KR100898978B1 - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate adhering device, which is a flat panel display manufacturing apparatus having an upper and lower chambers in which an adhering operation is performed by adsorbing a substrate onto a stage, the upper and lower stages respectively provided in upper and lower regions of the upper and lower chambers. ; A plurality of alignment means provided in contact with the lower stage and finely aligning the lower stage; A plurality of vertical driving units provided in contact with the bottom surface of the lower stage to finely lift the lower stage in the Z-axis direction, and aligning the substrate by independent driving of the lower stage. Provide a flag.

Substrate Bonder, Lower Stage, Alignment Means, Align, Linear Motion, Drive, Friction Reduction

Description

Substrate Processing Equipment {SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS}

1 is a front sectional view showing a conventional substrate bonding machine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating alignment means for aligning upper and lower chambers according to a conventional substrate attaching machine.

3 is a front sectional view showing a substrate combiner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a bottom view illustrating a state in which the lower chamber and the lower stage are aligned in the substrate combiner of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of part “A” of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part “A” of FIG. 4.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

116: lower chamber 120: lower stage

120a: protrusion 130: linear motion portion

132: roller 142: elastic member

144: drive unit 150: ball bearing

152: vertical direction drive

The present invention relates to a substrate joiner, and more particularly, to a substrate joiner for joining a substrate while the substrate is aligned in a lower stage.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms. In response, various flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal devices (LCDs) and plasma display panels (PDPs) have been studied. It is used as a display device in various equipments.

Among the above display devices, LCD is the most widely used as a substitute for the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for the use of a mobile image display device because of the advantages of excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. In addition to mobile applications such as monitors, various types of monitors have been developed for television and computer monitors for receiving and displaying broadcast signals.

As described above, although various technical advances have been made in order to serve as screen display devices in various fields, the improvement of image quality as screen display devices is often arranged with the above characteristics and advantages. . Therefore, in order for a liquid crystal display device to be used in various parts as a general screen display device, development of high quality images such as high brightness and large area while maintaining the characteristics of light weight, thinness, and low power consumption is at stake. have.

The liquid crystal display device described above includes a liquid crystal material injected between a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate on which an electrode is formed and a CF (Color Filter) substrate coated with phosphors, and confines the liquid crystal material to two substrate edges. Is bonded by a sealing material and is supported by spacers scattered between the two substrates.

Then, a power is applied to the liquid crystal material having an anisotropic dielectric constant injected between the two substrates by using an electrode, and the intensity of the power is adjusted to adjust the amount of light transmitted through the substrate to display an image.

In order to manufacture the liquid crystal display device as described above, a lot of equipments are required, and among these, a bonding device for bonding two substrates is also an important equipment.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional substrate joining machine is generally provided with a lower base 10, an upper base 12 spaced apart from the lower base 10, and the upper base 12 described above. The upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 provided in the upper region of the upper and lower stages 18 and 20 provided in the upper region and the lower region in the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16. The two substrates (TFT array substrate and color filter substrate S) carried in the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 described above are horizontally disposed on the upper stage 18 and the lower stage 20 and then bonded up and down. It is structured.

In addition, the elevating means 26 for elevating the upper chamber 14 when the substrate S is loaded or unloaded into the upper and lower chambers 14 and 16 is provided at the bottom edge regions of the upper chamber 14, respectively. Prepared.

In addition, a plurality of lift pins 22 and 24 are provided in the lower region of the upper stage 18 and the upper region of the lower stage 20 to mount and primarily absorb the loaded substrate S. (22, 24) moves uniformly by one plate provided in the upper and lower parts.

Here, a stage alignment process of aligning the substrate S disposed on the lower stage 20 to an accurate position before performing the bonding of the substrate S described above is included. It is carried out by the alignment means 30 provided in contact with three adjacent side walls of the chamber 16.

