JP7720463B2 - Peeling device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a peeling device.

Display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays are manufactured through a process of forming circuits and signal lines on substrates, bonding the substrates together to form a panel that serves as the display area, and attaching driver ICs and other components to terminals on the outside of the display area of the panel.

A conventional method for mounting driver ICs is to use a flexible film-like electronic component equipped with a driver IC, such as COF (chip on film). This method involves crimping and connecting the terminals of the electronic component to terminals that are exposed horizontally from the periphery of the panel's display area, parallel to the display surface. Furthermore, a printed circuit board is crimped horizontally to these electronic components, electrically connecting the wiring that ensures external connection, thereby manufacturing a display device.

Anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is used to connect the terminals of such display panel and electronic components, or to connect electronic components and printed circuit boards. This ensures electrical conductivity between the electrodes of each component through heat and pressure bonding. (See Patent Document 1.)

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 07-253590

To prevent defects during the manufacturing process, protective sheets are attached to panels such as those described above. For example, protective sheets are attached to the display area of the panel and the area where electronic components are connected to prevent scratches. Furthermore, a protective sheet (reinforcing sheet) may be attached between the display area and the area where electronic components are connected to reinforce the panel. For example, if the panel is made of resin, the final shape of the panel may be folded between the display area and the edge of the panel. To make the folded portion easier to fold, the side opposite the side where the electronic components are crimped is thinned in advance using a laser. In other words, there is a thinned portion between the area where electronic components are connected and the display area.

When the panel is thinned like this, the rigidity of that area weakens and it becomes unstable, which can cause problems when crimping electronic components. For this reason, a protective sheet is attached to the thinned area to reinforce the panel, and after the electronic components are crimped, the protective tape is removed and the panel is covered with resin before being folded.

On the other hand, the protective sheet for the display area is provided so that it can be separated and peeled away from the protective sheet for the area where electronic components are connected and the protective sheet for reinforcing the thinned portions. This is because protection of the display area must continue when connecting electronic components to the electronic component connection area or when peeling off the protective sheet for the thinner portions. In other words, three independent protective sheets may be attached to a panel for a display device.

This allows the protective sheet to be peeled off from the area where the electronic components will be connected, and even after the electronic components have been connected to the terminals, the protective sheet remains attached to other areas. Then, in a subsequent process, the protective sheet is peeled off from the thinned areas and covered with resin to protect the conductive parts. However, because the protective sheets for the areas where the electronic components will be connected and the protective sheets used to reinforce the thinned areas are very narrow (on the order of a few millimeters), it is difficult to reliably peel off only the desired protective sheet, whether peeled off manually or automatically, and there was a demand for a device that could perform efficient peeling.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a peeling device that can efficiently peel off protective sheets attached to display panel panels.

In order to achieve the above object, the peeling device of the present invention has a support section that supports a display device panel to which a rectangular protective sheet is attached, a crimping tool that moves toward the display device panel and presses the adhesive surface of an adhesive tape whose longitudinal direction intersects the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet to a peeling start end that is one end of the protective sheet in the longitudinal direction, and then moves away from the display device panel, thereby peeling off the protective sheet from the peeling start end , and a supply/discharge mechanism that supplies the subsequent adhesive tape to the crimping tool by ejecting adhesive tape whose adhesive surface has been exposed for a time exceeding a predetermined threshold from the crimping position of the crimping tool .

The present invention provides a peeling device that can efficiently peel off protective sheets attached to display panel panels.

1 is a plan view showing a display panel to which a protective sheet to be peeled according to an embodiment is attached; FIG. 2 is a front view showing the peeling device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a pressure-bonding portion, a presser, and a receiving portion. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positions of the pressure-bonding surface, adhesive tape, and protective sheet. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a drive mechanism for the pressing portion. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control device. 1 is a flowchart showing a peeling procedure according to an embodiment. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the peeling operation of the peel start end of the protective sheet by the pressure bonding tool. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of peeling off the entire protective sheet by pressing. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the peeling operation of the peel start end of the protective sheet by the pressure bonding tool. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the hanging member. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for recovery processing of adhesive force.

An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Display panel]
Referring to Figure 1, a display panel (hereinafter simply referred to as a panel) S from which a protective sheet PS is to be peeled will be described. The panel S is a member having terminals T for connecting a display unit D having a display function and an electronic component F having a drive circuit. The terminals T are conductive members and are arranged on one surface of the panel S in a direction along a side that forms the outer edge. Each terminal T extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the multiple terminals T are arranged and is parallel to one another. For example, a flexible film-like electronic component F equipped with a driver IC such as a COF is connected to the terminals T of such a panel S by thermocompression bonding via an anisotropic conductive film (ACF).

The planar area of the panel S that includes the display section D is called the display area Ad. Of the planar areas that include the terminals T of the panel S, the area to which the electronic components F are connected is called the connection area Ac. The planar area between the display area Ad and the connection area Ac of the panel S is called the gap area Ai. The panel S is rectangular, and the outer edge of the display area Ad approximates the outer edge of the panel S, making it a rectangular area that occupies most of the panel S. The connection area Ac is a rectangular area that follows one side of the outer edge of the panel S. The gap area Ai is a rectangular area that follows between the display area Ad and the connection area Ac. The panel S in the gap area Ai has a thin back surface (the surface opposite the surface on which the terminals T are formed) to make it easier to bend. The connection area Ac and gap area Ai are narrower than the display area Ad.

