KR20100013679A - Air knife apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An air knife apparatus for drying a substrate is provided to improve interchangeability and drying efficiency by controlling air spraying amount and spray pressure. CONSTITUTION: An air knife apparatus for drying a substrate comprises a main body(2), a first and a second chamber part(4a,4b), a discharge unit(6), and a flow control unit(8). The main body has an air injection hole inside. The first chamber part provides air(A) for drying from an air inlet. The second chamber part is apart from the first chamber. The discharge unit has a first and a second outlet. The first and the second outlet spray the air for drying to the outside. The flow control unit controls the supply quantity of the air for drying air provided to the first and the second chamber.

Description

Air knife apparatus

The present invention relates to an air knife device, and more particularly, to an operation of drying a substrate for a flat panel display device, and in particular, an air knife that can easily dry a substrate while injecting drying air in a dual spray method. Relates to a device.

The cleaning of the substrate for the flat panel display device is mainly performed by spraying (supplying) a cleaning liquid (for example, deionized water) toward the substrate surface in a chamber-type cleaning apparatus having a cleaning unit such as a fluid spray nozzle.

As such, when the substrate is cleaned by the cleaning apparatus, it is very important to dry-process the substrate while removing the remaining cleaning liquid from the substrate. For example, if the remaining cleaning liquid is buried on the substrate side after the cleaning operation, water spots may be generated on the surface, which may be a factor that degrades the cleaning quality.

Therefore, a drying operation is performed in connection with a cleaning operation of the substrate, and a method of removing and drying the drying operation while blowing out the remaining cleaning liquid of the substrate with air for drying is mostly performed using an air knife.

The air knife used for such a substrate drying operation is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2004-0110783 filed on December 31, 2004.

The Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0110783 has a multi-angle nozzle formed with a plurality of air injector spheres inside the body of the air knife, the multi-angle nozzle and the front injection sphere is spaced apart from the front and rear of the body It has a dual injection structure composed of a rear injection port.

That is, the Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0110783, the air can be injected at different injection angles toward the substrate through the front injection port and the rear injection port during the substrate drying operation, so that the drying distance of the substrate to increase the cleaning distance You can work on it.

However, the air knife device of the above-mentioned Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0110783, the following problems may occur during the drying operation of the substrate.

That is, when injecting air into the air knife body, the air injection amount (injection ratio) of the front injection port and the rear injection port of the multi-angle nozzle cannot be properly adjusted and set.

According to such a structure, it is difficult to obtain a satisfactory work compatibility and equipment efficiency because it is not possible to provide a corresponding air blowing environment according to the substrate size, shape or working conditions.

For example, when a large amount of cleaning liquid is deposited on the surface of the substrate, when the residual cleaning liquid is first blown into the front injection hole, if the injection pressure of air is large, the cleaning solution may be irregularly splashed by the injection pressure.

In particular, if the residual cleaning liquid splashes irregularly from the substrate during the drying operation as described above, it may stick to other parts of the substrate to reduce the drying efficiency and also cause a second water spot. Can be.

These problems are due to the fact that there is no controllable means to properly adjust and set the spraying environment of the front and rear injection ports according to the substrate size or working conditions.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems,

An object of the present invention, the drying operation of the substrate can be carried out while injecting the drying air in a dual injection method, in particular, it is possible to adjust the air injection amount and the injection pressure to ensure further improved drying efficiency and work compatibility The present invention provides an air knife device.

In order to achieve the object as described above,

A main body having an air inlet therein;

A first chamber part formed inside the main body to receive drying air from the air inlet;

A second chamber part spaced apart from the first chamber part with the air inlet therebetween;

A discharge unit providing a first discharge port and a second discharge port for injecting drying air to the outside of the first chamber part and the second chamber part;

Flow control means for controlling a supply amount of dry air supplied from the air inlet side to the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion;

It provides an air knife device comprising a.

In the present invention as described above, the drying operation of the substrate can be performed while controlling the injection environment of the first and second discharge ports of the discharge portion by the flow rate control means.

In particular, the flow rate control means is made possible to adjust and set the distribution amount of the drying air supplied to the first and second chamber portion at one or more ratios, for example, depending on the substrate size or drying operation conditions The injection environment (air injection rate ratio) of the first discharge port and the second discharge port can be simply set to one or more types so as to conform.

According to the structure and operation of such a flow control means, for example, compared to the conventional dual injection type air knife, which always injects air at a constant rate in two nozzles, it is possible to obtain improved drying efficiency and work compatibility. Can be.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention are described to the extent that those of ordinary skill in the art can practice the present invention.

Therefore, since the embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various other forms, the claims of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described below.

