JPH075895Y2 - Roll coater - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a roll coater for continuously applying a coating solution such as a photoresist to the surface of a long strip while conveying and moving the strip. Is used, for example, in a process of manufacturing a lead frame for an integrated circuit by a photoetching method, when a photoresist is applied to the surface of a metal foil of a long strip in which a metal foil is laminated on a carrier base film. .

[Conventional technology]

As an apparatus for continuously applying a coating solution such as a photoresist onto the surface of a long strip, there is, for example, a roll coater as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-10283. As shown in the schematic side view of FIG. 4, the roll coater disclosed in the above publication grabs the coated belt 1 around the outer peripheral surface of a rotatably supported backup roller 2 and conveys and moves it. The outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is brought into contact with the surface of the wound portion of the coated belt 1 from the opposite side of the backup roller 2, and the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is
The coating liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 4, for example, the viscosity is several tens to several hundreds.
By supplying the resist solution 5 of about cP through the rotatable pickup roller 6, the coating roller 3
Along with the rotating operation, the coating liquid is continuously transferred from the outer peripheral surface to the surface of the coating target material of the coating target strip 1, for example, the surface of a copper foil, and is coated.

The width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is made substantially equal to the width of the coating target material of the coating target strip 1, for example, a copper foil, and the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is formed of a rubber material and Is grooved over its entire width so as to hold a required amount of resist liquid in the groove, and the coating roller 3 in a state in which the required amount of resist liquid is held in the groove on the outer peripheral surface is predetermined. The resist solution is applied to the copper foil surface of the coated strip 1 uniformly at a desired thickness by rotating the copper foil surface of the coated strip 1 while rotating in the normal direction or the reverse direction at a rotation speed of A resist film is deposited on the surface of the copper foil by drying it.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

As described above, in the conventional roll coater, the width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is made substantially equal to the width of the material to be coated, and the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 has a groove of a constant width over the entire width. Has been formed. When the resist liquid 5 is supplied to the entire outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 by the pickup roller 6 having an outer peripheral surface having a width larger than the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3, the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 3 is Fifth
As shown in the front cross-sectional view in FIG. 1, a resist solution pool 9 is formed at both ends thereof. When the resist solution 5 is applied to the material to be coated by the coating roller 3 having the resist solution pools 9 at both ends in this way, as shown in the longitudinal sectional view in FIG. Band 1
In the film of the resist solution 5 applied to the surface of the copper foil 8 laminated on the carrier base film 7 of FIG.
The resist film formed on the surface of the copper foil 8 is partially thickened. For this reason, when the exposure / development process is subsequently performed, the resist remains on unnecessary portions on the copper foil, and when the resist is etched, defects occur, resulting in the desired high quality products such as lead frames. There was a problem that I could not do it.

This invention was made in order to solve the above problems in the conventional roll coater, and the technical problem is to prevent the resist solution from being accumulated at both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller. It is intended to form a coating film having a uniform thickness on the surface to be coated of the coating strip.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

As a means for achieving the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a backup roller which is rotatably supported and has an outer peripheral surface on which a coated belt is wound, and a backup roller which is disposed in parallel with the backup roller and is rotatably supported. And a coating roller whose outer peripheral surface is in contact with the surface of the coating target strip wound and supported by the backup roller from the opposite side of the backup roller, and the coating roller is arranged in parallel with the coating roller and is rotatably supported. In a roll coater comprising a pickup roller for bringing the outer peripheral surface into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller and a coating liquid supply means for supplying the coating liquid to the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller, the width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is Make the width wider than the outer circumference of the pickup roller so that both ends of the outer circumference of the coating roller are picked up. Each from both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the over La was to place them between the rollers so as to be positioned on the outer side. When forming a groove-shaped or hole-shaped concave portion for holding the coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller as in the conventional case, do not form the concave portion on both end edges, or the outer peripheral surface thereof. Of the coating roller has a smaller volume per unit area than the concave portion formed in the central portion of the coating roller, or unlike the conventional case, the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller does not have a concave portion. Is a smooth surface, and a large number of groove-shaped or hole-shaped concave portions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller.

