JPS61271335A - Plasma treating apparatus for sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conduct a plasma treatment at a good working efficiency in a short exhaust time by carrying out easily a batch switching operation in a short time, by treating a sheet with plasma by passing it through a switchable airtight delivery chamber, a plasma treating chamber and a wind-up chamber. CONSTITUTION:The top of the lead-in and -out sheet of a sheet 24 fixed to a sheet delivery machine 1c in a sheet delivery chamber 1a is guided through a sheet delivery port 1d and a first semi-fuselage 20 into the air. The top of a lead-in and -out sheet arranged along a sheet traveling passage in a plasma treating chamber 5 is passed through a sheet introducing port 5a, a second semi-fuselage 21, a delivery port 5b and a third semi-fuselage 22 and guided out. One end of the lead-out sheet of a wind-up machine 1e in a sheet winding-up chamber 1b is fixed and other end is guided through an introducing port 1f and a fourth semi-fuselage 24 into the air. Each chamber is evacuated from an exhaust vent 18 through an exhaust tube 17 to bring pressure within each chamber into the predetermined one. The tops of the lead-in and -out sheets are connected to each other. An inert gas is introduced into the plasma chamber 5, the delivery machine 1c and the wind-up machine 1e are driven and voltage is applied to a cathode 6 and an anode 7 to generate plasma. The sheet is treated with plasma while forwarding it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials such as fabrics and films. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for plasma-treating sheet materials such as fabrics and films in two batches.

[Conventional technology]

Recently, plasma processing technology for imparting various properties to sheet-like materials such as fabrics and films has developed dramatically, and its applications are also expanding significantly.

For example, JP-A-57-18737 and JP-A-58-12085
No. 9 discloses an apparatus for continuously plasma-treating sheet materials such as fabrics and plastic films.

However, in a continuous plasma processing apparatus, in order to evacuate the plasma processing chamber or fill it with a desired gas, it is necessary to hermetically seal the inlet and the outlet with a seal roll.

This seal roll strongly compresses a sheet-like object such as a cloth, and there is a possibility that it may be damaged or deformed. Also,
If the fabric is thick, it is difficult to maintain airtightness with the seal roll. Furthermore, in the case of a fabric with a coarse weave structure that has not been treated with a resin treatment to prevent shedding, the seal roll may cause shedding, which may deteriorate its appearance and performance and cause it to lose its commercial value.

In general, continuous plasma processing equipment has the advantage of being able to process large amounts of sheet-like materials at low cost, but when used for high-mix, low-volume production, production efficiency decreases and production costs increase. There is.

In order to eliminate the drawbacks of the above continuous plasma processing equipment,
A batch plasma processing apparatus can be used. However, batch-type plasma processing apparatuses have a drawback in that when switching between batches, the inside of the apparatus is once exposed to the atmosphere, which requires a step and time to adjust the inside of the apparatus to the processing conditions again.

Another disadvantage is that when the apparatus is opened to the atmosphere, moisture enters the apparatus and is adsorbed on the inner walls of the apparatus, and it takes a long time to adjust the inside of the apparatus to the processing conditions.

Therefore, there has been a strong desire for the emergence of a batch-type plasma processing apparatus that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The present invention solves the drawbacks of conventional batch-type plasma processing apparatuses, namely, the complexity of operations and the large amount of time required for batch switching.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials of the present invention includes one rotatable drum-shaped negative electrode and a plurality of positive electrodes arranged opposite to the peripheral surface of the negative electrode. It has a built-in plasma generating device consisting of an electrode, and has an inert gas inlet, a sheet-like material inlet, and a sheet-like material outlet, and each of the sheet-like material inlet and the sheet-like material outlet a plasma processing chamber equipped with an airtight opening/closing device for airtightly opening and closing the airtight opening/closing device, and a storage chamber for accommodating the airtight opening/closing device; a sheet-like material delivery chamber having a sheet-like material delivery port, further comprising an airtight opening/closing device for airtightly opening and closing the sheet-like material delivery port, and a storage chamber for storing the airtight opening/closing device; and the plasma treatment. An airtight opening/closing device disposed downstream of the chamber, incorporating a sheet winding machine, having a sheet inlet, and airtightly opening/closing the sheet inlet, and this airtight opening/closing device. a sheet-like material winding chamber having a storage chamber for storing the sheet-like material, and a gas exhaust device; a first sheet that airtightly surrounds the material feeding inlet and the sheet-like material delivery port of the sheet-like material delivery chamber, and connects the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material delivery chamber in a removable and airtight manner; A connecting chamber for a sheet-like material advancement passage is formed between the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material winding chamber; A second sheet-like material advancing passage connection chamber is formed that airtightly surrounds the sheet-like material inlet of the chamber and connects the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material winding chamber in a detachable and airtight manner. It is characterized by:

The apparatus of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the plasma processing apparatus of the present invention. This plasma processing apparatus includes a sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a, a first sheet-like material advancing path connecting chamber 2a, a plasma processing chamber 5, a second sheet-like material advancing path connecting chamber 2b, and a sheet-like material advancing path connecting chamber 2b, which are airtightly connected to each other. Material winding chamber 1
It is composed of b.

The sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a has a built-in sheet-like material delivery device 1c and a sheet-like material delivery port 1d. This sheet-like material outlet 1d is provided with a first storage chamber 4a that accommodates an airtight opening/closing device that can hermetically close and open the sheet-like material outlet 1d. Furthermore, wheels 14 are attached to the bottom of the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a, allowing movement of the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a.

The sheet-like material winding chamber 1b has a built-in sheet-like material winding machine le and has a sheet-like material inlet 1f. This sheet-like material inlet 1f is provided with a fourth storage chamber 4d that accommodates an airtight opening/closing device that can hermetically close and open the sheet-like material inlet 1f. Furthermore, wheels 14 are attached to the bottom of the sheet-like material winding chamber 1b, allowing movement of the sheet-like material winding chamber 1b.

The plasma processing chamber 5 includes a rotatable drum-shaped negative electrode 7 and a plurality of positive electrodes 6 arranged opposite to the peripheral surface thereof, and communicates with an inert gas supply pipe 15. It has an inert gas inlet 16 and an exhaust port 18 communicating with an exhaust pipe 17.

The plasma processing chamber 5 also includes a sheet feeding port 5a provided opposite to the sheet feeding port 1d of the sheet feeding chamber 1a, and a sheet feeding port 5a of the sheet winding chamber 1b. A sheet-like material outlet 5b is provided opposite to 1f.

The sheet-like material inlet 5a is provided with a second storage chamber 4b that accommodates an airtight opening/closing device that can hermetically close and open the second storage chamber 4b.
A third storage chamber 4c is provided which accommodates an airtight opening/closing device that can airtightly close and open the storage chamber. A first sheet-like material advancing path connection chamber 2a is provided between the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a and the plasma processing chamber 5.

In Figs. 1 to 4, the first sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber 2
(1) An airtight opening/closing device storage that extends from the sheet-like material delivery side side of the sheet-like product delivery chamber 1a, surrounding the sheet-like material delivery port 1d, and is disposed at the sheet-like material delivery port 1d. (2) A first half-body 20 communicating with the lower end of the chamber 4a; A second half-body 21 communicates with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber 4b disposed at the material feeding entrance 5a. The first and second half bodies 20 and 21 are
At their distal end surfaces, they are removably and airtightly connected via banking 25, thereby forming an airtight first sheet-like material advancing passage connection chamber 2a.

Further, the sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber 2b extends from the (3) sheet-like material delivery side side of the plasma processing chamber 5 to surround the sheet-like material delivery port 5b, and is disposed at the sheet-like material delivery port 5b. (4) sheet-like material winding chamber 1;
It extends from the sheet-like material inlet side side of f, surrounding the sheet-like material inlet 1f, and communicates with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber 4d disposed in the sheet-like material inlet 1f. The third and fourth half bodies 22 and 23 are removably and airtightly connected via a packing 25 at their tip surfaces,
Thereby, the second sheet-like material advancing passage connecting chamber 2b is made airtight.
is formed.

Each of the first and second sheet-like material advancement passage connecting chambers 2a and 2b may be formed of a single body. In this case, in the first sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber, one end of the body is airtightly fixed to the side surface of the sheet-like material delivery chamber or the plasma processing chamber, and the other end is fixed to the side surface of the plasma processing chamber, Alternatively, it may be connected airtightly and removably to the side surface of the sheet-like material delivery chamber. Further, the second sheet-like material advancing path connecting chamber is similar to the first sheet-like material advancing path connecting chamber.

The structure of the airtight opening/closing device stored in each of the airtight opening/closing device storage chambers 4a to 4d shall be such that the corresponding sheet material delivery port or inlet port can be closed and opened in an airtight manner. Although there is no particular limitation, it is preferable that the opening/closing operation is easy and the function is reliable. Furthermore, each storage chamber is airtight so that the interior thereof is maintained in a vacuum when the corresponding inlet or outlet is open.

An example of an airtight opening/closing device and its storage chamber that can be used in the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

For example, in the case of an airtight switchgear of a plasma processing chamber and its storage chamber, the storage chamber 4a is located on the side where the sheet material inlet 5a is formed, and the airtight switchgear storage chamber wall 12
The lower end of the storage chamber 4a is formed by a first
It communicates with the sheet-like material advancing passage connection chamber 2a formed by the second half-body. An elastic packing 11 having a smooth surface (rubber or elastic synthetic resin) is attached to the side surface surrounding the inlet 5a.

