JP2011092855A5 - - Google Patents

Description

In such a printing apparatus, a sheet- like print medium (for example, a roll or a cloth housed in a box) is stretched by a plurality of rollers, centered in the transport direction, texture correction, and both ends (both ears of the cloth). Curl correction is performed.

In this case, the fabric is tensioned by a plurality of rollers, and the curl of both ears of the fabric is also corrected. However, the tension direction is large in the longitudinal direction of the fabric from the top of the structure, and the longitudinal direction of the fabric. tension has a small Me for curling both side portions of the perpendicular Te.

Further, for adjusting the force pushing the curl correction bar Thus the both side portions of the coating object area of the film to both immediate edge portion side of the suction table, the air pressure of the lifting cylinder for driving the vertical movement of the curl straightening bars A means for adjusting is provided.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention unwinds and conveys a film wound in a roll shape with an upstream guide roll, and the application target area of the unwound film is mounted on the suction surface of the suction table. is, in the coating head thus coated target area coating liquid coating material within the film, the coating material is applied film is conveyed in the downstream side of the guide rolls there by an inkjet coating method to be wound into a roll The both sides of the application target area of the film mounted on the suction surface of the suction table are pressed against the suction surface with a curl correction bar and expanded to the side of the suction table, and are sucked and held on the suction surface. .

In the embodiment described below, as an example, a non-silicon-based semiconductor material (for example,
A film such as an electrode or an insulating film is formed on a solar cell film on which a CIGS thin film is applied by applying an electrode material or an insulating material with an ink jet type coating head. The CIGS thin film includes Cu (copper), In (indium), Ga (gallium),
It is a thin film of a semiconductor material made of Se ( selenium ), and “CIGS” is an arrangement of initials of these materials. The thickness of this CIGS thin film can be as thin as several tens of μm to 100 μm.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of an ink jet coating apparatus and method according to the present invention . 1 is a solar cell film (hereinafter simply referred to as film), 2 is an unwinding film roll, 3 is a winding side film roll, 4 and 5 are guide rolls, 6 and 7 are lifting guide rolls, and 8 and 9 are suction bars. 10 is a suction table, 11 is a winding side shaft motor, 12 is a winding side shaft motor, 13 and 14 are curl correction bars, 15 is a coating head, 16 is a winding portion, 17 is a coating portion,
Reference numeral 18 denotes a winding unit.

In the figure, the space in the X-axis direction is divided into an unwinding portion 16, an application portion 17, and a winding portion 19, and the unwinding portion 16 is unwinded and rotated by the unwinding side shaft motor 11. Side film roll 2, upstream guide roll 4, elevating guide roll 6, suction bar 8 are sequentially arranged in the X-axis direction
In the winding unit 18, the downstream suction bar 9, the lifting guide roll 7, the guide roll 5, and the winding side film roll 3 are sequentially arranged in the X-axis direction. The application unit 17 is provided with a suction table 10, an application head 15 , and curl correction bars 13 and 14.

In unwinding unit 16, the unwinding side film roll 2, the film 1 in the coating unit 17 the application target of the electrode material or insulating material is wound into a roll. The film 1 is unwound from the unwinding film roll 2, passes through the coating unit 17, and is wound on the winding side film roll 3 by the winding unit 18. In such a state, the length direction of the film 1 is the X-axis direction, the width direction is the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis is the Z-axis direction.

In the coating unit 17, the film 1 is vacuum-sucked by the suction table 10 and fixed in position, and a plurality of inkjet-type coating heads supported by a gantry (gate frame) structure (not shown) are arranged. Liquid electrode materials and insulating materials (hereinafter collectively referred to as “coating materials”) are applied onto the CIGS thin film of the film 1 to form electrodes and insulating films. The CIGS thin film is provided with a groove-like depression , and an application material is applied to the depression to form an electrode or an insulating film.

