layer can be seen through, so that any first layer circuit pattern may be used as a positioning mark.

An example of the second layer circuit pattern formed on the long film 2 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, one predetermined pattern 25 is formed in the region of a × b sandwiched between the four marks 21, and six individual patterns 22 are formed in the region of the one predetermined pattern 25. A circuit pattern 24 is formed in each individual pattern 22. Then, in the length direction (X direction) of the long film 2, predetermined patterns 25 are continuously formed with a predetermined interval. Here, the predetermined pattern is a pattern that is a unit that is required to apply the coating liquid accurately without being affected by distortion and expansion / contraction.

In the first embodiment, the predetermined pattern 25 includes six individual patterns 22, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the configuration of the predetermined pattern 25 can be appropriately selected for the convenience of the circuit. For example, the predetermined pattern 25 may include four individual patterns 22, the predetermined pattern 25 may include seven or more individual patterns 22, or one individual pattern. A predetermined pattern 25 including 22 may be used.

Further, in the first embodiment, the first layer circuit pattern has one mark 21 at each of the four corners of the predetermined pattern 25 and four marks 23 for each individual pattern 22, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. .. It can be appropriately selected depending on the degree of expansion and contraction of the long film and the presence or absence of meandering due to transportation. For example, the number may be two or four or more. Further, the mark 21 and the mark 23 are not essential, and when the mark 21 and the mark 23 are not formed and the first layer circuit pattern is exposed, the position recognition described later recognizes an arbitrary exposed circuit pattern. can do.

The explanation will be continued by returning to FIG. The long film 2 conveyed to the continuous coating device 10 is wound around the coating roll 1. An image pickup device 3 for imaging a predetermined pattern 25 of the long film 2 is provided downstream from the position where the long film 2 starts to be wound around the coating roll 1 in the transport direction. The image pickup apparatus 3 is a line sensor provided along the Y direction, and can image a mark or pattern in the width direction (Y direction) of the long film 2, and the long film 2 is conveyed. The marks or patterns in the length direction (X direction) are sequentially imaged, and finally the entire region of the predetermined pattern 25 is imaged.

In the first embodiment, the image pickup apparatus 3 is composed of a line sensor, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and can be appropriately selected depending on the convenience of the apparatus configuration. For example, a long film composed of an area camera and being conveyed may be imaged using a strobe light or an electronic shutter of a CMOS sensor. When an area camera is used, a plurality of area cameras may be used to image a plurality of locations, or one area camera may be configured to be movable and a plurality of locations may be moved for imaging. Further, the pattern reading unit 12 shown in FIG. 2 and the imaging device 3 may be shared.

A coating module 4 for applying a coating liquid to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1 is provided on the downstream side of the long film 2 from the image pickup apparatus 3 in the transport direction. The coating module 4 includes an inkjet coating head 5, and discharges coating liquid from a plurality of nozzles 6 (see FIG. 5) of the coating head 5 to coat a predetermined pattern 25 on a long film 2. The coating module 4 in the first embodiment is composed of three coating heads 5 along the conveying direction of the long film 2, and a plurality of nozzles 6 of each coating head 5 are arranged along the Y direction. Further, each coating head 5 is provided along the curvature of the coating roll 1 so that the coating liquid is discharged perpendicularly to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1. The distance from the discharge surface of the coating head 5 to the surface of the long film 2 is set to about 500 μm to 1 mm. In this way, each coating head 5 is provided along the curvature of the coating roll 1 so as to discharge the coating liquid perpendicularly to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1. Further, since the coating head 5 is provided at an appropriate distance from the ejection surface of the coating head 5 to the surface of the long film 2, the coating liquid discharged from the coating head 5 does not become a flight bend and flies straight. It can be landed at the correct position.

As shown in FIG. 5, the three coating heads 5 in the coating module 4 are provided along the Y direction, and each coating head 5 includes a plurality of nozzles 6 at a constant pitch. The coating head 5 is provided so that each nozzle 6 of each coating head 5 is displaced in the Y direction by A corresponding to 1/3 of the pitch between nozzles in one coating head 5. As a result, the coating liquid can be applied at a resolution higher than the resolution of one coating head 5.

