TW201708897A - Light irradiation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a compact light irradiation device that can efficiently perform light irradiation. The present light irradiation device is a light irradiation device that irradiates a workpiece passing through a pre-set irradiation area with light, and comprises: floating tables 31 that extend in a passing direction where the workpiece passes through the irradiation area and blow a gas under the workpiece to float the workpiece; and holding movers 32, 33 that are provided as a pair on both sides in a direction intersecting with the passing direction to hold the floating tables 31, where each of the pair has a function to move in the passing direction while holding the workpiece, and when one of the pair moves while holding the workpiece, the other of the pair moves while passing the side of the workpiece.

Description

Light irradiation device

The present invention relates to a light irradiation device that irradiates light to a workpiece that passes through a light irradiation region, and more particularly to a light irradiation device that processes a large-sized and heavy workpiece such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal panel.

A device for performing light irradiation treatment on a substrate (workpiece) for a liquid crystal panel with high efficiency (high processing capability), for example, Patent Document 1 is a light irradiation device in which a substrate is alternately passed through a light irradiation region by two stages. .

In particular, the substrate for liquid crystal panels and the like have been gradually increased in size in recent years, and those having a length exceeding, for example, 2 m have also been used. In order to increase the weight of the workpiece as the size of the workpiece is increased, it is necessary to transport a large and heavy workpiece in order to carry a large and heavy workpiece. The overall light irradiation device of the mechanism also becomes large and the weight becomes heavy.

A light irradiation device that processes a workpiece without using such a stage, for example, Patent Document 2 is a carrier that floats a workpiece by air ejection.

[Practical Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 5344105

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-123769

In the case of the light irradiation device of the patent document 2, the light irradiation device is relatively small, and the light irradiation device of Patent Document 2 cannot achieve high processing of the light irradiation device of Patent Document 1, even if the substrate is not used. ability.

Therefore, it is expected that even if the size of the workpiece is increased, it is possible to achieve a reduction in size and size of the entire device, and a light irradiation device that can perform light irradiation with high processing capability.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized light irradiation device that can efficiently perform light irradiation.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the light irradiation device of the present invention is a light irradiation device that irradiates light onto a workpiece that has passed through an irradiation region set in advance, and includes extending the passage of the workpiece through the irradiation direction. The workpiece is blown out of the workpiece to float the workpiece on the floating platform; and the floating platform is held in a direction crossing the passing direction A pair is provided on both sides, and the pair has a function of holding the workpiece in the passing direction, and when the pair is held by the workpiece, the other of the pair and the workpiece are missed. Move the mobile machine.

According to such a light irradiation device, a plurality of holding moving machines provided on both sides of the floating stage can be continuously moved in the passing direction, whereby a plurality of workpieces can be continuously conveyed, thereby achieving high processing capability. In addition, since the workpiece is floated by the blowing of the gas, the stage is not required, and since the conveyance direction is one direction of the passing direction, each dimension held in the irradiation direction in the passing direction is a size at which the workpiece can be placed one minute. can. Therefore, the weight reduction of the light irradiation device can be achieved.

In the light irradiation device described above, it is preferable that the holding conveyor moves in a state of being lowered below the workpiece when moving in a direction in which the workpiece is missed. According to the light irradiation device of such a preferred configuration, it is possible to easily prevent the workpiece and the contact when the carrier is missed.

Further, in the above-described light irradiation device, the holding conveyor is preferably a part of the workpiece protruding from the floating table from below. According to the light irradiation device of such a preferred configuration, the retainability of the workpiece can be ensured, and a part of the held light can be irradiated.

Further, the light irradiation device further includes a rotating machine that rotates a workpiece on the floating table, wherein the workpiece is a rectangular workpiece, and the holding conveyor is rotated from the floating table by rotation of the rotating machine. The corners of the aforementioned workpiece protruding sideways are kept optimal.