A protective sheet PS is attached to the surface of the panel S. This protective sheet PS is made of resin and is divided into multiple areas so that it can be separated and peeled off. More specifically, the protective sheet PS is attached to the entire surface of the panel S, and linear cuts are made at the boundaries between the display area Ad, the gap area Ai, and the connection area Ac, allowing it to be separated into protective sheets PSx, PSy, and PSz. Protective sheet PSx is a rectangular sheet attached to the display area Ad. Protective sheet PSy is a rectangular sheet attached to the connection area Ac. Protective sheet PSz is a rectangular sheet attached to the gap area Ai. Because the connection area Ac and the gap area Ai are narrower than the display area Ad, the protective sheets PSy and PSz that protect them are also narrower than protective sheet PSx. In other words, protective sheets PSy and PSz are strip- or tape-like rectangular shapes with the long sides at least twice the length of the short sides.

In this embodiment, the protective sheet PS to be peeled off is described as protective sheet PSz, which reinforces the gap area Ai. While FIG. 1 illustrates protective sheet PSy in the connection area Ac, in the pre-peeling step of this embodiment, protective sheet PSy is peeled off and electronic component F is connected to terminal T. Protective sheet PSx, which protects the display area Ad, remains attached to protect the display unit D.

[Adhesive tape]
The adhesive tape TP used in this embodiment is a member for peeling off the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the adhesive tape TP is made of resin, is a long, strip-shaped member, and has adhesiveness on one side. The adhesive tape TP is fed and taken up by a supply/discharge mechanism 300, which will be described later (see Figure 2).

[overview]
Next, an overview of the peeling device 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2 , the peeling device 100 includes a support unit 200, a supply/discharge mechanism 300, a pressure-bonding unit 400, a presser unit 500, a support unit 600, an imaging unit 700, and a control device 800. The support unit 200 supports a panel S for a display device panel, which serves as a substrate. The supply/discharge mechanism 300 is a mechanism for supplying and discharging adhesive tape TP to and from the pressure-bonding unit 400. The pressure-bonding unit 400 includes a pressure-bonding tool 410. The pressure-bonding tool 410 presses the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP against one end of the protective sheet PSz and then moves away from the panel S together with the adhesive tape TP, thereby peeling the protective sheet PSz pressed against the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP from that end (see FIG. 9 ). In this way, the end where the protective sheet PSz starts to be peeled is defined as a peel start end B, and the other end opposite thereto is defined as a peel end end E.

The bonding tool 410 has a bonding surface 411 that presses and bonds the adhesive tape TP to the protective sheet PSz (see Figure 1). The bonding tool 410 uses the bonding surface 411 to bond the adhesive tape TP at a position that includes the peel start end B, i.e., at a position that overlaps with the peel start end B.

As shown in FIG. 6, the presser 500 has a presser 510. As shown in FIG. 9, the presser 510 presses the panel S against the support unit 200 (see FIG. 2), resisting the peeling of the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz caused by the rise of the adhesive tape TP that has been pressed to the protective sheet PSz by the crimping tool 410. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, when the peeling start end B is peeled off, a space is created between the protective sheet PSz and the panel S. In this space, the presser 510 moves relative to the panel S in the direction toward the peeling end E of the protective sheet PSz, thereby peeling the entire protective sheet PSz from the panel S.

As shown in Figure 2, the hanging receiver 600 has a hanging receiver member 610. As shown in Figure 3, the hanging receiver member 610 is attached to the adhesive tape TP and is positioned below the protective sheet PSz, which moves from the crimping tool 410 to the take-up reel 331.

The imaging unit 700 captures images of the protective sheet PSz-attached area of the panel S supported by the support unit 200 before and after the peeling operation. The protective sheet PSz-attached area is the gap area Ai described above, regardless of whether the protective sheet PSz is present at the time of imaging. The control device 800 controls each part of the peeling device 100.

The direction in which the pressure bonding tool 410 moves to press the adhesive tape TP against the protective sheet PSz is referred to as the pressure bonding direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the initial peeling direction. The pressure bonding direction and initial peeling direction correspond to the direction along the Z direction in the figure. In a plane parallel to the pressure bonding surface 411, the direction in which the panel S is transported to a position facing the pressure bonding surface 411 is referred to as the carry-in direction, and the direction in which it is transported out is referred to as the carry-out direction. The carry-in direction and carry-out direction correspond to the direction along the X direction in the figure. Furthermore, in a plane parallel to the pressure bonding surface 411, the direction perpendicular to the carry-in direction and carry-out direction in which the presser foot 510 moves toward the peeling end E to peel the protective sheet PSz is referred to as the peeling direction, and the direction in which it moves back to the peeling start point B is referred to as the return direction. The peeling direction and the direction of relative movement for return correspond to the pressure bonding direction, and the direction along the Y direction in the figure.

In this embodiment, the peeling device 100 is installed so that the crimping surface 411 is horizontal. Therefore, the crimping direction, initial peeling direction, and Z direction are vertical. In the following description, the installation surface side of the peeling device 100 is referred to as the bottom, and the opposite side as the top, in the vertical direction. The position in the Z direction may also be referred to as the height. However, the installation direction of the peeling device 100 is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 5, the position of the crimping surface 411 on the XY plane is referred to as the crimping position AP. The crimping position AP is, for example, the coordinates of the position in the XY coordinate system where the crimping surface 411 should press the peel starting end B. However, this crimping position AP may be specified by a single point, or by multiple points, such as the four corners of a rectangle.

