JP5224930B2 - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transfer equipment, particularly to those comprising a gimbal mechanism.

Recently, a quartz substrate or the like in an electron beam lithography to form a very fine transfer pattern mold to produce the (template; stamper mold), formed on the transfer substrate surface (the surface of the substrate) as HiNaru type products Research and development of nanoimprint technology that presses the mold against the resist film (for example, a resist film made of UV curable resin or thermoplastic resin) with a predetermined pressure to transfer the transfer pattern formed on the mold. (See Non-Patent Document 1).

  As a transfer device that performs transfer by nanoimprint technology, a transfer device that includes a gimbal mechanism that adjusts the posture of a mold with respect to a molded product in order to eliminate transfer unevenness is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the conventional transfer apparatus 100.

The transfer device 100 is supported by a movable body 104 via a gimbal mechanism 106 that holds a mold M and a movable body 104 that can move in a vertical direction. The mold holding body 108 is provided.
Precision Engineering Journal of the International Societies for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology 25 (2001) 192-199 JP2007-160565

  By the way, in the conventional transfer device 100, in addition to the gimbal mechanism 106, a key 110 for restricting the rotation of the mold holding body 108 relative to the movable body 104 (rotation about the axis CL11) is provided. However, when the fine transfer pattern formed on the mold M is transferred to the molding target W, the transfer position is shifted by a very small gap existing between the key 110 and the key groove 112. There is a problem that there are cases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a transfer equipment which can be carried out accurately detent between two members constituting the gimbal mechanism.

The invention according to claim 1 is a transfer device for transferring a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product, a molded product holder for holding the molded product, and the molded product holder. A movable body that is movable and positionable relative to the molded article holding body in a direction approaching / separating from the mold, and a mold holding body that holds the mold and is supported by the movable body by a gimbal mechanism while you adjust the position of the mold carrier which is supported by the gimbal mechanism is the transfer apparatus having a support for supporting said mold carrier to perform detent of the mold carrier .

  A second aspect of the present invention is the transfer apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the support is provided with a bellows.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the transfer apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the fine transfer pattern formed on the mold is transferred to the molded product, the mold and the coated object are transferred. A vacuum molding chamber is formed in which a molded product enters, and the support is provided between the movable body and the mold holder, and the gimbal mechanism, the vacuum molding chamber, Is a transfer device configured to be blocked by the support.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer device that transfers a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product, and is supported by a base frame to hold the molded product, A movable body that is supported by the base frame and can be moved and positioned in a direction approaching / separating from the molded article holder, and a mold holder that holds the mold and is supported by the movable body by a gimbal mechanism. And a mold that is held in the mold holding body and a space that is formed in a cylindrical shape, the expansion / contraction direction coincides with the moving direction of the movable body, a part of the mold holding body enters inside, and the gimbal mechanism exists. And a bellows in which one end portion in the expansion / contraction direction is provided integrally with the movable body and the other end portion in the expansion / contraction direction is provided integrally with the mold holding body. A transfer device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer apparatus for transferring a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product, wherein the molded product is held by the base frame by a gimbal mechanism that holds the molded product. An article holder, a mold holder that is movable and positionable relative to the molded article holder in a direction approaching / separating from the molded article holder, and the gimbal mechanism. while you adjust the posture of the molded article holder, wherein a transfer device having a support for supporting the object to be molded article holder to perform detent of the molded article holder.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to accurately prevent rotation between two members constituting the gimbal mechanism.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a transfer apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  For convenience of explanation, one horizontal direction is the X-axis direction, another horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction is the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction (vertical direction) is the Z-axis direction. The direction.

  The transfer device 1 transfers a fine transfer pattern formed on a thin flat plate mold M made of quartz glass or the like to a thin flat plate shaped product W made of a thermosetting resin or the like. The transfer device is configured to include a molded product holder 3, a movable body 5, a mold holder 7, and a support 9. In addition, as the to-be-molded product W, for example, a light guide plate of a backlight of a liquid crystal display device can be listed.

  The molded product holder 3 is configured to hold the molded product W using vacuum suction or an actuator such as a bolt or a cylinder.

  The movable body 5 is movable and positionable with respect to the molding target holding body 3 in a direction (Z-axis direction) approaching and separating from the molding target holding body 3. Instead of or in addition to the movable body 5, the molded product holder 3 may be movable and positioned in the Z-axis direction. That is, the movable body 5 may be movable and positionable relative to the molded product holding body 3.

