JPH11197575A - Coater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the thickness of a coating film uniform from the front end to the rear end by instantaneously stopping the discharge of a coating soln. from a discharge port with one valve element and making the cutting of liquid swath at the discharge port to make the structure simple and easy to handle. SOLUTION: A wide coating soln. passage 23 is formed in a die main body 17, a discharge port 23a at the end of the passage 23 is formed between the two lip members 27 and 28, a part of the passage 23 is formed between the main body 17 and a movable valve element 18 extended over the whole width of the passage 23, a valve seat 32 where the valve element 18 is separated from or attached to the main body 17 is extended over the whole width of the passage 23, the valve element 18 is so arranged that the volume of the passage 23C on the downstream side of the valve seat 32 is increased as the element 18 is moved from the position where the passage 23 is opened toward the position where the passage 23 is closed, and a driving device 19 for reciprocating the element 18 is furnished. Further, the valve element 18 is reciprocated while it is seated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for intermittently discharging a coating liquid from an elongated discharge port toward a base material. The present invention relates to an improvement of a coating apparatus capable of reliably running out of a working liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a coating apparatus for performing intermittent coating is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-257467. In this coating apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 9, a coating liquid passage 3 is formed inside a die body 2, and an elongated (slit-shaped) discharge port 3a is formed at the end of the coating liquid passage 3. And
Further, an on-off valve 4 is provided in the middle of the coating liquid passage 3 and a passage volume adjusting device 5 is provided downstream of the on-off valve 4 so that the passage volume adjusting device 5 is retracted when the on-off valve 4 is closed. It is. In the coating apparatus 1, when the on-off valve 4 is closed, the volume adjusting tool 5 is retracted to increase the volume of the inside 3 b of the coating liquid passage 3 located downstream of the on-off valve 4. The coating liquid remaining in the interior 3b is depressurized to prevent the coating liquid from leaking from the discharge port 3a. In the coating apparatus 1, when the on-off valve 4 is opened (not shown), the volume adjuster 5 moves forward to reduce the volume of the inside 3a.
Since a large amount of the coating liquid passes through the coating liquid passage 3, this reduction in volume does not affect the discharge of the coating liquid.

[0003]

However, in the conventional coating apparatus 1, it is necessary to provide the on-off valve 4 and the passage volume adjusting device 5, and also to provide the valve body driving device 6 and the adjusting device driving device 7. Therefore, it may be structurally complicated and difficult to handle. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coating apparatus which is structurally simple and easy to handle in order to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0004]

Means adopted by the present invention according to claim 1 for structurally simple and easy to handle is to form a wide passage for a coating liquid inside a die body, In a coating apparatus in which a discharge port at the end of a coating liquid passage is formed between two lip members, a coating liquid is provided between a movable valve element extending over the entire width of the coating liquid passage and a die body. A part of the passage for the coating is formed, and the valve seat where the valve body is separated and seated on the die body is extended over the entire width of the passage for the coating liquid. A valve element driving device that arranges a valve element so as to increase the volume of a coating liquid path downstream of a valve seat as it moves toward a valve closing position that closes a liquid path, and moves the valve element forward and backward. Is a coating apparatus characterized by having provided.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the valve body is advanced to the valve opening position by the valve body driving device, the coating liquid passage is opened to discharge the coating liquid from the discharge port. Conversely, when the valve element is rapidly retracted to the valve closing position by the valve element driving device, the coating liquid path is closed, and the volume of the coating liquid path downstream of the valve seat increases, resulting in discharge. The discharge of the coating liquid can be instantaneously stopped by sucking the coating liquid near the outlet to the inside of the discharge port. In the process of the valve body sitting on the valve seat,
Since the passage resistance of the narrow gap formed between the valve body and the valve seat immediately before the seating becomes extremely large, the coating liquid passage is substantially closed, and from this state, the valve body is moved to the valve closing position. Until the seat moves and seats, the coating liquid passage is substantially closed and the volume of the coating liquid passage downstream of the valve seat increases to be in a suction state. The coating liquid can be sucked all the way to the inside of the discharge port to reliably drain the liquid.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to adjust the amount of change in the volume of the downstream side of the coating liquid passage, the valve body moves in the reciprocating direction while maintaining the seated state. The coating device according to claim 1, wherein the coating device can move along the coating device. As a specific structure, by forming at least one of the seats of the valve seat and the valve body with an elastic member, the valve body that has started to sit on the valve seat compresses and deforms the elastic member in the seating direction. In the same direction as above. In addition, the seating portion of the valve seat and the valve body may be made to slide in close contact with each other, so that the valve body that has started sitting on the valve seat may be further moved in the same direction as the seating direction.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the valve body immediately after sitting on the valve seat is further moved in the same direction as the seating direction, so that the coating liquid passage is completely closed. In the above, the coating liquid near the discharge port can be reliably drained by increasing the volume of the coating liquid passage downstream of the valve seat.

