KR101202888B1 - Coating apparatus and test coating method - Google Patents

Abstract

(Problem) In the test coating part, the coating apparatus which can suppress the penetration of the fluid material from the edge part of the main scanning direction of a tape to the lower surface side of a tape is provided.
(Solution means) The test application part has a tape stand 711 on which a tape 712 for test application is placed. Moreover, the tape stand 711 is provided with the contact member 716 which curves the side edge of the tape 712 in the main scanning direction downward. The nozzle portion passes the upper portion of the tape 712 in the main scanning direction while discharging the organic EL liquid. However, since the side edge of the tape 712 is curved, the nozzle portion is directed from the side edge of the tape 712 to the lower surface side of the tape 712. Intrusion of EL liquid is suppressed. For this reason, invasion of the organic EL liquid between the tape stand 711 and the tape 712 is also suppressed, and the winding failure of the tape can be prevented.

Description

Coating device and test coating method {COATING APPARATUS AND TEST COATING METHOD}

The present invention provides a coating apparatus for applying a fluid material to various substrates such as a glass substrate for an organic EL display device, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a glass substrate for a PDP, a semiconductor wafer, and a glass / ceramic substrate for a magnetic / optical disk, and And a test coating method in a coating device.

In the manufacturing process of a board | substrate, the coating apparatus which apply | coats various fluid materials to the upper surface of a board | substrate is used. For example, in the manufacturing process of an organic electroluminescence display, the coating apparatus which apply | coats an organic electroluminescent liquid on the upper surface of the glass substrate for organic electroluminescence display is used. The conventional coating apparatus is equipped with the nozzle which discharges a fluid material toward the upper surface of a board | substrate, and the moving mechanism which moves a nozzle with respect to a board | substrate. The coating device applies the fluid material to the upper surface of the substrate by moving the nozzle along the upper surface of the substrate while discharging the fluid material from the nozzle.

Moreover, some conventional coating apparatuses are provided with the test application part which test-coats a fluid material in order to confirm the discharge state of the fluid material from a nozzle. About the conventional coating device provided with a test coating part, it is disclosed by patent document 1, for example.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-229565

In the test application part of patent document 1, a fluid material is apply | coated to the upper surface of the resin tape put on the tape adsorption part. However, when the fluid material was applied while the nozzle was moved, the fluid material penetrated from the end of the resin tape to the lower surface side of the resin tape, and there was a fear that the fluid material adhered between the tape adsorption portion and the resin tape. In particular, in the case where a semi-dried liquid pool is formed at the tip of the nozzle, the above-mentioned problem becomes more serious because the liquid pool easily adheres to the lower surface of the resin tape.

The flowable material attached to the lower surface of the resin tape may become a resistance when sending the resin tape to the tape adsorption portion, and may cause a winding failure of the resin tape. Moreover, depending on the raw material of a resin tape, when measuring the state of the fluid material apply | coated to the upper surface of a resin tape, the measurement error by the fluid material which adhered to the lower surface of a resin tape may generate | occur | produce.

This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, Comprising: Providing the application | coating apparatus and test application method which can suppress the invasion of the fluid material from the edge part of the main scanning direction of a tape to the lower surface side of a tape in a test application part. The purpose.

In order to solve the said subject, invention which concerns on Claim 1 is a coating apparatus which apply | coats a fluid material to the upper surface of a board | substrate, The stage which mounts a board | substrate, and discharges a fluid material toward the upper surface of the board | substrate mounted on the said stage. A nozzle, a moving mechanism for moving the nozzle in the main scanning direction along the upper surface of the stage, and a test applicator to which the flowable material discharged from the nozzle moving in the main scanning direction is applied when uncoated to the substrate; The test coating part has a tape having a test coating surface to which the flowable material discharged from the nozzle is coated, and curved means for bending an end portion in the main scanning direction of the tape downward.

The invention according to claim 2 is the coating device according to claim 1, wherein the test coating part further has a tape stand on which the tape is placed on a mounting surface having a smaller dimension in the main scanning direction than the tape. Silver curves the side of the tape protruding in the main scanning direction from the placing surface downward.

The invention according to claim 3 is the coating device according to claim 2, wherein the test coating part further has a conveying means for sending the tape on the tape stand in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main-scanning direction.

The invention according to claim 4 is the coating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the curved means includes a contact member having an inclined surface that abuts from an upper surface side on the side edge of the tape.