Further, the coating head 15 can be moved in the XY-axis plane and moved in the Z-axis direction (height direction). A nozzle hole facing the film 1 is formed on the lower surface of each coating head 15. About 250 are provided, and droplets of the coating material are pushed out by a piezo drive and ejected onto the film 1. Thus, the nozzle of the coating head 15 moves in the XY axis plane and individually ejects the coating material, so that the coating material can be finely coated on the coating surface of the film 1 in any pattern.

Thus, when application | coating of the coating material in the predetermined application | coating area of the film 1 is complete | finished in the application part 17, the film 1 is unwound from the unwinding side film roll 2, and also the winding side film roll 3 is carried out. When the film 1 is wound up, the film 1 is wound from the unwinding side film roll 2 side so that the next application target area of the film 1 can be disposed at a position where the coating part 17 can apply the coating material. Although it is conveyed to the side film roll 3 side, in this case, in the unwinding part 16, the unwinding side film roll 2 rotated by the unwinding side shaft motor 11 is driven.
The film 1 unwound from is supported by the guide roller 4 and the lifting guide roller 6, and at this time, the lifting guide roller 6 is raised to a position higher than the suction surface of the suction table 10, In the winding unit 18 , the film 1 is moved up and down by the guide roller 7 and the guide roller 5.
And is wound up by the winding-side film roll 3 . The elevating guide roller 7 is raised to a position higher than the suction surface of the suction table 10 . Thereby, the film 1 moves in the X-axis direction without contacting the suction bars 8 and 9 and the suction table 10.

Thus, when the film 1 is transferred from the unwinding part 16 side to the winding part 18 side,
By the elevating guide rollers 6 and 7 will be the film 1 is lifted, since the film 1 is conveyed without contacting the suction table 7, it is possible to prevent the scratches attached to the back surface of the film 1.

In this way, when the film 1 is conveyed by the lifting guide rollers 6 and 7 without being in contact with the suction bars 8 and 9 and the suction table 10, and the next application target area on the film 1 reaches the application unit 17, 1 is completed . X at the application part 17 in this application target area
Positioning in the axial direction is made (this positioning first determines the winding amount of the winding side film roll 3
Monitor and coarsely adjust position. Next, although not shown, a mark is provided for each application target area of the film 1 and photographed with a camera (not shown), and the unwinding side motor 11 is positioned so that the mark is located at a predetermined position in the photographing region. And the winding side shaft motor 12 to control the film 1
When the position adjustment is completed, the winding side shaft motor 1 is adjusted.
2 is braked so that the winding part 18 side of the film 1 is fixed. Along with this, the unwinding side shaft motor 11 is put in a state in which torque is applied in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the unwinding of the film 1.

In this state, in the application unit 17, the suction bars 8 and 9 are both lifted while the lifting guide rolls 6 and 7 are lifted as described above, and come into contact with the back surface of the film 1 to suck and hold the film 1. . Thereafter, the lifting guide rolls 6 and 7 are lowered below the suction surface of the suction table 10, and then the suction bars 8 and 9 are lowered while holding the film 1 by suction.
Is brought into contact with the suction surface of the suction table 10. As a result, the film 1 is sucked and held on the suction table 10, and the coating material is applied to a new application target area by the coating head 15 .

By the way, even when the film 1 comes into contact with the suction table 10, the film 1 is in a state where tension is applied in the longitudinal direction, and the front and rear portions of the suction table 10 are attached to the suction bars 8 and 9.
Is holding by . Here, the longitudinal direction of the side surfaces of the guide roll 4 and the lifting guide roll 6 at the unwinding portion 16 and the suction surface of the suction bar 8 are parallel to the Y-axis direction, that is, the width direction of the film 1. The entire width of the guide roll 4, the lifting guide roll 6, and the suction bar 8
In the same manner, the entire width of the film 1 is pressed against the suction bar 9, the lifting guide roll 7 and the guide roll 5 so that the entire width of the film 1 is horizontal. Although the film 1 is parallel to the Y-axis, the film 1 is tensioned in the longitudinal direction and held by the suction bars 8 and 9. A difference in angle with the curl direction occurs, and a curled portion 19 in which the left and right side portions of the film 1 are inclined downward as shown in FIG. 2 is generated.

