JP2003200385A - Web processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To highly accurately position a process head for processing a web being conveyed. <P>SOLUTION: A web processing device processes process area 10a successive along the conveyance direction of the web 10. A positioning line 31 is marked on the web 10 along the process area 10a by a marking device 29. A CCD camera 38 picks up the image of the positioning line 31. The position of the process head 12 relative to the process area 10a is corrected by moving the process head 12 in the width direction based on the positioning line 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a web processing device for performing various kinds of processing on a running web,
More specifically, it relates to positioning of a processing head of a web processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various films, lens sheets, color filters, etc. are manufactured by subjecting a sheet as a raw material to various processes such as transfer of various patterns and application of ink. Since high precision on the order of micron is required at the time of this processing, a positioning method as described in, for example, JP-A-6-99392 is widely used when positioning the sheet.

In this positioning method, first, a positioning mark for determining the relative position between the sheet and the processing head is marked on a sheet that has been cut into a predetermined size before processing. Next, this sheet is set on the processing table, the positioning mark is read by the CCD camera, and the image is displayed on the display. The operator confirms the deviation amount between the current position of the positioning mark and the reference position while looking at the display, and moves the processing table to perform positioning.

[0004]

However, while the above-mentioned positioning method enables high-precision positioning, it has a problem that the production efficiency is poor and the manufacturing cost per sheet is high. Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving production efficiency, a processing device is arranged on a line for transporting a long web pulled out from a roll, and the web is used as a workpiece, while transporting the web along a transport direction. It is under study to perform continuous processing on a continuous processing area.

However, when processing a long web, it is necessary to process the web while tension is applied to the web in order to prevent positional deviation. In the above-mentioned positioning method, since the web itself is moved for position correction,
The tension must be loosened during the movement, which in turn causes a positional shift. Also,
Long webs are prone to problems such as meandering and are very difficult to handle. Therefore, moving the web itself for position correction also causes the web to meander.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a web processing apparatus and a processing head positioning method capable of positioning the web on a transfer line with high accuracy.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a web processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a conveying means for conveying a long web and a processing area continuous along the conveying direction. In a web processing apparatus including a processing head that performs various types of processing during traveling of a web, a position correction unit that moves the processing head in a width direction of the web to correct a relative position with respect to the processing area, and the web. By imaging means for imaging the positioning line marked along the transport direction above, and by checking the deviation between the position of the positioning line and a preset reference position based on the image obtained by this imaging means. Correction amount calculating means for calculating the position correction amount of the processing head.

[0008] It is preferable that the web is adsorbed on the surface of a backup roller which is arranged at a position facing the processing head and supports the web, so that the web is processed without applying tension in the conveying direction.

In addition, while running a long web,
A method having the following characteristics may be used as a method of positioning a processing head of a web processing apparatus that performs various kinds of processing by a processing head on a processing area that is continuous along the transport direction. An image of a positioning line marked along the transport direction on the web is imaged, and a deviation between the position of the positioning line and a preset reference position is checked based on the imaged image, thereby A position correction amount is obtained, and the processing head is moved in the width direction of the web based on the position correction amount to correct the relative position with respect to the processing area.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The web processing apparatus 11 shown in FIG.
In order to manufacture the prism sheet, the web 10 as a raw material is subjected to laser processing. The prism sheet is a lens sheet having a stripe pattern having a mountain-shaped cross section on its surface. As the raw material, for example, a polyester film is used. The web processing device 11 is
The polyester film is subjected to laser ablation processing, and a part of the surface thereof is evaporated to form the stripe pattern.

The prism sheet is used for various products, for example, a liquid crystal display. As is well known, the liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display plate, a diffusion plate, a light guide plate, a reflection plate and the like. When the prism sheet is used for a liquid crystal display, for example, two prism sheets are arranged behind a liquid crystal display plate so that their stripe patterns are orthogonal to each other. By doing so, the brightness of the liquid crystal display is improved.

The polyester film is a long web 10
The web roll 16 formed as a roll is wound in a roll shape and set in the web processing device 11. The web processing device 11 pulls out the web 10 from the web roll 16 and conveys the web 10 while continuously processing the processing area 10 a on the web 10. By continuously processing in this way, the production efficiency is increased.

The web processing apparatus 11 comprises a transfer means for transferring the web 10 and a processing head 12 for performing laser processing on the running web 10. The processing head 12 forms the stripe pattern while reciprocating the head portion 12a for irradiating the laser beam in the width direction of the web 10.