[Support part]
As shown in FIG. 2 , the support unit 200 has a support column 211, a moving table 220, a drive mechanism 230, a stage 240, and a drive mechanism 250. The support column 211 is a member erected on a base (not shown). The base is installed on an installation surface. The moving table 220 is a plate-like body parallel to the crimping surface 411, and is supported by the support column 221 so as to be movable in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. The drive mechanism 230 is a mechanism that moves the moving table 220 in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. As the drive mechanism 230, for example, a ball screw mechanism that is provided on the support column 221 and moves up and down by a ball screw that is rotated by a drive source is used.

The stage 240 is a plate-like body having a support surface 241 that supports the back surface of the panel S. The support surface 241 is parallel to the pressure-bonding surface 411. The support surface 241 has suction holes connected to a pneumatic circuit (not shown), which adsorb and hold the panel S by negative pressure. In other words, the stage 240 has a vacuum chuck as a holder for holding the panel S. Note that an electrostatic chuck or mechanical chuck can also be used as the holder. The drive mechanism 250 is a mechanism that moves the stage 240 in two axial directions along the X and Y directions. The drive mechanism 250 is, for example, a biaxial mechanism with two stacked linear guides in mutually perpendicular directions, which move a slider by rotating a ball screw using a drive source such as a motor. The stage 240 is supported on the moving table 220 via the drive mechanism 250, allowing the panel S to be moved in the load and unload directions, and the protective sheet PSz to be positioned at the pressure-bonding position AP.

After the adhesive tape TP has been pressed by the pressure-bonding tool 410, the stage 240 moves the panel S away from the presser 510 by moving diagonally downwards through a combination of the drive mechanism 230 in the initial peeling direction (downward in the Z direction) and the drive mechanism 250 in the return direction (towards the peeling start point B in the Y direction).

[Supply/discharge mechanism]
2, the supply/discharge mechanism 300 has a main body 310, a supply unit 320, and a discharge unit 330, and is a mechanism that supplies the adhesive tape TP to the crimping unit 400 (described later) in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S. In other words, the adhesive tape TP sent out from the supply unit 320 is supplied in a direction perpendicular to the long side of the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S so as to come into contact with the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410, and is then taken up by the discharge unit 330. The main body 310 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped plate, and is erected on a stand (not shown) at a position adjacent to the support unit 200 via a drive mechanism 430 (described later).

The supply unit 320 has a rotation axis parallel to the Y direction and includes a supply reel 321 and a path roller 322 located above the main body unit 310. The supply reel 321 is a reel around which adhesive tape TP is wound and from which the adhesive tape TP is fed out as it rotates. The supply reel 321 is supported at a desired rotational resistance via a torque control device (not shown) and is configured to be able to feed out the adhesive tape TP at predetermined lengths without slack as it is driven by the take-up reel 331 (described below). Here, the desired rotational resistance via the torque control device is a rotational resistance that maintains the adhesive tape TP without slack against the adhesive force of the protective sheet PSz to the panel S during the initial peeling (described below).

The path roller 322 guides the movement of the adhesive tape TP fed from the supply reel 321 and changes the direction of movement of the adhesive tape TP, feeding the adhesive tape TP in the direction toward the pressing unit 400. The axis of the path roller 322 is fixed in position relative to the main body unit 310. The path roller 322 is equipped with an encoder that counts the number of rotations to detect the amount of adhesive tape TP fed.

The discharge unit 330 has a rotation axis parallel to the Y direction and includes a take-up reel 331 and path rollers 332 located below the supply unit 320. The take-up reel 331 is a reel that takes up the adhesive tape TP that has passed through the crimping unit 400 and has the protective sheet PSz bonded to it. The take-up reel 331 is rotated by a motor (not shown) so that it can take up the adhesive tape TP in predetermined lengths. As described above, this rotation causes the adhesive tape TP to be fed out from the supply reel 321 in predetermined lengths. The path rollers 332 guide the movement of the adhesive tape TP from the crimping unit 400 and change the direction of movement to feed it to the take-up reel 331.

[Crimping part]
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the crimping unit 400 includes a crimping tool 410, a guide unit 420, and a drive mechanism 430. The crimping tool 410 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member disposed in the main body 310. The crimping tool 410 includes a crimping surface 411. The crimping surface 411 is a flat, rectangular surface that faces parallel to the stage 240 of the support unit 200. The long sides of the crimping surface 411 are longer than the width of the adhesive tape TP and are disposed along the Y direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the length ws of the short sides of the crimping surface 411 is preferably equal to or shorter than the short sides, i.e., the width wt, of the protective sheet PSz. This prevents the adhesive tape TP from contacting the adjacent protective sheet PSx.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the pressure-bonding surface 411 faces the protective sheet PSz so as to include the peel start end B in plan view. In other words, the pressure-bonding surface 411 is not pressed so that the entire surface overlaps the protective sheet PSz, but rather is pressed so that a portion of the pressure-bonding surface 411 extends beyond the protective sheet PSz in the long side direction (Y direction). At this time, the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned relative to the pressure-bonding position AP, and the adhesive tape TP is pressed against it. For this reason, the pressure-bonding position AP, where the peel start end B is positioned, is set inside the pressure-bonding surface 411 in plan view. Here, the center of the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410 is set as the crimping position AP, and the adhesive tape TP is crimped such that the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned relative to the crimping position AP with the center of the width of the adhesive tape TP overlapping the crimping position AP, so that if the width h of the adhesive tape TP is 15 mm, for example, the width ht that adheres to the protective sheet PSz is approximately 10 mm and the non-adhesive width hs is approximately 5 mm.