The thickness of the coating film from the start to the stop of the coating can be made uniform so that the thickness of the coating film can be made uniform.
In the coating apparatus described above, a manifold may be formed in the middle of the coating liquid passage upstream of the valve seat, and both ends of the manifold may be connected to a drain passage. At this time,
Since a part of the coating liquid is discharged from both ends of the manifold to the drainage passage, a large amount of coating liquid can be supplied to the manifold. Pressure fluctuation of the working liquid can be reduced, and the coating liquid can be uniformly discharged from the start to the end of the coating.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A coating apparatus according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the apparatus of the present invention") will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a left side showing the entire coating equipment equipped with the apparatus of the present invention. Area view, FIG. 2
FIG. 3 is a left side view showing an enlarged cross section of a main part of the apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow sheet showing the piping for the coating liquid.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coating apparatus 11 of the present invention comprises:
It is arranged above the transport device 12 that transports the substrate W to be coated, and forms a coating facility together with the transport device 12. The transfer device 12 includes a holder 1 that holds the base material W flat.
3 and a guide 14 for guiding the holder 13 movably back and forth.
And a drive device (not shown) for driving the holder 13 back and forth so that the base material W passes through a coating position below the coating device 11. The holder 13 has a plurality of suction ports opened on the upper surface, and is configured to detachably hold and hold a substrate W made of a glass plate, a thick film sheet, or the like. The coating device 11 is supported by a support frame 15 and is advanced and retracted (elevated) by a lifting operation tool 16 from a lower coating position to an upper standby position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coating apparatus 11 includes a die body 17, a movable valve element 18 which can be moved forward and backward in the die body 17, and a valve element drive for moving the valve element 18 forward and backward. Devices 19, 19. The die body 17 is composed of a plurality of blocks 20
1 and 22, and bolt connections 26, 26.
And FIG. 3), and a coating liquid passage 23 is formed therein. The passage 23 for the coating liquid is
Where blocks 21 and 22 meet and blocks 20 and 2
2 are formed so as to be wider in the left-right direction (the direction crossing the base material W). An elongated slit-like discharge port 23a provided over the entire width of the terminal end of the coating liquid passage 23 has two lip members 2 constituting the die body 17.
7 and 28 are formed. Two lip members 27,
28 is formed integrally with the block 20 or 22, or is formed separately (not shown) and the block 20 or 2
2 may be replaced with a bolt or the like.
The two lip members 27 and 28 are formed such that the tips thereof are formed at an acute single-sided inclined state so that the liquid can be easily drained, and the coating liquid does not adhere to the tip of the inclined outer surface. The block 20 has a concave groove 29 extending in the left-right direction on the front side near the lower end, and a plurality of lip opening adjusting bolts 53 penetrating the concave groove 29, and pushing and pulling each bolt 53. The thickness of the discharge port 23a (the lip members 27 and 2).
The opening of the lip, which is a gap with the rim 8, can be adjusted over the entire width in the left-right direction. Incidentally, the bolt 53 may be disposed so as to be movable in the left-right direction (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-215).
No. 631).

The valve element 18 is formed so as to extend over the entire area of the coating liquid passage 23 in the width direction, and blocks 21 and 22 are provided.
The rear end side is slidably fitted in a concave groove 22a provided in the block 22. Valve element 18
Is provided with sealing materials 50 and 50 over the entire width thereof so that the coating liquid does not leak from between the concave grooves 22a. Valve body 1
Reference numeral 8 designates two connecting shafts 30, 30 extending in parallel from the rear end side, and two through holes 22b, 22b provided in the block 22.
Are connected so that each connecting shaft 30 penetrates. Block 2
Numeral 2 supports the connection shaft 30 via a bearing 31 fitted in each through hole 22b, and guides the valve body 18 movably in the direction of the arrow B, which is the advance / retreat direction. The valve element 18 is
A coating liquid passage 23 is formed between the die body 17 and the fixing portions (blocks 20 and 21). Valve element 18
Is located in the middle of the area where the coating liquid passage 23 is formed.
a, and the volume adjusting surface 18b extending over the entire width of the coating liquid passage 23 in the valve moving direction (arrow B direction).
It is formed so as to intersect with. The volume adjustment surface 18b
As the valve element 18 moves in the arrow D direction, which is the seating direction (valve closing direction), the valve element 18 moves away from the coating liquid passage forming surface 20a of the facing die body 17 and is located downstream of the valve seat 32. The volume of the coating liquid passage 23 is increased, and conversely, as the valve element 18 moves in the direction of the arrow E which is the unseating direction (valve opening direction), it approaches the coating liquid passage forming surface 20a. Thus, the volume of the coating liquid passage 23 downstream of the valve seat 32 is reduced.

