JP2007136332A - Apparatus and method for applying paste - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and method for applying a paste capable of preventing variation of the applied amount of paste from occurring by detecting the tilt of its nozzle. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus 10 for applying paste ejected from its nozzle 26 onto a substrate 16 to draw a linear pattern 33 thereon is characterized by comprising a detection apparatus 43 for detecting the tilt of the nozzle 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a paste coating apparatus and a paste coating method for discharging a paste from a nozzle to coat and draw a linear pattern on a substrate.

  In a paste coating apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display panel, a rectangular frame pattern is applied and drawn on a substrate with a sealing agent as a paste. The sealant is applied by applying the sealant onto the substrate from the nozzle at the tip of the syringe, and is controlled (gap control) so that the gap (gap) between the tip of the nozzle and the top surface of the substrate is always constant. .

  A syringe filled with a fixed amount of sealing agent is replaceably attached to the paste application device, and a detachable nozzle is set at the tip of the syringe. When the consumption of the sealing agent progresses and the remaining amount of the sealing agent in the syringe decreases, it is necessary to replace the syringe. At that time, the operator attaches and detaches the syringe with respect to the holder of the paste application device, but the operation often mistakes the operation to bend the tip of the nozzle against the surrounding device. In general, the application of the sealing agent is a fine line having a width of about 0.3 mm, and the tip of the nozzle has an elongated shape in proportion thereto. Therefore, when a strong impact is applied, bending deformation easily occurs.

  Since the paste coating apparatus needs to control the gap between the tip of the nozzle and the upper surface of the substrate so that it is always constant, the coating accuracy cannot be maintained if the nozzle is tilted.

  In addition, if the nozzle is inclined even if the gap is the same, the coating amount varies due to the change in the ease with which the sealant is discharged from the nozzle. As shown in FIG. 15A, when the nozzle 126 is in a normal position with no inclination with respect to the reference central axis of the nozzle 126 perpendicular to the substrate 116, the nozzle 126 moves to the right in the figure. The ease with which the paste L comes out from the nozzle 126 is the same when moving to the left. Therefore, it is possible to apply the paste L with the same application amount regardless of whether it moves left or right.

  However, as shown in FIG. 15B, when the nozzle 126 is tilted to the left with respect to the substrate 116, the coating amount changes even in the same gap. As shown in FIG. 15C, when the paste L is applied while moving the nozzle 126 in the right direction in the drawing in a state where the nozzle 126 is inclined to the left with respect to the substrate 116, the paste L is applied to the nozzle 126. It is discharged toward the front side in the moving direction. Therefore, since the nozzle 126 moves toward the discharged paste L, the discharge port of the nozzle 126 is blocked by the paste L applied to the substrate 116, and the discharge resistance increases. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15B, when applying the paste L while moving the nozzle 126 in the left direction in the figure, the paste L is discharged toward the rear side in the moving direction of the nozzle 126. Therefore, the discharge resistance does not increase. Therefore, when applying the paste L while moving the nozzle 126 in the right direction in the figure, the application amount becomes smaller than the required amount.

  When applying and drawing a rectangular frame pattern on a substrate with the paste application device as described above, if the nozzle is inclined, the application amount on one of the opposing sides will be less than the required amount. There is.

  In such a state, when the two substrates are bonded together via the sealant, the gap between the two substrates corresponds to the other side at the portion corresponding to the side where the amount of the sealant applied is small. It will be smaller than the part. As a result, the thickness of the liquid crystal sealed in the space surrounded by the two substrates and the sealant is reduced at the portion where the gap is reduced. If there is a portion where the liquid crystal is thin, there is a problem that display unevenness occurs in that portion and the display quality is impaired.

  In order to prevent the above-mentioned problems, the worker regularly inspects the appearance of the nozzles, but this is a time that does not directly contribute to production, so the work will increase as the number of nozzles used in the paste applicator increases. It causes a decrease in efficiency.

In addition, since the tilt and bend are three-dimensional, simple measurement is difficult, relying solely on the visual observation of the operator, and the pass / fail judgment is subjective and the variation is large.
Therefore, in order to prevent the above-described problems, it is necessary to know whether the nozzle is tilted.

  In Patent Document 1, a positional deviation amount of a nozzle with respect to a reference position is detected by a positional deviation detection device, and a positional deviation amount obtained by a positional deviation detection device is added or subtracted from preset teaching data in advance. There is disclosed a material application apparatus that corrects teaching data that has been set and corrects the material to be applied at a correct position.