An inclined guiding surface 12b facing the buffing 11 and forming the side surface of the storage chamber is formed, and the packing 1
A vertically movable sealing plate 9 is arranged between the guide plate 1 and the guide inclined surface 12b. An elastic packing 12C made of elastic synthetic resin or rubber and having a smooth surface is adhered to the surface of the guide slope 12b that is in contact with the seal plate 9. The seal plate 9 has a width larger than the inlet of the seal material,
Vertical surface 9a and guide slope 12 in contact with backing 7 king 11
The seal plate 9 can be moved up and down by its support rod 10.A tip packing 9C made of elastic synthetic resin or rubber is attached to the lower end of the seal plate 9. It is being

Further, the support rod 10 penetrates the storage chamber and extends to the outside thereof. The support rod 10 has packing 8C% stopper 8a, metal fitting 8
b is attached to the storage chamber airtightly and movably up and down.

In Fig. 3.4, the seal plate 9 is pulled upward by the support rod 10, and is fixed to the side surface of the plasma processing chamber by a locking device 10a as shown in Fig. 1 (hook locking or screw locking). If the sheet-like material inlet 5a is opened, the sheet-like material can pass through the inlet 5a along the advancing path 13.

Remove the locking device of the support rod 10 and remove the seal plate 9 while aligning the vertical surface 9a of the seal plate with the packing 11.
When lowered, the leading end packing 9c reaches and comes into close contact with the floor (bottom) surface of the first sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber 2a, and the inclined surface 9b contacts the packing 12C of the guide inclined surface 12b. At this position, the sealing plate 9 is supported by the guide inclined surface 12b. At this time, the seal material inlet 5a is hermetically closed by the seal plate 9.

The process of subjecting a sheet-like material to plasma treatment using the apparatus of the present invention is carried out as follows.

The sheet-like material 24 is mounted on the sheet-like material delivery machine IC of the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a, and the lead-in/out sheet is connected to the leading end of the sheet-like material 24,
The leading end thereof is exposed to the atmosphere through the open sheet-like material delivery port 1d and the first half body 20, and then the airtight opening/closing device is closed. Then, the sealing plate 8 airtightly closes the seal material inlet 1d while the packing at its tip presses the lead-in/out sheet to the floor surface.

Inside the plasma processing chamber 5, an inlet/output sheet is arranged along the sheet-like material advancement path, and its tip is connected to the sheet-like material inlet 5a and the second half-body 21, and the outlet 5b and the third half-body. 22, the sheet-like material inlet 5a and the outlet 5b are hermetically closed.

One end of the sheet is attached to the sheet winding machine 1e of the sheet winding chamber 1b, and the other end is attached to the sheet winding machine 1e of the sheet winding chamber 1b.
This inlet port 1f is hermetically closed while the air is exposed to the atmosphere through the fourth half body 23.

From each sealed exhaust port 18 of the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a, the plasma processing chamber 5, and the sheet-like material winding chamber 1b,
Each chamber is evacuated to a predetermined degree of vacuum by a vacuum pump (not shown) via an exhaust pipe 17. Next, the tips of the inlet and output sheets that are exposed to the atmosphere from each chamber are connected (stitched), and the sheet-like material delivery chamber 1a is connected to the plasma processing chamber 5, and the plasma processing chamber 5 is connected to the sheet-like material take-up chamber 1b. , respectively, the half-fuselage 20 and 21. In addition, 22 is connected to 23 to form the first and second sheet-like material advancing passage connecting chambers 2, respectively.
Connect by forming a and 2b. This connection operation may be performed in parallel with the exhaust operation G.

Next, the first and second sheet-like material advancement passage connection chambers 2a,
Exhaust the inside of 2b. Alternatively, after performing the above connection operation, each connection chamber may be evacuated. 1. Once the atmospheric pressure in each chamber has reached the predetermined degree of vacuum, open each inlet or outlet with each airtight opening/closing device. Inert gas is introduced into the plasma processing chamber from the inert gas supply m<not shown) through the inert gas introduction pipe 15 and the inlet 16, and the sheet-like material feeder IC and the winder 1e are driven. And cathode anode 6゜7
A voltage is applied during this period to generate plasma, and the sheet-like material 24 is subjected to plasma treatment while being advanced.

Once the plasma treatment of the sheet-like material 24 is completed, as described above, the operation of the apparatus is stopped and each sheet-like material inlet and outlet are airtightly closed, leaving the inlet and output sheets in each chamber. , the atmosphere is introduced into each chamber, and the processed sheet material is taken out from the sheet material winding chamber 1b, thereby completing the processing of -lot (bunch). During batch switching, the sealed plasma processing chamber can be maintained in a desired state while being isolated from the atmosphere.

