JPH1164835A - Foreign matter removing device for liquid crystal glass substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lessen the generation of loss time at the time of foreign matter removing work and to obviate the occurrence of the foreign matter remaining without being cut by applying rotation and revolution to a liftably supported rotating body in the state of bringing a fabric-like blank into contact with the surface of a glass substrate on the rear surface of the rotating body, thereby removing the foreign matter on the glass substrate. SOLUTION: A rotating frame 13 is rotated around a stationary shaft 16 by the start of a motor 11. A stationary shaft 16 and a gear 21 fixed thereto do not rotate but a revolving shaft 20 disposed in the lower part of the rotating frame 13 revolves around the stationary shaft 16. At this time, a gear 22 revolves around the gear 21 and both gears 21, 22 mesh with each other and, therefore, the rotation is generated at the revolving shaft 20. The flat disk-shaped rotating body 23 which is flat at the rear surface is fixed to the bottom end of the revolving shaft 20. The fabric-like blank 24 having the elastic nature for removing the cullet sticking on the substrate A is affixed and fixed to the rear surface of the rotating body 23. The rotation and revolution are applied to the rotating body 23 in the state of bringing the fabric-like blank 24 into contact with the surface of the glass substrate A in such a manner, by which the foreign matter on the glass substrate A is removed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foreign matter removing apparatus which automatically removes foreign matter such as cullet and sealant adhered to the surface of a liquid crystal glass substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal panel is manufactured by laminating two glass plates, cutting the bonded glass plates into a predetermined size, and injecting a liquid crystal between the two glass plates and sealing. And
Thereafter, a polarizing plate is attached to both sides of the glass plate.

In the process of manufacturing the liquid crystal panel, cullet (glass powder or small fragments) generated by the cutting adheres to the surface of the liquid crystal glass substrate in a process of cutting the bonded glass into a predetermined size. When the liquid crystal is injected between the two glass plates and the injection port is sealed, the sealing agent adheres to the glass surface near the injection port.

As described above, when foreign substances such as cullet and sealant adhere to the surface of the glass plate during the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel,
Since the next polarizing plate cannot be attached, a device for removing these foreign substances is necessarily required.

[0005] Since these foreign substances adhere to the surface of the liquid crystal glass in such a way that they adhere to the surface of the liquid crystal glass, they cannot be removed by hand rubbing. Therefore, a device for mechanically removing the foreign substances is required.

In the conventional removing apparatus for removing foreign substances, a blade is attached to a tip of a holder arranged on a table on which a liquid crystal glass substrate is placed, and the blade is tilted with respect to the liquid crystal glass substrate in the X axis direction. And are arranged so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

[0007] To remove foreign matter, the blade is moved forward in the X-axis direction while being pressed against the liquid crystal glass substrate, and the foreign matter is scraped off within the width of the blade, and then the blade is raised in the Z-axis direction. To move it back in the X-axis direction, then move it in the Y-axis direction, and then move it down in the Z-axis direction to press the blade again on the liquid crystal glass substrate, and repeat the same operation several times. Repeatedly remove foreign matter from the entire surface of the liquid crystal glass substrate.

[0008]

However, the above-described conventional removing apparatus has a long time loss in the movement of the blade, not only is the work efficiency inferior, but also when the size of the liquid crystal glass substrate is increased, the blade is simply lengthened. Even trying to improve efficiency,
Foreign matter cannot be sufficiently removed.