Further, a width adjusting cylinder 22a in which a cylinder shaft 23a is connected to the elevating cylinder 20a,
A lifting cylinder 22b having a cylinder shaft 23b coupled to the elevating cylinder 20b is provided.
The width adjusting cylinders 22a and 22b are also provided with an air pressure adjuster for adjusting the air pressure there, although not shown. By adjusting the air pressure in the width adjusting cylinders 22a and 22b, the cylinder shafts 23a and 23b expand and contract simultaneously, and the elevating cylinders 20a and 20b move forward and backward in the Y-axis direction.

When the next application target area of the film 1 reaches the application unit 17, the suction holes provided in the suction surface of the suction table 10 are set in a state capable of being vacuum-sucked, and the coating material on the application target area of the film 1 is set. The operation for coating starts (step S100), and as described above, the film 1
However, when the suction table 10 is vacuum-sucked with the tension applied thereto (step S110), when the curl correction bar 14 is operated to correct the curl 19 on the side of the film 1, the lift cylinder By driving the cylinders 20a and 20b and the width adjusting cylinders 22a and 22b, the curl correction bar 14 is first moved from the retracted state to the Z position as shown by the solid arrow A.
Raise to the first fixed position above the film 1 on the suction table 10 in the axial direction, and then in the direction of the film 1 (along the Y axis) the side 1 of the suction table 10 on the film 1
When the second fixed position is moved horizontally to the second fixed position beyond the curled portion 19 (FIG. 2) on the 0a side (step S120), the film 1 is further pressed against the suction table 10. Lower to a fixed position (step S130). Then, with the film 1 pressed against the suction table 10 , the curl correction bar 14 is returned to the retracted position near the side 10a of the suction table 10, and the entire curl portion 19 of the film 1 is spread outward. To the fourth fixed position to be pressed against the suction surface of the suction table 10 (step S140). Thus, as a whole, part of the side portion 10a side of the suction table 10 of the film 1 with push the suction table 10 is flat, vacuum suction.

When the curl correction is completed in this manner, the curl correction bar 14 is raised from the fourth fixed position to the fifth fixed position as indicated by the broken-line arrow B, and the retracted position is moved from the fifth fixed position. When it reaches the sixth fixed position just above the retracted position, it is lowered to the retracted position to enter the retracted state (step S150). Thereby, the curl correction operation in this application target area is completed (step S160).

FIG. 5 shows the flow of curl correction operation.

In this way, the coating head 15 with the film 1 being sucked by the suction table 10.
Thus, the coating material is applied in the application target area of the film 1 . Upon completion of the coating operation, the elevating guide rollers 6 and 7 is raised film 1 Ru lifted from the suction table 10. So
To, by driving the unwinding side film roll 2 and the take-up film roll 3, so that the next coating object area of the film 1 is positioned in the coating section 17 resumes the conveyance of the film 1.

In the above operation, the curl correction bars 13 and 14 in the state shown in FIGS. 5 (b) and 5 (c) are used to press the film 1 against the suction table 10 and to spread the film 1. Can be controlled by controlling the set pressure of the elevating cylinders 20a and 20b. Further, the speed of the curl correction bars 13 and 14 for spreading the film from FIG. 5 (b) to FIG. 5 (c) is set to a desired speed by an air flow rate control means such as a speed control valve of the width adjusting cylinders 22a and 22b. be able to.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a suction table in the second embodiment of the ink jet coating apparatus and method according to the present invention . 24 is a suction surface, 25 is a central region suction portion, 26a and 26b are peripheral region suction portions, 27 is a suction hole, 28 is a central region suction hole, and 29 is a peripheral region suction hole.
Parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.