According to the light irradiation device of the above-described optimum configuration, the receiving area of the gas blown from the floating table can be ensured, and the workpiece can be sufficiently floated and the workpiece can be sufficiently held.

According to the light irradiation device of the present invention, light irradiation can be performed efficiently and the size of the device can be reduced.

R‧‧‧ polarized light field

W‧‧‧Workpiece

5‧‧‧Base

10‧‧‧Lighting Department

11‧‧‧Discharge bulb

12‧‧‧Mirror

13‧‧‧Polarized subunit

14‧‧‧ bulb cover

20‧‧‧Correction Department

21‧‧‧Correct camera

22‧‧‧Rotating stage

30‧‧‧Transportation Department

31‧‧‧Air floating unit

32‧‧‧1st workpiece holding moving mechanism

33‧‧‧Second workpiece holding moving mechanism

34‧‧‧ Track

100‧‧‧Polarized light irradiation device

[Fig. 1] A perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a polarized light irradiation device according to an embodiment of the light irradiation device of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] A plan view showing a schematic configuration of a polarized light irradiation device according to an embodiment of the light irradiation device of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] A plan view showing a state in which the workpiece W is transported to the polarized light irradiation device

[Fig. 4] A side view showing a state in which the workpiece W is transported to the polarized light irradiation device.

[Fig. 5] A plan view showing a state in which the direction of the workpiece W is adjusted to the desired direction.

[Fig. 6] A side view showing a state in which the direction of the workpiece W is adjusted to the desired direction.

[Fig. 7] A plan view showing the movement of the workpiece holding moving mechanism.

[Fig. 8] A front view showing the movement of the workpiece holding moving mechanism.

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

1 and 2 are views showing a schematic configuration of a polarized light irradiation device according to an embodiment of the light irradiation device of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is a plan view.

The polarized light irradiation device 100 includes a light irradiation unit 10 that irradiates polarized light of a predetermined wavelength (polarized light) on the chassis 5 having high rigidity, and a direction in which the direction of the workpiece W is aligned in a predetermined direction. The correction unit 20 (not shown in the first drawing, the second drawing refers to) and the conveyance unit 30 that conveys the workpiece W. Here, the workpiece W is a large rectangular substrate having a light directing film, for example, used in the production of a liquid crystal panel, for example, exceeding 300 mm × 500 mm. Further, in the present embodiment, the workpiece W has a rectangular shape, but the workpiece of the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be formed into any shape.

The polarized light irradiation device 100 is a light directing film that irradiates the polarized light from the light irradiation unit 10 while moving the workpiece W linearly by the transport unit 30, and irradiates the polarized light to the workpiece W to direct the light.

The light irradiation unit 10 includes a linear light source, that is, a bulb 11 and a mirror 12 that reflects the light of the bulb 11 . Further, the light irradiation unit 10 includes a polarization subunit 13 disposed on the light emission side. Further, the light irradiation unit 10 includes a bulb cover 14 that houses the bulb 11, the mirror 12, and the polarizing subunit 13.

The light irradiation unit 10 is directed to the length direction of the bulb 11 The direction in which the conveyance directions (X directions) of the workpieces W are perpendicularly intersected (Y direction) is set.

The bulb 11 is a long-shaped bulb, and the light-emitting portion has a length corresponding to the width of the workpiece W in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The bulb 11 is, for example, a high-pressure mercury bulb, a metal glare bulb in which mercury is added to other metals, and emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 200 nm to 400 nm.

The material of the light-aligning film is known to have a light that is oriented to a wavelength of 254 nm, a light that is oriented to a wavelength of 313 nm, a light that is oriented to a wavelength of 365 nm, etc., and the type of the light source is appropriately selected corresponding to the necessary wavelength. .

Further, the light source may be a linear light source that emits ultraviolet light and a linear light source in which LDs are arranged in a straight line. In this case, the direction in which the LED and the LD are juxtaposed is equivalent to the longitudinal direction of the bulb. Further, the plurality of bulbs may be arranged in parallel in the Y direction.