The above-described alignment means 30 is fixed to the upper region of the upper base 12 in a state of directly contacting the lower chamber 16 among the stacked upper and lower chambers 14 and 16, and is provided eccentrically. : 34) and the drive part 32 which provides rotational force to the cam 34 mentioned above.

And the driving of the above-described alignment means 30 is performed by two alignment means 30 provided in the horizontal direction and one alignment means 30 provided in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. Alignment in the X-axis direction is performed by driving of the alignment means 30 provided in the vertical direction, and alignment in the Y-axis direction, which is vertical, is performed by two alignment means 30 provided in the horizontal direction. The alignment in the θ axis direction is performed by rotating in the + θ direction or the −θ direction by the driving of any one of the two alignment means 30 provided in the horizontal direction.

However, the alignment means 30 described above has a problem in that a large power is required as the structure moves the entire upper and lower chambers 14 and 16.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a substrate adhering device with low power consumption during alignment since only the lower stage is aligned by external power without moving the entire chamber when the stage is aligned. Is in.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a substrate adhering device, which is a flat panel display manufacturing apparatus having an upper and lower chambers in which a substrate is adsorbed onto a stage to perform a bonding operation, wherein the upper and lower regions in the upper and lower chambers are provided. Upper and lower stages respectively provided in the upper and lower stages; A plurality of alignment means provided in contact with the lower stage and finely aligning the lower stage; And a plurality of vertical driving units provided in contact with the bottom surface of the lower stage to finely lift the lower stage in the Z-axis direction, and aligning the substrate by independent driving of the lower stage, thereby positioning the above-described stage. It is preferable to align the lower stage only by the external alignment means without moving the entire upper and lower chambers, so that less power is consumed.

In addition, the alignment means in the present invention is provided with a plurality in contact with the lower stage, the linear movement portion for finely aligned in the X, Y axis linear direction and θ axis rotation direction by transmitting a driving force to the lower stage; The driving unit is provided on each side of the linear movement unit to impart a driving force to the linear movement unit. It is preferable to transfer the driving force of the above-described driving unit by the linear movement unit in contact with the driving unit to align the lower stage.

In addition, in the present invention, the linear motion portion is provided at three adjacent lower side surfaces of the lower stage, and a pair of elastic members horizontal to the bottom surface is further provided at both ends of each linear movement portion, respectively, each linear movement portion The lower stages are aligned in the X and Y axis linear directions and the θ axis rotation directions by the movement of, and the restoring force is provided by the elastic members provided at both ends of each linear motion portion, so that the movement and return are easy.

Moreover, it is preferable that the drive part in this invention is a servo motor and a ball screw.

Moreover, it is preferable that the drive part in this invention is a cam and a drive motor.

In addition, the vertical direction driving unit in the present invention, is provided on the plate is fixed to the lower end of the lift pin, it is preferable because at least one each provided on the bottom edge of the lower stage.

In addition, the contact surface between the vertical driving part and the lower stage of the present invention is preferable because a plurality of frictional force reducing parts in contact with the clouds smoothly flows in the lower stage.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate joining machine includes upper and lower bases 112 and 110, as shown in FIG. Upper and lower chambers 114 and 116; Upper and lower stages 118 and 120; Lifting means 126; Alignment means; It consists of a vertical direction driving unit 152.

The lower base 110 is provided at the lowermost end in the form of a plate, and the upper base 112 is also provided in a state spaced apart a predetermined distance toward the upper portion of the lower base 110 described above in the form of a plate.

Since the lower chambers 114 and 116 have the same structure and function as those of the related art, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The above-described upper and lower stages 118 and 120 penetrate the upper and lower stages 118 and 120 in the thickness direction and are protruded through the through portion, thereby primarily absorbing and adsorbing the substrate S. A plurality of lift pins 122 and 124 are provided, and the lift pins 122 and 124 are moved up and down by a plate provided for each lift pin 122 and 124 to move the lift pins 122 and 124 uniformly. Are fixed respectively.