The invention according to claim 5 is the coating device according to claim 4, wherein the contact member further has a shading portion covering an upper surface of a portion located on the placing surface of the tape.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the coating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the curved means includes a pair of contact members contacting both sides of the tape protruding from the mounting surface to both sides in the main scanning direction. do.

The invention according to claim 7 is the coating device according to claim 4, wherein the curved means includes a pair of contact members that abut on portions of both sides of a region to which a fluid material is applied, among the side edges of the tape. do.

The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the coating device according to claim 1 further includes a removing means for removing a liquid level formed at the tip of the nozzle before the nozzle moves to the test coating portion.

In the invention according to claim 9, the coating device according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle forms an organic EL liquid obtained by mixing a light emitting material for an organic EL display device with a predetermined solvent, or a hole transport layer of an organic EL display device. The hole transporting material is discharged as a fluid material.

The invention according to claim 10 is a test coating method for confirming a discharge state of a fluid material from a nozzle by applying a fluid material to a tape having a test coating surface, comprising: a) bending an end portion in the main scanning direction of the tape downward; And b) discharging a fluid material from the nozzle to the test coating surface of the tape while moving the nozzle in the main scanning direction.

According to the invention of Claims 1-9, the test application part has the bending means which curves the edge part of the main scanning direction of a tape downward. For this reason, it can suppress that a fluid material penetrates into the lower surface side of a tape from the edge part of the tape main scanning direction.

In particular, according to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to suppress the inflow of the fluid material between the tape stand and the tape.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 3, the portion to which the fluid material of the tape is applied can be changed.

In particular, according to invention of Claim 4, the side edge of a tape can be easily curved.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to prevent steaming of the tape on the mounting surface.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 6, intrusion of the fluid material into the lower surface side of the tape can be suppressed at both sides of the tape.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 7, the portion to which the fluid material on the side of the tape is applied can be satisfactorily cured while preventing the fluid material from adhering to the contact member.

In particular, according to the invention of claim 8, since the liquid level can be removed from the tip of the nozzle, the intrusion of the fluid material into the lower surface side of the tape can be prevented more reliably.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 9, the intrusion of the organic EL liquid or the hole transporting material into the lower surface side of the tape can be suppressed.

Moreover, according to invention of Claim 10, the edge part of the main scanning direction of a tape is curved downward. For this reason, it can suppress that a fluid material penetrates into the lower surface side of a tape from the edge part of the tape main scanning direction.

1 is a top view of an application device.
2 is a top view of the coating device.
3 is a cross-sectional view of the coating apparatus viewed from the III-III position of FIG. 1.
4 is a cross-sectional view of the application apparatus seen from the IV-IV position in FIG. 2.
5 is a view showing a detailed configuration near the nozzle portion.
6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tape unit.
7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tape unit.
8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the contact member and its vicinity.
9 is a horizontal sectional view of the tape unit.
10 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration between a control unit and each unit in the apparatus.
11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the coating treatment on the substrate.
12 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation during test application.
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tape unit which concerns on a modification.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiment of this invention is described, referring drawings. In addition, the common XYZ rectangular coordinate system is attached | subjected to each figure referred to in the following description in order to clarify the positional relationship and the operation direction of each member.

<One. Composition of coating device>

1 and 2 are top views of the coating device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a state when the coating process is performed on the substrate 9. 2 has shown the state at the time of the nozzle part 30 carrying out test coating with respect to the test application part 70. 3 is sectional drawing which looked at the coating apparatus 1 from the III-III position of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the coating device 1 viewed from the IV-IV position in FIG. 2.

This coating apparatus 1 is an apparatus for apply | coating organic EL liquid to the upper surface of the rectangular glass substrate (henceforth simply a "substrate") in the process of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the coating device 1 mainly comprises the stage 10, the stage movement mechanism 20, the nozzle part 30, the nozzle movement mechanism 40, the atmospheric pod 50, The recovery tray 60, the test application part 70, the imaging | photography part 80, and the control part 90 are provided.

The stage 10 is a holding | maintenance part which has a flat shape and raises and holds the board | substrate 9 in a horizontal position on the upper surface. On the upper surface of the stage 10, a plurality of suction holes (not shown) are formed. For this reason, when placing the board | substrate 9 on the stage 10, the board | substrate 9 is hold | maintained on the upper surface of the stage 10 by the suction pressure of a suction hole. On the upper surface of the substrate 9 placed on the stage 10, several parallel grooves 9a are formed in advance at the position where the organic EL liquid is applied. The substrate 9 is placed on the stage 10 so that these grooves 9a face the main scanning direction (X-axis direction).