As shown in FIG. 4, the guide portion 420 is provided contiguous with the crimping tool 410 between the supply reel and the crimping tool 410 and regulates the widthwise displacement of the adhesive tape TP. The guide portion 420 has a sliding surface 421 and a guide surface 422. The sliding surface 421 is a surface that conforms to the non-adhesive side of the adhesive tape TP. The guide surface 422 is a pair of inner walls that rise from the sliding surface 421 in the thickness direction of the adhesive tape TP and face each other across the adhesive tape TP. Both edges of the adhesive tape TP contact the guide surface 422, thereby regulating the widthwise displacement of the adhesive tape TP. This allows the adhesive tape TP fed by the supply/discharge mechanism 300 to run stably on the crimping surface 411. Furthermore, because the guide portion 420 is a common component with the crimping tool 410, the number of components can be reduced, the configuration can be simplified, and assembly labor can be reduced. The corners that form the boundary between the guide surface 422 and the crimping surface 411, and the corners that form the boundary between the side of the crimping tool 410 opposite the guide surface 422 and the crimping surface 411, are rounded. This prevents damage to the adhesive tape TP and allows it to move smoothly.

As shown in FIG. 2, the drive mechanism 430 is a mechanism that moves the crimping tool 410 disposed on the main body 310 in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. The drive mechanism 430 is composed of, for example, a linear guide that uses a drive source such as a motor to rotate a ball screw and move the main body 310 along a guide rail.

[Holding part]
As shown in FIG. 2 , the presser 500 has a presser 510 and a drive mechanism 520. The presser 510 is a flat plate-shaped member parallel to the stage 240 of the support unit 200. In this embodiment, the presser 510 moves only in the Y direction and is fixed and does not move in the X or Z directions. As shown in FIG. 4 , the presser 510 has pressing units 511 and 512 and a peeling unit 513. The pressing unit 511 is a unit that presses the display area Ad of the panel S and is hereinafter referred to as the first pressing unit. The pressing unit 512 is a unit that presses the connection area Ac of the panel S and is hereinafter referred to as the second pressing unit. As shown in FIG. 10 , the peeling unit 513 is a unit that peels off the entire adhesive tape TP while coming into contact with the adhesive tape TP as the presser 510 moves in the peeling operation direction.

When the pressing unit 500 presses the panel S, the first pressing unit 511 and the second pressing unit 512 overlap the panel S as shown in FIG. 6, but the peeling unit 513 does not overlap the panel S. The gap between the first pressing unit 511 and the second pressing unit 512 is wide enough to allow the pressing tool 410, including the pressing surface 411 and adhesive tape TP, to enter and exit (see FIG. 11).

In this embodiment, the first pressing portion 511, peeling portion 513, and second pressing portion 512 of the presser 510 are connected together, forming a generally U-shaped inner edge, i.e., a rectangular shape with one side broken. This continuous inner edge is called the concave cutout portion 514. The side of the cutout portion 514 is formed by a tapered surface 515 that widens toward the support portion 200. As a result, when the adhesive tape TP enters the cutout portion 514 together with the crimping tool 410, the area of the cutout portion 514 that comes into contact with the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP is reduced, making it less likely for the adhesive tape TP to adhere to the side of the cutout portion 514 and become caught. Furthermore, by forming the first pressing portion 511, peeling portion 513, and second pressing portion 512 as a single continuous member, the configuration can be simplified compared to when separate pressing and peeling members are provided. To prevent the panel S from lifting, it is preferable to press the display area Ad and connection area Ac of the panel S with the first pressing portion 511 and the second pressing portion 512, but either one may be used. In this case, since the panel S will lift from its outer edge, it is also possible to use only the pressing portion 512 and press only the outer edge side (connection area Ac side) of the panel S.

The surface of the presser foot 510 that does not come into contact with the panel S is treated with a non-adhesive coating to prevent the adhesive tape TP from sticking to it. For example, the surface of the presser foot 510 is coated with a non-adhesive resin. Of course, the entire surface of the presser foot 510 may be treated with a non-adhesive coating. Furthermore, protective tape is applied to the surface of the presser foot 510 that comes into contact with the panel S to prevent scratches on the panel S and protective sheet PSx. For example, a tape mainly made of polyimide is applied to the surface of the presser foot 510.

As shown in FIG. 6, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the peeling direction, inserting the peeling section 513 between the protective sheet PSz, one end of which has been peeled off, and the panel S, thereby peeling the entire length of the protective sheet PSz from the panel S (see FIG. 10). The drive mechanism 520 also moves the presser foot 510 in the return direction. The drive mechanism 520 uses a linear guide 522 that moves an arm 521 supporting the presser foot 510 along a guide rail by rotating a ball screw using a drive source such as a motor.