〔effect〕

The apparatus of the present invention facilitates the batch switching operation and greatly reduces the time required for it. In particular, the time required for exhausting each chamber is shortened, improving work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of one embodiment of the plasma processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front explanatory view of an example of a closed opening/closing device used in the plasma processing apparatus of the present invention. 3 is a side sectional explanatory view showing the open position of the sealing switchgear shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the airtight closing position of the sealing switchgear shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is a side cross-sectional explanatory view. 1a... Sheet-shaped material delivery chamber, 1b... Sheet-shaped material winding chamber, IC... Sheet-shaped material delivery machine, ld... Sheet-shaped material delivery port, 1e... Sheet-shaped material winding up Machine, 1f... Sheet-shaped material inlet, 2a... First sheet-shaped material advancing path connection chamber, 2b...
2nd sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber, 3a, 3b...connection section, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d...hermetic switchgear storage chamber, 5...plasma processing chamber, 5a...sheet-like material Inlet port, 5b... Sheet material outlet, b... Positive electrode, C... Negative electrode, 8a... Stopper, 8b... Metal fitting, 8c... Puff king, 9...
・Seal plate, 9a... Vertical surface, 9b... Inclined surface, 9
C... Tip packing, lO... Support rod, 10a.
...Support rod locking device, 11...Packing, 13...
・Sheet-like material advancement path, 14...wheels, 15...
・Gas inlet pipe, 16...Gas inlet, 17...
・Exhaust pipe, 18...Exhaust port, 20, 21
, 22, 23...Half body, 24...Sheet-like material, 25...Packing.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plasma generating device including a rotatable drum-shaped negative electrode and a plurality of positive electrodes arranged opposite to the peripheral surface thereof, and an inert gas It has an inlet, a sheet material inlet, and a sheet material outlet, and further includes an airtight opening/closing device for airtightly opening and closing each of the sheet material inlet and outlet, and housing the airtight opening/closing device. a plasma processing chamber that is disposed upstream of the plasma processing chamber, has a built-in sheet-like material delivery device, and has a sheet-like material delivery port; a sheet-like material delivery chamber comprising an airtight opening/closing device for airtightly opening and closing an outlet and a storage chamber for accommodating the airtight opening/closing device; and an airtight opening/closing device that has a sheet material inlet and further airtightly opens and closes the sheet material inlet;
A sheet-like material winding chamber including a storage chamber for storing the airtight opening/closing device, and a gas discharge device are provided, and between the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material delivery chamber, the plasma processing chamber is provided with a gas discharge device. A sheet-like material inlet of the chamber and a sheet-like material outlet of the sheet-like material delivery chamber are airtightly surrounded, and the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material delivery chamber are removably and airtightly connected. A first sheet-like material advancing passage connecting chamber is formed between the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material winding chamber, and a sheet-like material delivery port of the plasma processing chamber and a first sheet-like material advancing path connection chamber are formed between the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material winding chamber. a second sheet-like material advancing passage that airtightly surrounds the sheet-like material inlet of the sheet-like material winding chamber and connects the plasma processing chamber and the sheet-like material winding chamber in a detachable and airtight manner; A plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials, characterized in that a connecting chamber is formed. 2. The first sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber (1) extends from the sheet-like material delivery side side of the sheet-like material delivery chamber to surround the sheet-like material delivery port, and extends to the sheet-like material delivery port. (2) a first half body that communicates with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber; and a second half body communicating with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber disposed at the sheet material inlet are detachably and airtightly connected at their tip surfaces. The device according to claim 1, which comprises: 3. The second sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber (3) extends from the sheet-like material delivery side side surface of the plasma processing chamber to surround the sheet-like material delivery port, and is disposed at the sheet-like material delivery port. (4) a third half body that communicates with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber; and a fourth half-body which extends out and communicates with the lower end of the airtight opening/closing device storage chamber disposed at the sheet-like material inlet, and is removably and airtightly connected at their tip surfaces. Claim 1 formed by
Apparatus described in section. 4. The gas evacuation device is connected to the sheet-like material delivery chamber, the first
Claim 1, comprising an exhaust pump independently connected to each of the sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber, the plasma processing chamber, the second sheet-like material advancement passage connection chamber, and the sheet-like material winding chamber. equipment. 5. Provided at each of the sheet-like material inlet and sheet-like material delivery port of the plasma processing chamber, the sheet-like material delivery port of the sheet-like material delivery chamber, and the sheet-like material delivery port of the sheet-like material winding chamber. Each airtight opening/closing device includes a seal plate that can be vertically displaced along the wall surface around each opening in the storage chamber, and a seal plate that guides the seal plate to a position where the opening is airtightly closed. hold in position and
A guide inclined plate for guiding the opening to the opening position, a seal plate support rod extending upwardly from the seal plate to the outside of the storage chamber, and this support rod is vertically movable and airtightly stored. 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a packing mechanism for retaining the device in the chamber.