JPH0475777B2 - - 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 chemical, physical, mechanical, optical or electrical properties or surface structure of sheet materials such as plastic films and fabrics. . 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. . and,
Since the vacuum container is insulated from the electrical circuit connecting the two discharge electrodes, plasma discharge from the two discharge electrodes to the vacuum container is prevented, thereby preventing wastage of power.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, 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, which is a plasma atmosphere with low electrical resistance, if the above input is increased, a large local electrical non-uniformity will occur between the electrical discharge circuit and the vacuum vessel, which are isolated from each other. As a result, a narrow corner, for example, a portion between a rotating shaft penetrating the vacuum vessel and a vacuum vessel near this rotating shaft, becomes insufficiently insulated, and current flows within the vacuum vessel, causing damage to the inner wall of the vacuum vessel. emits light, which eventually causes an instantaneous abnormal arc discharge. 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 first includes a vacuum container that is
It is insulated from an electric circuit connecting the drum-shaped first discharge electrode and the opposing second discharge electrode. The rotating shaft to which the first discharge electrode is fixed has an insulating member interposed between a penetration portion of the rotating shaft that penetrates the vacuum container and a lead-out portion of the rotating shaft that leads out from the first discharge electrode. It becomes.

[Function] According to the present invention, since the vacuum container is insulated from the electric circuit, loss caused by discharge of plasma into the vacuum container can be prevented. Moreover, since the penetration part of the rotating shaft that penetrates the vacuum vessel is insulated from the first discharge electrode via the insulating member, and the vacuum vessel is insulated from the electric circuit, the penetration part of the rotating shaft and this There is no risk that the insulation will be insufficient in the area between the vacuum container and the adjacent vacuum container, that is, the narrow corner.
Therefore, there is no risk of abnormal arc discharge occurring within the vacuum vessel.

[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) and 3,
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. A is a sheet-like material,
From the unwinding machine 11, it is guided by the guide roll 12 and wound up by the winding machine 13 along the outer circumferential surface of the drum electrode 2 which is rotationally driven. That is, the sheet material A of the unwinder 11 is continuously subjected to low temperature plasma treatment on the drum electrode 2 in the vacuum container 1 held in a plasma atmosphere, and then wound up by the winder 13.

In FIG. 2, the drum electrode 2 is provided with a water jacket 2a through which a cooling medium with low conductivity, such as distilled water or silicone oil, flows. Lead-out portions 14a and 14b, which are part of the rotating shaft 14, are led out from both side wall portions 2b of the drum electrode 2 and are fixed to both side wall portions 2b of the drum electrode 2. The rotating shaft 14 is connected to the right-hand lead-out portion 14
A penetrating portion 14d penetrating the vacuum vessel 1 is flange-bonded to b via a double-flange short tube (insulating member) 14c made of an insulator, for example. The rotating shaft 14 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) provided outside the vacuum container 1, and is rotated by a motor (not shown) provided outside the vacuum container 1.
4a, 14b, and the outer portion 14e outside the penetrating portion 14d, the bearings 15A, 15
It is rotatably supported by B and 15C.
A mechanical seal 16 is interposed between the penetrated portion 1a of the vacuum container 1 and the penetrated portion 14d, and seals the inside of the vacuum container 1 from the outside.
Note that 40 is an insulator, which insulates between the rotating shaft 14 and the vacuum container 1, and is interposed between the rotating shaft 14 and the support member 41.

Pipes 17, 18, and 19 are inserted into a long hole 14f provided in the rotating shaft 14, and connected in series to the water jacket 2a, the inside of which forms an outgoing path for the cooling medium. On the other hand, 20 and 21 are pipes, which are provided inside the drum electrode 2, and whose insides are connected to the water jacket 2a and the elongated hole 1 inside the rotating shaft 14.
4f, and forms a return path for the cooling medium together with the elongated hole 14f. The pipe 18 is made of an insulator, and is connected to the pipes 17 and 19 with screws 18a, as shown in FIG.
Note that 42 is a rubber ring for sealing, and 43 is a bolt/nut for flange connection.

The rod electrode 3 shown in FIG. 2 has both ends 3a fixed to a pair of support members 22. As shown in FIG. This support member 22
is supported by the vacuum container 1 via an insulator 23.