In the first embodiment, the three coating heads 5 are provided so as to be shifted by 1/3 of the pitch between the nozzles, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the required coating accuracy and the width size of the long film 2 are provided. It can be appropriately selected depending on the circumstances such as. For example, it may have two coating heads 5 and be provided with a shift of 1/2 of the pitch between nozzles, or may have four coating heads 5 and be provided with a shift of 1/4 of the pitch between nozzles. The coating head 5 may be provided downstream in the transport direction of the long film 2 in which the landing position of the coating liquid is separated from the imaging position of the imaging device 3 by the length c on the coating roll 1. The length c is set to be equal to or greater than the length a (c ≧ a) in the transport direction (X direction) of the long film 2 in one predetermined pattern 25. In the first embodiment, the coating liquid landing position of the coating head 5 on the upstream side of the longest film 2 in the transport direction among the three coating heads 5 is the length c on the coating roll 1 from the imaging position of the imaging device 3. The long film 2 is provided downstream of the long film 2 in the transport direction. This is because the marks 21 provided at the four corners of the region of the predetermined pattern 25 are completely imaged by the imaging device 3 before the coating of the predetermined pattern is started from the coating head 5. That is, the length c on the coating roll 1 between the imaging position of the imaging device 3 and the landing position of the coating liquid from the coating head 5 is equal to or greater than the length a of the predetermined pattern 25 of the long film 2. When the mark 21 is not provided, the distance guided from the four corners of the predetermined pattern 25 may be the length a.

The image captured by the image pickup apparatus 3 is input to the control unit 9, image-processed, and the coating module 4 is instructed to apply the coating timing. In the first embodiment, the control unit 9 is provided with a discharge cycle adjusting unit (not shown), and the discharge cycle adjusting unit calculates the expansion and contraction of the long film 2 from the imaging result of the imaging device 3, and the coating head 5 is used. The landing position on the long film 2 on which the discharged coating liquid lands is adjusted, and the coating module 4 is instructed to apply the coating timing. Here, the discharge cycle refers to the time difference from the start of arbitrary discharge to the start of the next discharge when the coating liquid is continuously discharged from one nozzle. For example, in the coating data, when a discharge cycle for 100 times is provided from the discharge to a certain point to the next discharge, if the discharge cycle is set to 100 μsec, the time difference between the two discharges is 10 msec, which is 110 μsec. When is set, the time difference between the two discharges is 11 msec. If this discharge cycle is extended, the predetermined pattern 25 can be stretched and coated without changing the coating data, and if it is shortened, the predetermined pattern 25 can be shortened and coated without changing the coating data.

Adjustment of the discharge cycle is particularly effective for expansion and contraction in the transport direction. For example, as a result of recognizing the positions of the four marks 21 on the long film 2, if it is determined that the long film 2 extends in the transport direction (X direction) to 303 mm with respect to 300 mm, the transport direction (X direction) The discharge cycle in the X direction) may be adjusted to be extended by 303/300 times.

A detailed processing flow of the discharge cycle adjustment in the discharge cycle adjusting unit will be described with reference to FIG. Before the coating liquid is continuously applied to the long film 2 including the discharge cycle adjustment, the alignment pattern 11 on the coating roll 1 is read and the coating roll 1 is based on the processing result. The correction process for the error of the rotation operation is completed.

First, the captured image is input from the imaging device 3 (FIG. 6 (1)), and the positions of the four marks 21 are recognized (FIG. 6 (2)). Then, the distance a and the distance b between the position-recognized marks 21 are calculated, the difference from the set distance is obtained, and the expansion / contraction amount of the long film 2 is calculated (FIG. 6 (3)). Based on the calculated expansion / contraction amount, the discharge cycle of the coating head 5 is calculated as described above (FIG. 6 (4)), and the calculated discharge cycle is instructed to the coating head 5 (FIG. 6 (5)).

The coating head 5 sequentially discharges the coating liquid from the nozzle 6 according to the instructed discharge cycle to apply the predetermined pattern 25. At that time, each coating head 5 winds the long film 2 around the coating roll 1 without looseness, and discharges the coating liquid from the coating head 5 perpendicularly to the long film 2. The coating liquid can accurately land on the long film 2 and apply the predetermined pattern 25 while continuously transporting the film, instead of the intermittent transport requiring an accumulator portion for absorbing the time difference. As a result, it is possible to avoid increasing the size of the process.