This is because the cullet must be removed so that the entire length of the blade is slightly touched to the liquid crystal glass substrate. However, when the size of the liquid crystal glass substrate is increased, undulation or distortion occurs. There is a problem that a gap is formed between the liquid crystal glass substrate and the cutting edge, and the surface of the liquid crystal glass substrate is easily damaged by sandwiching the cullet.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the occurrence of loss time at the time of removing foreign matter, to improve the work efficiency, and to prevent the occurrence of uncut foreign matter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for removing foreign substances on a liquid crystal glass substrate, which does not damage the surface even when the liquid crystal glass is enlarged.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an elastic cloth-like material is attached to the lower surface of a rotating body supported so as to be able to move up and down. With the material in contact with the glass substrate, the rotating body is rotated and revolved to remove foreign matter on the glass substrate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a proper amount of moisture is contained in the cloth-like material attached to the lower surface of the rotating body, or a proper amount of water is sprayed on the glass substrate. This adopts a configuration for removing foreign matter.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a first rotating body having an elastic cloth-like material adhered to the lower surface and a second rotating body having an abrasive sheet material adhered to the lower surface are supported so as to be able to move up and down with respect to each other. At the same time, while giving rotation and revolution to the first and second rotating bodies, the cullet adhered on the glass substrate is removed with the cloth-like material of the first rotating body, and the sealant adhered on the glass substrate is removed by the first step. The structure adopts a configuration in which the rotating body is removed with a polishing sheet material.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the cloth-like material of the first rotating body and the polishing sheet material of the second rotating body contain an appropriate amount of moisture, or This adopts a configuration in which foreign matter is removed while an appropriate amount of water is being sprayed.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a main part of a first embodiment of a foreign matter removing apparatus suitable for removing cullet adhering to the surface of a liquid crystal glass substrate A (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate). As shown in FIG. Two rails 2 and 2 which are horizontal along the Y-axis direction and a ball screw 3 are provided between the rails 2 and 2 at the upper and lower positions of the movable frame 1, and a bracket 4 is attached to the rails 2 and 2. The bracket 4 is mounted so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction along
A head 5 is provided movably in the vertical Z-axis direction as shown in FIG.

The bracket 4 is reciprocated in the Y-axis direction by rotating the ball screw 3 forward and reverse by a motor, although a nut 6 provided on the back surface is externally screwed to the ball screw 3 and not shown in the figure. .

An elevating member 8 of the head 5 is mounted on a vertical rail 7 provided on the front surface of the bracket 4, and the elevating member 8 is moved in the vertical Z-axis direction using, for example, a cylinder.

The head 5 has horizontal arms 9 and 10 projecting upward and downward from the front surface of the elevating member 8.
The output shaft 12 of the motor 11 fixed to the lower arm 10 projects from the lower surface of the arm 9 and the output shaft 1
A rotating frame 13 vertically penetrating the lower arm 10 is rotatably mounted at a position eccentric to the lower arm 2 via a bearing 14, and a fixed shaft 16 positioned at a shaft center of the rotating frame 13 via a bearing 15. Is fixed to the upper arm 9.

A gear 17 fixed to the output shaft 12 and a gear 18 fixed to the upper end of the rotary frame 13 mesh with each other, and the rotation of the rotary frame 13 is given by the activation of the motor 11 and fixed at the lower portion of the rotary frame 13. A rotating shaft 20 is rotatably mounted at a position eccentric to the shaft 16 via a bearing 19, and a gear 21 fixed to the lower end of the fixed shaft 16 and a gear 22 fixed to the upper end of the rotating shaft 20 mesh with each other. ing.

The rotating frame 13 rotates around the fixed shaft 16 when the motor 11 is started, and the fixed shaft 16 and the gear 21 fixed thereto do not rotate, whereas the rotating shaft 20 provided below the rotating frame 13 is rotated. Revolves around the fixed shaft 16, at which time
The gear 22 revolves around the gear 21, and the two gears 21 and 22
Are engaged with each other, so that the rotation shaft 20 rotates.

At the lower end of the rotating shaft 20, a disk-shaped rotating body 23 having a flat lower surface is fixed.
An elastic cloth-like material 24 for removing cullet adhering to the substrate A is adhered and fixed to the lower surface of the substrate A.

The cloth material 24 is, for example, a material in which a polyester nonwoven fabric is impregnated with polyurethane and subjected to fine embossing (mesh) to increase the porosity. Even if there are undulations and irregularities, there is an advantage that the removal operation can be performed while absorbing these with elastic fibers.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of a second embodiment of a foreign matter removing apparatus suitable for removing cullet and a sealant adhered to the surface of the substrate A. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only different points will be described.

