KR20050009682A - Stage apparatus for table coater - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A stage device for a table coater is provided to lower the center of gravity of a slider part by employing wedge elements as driving units for second sliders, thereby preventing the generation of pitching and reducing acceleration correcting time(distance) to minimize coating defects. CONSTITUTION: A stage device for a table coater includes first sliders(120A,120B) moving in an axial direction along a substrate table(100) surface securing a substrate, and second sliders. The first sliders have two driving units traveling on two rail parts(110A,110B) mounted in parallel with each other at both sides of the substrate table and driven by a linear motor. The second sliders are formed of two slide wedge elements, as driving units, combined with the two driving units, wherein a nozzle part(140) is suspended on a vertical movement block of the slide wedge elements.

Description

Stage apparatus for table coater {Stage apparatus for table coater}

The present invention relates to a stage apparatus, and more particularly, to a stage apparatus applied to a table coater machine.

As an example of a coater, for example, a coater for coating a thin film made of a specific material on a glass substrate in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal plate. Until now, this kind of coater group has been the mainstream of the so-called spin coater group by spin coating. However, the spin coater has a problem in that almost all of the expensive coating materials dropped on the substrate are discarded.

Thus, in recent years, table coaters have been provided instead of spin coaters. The table coater is applied by sliding in a uniaxial direction a table having a nozzle portion or a substrate to be processed having a spray port of a coating material of a certain length, and has an advantage of processing so that the waste amount of the coating material is small (for example, a patent). See Document 1).

However, in recent years, the substrate to be processed has been enlarged (for example, 2 m x 2 m), and a stage apparatus that can cope with this has been demanded.

4-7, an example of the stage coater stage apparatus proposed for the large sized to-be-processed board | substrate is demonstrated. 4 and 5, the stone surface plate 160 is fixed on the temporary table 150. The projection plate 160 has a recessed portion on the upper surface side, and the recessed portion is provided with a substrate table 100 for mounting and holding the substrate to be processed. Rail portions 110A and 110B made of a stone material are provided on both sides of the projection plate 160 corresponding to both sides of the substrate table 100, that is, the portions that are higher than the concave portions so as to extend in parallel to each other. Hereinafter, this extending direction is called a Y axis. Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B are combined with these rail portions 110A and 110B so as to be able to travel along the rail portions 110A and 110B, respectively. The Y axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B are realized by a linear motor. That is, the stator magnet part (yoke part) of a linear motor is arrange | positioned along rail part 110A, 110B, and the movable coil part of a linear motor is arrange | positioned at Y-axis drive mechanism 120A, 120B.

The Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B are further provided with Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B so as to extend upward therefrom. Z-axis drive mechanism 130A, 130B is a drive source in a Z-axis direction, ie, an up-down direction, and is for driving the nozzle part 140 interposed between them in a Z-axis direction.

That is, the nozzle unit 140 is movable in the Y-axis direction along with the Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B by the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B, and by the Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B. It can move in the Z-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle part 140 attached to this stage apparatus has length larger than the width | variety of the to-be-processed board | substrate (not shown) mounted on the board | substrate table 100, and has a longitudinal direction in the lowermost part. The coating material is sprayed or droplets are dropped from the micro size slit formed along the bottom.

7 shows an example of a Z-axis drive mechanism. In FIG. 7, the Z-axis drive mechanism 130A is mounted to be movable along the frame 131, two guide parts 132 mounted therein so as to extend in the vertical direction, and the guide parts 132. FIG. The table 133 and the rolling guide 134 guided by the guide part 132 are provided. The table 133 is driven by a ball screw mechanism by a ball screw 135 mounted in the same direction as the guide portion 132 and a nut 136 screwed thereto, and a ball screw on the upper portion of the frame 131. An AC servomotor 137 for rotation is fixedly arranged. The nut 136 is fixed to the back side of the table 133.