Moreover, the mask plates 11 and 12 which cover the side part of the -X side and + X side of the board | substrate 9 are arrange | positioned above the stage 10. As shown in FIG. The mask plates 11 and 12 prevent the organic EL liquid discharged from the nozzle unit 30, which will be described later, from being applied to the side portions of the -X side and the + X side of the substrate 9, and the organic EL liquid in the main scanning direction. It serves to define the application range of the liquid. The mask plates 11 and 12 are fixedly attached to the stage 10 or the board | substrate 9 through a predetermined connection member (not shown).

The stage moving mechanism 20 is a mechanism for moving the stage 10 in the sub scanning direction (Y-axis direction). The stage moving mechanism 20 includes a pair of guide rails 21 protruded along the sub-scanning direction on the bottom surface, and a pair of movers 22 laid on the lower surface side of the stage 10. Have The pair of movers 22 are able to slide on the guide rail 21 in the sub-scanning direction, for example, by the driving force of the linear motor. When the stage movement mechanism 20 is operated in a state where the substrate 9 is placed on the stage 10, the stage 10, the mask plates 11 and 12, and the substrate 9 are sub-scanned as one body. Move in the direction of

The nozzle portion 30 is a discharge portion for discharging the organic EL liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate 9 mounted on the stage 10. The nozzle part 30 has three nozzles 31, 32, 33 which discharge the organic EL liquid for red, green, and blue. In addition, the organic EL liquid is a liquid in which a light emitting substance is mixed with a predetermined solvent, and is an example of the fluid material of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the vicinity of the nozzle unit 30. As shown in FIG. 5, minute (for example, about 5-70 micrometers in diameter) discharge holes 31a, 32a, 33a are formed in the lower end part of each nozzle 31, 32, 33. As shown in FIG. In addition, pipes 31b, 32b, and 33b are connected to the nozzles 31, 32, and 33, respectively, and red, green, and blue colors are respectively connected to the upstream ends of the pipes 31b, 32b, and 33b. The organic EL liquid supply sources 31c, 32c, 33c for supplying the organic EL liquid of the present invention are connected. In addition, valves 31d, 32d, and 33d are inserted in the middle of the paths of the pipes 31b, 32b, and 33b, respectively.

When the valves 31d, 32d, 33d are opened, the organic EL liquid is supplied from the organic EL liquid supply sources 31c, 32c, 33c to the nozzles 31, 32, 33 through the pipes 31b, 32b, 33b. The organic EL liquids for red, green, and blue are discharged downward from the discharge holes 31a, 32a, 33a of the nozzles 31, 32, 33. The organic EL liquid discharged from each nozzle 31, 32, 33 forms the liquid column (for example, about 100 micrometers in diameter) below each nozzle 31, 32, 33. As shown in FIG.

The three nozzles 31, 32, 33 of the nozzle part 30 are arranged at predetermined intervals (for example, several mm pitch) in the main scanning direction, as shown in Figs. The position of the direction is also shifted little by little. The difference in the position of the sub scanning direction of each nozzle 31, 32, 33 corresponds to the pitch width of the groove 9a formed in the upper surface of the board | substrate 9 to be processed. For this reason, the nozzle part 30 can apply | coat an organic EL simultaneously to three mutually adjacent groove | channels on the board | substrate 9 by simultaneously discharging an organic EL liquid from three nozzles 31, 32, 33. FIG. have.

Thus, this coating device 1 can apply | coat an organic EL liquid three columns on the board | substrate 9 using three nozzles 31,32,33. For this reason, the organic EL liquid can be applied to the upper surface of the substrate 9 efficiently. In addition, the positions of the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction of the three nozzles 31, 32, and 33 are all different, so that the nozzles 31, 32, and 33 are not extremely miniaturized, and are separated at narrow intervals. EL liquid can be applied.

