JPH0357146B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials,
For details, in a vacuum container in a plasma atmosphere,
This invention relates to a device that performs low-temperature plasma treatment by placing a sheet material along the outer peripheral surface of a rotating drum-shaped discharge electrode.

[Prior Art] In recent years, plasma treatment has attracted attention as a treatment method for improving the scientific, physical, mechanical, optical or electrical properties or surface structure of sheet materials such as plastic films and cloth. There is. In other words, plasma treatment can improve the adhesion, friction properties, texture, gloss or color fastness of sheet materials, or improve the antistatic, surface hardening, roughening, anti-blocking, or darkening of dyed materials. It is known that this can be achieved (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 18737-1987 and 149441-1980).

Conventionally, this type of plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials has a drum-shaped discharge electrode fixed to a rotating shaft that passes through the vacuum container, and a rod-shaped discharge electrode facing the drum-shaped discharge electrode, which is provided inside the vacuum container. . The rotating shaft that rotates the large drum-shaped discharge electrode mentioned above is
By supporting the discharge electrode on both sides, the load on the rotating shaft is reduced. Further, in order to supply current to the rotating discharge electrode, a rotating shaft integrated with the discharge electrode is in a charged state.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] By the way, the plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials is
Due to the wide range of sheet materials to be treated,
Generally, the equipment is large-scale, so in order for this to be adopted industrially, it is necessary to have a processing capacity commensurate with the large equipment cost. In other words, originally
It is necessary to further increase the large input power of the plasma processing apparatus that creates the plasma atmosphere and increase the plasma density to improve the processing capacity. However, in a vacuum vessel in a plasma atmosphere with low electrical resistance, if the above input is increased, a large electrical dissipation will occur between the charged rotating shaft in the vacuum vessel and the bearing of this rotating shaft. Uniformity occurs, parts of the bearing with a complex shape emit light, and then an instantaneous abnormal arc discharge occurs.
Therefore, the plasma discharge state becomes unstable and continuous operation is not possible.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and allows continuous operation with large electric power flowing.
That is, the object is to provide a plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials that can be used industrially.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the sheet material plasma processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with a sealing mechanism in the bearing box of the bearing provided in the vacuum container. A mechanism isolates the internal space of the bearing box from the low-temperature plasma atmosphere inside the vacuum vessel.

[Function] According to the present invention, the internal space of the bearing box is isolated from the low-temperature plasma atmosphere in the vacuum container, so there is no risk of it becoming a plasma atmosphere. Therefore, there is little risk of abnormal arc discharge occurring in the complex-shaped bearing that supports the rotating shaft in the bearing box.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 showing a first embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum vessel 1 includes a drum-shaped drum electrode (first discharge electrode) 2 and a number of rod electrodes (first discharge electrode) facing the drum electrode 2. 2 discharge electrode) 3 and
installed in parallel. Both these discharge electrodes 2, 3
A voltage is applied between them from an AC power source 4 via a transformer 5 and an electric circuit 6 that connects both the discharge electrodes 2 and 3.

The vacuum container 1 is made of stainless steel and is filled with extremely low pressure plasma processing gas by a gas container 7 filled with plasma processing gas and a vacuum exhaust device 8 for evacuating the inside of the vacuum container 1. It is kept in the same condition. This vacuum container 1 is
As shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum container 1 mainly consists of a container body 1a and a lid 1b which can be opened and closed, and allows work to be performed inside the vacuum container 1.

A in FIG. 1 is a sheet-like material, from the unwinding machine 11,
A winding machine 13 is installed along the outer peripheral surface of the drum electrode 2 which is guided by the guide roll 12 and is rotationally driven.
It is wound up. In other words, the sheet material A of the unwinding machine 11 is transferred to the vacuum container 1 held in a plasma atmosphere.
The film is continuously subjected to low-temperature plasma treatment on the drum electrode 2 inside, and is wound up by a winding machine 13.