[Suspended part]
As shown in FIG. 2 , the hanging receiver 600 has a hanging receiver member 610 and a drive mechanism 620. The hanging receiver member 610 is a plate-shaped member arranged along the feeding direction of the adhesive tape TP. As shown in FIG. 3 , the hanging receiver member 610 has a horizontal surface adjacent to the presser unit 500, a plurality of upwardly inclined inclined surfaces, and another horizontal surface that continues from the horizontal surface. The hanging receiver member 610 has a width greater than the overall length of the protective sheet PSz and is provided along the path of the adhesive tape TP, from the edge of the presser unit 500 to a position corresponding to the outer shape of the take-up reel 331. In other words, the hanging receiver member 610 is shaped to receive any peeled-off protective sheet PSz until the adhesive tape TP is wound onto the take-up reel 331. Since the main purpose of the hanging receiver 600 is to prevent the peeled protective sheet PSz from adhering to the electronic components F, it is sufficient that the length (length in the feeding direction of the adhesive tape TP) is long enough to cover at least the area where the peeled protective sheet PSz sent to the take-up reel 331 may adhere to the electronic components F. The driving mechanism 620 is a mechanism that moves the hanging receiver member 610 in the vertical direction. For example, a cylinder is used as the driving mechanism 620. Therefore, when the panel S to which the electronic components F are connected is carried in, the hanging receiver 610 can be retracted so that it does not come into contact with the electronic components F.

[Image capture unit]
As shown in FIG. 2 , the imaging unit 700 images the panel S supported by the support unit 200. The imaging unit 700 is supported by a support base (not shown) so that its position relative to the main body unit 310 is fixed. The imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai before and after the protective sheet PSz is peeled off. This makes it possible to determine whether the peeling was performed normally. The imaging position of the imaging unit 700 is the same position as that determined by the stage 240 before and after the peeling.

The imaging unit 700 has a camera. The camera is a CCD camera that has optical components such as lenses, a CCD image sensor, and an image processing circuit that generates image data according to the amount of light received by the CCD. The camera captures images by receiving reflected light from a light source. In this embodiment, for example, a red light source is used as the light source, which highlights the boundaries between the protective sheets PSx, PSy, and PSz.

[Control device]
2, the control device 800 is a device that controls each part of the peeling device 100. This control device 800 can be configured, for example, by a dedicated electronic circuit or a computer that operates with a predetermined program. That is, the control contents for controlling the support unit 200, the supply/discharge mechanism 300, the crimping unit 400, the pressing unit 500, the hanging unit 600, and the imaging unit 700 are programmed and executed by a processing device such as a PLC or a CPU.

The configuration of this control device 800 will be described with reference to the block diagram in Figure 7. Specifically, the control device 800 has a mechanism control unit 81, an image processing unit 82, a movement amount calculation unit 83, a movement instruction unit 84, a time determination unit 85, a winding instruction unit 86, a status determination unit 87, a memory unit 88, and an input/output control unit 89. The mechanism control unit 81 controls the drive mechanism 230 of the support unit 200, the drive mechanism 250, the supply/discharge mechanism 300, the drive mechanism 430 of the crimping unit 400, the drive mechanism 520 of the pressing unit 500, the drive mechanism 620 of the hanging unit 600, and the imaging unit 700.

The image processing unit 82 converts the image captured by the imaging unit 700 into an image suitable for display and position determination. The movement amount calculation unit 83 determines the position of the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz from the image processed by the image processing unit 82 and calculates the movement amount required to move to the pressure-bonding position AP. For example, the position coordinates of the line of the peel start end B are determined based on the black and white binary image generated by the image processing unit 82.

These position coordinates are position coordinates in a coordinate system of the XY plane in which the position coordinates of the above-mentioned crimping position AP are set. In this coordinate system, the position coordinates of the crimping position AP and the position coordinates of the imaging position of the imaging unit 700 are fixed, and the position coordinates in the image captured by the imaging unit 700 can be converted into position coordinates in the coordinate system. Therefore, the movement amount calculation unit 83 can calculate the XY movement amount from the position coordinates of the peel start end B determined from the image to the position coordinates of the crimping position AP. It is also possible to calculate the amount of deviation from the position coordinates of the previous crimping position AP and calculate a corrected movement amount based on this deviation amount.

The movement instruction unit 84 instructs the mechanism control unit 81 to drive the drive mechanism 250 of the support unit 200 according to the movement amount calculated by the movement amount calculation unit 83. This allows the peel start end B to be accurately positioned at the pressure bonding position AP even if there is variation in the position of the panel S on the stage 240.

The time determination unit 85 calculates the elapsed time from the point in time when the peeling device 100 stopped peeling operation based on the time obtained from the internal clock of the control device 800, and determines whether the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Whether the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value may be determined, for example, by whether the date has changed. If the elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, the winding instruction unit 86 instructs the mechanism control unit 81 to have the supply/discharge mechanism 300 wind and recover the exposed adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP. The amount of adhesive tape TP to be fed out by this winding is preset to a feed amount such that the exposed adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP, whose elapsed time exceeds the threshold value, is removed from the pressure-bonding surface 411 along the path from the supply reel 321 to the pressure-bonding surface 411. The feed amount is detected by the encoder of the path roller 322. The feed amount can be, for example, the length of the path of the adhesive tape TP from the point where the adhesive tape TP leaves the supply reel 321 to the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410.

The status determination unit 87 determines the status of the protective sheet PSz based on the image captured by the imaging unit 700. In other words, the status determination unit 87 determines whether or not the protective sheet PSz is present, whether it has a different shape from the normal shape, etc., based on the image processed by the image processing unit 82, and determines whether or not it is normal.