The nozzle movement mechanism 40 is a mechanism for moving the nozzle part 30 in the main scanning direction. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the nozzle moving mechanism 40 includes a support part 41 for supporting the nozzle part 30 and a moving part 42 for moving the support part 41 in the main scanning direction. Have. The moving part 42 is comprised, for example by the mechanism which combined the motor and the ball screw, or the mechanism which used the linear motor. The nozzle movement mechanism 40 can move the nozzle part 30 in the main scanning direction between any position between an upper position of the atmospheric pod 50 and an upper position of the recovery tray 60 on the + X side. .

The atmospheric pod 50 is a site | part for waiting, washing | cleaning the nozzle part 30 in the side of the -X side of the stage 10. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, three openings 51, 52, and 53 are formed in the atmospheric pod 50. When the nozzle part 30 is moved to the upper position of the atmospheric pod 50, the three nozzles 31, 32, 33 are arrange | positioned above the three opening parts 51, 52, 53, respectively. The atmospheric pod 50 supplies the cleaning liquid to each of the nozzles 31, 32, and 33 from the three openings 51, 52, and 53, and sucks the cleaning liquid after the supply, thereby providing the respective nozzles 31, 32, and 33. The discharge holes 31a, 32a, 33a.

The three nozzles 31, 32, 33 of the nozzle unit 30 discharge the organic EL liquid in a liquid column shape at the time of normality. However, by drying or the like, there may be a state in which liquid droplets (droplets in a semi-dry state) of organic EL liquid adhere to the tips of the nozzles 31, 32, 33. The atmospheric pod 50 can remove liquid liquid from each nozzle 31, 32, 33 by performing said washing | cleaning.

The recovery tray 60 is a container for recovering the organic EL liquid discharged from the nozzle unit 30 on the + X side and the -X side of the stage 10. The recovery tray 60 is below the movement path of the nozzle unit 30 on the -X side of the stage 10 (between the stage 10 and the atmospheric pod 50) and the + X side of the stage 10. It is arrange | positioned at the position to become. The recovery tray 60 is disposed so as to partially overlap the mask plates 11 and 12 with respect to the main scanning direction. For this reason, the organic EL liquid discharged | emitted from the nozzle part 30 in the side of the stage 10 is collect | recovered continuously to the mask plates 11 and 12 and the collection tray 60. As shown in FIG.

The test coating part 70 is a site | part to which an organic EL liquid is apply | coated experimentally, in order to confirm the discharge state of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle part 30 at the time of non-application to the board | substrate 9. The test application part 70 has two tape units 71 arranged on the + Y side of the stage 10. The two tape units 71 are arranged at substantially the same position in the sub-scan direction while being separated in the main-scan direction. Each tape unit 71 is fixed to the stage 10 via the connection member 72.

6 and 7 are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the tape unit 71 along the YZ plane and the XZ plane, respectively. FIG. 6 corresponds to a longitudinal cross-sectional view seen from the VI-VI position in FIG. 7, and FIG. 7 corresponds to a longitudinal cross-sectional view seen from the VII-VII position in FIG. 6. As shown to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the tape unit 71 has the tape stand 711, the tape 712, the tape feed mechanism 713, and the housing 714 mainly.

The tape 712 is a strip-shaped member formed of resin such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), for example. At the time of test application, the organic EL liquid is applied to the upper surface 712a of the portion located on the tape stand 711 of the tape 712. That is, the upper surface 712a of the part located on the tape stand 711 of the tape 712 becomes a test application | coating surface for test application | coating an organic EL liquid.

The tape conveyance mechanism 713 has the drum-shaped feeding part 713a to which the + Y end of the tape 712 is connected, and the drum-shaped winding part 713b to which the edge of the -Y side of the tape 712 is connected. Has) The tape conveyance mechanism 713 can send the tape 712 to the -Y side on the tape stand 711 by rotating the delivery part 713a and the winding-up part 713b. Thereby, the part located on the tape stand 711 of the tape 712 is changed.

A suction hole (not shown) for vacuum suction of the tape 712 is formed in the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711. At the time of test application, the tape stand 711 adsorbs the tape 712 to the upper surface 711a by generating a negative pressure in the suction hole. The upper surface 712a of the tape 712 adsorbed to the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 becomes approximately the same height as the upper surface of the substrate 9 placed on the stage 10. Moreover, when the tape 712 is sent by the tape feed mechanism 713, suction of the tape 712 to the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 is released.