1 is a view showing a preferred installation state of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention, 2 denotes a main body, the main body 2 is conveyed with the drying chamber (D1) as shown in the figure It can be installed inside a conventional substrate drying apparatus (D) having a means (D2).

The transfer means (D2) is a conventional roller conveyor type composed of a plurality of transfer rollers (R), for example, to transfer the substrate (G) from one side to the other side inside the drying chamber (D1). It may be made of a structure.

That is, the main body 2 is formed in a rectangular type extending left / right, and the transfer section of the transfer means D2 to correspond to one surface (upper surface) of the substrate G in the drying chamber D1. It can be installed on.

In addition, referring to FIG. 2, an air inlet H is provided inside the main body 2 to provide a passage for supplying drying air A (eg, clean dry air) from the outside.

The air inlet (H) has a structure that extends to the other side through one end of the main body (2).

Although not shown in the drawing, the air inlet (H) is connected to the tubular body so that the drying air (A) is supplied from a conventional air supply device used for drying the substrate (G), the supply line of the drying air (A) On top of this, various fluid supply and control peripherals such as a flow meter, a pressure gauge and a filter are installed.

The air knife device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a first chamber portion 4a and a second chamber portion 4b.

The first chamber portion 4a and the second chamber portion 4b are formed inside the main body 2 so that the drying air A can be supplied from the air inlet H.

That is, the first chamber portion 4a is formed as a chamber of a size that can contain a predetermined amount of drying air (A) of the air inlet (H) as shown in FIG.

The first chamber portion 4a is formed at one side with the air inlet H therebetween inside the main body 2.

In addition, the second chamber part 4b is formed of a chamber having a size in which a predetermined amount of drying air A of the air inlet H is contained, as shown in FIG. 2, and the air inside the main body 2. It is spaced apart from the first chamber portion 4a with an inlet H therebetween.

The air knife device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a discharge part (6).

The discharge part 6 is to provide first and second discharge parts 6a and 6b for injecting the drying air A of the first and second chamber parts 4a and 4b to the outside. It can be formed by combining a plurality of blades.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the discharge part 6 includes a first discharge blade B1 positioned between the first chamber part 4a and the second chamber part 4b, and A second ejection blade B2 which is spaced apart to face one surface of the first ejection blade B1 to form a first ejection opening 6a communicating with the first chamber portion 4a; 1 may include a third discharge blade B3 spaced apart from the other surface of the discharge blade B1 to form a second discharge hole 6b communicating with the second chamber part 4b. have.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first discharge blade B1 has a lower side and one side of the partition 2a formed between the first and second chamber portions 4a and 4b on the main body 2 side. Is installed.

The second and third ejection blades B2 and B3 are disposed on one side and the other side of the first ejection blade B1 so that the first and second ejection openings 6a and 6b are formed therebetween. It is installed in the main body 2 side.

One end (upper end) of the first and second discharge ports 6a and 6b communicates with the first and second chamber parts 4a and 4b, respectively, and the other end (lower) end gradually goes downward. The flow path is narrowed.

The reinforcing plates 6c are spaced apart at a plurality of points between the left and right sides of the discharge ports 6a and 6b. These reinforcement plates 6c serve to stably support the discharge blades B1, B2 and B3 so that their shape does not change when they are combined in an overlapping state as shown in FIG.

The discharge gap sizes of the first and second discharge ports 6a and 6b are generally in the range of 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm, and the first discharge hole 6a is twice the gap size than the second discharge hole 6b. It may be formed to have.

In this way, when the size of the first discharge port 6a is made larger, the injection amount of the drying air A increases, so that a large amount of the cleaning liquid W is removed from the substrate G during the drying operation of the substrate G. Easy to remove by car

The discharge blades B1, B2, and B3 are formed in a rectangular blade shape as shown in FIG. 3 so as to have a length corresponding to the length of the main body 2, and thus the first and second discharge ports 6a and 6b. As shown in FIG. 4, the discharging end of is extended in a slit form and provided in parallel to each other, and has a discharging end divided into a plurality by the reinforcing plates 6c.

For example, the discharge part 6 may have a pressure such that pressure is not lost between the engagement gaps of the first, second, and third discharge blades B1, B2, and B3 during injection of the drying air A. Although not shown, it is sealed by conventional methods (eg, sealing materials).

The first, second, and third discharge blades B1, B2, and B3 are coupled to the lower surface of the main body 2 by a conventional method (eg, bolt fastening), although not shown in the drawing.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the discharge part 6 is transferred to the first discharge port 6a when the substrate G is transferred by the transfer means D2 in the drying chamber D1. While blowing the drying air A, the remaining cleaning liquid W (eg, deionized water) of the substrate G is blown first, and the second discharge port 6b is disposed behind the first discharge port 6a. The remaining washing liquid (W) of) can be blown out secondarily.