The memory unit 88 stores information necessary for control in this embodiment. For example, along with the above-mentioned program, the memory unit 88 stores the captured image, the coordinate system and position coordinates for positioning the protective sheet PSz, the amount of movement, the amount of correction, the time threshold for judgment by the time judgment unit 85, the amount of adhesive tape TP fed out, etc. The input/output control unit 89 is an interface that controls the conversion of signals between each controlled unit and the input/output.

Furthermore, an input device 91 and an output device 92 are connected to the control device 800. The input device 91 is an input means such as a switch, touch panel, keyboard, or mouse that allows the operator to operate the peeling device 100 via the control device 800. The above threshold values, etc. can be set by inputting desired values from the input device 91.

The output device 92 is an output means such as a display, lamp, meter, speaker, or buzzer that displays information for confirming the status of the device in a manner that is recognizable to the operator. For example, an image captured by the imaging unit 700 is displayed on the display, allowing the operator to confirm the peeling of the protective sheet PSz. Furthermore, if the time determination unit 85 determines that the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, the adhesive strength of the adhesive tape TP has decreased, and an alert is issued by the display, the illumination of a lamp, or the sound from the speaker or buzzer. In other words, the output device 92 functions as an alert means for the decrease in adhesive strength.

[Operation]
The operation of the peeling device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 8, the explanatory diagrams in Fig. 9 to Fig. 12, and the flowchart in Fig. 13, in addition to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are views taken along the arrow M shown in Fig. 6, and Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 are views taken along the arrow N shown in Fig. 6. In the following description, the position in the Z direction of the surface of the presser foot 510 that faces the panel S is referred to as the reference position RP (see Fig. 9 to Fig. 12).

(Adhesive tape set)
First, as shown in Fig. 2, the adhesive tape TP is set in the supply/discharge mechanism 300. That is, the wound adhesive tape TP is fitted onto the supply reel 321. Then, the pulled-out adhesive tape TP passes through the path roller 322 and the guide portion 420 of the crimping tool 410, and is tensioned so that it reaches the take-up reel 331 via the path roller 332 from a position covering the crimping surface 411. Then, after the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP to be crimped onto the protective sheet PSz is fed onto the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410 by the supply/discharge mechanism 300, the rotation of the supply reel 321 and the take-up reel 331 is stopped, and the movement of the adhesive tape TP is fixed.

(Image taken before peeling)
1, in a previous process, the protective sheet PSx is peeled off from the connection area Ac of the panel S, and electronic components F are connected to the panel S. As shown in FIG. 2, the panel S is placed on the stage 240 and held by suction using negative pressure. Then, before the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, the imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai of the panel S (step S101). When the panel S with the connected electronic components F is carried in, the hanging support member 610 is in an initial position at a height that does not allow it to come into contact with the electronic components F (see FIG. 11).

The movement distance calculation unit 83 determines the position coordinates of the peel start end B from the captured image and calculates the movement distance required to move the peel start end B to a position facing the pressure-bonding surface 411 (step S102). The movement instruction unit 84 outputs a movement instruction based on the calculated movement distance to the mechanism control unit 81, which then causes the drive mechanism 250 of the support unit 200 to move the stage 240. As a result, the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned at a position facing the pressure-bonding position AP on the pressure-bonding surface 411, as shown in Figures 9(A) and 11(A) (step S103).

The status determination unit 87 determines the status of the protective sheet PSz based on the image captured by the imaging unit 700 and processed by the image processing unit 82. If it determines that the protective sheet PSz is missing or that the status of the protective sheet PSz is abnormal, it determines that the protective sheet PSz is abnormal and notifies the operator of this via a display on the output device 92, etc., and causes the mechanism control unit 81 to eject the panel S. The notification to the operator may also be a notification urging the operator to re-image the protective sheet PSz to determine the status of the protective sheet PSz.

(Initial peeling operation)
9(B) and 11(B), the driving mechanism 430 drives the main body 310 to lower, and the crimping tool 410 provided on the main body 310 also lowers and enters the notch 514 of the presser foot 510, and stops at a position where the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP covering the crimping surface 411 reaches the reference position RP (step S104). As a result, the surface of the presser foot 510 facing the panel S and the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP are at the same height.

As shown in Figures 9(C) and 11(C), the drive mechanism 230 raises the stage 240 of the support unit 200 toward the pressure-bonding unit 400, pressing the panel S against the pressure element 510 and the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP covering the pressure-bonding surface 411 (step S105). This causes the adhesive tape TP to be pressure-bonded to the peel-start end B of the protective sheet PSz.

9(D) and 11(D), the driving mechanism 430 drives the crimping tool 410 to rise, which also raises the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz adhered to the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP, causing the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz to peel off from the panel S (initial peeling) (step S106). At this time, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first pressing portion 511 and the second pressing portion 512 of the presser 510 press down on the connection area Ac and the display area Ad, preventing the panel S from lifting up. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9(D) and 10, the protective sheet PSy has been peeled off, creating a step with the protective sheet PSx. If this step causes problems, a thicker polyimide sheet or the like can be attached to the back surface of the second pressing portion 512 to eliminate the step.

(Full peeling operation)
Next, as shown in FIG. 10A , the stage 240 of the support unit 200 moves diagonally downward to separate the panel S from the presser foot 510 (step S107). This operation is performed to avoid the risk of the protective sheet PSz, which is pressed against the adhesive tape TP, peeling from the adhesive tape TP due to tension applied to the protective sheet PSz being peeled off if the panel S is separated from the presser foot 510 by movement only in the Z direction. In other words, a combined operation in the Y and Z directions is performed to separate the panel S from the presser foot 510 without generating tension in the protective sheet PSz being peeled off. Then, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the peeling direction, thereby peeling off the entire protective sheet PSz (step S108). Because the movement of the stage 240 separates the panel S from the presser foot 510, the presser foot 510 can move without contacting the panel S.