The housing 714 is an enclosure housing the tape stand 711, the tape 712, and the tape transfer mechanism 713 therein. The housing 714 has an opening 714a above the tape stand 711. The organic EL liquid discharged from the nozzles 31, 32, 33 in the upper position of the housing 714 is applied to the upper surface of the tape 712 on the tape stand 711 through the opening 714a. As shown in FIG. 7, a test recovery tray 73 is provided on the + X side and the -X side of the tape stand 711. At the time of test coating, the organic EL liquid discharged from the nozzle portion 30 on the + Y side and the -Y side of the tape 712 is recovered to the recovery tray 73 for testing.

The housing 714 is fixed to the stage 10 via the connecting member 72. The slider 715 is fixed to the lower surface of the housing 714. The slider 715 is attached to the guide rail 21 in a state where the slider 715 can slide in the sub-scanning direction. When the stage movement mechanism 20 is operated, a pair of tape units 71, a pair of connecting members 72, and a test recovery tray 73 are also sub-integrated together with the stage 10. Move in the direction of

As shown in FIG. 7, the dimension d1 of the main scanning direction of the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 is smaller than the dimension d2 of the main scanning direction of the tape 712. As shown in FIG. And the tape stand 711 is provided with the contact member 716 which curves the side of the tape 712 which protruded from the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 to the main scanning direction downward.

8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view along the XZ plane near the contact member 716. As shown in FIG. 8, the contact member 716 is inclined toward the inside of the tape stand 711 from the inclined portion 716a extending in the inclined direction with respect to the X axis and the Z axis and the upper end of the inclined portion 716a. A sunshade 716b extends horizontally.

The inclined portion 716a has an inclined surface 716c which abuts from the upper surface side on the side edge 712b of the tape 712 which protrudes from the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 in the main scanning direction. When the inclined surface 716c of the inclined portion 716a abuts on the side 712b of the tape 712, the side 712b of the tape 712 curves downward. The angle θ of the inclined surface 716c with respect to the horizontal plane may be, for example, about 100 ° to 150 °. The sunshade 716b covers the upper surface of the portion placed on the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 of the tape 712, so that the center portion of the tape 712 is the upper surface (of the tape stand 711). 711a) to prevent floating.

As described above, the tape member 711 of the present embodiment is provided with a contact member 716 for bending the side edge 712b of the tape 712 downward. At the time of test coating, the nozzle part 31 passes above the tape 712 while discharging the organic EL liquid. However, since the side edges 712b of the tape 712 are bent downward, the tape 712 Intrusion of the organic EL liquid from the side edge 712b to the lower surface side of the tape 712 is suppressed. For this reason, the intrusion of the organic EL liquid between the tape stand 711 and the tape 712 is also suppressed, and the winding failure of a tape can be prevented.

The contact member 716 can be formed of a metal material such as aluminum, for example. However, the contact member 716 may be formed of another material as long as it has a higher rigidity than the tape 712.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the tape unit 71 seen from the IX-IX position in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 9, two contact members 716 are provided in the + X side edge part and the -X side edge part of the tape stand 711, respectively. The two contact members 716 provided at the end part on the + X side abut against the side edge 712b of the tape 712 protruding from the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 to the + X side. In addition, the two contact members 716 provided at the end portion on the −X side abut against the side edge 712b of the tape 712 protruding from the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711 to the −X side. As a result, both side edges 712b of the tape 712 are bent downward. For this reason, invasion of the organic EL liquid from the both side edges 712b of the tape 712 to the lower surface side of the tape 712 is suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 9, the two contact members 716 provided in the edge part at the + X side of the tape stand 711 are arrange | positioned at the + Y side and -Y side of the area | region 712c to which organic EL liquid is apply | coated. Moreover, the two contact members 716 provided in the edge part of the -X side of the tape stand 711 are also arrange | positioned at the + Y side and -Y side of the area | region 712c to which organic electrolytic liquid is apply | coated. For this reason, the four contact members 716 abut on portions on both sides of the region 712c to which the organic EL liquid is applied, among the side edges 712b of the tape 712. Therefore, both side edges 712b of the tape 712 can be curved while preventing the organic EL liquid from adhering to the contact member 716 itself.