  The mold holder 7 is configured to hold the mold M using vacuum suction or an actuator such as a bolt or a cylinder. The mold holding body 7 is supported by the movable body 5 by the gimbal mechanism 11, and the posture of the mold holding body 7 around the axis extending in the direction parallel to the X axis and the axis extending in parallel to the Y axis. The posture of the die holder 7 can be adjusted. At the time of transfer, the planar lower surface MA of the mold M on which a fine transfer pattern is formed and the upper surface (planar transferred surface) WA of the molded product W may be parallel to each other. It can be done.

  The support body 9 includes, for example, a bellows 13 (a bellows provided so that the expansion and contraction direction is the Z-axis direction) 13 formed in a cylindrical shape such as a cylindrical shape. Thereby, the adjustment of the posture of the mold holding body 7 by the gimbal mechanism 11 is facilitated, while the rotation of the mold holding body 7 is prevented.

  That is, in the mold holder 7, the attitude of the mold holder 7 around the axis extending in the direction parallel to the X axis and the attitude of the mold holder 7 around the axis extending in parallel to the Y axis are expressed as follows: 7 can be easily adjusted by applying a slight rotational moment to the shaft 7, and is an axis extending in the direction of approaching / separating from the movable body 5 (axis parallel to the Z axis) and passing through the center of the mold holder 7. The rotation of the mold holding body 7 relative to the movable body 5 around Iz is suppressed.

  In the transfer device 1, a vacuum forming chamber 15 is formed. Then, when the fine transfer pattern formed on the mold M is transferred to the molded product W, the mold M and the molded product W are vacuumed to prevent the entry of fine bubbles into the molded product W. The inside of the molding chamber 15 is entered.

  Examples of the vacuum forming chamber 15 include those described in the specification and drawings of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-297716 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-039226. That is, the vacuum molding chamber 15 includes, for example, a cover member 17 and a vacuum pump 19, and immediately before the movable body 5 (the mold holding body 7) descends and the mold M contacts the workpiece W. Thus, the closed space SP1 is formed by the cover member 17, the movable body 5, the molded article holding body 3 and the support body 9 (see FIG. 1). The vacuum molding chamber 15 is formed by sucking the air in the closed space SP1 with the vacuum pump 19 and reducing the pressure to a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. Note that the closed space SP1 (vacuum molding chamber 15) disappears when the movable body 5 rises after the transfer is completed.

  The support 9 is provided between the movable body 5 and the mold holder 7, and is configured such that the gimbal mechanism 11 and the vacuum forming chamber 15 are blocked by the support 9.

  Here, the transfer device 1 will be further described.

  The molded product holder 3 is integrally supported by the base frame 21. In addition, an XY stage is provided in the molded product holder 3, and under the control of the control device 23, the molded product W placed on the molded product holder 3 is appropriately moved and positioned in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. May be.

The movable body 5 is supported by the base frame 21 through a linear guide bearing (not shown), for example, and is movable in the Z-axis direction. Further, the movable member 5, under the control of the control unit 23, the actuator and the ball screw such as a servo motor (not shown), and is moved and positioned in the Z-axis direction.

  The gimbal mechanism 11 includes a concave engagement surface (concave surface formed by a part of a spherical surface) formed on the lower side of the movable body 5 and a convex surface (a spherical surface) formed on the upper side of the mold holder 7. A convex surface formed by a portion) and an engaging portion 27. Further, in order to make it easy to change the posture of the mold holder 7 with respect to the movable body 5, compressed air is supplied from the compressed air supply device 29 between the engaging portions 25 and 27, Although the force is received in the direction in which the mold holder 7 is separated (downward), the bellows 13 is pulled in the direction in which the mold holder 7 approaches the movable body 5 (upward) to balance the force. Thus, the mold holder 7 does not leave the movable body 5 indefinitely. A spherical ball 33 supported by a spring 31 may be used instead of compressed air. When compressed air is supplied, the supplied compressed air is discharged to the outside through the through hole 30 formed in the movable body 5.