The fixing portion of the die body 17 (block 2)
In 1), a valve seat 32 is provided in a portion facing the coating liquid passage 23 over the entire width of the coating liquid passage 23, and the valve portion 18a of the valve body 18 is detached and seated. The valve portion 18a is seated on the valve seat 32 from the valve opening position (see FIG. 2) where the valve portion 18a separates from the valve seat 32 to open the coating liquid passage 32 and the coating liquid passage 32 is opened. The valve drive device 19 allows the valve to be quickly moved back and forth until the valve closes (see FIG. 4). As the valve element 18 retreats in the direction of arrow D from the valve opening position to the valve closing position, the coating liquid passage forming surface 2 on which the block 20 forming the coating liquid passage 23 rises.
The volume adjusting surface 18b retreats away from the valve seat 32, thereby increasing the volume of the coating liquid passage 23c downstream of the valve seat 32. As shown in FIG. 4, the valve seat 32 and the valve portion 18a of the valve body 18 are configured so that both seating surfaces can be slidably contacted with each other. Further movement is possible in the direction of arrow D, which is the same direction as the direction in which the valve element 18 closes, so that the amount of increase in the volume of the coating liquid passage 23 can be adjusted.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the valve body driving devices 19 includes a driving means 33 having an output end 33a connected to a distal end of a connecting shaft 30 extending from the valve body 18, and a valve body 1 as shown in FIGS.
And a stop position adjusting device 34 for stopping the motor 8 at the set position. The stop position adjusting device 34 is provided with the valve body 18 that moves forward.
Stopper 35 for adjusting the stop position of the valve body 18 and stopper 36 for adjusting the stop position of the retreated valve element 18
And a support portion 37 for supporting the stoppers 35 and 36.
And an advancing / retreating operation tool 38 for individually advancing and retracting the stoppers 35 and 36. These stoppers 35,
The reference numeral 36 is arranged so as to penetrate the through-hole 39 provided in the connecting shaft 30, and comes into contact with the contact portions 39 a and 39 b formed in the through-hole 39 of the connecting shaft 30. As the driving means 33, a solenoid type, a linear motor type, a giant magnetostrictive actuator type, a pneumatic cylinder type or the like is used. As the advance / retreat operating tool 38, a stepping type servomotor or the like is used. The support portion 37 is attached and fixed to the die body 17 with bolts or the like.

The stop position adjusting device 34 includes a driving means 3
When the connecting shaft 30 retreats in the direction of arrow D (the valve closing direction of the valve element 18) at 3, the contact portion 39 b contacts the stopper 36 to stop the valve element 18 from retreating.
Is advanced in the direction of the arrow E (the valve opening direction of the valve element 18), the contact portion 39a abuts on the stopper 35 to stop the advance of the valve element 18. The stopper 35 is a cotter type in which the contact surface of the contact portion 39a is inclined.
The contact portion 39 is moved and adjusted by the advance / retreat operating tool 38 in the direction of arrow F, which is orthogonal to the direction of arrow B, which is the direction of advance / retreat of 8.
By changing the contact position of a, the forward stop position of the valve element 18 is adjusted. Similarly, stopper 36
Is a cutter type in which the contact surface of the contact portion 39b is inclined, and is moved and adjusted by the advance / retreat operating tool 38 in the direction of arrow F to change the contact position of the contact portion 39b. The retraction stop position of the valve element 18 is adjusted. The contact portions 39a and 39b have their centers located on the center line of the connecting shaft 30.
No bending moment is generated on this center line when abutting against 5 or 36. Since the stop position adjusting device 34 can stop the valve element 18 without generating a bending moment on the connecting shaft 30, the stopping accuracy can be improved.