Return to Figures 1-4. The imaging | photography part 80 is a mechanism for image | photographing the upper surface 712a of the tape 712 after test application. The imaging | photography part 80 has a pair of camera 81 located above the pair of tape units 71 in the state of FIG. In the present embodiment, the pair of cameras 81 is fixed at a fixed position which does not move together with the stage 10 and the test application part 70. The pair of cameras 81 photographs the upper surface 712a of the tape 712 from the upper position of the tape unit 71. The image data acquired by the pair of cameras 81 is transmitted to the control unit 90 and used to analyze the application state of the organic EL liquid (with or without coating, application width, application pitch, and the like).

The control part 90 is a processing part for operation control of each part in the coating device 1. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration between the control unit 90 and each part in the coating device 1. As shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 90 includes the stage moving mechanism 20, the valves 31d, 32d, and 33d, the nozzle moving mechanism 40, the atmospheric pod 50, and a pair of tape units ( 71 and the pair of cameras 81 are electrically connected to each other to control their operation. The control part 90 is comprised by the computer which has a CPU and a memory, for example, and performs operation control of each said part by operating a computer according to the program installed in the computer, and operation input from a user.

<2. Operation of coating device>

<2-1. Operation during Coating Process on Substrate>

Next, the operation | movement at the time of apply | coating an organic EL liquid to the upper surface of the board | substrate 9 using said coating device 1 is demonstrated, referring the flowchart of FIG.

When performing the coating process with respect to the board | substrate 9 in this coating device 1, an operator places the board | substrate 9 on the upper surface of the stage 10 first (step S11). The board | substrate 9 is mounted on the stage 10 so that the some groove 9a formed in the upper surface may face the main scanning direction. And when a worker performs predetermined start operation in the control part 90 of the coating device 1, operation control of each apparatus part by the control part 90 is started.

The coating device 1 first operates the stage moving mechanism 20 to move the stage 10 to the start position (position in FIG. 1) (step S12). As a result, the three grooves 9a to which the organic EL liquid is first applied on the substrate 9 are in a state located below the movement path of the nozzle unit 30.

The nozzle part 30 of the coating device 1 waits in advance above the atmospheric pod 50. When the above start operation is performed, first, the supply of the cleaning liquid to each nozzle 31, 32, 33 from the three openings 51, 52, 53 of the atmospheric pod 50 and the suction of the cleaning liquid after the supply are performed. All. Thereby, the discharge hole 31a, 32a, 33a of each nozzle 31, 32, 33, and its periphery are wash | cleaned (step S13).

After the cleaning of the nozzles 31, 32, 33 is finished, the coating device 1 next starts discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 31, 32, 33 (step S14). Specifically, by opening the valves 31d, 32d, and 33d, the nozzles 31, 32, and 33 are red from the organic EL liquid supply sources 31c, 32c, and 33c through the pipes 31b, 32b, and 33b. Organic EL liquids for solvents, greens, and blues are supplied. Then, the organic EL liquid is discharged from the discharge holes 31a, 32a, 33a of each nozzle 31, 32, 33.

Next, the coating device 1 moves the nozzle part 30 to the + X side by operating the nozzle moving mechanism 40. The nozzle unit 30 moves along the upper surface of the substrate 9 while discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 31, 32, 33. As a result, the organic EL is applied onto the three grooves 9a on the substrate 9. When the coating apparatus 1 moves the nozzle part 30 to the upper part of the mask board 12 of the + X side, next, the application | coating width part of the three nozzles 31, 32, 33 (namely, the groove 9a) Stage 3 and substrate 9 in the sub-scanning direction by three rows. Then, the nozzle portion 30 is moved to the -X side while discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 31, 32, 33. As a result, the organic EL liquid is applied onto the next three grooves 9a on the substrate 9.

In this way, the coating device 1 repeats the application of the organic EL liquid in the main scanning direction a predetermined number of times while shifting the substrate 9 in the sub-scanning direction by the coating width of the nozzle portion 30, and thereby the substrate 9. The organic EL liquid is applied onto all the grooves 9a of the phase (step S15).

When the application of the organic EL liquid to the substrate 9 is completed, the coating device 1 stops the discharge of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle unit 30 and moves the nozzle unit 30 to the atmosphere pod 50. Return to the up position. Thereafter, the worker removes the substrate 9 after the coating treatment from the stage 10.

<2-2. Operation at the time of test application>

Next, the operation | movement at the time of test application of the coating device 1 is demonstrated, referring the flowchart of FIG. In addition, this test coating is a process performed before and after the coating process to the board | substrate 9, in order to confirm the discharge state of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle part 30. FIG.