The head 5 according to the second embodiment
Is to make the rotating shaft 20 hollow inside,
The first rotary body 23a fixed to the lower end of the first rotary body 23 is also formed in a cylindrical shape open at the lower surface, and the second rotary body 23b housed in the first rotary body 23a is stored in the rotary shaft 20 in an air cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid. (Not shown), and an elastic cloth-like material 24 is provided on the lower surface of the first rotating body 23a.
Is adhered and fixed, and a polishing sheet material 26 is attached to the lower surface of the second rotating body 23b via the elastic body 25 such as the cloth-like material or sponge.
The second rotator 23b is attached to and fixed to the first rotator 23a at a raised position where the lower surface of the polishing sheet material 26 is higher than the cloth material 24, and Moves up and down between the lower position and the lower position protruding below the cloth material 24.

The cloth-like material 24 removes the cullet adhered to the surface of the substrate A as in the first embodiment, and removes the abrasive sheet material 26 provided on the lower surface of the second rotating body 23b.
Removes the sealant attached to the surface of the substrate A.

Here, in most cases, the sealant is attached to the surface of the substrate A in a thin film form.
The polishing sheet material 26 is made of the substrate A so that the surface of the
To the extent that it does not contact the surface.

The abrasive sheet material 26 is a sheet in which abrasive grains having a particle size of 20 to 25 μm are adhered to a film sheet (thickness: about 0.1 mm) of polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, or the like.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example of an apparatus which specifically incorporates and uses the removing apparatuses of the above-described embodiments.
One end side of the horizontal table 31 is the supply unit 3 of the substrate A.
2. The other end is a take-out part 33, and the upper surface of the middle part is a removal position 34. On this table 31, the substrate A of the supply part 32 is sucked by a suction disk and transported to the removal position 34,
The suction arm 35 for transferring the substrate A at the removal position 34 to the take-out unit 33 is arranged to move along the guide rail 36. Note that the suction arm 35 is
2 and the removal position 34 and between the removal position 34 and the take-out portion 33
Two units may be arranged so as to move individually between them.

Rails 37 and 37 are fixedly disposed in parallel on both sides of the upper surface of the table 31 along the transfer direction of the substrate A, and a removal position 3 is provided above the rails 37 and 37.
The frame 1 that straddles the frame 4 is movably mounted in the X-axis direction via a slider 38, and the removal device of each of the above-described embodiments is movably mounted on the frame 1 in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. It is attached to be. The movement of the frame 1 in the X-axis direction may be performed using a driving source such as a cylinder or a motor.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which a water dispersing means 39 is disposed on the upper surface of the table 31 so that an appropriate amount of water is dispensed on the surface of the substrate A when foreign substances of the substrate A supplied to the removing position 34 are removed. Is shown. The dispersing means 39 can move forward and backward with respect to the substrate A at the removing position 34.

Although not shown, the cloth-like material 24 and the polishing sheet material 26 may be supplied with water by appropriate means so as to be contained therein.

As described above, when removing a foreign substance from the substrate A, an appropriate amount of moisture is sprayed on the surface of the substrate A, or the cloth-like material 24 or the polishing sheet material 26 is made to contain moisture. At the same time as preventing the generation of static electricity, preventing the generation of heat and improving the slip.

Furthermore, since the adsorptivity is increased, foreign substances such as cullet can be removed so as to envelop them, and there is an advantage that the foreign substance removing efficiency is improved and the glass surface is not damaged by the foreign substances.

The removing apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above. In order to supply the substrate A to the removing position 34 of the table 31 and remove the cullet adhering to the surface of the substrate A, the removing apparatus is mounted on the frame 1. With the removed device stopped so as to be located immediately above the substrate A, the head 5 of the removed device is lowered in the Z-axis direction to press the cloth-like material 24 against the surface of the substrate A, and the motor 11 is started. I do.

At this time, in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the polishing sheet material 26 is immersed in the first rotating body 23a, and the cloth material 24 is made to contain water or Water is sprayed on the surface of A.

When the motor 11 is started, as shown in FIG. 3, the cloth material 24 attached to the rotating body 23 rotates and revolves, and at the same time, the frame 1 is moved forward in the X-axis direction. The cullet adhering to the surface of the substrate A is removed with the maximum diameter of the rotation and revolution of 24 as a width.

