JP4895005B2 - Liquid crystal injection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal injection apparatus for injecting liquid crystal into a liquid crystal cell in a vacuum chamber.

  In liquid crystal injection, a pair of electrode substrates are bonded together to form a liquid crystal cell, and in a vacuum chamber that is evacuated, the cassette containing the liquid crystal cell is brought into contact with the liquid crystal stored in the liquid crystal dish, thereby liquid crystal cell Liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection port. (See Patent Document 1)

  In this liquid crystal injection, the vacuum chamber may be evacuated rapidly in order to shorten the tact time. In such a case, the air contained in the liquid crystal is released as bubbles in the liquid crystal. If this bubble bursts and scatters around, the inside of the vacuum chamber is contaminated, and if it is attached to the injection port of the liquid crystal cell, the vacuum in the cell becomes insufficient, which may hinder liquid crystal injection. .

  As a mechanism for solving such problems, an openable / closable shutter that covers the upper side of the liquid crystal bathtub has been proposed. 5 and 6 are a front view and a side view for explaining a configuration example of a liquid crystal injection apparatus provided with a shutter.

  5 and 6, the liquid crystal injection apparatus 101 includes a cassette 106 that stores a liquid crystal cell (not shown) in an upper position in the vacuum chamber 104, and moves up and down a liquid crystal dish 105 that stores liquid crystal in a lower position. An elevating part 102 is provided, and the liquid crystal dish 105 is raised by the elevating part 102 to bring the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal dish 105 into contact with the liquid crystal cell, thereby injecting liquid crystal into the liquid crystal cell.

  The elevating unit 102 includes an elevating table 102e that supports the liquid crystal dish 105 and an elevating shaft 102c that supports the elevating table 102e, and is driven up and down by a drive motor 102a and a drive shaft 102b. The vacuum chamber 104 is provided with a vacuum seal 102d at a portion through which the elevating shaft 102c passes.

A shutter unit 103 is provided between the cassette 106 and the lifting unit 102. The shutter unit 103 includes a shutter plate 103a. The shutter plate 103a prevents impurities from entering the liquid crystal dish 105 and prevents contamination by liquid crystal bubbles. The opening and closing operation of the shutter plate 103 a is performed by a shutter drive shaft 103 b provided on the shutter plate 103 a and a shutter drive actuator 103 c that drives the shutter drive shaft 103. The shutter drive shaft 103 b is connected to a shutter drive actuator 103 c provided outside the vacuum chamber 104 through a vacuum seal 103 d provided in the vacuum chamber 104. The shutter plate 103a opens and closes by driving a shutter driving actuator 103c.
JP 2005-99573 A

  The shutter mechanism having the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is configured to open and close by rotating the shutter plate 103a around the drive shaft 102b as a rotation shaft. Therefore, the height of the vacuum chamber 104 in the chamber is at least In order to secure a space in which the shutter plate 103a is opened, the length of the shutter plate 103a is required. This height in the chamber becomes a factor for increasing the size of the vacuum chamber 104.

  5 and 6, since the pair of shutter plates 103 a is provided for the lifting unit, the height in the chamber is lower than that in the case of a single shutter plate, but the lifting unit Therefore, a shutter plate having a length that is half the length of the shutter plate is required, so that a height corresponding to the length of the shutter plate is required.

  Further, in order to open and close the shutter plate 103a, a shutter driving actuator 103c is necessary, and in order to pass the shutter driving shaft 103b into the vacuum chamber 104, a vacuum seal 103d is necessary. For this reason, the shutter driving actuator is costly, and there is also a problem that the vacuum introduction part of the vacuum seal requires maintenance.

  As a configuration for suppressing the enlargement of the vacuum chamber by the shutter plate, it is conceivable to further increase the number of shutter plates to shorten the length of the shutter plate per sheet, thereby suppressing the enlargement of the vacuum chamber. FIG. 7 shows a configuration example when the number of shutter plates is increased.

  However, when the number of shutter plates is increased, it is necessary to increase the number of shutter drive shafts and shutter drive actuators for rotating the shutter plates, and it is necessary to pass the shutter drive shafts through the central portion of the vacuum chamber. Therefore, it is necessary to divide the elevating part. In FIG. 7, the shutter unit 103 has a configuration in which the shutter plate is divided into four plates 103a1 to 103a4 and each shutter plate is driven by the shutter drive actuators 103c1 to 103c4, and the shutter plates 103a2 and 103a4 and the shutter drive actuator 103c2 are configured. , 103c4 are arranged in a substantially central portion of the vacuum chamber 104, and the elevating unit 102 is divided into two elevating tables 102e1 and 102e2 and is moved up and down by elevating shafts 102c1 and 102c2 driven by the drive motor 102a.

  According to this configuration, although the height of the vacuum chamber can be kept low by dividing the shutter plate into four parts, two lift tables are required, and a shutter driving actuator is provided in the central portion of the vacuum chamber. Since it is necessary to provide a vacuum seal for passing the shutter drive shaft in the vacuum chamber, the number of components increases, the cost increases, and the number of vacuum introduction parts requiring maintenance increases. The problem occurs.

  Therefore, the conventional liquid crystal injection apparatus has a problem that an actuator for driving the shutter is necessary to rotate the shutter plate, and the vacuum chamber is enlarged in order to secure a shutter operating range by rotating the shutter plate. And a problem that maintenance of the vacuum introduction part of the shutter drive shaft that the shutter plate rotates is necessary.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and to open and close the shutter plate without requiring an actuator for driving the shutter, and to suppress the enlargement of the vacuum chamber. It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the need for a vacuum introducing portion of the shutter drive shaft that rotates the shutter.

  The present invention enables the opening and closing of the shutter plate without the need for a shutter driving actuator by utilizing the lifting and lowering operation of the lifting and lowering unit for raising and lowering the liquid crystal dish without using the shutter driving actuator for the shutter opening and closing operation. Moreover, the enlargement of a vacuum chamber is suppressed. Moreover, the vacuum introduction part of the shutter drive shaft for rotating the shutter plate is unnecessary.

  In addition, since the number of shutter plates can be increased without requiring a shutter driving actuator, the length of the shutter plates can be shortened, so that an increase in size of the vacuum chamber can be suppressed.

  The liquid crystal injection device of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber in which a cassette for storing liquid crystal cells and a liquid crystal dish for storing liquid crystal are loaded, and an elevating unit provided in the vacuum chamber for raising and lowering the liquid crystal dish. Furthermore, the shutter which opens and closes between a cassette and a liquid crystal dish by the raising / lowering operation | movement of an raising / lowering part is provided. The shutter according to the present invention opens when the lifting unit moves up and closes when the lifting unit moves down.

  The shutter of the liquid crystal injection device of the present invention includes a plurality of divided shutter plates. One end of each divided shutter plate is rotatably supported by a hinge, and opens / closes around the hinge in conjunction with the lifting / lowering operation of the lifting / lowering unit. Thus, the shutter plate can be opened and closed in conjunction with the lifting / lowering operation of the lifting / lowering unit without requiring a shutter driving actuator.

  Further, the shutter may be configured to include a pair of divided shutter plates, and the pair of shutter plates opens and closes between the cassette and the liquid crystal dish. A plurality of pairs of cassettes and liquid crystal dishes can be provided, and a pair of shutter plates can be provided for each cassette and liquid crystal dish pair to be opened and closed.

  According to the present invention, the shutter plate can be opened and closed without requiring an actuator for driving the shutter.

  In addition, according to the present invention, an increase in the size of the vacuum chamber can be suppressed.

  Further, according to the present invention, the vacuum introduction part of the shutter drive shaft for rotating the shutter plate can be made unnecessary.

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

  1 and 2 are schematic views for explaining the configuration of the liquid crystal injection apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a front view, and FIG. 2 shows a side view. In FIG. 1, a liquid crystal injection apparatus 1 includes a cassette 6 (not shown in FIG. 1) containing a liquid crystal cell (not shown) in an upper position in a vacuum chamber 4 and stores liquid crystal in a lower position. An elevating part 2 for elevating and lowering the liquid crystal dish 5 is provided. The elevating unit 2 raises the liquid crystal dish 5 to inject the liquid crystal into the liquid crystal cell by bringing the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal dish 5 into contact with the liquid crystal cell.

  The elevating unit 2 includes a liquid crystal dish fixing adapter plate 2f that fixes the liquid crystal dish 5, a lifting table 2e that supports the liquid crystal dish fixing adapter plate 2f, and a lifting shaft 2c that supports the lifting table 2e. It is driven up and down by the drive motor 2a and the drive shaft 2b. The vacuum chamber 4 is provided with a vacuum seal 2d at a portion through which the elevating shaft 2c passes to constitute a vacuum introducing portion.

  A shutter unit 3 is provided between the cassette 6 and the lifting unit 2. The shutter unit 3 includes a plurality of shutter plates 3a, and the shutter plates 3a prevent impurities from being mixed into the liquid crystal dish 5 and prevent contamination by liquid crystal bubbles.

The shutter unit 3 includes a shutter base 3 b that is fixedly installed with respect to the vacuum chamber 4. On the shutter base 3b, there are provided a shutter hinge 3c protruding upward and a shutter plate 3a attached to the shutter hinge 3c so as to be freely opened and closed by being biased in one rotation direction by a coil spring or the like.

  On the other hand, a roller 3e is provided on the lifting table 2e. The roller 3e rotates the shutter plate 3a by opening the shutter plate 3a by contacting and pushing up the shutter plate 3a from below. The shutter plate 3a is urged in a direction in contact with the roller 3e by a coil spring provided in the shutter hinge 3c described above, and the shutter plate 3a and the roller 3e are always held in contact with each other. .

  When the lifting table 2e rises, the roller 3e provided on the lifting table 2e pushes up while contacting the lower surface of the shutter plate 3a. Since one end of the shutter plate 3a is rotatably attached to the shutter hinge 3c, when the shutter plate 3a is pushed up by the roller 3e, the shutter plate 3a rotates and opens around the shutter hinge 3c.

  On the contrary, when the elevating table 2e is lowered, the shutter plate 3a is urged in a direction in contact with the roller 3e by the coil spring, and therefore, as the roller 3e is lowered, the shutter hinge 3c is set as the rotation center in the opposite direction. Rotate and close the shutter plate. In FIG. 1, the elevating table when lowered and the shutter in the closed state are shown by solid lines, and the elevating table when raised and the shutters in the opened state are shown by chain lines.

  The roller 3e is configured to make smooth contact with the shutter plate 3a by rotating, and is not limited to a roller as long as it is configured to smoothly contact the shutter plate 3a.

  Further, one of the vacuum chambers 4 shown in FIG. 2 includes an opening 4a that can be opened by a gate, an opening / closing door, and the like, and the cassette 6 is transported through the opening 4a and maintenance in the vacuum chamber 4 is performed. It can be performed.

  3 and 4 are perspective views for explaining a part of one configuration example of the elevating unit. The configuration example shown in FIG. 3 shows a configuration in which the lifting table is divided into two, and FIG. 4A shows a state in which the liquid crystal dish is placed on the lifting table. FIG. 4B shows a state where the elevating part is lowered and the shutter plate is closed, and FIG. 4C shows a state where the elevating part is raised and the shutter plate is opened.

  Rollers 3e1 to 3e8 are provided at each of the four corners of the two lifting tables 2e1 and 2e2.

  For example, rollers 3e1 to 3e4 are provided around the lifting table 2e1, rollers 3e1 and 3e2 are provided at positions outside the lifting table 2e1, and rollers 3e3 and 3e4 are provided at positions inside the lifting table 2e1. Similarly, rollers 3e5 to 3e8 are provided around the lifting table 2e2, rollers 3e5 and 3e6 are provided at the outer position of the lifting table 2e2, and rollers 3e7 and 3e8 are provided at the inner position of the lifting table 2e1. Yes. In addition, although the structure which provided the roller 3e on both sides of each raising / lowering table 2e is shown here, it is also possible to set it as the structure which provides the roller 3e only on one side of the raising / lowering table 2e like the roller 3e1 or 3e2. Good.

  Here, the two lifting tables 2e1 and the lifting table 2e2 are installed at a predetermined interval. A square hole opening 3f formed by a gap between the two lift tables 2e1 and 2e2 is provided with a shutter plate 3a2, shutter plate 3a4, and shutter hinge ( An opening 3f is formed through which (not shown) passes. By providing the opening 3f, the shutter plate 3a2 and the shutter plate 3a4 provided inside can be opened and closed.

  4A shows a state in which the liquid crystal dishes 5a and 5b are placed on the lifting tables 2e1 and 2e2, and FIG. 4B shows the shutter unit 3 above the liquid crystal dishes 5a and 5b. The closed state is shown by shutter plates 3a1 to 3a4. Here, the shutter plates 3a1 and 3a2 cover the liquid crystal dish 5a placed on the lift table 2e1, and the shutter plates 3a3 and 3a4 cover the liquid crystal dish 5b placed on the lift table 2e2.

  The lift tables 2e1 and 2e2 are lifted, and the lift causes relative displacement in the height direction with the shutter base 3b, so that the shutter plates 3a1 to 3a4 are opened. FIG. 4C shows this state. Of the shutter plates 3a1 and 3a2 covering the liquid crystal dish 5a placed on the lifting table 2e1, the shutter plate 3a1 is rotated around the hinge by pushing up the rollers 3e1 and 3e2, and the shutter plate 3a2 is a roller. It rotates around the hinge by pushing up 3e3 and 3e4.

  Of the shutter plates 3a3 and 3a4 covering the liquid crystal dish 5b placed on the lifting table 2e2, the shutter plate 3a3 rotates around the hinge by pushing up the rollers 3e5 and 3e6, and the shutter plate 3a4 The rollers 3e7 and 3e8 are rotated around the hinge by being pushed up.

  At this time, the shutter plate 3a2, the shutter plate 3a4, and the shutter hinge (not shown) rotate within the opening 3f of the square hole described above.

  According to this configuration, since the shutter plate opens and closes in conjunction with the lifting operation of the lifting table of the lifting unit, the shutter plate can be opened and closed without requiring a shutter driving actuator.

  Further, according to this configuration, the shutter 3 covering the liquid crystal dish 5 can be shortened by dividing the shutter plate 3a1 to 3a4 into shutter plates 3a1 to 3a4, thereby reducing the height of the vacuum chamber 4. Thus, the height of the liquid crystal injection device is prevented from becoming high, and the enlargement of the vacuum chamber can be suppressed.

  Here, the length of the shutter plate is the horizontal length when the liquid crystal dish is covered in the closed state, and corresponds to the height of the vacuum chamber 4 in the opened state.

  In addition, according to the present invention, as a configuration for rotating the shutter plate, a shutter drive shaft, a shutter drive actuator, and a vacuum introducing portion for passing the shutter drive shaft through the vacuum chamber can be eliminated.

It is a front view which shows the outline for demonstrating the structure of the liquid crystal injection apparatus of this invention. It is a side view which shows the outline for demonstrating a structure. It is a perspective view for demonstrating a part of one structural example of the raising / lowering part of the liquid crystal injection apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view for demonstrating a part of one structural example of the raising / lowering part of the liquid crystal injection apparatus of this invention. It is a front view for demonstrating one structural example of the conventional liquid crystal injection device provided with the shutter. It is a side view for demonstrating one structural example of the conventional liquid crystal injection apparatus provided with the shutter. It is a figure which shows the structural example at the time of increasing the number of sheets of a shutter board | plate.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid crystal injection apparatus, 2 ... Elevating part, 2a ... Drive motor, 2b ... Drive shaft, 2c ... Elevating shaft, 2d ... Vacuum seal, 2e ... Elevating table, 2f ... Adapter plate for liquid crystal dish fixing, 3 ... Shutter part, 3a, 3a1-3a4 ... shutter plate, 3b ... shutter base, 3c ... shutter hinge, 3d ... shutter shaft, 3e, 3e1-3e8 ... roller, 3f ... opening, 4 ... vacuum chamber, 4a ... opening, 5, 5a , 5b ... Liquid crystal dish, 6 ... Cassette, 7 ... Slide mechanism.

Claims (6)

A vacuum chamber in which a cassette for storing a liquid crystal cell and a liquid crystal dish for storing liquid crystal are loaded, and an elevating part provided in the vacuum chamber for raising and lowering the liquid crystal dish are provided, and liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal cell. In the liquid crystal injection device
A shutter that opens and closes between the cassette and the liquid crystal dish by the lifting operation of the lifting unit,
The shutter is
A shutter plate,
A shutter hinge that rotatably supports one end of the shutter plate;
A shutter base fixed to the vacuum chamber and provided with the shutter hinge protruding upward;
A lifting member provided around the lifting table provided in the lifting unit, and a push-up member that contacts the shutter plate and pushes up the shutter plate from below;
The shutter plate is
During the raising operation of the elevating unit, by the pushing-up operation of the push-up member, the shutter hinge is rotated around the rotation center to perform the opening operation,
The liquid crystal injection apparatus, wherein the liquid crystal injection device is supported by the push-up member during the lowering operation of the elevating unit and rotates in the opposite direction to the opening operation around the shutter hinge as a rotation center. The liquid crystal injection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the push-up member includes a roller that smoothly contacts below the shutter plate. The shutter hinge is biased in one rotation direction by a biasing means in a direction in which the shutter plate comes into contact with the push-up member,
The liquid crystal injection device according to claim 1, wherein the shutter plate and the push-up member are always kept in contact with each other. The shutter includes a plurality of divided shutter plates,
One end of the divided each shutter plate is rotatably supported by the respective shutter hinges, characterized by opening and closing as the center of rotation of the shutter hinge in conjunction with the lifting operation of the lifting unit, from claim 1 4. The liquid crystal injection device according to any one of 3 . 5. The liquid crystal injection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the shutter includes a pair of divided shutter plates, and the pair of shutter plates opens and closes between a cassette and a liquid crystal dish. A plurality of the cassette and the liquid crystal dish are provided,
The shutter is divided two shutters pairs shutter pair consisting plate with the shutter plate of each pair, and wherein the opening and closing between the cassette and the liquid crystal dish, respectively, according to claim 4 Liquid crystal injection device.

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