Further, when the friction coefficient of the coating roll 1 and the holding angle of the long film 2 on the coating roll 1 are sufficiently secured, the coating head 5 does not deform or meander the long film 2 on the coating roll 1. Therefore, the coating head 5 can accurately perform coating based on the information obtained by the imaging device 3. Here, if the long film 2 is conveyed between the image pickup apparatus 3 and the coating head 5 away from the coating roll 1, the long film 2 is deformed there and the coating head 5 can be accurately coated. There is a risk of disappearing.

In this way, an image pickup device 3 for imaging a mark or pattern on the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1 and a coating head 5 for applying a predetermined pattern to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1 are provided. Since the coating head 5 is provided on the downstream side of the long film 2 in the transport direction from the image pickup device 3, even if deformation such as elongation of the long film 2 occurs, it is taken into consideration and a predetermined value on the long film 2 is taken into consideration. The coating solution can be applied accurately to the position of.

Further, as described above, the alignment pattern 11 is provided on the coating roll 1, and the correction is performed based on the reading result of the alignment pattern 11 by the pattern reading unit 12 before the coating liquid is applied to the long film 2. The error due to the distortion of the coating roll 1 itself is also canceled, and the coating liquid can be accurately applied to the long film while being continuously conveyed by roll-to-roll.

Example 2 of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the control unit 9 is provided with the coating data adjusting unit instead of the discharge cycle adjusting unit. The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the coating data adjusting unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The coating data is basic data for the coating head 5 to apply the coating liquid, and includes a position on the long film 2 for discharging the coating liquid, a discharge amount, and the like. By adjusting this coating data, the discharge position and the discharge amount can be changed. The coating data adjusting unit adjusts the landing position on the long film 2 on which the coating liquid discharged from the coating head 5 lands. A specific processing flow of the coating data adjusting unit will be described. First, the image captured by the imaging device 3 is input to a coating data adjusting unit (not shown) provided in the control unit 9 (FIG. 7 (1)). Next, the positions of the four marks 21 are recognized (FIG. 7 (2)). Then, the distance a and the distance b between the recognized marks 21 are calculated, the difference from the set distance is obtained, and the expansion / contraction amount of the long film 2 is calculated (FIG. 7 (3)). Based on the calculated expansion and contraction amount, new coating data of the coating head 5 is calculated (FIG. 7 (4)), and the newly calculated coating data is instructed to the coating head 5 (FIG. 7 (5)).

For example, as a result of recognizing the positions of the four marks 21 in the predetermined pattern 25 region, it is determined that the long film 2 extends to 308 mm with respect to 300 mm in the width direction (Y direction) of the long film 2. Adjusts the discharge position data with respect to the width direction (Y direction) in the coating data so as to be changed to 308/300 times.

Then, the coating head 5 sequentially discharges the coating liquid from the nozzle 6 to apply the predetermined pattern 25 according to the instructed new coating data. At that time, since each coating head 5 is provided along the curvature of the coating roll 1 so as to discharge the coating liquid perpendicularly to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1, the coating liquid can be accurately applied. It is possible to land on the long film 2 and apply a predetermined pattern 25 according to the amount of expansion and contraction.

Example 3 of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the control unit 9 is provided with the coating data adjusting unit in addition to the discharge cycle adjusting unit.

That is, the control unit 9 includes both a discharge cycle adjusting unit and a coating data adjusting unit. If the expansion / contraction amount of the long film 2 is large, the coating data is adjusted, and if the expansion / contraction amount of the long film 2 is small, the coating data is adjusted. , Adjust the discharge cycle. If the discharge cycle is adjusted, the number of droplets to be coated does not change even though the area of the coating region changes, so that the coating resolution and the film thickness change. Therefore, if high coating position accuracy and film thickness accuracy are required, the coating data is adjusted. On the other hand, when the amount of expansion and contraction is small, the discharge cycle is adjusted, which is easy to change. If the long film 2 has distortion as well as simple expansion and contraction, the coating data is adjusted, or both the discharge cycle adjustment and the coating data adjustment are performed.