When performing test coating, first, the stage moving mechanism 20 is operated to bring the test application section 70 into the state (state of FIG. 2) located below the movement path of the nozzle section 30 (step S21). ). Moreover, each tape unit 71 sends the tape 712 so that the unused part of the tape 712 may be located on the tape stand 711, and the tape 712 is attached to the upper surface 711a of the tape stand 711. Is adsorbed (step S22).

Next, cleaning of the nozzle part 30 waiting on the atmospheric pod 50 is performed (step S23). Here, the supply of the cleaning liquid to each nozzle 31, 32, 33 from the three openings 51, 52, 53 of the atmospheric pod 50 and the suction of the cleaning liquid after the supply are performed. As a result, the liquid level of the organic EL liquid which easily penetrates to the lower surface side of the tape 712 is removed from the tip of each nozzle 31, 32, 33 in advance.

When the cleaning of the nozzles 31, 32, 33 is finished, the nozzle unit 30 starts to discharge the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 31, 32, 33 (step S24). Specifically, by opening the valves 31d, 32d, and 33d, the nozzles 31, 32, and 33 are red from the organic EL liquid supply sources 31c, 32c, and 33c through the pipes 31b, 32b, and 33b. Organic EL liquids for solvents, greens, and blues are supplied. Then, the organic EL liquid is discharged from the discharge holes 31a, 32a, 33a of each nozzle 31, 32, 33.

Next, the coating device 1 operates the nozzle moving mechanism 40 to move the nozzle part 30 to the + X side. The nozzle unit 30 moves to the upper position of the recovery tray 60 on the + X side through the upper position of one tape unit 71 while discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzles 31, 32, 33. do. As a result, the organic EL liquid is applied to the upper surface 712a of each tape 712 of the pair of tape units 71, and three organic EL liquid lines are formed on the upper surface 712a of the tape 712. It is formed (step S25). In addition, the organic EL liquid discharged at positions other than the tape 712 is recovered to the recovery tray 60 and the recovery collection tray 73 for testing.

In step S25, the nozzle unit 30 passes over the tape 712 in the main scanning direction while discharging the organic EL liquid. However, the side edge 712b in the main scanning direction of the tape 712 is curved downward by the contact member 716. For this reason, invasion of the organic EL liquid from the side edge 712b of the tape 712 to the lower surface side of the tape 712 is suppressed.

After that, the photographing unit 80 photographs the upper surface of each tape 712 by the pair of cameras 81 (step S26). The image data acquired by photography is transmitted from each camera 81 to the control part 90, and is used for analyzing the application | coating state of organic EL liquid. Specifically, the coating device 1 measures and adjusts the coating pitch of the organic EL liquid and confirms whether or not the organic EL liquid is discharged in the form of a liquid column based on the image data acquired by each camera 81. The movement direction of the nozzle unit 30 with respect to the direction of the groove 9a of the substrate 9 is adjusted.

<3. Variant>

As mentioned above, although main embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said example.

In the above embodiment, although the contact member 716 is provided as the bending means for bending the end portion in the main scanning direction of the tape 712, the end portion of the tape 712 may be curved by another method. For example, the end of the tape 712 may be curved by bringing the roller into contact with the end of the tape 712 from the upper surface side. In addition, the end of the tape 712 may be curved by sucking the end of the tape 712 from the lower surface side. Moreover, you may make it bend downward by fixing the edge part of the tape 712 with an adhesive member. Moreover, the contact member 716 of said embodiment is preferable at the point which can be easily curved, without fixing the edge part of the tape 712 to another member.

In the above-described embodiment, in the tape unit 71, the tape 712 was sent in the sub-scan direction, but the tape 742 is sent in the main scan direction as in the tape unit 74 of FIG. You may also In the example of FIG. 13, the tape 742 is bent downward by the pair of rollers 743 and 744 on the + X side and the -X side of the tape stand 741. That is, in the example of FIG. 13, the pair of rollers 743 and 744 serve as bending means for bending the end portion in the main scanning direction of the tape 742 downward. Even in such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the infiltration of the organic EL liquid from the end of the tape 742 to the lower surface side of the tape 742 at the time of test coating.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the liquid level formed at the front-end | tip of the nozzle 31, 32, 33 was removed by washing | cleaning the atmospheric pod 50, you may make it remove by the other method. For example, a cleaning mechanism or a suction mechanism may be provided below the moving path of the nozzle unit 30 separately from the atmospheric pod 50. Moreover, you may provide the scraper which scrapes off the liquid height formed in the front-end | tip of nozzle 31, 32, 33 below the movement path of the nozzle part 30. As shown in FIG.