Explaining in more detail, as shown in FIG. 10(B), as the presser foot 510 moves, the edge of the peeling portion 513 comes into contact with the protective sheet PSz. Then, as shown in FIG. 10(C), the presser foot 510 continues to move, causing the peeling to proceed. Then, as shown in FIG. 10(D), the movement of the presser foot 510 is stopped when the peeling portion 513 of the presser foot 510 reaches the peeling end E. When the peeling portion 513 of the presser foot 510 reaches the peeling end E, the entire length of the protective sheet PSz is peeled off from the panel S. At this time, the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz is adhered to the adhesive tape TP, with the peeling end E resting on the top surface of the peeling portion 513. This movement of the presser foot 510 reduces the Z component of the tension of the protective sheet PSz applied to the portion where the protective sheet PSz and the adhesive tape TP are pressed together, allowing the protective sheet PSz to be peeled off reliably from the panel S.

(Feed-out operation)
Next, as shown in Fig. 12(A), the hanging receiver 610 descends from the initial position (see Fig. 11) above the reference position RP to below the reference position RP (step S109). Then, as shown in Fig. 12(B), the supply/discharge mechanism 300 feeds the adhesive tape TP, causing the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz adhered to the adhesive tape TP to move. At the same time, the peeling end E slides from the upper surface of the peeling section 513 over the upper surface of the second pressing section 512 (see Fig. 10(D)), causing the protective sheet PSz to move above the hanging receiver 610 (step S110). In this way, as shown in Fig. 3, with the peeling start end B, which is one end of the protective sheet PSz, adhered to the adhesive tape TP, the adhesive tape TP is taken up and collected by the take-up reel 331. At the same time, a new adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP comes into contact with the pressure-bonding surface 411. Then, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the return direction to return it to its initial position. In this embodiment, the protective sheet PSz is adhered to the adhesive tape TP in a direction perpendicular to the adhesive tape TP and then collected, but the direction does not have to be strictly perpendicular.

(Image taken after peeling)
The driving mechanisms 230 and 250 of the support unit 200 move the stage 240 to the imaging position, and the imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai of the panel S. If the state determination unit 87 determines based on the captured image that the protective sheet PSz remains, it determines that the state is abnormal and notifies the operator of this fact via the display of the output device 92, etc.

The above operation is the procedure for peeling off the protective sheet PSz from one panel S, but the panel S placed on the stage 240 can be replaced and the protective sheets PSz from the panels S can be peeled off sequentially using the above procedure. In this way, the peeled protective sheets PSz are attached one after another with their ends still attached to the adhesive tape TP, and are taken up onto the take-up reel 331 together with the adhesive tape TP and collected.

(Check adhesive strength)
Next, the operation of checking the adhesive strength of the adhesive tape TP and removing adhesive tape TP with reduced adhesive strength will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 13 . It is known that the adhesive strength of adhesive tape TP may gradually decrease over time if continuously exposed to air. Therefore, the time determination unit 85 measures the elapsed time from the stop of operation to the start of the peeling operation to check the adhesive strength. That is, after the peeling operation is stopped, when the peeling operation is next started, the time determination unit 85 determines the elapsed time from the stop of the peeling operation (step S201). If this determined time exceeds a predetermined threshold (step S202), the supply/discharge mechanism 300 starts winding the adhesive tape TP in response to an instruction from the winding instruction unit 86 (step S203).

If the encoder detects that a predetermined amount has been fed out (YES in step S204), feeding and winding are stopped (step S205). Here, the predetermined amount is, for example, the length of the path of the adhesive tape TP from the part where the adhesive tape TP leaves the supply reel 321 to the crimping surface of the crimping tool. This makes it possible to avoid using parts of the adhesive tape TP whose adhesive strength has decreased over time. For example, it is possible to avoid using parts of the adhesive tape TP where 24 hours have passed since the adhesive surface was exposed.

[Action and effect]
(1) The peeling device 100 of this embodiment includes a support part 210 that supports a panel S to which a rectangular protective sheet PSz is attached, and a pressure-bonding tool 410 that moves toward the panel S, presses the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP, whose longitudinal direction intersects the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet PSz, against a peeling start end B, which is one end of the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet PSz, and then moves away from the panel S, thereby peeling off the protective sheet PSz from the peeling start end B.

This configuration allows for efficient peeling of the protective sheet PSz by peeling it off from one end of the protective sheet PSz using the adhesive tape TP. For example, when peeling from a portion other than the end of the protective sheet PSz, the adhesion at both ends continues, requiring a stronger force and making peeling mistakes more likely. However, in this embodiment, peeling is performed from one end, allowing for smooth subsequent peeling. Because only one end of the protective sheet PSz is attached to the adhesive tape TP and collected, more adhesive tape TP can be saved than if the entire length of the protective sheet PSz were attached to the adhesive tape TP and collected.