  As described above, the bellows 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape such as a cylindrical shape. As described above, the extending and contracting direction is provided so as to coincide with the moving direction (Z-axis direction) of the movable body 5. The bellows 13 is provided so that a part of the mold holding body 7 (an intermediate part located between the gimbal mechanism 11 and the part holding the mold M) enters inside. Further, the bellows 13 separates the space where the gimbal mechanism 11 is present from the space where the mold M held by the mold holder 7 is present (the space SP1 of the vacuum molding chamber 15). One end portion is provided integrally with the movable body 5, and the other end portion in the expansion / contraction direction is provided integrally with the mold holding body 7. As a result, the gimbal mechanism 11 exists outside the vacuum molding chamber 15.

  More specifically, the upper end portion of the bellows 13 is provided integrally with the ring-shaped upper support member 35, and the lower end portion of the bellows 13 is provided integrally with the ring-shaped lower support member 37. Yes. An upper support member 35 is provided integrally with the movable body 5, and a lower support member 37 is provided integrally with the mold holding body 7.

  In order to ensure airtightness, the lower support member 37 is provided with a seal member such as an O-ring 39. Similarly, the upper support member 35 is provided with a seal member (not shown).

  In addition, when a thermosetting resin is used as the molded product W, a heater for curing the thermosetting resin is provided on the molded product holder 3 and the mold holder 7. And

  On the other hand, when an ultraviolet curable resin is used as the article to be molded W, a through hole 41 as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1 is provided, and ultraviolet rays generated by an ultraviolet generator (not shown) are transmitted between the through hole 41 and the ultraviolet ray. The workpiece W is irradiated through a mold M that can transmit through.

  Next, the operation of the transfer device 1 will be described.

  First, as an initial state, as shown in FIG. 1, the molded product W before transfer is placed on the molded product holder 3, the mold M is installed on the mold holder 7, and the gimbal mechanism 11. Is operated and the movable body 5 is raised.

  In this initial state, under the control of the control device 23, the movable body 5 is lowered and the vacuum pump 19 is moved before the mold M comes into contact with the workpiece W to form the vacuum molding chamber 15. In this way, with the vacuum molding chamber 15 formed, the molded product W is pressed with the mold M, the molded product W is cured, and a fine transfer pattern is transferred to the molded product W.

  After this transfer, the vacuum molding chamber 15 is eliminated, the movable body 5 is raised, and the mold M is pulled away from the molded product W to prepare for the next transfer.

  According to the transfer device 1, since the support body 9 includes the bellows 13, the rotation of the mold holding body 7 around the Iz axis (axis parallel to the Z axis) is restricted, The mold holder 7 can be easily rotated around an axis (an axis parallel to the X axis or an axis parallel to the Y axis). Therefore, the adjustment of the posture of the mold holding body 7 by the gimbal mechanism 11 can be facilitated while the rotation of the mold holding body 7 can be prevented. And accurate transfer can be performed.

  Further, according to the transfer device 1, since the gimbal mechanism 11 and the vacuum forming chamber 15 are blocked by the bellows 13, each of the gimbal mechanisms 11 can be easily operated in order to facilitate the operation of the gimbal mechanism 11. Even if compressed air is supplied to the engaging portions 25 and 27, it is possible to reliably prevent the supplied compressed air from flowing into the vacuum molding chamber 15.

  By the way, as the operation of the transfer device 1, the movable body 5 is lowered in a state where the molded product W is not installed in the initial state, and the lower surface MA of the mold M is set to the planar upper surface of the molded product holder 3. The lower surface MA of the mold M and the upper surface of the molded product holder 3 are made parallel to each other, the supply of air to the gimbal mechanism 11 is stopped, and instead of the supply of air, for example, an engaging portion (surface) 27 is provided. The mold holder 5 is vacuum-sucked (vacuum-sucked by a vacuum pump not shown) so that the mold holder 7 does not swing when in close contact with the engaging portion (surface) 25, and then the movable body 5 is raised. Then, the workpiece W may be installed and the movable body 5 may be lowered to perform the transfer.

  Further, in the initial state, the posture of the mold M is detected by a detecting means such as a touch sensor, and based on the detection result, the mold holding body 7 is swung by an actuator such as a piezo hammer, and the lower surface of the mold M The transfer may be performed by making MA and the upper surface WA of the workpiece W parallel to each other and moving the movable body 5 downward.

  Instead of the bellows 13, a cylindrical member as shown in FIG.

  The member shown in FIG. 2 has a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 2B by bending a metal thin plate 43 as shown in FIG. 2A into a cylindrical shape and fixing both ends 45 and 47 by welding or the like. It is what I made. The thin plate 43 is formed with a plurality of ellipses 49 extending long in the direction in which the thin plate 43 is bent (the left-right direction in FIG. 2A). In addition, the ellipse 49 is arranged in the vertical direction of FIG. 2A, but the phase (position in the left-right direction) of the ellipse 49 is about half of the length of the ellipse 49 (cylindrical shape) for each stage. It is shifted about half of the circumference).