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 an introduction terminal 6a, a slip ring 25, a conducting wire 27, and the like. That is, the vacuum container 1 is electrically insulated from the electric circuit 6 and is maintained in a grounded state. Note that the electric circuit 6 and both discharge electrodes 2 and 3 are kept ungrounded and strictly insulated from the vacuum vessel 1.

In the above configuration, in the present invention, since the vacuum vessel 1 is insulated from the electric circuit 6, there is no possibility that plasma will be discharged from the rod electrode 3 to the vacuum vessel 1, so that power consumption can be prevented.

Further, a short tube 14c made of an insulator is interposed between the lead-out portion 14b from the drum electrode 2 and the through-hole 14d of the rotating shaft 14 to insulate both 2 and 14. That is, the drum electrode 2 is electrically insulated from the penetration portion 14d of the rotation shaft 14 that penetrates the vacuum container 1. On the other hand, the vacuum container 1 is connected to the electric circuit 6
insulated from Therefore, there is no risk of insufficient insulation between the penetrating portion 14d of the rotating shaft 14 and the penetrated portion 1a of the vacuum vessel 1 adjacent thereto, that is, the narrow corner. Continuous operation is possible without the risk of abnormal arc discharge. Furthermore, since the outer portion 14e of the rotary shaft 14 protruding outward from the vacuum container 1 is maintained in an uncharged state, there is no risk of electric shock to the operator.

Further, the rotating shaft 14 has its lead-out portions 14a, 14
b can be formed integrally with the drum electrode 2, making it easy and accurate to center the rotating shaft 14 and the drum electrode 2, thereby reducing the load on the bearings 15A, 15B.

Further, as described above, the penetration portion 14 of the rotating shaft 14
d is not charged, there is no risk of arc discharge occurring in the mechanical seal 16, which is exposed to a plasma atmosphere and has a complicated structure. Therefore, it can withstand long-term use.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, a pipe 17 and a pipe 19, which form the outward path of the cooling medium, are connected via a pipe 18 made of an insulator. Therefore, since the current flowing from the drum electrode 2 to the rotating shaft 14 through the cooling medium is small, the penetration portion 14d and the outer portion 14e of the rotating shaft 14 can be more strictly insulated from the drum electrode 2.

In this invention, as the insulator, it is preferable to use ceramics, fine ceramics, or heat-resistant, ultraviolet-resistant, or electron beam-resistant plastics alone or in combination.
In addition to the above, vinyl chloride, rubber, etc. can also be used as the insulator for the pipe 18.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the double-flange short pipe 14c of the present invention. This double flange short pipe 14c
For example, ceramics 31 is coated around a core material 30 made of metal such as stainless steel. In this case, the mechanical strength of both flange short pipes 14c is improved.

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, and a plurality of seal rolls (not shown) and a seal chamber (not shown) are provided in the traveling direction of the sheet material A, and the seal chamber is kept under vacuum. By suctioning, the pressure is reduced stepwise from the atmospheric pressure, thereby helping to maintain the inside of the vacuum container 1 at a predetermined pressure.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent waste of power in a plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials that consumes a large amount of power, and also to prevent abnormal arc discharge. The processing equipment gains industrial processing capacity and becomes capable of continuous operation. Further, there is no risk of electric shock through the rotating shaft protruding from the vacuum container. Moreover, the load on the bearing is reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the main parts of this invention, and FIG. A longitudinal cross-sectional view of an insulating member showing a second embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic configuration diagrams of another plasma processing apparatus for sheet-like materials to which this invention is applied. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vacuum container, 2... First discharge electrode (drum electrode), 3... Second discharge electrode (rod electrode), 6...
...Electric circuit, 14...Rotating shaft, 14b... Leading out part, 14c... Insulating member (double flange short pipe), 1
4d...Penetration part, 16...Mechanical seal, 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 the vacuum container is electrically insulated from an electric circuit connecting both of the discharge electrodes, and the rotation shaft is A plasma processing apparatus for a sheet-like material, in which an insulating member is interposed between a penetration part of the rotating shaft that penetrates the vacuum container and a lead-out part of the rotating shaft that leads out from the first discharge electrode. 2. The plasma processing apparatus for a sheet-like material according to claim 1, wherein a mechanical seal is interposed between the penetration part and the vacuum container.