The mirror 12 reflects the emitted light from the bulb 11 toward the bottom surface side of the bulb cover 14, and has a cross-sectional shape that is an elliptical or parabolic dome-shaped collecting mirror. The mirror 12 has a longitudinal direction that is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the bulb 11.

The bulb cover 14 is on the bottom surface, and has a light exit port through which the emitted light from the bulb 11 and the reflected light generated by the mirror 12 pass. The polarizer unit 13 is a light exit port that is attached to the bulb cover 14, and polarizes light passing through the light exit port. The light that has passed through the light exiting exit is irradiated onto the polarized light irradiation field R formed under the light irradiation unit 10.

The polarizing subunit 13 has a configuration in which a plurality of polarizers are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the bulb 11. These plural polarizers are supported by, for example, a frame or the like.

The polarizer is, for example, a wire grid type polarizing element, and the number of polarizers is appropriately selected in accordance with the size of the field in which the polarized light is irradiated. Further, each of the polarizers is disposed such that the respective transmission axes are oriented in the same direction.

The correction unit 20 includes a correction camera 21 and a rotation stage 22, and the workpiece W is oriented in a direction set in advance based on the detection of the alignment mark. The rotating stage 22 is an example of a rotating machine corresponding to the present invention.

The correction camera 21 is disposed, for example, two above the workpiece W, and two alignment marks M are provided on the workpiece W, and the correction camera 21 is detected one at a time.

The rotary stage 22 has a disk shape on the upper surface, and in this upper surface, for example, a vacuum adsorption hole and a vacuum adsorption groove can be formed so that the workpiece W can be adsorbed and held. In the present embodiment, the workpiece W is adsorbed and held on the upper surface of the disk shape. However, the rotating machine of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the workpiece W may be adsorbed and held by a plurality of pins.

The rotating stage 22 rotates (θ rotation) a Z axis that vertically intersects a plane including the X axis and the Y axis as a rotation axis. The rotary stage 22 rotates the lower surface of the workpiece W by suction and holding, and the workpiece W is oriented at an angle at which the position of the alignment mark M detected by the correction camera 21 is a predetermined position. The direction of W and the direction of the polarization axis of the polarized light are aligned in such a manner as to be in a desired relationship.

The transport unit 30 includes a pair of air holding units 31 that eject air from the lower surface of the workpiece W to float the workpiece W, and a pair of workpiece holding and moving mechanisms that move the workpiece W that is floated by the air floating unit 31 (the first workpiece) The holding mechanism 32 and the second workpiece holding and moving mechanism 33), the rails 34 for moving the workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 along the air floating unit 31, and the driving machine for driving the workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 (omitted) Graphic).

The air floating unit 31 is an example of a floating platform corresponding to the present invention, and the workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 are examples of the holding and moving machine according to the present invention.

The conveyance unit 30 is a member that conveys the workpiece W in the conveyance direction and passes through the polarization light irradiation region R.

The size of the transport unit 30 in the both sides (the left and right sides of the second drawing) of the polarized light irradiation region R is, for example, a size that is equal to the workpiece W1, and the polarized light is used even when the workpiece W is enlarged. The irradiation device 100 can also be a relatively small device.

An example of the air floating unit 31 is a structure in which, for example, the holes and the grooves are formed by the air, and the block-shaped members formed on the upper surface are connected in three rows, for example. The holes and the grooves blown by the air and the structure for blowing the air are omitted. The width of the air floating upper unit 31 (the size in the above Y direction) is narrower than the size of the workpiece W, and a part of the workpiece W protrudes from both sides of the air floating upper unit 31 held by the Y direction.