As shown in FIG. 4, the coating liquid passage 23 is provided with a stepped throttle portion 40 over the entire width downstream of the valve element 18, and the flow rate of the coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 23a. Is adjusted. The throttle unit 40 is provided in one or both of the block 22 and the block 20. When the volume of the downstream coating liquid passage 23c increases due to the retreat of the valve element 18 (valve closing operation), the coating liquid remaining in the coating liquid passage 23 due to the stoppage of the coating increases the liquid at the lower end. When the surface rises above the throttle portion 40 and, conversely, the valve is opened by the advance of the valve element 18 and coating is resumed, the discharge port 23 a
When the fluid flows toward the outlet port,
It is possible to discharge at a substantially constant flow rate without rapidly discharging from 3a. The valve element 18 has a front edge 22c- so that the front edge 22c-1 of the guide surface 22c of the block 22 for guiding the valve element 18 forms a step of the throttle 40.
It is also possible to adjust so as to stop moving forward while leaving 1. The adjustment of the advanced stop position of the valve element 18 can be performed by the stop position adjusting device 34 (see FIG. 2).

The die body 17 is provided with blocks 20, 2
As shown in FIG. 3, a seal plate 49 is interposed between the movable valve body 18, the movable valve element 18 and each side plate 24, and the coating liquid leaks from both left and right sides of the coating liquid passage 23. I do not have it.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the coating liquid passage 23 has a manifold 23b extending in the entire width at an appropriate position upstream of the valve seat 32. Manifold 2
As shown in FIG. 5, 3b has both ends connected to drainage channels 41, 41 formed in the side plates 24, 24. The die body 17 joins the supply pipe 43 of the coating liquid supply device 42 to the manifold 23b, and
Is connected to the drain passages 41, 41. The supply pipe 43 extends from the coating liquid tank 45, and is provided with a liquid sending pump 46 and a flow control valve 47 in the middle thereof. The reflux pipe 44 is provided with flow control valves 48, 48 in the middle thereof, and the end is connected to a coating liquid tank 45.

The coating apparatus 11 discharges a part of the coating liquid from both ends of the manifold 23b to the drain paths 41, 41, so that a larger amount of coating liquid is applied to the manifold 23b than when there is no drain path 41,41. A working liquid can be supplied. As a result, even if the coating device 11 opens and closes the valve body 18,
From the manifold 23b of the coating liquid passage 23 to the discharge port 23
The pressure fluctuation of the coating liquid existing up to “a” can be reduced, and the coating liquid can be uniformly discharged from the start to the stop of the coating, so that the thickness of the coating film C can be made uniform.

Next, the coating operation of the coating apparatus 11 according to the present embodiment will be described. The die body 17 has the valve body 18 retracted to the valve closing position (see FIG. 4), and waits so that the coating liquid is not discharged from the discharge port 23a. Next, when the base material W conveyed by the conveyance device 12 reaches a predetermined coating start position, the valve body driving device 19 is operated to move the valve body 18 to the valve opening position (see FIG. 2). The coating liquid is discharged from the discharge port 23a promptly to form a coating film C on the substrate W being conveyed. Finally, when the conveyed substrate W reaches a predetermined coating end position, the valve body driving device 1
By operating the valve 9, the valve element 18 is quickly retracted to the valve closing position (see FIG. 4), and the discharge of the coating liquid from the discharge port 23 a is stopped. At the time of this retreat, the volume of the coating liquid passage 23c downstream of the valve seat 32 increases, and the suction state occurs.
By moving the coating liquid in the vicinity of the discharge port 23a to the inner side of the coating liquid passage 23c, the discharge of the coating liquid can be instantaneously stopped and the liquid can be surely drained.

The reason why the coating liquid near the discharge port 23a is sucked is as follows. In the valve closing operation, the valve section 18
As “a” approaches the valve seat 32, the gap formed between the valve portion 18 a and the valve seat 32 gradually narrows and the passage resistance becomes very large, so that the coating liquid passage 23 is substantially closed. From the state where the passage resistance is large.
Until a moves toward the seating position and is seated, the coating liquid passage 23 is substantially closed and the volume of the coating liquid passage 23c downstream of the valve seat 32 is increased. Therefore, the pressure of the coating liquid near the discharge port 23a is reduced.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the valve element 18 can be further retracted in the direction of arrow D while maintaining the seated state, when the coating liquid passage 23 is completely closed,
By further increasing the volume of the coating liquid passage 23c downstream of the valve seat 32, the coating liquid near the discharge port can be reliably drained.

As described above, in the coating apparatus 11, the valve element 18 is quickly moved forward and backward by the valve element driving devices 19, 19 to open and close the coating liquid passage 23 instantaneously, and the valve section 18a.
When the coating liquid passage 23 is closed by seating the valve seat 32, the valve seat 32 is closed.
In order to increase the volume of the coating liquid passage 23c on the further downstream side and to reduce the pressure of the coating liquid near the discharge port 23a to reliably drain the liquid, the film thickness of the coating film C is made uniform from the beginning to the end. Can be formed. Since the coating apparatus 11 opens and closes the coating liquid passage 23 and increases the volume of the downstream coating liquid passage 23c with a single valve element 18, the structure is simpler and easier to handle than in the past. Becomes

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and is a left side view showing a further enlarged cross section of a main part in a state where the discharge of the coating liquid is stopped. It is.
This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a sealing member 51 formed of an elastic material such as rubber is mounted on the valve portion 18a of the valve body 18. Other than this configuration, it is substantially the same as the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals indicate the same components.