In Fig. 2, 14 is a rotating shaft, and the vacuum vessel 1
The penetrating portion 14a passes through the penetrated portion 1c of the motor (not shown) provided outside the vacuum container 1.
is driven by. The rotating shaft 14 is
It is provided so as to protrude from both side wall portions 2a of the drum electrode 2. Right side 14b of this rotating shaft 14
is the bearing 1 outside the vacuum vessel 1.
5. It is pivotally supported by the vacuum container 1 via a bearing box 16 and a support member 17. On the other hand, the left side 14c of the rotating shaft 14 is located at the third
It is pivotally supported in the vacuum vessel 1 via a bearing 18 shown in the figure, a bearing box 19, and a support member 20 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the bearing box 19 is composed of a case body 19a, a lid body 19b, an O-ring 19c, an oil seal 19d, and an oil seal retainer 19g. The O-ring 19c is disposed in an annular groove provided in the case body 19a, and seals between the case body 19a and the lid body 19b which are flanged together. Above oil seal 19d
is disposed in an annular groove provided in the case body 19a, and seals between the case body 19a and the rotating shaft 14. It is also possible to use a mechanical seal instead of this oil seal 19d. Reference numeral 19e denotes a fluid supply hole, which is bored in the case body 19a, and is connected to the bearing box 19 in FIG. 3 from the gas container 7 in FIG. 1 through the gas supply pulse 21 in FIG.
This is for supplying plasma processing gas to the internal space 19f of. In other words, the internal space 19f is
The internal space 1d of the vacuum container 1 shown in FIG. 2 is kept filled with plasma processing gas at a higher pressure than the internal space 1d of the vacuum container 1 shown in FIG. It is shielded from the low-temperature plasma atmosphere in the space 1d.

In FIG. 2, the drum electrode 2 is fixed to the rotating shaft 14 and rotates, and has a water jacket 2b and pipes 22, 23 through which a cooling medium flows. Note that the pipes 22 and 23 communicate with a pipe 25 inserted into the rotating shaft 14 and the hollow portion 14d of the rotating shaft 14, respectively.

Both ends 3a of the plurality of rod electrodes 3 are fixed to a pair of support members 26. This support member 2
6 is supported by the vacuum container 1 via a glass 27 and is electrically insulated from the vacuum container 1.

One end of the electrical circuit 6 is inserted into the vacuum container 1 via an introduction terminal 6a that insulates the vacuum container 1 from the electrical circuit 6, and is connected to the rod electrode 3. The other end is connected to the drum electrode 2 via the slip ring 28 and the rotating shaft 14.

In the above configuration, this plasma processing apparatus has the following features:
Since the lid body 1b is provided to enable the vacuum container 1 to be opened and closed, when the rotating shaft 14 for rotating the heavy drum electrode 2 is pivotally supported on both sides of the drum electrode 2, at least one side, that is, the left end Part 14c
is pivotally supported within a vacuum vessel 1 in a plasma atmosphere with low electrical resistance. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, this invention provides an O-ring 19c and an oil seal 1.
9d, and high pressure plasma processing gas is supplied to the internal space 19f of the bearing box 19 from the fluid supply hole 19e. Therefore, the internal space 19f of the bearing box 19 and the internal space 1d of the vacuum container 1 (see FIG. 2) are not electrically connected, and the internal space 19f does not become the plasma atmosphere of the internal space 1d, so the rotation of the charged state is prevented. There is little risk of abnormal arc discharge occurring in the complexly shaped bearing 18 that supports the shaft 14. Therefore, since the plasma discharge is stabilized, continuous operation is possible with a large current flowing. In particular, in the case of this embodiment, since the pressure in the internal space 19f of the bearing box 19 is high, there is less risk of abnormal arc discharge occurring within this internal space 19f, so that the plasma discharge is more stable.

In this embodiment, since the plasma processing gas is supplied to the internal space 19f of the bearing box 19, even if gas leaks from the internal space 19f to the internal space 1d, the plasma gas purity in the internal space 1d will be reduced. There is no risk of a decrease in In addition, the bearing box 19
The internal space 19f may be connected to the atmosphere via a gas supply pipe 21.

In addition, the O-ring 19c and oil seal 19d provide strict sealing, and the fluid supply hole 1
The internal space 19f may be completely sealed from the outside without providing the space 9e. Note that when the bearing box 19 is completely sealed from the outside, the internal space 19f of the bearing box 19 is maintained at atmospheric pressure because the bearing box 19 is normally assembled at atmospheric pressure.

FIG. 4 shows the main part of a second embodiment of the invention.