The Z-axis drive mechanism 130A further includes a counter balance air cylinder mechanism 138 to reduce the load on the AC servomotor 137. The shaft of the air cylinder mechanism 138 is mounted on the nut 136 or the movable part, and the main body of the air cylinder mechanism 138 is fixed to the upper portion of the frame 131 in parallel to the AC servomotor 137. The Z axis drive mechanism 130B also has the same structure. And the nozzle part 140 is spanned between two tables 133 in Z-axis drive mechanism 130A, 130B.

Hereinafter, the whole movable part including Y-axis drive mechanism 120A, 120B, Z-axis drive mechanism 130A, 130B, and nozzle part 140 is called a slider part, and it demonstrates.

The operation | movement at the time of application | coating of the slider part driven by the above-mentioned table coater stage apparatus becomes as follows.

a. The nozzle unit 140 is lowered to the application height and once stopped just before the substrate to be processed.

b. Accelerate with application until it reaches a certain speed from stop. In this case, the portion of the film formation substrate on which the coating unevenness occurs is discarded.

c. While applying, it moves at a constant speed toward the end of the substrate to be processed. The film forming substrate part without coating staining becomes an effective use range.

d. While applying, deceleration stops immediately before the end of the substrate to be processed. Also in this case, the film-forming board | substrate part in which the application | coating stain | emission occurred was discarded.

e. After stopping, the nozzle unit 140 is raised by a certain height to return to the application starting position.

8 shows the time-speed characteristic in the operation | movement at the time of application | coating of the said slider part. In FIG. 8, time T represents the acceleration settling time demonstrated below.

In the application | coating operation | movement, shortening of the acceleration settling time T (or distance) of the slider part which turns into the discarding part of a film-forming board | substrate is calculated | required. In response to such a demand, the structure of the stage device is characterized by the fact that a large weight component occupies the upper portion of the Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B, and thus the center of the entire slider portion is referred to as a "center of gravity; The point is a high position. That is, since the tall Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B are mounted on the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B, the center point of the entire slider portion becomes a high position, and the center point is the drive point in the Y-axis direction. It has a positional relationship away from the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B. An example of a center point position and a drive point position is shown in FIG.

In such a structure, the slider portion is likely to cause pitching vibration during acceleration, and the vibration is hardly attenuated. Pitching vibration is vibration as shown by the arrow in FIG. When the slider portion is vibrated, the acceleration settling time T (distance) is also long, so that the coating spot (the discarding portion of the film forming substrate) is long.

On the other hand, for the purpose of low centering, for example, when the Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B are to be provided on the side surfaces of the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B, the width of the entire stage device becomes large and the installation space may increase. In addition, it leads to an increase in transportation costs.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-167463

Therefore, the present invention aims to reduce the acceleration settling time (distance) by reducing the centering of the slider to achieve a structure in which pitching vibration is less likely to occur, and to minimize the area where coating unevenness occurs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a side view for demonstrating the structure of a Z-axis drive mechanism in the table coater stage apparatus by this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the structure of the slide wedge mechanism, which is a main part of the Z-axis drive mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a schematic perspective view of the Z-axis drive mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

4 is a side view of a stage coater stage device proposed for large substrate processing.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the stage apparatus of FIG. 4.

6 is a perspective view for explaining a nozzle unit in the table coater.

FIG. 7: is a side view and a front view for demonstrating the Z-axis drive mechanism in the stage apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of time-speed characteristics in order to explain the acceleration settling time of the slider portion in the stage apparatus of FIG. 4.

[Description of the code]

10: slide wedge mechanism

11: Shanghai East Block

12: AC servo motor

13: Ball screw

14: Nut

15: horizontal movement block

16, 138: air cylinder mechanism

20: support plate

21: frame plate

22: up and down cloud guide

23: inclined cloud guide

32, 33, 36, 132: guide part

35, 134: cloud guide

100: substrate table

110A, 110B: Rail part

120A, 120B: Y axis drive mechanism

130A, 130B: Z axis drive mechanism

150: hypothesis

160: stone plate

According to the present invention, the nozzle unit is combined with a first slider that can move in one direction along the surface of the substrate table on which the substrate is to be mounted, and a first slider that can move in the direction along the axis along with the first slider. A table coater stage device having a second slider for driving in a direction, wherein the drive mechanism in the second slider is constituted by a slide wedge mechanism.