However, in the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to detect the tilt of the nozzle, and to determine whether the nozzle is tilted more than the allowable value, for example, by determining whether the nozzle is tilted more than the allowable value. There is no disclosure of technology such as replacing or notifying that it cannot be applied.
JP2003-145004

  An object of the present invention is to provide a paste coating apparatus and a paste coating method capable of preventing variation in the coating amount by detecting the inclination of a nozzle.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paste application apparatus for applying and drawing a linear pattern on a substrate by discharging a paste from a nozzle, and having a detection device for detecting the inclination of the nozzle.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paste coating apparatus that applies and draws a linear pattern on a substrate by discharging a paste from a nozzle, a detection device that detects the inclination of the nozzle, and a nozzle that is detected by the detection device. A control device for determining whether or not paste application can be performed based on the inclination is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paste coating apparatus that applies and draws a linear pattern on a substrate by ejecting paste from a nozzle, a detection apparatus that detects the inclination of the nozzle, and the inclination of the nozzle detected by the detection apparatus. And a control device for changing the discharge condition of the paste.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the detection device further includes an image pickup device that picks up an image of the tip of the nozzle, and is based on a captured image of the tip of the nozzle by the image pickup device. The inclination of the nozzle is detected.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the detection device is provided at a plurality of locations in a direction along the central axis of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane. A sensor for detecting the position of the nozzle is provided, and the inclination of the nozzle is obtained based on detection values at a plurality of positions in each direction.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the detection device further includes a sensor that detects the position of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane, The inclination of the nozzle is obtained by comparing the detected value from the direction and the reference value.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paste application method in which a paste is ejected from a nozzle and a linear pattern is applied and drawn on a substrate, the inclination of the nozzle is detected, and the paste is applied based on the detected inclination of the nozzle. Whether or not to execute is determined.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paste application method in which a paste is ejected from a nozzle so as to apply and draw a linear pattern on a substrate. The inclination of the nozzle is detected, and the paste is detected based on the detected inclination of the nozzle. The discharge conditions are changed.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh or eighth aspect of the present invention, the inclination of the nozzle is detected based on an image picked up from a direction facing the tip of the nozzle.

  The invention of claim 10 further detects the position of the nozzle at a plurality of locations along the central axis of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane in the invention of claim 7 or 8. The inclination of the nozzle is obtained based on detection values at a plurality of positions in each direction.

  The invention of claim 11 further detects the position of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane in the invention of claim 7 or 8, and compares the detected value from each direction with a reference value. Thus, the inclination of the nozzle is obtained.

  According to the present invention, since the paste application device has the detection device that detects the inclination of the nozzle, it is possible to prevent an application failure due to the inclination of the nozzle, and to improve the application quality.

  1 is a perspective view showing a paste application device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the stage of FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the main part of the detection device of the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the detection device in the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the nozzle imaged by the detection device of FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for obtaining the inclination of the nozzle, FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the stage in the third embodiment, and FIG. 9 shows the main part of the detection device of the third embodiment. Schematic diagram, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an image created by combining the nozzle diameters in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction detected by the detection device of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the stage in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a main part of the detection device of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 13 shows the detection device of FIG. FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a cross section of the measured nozzle in the X-axis direction, FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view in a horizontal plane including the central axis of the nozzle in FIGS. 12 and 13, and FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing the relationship between the inclination of the nozzle and the coating amount. (A) is a normal state where the nozzle is not tilted, (B) is a schematic diagram when the nozzle tilt and the application direction are the same, and (C) is a schematic diagram when the nozzle tilt and the application direction are opposite. .

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, in FIG. 1, the X axis and the Y axis are orthogonal to each other and extend in the horizontal direction, and the Z axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a paste coating apparatus 10, and the paste coating apparatus 10 includes a rectangular parallelepiped base 11. As shown in FIG. 1, a Y table 12 is provided on the upper surface of the base 11 so as to be movable along the Y-axis direction (the front-rear direction of the paste applying device 10 in FIG. 1). It is driven by a driving means comprising a servo motor 13 that rotates a screw, a nut and a ball screw. A stage 15 is provided on the upper surface of the Y table 12 via a θ rotation mechanism 14. As shown in FIG. 1, the stage 15 can be rotated around the Z axis (in FIG. 1, the vertical direction of the paste application device 10) in a horizontal plane by the θ rotation mechanism 14. On the upper surface of the stage 15, for example, a glass rectangular substrate 16 used for a liquid crystal display panel is mounted and held by suction by means such as vacuum suction (not shown).

  A gate-shaped support body 20 is provided on the upper surface of the base 11 so as to straddle the Y table 12. A guide rail 21 is fixed to the front surface of the horizontal beam portion of the support 20 along the X-axis direction (the left-right direction of the coating apparatus in FIG. 1) orthogonal to the Y-axis direction. Two X tables 22 are provided on the guide rail 21 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction, and the two X tables 22 are driven by a driving means including a linear motor (not shown). The linear motor includes a magnet provided on the guide rail 21 and a coil provided on the X table 22.

  A Z table 23 is provided on the X table 22 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction). The Z table 23 is driven by a driving means including a ball screw, a nut, and a servo motor 24 that rotates the ball screw. .

  Discharge devices 25 for discharging the sealant are provided on the two Z tables 23, respectively. The discharge device 25 includes a syringe 27 in which a cylindrical nozzle 26 is detachably attached to the tip, and the nozzle 26 is made of a stainless alloy. The syringe 27 to which the nozzle 26 is attached is detachably attached to a holder 29 that is fixed on the Z table 23. The syringe 27 is filled with a sealing agent as a paste, and each syringe 27 is connected to a pressurized gas source (not shown) via a pipe line 30, and electromagnetic opening and closing is provided between the syringe 27 and the pressurized gas source. An electropneumatic regulator 32 is interposed downstream of the valve 31 and the electromagnetic on-off valve 31. The sealing agent filled in the syringe 27 is pressurized by the pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source and is discharged from the nozzle 26 at the tip of the syringe 27.

  On the Z table 23, a distance detector comprising a laser displacement meter 28 is integrally attached and fixed to the syringe 27, and the laser displacement meter 28 measures the distance to the upper surface of the substrate 16.

  A control device 36 is provided on one side of the base 11 of the coating apparatus. The control device 36 controls the servo motor 13 that drives the Y table 12, the linear motor (not shown) that drives the X table 22, and the servo motor 24 that drives the Z table 23 of the discharge device 25.

  Moreover, the control apparatus 36 controls the electromagnetic on-off valve 31 and the electropneumatic regulator 32 which were interposed by the pipe line 30 between the syringe 27 and a pressurized gas source.

Further, on the two Z tables 23, an imaging device including a CCD camera 37 for detecting the position of the substrate 16 placed on the stage 15 is provided.
A monitor display 38 and an input keyboard 39 are connected to the control device 36.

  Next, the operation of applying the sealing agent on the substrate 16 by the paste applying apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be described.

  First, when the substrate 16 is supplied and placed on the upper surface of the stage 15 by a robot (not shown) or the like, alignment marks (not shown) attached to the four corners of the substrate 16 are imaged by the CCD camera 37, and the imaging signal is controlled by the control device. 36. The control device 36 detects a positional deviation from a position set in advance by image recognition from the captured image, and controls the X table 22, the Y table 12, and the θ rotation mechanism 14 so that the deviation becomes zero. To do.

  The control device 36 of the paste applying apparatus 10 drives the linear motor of the X table 22 and the servo motor 12 of the Y table 12 to move the X table 22 and the Y table 12 in the horizontal direction, and the servo motor 24 of the Z table 23 is moved. By driving, the Z table 23 is moved in the vertical direction, the sealing agent is discharged from the nozzle 26 at the tip of the syringe 27 of the discharge device 25, and a rectangular frame-shaped pattern 33 is applied and drawn on the substrate 16. The two ejection devices 25 simultaneously apply and draw two patterns 33 arranged in the X-axis direction.

  The laser displacement meter 28 measures the distance to the upper surface of the substrate 16, and the controller 36 determines that the distance between the nozzle tip and the upper surface of the substrate 16 (hereinafter referred to as a gap) is always constant based on the measurement value of the laser displacement meter 28. The servo motor 24 is driven to control the movement of the Z table 23 (hereinafter referred to as gap control), and a pattern 33 having a uniform width and thickness is applied and drawn on the substrate 16.

  The control device 36 of the paste coating apparatus 10 controls on / off control of the electromagnetic on-off valve 31 provided in the pipe 30 to control discharge and stop of the sealing agent, and also controls the electro-pneumatic regulator 32 to control the electro-pneumatic regulator. The pressure of the gas on the downstream side of 32 is adjusted to adjust the discharge pressure of the sealing agent.

  In this way, four rectangular frame-shaped patterns 33 are applied and drawn on the substrate 16, and the inclination of the nozzle 26 at the tip of the syringe 27 is inspected when the syringe 27 is replaced or at a constant cycle.

  In order to inspect the inclination of the nozzle 26, the paste application device 10 has a detection device 43 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The detection device 43 has a measurement hole 44 having a circular cross section formed in the center of the front portion of the stage 15 with an upper opening. When detecting the inclination of the nozzle 26, the nozzle 26 is positioned at the measurement position above the measurement hole 44. In addition, the detection device 43 includes an imaging device including a CCD camera 45 provided upward at the bottom of the measurement hole 44 and a ring illumination 46 provided on the bottom of the measurement hole 44 on the outer periphery of the CCD camera 45.

The detection of the inclination of the nozzle 26 is performed at a measurement position above the preset measurement hole 44. The CCD camera 45 is attached to a reference position (hereinafter, simply referred to as “reference position” in the specification) in which the nozzle 26 is not displaced on the Z table 23 of the paste coating apparatus 10 and is not inclined with respect to the stage 15. At this time, the nozzle 26 is attached so that the center O of the image of the CCD camera 45 is positioned on the extension of the center line C ₀ of the nozzle 26 as shown in FIG.

The ring illumination 46 irradiates the tip of the nozzle 26 with spot light.
The detection device 43 includes an image processing device (not shown), and performs image processing on the image of the tip of the nozzle 26 captured by the CCD camera 45 by the image processing device.

  Next, an operation of detecting the inclination of the nozzle 26 by the detection device 43 having the above configuration will be described.

  The control device 36 of the paste applying apparatus 10 moves the X table 22 and the Y table 12 in the horizontal direction by a preset distance from the origin position, and further lowers the Z table 23 by a preset distance from the origin position. The nozzle 26 is positioned at a predetermined measurement position above the measurement hole 44 at the center of the front portion of the stage 15.

Next, the CCD camera 45 images the tip of the nozzle 26 from below, and the captured image is subjected to image processing by an image processing device. FIG. 4 shows a processed image 47 of an image captured by the CCD camera 45, and it is assumed that the center of the imaging field of view of the CCD camera 45 coincides with the center of the processed image 47. In the processed image 47, the left-right direction is the X-axis direction, and the up-down direction is the Y-axis direction. When the nozzle 26 is not inclined, the center O ₀ of the processed image P ₀ at the tip of the nozzle 26 in the processed image 47 is positioned at the center (coordinate) O on the processed image 47, and the processed image P ₀ at the tip of the nozzle 26 is a perfect circle. Present. When the nozzle 26 is inclined, the center O1 is located at a position shifted from the center O on the processing image 47 as shown in the processing image P1 at the tip of the nozzle 26, and the processing image P1 at the tip of the nozzle 26 has an elliptical shape. .

In the image processing apparatus, a positional deviation amount L1 between the center O ₀ of the processed image P ₀ when the nozzle 26 is not inclined and the center O ₁ of the processed image P ₁ when the nozzle 26 is inclined is obtained, and the positional deviation amount L 1 is obtained. and the length Ln of the nozzle 26 (known value), as shown in FIG. 3, the inclination angle θ with respect to the center line C ₀ when the nozzle 26 is not inclined in the center line C1 of when the nozzle 26 is tilted Calculated by sin θ = L1 / Ln.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the direction and position of the inclination of the nozzle 26 are known depending on which position in which quadrant on the XY coordinate of the processed image 47 the center O 1 of the processed image P 1 of the nozzle 26 is. Can do.

  Here, when the nozzle 26 is positioned at the measurement position, a positioning error due to the X table 22 and the Y table 12 may occur. However, for example, in the paste coating apparatus 10 used for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel as in this embodiment, the repeated positioning accuracy of the X table 22 and the Y table 12 is ± several μm. On the other hand, the positional deviation amount L1 of the nozzle 26 due to the inclination is several tens of μm or more. Accordingly, the positioning error due to the X table 22 and the Y table 12 is small enough to be included within the allowable value of the positional deviation amount L1 of the nozzle 26, and thus does not affect the measurement accuracy described above.

  Further, when the inclination θ of the nozzle 26 exceeds a preset reference value, the operator can notify the worker by displaying it on the display 38 or sounding an alarm so that the worker can detect the detected nozzle. Based on the inclination of 26, it is determined whether or not the application of the sealant is feasible.

  Further, the position deviation amount L1 is simply compared with a preset reference value, and whether or not the sealant application can be performed is determined based on whether or not the position deviation amount L1 exceeds a preset reference value. You can also

  Further, when the nozzle 26 is inclined, the processed image P1 at the tip of the nozzle 26 has an elliptical shape. Therefore, the ratio of the long side a to the short side b is obtained to determine whether it is an ellipse or a perfect circle. By doing so, the inclination of the nozzle 26 can also be determined. Further, the inclination of the nozzle 26 can be determined based on two conditions, that is, the positional deviation amount L1 of the tip of the nozzle 26 and whether it is an ellipse or a perfect circle.

  Further, a defect such as a chip on the surface of the nozzle 26 can be detected by the shape of the contour around the tip of the nozzle 26.

  Further, when a rectangular frame pattern is applied and drawn on the substrate 16 by discharging the sealing agent from the nozzle 26, as described in the prior art, if the nozzle 26 is inclined, the direction of movement is the same gap. The coating amount varies depending on.

  In order to make the coating amount constant even if the moving direction of the nozzle 26 changes, the paste coating apparatus 10 changes the discharge condition of the sealing agent based on the inclination of the nozzle 26 detected by the detection device 43 described above. 36. That is, the program in the control device 36 reads the tilt data of the nozzles 26 measured by the detection device 43, and the control device 36 applies the data on the predetermined tilt and tilt directions of the nozzles 26 to the substrate 16. The discharge condition of the sealing agent is changed based on the relationship with the applied amount of the sealing agent. That is, the control device 36 controls the electropneumatic regulator 32 of the discharge device 25 to change the gas pressure (discharge pressure) for pressurizing the sealing agent in the syringe 27 or to drive the X table 22 and the Y table 12. Or the movement speed (application speed) of the X table 22 and the Y table 12 is changed.

  For example, the relationship between nozzle tilt and tilt direction data and the amount of sealant applied to the substrate 16 can be obtained as follows.

  That is, the relationship between the discharge pressure and the coating amount is examined under the condition that the nozzle tilt angle, the nozzle tilt direction with respect to the nozzle moving direction, and the coating speed are constant. This relationship is acquired for each condition by sequentially changing the nozzle tilt angle or the condition of the nozzle tilt direction. By doing so, it is possible to know the relationship between the discharge pressure and the coating amount of the sealant with respect to various nozzle inclinations and nozzle inclination directions.

According to 1st Example, there exist the following effects.
(a) Since the detection device 43 of the paste application device 10 detects the inclination of the nozzle 26, application failure due to the inclination of the nozzle 26 can be prevented in advance, and the application quality can be improved.

  (b) Since the inclination of the nozzle 26 is detected and whether or not the sealant can be applied is determined based on the detected inclination of the nozzle 26, the application is performed when the nozzle 26 is inclined, for example, when it is inclined more than an allowable value. Thus, application failure due to the inclination of the nozzle 26 can be prevented in advance. As a result, the coating quality can be improved.

  (c) Since the inclination of the nozzle 26 and the direction of the inclination are detected, and the discharge condition of the sealant is changed based on the detected inclination and the direction of inclination of the nozzle 26, for example, a rectangular frame-like pattern on the substrate 16 When coating and drawing 33, the relationship between the direction and angle in which the nozzle 26 is inclined with respect to the relative movement direction of the nozzle 26 and the substrate 16 and the coating amount of the sealant applied to the substrate 16 is checked. For each relative movement direction of the nozzle 26 and the substrate 16, that is, in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and in each of the forward movement direction and the backward movement direction, the discharge pressure and application speed of the sealing agent from the nozzle 26, etc. By changing the discharge condition of the sealing agent, the coating amount in the entire coating pattern 33 can be made uniform. As a result, the coating quality can be improved.

  (d) The detection device 43 detects the inclination of the nozzle 26 based on an image captured from the direction facing the tip of the nozzle 26 in the axial direction of the nozzle 26. That is, it is possible to detect the inclination of the nozzle 26 by a simple operation by simply imaging the tip of the nozzle 26 at a preset measurement position. As a result, the nozzle 26 can be inspected efficiently.

  In addition, since the inclination of the nozzle 26 is detected based on the captured image, stable detection accuracy can be obtained without involving the subjectivity of the operator.

  Further, a measurement hole 44 having an upper opening is provided in the front portion of the stage 15, and an image pickup device including a CCD camera 45 is accommodated in the measurement hole 44. That is, the image pickup device is located on the upper surface of the table on which the substrate 16 is placed. Since it is stored below, it can prevent that the detection apparatus 43 obstructs the movement of the nozzle 26 or the stage 15. Further, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 26 from colliding with the detection device 43, and it is possible to prevent damage due to damage to the nozzle 26.

(Second embodiment)
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, an image of the side surface of the nozzle 26 can be taken by the CCD camera 45 housed in the stage 15. The detection device 55 includes a measurement hole 50 including a Z-axis direction hole 50A that opens at the upper corner portion of the stage 15 and an X-axis direction (Y-axis direction) hole 50B that intersects the hole 50A. The CCD camera 45 is accommodated in the hole 50B in the X-axis direction. The detection device 55 is further provided above the Z-axis direction hole 50A, on the bottom of the Z-axis direction hole 50A, and the reflector 52 attached to the attachment member 51 on the syringe 27 side facing the side surface of the nozzle 26. A reflection plate 53 is provided, and a background plate 54 is provided at a position opposite to the reflection plate 52 of the mounting member 51.

  The nozzle 26 is provided so as to be independently rotatable with respect to the mounting member 51 about a vertical axis passing through the center thereof. The attachment member 51 is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the nozzle 26 by driving means such as an air cylinder (not shown). Thereby, the attachment member 51 can be positioned at the imaging position of the nozzle 26 shown in FIG. 5 and the retracted position that does not hinder the application operation by the nozzle 26 set above this position. .

The detection of the inclination of the nozzle 26 is performed at a preset measurement position. The CCD camera 45 has a hole in the stage 15 so that the center line C ₀ of the nozzle 26 when the nozzle 26 is at the reference position is positioned at the center line Z of the processed image 57 of the CCD camera 45 as shown in FIG. Mounted in 50B. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the center line in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) of the imaging field of view of the CCD camera 45 coincides with the center line Z of the processed image 57.

The CCD camera 45 has an illuminating device 48. The light from the illuminating device 48 is reflected by the reflecting plate 53 and the reflecting plate 52 and irradiates the side surface of the nozzle 26. The CCD camera 45 takes an image of the irradiated side surface of the nozzle 26. To do.
The background plate 54 can be used to clearly capture the contour image of the nozzle 26.

  Next, an operation of detecting the inclination of the nozzle 26 by the detection device 55 having the above configuration will be described.

  The control device 36 of the paste applying apparatus 10 moves the X table 22 and the Y table 12 in the horizontal direction by a preset distance from the origin position, and further lowers the Z table 23 by a preset distance from the origin position. The nozzle 26 is positioned at a predetermined measurement position above the measurement hole 50 provided in the front corner portion of the stage 15.

  An image of the side surface in the X-axis direction of the nozzle 26 is captured by the CCD camera 45, and the captured image of the side surface in the X-axis direction is image-processed by an image processing device, as shown in FIG. A side processed image 57 is obtained. In the obtained processed image 57, the image processing device obtains the amount of deviation ΔX in the X-axis direction between the center O1 of the tip of the processed image P1 of the nozzle 26 and the center line Z of the processed image 57 when the nozzle 26 is at the reference position. .

  Next, the nozzle 26 is rotated 90 degrees, and an image of the side surface in the Y-axis direction is taken. As in the case of the X-axis direction, the center of the tip of the processed image of the nozzle 26 in the obtained processed image and the nozzle 26 are the reference. A deviation amount ΔY in the Y-axis direction with respect to the center line Z of the processed image 57 at the position is obtained by the image processing apparatus.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, based on the relationship of L1 ² = ΔX ² + ΔY ² from the deviation amount ΔX in the X-axis direction and the deviation amount ΔY in the Y-axis direction, the center of the nozzle 26 when the nozzle 26 is at the reference position A deviation amount L1 from O is calculated. Next, as in the case of the first embodiment, the nozzle inclination θ is obtained from the shift amount L1 and the nozzle length (known value).
As described above, the inclination angle θ and the direction of the nozzle 26 can be obtained.

According to 2nd Example, there exists an effect similar to the effect (a)-(d) of 1st Example.
In the second embodiment, the deviation L1 from the center O of the nozzle 26 may be obtained as follows.

  That is, from the state shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle 26 is rotated once about a vertical axis passing through the center thereof. Then, during this one rotation, an image of the nozzle 26 is taken every predetermined angle, for example, every 10 degrees. A deviation amount from the center O of the nozzle 26 is obtained for each captured image. Among the obtained deviation amounts, the largest deviation amount is defined as a deviation amount L1 from the center O of the nozzle 26.

(Third embodiment)
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the detection device 60 of the third embodiment has a measurement hole 61 having a circular cross section formed in the center of the front portion of the stage 15 with an opening at the top, and the outer periphery of the measurement hole 61. Are provided with a two-dimensional sensor composed of laser-type length measuring devices 62 and 63 provided in pairs in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane. The pair of length measuring devices 62 and 63 includes projectors 62A and 63A and light receivers 62B and 63B. Laser light is sent out from the projectors 62A and 63A as parallel light, and the parallel light is incorporated in the light receivers 62B and 63B. Light is received by the sensor. When the nozzle 26 blocks parallel light, a shadow proportional to the size of the nozzle 26 is generated. The size and position of this shadow are scanned and calculated by the image sensors (not shown) of the light receivers 62B and 63B to calculate the diameter of the nozzle 26, Measure as position.

  Next, an operation of detecting the inclination of the nozzle 26 by the detection device 60 having the above configuration will be described.

  The control device 36 of the paste applying apparatus 10 moves the X table 22 and the Y table 12 in the horizontal direction by a preset distance from the origin position, and further lowers the Z table 23 by a preset distance from the origin position. The nozzle 26 is inserted into the measurement hole 61 and positioned at a predetermined measurement position in the measurement hole 61 of the stage 15.

  The detector 60 measures the diameter and position of the nozzle 26 from the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by length measuring devices 62 and 63 arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. The diameter of the nozzle 26 from the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction at a plurality of locations Z1, Z2,... Z6 in the direction along the central axis Z of the nozzle 26 when the nozzle 26 is at the reference position. And its position is detected.

  FIG. 10 is a composite image 64 created from the diameter and position of the nozzle 26 detected from the X-axis direction and the diameter and position of the nozzle 26 detected from the Y-axis direction. The horizontal axis represents the X-Y axis direction (horizontal direction). ), And the vertical axis indicates the position in the Z-axis direction. When the nozzle 26 is at the reference position, the center line of the nozzle 26 coincides with the Z axis shown in FIG.

By connecting the centers O1, O2,... O6 of the diameters D1 _x , D1 _y , D2 _x , D2 _y, D6 _x , D6 _y of the nozzle 26 at a plurality of locations Z1, Z2,. The center line C1 of the nozzle 26 can be obtained by connecting the diameters D1 _x · D1 _y , D2 _x · D2 _y ... D6 _x · D6 _y . Each ellipse in FIG. 10 represents a cross section in the XY axis direction (horizontal direction) of the nozzle 26 based on the diameters D1 _x · D1 _y , D2 _x · D2 _y ... D6 _x · D6 _y of the nozzle 26. This is a schematic representation.

  From the center line C1 of the nozzle 26 thus obtained, the angle of inclination and the direction of the nozzle 26 with respect to the reference position are obtained.

  According to the third embodiment, the same operational effects as the effects (a) to (c) of the first embodiment are exhibited, and the following operational effects are further exhibited.

  Since the nozzle 26 is moved in the Z-axis direction and the inclination of the nozzle 26 is inspected from data at a plurality of locations in the Z-axis direction of the nozzle 26, the bending of the nozzle 26 can be detected in addition to the inclination. For example, this is the case where the nozzle 26 is bent in a “C” shape or a “<” shape. Thus, when the bending of the nozzle 26 is detected, the fact is displayed on the display 38 to notify the operator. Thus, the operator can determine whether or not the nozzle 26 can perform good application, and therefore, it is possible to prevent application failure due to use of an inappropriate nozzle 26 in advance. Quality can be improved.

  When the nozzle 26 is bent, it is conceivable that the required application amount cannot be obtained even when the same discharge conditions as those of the normal nozzle 26 without the bending are given. Therefore, when the bending of the nozzle 26 is detected, the control device 36 may perform processing so as not to apply.

  The detection device 60 can detect the inclination of the nozzle 26 by a simple operation that only detects the tip of the nozzle 26 at a preset measurement position. As a result, the nozzle 26 can be inspected efficiently.

  Moreover, since the inclination of the nozzle 26 is detected based on the measured values of the length measuring devices 62 and 63, stable detection accuracy can be obtained without intervention of the operator's subjectivity.

  Further, since the measurement hole 61 having an upper opening is provided in the front portion of the stage 15 and the length measuring devices 62 and 63 are disposed in the measurement hole 61, the detection device 60 obstructs the movement of the nozzle 26 and the stage 15. Can be prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 26 from colliding with the detection device 60, and it is possible to prevent damage due to damage to the nozzle 26.

(Fourth embodiment)
As shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, the detection device 70 of the fourth embodiment has a measurement hole 71 having a regular square cross section formed by opening the upper part in the center of the front portion of the stage 15. Proximity sensors including cylindrical eddy current sensors 72 and 73 are provided at the central portions of one side along the X-axis direction and one side along the Y-axis direction. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the X-axis and Y-axis on the extension of each central axis of the eddy current sensors 72 and 73 are orthogonal (intersection O) in the same horizontal plane, and the sensors 72 and 73 are at the intersection O. Located equidistant from

  Next, an operation of detecting the inclination of the nozzle 26 by the detection device 70 having the above configuration will be described.

  The X table 22 and the Y table 12 are moved from the origin position by a preset distance, the nozzle 26 is moved above the measurement hole 71, and the Z table 23 is further lowered from the origin position by a preset distance. The tip end of the nozzle 26 is positioned at the measurement position in the measurement hole 71 by being moved.

The detection of the inclination of the nozzle 26 is performed at a position in the Z-axis direction where the side surface of the tip of the nozzle 26 faces the sensors 72 and 73. When the nozzle 26 is at the reference position, it is indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. As described above, the center line C ₀ of the nozzle 26 is located on the intersection point O where the X axis and the Y axis in the measurement hole intersect. By moving the nozzle 26 left and right in the X-axis direction and left and right in the Y-axis direction around the intersection point O, the shortest distance from the eddy current sensors 72 and 73 to the nozzle 26 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. The distances L2 and L3 are detected, and the inclination of the nozzle 26 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is detected.

  The two-dot chain line in FIGS. 13 and 14 indicates the position of the nozzle 26 in the measurement hole 71 when the nozzle 26 is at a reference position that is not inclined.

When the nozzle 26 is tilted, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 14, the reference value when the nozzle 26 is in the reference position (the shortest distance) L ₀ and the detected values compared (shortest distance) L2, L3 to the respective Deviations ΔY and ΔX occur. By calculating the respective deviations ΔY and ΔX between the reference value L ₀ and the detection values L ₂ and L 3, the inclination angle and direction of the nozzle 26 can be obtained.

  For example, the amount L1 of deviation from the center of the nozzle 26 and its direction are obtained in the same manner as the method described with reference to FIG. 7 in the second embodiment, and the equation sin θ = L1 / Ln described in the first embodiment is used. Thus, the inclination of the nozzle 26 is obtained. However, in this embodiment, Ln is the distance Ln ′ from the base of the nozzle 26 to the measurement position by the eddy current sensors 72 and 73.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a proximity sensor 74 that detects a shift in the Z-axis direction can be provided at the bottom of the measurement hole 71. In this case, an eddy current sensor 74 is used to detect the shortest distance from the proximity sensor 74 to the tip surface of the nozzle 26. By providing the proximity sensor 74 in the Z-axis direction, the inclination of the nozzle 26 can be measured more accurately.

  That is, the position of the tip of the nozzle 26 in the Z-axis direction is measured using the proximity sensor 74, and the positional deviation ΔZ of the position of the tip of the nozzle 26 with respect to the reference position in the Z-axis direction is obtained. Then, sin θ = L1 / Ln ′ is set to sin θ = L1 / (Ln′−ΔZ) in consideration of the positional deviation ΔZ in the Z-axis direction. That is, since the distance Ln ′ from the base of the nozzle 26 to the measurement position by the eddy current sensors 72 and 73 increases or decreases by the amount ΔZ that the nozzle 26 is displaced in the Z-axis direction, this increase / decrease ΔZ is added to the distance Ln ′. . As a result, the angle of inclination of the nozzle 26 can be determined more accurately than when the increase / decrease (ΔZ) is not added.

  Further, in place of the proximity sensors 72 and 73 described above, a limited reflection type optical sensor (not shown) may be used. When the limited reflection type sensor is used, the light receiving unit receives only the regular reflection light, so that the deviation amount of the nozzle 26 from the reference position can be measured with high accuracy.

  According to the fourth embodiment, the same operational effects as the effects (a) to (c) of the first embodiment are exhibited, and the following operational effects are further achieved.

  The detection device 70 composed of the two eddy current sensors 72 and 73 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction does not require a relatively expensive device such as an image processing device, so that the cost is not increased. The inclination of the nozzle 26 can be measured relatively easily.

  In addition, the detection device 70 can detect the inclination of the nozzle 26 by a simple operation that only detects the tip of the nozzle 26 at a preset measurement position. As a result, the nozzle 26 can be inspected efficiently.

  Moreover, since the inclination of the nozzle 26 is detected based on the measured values of the eddy current sensors 72 and 73, stable detection accuracy can be obtained without intervention of the operator's subjectivity.

  In addition, since the measurement hole 61 having an upper opening is provided in the front portion of the stage 15 and the eddy current sensors 72 and 73 are disposed in the measurement hole 61, the detection device 70 hinders the movement of the nozzle 26 and the stage 15. Can be prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 26 from colliding with the detection device 70, and damage due to damage of the nozzle 26 can be prevented.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is included in the present invention. For example, it goes without saying that the inclination of the nozzle includes not only a linear inclination but also a bend.

  Further, in the embodiment, the detection device that detects the inclination of the nozzle is provided at the center of the front portion of the stage 15 or the corner portion, but it may be the rear portion or the side portion of the stage 15.

  Further, the frame-shaped pattern is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a polygonal or circular frame. In short, it is sufficient if the moving direction of the nozzle changes between forward movement and backward movement.

  Further, the pattern is not limited to the frame shape, and may be a linear shape, an L shape, a U shape, or the like.

  Further, when the inclination or bending of the nozzle increases, it is conceivable that the nozzle moves out of the depth of focus of the imaging apparatus or out of the measurement range of the sensor, resulting in a detection error. Therefore, when a detection error occurs, it is possible to notify the operator that the nozzle has been tilted or bent and that effect is displayed on the display.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a paste coating apparatus. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the stage of FIG. 1 in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the detection apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a processed image of the tip of the nozzle imaged by the detection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the detection apparatus in the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a processed image of the side surface of the nozzle imaged by the detection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for obtaining the inclination of the nozzle. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the stage in the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the main part of the detection apparatus of the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an image created by combining the diameters of the nozzles in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction detected by the detection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the stage in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a main part of the detection apparatus of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section in the X-axis direction of the nozzle measured by the detection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view in a horizontal plane including the central axis of the nozzles of FIGS. 12 and 13. 15A and 15B are schematic diagrams showing the relationship between the inclination of the nozzle and the application amount. FIG. 15A is a normal state where the nozzle is not inclined, FIG. 15B is the case where the inclination of the nozzle and the application direction are the same, and FIG. It is a schematic diagram in case the inclination of a nozzle and the application direction are opposite.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Paste coating device 16 Substrate 26 Nozzle 33 Pattern 36 Control device 43, 55, 60, 70 Detection device 45 CCD camera (imaging device)
44, 50, 61, 71 Measuring hole 62, 63, 72, 73 Sensor

Claims (11)

In a paste application apparatus that discharges a paste from a nozzle to apply and draw a linear pattern on a substrate,
A paste coating apparatus having a detection device for detecting the inclination of the nozzle. In a paste application apparatus that discharges a paste from a nozzle to apply and draw a linear pattern on a substrate,
A detection device for detecting the inclination of the nozzle;
A paste coating apparatus comprising: a control device that determines whether or not paste coating can be performed based on the inclination of the nozzle detected by the detection device. In a paste application apparatus that discharges a paste from a nozzle to apply and draw a linear pattern on a substrate,
A detection device for detecting the inclination of the nozzle;
A paste coating apparatus comprising: a control device that changes a paste discharge condition based on a nozzle inclination detected by the detection device.   The paste application device according to claim 1, wherein the detection device includes an imaging device that images the tip of the nozzle, and detects the inclination of the nozzle based on a captured image of the nozzle tip by the imaging device. . The detection device has a sensor that detects the position of the nozzle at a plurality of locations in a direction along the central axis of the nozzle for each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane,
The paste coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an inclination of the nozzle is obtained based on detection values at a plurality of positions in each direction. The detection device includes a sensor that detects the position of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane,
The paste coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inclination of the nozzle is obtained by comparing a detected value from each direction with a reference value. In the paste application method of discharging a paste from a nozzle and applying and drawing a linear pattern on the substrate,
A paste application method comprising: detecting an inclination of the nozzle and determining whether or not the paste application can be performed based on the detected inclination of the nozzle. In the paste application method of discharging a paste from a nozzle and applying and drawing a linear pattern on the substrate,
A paste application method comprising: detecting an inclination of the nozzle and changing a paste discharge condition based on the detected inclination of the nozzle.   The paste application method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein an inclination of the nozzle is detected based on an image taken from a direction facing the tip of the nozzle. For each of the two directions orthogonal to each other in the same horizontal plane, the position of the nozzle is detected at a plurality of locations along the central axis of the nozzle,
The paste application method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the inclination of the nozzle is obtained based on detection values at a plurality of locations in each direction. Detecting the position of the nozzle in each of two directions orthogonal within the same horizontal plane;
The paste application method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the inclination of the nozzle is obtained by comparing a detected value from each direction with a reference value.

Images