Moreover, in the above example, although the organic EL liquid for red, green, and blue was discharged from the three nozzles 31, 32, 33 of the nozzle part 30, it is three nozzles 31, 32. , 33) may be the same as discharging the organic EL liquid for the same color. In the above example, three nozzles 31, 32, 33 are mounted in one nozzle unit 30, but the number of nozzles mounted in the nozzle unit 30 may be one or two, Four or more may be sufficient.

Moreover, in the above example, although several parallel groove 9a was formed in the upper surface of the board | substrate 9, the board | substrate coating apparatus of this invention performs a coating process with respect to the board | substrate in which such groove is not formed. It may be.

Moreover, although the said coating apparatus 1 was an apparatus for apply | coating the organic electroluminescent material which forms the light emitting layer of an organic electroluminescent display on the upper surface of the board | substrate 9, the coating apparatus of this invention uses another fluid material of a board | substrate. It may be applied to the upper surface. For example, the device for applying the hole transport material for forming the hole transport layer of the organic EL display device to the upper surface of the substrate may be used.

1: coating device 9: substrate
10: stage 20: stage moving mechanism
30: nozzle part 31, 32, 33: nozzle
40: nozzle moving mechanism 50: atmospheric pod
60: recovery tray 70: test coating portion
71, 72: tape unit 80: recording unit
90 control unit 711 tape stand
712 tape 713 transfer mechanism
714 housing 715 slider
716: contact member 716a: inclined portion
716b: Shades

Claims (10)

An applicator for applying a fluid material to an upper surface of a substrate,
The stage on which the substrate is placed,
A nozzle for discharging the fluid material toward the upper surface of the substrate mounted on the stage;
A moving mechanism for moving the nozzle in the main scanning direction along the upper surface of the stage;
At the time of non-application to a board | substrate, it comprises the test application part to which the flowable material discharged from the said nozzle moving in a main scanning direction is apply | coated,
The test applicator,
A tape having a test coating surface to which the flowable material discharged from the nozzle is coated;
A tape stand for placing the tape on a mounting surface having a smaller dimension in the main scanning direction than the tape;
It has a bending means which curves the side end part of the main scanning direction of the said tape downward of the width direction of the said tape,
The said bending means curves the side edge of the said tape which protruded in the main scanning direction from the said mounting surface below the width direction of the said tape. The method according to claim 1,
The test applicator,
And a conveying means for sending the tape on the tape stage in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main-scanning direction. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The said bending means contains the contact member which has the inclined surface which abuts on the said side edge of the said tape from the upper surface side. The coating apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 3,
The said contact member further has a shading part which covers the upper surface of the part located on the said mounting surface of the said tape. The method according to claim 3,
And said curved means includes a pair of contact members which abut on both sides of said tape protruding from both said mounting surface to both sides in the main scanning direction. The method according to claim 3,
The said bending means includes a pair of contact member which abuts on the part of the both sides of the area | region where a fluidic material is apply | coated among the said side edges of the said tape. The method according to claim 1,
And removing means for removing the liquid level formed at the tip of the nozzle before the nozzle moves to the test coating part. The method according to claim 1,
The nozzle is a coating material characterized by discharging, as a fluid material, an organic EL liquid in which a light emitting material for an organic EL display device and a predetermined solvent are mixed, or a hole transport material for forming a hole transport layer of an organic EL display device. Device. In the coating apparatus which apply | coats a fluid material to the upper surface of a board | substrate, at the time of non-application to a board | substrate, the tape which has a test coating surface is put on the tape stand which has a mounting surface whose dimension of a main scanning direction is smaller than the said tape, As a test coating method of confirming the discharge state of the fluid material from a nozzle by apply | coating a fluid material to the said test coating surface,
a) a step of bending the side end portion in the main scanning direction of the tape downward in the width direction of the tape;
b) discharging the fluid material from the nozzle to the test coating surface of the tape while moving the nozzle in the main scanning direction,
Said a) process curves the side edge of the said tape which protruded in the main scanning direction from the said mounting surface below the width direction of the said tape, The test coating method characterized by the above-mentioned. delete

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