The first and second workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 are provided on both sides of the air floating upper unit 31 and protrude from the air floating upper unit 31. The portion of the workpiece W is held by suction or the like by vacuum suction or the like. These workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 are flat on the upper surface, and in this upper surface, for example, a vacuum suction hole and a vacuum suction groove can be formed so that the workpiece W can be adsorbed and held. In the present embodiment, the workpiece W is adsorbed and held on the upper surface of the flat plate. However, the holding device of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the workpiece W may be adsorbed and held by a plurality of pins.

The first and second workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 move the workpiece W to the right side of the second drawing by the left side of the second drawing. The workpiece W is conveyed from the left to the right of Fig. 2 by such movement of the workpiece holding moving mechanisms 32, 33. During the conveyance, the workpiece W is irradiated with the polarized light to the field R, and the process of orienting the light is performed.

The steps of the light directing process generated by such a polarized light irradiation device 100 are as follows.

In the first stage of the light directing process, the workpiece W is transported from the outside of the polarized light irradiation device 100 to the air floating upper unit 31 of the polarized light irradiation device 100.

3 and 4 are a plan view and a side view showing a state in which the workpiece W is transported to the polarized light irradiation device. In the fourth drawing, the state in which the polarized light irradiation device 100 is seen from the left side of Fig. 3 is displayed.

The position of the alignment mark M at the time when the workpiece W is conveyed to the air floating upper unit 31 is deviated from the visual field of the correction camera 21 as shown in FIG. The workpiece W to be transported is floated by the air floating unit 31, and the workpiece W that is floated is rotated as shown in FIG. The upper surface of the transfer stage 22 is raised to hold and hold the lower surface of the workpiece W.

In the second stage of the light directing process subsequent to the first stage, the direction of the workpiece W is adjusted to the desired direction.

Figs. 5 and 6 are a plan view and a side view showing a direction in which the direction of the workpiece W is adjusted to a desired direction. In Fig. 6, the state in which the polarized light irradiation device 100 is seen from the left side of Fig. 5 is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the rotation stage 22 is such that the direction of the workpiece W is inclined by 20 to the light irradiation unit 10, for example. The degree of rotation. As a result of the rotation of the rotary stage 22, the alignment mark M on the workpiece W enters the field of view of the correction camera 21 and is detected. Further, by adjusting the rotation angle of the rotary stage 22, the position of the alignment mark M is aligned with a predetermined position in the field of view of the correction camera 21. By such a positional alignment, the direction of the workpiece W and the direction of the polarization axis of the polarized light that is irradiated on the polarized light irradiation region R are in a desired relationship. Further, the corner portion C of the workpiece W is in a state of being protruded from the air floating upper unit 31 by the rotation of the workpiece W.

Then, as shown in Fig. 6, the upper surface of the workpiece holding and moving mechanism (one of which is the first workpiece holding and moving mechanism 32) is raised, and a part of the workpiece W that protrudes from the air floating unit 31 (in this example) The corner portion C) is adsorbed and held from the lower surface of the workpiece W. On the other hand, the rotating stage 22 is retracted by lowering the upper surface. One of the workpieces W is held by one of the first and second workpiece holding and moving mechanisms 32 and 33 (the first workpiece holding and moving mechanism 32 in the example of Fig. 6).

Example workpiece holding mobile machine as shown in Figures 5 and 6 When the corner portion C of the workpiece W is held, the area of the air from the air floating unit 31 is wide enough, and the air floating unit 31 easily and sufficiently floats the workpiece W. Further, if the area of the corner portion C is small, since the root portion closest to the air floating unit 31 has a sufficient length in the conveying direction, the workpiece holding moving mechanism 32 can ensure sufficient retention by holding the corner portion C. Sex.

In the third stage of the light directing process subsequent to the second stage, the workpiece holding moving mechanism 32 moves to transport the workpiece W.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are a plan view and a front view showing the movement of the workpiece holding moving mechanism. In Fig. 8, the state in which the polarized light irradiation device 100 is seen from the lower side of Fig. 7 is displayed.