When the cloth material 24 reaches the end of the substrate A in the X-axis direction, the head 5 of the removing device is moved along the frame 1 in the Y direction.
The frame 1 is moved laterally by a predetermined amount in the axial direction.
Move backward in the axial direction.

Thereafter, by repeating such an operation, cullet can be removed from the entire surface of the substrate A.
Finally, the motor 11 is stopped, and the head 5 of the removing device is returned to the raised position in the Z-axis direction.

In removing the cullet, the cloth-like material 24 adhered to the rotating body 23 rotates around the axis of the rotating shaft 20 and revolves around the axis of the fixed shaft 16.
In addition, the cullet can be efficiently removed without loss time by moving the substrate A in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and since the cloth material 24 is elastic, the substrate A is large and undulates on its surface. Even if there are irregularities, they can be absorbed by the elastic material and can be reliably removed. Further, the adhesion of the sealing agent to the substrate A is limited to the portions on both sides where the liquid crystal injection port is provided, as shown by the chain line in FIG.

To remove the sealant, the first rotating body 23a is used by using the removing apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG.
, The second rotating body 23b is moved downward to project the polishing sheet material 26 below the cloth-like material 24 so that the polishing sheet material 26 comes into light contact with the surface of the substrate A.
The rotation is performed by giving rotation and orbit by the start of, and moving in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction within the sealant attachment range.

In the illustrated embodiment, the head 5 of the removing device is moved in the X, Y, and Z axial directions. However, the head 5 is only moved up and down, and the substrate A is moved in the X and Y axial directions. The removal may be performed by moving.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cloth-like material is rotated and revolved to remove the foreign matter, so that the loss time at the time of removing the foreign matter is reduced, and the efficiency of the removing operation is improved. And the cloth-like material is elastic, so it can follow the surface shape of the substrate,
Even if the size of the substrate is increased, the foreign matter can be reliably removed without causing any damage on the surface.

Further, the abrasive sheet material can reliably remove the sealant adhered to the substrate, and the cloth-like material and the abrasive sheet material can be made to contain moisture, or by spraying moisture on the surface of the substrate. There is no generation of static electricity or heat at the time of removal, and due to the increase in adsorptivity, foreign substances can be removed in a wrapping manner, and the surface of the substrate is not damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of a removing device.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the removing device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing rotation and revolution of the removing device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an apparatus incorporating the removing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along arrows VV in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 frame 2 rail 3 ball screw 4 bracket 5 head 6 nut 8 elevating member 11 motor 12 output shaft 13 rotating frame 16 fixed shaft 20 rotating shaft 23 rotating body 24 cloth material 26 polishing sheet material 31 table 35 suction arm 39 spraying means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An elastic cloth-like material is stuck to the lower surface of a rotating body supported so as to be able to move up and down, and the rotating body is rotated and revolved while the cloth-like material is in contact with a glass substrate. A liquid crystal glass substrate foreign matter removing apparatus for removing foreign matter on the glass substrate. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a suitable amount of moisture is contained in the cloth-like material adhered to the lower surface of the rotating body, or foreign matter is removed while a suitable amount of water is sprayed on the glass substrate. Foreign matter removal device for liquid crystal glass substrate. 3. A first material having an elastic cloth-like material attached to a lower surface thereof.
And a second rotator having an abrasive sheet material adhered to the lower surface thereof are supported so as to be able to move up and down, and adhered to the glass substrate while giving rotation and revolution to the first and second rotators. A foreign matter removing device for a liquid crystal glass substrate, wherein a cullet is removed with a cloth-like material of a first rotating body, and a sealant attached to the glass substrate is removed with a polishing sheet material of a second rotating body. 4. A method in which an appropriate amount of moisture is contained in the cloth-like material of the first rotating body and the polishing sheet material of the second rotating body, or foreign matters are removed in a state where an appropriate amount of moisture is sprayed on the glass substrate. 4. The apparatus for removing foreign matter from a liquid crystal glass substrate according to claim 3, wherein: