KR20170113881A - Apparatus for manufacturing diplay device - Google Patents

Abstract

A display manufacturing apparatus is provided. A display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stage that is separated along a separation line to form a spacing space, a head portion that is disposed on the stage, a spacing space, or a maintenance unit that is disposed under the stage and faces the head portion do.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING DIPLAY DEVICE [0002]

The present invention relates to a display manufacturing apparatus.

Display devices are becoming increasingly important with the development of multimedia. Various types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting display (OLED) and the like are used in response to this.

As one of methods for manufacturing such display devices, a method of displaying an image by laminating a plurality of thin films having a specific function on a substrate is widely used.

Methods for forming such a specific thin film include a deposition process, a sputtering process, and an inkjet printing process.

There are various methods of each method, but in recent years, a manufacturing apparatus using an inkjet printing method has been spotlighted in various aspects. However, in the case of the inkjet printing method, there are disadvantages in terms of the physical properties of the ink, the influence of the ambient atmosphere, and the efficiency of the facilities, and various technical attempts have been made to solve the problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a display manufacturing apparatus that improves space utilization efficiency of a facility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a display manufacturing apparatus which shortens the processing time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing the same.

A display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stage that is separated along a separation line to form a spacing space, a head portion that is disposed on the stage, and a head portion that is disposed below the stage and faces the head portion And a maintenance unit.

Further, the stage moves along the x-axis, and the head can move along the y-axis.

The apparatus may further include a substrate disposed on the stage.

The apparatus may further include a linear guide disposed at one side of the stage to guide movement of the substrate.

The substrate holder may further include a substrate holder having one side connected to the linear guide and the other side coupled to the substrate.

In addition, the stage may further include an air hole for injecting air toward the substrate.

In addition, the head portion may include at least one nozzle.

The apparatus may further include a chamber that accommodates the stage, the head unit, and the maintenance unit.

The apparatus may further include a support for separating the stage from the lower surface of the chamber.

In the normal mode, the maintenance unit is disposed at a lower portion of the stage. In the separation mode, the maintenance unit may include a plurality of separation units, Can be disposed in the spacing space.

The width of the spacing space may be greater than or equal to the width of the maintenance unit.

Further, the maintenance unit may include a purge portion and a suction portion.

In addition, the separation line may extend in an oblique direction.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

The embodiments of the present invention have at least the following effects.

That is, the space occupied by the display manufacturing apparatus can be optimized to improve the space utilization efficiency of the manufacturing apparatus.

Further, the entire process time can be shortened.

The effects according to the embodiments of the present invention are not limited by the contents exemplified above, and more various effects are included in the specification.

1 is a block diagram of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a partial perspective view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a partial perspective view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an operation of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an operation of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a plan view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a plan view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention and the manner of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, but these components are not limited by these terms, and are used only to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, it goes without saying that the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the technical scope of the present invention.

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

1 is a block diagram of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a partial perspective view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a partial perspective view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 4, a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stage ST which is separated along a separation line SL to form a spacing space SS, a stage ST disposed on the stage ST, And a maintenance unit (M) disposed in the spacing space (SS) and facing the head part (H).

The display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a chamber CH. The chamber CH can provide a space in which various structures described below are arranged. In one embodiment, the chamber CH has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the shape of the chamber CH is not limited thereto. That is, the configuration capable of providing a constant internal space can be used as the chamber CH in one embodiment.

In an embodiment, the space inside the chamber CH may be shielded from outside air. In other words, the space inside the chamber CH may be a closed space.

In another embodiment, the space inside the chamber CH may be in a vacuum state. In this case, the display manufacturing apparatus may further include a vacuum pump (not shown) or the like for evacuating a space disposed inside the chamber CH.

The stage ST may be disposed in the chamber CH. The stage ST can support the substrate S to be described later. The stage ST may have a flat plate shape. That is, the upper surface of the stage ST may be a polygonal or at least partially curved plane.

In one embodiment, the stage ST can move in the horizontal or vertical direction.

The stage ST may include a separation line SL. The separation line SL can extend in one direction across the stage ST. The stage ST can be separated based on the separation line SL. In one embodiment, the stage ST may be divided along the separation line SL. When the stage ST is separated along the separation line SL, the spacing space SS can be disposed between the separated one part and the other part. A detailed description of the spacing space SS formed in the stage ST will be described later in detail.

The substrate S may be disposed on the stage ST. The substrate S may be a substrate used in a display device. In other words, the substrate S may be a substrate used for a liquid crystal display device or an organic light emitting display device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the type of the substrate S is not limited thereto. If the substrate is used for a display device that is present or emerging according to the development of the technology in the future, As a to-be-treated object.

The substrate S may be in direct contact with the stage ST or may be spaced apart from the stage ST by a predetermined distance. As one of the means for separating the substrate S from the stage ST, an air hole AH may be used. A detailed description of the air hole AH will be given later with reference to Fig.