Here, at the three bottom edges of the lower stage 120 described above, a cylindrical protrusion having the end portion of the linear motion part 130 in contact with the lower stage 120 in the process of finely moving and aligning the lower stage 120 as shown in FIG. 4. Each 120a is provided, and each linear protrusion 130a is provided to be in contact with the outer circumferential surface of each of the protrusions 120a and has a vertical or horizontal direction, and both ends of each linear movement portion 130 are elastic springs. Member 142 is involved.

That is, one linear movement unit 130 provided in the vertical direction in aligning the lower stage 120 by the movement of each linear movement unit 130 is a driving unit that provides a driving force at the rear end of the linear movement unit 130. The linear movement unit 130 is moved finely in the X-axis direction in the horizontal direction by 144, and the two linear movement units 130 provided in the horizontal direction provide driving force at the rear ends of the linear movement unit 130, respectively. Simultaneously moving the above-described linear motion unit 130 by the drive unit 144 is a fine movement in the Y-axis direction, which is a vertical direction, and any one of the two linear motion units 130 provided in the horizontal direction corresponding thereto. The selective movement by 144 rotates in the + θ axis direction or the −θ axis direction.

In addition, the elastic member 142 provided in the horizontal state with the lower chamber 116 at both ends of the linear motion portion 130 described above, the lower stage is finely moved by the alignment means in the X, Y axis linear direction, θ axis rotation direction It is implemented by its restoring force upon return to the home position of 120.

Here, the above-described alignment means is composed of a linear movement unit 130 and the drive unit 144.

In addition, the elevating means 126 described above is provided at the bottom edge regions of the upper chamber 114 among the upper and lower chambers 114 and 116 as described above, and the elevating means 126 raises and lowers the substrate ( Upon loading or unloading S), the upper chamber 114 is lifted from the lower chamber 116 to open or close the movement passage of the substrate S. FIG.

And the linear motion portion 130 described above is an axial shape extending in the longitudinal direction and formed in a step shape as shown in Figures 5 and 6 has a trapezoidal plate shape at the top and partially cut the partial front surface having the trapezoidal shape The roller 132 in the horizontal direction is fixed to the cut portion by a hinge.

In addition, the above-described linear motion part 130 is provided in the horizontal direction in the lower chamber 116 hole which is in the same line as the protrusion 120a of the lower stage 120 and emerges inward. The stepped portion is enlarged so that the stepped portion is fixed to the rear surface of the movable member 136 which is moved by the inserted ball (140), and the movable member 136 described above is bellows 138 in up, down, left and right directions. The front end of the bellows 138 is fixed to the front end of the fixing member 134 is fixed to the rear of the hole in which the linear movement portion 130 is inserted.

That is, the above-described linear movement unit 130 is fixed to the rear of the moving member 136, the front end of the bellows 38 is fixed to the rear of the moving member 136, the rear end of the bellows 138 described above The moving member is fixed to the fixing member 134 fixed to the rear end of the chamber 116 and moved by the bellows 138 interposed between the moving member 136 and the fixing member 134 in a state where both ends are fixed. The linear movement part 130 fixed to 136 flows up, down, left, and right while maintaining the airtightness of the upper and lower chambers 114 and 116.

In addition, the above-described ball 140 inserts four up, down, left and right into the outer circumferential surface which is the contact surface of the hole of the lower chamber 116 and the moving member 136 inserted into the hole.

The airtight holding member is interposed between the hole of the lower chamber 116 and the contact surface of the fixing member 134, and the airtight holding member is also maintained at the contact surface between the movable member 136 and the linear motion unit 130 to maintain the airtightness. .

The driving unit 144 described above provides power by using a servo motor and a ball screw, or by using a cam and a driving motor, and converts the rotational motion of the servo motor into a linear motion by converting the ball screw into a linear motion. The linear motion unit 130 is linearly reciprocated, or the rotational motion of the drive motor is converted into linear motion by the eccentric cam to linearly reciprocate the linear motion part 130. In addition, the driving unit 144 for linearly reciprocating the linear movement unit 130 described above is not limited to the present embodiment, and various modifications may be made.

The vertical direction driving unit 152 described above is a linear actuator as shown in FIG. 3, and the lower stage of each lift pin fixing plate provided on the upper and lower stages 118 and 120. It is provided on the lift pin fixing plate provided in 120 and the number is provided one by one near the bottom edge of the lower stage (120).

In addition, the ball bearing 150, which is a frictional force reducing portion, is formed on the contact surface with the vertical driving portion 152 in contact with the bottom surface of the lower stage 120 by the step of moving shaft 148 having a large top diameter. The fastener 146 interposed therebetween and restricting the moving distance of the moving shaft 148 is vertically aligned with the vertical driving part 152 in the lower stage 120 with the moving shaft 148 accommodated therein. The ball bearing 150 is rotated in a rolling contact state along the lower stage 120 moving in the horizontal direction to reduce frictional force, and smoothly move the lower stage 120 while being vertical. The positions of the direction driver 152 and the moving shaft 148 function to be invariant.

In addition, the roller 132 rotating in a state fixed to the front end of the linear motion unit 130 is circumferentially formed around the protrusion 120a of the lower stage 120 when the lower stage 120 is moved up and down by the vertical driving unit 152. As it moves up and down along the plane, the interference of the linear movement unit 130 is eliminated.

Therefore, the alignment process of the lower stage provided in the chamber in the substrate bonding machine of the present invention, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper and lower substrates (S) brought in by an external vehicle (not shown) The lift pins 122 and 124 described above are lifted and lowered in the state of being adsorbed by the lowered and rising lift pins 122 and 124 to be firmly adsorbed on the upper and lower stages 118 and 120.

Thereafter, the above-described substrate S is adsorbed, and then through the above-described lower chamber 116 from outside to align the lower stage 120 of the lower stages 118 and 120, and then airtight in the through holes. Selectively linearly reciprocate the plurality of linear movement units 130 provided in the maintained state and finely move the lower stage 120 in the X, Y, and θ directions to align the substrate S, but The driving unit 144 provided to be in contact with each linear movement unit 130 transmits a driving force to the linear movement unit 130 to align the lower stage 120. When the alignment of the lower stage 120 is completed, the upper and lower substrates are aligned. (S) is bonded.

The substrate adhering device of the present invention allows a plurality of linear motion units to transmit driving force in contact with the lower stages to align only the lower stages provided in the lower regions of the upper and lower chambers. Since the microscopic movement in the axial direction can be performed with less power during stage alignment.

Claims (8)

A stage on which a substrate is fixed to one surface; Alignment means for pressing the stage in one direction to move the stage in a direction generally parallel with the one surface, and to align the stage; And Including a vertical driving unit for lifting the stage, The alignment means, A linear movement part disposed substantially parallel to the one direction and moving along the one direction; And And a roller positioned at the front end of the linear motion part, pressurizing the stage to move the stage, and rolling contact with the stage as the stage moves up and down. The method of claim 1, And the roller is disposed to be substantially perpendicular to the linear motion portion. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The substrate processing apparatus further includes a chamber disposed around the stage, The alignment means further comprises an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the stage to return the stage to its original position. The method of claim 3, The elastic member is disposed on both sides of the linear movement portion substrate processing apparatus. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The vertical direction drive unit, A moving shaft positioned below the stage to support the stage; And And a bearing member positioned above the moving shaft and below the stage, the bearing member being in rolling contact with the moving shaft and the stage according to the movement of the stage. The method of claim 5, The vertical direction driving part And a fastener having an opening penetrated by the moving shaft and fixed to the stage to restrict movement of the stage. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the stage has a pressing surface in rolling contact with the roller as the stage moves. The method of claim 7, wherein The pressing surface is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that the curved surface protruding from the other surface of the stage.

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