KR20090066772A - Apparatus for attaching substrates of flat plate display element - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate laminating device for preventing the generation of the bonding failure of the substrate by chamber fault is provided to perform the change and location movement of the chamber in case that the glass laminating apparatus easily performs the location movement. An upper chamber(120) is supported by a column. A lower chamber(130) is moved to the upper chamber. An attaching apace is formed by the upper chamber and lower chamber. A lifter unit(140) raises the lower chamber about the upper chamber. A vertical adjusting unit is installed for column and upper chamber. The vertical control part controls the vertical position of the upper chamber.

Description

Substrate bonding apparatus {apparatus for attaching substrates of flat plate display element}

The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus of a flat panel display panel, and more particularly, to a substrate bonding apparatus for bonding a substrate in the manufacturing equipment of a flat panel display panel.

As information society has developed, the demand for display devices has increased in various forms. Recently, various flat panel display devices such as LCD (Lipuid Crystal Display Device), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), ELD (Electro Luminescent Display), VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) have been studied and some of them are widely used in real life. .

Among them, LCDs are being used for mobile image display devices because of their excellent image quality compared to CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and the advantages of light weight, thinness, and low power consumption.

The LCD is formed by injecting a liquid crystal between a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate on which an electrode is formed and a CF (Color filter) substrate coated with a phosphor. A sealer is provided on the outer circumferential surface of both substrates to prevent leakage of the liquid crystal material, and a spacer is disposed between the substrates to maintain a gap between the substrates at predetermined intervals.

Therefore, in manufacturing LCD, after manufacturing TFT substrate and CF substrate, it is necessary to join both substrates and inject liquid crystal material into the space between them, and the process of bonding double substrates determines the quality of LCD. It is one of the important processes.

The substrate bonding process is performed by a substrate bonding apparatus composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber capable of forming an interior thereof in a vacuum state, and in the substrate bonding apparatus, an upper plate and a lower plate of the lower chamber in a vacuum state. Electrostatic chucks (ESCs) may be used to secure the substrate to the substrate.

That is, the power is applied to the upper and lower plates, and the substrates fixed to the upper and lower plates are pressed and bonded while the substrates are fixed to the upper and lower plates respectively by the electrostatic force generated by the power source.

At this time, in order to bond the substrate fixed to the upper plate and the lower plate, each substrate is aligned by an aligner, and the substrate fixed to the upper plate among the aligned substrates is approached to the substrate fixed to the lower plate as much as possible. The film is temporarily bonded by dropping, and is bonded by applying pressure to both substrates.

Meanwhile, in order to bond each of the substrates in the above-described process, in order to drop the substrate located in the upper state while maintaining the bonding space formed by the upper chamber and the lower chamber in a high vacuum state, and to bond the dropped substrate and the substrate located in the lower part, The pressure in the bonding space must be changed.

In this process, as the vacuum pressure in the bonding space changes, structural deformation occurs in the upper chamber and the lower chamber forming the bonding space according to the change in the vacuum pressure. Such deformation of the chamber may cause a serious error in the bonding position of the substrate to be bonded, and when the deformation of the chamber is severe, the vacuum itself of the bonding space may not be achieved.

In this case, when the variation of the chamber occurs, the position of each chamber should be adjusted so that the upper chamber and the lower chamber can form a normal bonding space.

The lower chamber in the position control of each chamber in which the structural deformation has occurred in the cementing apparatus according to the prior art is supported by a separate lifting device for lifting the lower chamber is relatively easy to adjust the position.

However, in the case of the upper chamber, in order to adjust the position of the upper chamber in a state supported by the pillar supporting the upper chamber, it is inconvenient to adjust the position of the upper chamber while supporting the upper chamber with a separate supporting device. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate bonding apparatus that can easily adjust the position of the upper chamber forming the deposition space.

Substrate bonding apparatus using a chamber support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the upper chamber is supported by a column, the lower portion is moved to the upper chamber side to form a bonding space with the upper chamber And a lifter portion for elevating the lower chamber with respect to the upper chamber, and provided between the pillar and the upper chamber and having a vertical adjustment portion for adjusting a vertical position of the upper chamber.

The vertical adjusting part is provided between the upper chamber and the pillar, the support bracket is detachably coupled to the upper chamber, and is provided to be liftable with respect to the support bracket, and a lifting unit supporting the upper chamber.

The support bracket includes a vertical end coupled to the upper chamber by a detachable screw assembly, and a horizontal end coupled to an upper end of the pillar, and a support bar provided to be movable through the vertical end in the upper chamber. And, the lifting unit supports the lower portion of the support bar.

The elevating unit includes a support end positioned above the horizontal end and supporting the support bar, and a support end coupled to the horizontal end by a bidirectional bolt to lift the support bar by the bidirectional bolt.

A notch into which the support bar is inserted is further formed at an upper end of the support end to prevent sliding of the support bar.

According to the substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention, when the deformation occurs in the chamber forming the bonding space can be relatively easy to move and change the position of the chamber to prevent the occurrence of poor bonding of the substrate due to the chamber failure It can be effective.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, the names of the elements defined are defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, and should not be understood as meanings that limit the technical elements of the present invention. May be referred to by other names in the art. In addition, the code added to each component is described for convenience of description, and the contents shown in the drawings in which these codes are described do not limit each component to the range in the drawing. In addition, as long as the functional similarity and identity thereof, even if the modified embodiment is adopted, it can be seen as an equivalent configuration, and even if the embodiment in which the modified part of the configuration is employed, it can be seen as an equivalent configuration.

First, the chamber supporting structure and the substrate bonding apparatus using the same will be briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic view showing a substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

First, as shown in the drawing, the substrate bonding apparatus 100 according to the present invention forms a shape and is fixed to an upper portion of the frame 110 and the frame 110 on which the upper chamber 120 to be described below is mounted. The upper chamber 120 to which the substrate (TFT substrate or CF substrate) P1 is attached and the lower chamber to which the second chamber (CF substrate or the TFT substrate) P2 is attached are provided to be raised and lowered below the upper chamber 120. 130 and a lifter 140 provided below the frame 110 to lift the lower chamber 130 relative to the upper chamber 120.

The frame 110 forms an outer shape of the substrate bonding apparatus 100 and supports the upper chamber 120 to be fixed. The plurality of upper chambers 120 are spaced apart from and fixed upwardly with respect to the lower chamber 130. A base 112 is formed to form a lower portion of the pillar 114 and the frame 110 and to which each pillar 114 and the lifter 140 are fixed.

Between the pillar 114 and the upper chamber 120 is provided with a vertical adjustment unit 150 for supporting the upper chamber 120 and to adjust the vertical displacement of the upper chamber 120 at the same time. Here, the description of the vertical adjustment unit 150 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings after explaining the substrate bonding apparatus 100.

In addition, separate beams (not shown) and struts (not shown) may be additionally installed between the pillars 114 to reinforce the strength of each pillar 114.

The upper chamber 120 is in close contact with the lower chamber 130 to form a bonding space. The upper chamber body 121 and the outer side of the upper chamber body 121 that form the bonding space are provided outside the exhaust space of the bonding space. An exhaust unit 127 forming a bonding environment therethrough and a substrate adsorption device 123 for fixing the first substrate P1 to the upper chamber 120 are provided.

Here, the outer peripheral surface edge of the upper chamber body 121 is installed so that the above-described vertical adjustment portion 150 is coupled to each pillar. On the other hand, the lower surface of the upper chamber body 121 is formed with a bonding groove 122 for forming a bonding space, the bonding groove 122 is provided with an upper chuck 121a for attaching the first substrate (P1).

The upper surface of the upper chamber body 121 is provided with a substrate adsorption device 123 for adsorbing and lifting the first substrate P1 to attach the first substrate P1 to the upper chuck 121a. An alignment camera 126 for adjusting a relative position of the first substrate P1 and the second substrate P is provided.

On the other hand, the substrate adsorption device 123 is provided with a plurality of adsorption pins 124 provided through the upper chamber body 121 and the upper chuck 121a, and the adsorption pins 124 provided outside the upper chamber body 121. It is provided with a suction pin operating body 125 for elevating. Here, the suction pin 124 is formed in a tubular shape in which a hollow is formed, and is connected to the exhaust part 127 which will be described later, when the vacuum pressure is formed inside the suction pin 124 by the exhaust part 127. It is provided to adsorb | suck the board | substrate P1. The exhaust part 127 includes an exhaust pipe 128 and an exhaust pump 129 which form a vacuum pressure in the bonding space formed by the fitting groove 122 of the upper chamber body 121 and the lower chamber 130 which will be described later. Equipped.