Also in the second embodiment, the operation of the curl correction bars 13 and 14 is the same as the operation of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 except that the application target area of the film 1 is the application portion 17. When it is detected that (FIG. 1) has been reached, the central area suction section 2 on the suction surface 24 of the suction table 10 is detected.
5 is started, and the central region suction hole 28 is in an operating state at least in the state shown in FIG . On the other hand, in the peripheral area suction portions 26a and 26b, the curl correction bars 13 and 14 are changed from the state shown in FIG. 5B to the state shown in FIG. 5D, and the curl portion 19 of the film 1 is corrected. The control unit detects the end of the curl correction operation, thereby performing control for starting the suction operation of the peripheral region suction hole 29. When the application operation of the coating material in the application target area of the film 1 is finished, the control unit detects this and finishes the suction operation of the central region suction hole 28 and the peripheral region suction hole 29.

In FIG. 1, when the film 1 is unwound from the unwinding-side film roll 2 and conveyed, all the suction holes 27 are in a non-operating state in the suction table 10 having the configuration shown in FIG.
When the next application target area of the film 1 reaches the application unit 17, in FIG. 6, the central region suction hole 28 of the central region suction unit 25 in the suction table 10 starts to operate, and in this state, as described above. When the suction bars 8 and 9 are lowered, the film 1 (FIG. 1) comes into contact with the suction surface 24 of the suction table 10. At this time, the central area suction part 25 in the suction table 10 is used.
Since the central area suction holes 28 are adsorbed operation portion abutting on the central area suction portion 25 of the film 1 is held vacuum suction by the central area suction holes 28. On the other hand, the peripheral area suction holes 29 of the peripheral area suction portions 26a and 26b in the suction table 10 are not operating.
The portion of the film 1 that faces the peripheral area suction portion 26 is not sucked and held (step S210 in FIG. 7).

Thereafter, the curl correction bars 13 and 14 are changed from the state shown in FIG. 5C to the state shown in FIGS. 5D and 5E, respectively, in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Then, the curl correction operation of the film 1 is finished (step S260 in FIG. 7).

In this way, the coating head 15 with the film 1 being sucked by the suction table 10.
(FIG. 1) performs coating of the coating material in the coating object area of the film 1, when end <br/> completion of coating operation, the elevating guide rollers 6 and 7 is raised film 1 is lifted from the suction table 10 The unwinding side film roll 2 and the winding side film roll 3 are driven,
The conveyance of the film 1 is resumed so that the next application target area of the film 1 is located in the application unit 17.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing an essential part of a third embodiment of the ink jet coating apparatus and method according to the present invention . 30 is a film presence detection sensor of the film floating detection device, 31 is a detection hole of the film floating detection device, 32a is a beam light emitting device of the film floating detection device, 32b is a detection sensor of the film floating detection device, and 33 is a light beam. Parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.

This third embodiment is provided with a device for detecting whether or not the curl correction operation is completed in the first and second embodiments. Hereinafter, such an apparatus is referred to as a film floating detection apparatus.

The detection hole 31 is formed when the film 1 is placed on the suction table 10.
Curled portion 19 occurring in a one that is provided at a position of (Figure 2), the film presence sensing sensor 30, the film 1 which the light is irradiated through a detection hole 31, placed on the suction table 10 The reflected light from the back surface of the film is received through the detection hole 31 and the amount of the reflected light is detected according to the distance to the reflecting surface. As shown in FIG. When there is a curled portion 19 on the side and the side portion of the film 1 is lifted from the suction table 10, curl correction is performed as shown in FIG. The distance from the film presence / absence detection sensor 30 to the back surface of the film 1 on which the irradiation light is reflected differs depending on whether it is flat and in contact with the suction surface of the suction table 10.