According to this structure, the residual cleaning liquid W buried in the cleaned substrate G is twice (first, using the first discharge port 6a and the second discharge port 6b of the discharge part 6). The drying operation can be carried out by blowing the blowing air into the drying air (A) over the second).

In addition, the main body 2 may be provided on the transfer section of the substrate G in the drying chamber D1 of the substrate drying apparatus D as follows.

For example, the main body 2 may be installed to be inclined within a range of the first inclination angle Q1 from any vertical reference line K1 corresponding to the substrate G transfer section when referring to FIG. 5. The first inclination angle Q1 may be formed in a range of approximately 30 degrees to 38 degrees.

If it is larger than the first inclination angle Q1, the spray pressure is easily lost when spraying the drying air A toward the substrate G through the first and second discharge holes 6a and 6b. If it is difficult to obtain a sufficient removal efficiency and is smaller than the above-described first inclination angle Q1, the residual cleaning liquid W buried in the substrate G may be irregularly splashed by the injection pressure of the drying air A. May occur.

On the other hand, the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flow control means (8).

The flow rate control means 8 is configured to control (adjust and set) the injection environment (injection amount) of the drying air A.

Referring to Fig. 6, the flow rate control means 8 includes a flow rate distributor T1 and a driver T2 for driving the flow rate distributor T1.

The flow rate distributor T1 is positioned inside the main body 2 so as to adjust a supply amount of the drying air A supplied to the first and second chamber portions 4a and 4b at a predetermined ratio.

That is, the flow rate distributor T1 may be formed in the form of a hollow pipe or tube having an outer periphery corresponding to the air inlet H and a supply passage H1 therein, as shown in FIG. Inside the inlet (H) is rotatably set with reference to the central axis of the supply passage (H1).

And, on the outer surface of the flow distributor (T1) is formed an adjusting unit 10 for controlling the supply amount of the drying air (A) corresponding to the first and second chamber (4a, 4b).

The control unit 10 is the drying air between the first chamber portion 4a and the second chamber portion 4b when the flow rate distributor T1 rotates about the central portion inside the air inlet H. It is formed to adjust and set the injection amount of A) in more than one type of ratio.

For example, the ratio of the injection amount of drying air A between the first chamber portion 4a and the second chamber portion 4b is 1 (first chamber portion): 1 (second chamber portion) or 4 (second 1 chamber part): the first adjusting part 10a and the second adjusting part 10b constituted by the first and second adjusting hole parts V1 and V2, which can be distributed to the second chamber part. have.

As such, the structure for adjusting the distribution ratio of the drying air (A) is to adjust the size of the adjusting holes (V1, V2) of the first control unit 10a and the second control unit 10b to be proportional to the injection ratio. What is necessary is just to form suitably.

In addition, the sealing member C may be further provided between the coupling gaps between the flow rate distributor T1 and the air inlet H as shown in FIG. 2.

The sealing member (C) may use rubber or silicon, and when installed between the coupling gap of the flow distributor (T1) and the air inlet (H), the drying air (A) is lost to the outside through the coupling gap Not only can be prevented, the friction during rotation of the flow splitter (T1) can be reduced as much as possible.

In addition, the driver T2 uses a stepping motor as shown in FIG. 6 as a driving source, and may have a structure in which the motor shaft end is connected to one end of the flow distributor T1.

That is, the driver T2 adjusts the injection amount ratio of the drying air A while rotating the flow distributor T1 at a predetermined angle inside the air inlet H by the rotation angle of the motor shaft when the stepping motor is driven. And setting can be driven.

The driver T2 transmits power in a cylinder driving method, a belt driving method, a screw driving method, a rack / pinion driving method, etc. in addition to the driving method by a normal stepping motor as described above. The flow rate distributor T1 may be driven.

Since such a driving structure can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art, more detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The flow rate control means 8 supplies the amount of drying air A supplied from the inside of the main body 2 to the first chamber portion 4a and the second chamber portion 4b by the following operation. It can distribute suitably.

For example, by rotating the flow rate distributor T1 with the driver T2, as shown in FIG. 2, the first adjusting hole parts V1 of the first adjusting part 10a are formed in the first and second chamber parts ( 4a, 6a) can be set to match (communicate).

According to the setting state as described above, the drying supplied to the first and second chamber portions 4a and 4b from the air inlet H by the first adjusting hole portions V1 of the first adjusting portion 10a. The injection ratio of the air A can be set to 1: 1.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second adjusting hole parts V2 of the second adjusting part 10b may be set to match (communicate) with the first and second chamber parts 4a and 6a.