[Action]

In the roll coater having the above-mentioned configuration, when forming the recess on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller, the recess is not formed in a certain range of both end edges, or even when the recess is formed on both end edges, for example, the central portion. By narrowing the width of the groove formed at both edges compared to the width of the groove formed at the end, the volume per unit area of the recess formed at both edges becomes smaller than that of the recess formed at the center. In addition, since both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller are positioned outside the both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller, respectively, the coating liquid supplied from the pickup roller to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller and attached The amount is
Both edges are less than in the center. For this reason, there is no possibility that resist liquid pools or the like will be formed on both edge portions of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller, and when the coating liquid is transferred from the coating roller to the coating surface of the coating band,
The coating liquid does not bulge at both ends and the coating film does not become thick locally.

Further, the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is made smooth, and instead, a concave portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller so that both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller are located outside both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller. Even at this time, the amount of the coating liquid supplied from the pickup roller to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller and adhering to the coating roller is smaller at both end edges than in the central portion. There is no partial thickening of the liquid.

[Embodiment] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a roll coater according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this roll coater, a backup roller 10 is rotatably supported by a device fixing portion, and the backup roller 10 and a rotation supporting shaft are arranged in parallel with each other, and are rotatably supported by the device fixing portion via a rotation supporting shaft. Coated roller 12, this coating roller
12 and the rotation support shafts are arranged in parallel with each other, and are rotatably supported by the apparatus fixing portion via the rotation support shafts, and the pick-up roller 14 for bringing the outer peripheral surface into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12, and the coating. It is composed of a liquid reservoir 16 in which a liquid, for example, a resist liquid 18 is stored. A part of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 14 is immersed in the resist liquid 18 stored in the liquid storage tank 16, and the resist liquid 18 in the liquid storage tank 16 is coated with the coating roller 12 via the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 14. Is supplied to the outer peripheral surface of. still,
A plurality of pickup rollers may be arranged as in the roll coater shown in FIG.

The coating target strip 20 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the backup roller 10, and the coating target strip 20 is transported in the arrow direction by a transport roller (not shown). The coated strip 20 has, for example, copper or the like on one side of a carrier base 22 in which feed holes 24 are formed in one row on both side edges of a plastic strip having a width of about 35 mm. The metal foil 26 is formed by laminating and adhering. Further, the coating roller 12 has its outer peripheral surface brought into contact with the surface of the metal foil 26 of the coated belt-shaped body 20.

A large number of grooves 28 for holding the coating liquid are circumferentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12. In this case, the groove 28 is formed with a constant width in a central area of a predetermined width on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12, and no groove is formed within a predetermined range at both ends of the outer peripheral surface. For example, when the total width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 is set to 26 mm, the groove 28 is formed in the central area of the width of 22 mm, and both ends of the outer peripheral surface are within the width of 2 mm. A smooth surface is formed without forming grooves. The width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 is the pickup roller.
It is larger than the width of the outer peripheral surface of 14. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 14 is formed to have a width dimension (or a width dimension slightly larger than the width) corresponding to the width of the area of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 in which the groove 28 is formed. And the edges of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 where no groove is formed are the pickup roller 14
It is arranged so that it protrudes outward from both end positions.

In the roll coater shown in FIG. 1, both end edges of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 are smooth without forming grooves, but grooves may be formed on both end edges of the outer peripheral surface. Good. In that case, the grooves formed on both edges are
Compared with the groove formed in the central part, the width of the groove can be made narrower, the depth can be made shallower, or the space between the grooves can be made larger so that the volume occupied by the groove per unit area on the outer peripheral surface becomes smaller. It is necessary to engrave it so that it becomes smaller. Further, the groove 28 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 may be continuously engraved in a spiral shape, or a plurality of grooves parallel to the axis may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12. You may do it. Furthermore, instead of forming the grooves, a large number of small holes may be dispersedly provided on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller.

When the resist liquid 18 is applied to the surface of the metal foil 26 of the belt 20 to be coated which is conveyed and moved by using the roll coater described above, the pickup roller 14 to the coating roller 12 are used.
Since the amount of the resist liquid 18 supplied to and attached to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 is smaller at both end edges than in the central portion, there is no possibility that a resist liquid reservoir or the like will be formed at both end edge portions of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12. , The resist liquid 18 transferred from the coating roller 12 to the surface of the metal foil 26 of the coating target strip 20
Has a uniform thickness over the entire width of the metal foil 26.