The lower chamber 130 is to be in close contact with the upper chamber 120 to form a bonding space, and to adjust the alignment of the first substrate (P1) and the second substrate (P) while being elevated to the upper chamber 120 side. The substrate supporting the second substrate P2, which is positioned below the lower chamber body 131 and is positioned on the lower chamber body 131, is positioned below the lower chamber body 131. An elevator 133 is provided.

Here, a lower chuck 131a for attaching the second substrate P to be inserted is provided on the upper surface of the lower chamber body 131, and an outer circumferential surface of the lower chuck 131a is provided on the lower surface of the upper chamber body 121. In contact with the sealing member 136 is provided to maintain the airtightness of the bonding groove (122).

On the other hand, the upper chuck 121a and the lower chuck 131a described above are provided as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) for attaching the first and second substrates P1 and P by electrostatic power, respectively. desirable.

The substrate lifting device 133 lifts and attaches the second substrate P, which is positioned on the lower surface of the lower chamber body 131, to be attached to the lower chuck 131a or to the lower chuck 131a. It is for separating the substrate P from the lower chuck 131a. The substrate lifting device 133 is provided with a plurality of lifting pins 134 passing through the lower chamber body 131 and a lifting device for elevating a plurality of lifting pins 134 provided outside the lower chamber body 131. The pin actuator 135 is provided.

The lifter 140 raises and lowers the lower chamber 130 to the upper chamber 120 so that the lower chamber 130 and the upper chamber 120 form a bonding space. And a slide column 114, a lifting plate 142 coupled to the lifting column 114 to be elevated, and a lifting device 143 installed on the upper surface of the base 112 to lift the lifting plate 142.

Here, the lifting device 143 is transmitted from the lift motor 144 for generating power, the speed reducer 145 and the speed reducer 145 for simultaneously shifting the direction of the power generated from the lift motor 144. A lifting body 146 for converting the power into the power for lifting the lifting plate 142 is provided.

Hereinafter, the vertical adjustment unit 150 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each element mentioned below should refer to the above description and accompanying drawings. In addition, a plurality of vertical adjustment unit 150 is installed on the outer circumferential surface of the upper chamber 120 to be described below by using one vertical adjustment unit 150 as an example.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the substrate bonding apparatus according to the invention, Figure 3 is a front view showing a vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the substrate bonding apparatus according to the invention, Figure 4 is a substrate according to the present invention Side cross-sectional view showing the vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the bonding device.

As shown, the vertical adjustment portion 150 of the air-wave bonding device 100 according to the present invention is provided between the upper chamber 120 and the pillar 114 supporting the upper chamber 120, the upper chamber The support bar 151 and the support bar 151 protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the 120 pass through and are provided between the upper chamber 120 and the pillar 114 to support the upper chamber 120 with respect to the pillar 114. The support bracket 152 having an "L" shape and the support bar 151 provided to be movable up and down of the support bracket 152 are fixed to the upper chamber to adjust the vertical position of the upper chamber 120. Elevating unit 161 is provided.

Support bracket 152 is formed in the "L" shape formed by the vertical end 153 and the horizontal end 158, the vertical end 153 is coupled to the outer surface of the upper chamber 120, the horizontal end 158 is coupled to the top surface of the pillar 114.

The vertical end 153 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the upper chamber 120 by a separate screw assembly 154, and the predetermined length of the vertical end 153 in the vertical direction in which the screw assembly 154 is inserted ( 156 is formed. In addition, the horizontal end 158 is fixed to the upper surface of the pillar 114 by a separate screw assembly 159.

In addition, a through hole 157 through which the support bar 151 fixed to the upper chamber 120 is further formed at the center of the vertical end 153. Here, the through hole 157 is preferably formed to be somewhat larger than the outer diameter of the support bar 151 for the movement of the support bar 151.

Meanwhile, the elevating unit 161 is provided to be capable of elevating the upper end of the horizontal end 158 to support the support bar 151 fixed to the upper chamber 120, and supports the lower portion of the support bar 151 at the upper end. A stage 162 is formed, and a coupling step 163 coupled to the horizontal stage 158 by a bidirectional bolt 164 is formed at a lower end thereof.