The first slider in the present stage device is composed of two drive mechanisms by a linear motor that can travel along two rail portions provided so as to extend in parallel to each other at positions corresponding to both sides of the substrate table. The second slider also consists of the two slide wedge mechanisms combined with the two drive mechanisms, and the nozzle portion is interposed between the moving parts in the two slide wedge mechanisms.

The slide wedge mechanism in the present stage apparatus includes a ball screw mechanism driven by a motor, a horizontal moving part having a first inclined surface and driven in a direction parallel to a table surface by the ball screw mechanism, And a shanghai portion which moves up and down by a horizontal movement of the horizontal moving portion with a second inclined surface engaged with the first inclined surface, and an air cylinder mechanism for imparting a predetermined horizontal driving force to the horizontal moving portion.

In this stage apparatus, the said board | substrate table is provided on the surface plate, and the two rail parts and the two drive mechanisms by the said linear motor are also provided in the said surface plate.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1-3, embodiment of the table coater stage apparatus by this invention is described. A feature of the stage device according to the present invention lies in that the Z axis drive mechanism described in FIG. 7 is improved. Therefore, only this Z-axis drive mechanism is shown in FIGS. 1-3, and only this Z-axis drive mechanism is demonstrated below. In other words, the configuration other than the Z-axis drive mechanism may be considered to be the same as that illustrated and described in FIGS. 4 and 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, two rail portions 110A and 110B are provided on both sides of the stone surface plate 160 corresponding to both sides of the substrate table 100 so as to extend in parallel to each other. Y-axis drive mechanisms (first sliders) 120A and 120B by linear motors are arranged to be able to travel along the rail portions 110A and 110B.

In this embodiment, the Z-axis drive mechanism (second slider) is constituted by the slide wedge mechanism 10. That is, the slide wedge mechanism 10 is combined with two Y-axis drive mechanism 120A, 120B, respectively. And the nozzle part 140 (refer FIG. 5) hangs between the shanghai block 11 in these two slide wedge mechanisms 10. As shown in FIG.

The slide wedge mechanism (10) has a ball screw mechanism (13) and a ball screw mechanism (14) rotated and driven by an AC servomotor (12), and a first inclined surface on the upper surface side. The horizontal movement block 15 driven in a direction parallel to the table surface and the second inclined surface engaged with the first inclined surface on the lower surface side, thereby moving in the vertical direction by the horizontal movement of the horizontal movement block 15. A counterbalancing block 11 and a counterbalance air cylinder mechanism 16 for imparting a predetermined horizontal driving force to the horizontal moving block 15 are provided.

In detail, the slide wedge mechanism 10 includes two support plates 20 fixed to the Y-axis drive mechanism 120A (or 120B) and two support plates 20 mounted on the support plate 20 so as to extend in the vertical direction at a predetermined interval. It has a frame plate 21. In the shanghai block 11 which can move in the up and down direction, the up and down rolling guide 22 which is guided in the up and down direction, and the inclined rolling guide 23 which is guided in the inclined direction on the second inclined surface are provided. It is installed. The up-and-down rolling guide 22 is guided by the guide part 32 provided so that it may extend in the up-down direction to each of two frame plates 21. As shown in FIG. The inclined rolling guide 23 is guided by the guide part 33 mounted on the first inclined surface of the horizontal moving block 15.

On the lower surface of the horizontal moving block 15 that can move in the horizontal direction, two rows of rolling guides 35 guided in the horizontal direction are mounted at intervals. The rolling guide 35 is guided by two guide parts 36 provided in the moving direction of the horizontal block 15 at intervals on the support plate 20. On the lower surface side of the horizontal moving block 15, the ball screw 13 extends in the direction of movement between the two rows of rolling guides 35, and to the nut 14 mounted on the lower surface of the horizontal moving block 15. The screw is engaged.

The AC servomotor 12 and the air cylinder mechanism 16 are arranged laterally on a lower position in the height direction, that is, on the support plate 20, and are arranged and fixed in opposite positions with the horizontal movement block 15 interposed therebetween. It is.