The substrate S can move horizontally on the stage ST. As one of the means for the substrate S to be horizontal, the linear guide LG and the like described later can be moved. A detailed description thereof will be given later with reference to FIG.

A head portion H may be disposed on the stage ST. The head portion H may be disposed on the substrate S and serve to provide the substrate S with a material for forming a specific layer on the substrate S. [ In one embodiment, the head portion H may be a head portion H used in an ink jet printing apparatus for forming a specific thin film. The head portion H may be connected to a storage portion (not shown) for storing a material for forming a thin film, for example, ink (Ink) or the like. In one embodiment, the storage portion may be disposed inside the head portion H. [ However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the storage unit may be disposed outside the head unit H and connected to the head unit H.

The head portion H may include at least one nozzle NO for ejecting ink or the like for forming a thin film. That is, the ink or the like stored in the storage section may be ejected or ejected through the nozzle NO.

In one embodiment, the head portion H can move horizontally on the stage ST. That is, the substrate S can be moved in the x-axis direction or the y-axis direction in accordance with the necessity of the process in order to form a specific thin film on the substrate S. Further, the substrate S and the head portion H can move in conjunction with each other. For example, the substrate S may move in the y-axis direction and the head portion H may move in the x-axis direction. In another embodiment, the substrate S moves in the x-axis direction and the head portion H moves in the y-axis direction.

By moving in this way or independently of each other, a specific material layer can be formed over the entire area of the substrate S. [

A maintenance unit M may be disposed in the chamber CH. The maintenance unit M can maintain and manage the head portion H. [ Specifically, foreign matter such as residual ink resulting from the previous process may remain in the nozzle NO of the head portion H, and the presence of such foreign matter causes a defect in a subsequent process. The maintenance unit M serves to remove foreign matters disposed on the nozzles NO, thereby preventing defects from occurring due to foreign matter in the subsequent process.

In the case where the maintenance unit M is disposed in the same chamber CH as the head portion H, it is not necessary to secure a separate space for maintenance of the head portion H, And it is possible to save time used for maintenance of the head portion H by performing the maintenance work immediately in the same chamber CH.

2, the stage ST having a flat plate shape can be supported by a support SP. In one embodiment, the support SP has a columnar shape and can separate the lower surface of the chamber CH and the stage ST by a predetermined distance. Fig. 2 illustrates the case where the support SP supports four corners of the stage ST, but this is merely an example, and the number of the supports SP is not limited thereto.

A linear guide LG, a linear motor LM and a substrate holder SH may be disposed on one side of the stage ST.

The linear guides LG may be spaced apart from one side of the stage ST by a predetermined distance. The linear guide LG can extend in parallel with one side of the stage ST. That is, one side of the linear guide LG and one side of the stage ST may extend so as to be parallel to each other. The linear guide (LG) can guide the horizontal movement of the substrate (S). That is, the linear guide LG can guide the movement of the substrate S in the y-axis direction. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where the linear guide LG extends in the y-axis direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the linear guide LG may extend in the x-axis direction. In another embodiment, the linear guide in the x-axis direction and the linear guide in the y-axis direction may coexist.

A linear motor (LM) may be connected to the linear guide (LG). The linear motor LM can move along the linear guide LG. Specifically, the linear motor LM may serve to provide a driving force for moving the substrate holder SH, which will be described later, in the y-axis direction.

The linear motor LM can be connected to the substrate holder SH. The substrate holder SH may contact one side of the substrate SH to support the substrate SH. For example, the substrate holder SH may be clamped to one side of the substrate S in the form of a clamp. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in another embodiment, the substrate holder SH may be fixed by using a vacuum or by using static electricity.

The substrate S to be fastened to the substrate holder SH can move integrally with the substrate holder SH. That is, when the linear motor LM moves in the y-axis direction along the linear guide LG, the substrate S integrally formed with the linear motor LM can move in the y-axis direction.

A plurality of air holes AH may be disposed in the stage ST. As described above, when the stage ST includes a plurality of air holes AH, the stage ST and the substrate S may be spaced apart from each other by air provided from the air hole AH have. That is, the substrate S can be supported by the air coming out of the air hole AH.

When the substrate S directly contacts the stage ST, there is a possibility that the substrate S may be contaminated or physically damaged. In this manner, the substrate S is held on the stage ST), it is possible to prevent the substrate S from being damaged by the stage ST during the process.

The air hole H may be connected to a compressor which provides compressed air so that the air hole H provides air.

Referring to FIG. 3, the separation line SL may extend in the x-axis direction. When the separation line SL extends in the x-axis direction, the stage SL can be separated based on the separation line SL. That is, the stage SL can be divided into two parts. Specifically, one part moves in the y-axis positive direction and the other part y-axis negative direction, so that the stage ST can be divided into two. When the stage ST is separated along the separation line SL, the spacing SS can be formed in the stage ST.

Referring to FIG. 4, a maintenance unit M may be disposed under the stage ST.