Then, the coating head 5 sequentially ejects the coating liquid from the nozzle 6 to form a predetermined pattern by adjusting the new coating data and / or the ejection cycle instructed. At that time, since each coating head 5 is provided along the curvature of the coating roll 1 so as to discharge the coating liquid perpendicularly to the long film 2 wound around the coating roll 1, the coating liquid can be accurately applied. It can land on the long film 2 and apply a predetermined pattern according to the amount of expansion and contraction.

In Examples 1 to 3, the position where the coating liquid is applied was adjusted by adjusting the coating data and / or the discharge cycle, but the position is not necessarily limited to this, and for example, the coating module 4 May be configured to be movable by mounting the above on an XY robot, etc., so that the coating position can be adjusted.

With the above continuous coating device, it is possible to accurately apply the coating liquid to the long film while continuously transporting the coating liquid on a roll-to-roll basis.

Here, the thin film forming apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form, and may have other forms within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above description, the pattern reading unit 13 is an area camera, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a device having a light emitting / receiving unit such as a line sensor may be used as in the imaging device 3.

Further, in the above description, the alignment pattern 11 is printed on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1, but it may be stamped on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1.

Further, in the above description, the alignment pattern 11 is provided on the surface in contact with the long film 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the thin plate 13 (film 13) has translucency, and the alignment pattern 11 is the thin plate 13. It may be provided on the surface of the (film 13) on the side in contact with the roll body 14. By doing so, the alignment pattern 11 can be provided without causing unevenness on the film contact surface of the coating roll 1, so that it is possible to prevent the long film 2 from being damaged. The alignment pattern 11 can be read by the pattern reading unit 12 through the translucent thin plate 13 (film 13).

The continuous coating apparatus and continuous coating method in the present invention can be widely applied to those that form various patterns on a long film that is continuously conveyed by roll-to-roll.

1: Coating roll 2: Long film 3: Imaging device 4: Coating module 5: Coating head 6: Nozzle 9: Control unit 10: Continuous coating device 11: Alignment pattern 12: Pattern reading unit 13: Thin plate (film) 14: Roll body 21: Mark 22: Individual pattern 23: Mark 24: Circuit pattern 25: Predetermined pattern 104: Coating module 204: Coating module 205: Coating head 206: Nozzle

Claims (6)

A continuous coating device that continuously conveys a long film and coats a predetermined pattern.
A substantially cylindrical roll body in which an alignment pattern is provided on the film contact surface around which the long film is wound, and a coating roll that rotates around the central axis of the roll body as a rotation axis.
A pattern reading unit that reads the alignment pattern,
A coating head that applies the predetermined pattern to the long film wound around the coating roll, and
A control unit that controls the coating operation of the coating head,
With
The control unit is a continuous coating device, characterized in that the control unit corrects the discharge timing of the coating liquid from the coating head based on the reading result of the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit. A continuous coating device that continuously conveys a long film and coats a predetermined pattern.
A substantially cylindrical roll body in which an alignment pattern is provided on the film contact surface around which the long film is wound, and a coating roll that rotates around the central axis of the roll body as a rotation axis.
A control unit that controls the rotational operation of the coating roll, and
A pattern reading unit that reads the alignment pattern,
A coating head that applies the predetermined pattern to the long film wound around the coating roll, and
With
The continuous coating apparatus, wherein the control unit corrects the rotational operation of the coating roll based on the reading result of the alignment pattern by the pattern reading unit. The continuous coating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating roll is formed by winding a thin plate or a film provided with the alignment pattern around an outer peripheral surface of a substantially cylindrical roll body. .. The claim is characterized in that the alignment pattern is in contact with the long film, and the static friction coefficient of the alignment pattern is different from the static friction coefficient of a portion of the film contact surface of the coating roll other than the alignment pattern. The continuous coating apparatus according to any one of 1 to 3. The continuous coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the alignment pattern protrudes from the film contact surface of the coating roll. The continuous coating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the thin plate or film has translucency, and the alignment pattern is provided on a surface on the side in contact with the roll body.

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