The end of the drive shaft of the air cylinder mechanism 16 is locked or fixed to the horizontal moving block 15 so as to cancel the horizontal component due to the load of the nozzle unit 140 acting on the moving block 11. .

And the nozzle part 140 is attached through the mounting plate 38 attached to the side surface of the shangdong block 11.

According to the above structure, when the horizontal movement block 15 moves in the horizontal direction by the ball screw mechanism, the horizontal movement block 15 moves the shank movement block 11 up and down through the guide portions 32 and 33. Move it. When the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B, the two slide wedge mechanisms 10, and the entire nozzle portion 140 are used as the slider portions, the center of the slider portion can be realized by the slide wedge mechanism 10 to accelerate the acceleration. Contributes to the reduction of pitching vibration.

That is, the slide wedge mechanism 10 is much smaller in the vertical direction than the Z-axis drive mechanisms 130A and 130B described in Figs. 4 and 5, and is disposed at a position where the weight is low. The center point has a positional relationship close to the Y-axis drive mechanisms 120A and 120B, which are drive points in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the pitching vibration at the time of acceleration in a slider part is hard to generate | occur | produce, and the acceleration correction time T (distance) in a table coater can be shortened, and the area | region to which application | coating unevenness can be minimized can be minimized.

In the above aspect, the use of the ball screw mechanism as a driving source of the horizontal moving block 15 in the slide wedge mechanism 10 is to reduce the possibility of damage of the expensive nozzle unit 140 as small as possible. will be. That is, the nozzle unit 140 needs to be stopped at a gap of about several tens of micrometers with respect to the surface of the substrate to be processed at the time of its descending, and since the ball screw mechanism is easy to brake, it can be easily realized. If this point is to be ignored, for example, an air cylinder mechanism may be used instead of the ball screw mechanism. In addition, a ceramic material may be used as the projection plate 160 and the rail part.

Industrial availability

The stage apparatus according to the present invention is combined with a first slider that can move in one axis direction on a horizontal plane, and a first slider that can move in one axis direction with the first slider, and drives the driven portion by a small amount in the vertical direction. It is applicable to the whole stage apparatus provided with the 2nd slider for the following.

According to the stage apparatus according to the present invention, by realizing the low centering of the slider portion, it is possible to shorten the acceleration settling time T (distance) of the slider portion when applied to a table coater, thereby minimizing the area where coating unevenness occurs. You can do it.

In addition, by using the slide wedge mechanism for low centering, in the counter balance air cylinder mechanism, only the horizontal component determined by the angle of the inclined surface of the slide wedge mechanism is burdened among the load of the nozzle portion, so that the load can be reduced. Size down (lightening) of the air cylinder mechanism can be realized.

Claims (4)

A first slider that can move in one direction along the surface of the substrate table on which the substrate is to be mounted, and a first slider that can move in one direction along with the first slider to drive the nozzle portion in the vertical direction. In the stage apparatus for a table coater provided with a 2nd slider, The drive device in the said 2nd slider comprised the slide wedge mechanism, The stage coater stage apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The method of claim 1, The first slider is composed of two drive mechanisms by a linear motor that can travel along two rail portions provided to extend in parallel to each other at positions corresponding to both sides of the substrate table, The second slider also consists of two slide wedge mechanisms coupled to the two drive mechanisms, The stage apparatus for a table coater, characterized in that the nozzle portion is interposed between the shanghai east portion in these two slide wedge mechanism. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The slide wedge mechanism includes a ball screw mechanism driven by a motor, a horizontal moving part having a first inclined surface and driven in a direction parallel to a table surface by the ball screw mechanism, and a second inclined surface engaged with the first inclined surface. And a shanghai moving part which moves upward and downward by horizontal movement of the horizontal moving part, and an air cylinder mechanism for imparting a predetermined horizontal driving force to the horizontal moving part. . The method according to claim 2 or 3, The substrate table is provided on a surface plate, and the two rail mechanisms and two driving mechanisms by the linear motor are also provided on the surface plate.