Therefore, the film presence / absence detection sensor 30 operates to correct the curl of the film 1 described above.
The When finished, the light is irradiated through a detection hole 31, the reflected light from the rear surface of the placed film 1 to the suction table 10 received via the detection hole 31, the processing unit (not shown) whose reception result
Based on this, the distance to the back surface of the film 1 is measured, and the measurement result is processed to determine whether the back surface of the film 1 is lifted from the suction table 10 or is in contact with the suction table 10 in a flat state. When the determination result that the back surface of 1 is lifted from the suction table 10 is obtained, it is assumed that the curl correction of the film 1 has not been made, and this is notified to the operator of the apparatus, and the apparatus is stopped to perform the coating operation Stop.

In the third embodiment, a beam light emitting device 32a is further provided outside one side portion of the suction table 10, and a detection sensor 32b is provided outside the other side portion . Then, the light beam 33 from the beam emitting device 32a is received by the detection sensor 32b. While these beam emitting device 32a and the detection sensor 32b constitute a film floating sensing device, in this case, the position of the detection sensor 32b beam emitting device 32a, the light beam from the beam emitting device 32a 33 There across the suction table 10 above the suction table 10, and when the film 1 is vacuum-sucked by the suction table 10 in a flat state as a whole, a light beam 33 from the beam emitting device 32a sensor 32b in the so that can be detected, when the curled portion 19 (FIG. 2) is generated film 1 is lifted from the suction surface 24 of the suction table (FIG. 6), the light beam 33 from the beam emitting unit 32a is blocked by the film 1 so that it can not be received by Te detecting sensor 32b, sets.

Thereby, in the processing unit (not shown), when the detection result of the light beam 33 is obtained by the detection sensor 32b after the curl correcting operation of the film 1 is finished, the suction film 10 is vacuumed on the suction table 10 with the entire film 1 being flat. determining assumed to be sucked and held. And this film 1
To start the coating operation of the coating material, but if the light receiving result of the light beam 33 can not be obtained by the detection sensor 32b, is determined that can not curl correction of the film 1. And while notifying the operator of this apparatus to that effect, the operation | movement of an apparatus is stopped and application | coating work is stopped.

As described above, in this third embodiment, the smell after performing curl correction of the film 1
Te, it is possible to check whether curl correction is ensured by the film floating sensing device, it is possible to prevent the coating of the coating material in a state where the curl correction is not performed sufficiently is performed.

In the above description, it is assumed that the film floating detection device including the film presence / absence detection sensor 30 and the detection hole 31 and the film floating detection device including the beam light emitting device 32a and the detection sensor 32b are used. Only one of the film floating detection devices may be used. Also, a plurality of the same film floating detection devices may be used. Such a film floating detection device is selectively used according to the curl state of the film 1.

In any of these cases, the reliability can be remarkably improved by adopting a procedure in which the curl of the film 1 is corrected to be a flat state and can be shifted to the next coating process.
If the curl correction can not be completed and the manufacturing process is temporarily stopped, the operator is notified of the error by an alarm device or the like. In this case, production time is wasted,
It is possible to prevent problems such as starting the coating operation while the film 1 is lifted or reducing the yield of the product while wrinkles are generated.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a specific example of the curl correcting apparatus in the fourth embodiment of the ink jet coating apparatus and method according to the present invention . Reference numerals 34 and 35 denote air pressure adjusters, and parts corresponding to those in FIG.

In the figure, air pressure is supplied to the elevating cylinders 20a and 20b via an air pressure regulator 34. Similarly, the curl correction bar 1 provided on the opposite side of the suction table 10 is used.
Air pressure is also supplied via an air pressure regulator 35 to a lifting cylinder (only the lifting cylinder 20 a ′ is shown here) that moves 3 up and down .

Therefore, by changing the control signal supplied from the control device to the air pressure adjusters 34 and 35, the air pressure to the lift cylinders 20a and 20b and the lift cylinder 20a ′ can be changed. When the air pressure supplied to the elevating cylinders 20a and 20b and the elevating cylinder 20a ′ changes, the driving pressure for the up and down movement of the curl correction bars 14 and 13 changes. The pressing force that is pressed against the suction table 10 changes.