The long web 10 is pulled out from a web roll 16 wound into a roll and conveyed. Each transport roller 1 for transporting the web 10 is provided on the transport path.
7, backup roller 19, suction roller 18,
Conveying means for conveying the long web 10 including a wrap roller 20 and the like is arranged. Drive motor 23
Rotates the transport rollers 17, the backup roller 19, and the suction roller 18.

The line control unit 21 controls the drive motor 23 via the motor drive unit 22 to control the conveyance of the web 10. The line control unit 21 sends to the processing control unit 41 a line operation signal such as an operation start signal indicating that the conveyance of the web 10 has started or an operation stop signal indicating that the conveyance of the web 10 has been stopped. The processing control unit 41 starts and stops processing based on the line operation signal.

The backup roller 19 is the processing head 1.
The web 10 is arranged at a position facing 2 and supports the web 10 from the back surface. Lap rollers 20 are arranged on both sides of the backup roller 19. The lap roller 20 applies tension to the web 10 and winds (wraps) the backup roller 19 partially to flatten the processed portion of the web 10.

The meandering correction device 24 includes a meandering correction roller 25.
And the meandering detection sensor 26 to correct the meandering of the web 10. The meandering detection sensor 26 detects a deviation of the web 10 in the width direction. The meandering correction roller 25 changes the angle on the basis of the detection signal, whereby the meandering of the web 10 is corrected.

The slitter 27 cuts both side edges of the web 10 so that the width of the web 10 is uniform.
The dust collector 28 collects dust scattered on the web 10 by laser processing. In this example, the dust collector 28 is
Lap roller 20 arranged on the downstream side of processing head 12
However, it may be arranged between the processing head 12 and the wrap roller 20.

The marking device 29 marks a positioning line 31 described later. This positioning line 31
The machining head 12 is positioned based on the above. Further, a line operation signal is sent from the line control unit 21 to the marking device 29 as well as the web processing device 11. The marking device 29 starts and stops marking based on the line operation signal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing head 12 includes a head portion 12a for irradiating a laser beam and the head portion 1a.
2a and a mounting portion 12b for movably supporting the web 10 in the width direction of the web 10. The mounting portion 12b is the support portion 3
It is fixed at 6. Processing area 10a indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure
Are continuous along the transport direction of the web 10. The width W of the processing area 10a is determined by a predetermined length,
The moving range (processing range) of the head portion 12a is determined according to the width W.

The support portion 36 is movably provided in the width direction of the web 10. The head moving mechanism 37 moves the support portion 36 in the width direction of the web 10 to move the processing area 10
The relative position between a and the processing head 12 is corrected.

Positioning line (shown by a dotted line in the figure) 31
Are marked on both side edges of the web 10 along the transport direction thereof. The positioning line 31 is marked on the outside of the processing area 10a,
You may mark on the boundary position of a. In the figure, the hatched portion of the processing area 10a indicates a processed portion.

Each CCD camera 38 is an image pickup means for reading the positioning line 31 on the web 10. The image data captured by the CCD cameras 38 are sent to the image analysis unit 42 in the processing control unit 41.
The image analysis unit 42 analyzes each imaged data and measures the current position of each positioning line 31. The measurement result is sent to the position correction amount calculation unit 43.

The position correction amount calculation unit 43 calculates the correction amount in the width direction of the processing head 12 based on the data of the current position of the positioning line 31. The processing control unit 41 controls the head moving mechanism 37 based on this correction amount. As a result, the processing head 12 moves together with the support portion 36, and the relative position with respect to the processing area 10a is corrected. Each CCD camera 38 sends an image captured at a predetermined interval during processing to the image analysis unit 42 as needed. The processing control unit 41 feedback-controls the relative position between the processing head 12 and the positioning line 31 based on this image. The head drive unit 44 is
The processing head 12 is driven.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be described according to the flowchart shown in FIG. The line controller 21 pulls out the web 10 from the web roll 16 and starts the conveyance of the web 10. When the conveyance is started, the line control unit 21 sends a line operation signal to the processing control unit 41 and the marking device 29. When the web 10 reaches the marking device 29, the marking device 29 marks the positioning line.

When the web 10 is conveyed to the position of the processing head 12, the head driving unit 44 causes the processing head 12 to move.
Is driven to start laser processing.

During this processing, the processing control section 41 controls each C
The CD camera 38 is operated to read the positioning line 31. Each CCD camera 38 sends the imaged data to the image analysis unit 42. The image analysis unit 42 analyzes the imaged data and measures the current position of the positioning mark 31.
The position correction amount calculation unit 43 calculates the correction amount according to the deviation between the current position of the positioning mark 31 and the reference position.

The machining control unit 41 moves the machining head 12 in the width direction based on this correction amount to correct the relative position between the machining head 12 and the machining area 10a. This correction is performed at any time according to the imaging interval of each CCD camera 38. Thus, instead of moving the web 10 itself,
Since the processing head 12 is moved in accordance with the displacement of the web 10 to correct the position, highly accurate positioning can be performed.

When the preset planned length is reached, the line control unit 21 sends a line operation signal to the processing control unit 41 and the marking device 29 to stop the conveyance of the web 10. The processing control unit 41 and the marking device 29 receive the line operation signal and stop the processing and the marking processing, respectively.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the positioning line is marked immediately before processing by the marking device arranged on the carrying line, but a web roll in which the positioning line is marked in advance may be used.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the processing is carried out while tension is applied to the web in order to prevent displacement of the web. However, if the tension applied to the web is too strong, the web is stretched. There is a case where the dimensional accuracy deteriorates. Therefore, tension is applied to the web to such an extent that the dimensional accuracy error falls within an allowable range. However, since tension is applied to the running web, it may be difficult to adjust the tension.

Therefore, with the configuration shown in FIG. 4, processing may be performed in a state where no tension is applied (tension-free state). Suction rollers 52 and 53 are arranged upstream and downstream of the backup roller 51 instead of the wrap roller. The web 10 is tension-free between the suction rollers 52 and 53, and processing is performed in this state.

The suction rollers 52, 53 are used for the web 1
It has a function of adsorbing 0 to the surfaces of the rollers 52 and 53.
Further, the backup roller 51 is also the suction roller 5
It has the same suction function as 2, 53. Each roller 5
1, 52 and 53 have a porous structure in which a large number of fine suction ports are provided on the surface thereof, and by driving a built-in suction valve, a suction force is generated on those surfaces, and the web 10 is Adsorb. These suction functions prevent displacement of the web 10.

In the above embodiment, laser processing when manufacturing a prism sheet has been described as an example, but other examples may be used, for example, a web having a photosensitive (resist) film coated on a support is used. Then, the present invention may be applied to the case where the pattern is transferred by irradiating the web with a laser beam or an electron beam to melt the photosensitive film.

Further, an example has been described in which a head portion for performing pinpoint processing is used and a pattern is formed along the width direction of the web while reciprocating the head portion in the width direction.
Instead of reciprocating one head part in the width direction, a plurality of head parts may be arranged side by side in the width direction to form a pattern along the width direction. This makes it possible to form not only a stripe pattern along the width direction but also a pattern along the web transport direction, a pattern inclined with respect to the width direction, and the like.

[0036]

As described in detail above, the present invention is
Obtained by imaging the positioning line marked on the web along the transport direction when performing various types of processing by the processing head while the web is running on a continuous processing area along the transport direction of the web. Based on the image
The position correction amount is obtained by checking the deviation between the position of the positioning line and the preset reference position, and the relative position between the processing head and the processing area is corrected based on this position correction amount. The web can be processed with high positioning accuracy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a web processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a web processing device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a positioning procedure.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration when processing is performed without tension.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 web 10a Processing area 11 Web processing equipment 21 Line control unit 29 Marking device 31 Positioning line 37 Head moving mechanism 38 CCD camera 41 Processing control section

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3C024 FF01                 3C027 RR03 RR05                 3E075 AA24 BA99 CA02 DA03 DA04                       DA05 DA14 DA33 DE22 DE23                       FA03 FA15 GA01                 3F105 AA04 BA14 BA16 BA20 DA25                       DA29 DB11 DC11

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A web processing apparatus comprising: a transporting means for transporting a long web; and a processing head for performing various types of processing on a continuous processing area along the transport direction while the web is running. Position correction means for moving the processing head in the width direction of the web to correct the relative position to the processing area; imaging means for imaging the positioning line marked on the web along the transport direction; Based on an image obtained by the image pickup means, a correction amount calculation means for obtaining a position correction amount of the processing head by checking a deviation between the position of the positioning line and a preset reference position is provided. Characterizing web processing equipment. 2. The processing is performed in such a manner that the web is attracted to the surface of a backup roller which is arranged at a position facing the processing head and supports the web, so that the web is not tensioned in the conveying direction. The web processing apparatus according to claim 1.