Next, the roll coater shown in FIG. 2 does not form a groove on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 32 and makes the outer peripheral surface a smooth surface, while the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 34 has a constant width. It is an example of forming a large number of grooves 38 of width,
The other structure is the same as that shown in FIG. Also in this roll coater, the width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 32 is formed so as to be larger than the width of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 34, and both edge portions of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 32 of the pickup roller 34 are formed. The outer peripheral surfaces are arranged so as to protrude to the respective sides from both ends. Even when applying the resist liquid 18 using this roll coater, the pickup roller
The amount of the resist liquid 18 supplied from the 34 to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 32 and adhering thereto is smaller at both end edges than in the central portion, so that the coating roller 12 applies a strip-shaped material.
The thickness of the resist liquid 18 transferred onto the surface of the metal foil 26 is uniform over the width direction of the metal foil 26.

Further, the roll coater shown in FIG. 3 is similar to the roll coater described above in that a part of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 14 is immersed in the resist liquid 18 stored in the liquid reservoir 16 to form the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 14. Instead of supplying the resist liquid 18 in the liquid reservoir 16 to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 12 via the above, the supply port of the resist liquid supply nozzle 40 is arranged above the contact portion between the coating roller 12 and the pickup roller 14. This is an example in which a resist liquid tray 36 is arranged below the pickup roller 14 and the resist liquid is supplied by a nozzle 40. For other configurations,
It is the same as the roll coater shown in FIG. 1, and its operation is also the same.

[Effect of device]

Since this invention is constructed and operates as described above, when continuously applying a coating solution such as photoresist to the surface of a long strip which is conveyed and moved by using the roll coater according to this invention, a strip-shaped strip is used. A coating film with a uniform thickness can be formed over the entire width of the coated surface of the body, and the quality of products such as lead frames obtained through subsequent exposure, development, and etching steps is maintained at a high level. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an essential part of a roll coater according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing an essential part of a roll coater showing another structural example, respectively. Is a schematic side view of a conventional roll coater, FIGS. 5-1 and 5-2.
Each of the drawings is a view for explaining a problem in the conventional roll coater. 10 ... Backup roller, 12, 32 ... Coating roller, 14, 34 ... Pick-up roller, 16 ... Liquid reservoir, 18 ... Resist solution, 20 ... Band to be coated, 26 ... Metal foil, 28 ... Groove on outer peripheral surface of coating roller ( Recesses), 38 ... Grooves (recesses) on the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller, 40 ... Resist solution supply nozzle.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A backup roller, which is rotatably supported and has an outer peripheral surface around which a coated belt is wound, and a backup roller which is disposed in parallel with the backup roller and is rotatably supported. A large number of groove-shaped or hole-shaped recesses for holding are formed, and the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is brought into contact with the surface of the coated belt supported by the backup roller from the opposite side of the backup roller,
The pickup roller is disposed in parallel with the coating roller and is rotatably supported, and has an outer peripheral surface that abuts on the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller, and a coating liquid supply unit that supplies the coating liquid to the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller. In the roll coater, the width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is made larger than the width of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller so that both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller are located outside of both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller. Both of these rollers are arranged, and the recesses are not formed at both end edges of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller, or the volume per unit area on the outer peripheral surface is larger than that of the recess formed in the central portion of the outer peripheral surface. The roll coater is characterized in that a small recess is formed. 2. A backup roller, which is rotatably supported and has an outer peripheral surface on which a coated belt is wound, and a backup roller which is disposed in parallel with the backup roller and is rotatably supported. A coating roller that comes into contact with the surface of the coated strip that is wound and supported from the opposite side of the backup roller, and is arranged parallel to this coating roller and rotatably supported, and the outer peripheral surface is the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller. In a roll coater consisting of a pick-up roller to be brought into contact with the pick-up roller and a coating liquid supply means for supplying a coating liquid to the outer peripheral surface of the pick-up roller, the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is a smooth surface and the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller is A large number of groove-shaped or hole-shaped recesses are formed, and the width of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is set to the above-mentioned width. And greater than the width of the outer peripheral surface of the click-up roller, roll coater, characterized in that both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller is disposed them both rollers so as to be positioned outside each from both ends of the outer circumferential surface of the pickup roller.