In this embodiment, the valve portion 18a immediately after sitting on the valve seat 32 is replaced with a sealing material 5 made of an elastic material.
1 is further moved in the seating direction (the direction of arrow D) while compressively deforming, so that the coating liquid passage 2 downstream of the valve seat 32 is provided in a state where the coating liquid passage 23 is completely closed.
By increasing the volume of 3c, the pressure of the coating liquid in the vicinity of the discharge port 23a can be reduced and the liquid can be surely drained.

The place where the sealing material 51 molded from an elastic material such as rubber is mounted is not limited to the valve portion 18a of the valve body 18, but is omitted from the drawing. Forming the seating surface with the material 51 can also be performed by the valve portion 1.
8a and the valve seat 32, it is also possible to form both seating surfaces with a sealing material.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and is a left side view showing a further enlarged cross section of a main part in a state where the discharge of the coating liquid is stopped. It is.
This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a step 18a-1 forming a valve portion 18a of a valve body 18 is brought into liquid-tight contact with a step 32a forming a valve seat 32. That is, the valve was closed. Other than this configuration, the first
Are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals denote the same components.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and is a left side view showing the entire coating equipment provided with the apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the transport device 52 is formed by a back-up roll, and the coating device 11 is disposed above the transport device 52. Other than this configuration, it is substantially the same as the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals indicate the same components.

A transport device 52 composed of a back-up roll
Can convey a continuous sheet-shaped substrate W, and the coating device 1
1 is an uncoated area G on the entire upper surface of the base material W in the cross direction of the base material.
. Can be applied intermittently.

(Other Embodiments) The transport device for transporting the base material is not limited to the above-described embodiment.
It may be a belt conveyor, an endless steal belt conveyor, or the like. The coating device 11 discharges the coating liquid from the discharge port 23a toward the base material W in a horizontal state or an inclined state by arranging the coating device 11 on the side of the conveying device in addition to being disposed above the conveying device. Further, by disposing the coating liquid further below the conveying device, the coating liquid can be discharged upward from the discharge port 23a.

When applying a single substrate W with the coating device 11, the substrate W can be stopped and the coating device 11 can be run to perform intermittent coating.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the coating liquid passage can be opened and closed instantaneously by the valve and the coating liquid near the discharge port is depressurized when the coating liquid passage is closed by the valve. As a result, the coating film thickness can be made uniform from the beginning to the end, and the opening and closing of the coating liquid passage and the increase of the downstream volume can be performed with one valve. It has a simple structure and an excellent effect of easy handling. In the apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the liquid can be drained more reliably, the film thickness of the coating film can be made uniform from the beginning to the end.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the entirety of a coating facility provided with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the same embodiment and is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the same embodiment, and is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part in a state where the discharge of the coating liquid is stopped.

FIG. 5 is a flow sheet showing the same embodiment and showing a pipe for a coating liquid.

FIG. 6 is a left side view showing a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and is an enlarged sectional view of a main part in a state where the discharge of the coating liquid is stopped.

FIG. 7 is a left side view showing a third embodiment of the device of the present invention, and is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part in a state where the discharge of the coating liquid is stopped.

FIG. 8 is a left side view showing a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention and showing the entirety of a coating facility provided with the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional coating apparatus, and is a side view showing an enlarged cross section of a main part.

[Explanation of symbols]

17 ... die body, 18 ... valve body, 19 ... valve body drive device,
23 ... Coating liquid passage, 23a ... Discharge port, 27, 28 ... Lip member, 32 ... Valve seat

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A coating apparatus, wherein a wide coating liquid passage is formed inside a die body and a discharge port at the end of the coating liquid passage is formed between two lip members. A part of the coating liquid passage is formed between the movable valve body extending over the entire width of the passage and the die body, and a valve seat for the valve body to be detached from the die body is provided on the die body. The coating liquid passage extending downstream from the valve seat as the valve body extends from the open position where the coating liquid passage opens to the valve closing position where the coating liquid passage closes, extending over the entire width. A coating device, wherein a valve element is arranged so as to increase the volume of the valve element, and a valve element driving device for moving the valve element forward and backward is provided. 2. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve body can move in the forward / backward direction while maintaining a seated state.