The workpiece holding moving mechanism (one of which is the first workpiece holding and moving mechanism 32) that holds the workpiece W moves along the rail 34 in the conveyance direction to convey the workpiece W. The workpiece W passes through the polarized light irradiation region R by the conveyance by the workpiece holding moving mechanism, and the polarized light is irradiated in the polarized light irradiation region R to perform the light directing treatment. With respect to the corner portion C of the workpiece W, since the workpiece holding moving mechanism also adsorbs and holds the lower surface, the polarized light is irradiated, and the light directing process is performed.

When one of the workpiece holding movement mechanisms (for example, the first workpiece holding movement mechanism 32) held by the workpiece W is moved in the conveyance direction, the other workpiece holding movement mechanism (for example, the second workpiece holding movement mechanism 33) is the workpiece W Missed to move in the opposite direction of the above transport direction. When the movement in the opposite direction is performed, the other workpiece is held on the upper surface of the moving mechanism, and is lowered to be held by the workpiece holding movement mechanism held on one side. Below the lower surface of the workpiece W, it is possible to easily avoid the missed contact with the workpiece W.

In the implementation of the light directing process, in the polarized light irradiation device 100, since the space for accommodating the workpiece W on the left side of the seventh drawing is empty, the next workpiece W is transported from the outside of the polarized light irradiation device 100, and is corrected. The portion 20 performs positional alignment.

Further, although the passing speed of the workpiece W through the polarized light irradiation field R is limited to the speed of the light supplying direction processing, there is no such speed limitation in the other workpiece holding moving mechanism missed by the workpiece W, and the light directing processing is completed. Previously, it is possible to return to the loading position of the next workpiece W (the left side of Fig. 7). Further, the next workpiece W is the workpiece holding moving mechanism held by the other, and the light directing process of the next workpiece W is continuously performed without interruption with the light directing process of the previous workpiece W. Therefore, the processing capability of the light directional processing is high.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a polarized light irradiation device. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a light irradiation device that blows a gas from a workpiece onto a floating stage that floats the workpiece is used. The same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained by applying the present invention. Such a light irradiation device is, for example, a DI (direct imaging: direct drawing) exposure device, and an ultraviolet irradiation device which is thermally hardened by ultraviolet rays.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the light-irradiating portion is provided is described. However, the light-irradiating device of the present invention may be provided such that the plurality of light-irradiating portions are arranged in line with the conveyance direction of the workpiece.

R‧‧‧ polarized light field

W‧‧‧Workpiece

5‧‧‧Base

11‧‧‧Discharge bulb

12‧‧‧Mirror

13‧‧‧Polarized subunit

14‧‧‧ bulb cover

30‧‧‧Transportation Department

31‧‧‧Air floating unit

32‧‧‧1st workpiece holding moving mechanism

33‧‧‧Second workpiece holding moving mechanism

34‧‧‧ Track

100‧‧‧Polarized light irradiation device

Claims (4)

A light irradiation device is a light irradiation device that irradiates light to a workpiece that passes through an irradiation region set in advance, and is characterized in that the workpiece is extended toward a direction in which the workpiece passes through the irradiation region, and the gas is blown off the workpiece. a floating upper stage on which the workpiece floats; and a pair of two sides held by the floating upper stage in a direction crossing the passing direction, the pair having a function of holding the workpiece in the passing direction, respectively When one of the pair moves the workpiece, the other of the pair and the workpiece are moved to the holding machine that is moved in the opposite direction to the passing direction. The light-irradiating device according to claim 1, wherein the holding moving machine moves in a state of being lowered downward from the workpiece when moving in a direction opposite to the passing direction. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding moving machine sucks and holds a part of the workpiece protruding from the floating table from below. A light irradiation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a rotary machine that rotates a workpiece on the floating stage, wherein the workpiece is a rectangular workpiece, and the holding moving machine is used by the rotating machine The resulting rotation is maintained from the corner of the aforementioned workpiece projecting from the side of the aforementioned floating table.