Here, the letter “V” is formed on the upper end surface of the support end 162 extending in a direction parallel to the direction in which the support bar 151 is formed in order to prevent slippage of the support bar 151 supported by the support end 162. The notch 162a of the shape is formed.

And the bidirectional bolt 164 provided between the horizontal end 158 of the support bracket 152 and the coupling step 163 of the elevating unit 161 is a polygon (preferably to rotate the bidirectional bolt 164 in the center) Hexagonal) rotary part 165 is provided, the screw portion 166 is screwed to the horizontal end 158 and the coupling step 163, respectively, on both sides of the rotary part 165 is formed.

Here, each thread 166 is preferably formed with a thread having the opposite direction so that the distance between the lifting unit 161 and the horizontal end 158 is changed in accordance with the rotation of the bi-directional bolt 164.

As the bidirectional bolt 164 rotates, the support bar 151 of the upper chamber 120 supported by the elevating unit 161 while the elevating unit 161 is elevated in the vertical direction with respect to the support bracket 152. By raising and lowering the vertical position of the upper chamber 120 can be adjusted.

Accordingly, the process of adjusting the chamber position of the substrate bonding apparatus 100 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiment. Each element mentioned below should refer to the above description and accompanying drawings.

On the other hand, the present invention is to correct when a defect occurs in the deformation or alignment state of the upper chamber 120 and the lower chamber 130 in the bonding process of each substrate (P1, P2), each substrate (P1, P2) Description of the bonding process of the description will be omitted, and only the operation when the position of the upper chamber 120 is to be corrected.

First, in order to correct the position of the upper chamber 120 in the vertical direction, the fastening state of the vertical adjustment unit 150 fixing the upper chamber 120 to the upper chamber 120 and the pillars 114 is released. The release of the fastening state is performed by separating the screw assembly 154 that fixes the upper chamber 120 through the vertical end 153 to the support bracket 152 of the vertical adjustment unit 150.

In the upper chamber 120 from which the screw assembly 154 is separated, the support bar 151 provided in the upper chamber 120 is supported by the support end 162 of the elevating unit 161 to prevent the drop. In addition, the support bar 151 is prevented from being slipped by the notch 162a formed at the end of the support end 162.

After rotating the bidirectional bolt 164 provided between the coupling step 163 of the lifting unit 161 and the horizontal end 158 of the support bracket 152, the lifting unit 161 and the support bracket 152 according to the rotation direction. The distance between the ()) is changed, the vertical position of the support bar 151 supported by the lifting unit 161 and the upper chamber 120 to which the support bar 151 is coupled.

The adjustment of the vertical adjustment unit 150 is made at the same time or partially in each vertical adjustment unit 150 provided between the upper chamber 120 and the pillar 114, the vertical position and the vertical rotation of the upper chamber 120 You can adjust the status.

Although described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments of the present invention as described above, those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims Various modifications may be made to the invention. Therefore, changes in the future embodiments of the present invention will not be able to escape the technology of the present invention.

For example, the substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention may be implemented by adding a component having another additional function or by replacing with another component. However, all other modified embodiments include the essential elements of the present invention should be considered to be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic view showing a substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a front view showing a vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a vertical adjustment of the upper chamber in the substrate bonding apparatus according to the present invention.

Claims (5)

An upper chamber supported by a pillar, A lower chamber which is moved toward the upper chamber and forms a bonding space with the upper chamber; And a lifter unit for elevating the lower chamber with respect to the upper chamber, And a vertical adjustment part provided between the pillar and the upper chamber to adjust a vertical position of the upper chamber. According to claim 1, wherein the vertical adjustment portion A support bracket provided between the upper chamber and the pillar, the upper bracket being detachably coupled; And a lifting unit supporting the upper chamber so as to be liftable with respect to the support bracket. The method of claim 2, The support bracket includes a vertical end coupled to the upper chamber by a detachable screw assembly, and a horizontal end coupled to an upper end of the pillar, and a support bar provided to be movable through the vertical end in the upper chamber. And the elevating unit supports a lower portion of the support bar. The method of claim 3, wherein The elevating unit is positioned above the horizontal end, and has a support end for supporting the support bar, and a support end coupled to the horizontal end by a bidirectional bolt to elevate the support bar by the bidirectional bolt. Substrate Bonding Device. The method of claim 4, wherein And a notch into which the support bar is inserted is formed at an upper end of the support end to prevent sliding of the support bar.

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