According to the setting state as described above, the drying supplied from the air inlet H to the first and second chamber portions 4a and 4b by the second adjusting hole portions V2 of the second adjusting portion 10b. The injection quantity ratio of the air A can be set to 4: 1.

Therefore, the discharge part 6 of the discharge part 6 is controlled while adjusting the distribution amount of the drying air A supplied to the first and second chamber parts 4a and 4b by the operation of the flow rate control means 8 described above. The injection environment of the 1st and 2nd discharge ports 6a and 6b can be controlled suitably.

In the above, the control unit 10 of the flow control means 8 is composed of the first and second control units (10a, 10b) to control two types of distribution ratio (1: 1 or 4: 1) Although shown in description and drawing, this invention is not limited to this structure.

For example, although not shown in the drawings, the control unit 10 may be configured to further include a third control unit to control the three types of distribution ratios, or to set two or more distribution ratio types to match the working conditions. As a result, it is possible to adjust and set the supply ratio of the air for drying (A).

Therefore, the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when spraying the drying air (A) toward the substrate (G) to match the substrate (G) size or shape or working conditions when the drying operation proceeds. By using the flow rate control means 8, the injection environment (injection amount ratio) of the first and second discharge ports 6a and 6b of the discharge part 6 can be set to one or more types, further improving work compatibility and drying. Efficiency can be secured.

In the above description, the main body 2 is installed to correspond to one surface (upper surface) of the substrate G in the transport section of the transport means D2 as shown in FIG. 1. The invention is not limited to the above structure.

For example, in the transfer section of the transfer means D2, the upper and lower points of the transfer section are spaced apart from each other, as shown in FIG. In addition, although not shown in the drawing, it may be provided to be spaced apart from one or more points within the transfer section of the substrate (G).

According to this structure, the drying operation can be performed by spraying the drying air A at one or more points toward one surface and the other surface of the substrate G during the transfer of the substrate G.

1 is a view schematically showing a preferred installation state of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view schematically showing the internal structure of an air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view for explaining the detailed structure of the discharge portion of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view showing the discharge end structure of the discharge portion of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a view for explaining a preferred installation state (angle) of the main body of FIG.

6 is a view for explaining the structure of the flow control means of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a view for explaining the operation of the flow control means of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a view for explaining another installation state of the air knife device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawing]

2: main body 4a: first chamber portion 4b: second chamber portion

6: discharge part 6a: first discharge port 6b: second discharge port

8: flow control means 10: control part G: substrate

W: Cleaning liquid A: Drying air T1: Flow distributor

T2: Driver

Claims (9)

A main body having an air inlet therein; A first chamber part formed inside the main body to receive drying air from the air inlet; A second chamber part spaced apart from the first chamber part with the air inlet therebetween; A discharge unit providing a first discharge port and a second discharge port for injecting drying air to the outside of the first chamber part and the second chamber part; Flow control means for controlling a supply amount of drying air supplied from the air inlet side to the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion; Air knife device comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The first chamber portion and the second chamber portion, Air knife device comprising a chamber having a size that can hold a predetermined amount of drying air of the air inlet. The method according to claim 1, The discharge portion, A first discharge blade positioned at a boundary point between the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion below the main body; A second ejection blade disposed to correspond to one surface of the first ejection blade to form a first ejection opening communicating with the first chamber part therebetween; A third discharge blade which is disposed to correspond to the other surface of the first discharge blade and forms a second discharge port communicating with the second chamber portion therebetween; Air knife device comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The flow control means, A flow rate distributor having an adjustment unit for distributing drying air supplied to the first chamber unit and the second chamber unit, and positioned inside the air inlet; A driver for driving the flow rate distributor to adjust the distribution amount of drying air by the control unit; Air knife device comprising a. The method according to claim 4, The flow splitter, An air knife device having a hollow pipe or tube having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of the air inlet. The method according to claim 4, The control unit, Two adjusting hole parts corresponding to the first chamber part and the second chamber part are composed of a pair, Air knife device formed in a plurality of points on the outer surface of the flow distributor. The method according to claim 6, The two adjusting hole portion, Air knife device, characterized in that formed to have a passage of the same or different size with each other. The method according to claim 4, The driver, And a stepping motor or cylinder, belt / pulley, rack / pinion to drive the flow distributor to rotate about the hollow axis while generating and transmitting power. The method according to claim 1, The main body, It is installed to be inclined into the first inclination angle range from any vertical reference line corresponding to the transfer direction of the substrate, The first angle of inclination is an air knife device, characterized in that made in the range of 30 to 38 degrees.

Images