The maintenance unit M may perform a role of maintaining and / or repairing the head portion H. As one example, the maintenance unit M may include a purge portion P and a suction portion V to clean the nozzle NO of the head portion H. [

The purge portion P can blow air toward the head portion H. [ That is, it is possible to remove foreign matter disposed in the nozzle NO by injecting high-pressure air.

To this end, the purge section P may be connected to an air supply means for providing high-pressure air. For example, the air providing means may include a compressor or the like.

The suction unit V can be vacuumed to suck and remove foreign matters disposed in the nozzle NO. To this end, the suction portion V may be attached so as to be hermetically sealed with the nozzle NO. That is, the suction unit V is tightly closed with the nozzle NO to remove the foreign matter disposed on the nozzle NO. To this end, the suction portion V may further include a sealing auxiliary means (not shown).

Hereinafter, the operation of the display manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial cross-sectional views illustrating operations of a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 to 6, a display manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may have a separation mode and a normal mode.

The normal mode may mean a state in which the stage ST is integrally formed before it is separated. A process of forming a thin film on the substrate S in the normal mode can be performed.

Subsequently, a resting period in which the operation of the head portion H is stopped can proceed. The substrate S in the resting period can be arranged on the area other than the switching area TA on the stage ST so as not to overlap with the switching area TA.

Referring to FIG. 5, a rest period in which the operation of the head portion H is stopped can be performed. In the rest period, the stage ST can be divided into two. That is, in some embodiments of the present invention, the separation mode means that the stage ST is completely divided into two.

As described above, in the separation mode, a space SS may be formed in the stage ST. The width w1 of the spacing space SS, that is, the distance between each part of the separated stage ST, may be equal to or greater than the width w2 of the maintenance unit M. When the width w1 of the spacing space SS is equal to or greater than the width w2 of the maintenance unit M, the maintenance unit M can be accommodated in the spacing space SS.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the maintenance unit M can be raised in the separation mode. In one embodiment, the maintenance unit M may be arranged to face the head portion H. When the maintenance unit M rises in the separation mode, the distance between the maintenance unit M and the head portion H can be reduced. In other words, as the maintenance unit M rises, the maintenance unit M can be disposed in the spacing space SS.

The maintenance unit M may perform maintenance of the head unit H by being in contact with the head unit H or spaced apart from the head unit H by a predetermined distance. The way in which the maintenance unit MU manages the head section H is the same as described above, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the normal mode and the separation mode can be sequentially performed. Also, two or more normal modes and two or more separate modes may be repeated one or more times.

Next, a display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

7 is a plan view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 8 is a plan view of a display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7 and 8, the display manufacturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention is different from the embodiment of FIG. 3 in that the separation line SL1 of the stage ST1 extends in the oblique direction.

In another embodiment, the stage ST1 of the display manufacturing apparatus may include a separating line SL1 extending in an oblique direction.

To be more specific, the first angle? Formed by the extension of one side of the stage ST1 and the extension of the separation line SL1 may be an acute angle. (See Fig. 7)

Referring to Fig. 8, the stage ST1 may be divided into two along a slit line SL1 extending in a diagonal direction. In this case, the cross section of the spacing space SS formed on the stage ST may have a parallelogram shape.

When the cross section of the spacing space SS has a parallelogram shape, the outer periphery of the maintenance unit M may also have a parallelogram shape corresponding thereto.

When the stage ST is separated in the diagonal direction as described above, the degree of decrease in the amount of the air holes AH per unit area due to the separation can be reduced to prevent the substrate S from falling or being damaged by the impact have.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, You will understand. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

CH: chamber
H: Head portion
S: substrate
ST: Stage
M: Maintenance unit
AH: Air hole
LG: Linear guides
LM: Linear motor
SH: substrate holder
P:
V: Suction part
SP: Support
SL: Separation line

Claims (13)

A stage separated along the separation line to form a spacing space;
A head disposed on the stage; And
And a maintenance unit disposed in the spacing space or the lower portion of the stage and facing the head unit. The method according to claim 1,
The stage moves along the x-axis, and the head moves along the y-axis. The method according to claim 1,
And a substrate disposed on the stage. The method of claim 3,
And a linear guide disposed on one side of the stage and guiding movement of the substrate. 5. The method of claim 4,
And a substrate holder, one side of which is connected to the linear guide and the other side of which is fastened to the substrate. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the stage further comprises an air hole for spraying air toward the substrate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the head portion includes at least one nozzle. The method according to claim 1,
And a chamber accommodating the stage, the head portion, and the maintenance unit. 9. The method of claim 8,
And a support for separating the stage from the lower surface of the chamber. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the stage includes a normal mode and a separation mode separated from the separation line to form a spacing space, wherein in the normal mode, the maintenance unit is disposed below the stage, and in the separation mode, In the display device. 11. The method of claim 10,
And the width of the spacing space is greater than or equal to the width of the maintenance unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the maintenance unit includes a purge portion and a suction portion. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the separation line extends in an oblique direction.

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