(2) After the crimping tool 410 has been pressed, the presser foot 510 presses the panel S against the support part 200, resisting the peeling of the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz caused by the rise of the adhesive tape TP. Therefore, even when supported by the support part 200, the panel S is prevented from lifting up or shifting as the peel start end B peels off, making peeling errors less likely to occur. For example, even if a vacuum chuck is used as the holding part, when peeling the peel start end B, the holding force of the holding part may be too strong, causing the panel S to lift up or shift. In this embodiment, such problems can be prevented by the presser foot 510 pressing down on the panel S.

(3) The presser 510 moves relative to the panel S in a direction toward the peeling end E of the protective sheet PSz, which is opposite the peeling start end B, to fill the space between the protective sheet PSz and the panel S created by peeling the peeling start end B, thereby peeling the entire protective sheet PSz from the panel S. This allows the same member to be used for both pressing the panel S and peeling it off, simplifying the configuration while enabling efficient peeling of the protective sheet PSz.

(4) A receiving member 610 is positioned below the peeled protective sheet PSz, which moves away from the pressure bonding tool 410 as the adhesive tape TP moves in the longitudinal direction. This prevents the peeled protective sheet PSz from adhering to the panel S or other locations.

(5) A guide portion 420 is provided near the crimping tool 410 to regulate the displacement of the adhesive tape TP in the short direction. This prevents the adhesive tape TP from meandering and reduces its positional deviation from the crimping position AP.

(6) The apparatus has an imaging unit 700 that images the attachment position of the protective sheet PSz on the panel S supported by the support unit 200 before and after the protective sheet PSz is peeled off. This prevents the peeling operation from being performed on a panel S from which the protective sheet PSz has already been peeled off, and prevents a panel S from which the protective sheet PSz has not been peeled off from being sent to the next process.

(7) The supply/discharge mechanism 300 supplies the subsequent adhesive tape TP to the crimping tool 410 by discharging adhesive tape TP whose adhesive surface has been exposed for a period exceeding a predetermined threshold value from the crimping position AP by the crimping tool 410. This prevents the use of adhesive tape TP whose adhesive strength has weakened, reducing the occurrence of peeling errors.

Other Embodiments
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but also includes the following aspects.
(1) The panel S may be any substrate having a display area for a display device and conductive portions such as leads, to which a protective sheet PS is attached. For example, it may be a substrate having a display area that can be used now or in the future, such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

(2) The movement of the stage 240, the crimping tool 410, the presser foot 510, and the hanging member 610 need only be relative movement. In other words, the crimping tool 410 may press the adhesive tape TP to the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz by moving the crimping tool 410, by moving the stage 240, or by moving both. The pressing of the panel S by the presser foot 510 may also be performed by moving the presser foot 510, by moving the stage 240, or by moving both. The movement of the hanging member 610 relative to the stage 240 may also be performed by moving the stage 240, by moving the hanging member 610, or by moving both.

(3) Furthermore, a suction device that adsorbs the adhesive tape TP may be provided on the bonding surface 411 of the bonding tool 410. That is, after the adhesive tape TP is fed by the supply unit 320, the suction device is activated to adsorb the adhesive tape TP to the bonding surface 411 and bond it. The bonding tool 410 is then raised, the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, and the suction of the suction device is released. With this configuration, when the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, the suction force of the suction device is also added to raise the adhesive tape TP, so that the protective sheet PSz can be peeled off more forcefully, making it possible to peel off the protective sheet PSz more reliably.

(4) In this embodiment, the peeling of the protective sheet PSz has been described, but when peeling the protective sheet PSy, the protective sheet PSy can be peeled off in the same manner by positioning the panel S so that the peeling start end of the protective sheet PSy faces the pressure-bonding position AP on the pressure-bonding surface 411.

The above describes embodiments of the present invention and modifications of each part, but these embodiments and modifications are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims.

70 Imaging unit 81 Mechanism control unit 82 Image processing unit 83 Movement amount calculation unit 84 Movement instruction unit 85 Time determination unit 86 Winding instruction unit 87 Status determination unit 88 Memory unit 89 Input/output control unit 91 Input device 92 Output device 100 Peeling device 200 Support unit 210 Support column 220 Moving table 230 Driving mechanism 240 Stage 241 Placement surface 250 Driving mechanism 300 Supply/discharge mechanism 310 Main body unit 320 Supply unit 321 Supply reel 322 Path roller 330 Discharge unit 331 Winding reel 332 Path roller 400 Crimping unit 410 Crimping tool 411 Crimping surface 420 Guide unit 421 Sliding surface 422 Guide surface 430 Driving mechanism 500 Pressing unit 510 Pressing unit 511 First pressing unit 512 Second pressing unit 513 Peeling section 514, notch 515, tapered surface 520, driving mechanism 521, arm 522, linear guide 600, hanging receiver 610, hanging receiver member 620, driving mechanism 700, imaging section 800, control device

Claims (2)

a support portion that supports a display panel having a rectangular protective sheet attached thereto;
a pressure-bonding tool that moves toward the display device panel, presses an adhesive surface of the adhesive tape, whose longitudinal direction intersects with the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet, against a peel-start end that is one end of the protective sheet in the longitudinal direction, and then moves away from the display device panel, thereby peeling off the protective sheet from the peel-start end;
a supply/discharge mechanism that discharges, from a position where the pressure-bonding tool is crimped, the adhesive tape whose adhesive surface has been exposed for a time exceeding a predetermined threshold, thereby supplying the subsequent adhesive tape to the crimping tool;
A peeling device having: 2. The peeling device according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide portion near the pressure bonding tool for restricting displacement of the adhesive tape in the lateral direction.