In this figure, reference numeral 30 denotes an oil container made of an insulator such as polycarbonate.
It is screwed onto the case body 19a of No.9. This oil container 30 has openings 30a at its upper and lower parts.
and 30b are provided, and the internal space 30c of the oil container 30 communicates with the internal spaces 1d and 19f, respectively. Reference numeral 31 denotes lubricating oil, which is filled in the bearing box 19 and the oil container 30. Reference numeral 32 denotes a metal cap, which prevents the lubricating oil 31 from being exposed to the plasma atmosphere in the internal space 1d and evaporating, so that its outer circumferential surface 32a overlaps with the inner circumferential surface 30 of the oil container 30.
d, and descends as the lubricating oil 31 decreases. In other words, the lubricating oil 31 has its upper surface 31a passed through the cap 32 to the vacuum container 1 (see FIG. 2).
It is under the pressure of the internal space 1d. The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same or equivalent parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

According to this embodiment, the internal space 1 of the bearing box 19
Since 9f is filled with lubricating oil 31, there is no risk of abnormal arc discharge occurring.

In addition, the lubricating oil 31 is contained in the vacuum container 1 (see Figure 2).
Since the pressure in the internal space 1d is almost equal to that of the internal space 1d, there is little risk of leakage from the O-ring 19c and the oil seal 19d. Therefore, there is little possibility that arc discharge will occur due to the lubricating oil 31 leaking into the plasma atmosphere, and there is also little possibility that the purity of the plasma gas in the internal space 1d will decrease.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, in this invention, an unwinding machine 11 and a winding machine 13 are provided in other vacuum containers 1A and 1B, respectively, on both sides of the vacuum container 1, so that both vacuum containers 1A , 1B are flanged to the vacuum vessel 1. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the unwinding machine 11 and the winding machine 1
3 may be provided outside the vacuum container 1. In this figure, reference numerals 9 and 10 are preliminary vacuum chambers, which are provided with a plurality of seal rolls (not shown) and a seal chamber (not shown) in the running direction of the sheet-like material A, and the seal chambers are vacuum-suctioned. By doing so, the pressure is reduced stepwise from atmospheric pressure to help maintain the inside of the vacuum container 1 at a predetermined pressure.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, even when a large amount of electric power is applied, abnormal arc discharge in a complex-shaped bearing that supports a rotating shaft can be prevented. The device gains industrial throughput and can be operated continuously.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of main parts, and FIG. FIGS. 5 and 6 are longitudinal cross-sectional views of main parts showing an embodiment of the present invention, and are schematic configuration diagrams of another plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials to which the present invention is applied. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vacuum container, 1d... Inner space, 2... First discharge electrode (drum electrode), 3... Second discharge electrode (rod electrode), 6... Electric circuit, 7... Gas container ( gas supply source), 14... Rotating shaft, 18... Bearing (bearing), 19... Bearing box, 19c...
O ring (seal mechanism), 19d...Oil seal (seal mechanism), 19f...Internal space, 31...
...Lubricating oil (liquid), A...sheet-like material.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A drum-shaped first discharge electrode that is fixed to and rotates on a rotating shaft that penetrates the vacuum container and has a sheet-shaped material along its outer circumferential surface; A plasma processing apparatus for a sheet-like material in which a second discharge electrode is provided inside a vacuum container, wherein a bearing box for at least one bearing that pivotally supports the rotating shaft is provided in the vacuum container, and the bearing box is provided with a second discharge electrode inside a vacuum container. A plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials, wherein the bearing box is provided with a sealing mechanism that isolates the internal space of the bearing box from the low-temperature plasma atmosphere in the vacuum container. 2. The plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials according to claim 1, wherein the internal space of the bearing box is filled with a fluid having a higher pressure than the internal space of the vacuum container. 3. The plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials according to claim 1, wherein the internal space of the bearing box is connected to the atmosphere. 4. The sheet-shaped sheet according to claim 1, wherein the internal space of the bearing box is connected to a gas supply source containing a plasma processing gas and is maintained at a pressure higher than the pressure of the internal space of the vacuum container. Plasma processing equipment for objects. 5 The internal space of the bearing box is filled with liquid,
2. A plasma processing apparatus for a sheet-like material according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is subjected to pressure in an internal space of a vacuum container.