  Further, instead of the bellows 13, an expanded metal 51 as shown in FIG.

That is, band-shaped reinforcing members 53 and 55 may be integrally provided at one end of the expanded metal 51, and the other ends 57 and 59 of the expanded metal 51 may be joined by welding or the like to form a cylinder. Note that the arrows shown in FIG. 3 are the extending direction of the material when the expanded metal 51 is molded, and the expanded metal 51 is easily deformed by an external force in the direction of the arrow.

  Further, the members shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be covered with a thin rubber plate formed in a cylindrical shape to ensure airtightness in the same manner as the bellows 13.

  Further, in the one shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a cylindrical material may be prepared in advance, and an ellipse 49 or the like may be provided on this material.

  Further, in the transfer device 1, the molded product holder 3 may be supported by the gimbal mechanism 11. That is, the transfer device includes a molded product holder that holds the molded product and is supported by a base frame by a gimbal mechanism, and the molded product holder in a direction approaching and moving away from the molded product holder. The mold holder that can be moved and positioned relative to the gimbal mechanism and the molded article holder that is supported by the gimbal mechanism can be easily adjusted in posture, while the mold holder is prevented from rotating. It is good also as a transfer apparatus which has the support body which supports the said to-be-molded product holding body so that it may perform.

  Further, the transfer device 1 includes a first member, a second member supported by the first member via a gimbal mechanism, and a rotation center axis (X of the second member by the gimbal mechanism). (The axis extending in the axial direction, the axis extending in the Y-axis direction) and the extending direction of the axis substantially perpendicular to the extending direction (Z-axis direction) is substantially coincident with the one end of the expanding / contracting direction. It is an example of an apparatus provided with a member support mechanism that is provided integrally with one member and has a bellows that is provided integrally with the second member at the other end in the expansion / contraction direction.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the modification of a support body. It is a figure which shows the modification of a support body. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the conventional transfer apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transfer apparatus 3 Molded article holding body 5 Movable body 7 Mold holding body 9 Support body 11 Gimbal mechanism 13 Bellows 15 Vacuum molding chamber M type W Molded article

Claims (5)

In a transfer device for transferring a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product,
A molded product holder for holding the molded product;
A movable body that is movable and positionable relative to the molded article holder in a direction approaching and separating from the molded article holder;
A mold holder that holds the mold and is supported by the movable body by a gimbal mechanism;
While you adjust the position of the mold carrier which is supported by the gimbal mechanism, a support for supporting said mold carrier to perform detent of the mold carrier;
A transfer device comprising: The transfer device according to claim 1,
The transfer device is characterized in that the support is configured to include a bellows. In the transfer device according to claim 1 or 2,
When a fine transfer pattern formed on the mold is transferred to the molded product, a vacuum molding chamber is formed in which the mold and the molded product enter,
The transfer device is configured such that the support is provided between the movable body and the mold holder, and the gimbal mechanism and the vacuum molding chamber are blocked by the support. . In a transfer device for transferring a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product,
A molded article holder that is supported by a base frame and holds the molded article;
A movable body supported by the base frame and capable of moving and positioning in a direction approaching and moving away from the molded article holding body;
A mold holder that holds the mold and is supported by the movable body by a gimbal mechanism;
There is a space that is formed in a cylindrical shape, the expansion / contraction direction coincides with the moving direction of the movable body, a part of the mold holding body enters inside, and the gimbal mechanism exists, and a mold that is held by the mold holding body A bellows in which one end portion in the expansion / contraction direction is provided integrally with the movable body and the other end portion in the expansion / contraction direction is provided integrally with the mold holding body so as to be separated from the space to be formed;
A transfer device comprising: In a transfer device for transferring a fine transfer pattern formed on a mold to a molded product,
A molded product holder that holds the molded product and is supported by a base frame by a gimbal mechanism;
A mold holder that is movable and positionable relative to the molded article holder in a direction approaching and separating from the molded article holder;
While you adjust the position of the object to be molded article holder which is supported by the gimbal mechanism, said a support for supporting the object to be molded article holder to perform detents the molding holder;
Transfer equipment characterized by having a.

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