JP2007152164A - Coating apparatus and adjustment method for pitches of nozzles in the apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust the pitches of a plurality of nozzles ejecting a fluid material in a coating apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A coating head 14 of the coating apparatus for continuously ejecting and applying an organic EL liquid from the nozzles toward a substrate is mounted with the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d excluding the third nozzle 17c, movably in a vertical scanning direction with respect to a nozzle mounting section 141. In the coating apparatus, four pieces of liquid columns of the organic EL liquid ejected from the four nozzles are observed by the optical system of a nozzle position detector and according to the amount of movement determined on the basis of the result of the observation by the optical system, the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are discretely moved in the vertical scanning direction and thereby the nozzle pitches can be adjusted with high accuracy. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating apparatus that applies a flowable material to a substrate, and a method for adjusting the pitch of a plurality of nozzles in the coating apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an organic EL display device using an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) material has been developed. For example, in the production of an active matrix drive type organic EL display device using a polymer organic EL material, a glass substrate is used. (Hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”), formation of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) circuits, formation of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) electrodes as anodes, formation of barrier ribs, fluid materials including hole transport materials (Hereinafter referred to as “hole transport liquid”), formation of a hole transport layer by heat treatment, flowable material containing an organic EL material (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL liquid”), heat treatment The organic EL layer, the cathode, and the insulating film are sequentially sealed.

  In the manufacture of an organic EL display device, as one of devices for applying a hole transport liquid or an organic EL liquid to a substrate, as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a plurality of fluid materials are continuously discharged. 2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus is known that applies a flowable material in a stripe shape to an application region on a substrate by moving a nozzle relative to the substrate in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction.

In the devices of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, three types of organic EL liquids each including three types of organic EL materials having different colors from red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are provided with three nozzles. And is applied to three grooves between partition walls previously formed in a coating region on the substrate. In this apparatus, three nozzles are integrally held by a holding member, and the holding member is rotated around a support axis perpendicular to the substrate to reduce the pitch of the three nozzles in the sub-scanning direction. As a result, the coating pitch of the organic EL liquid can be narrowed.
JP 2002-75640 A JP 2003-10755 A

  By the way, in such an apparatus, the pitch adjustment of the nozzle is usually performed manually by an operator, and the adjustment result is also confirmed by the operator directly viewing the application result. For this reason, it is difficult to adjust the pitch with high accuracy, and the work time and labor required for the adjustment are enormous. In addition, when the nozzle pitch is not uniform due to a nozzle mounting error or a nozzle manufacturing error with respect to the holding member, it is necessary to adjust the pitch to be uniform. An adjustment mechanism for making the pitch uniform is not disclosed.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, and makes it the main objective to adjust the pitch of the several nozzle of a coating device with high precision.

  The invention described in claim 1 is a coating apparatus that applies a fluid material to a substrate, and includes a substrate holding unit that retains the substrate, and a plurality of nozzles that continuously eject the fluid material toward the substrate. A nozzle mounting portion in which all of the plurality of nozzles or all but one of them are individually movably mounted in a first direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate; and parallel to the main surface of the substrate A main scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles relative to the substrate together with the nozzle mounting portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion. A sub-scanning mechanism that moves relative to the substrate in the first direction, a plurality of liquid columns of the flowable material that are discharged from the plurality of nozzles, and a substrate that is discharged from the plurality of nozzles and applied to the substrate. Of the fluidized material Or the optical system for observing the plurality of nozzles, and all of the plurality of nozzles or all other than the one in accordance with the amount of movement determined based on the observation result by the optical system. A pitch adjusting mechanism that adjusts each distance between two adjacent nozzles with respect to the first direction by individually moving in the direction.

  Invention of Claim 2 is a coating device of Claim 1, Comprising: The said several liquid column of the said fluid material, the said pattern of the said fluid material, or the said plurality via the said optical system An imaging unit that acquires an image of each of the nozzles, and a pitch detection unit that detects each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other in the first direction from the image.

  Invention of Claim 3 is a coating device of Claim 2, Comprising: The drive part which drives the said pitch adjustment mechanism, The adjustment mechanism which controls the said drive part based on the detection result of the said pitch detection part And a control unit.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the coating apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion are adjusted in pitch by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism. Move independently of the mechanism.

  Invention of Claim 5 is a coating device in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 4, Comprising: The said several liquid column of the said fluid material discharged from these nozzles by the said optical system is carried out. Observed.

  Invention of Claim 6 is a coating device of Claim 2, Comprising: The image of the said some liquid column of the said fluid material discharged from these nozzles is acquired by the said imaging part, The coating apparatus further includes a liquid column state detection unit that detects a difference between each of the plurality of liquid columns and a predetermined liquid column shape based on the image.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is the coating apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the pattern of the flowable material applied to the substrate is observed by the optical system.

  An invention according to an eighth aspect is the coating apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the fluid material includes a pixel forming material for a flat display device.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the coating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pixel forming material is an organic EL material or a hole transport material for an organic EL display device.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention is a coating apparatus that applies a flowable material to a substrate, a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate, and a plurality of nozzles that continuously discharge the flowable material toward the substrate. A nozzle mounting portion in which all of the plurality of nozzles or all but one of them are individually movably mounted in a first direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate; and parallel to the main surface of the substrate A main scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles relative to the substrate together with the nozzle mounting portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion. A sub-scanning mechanism that moves relative to the substrate in the first direction, and the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism are arranged independently of the movement of the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion, Multiple noses And a pitch adjusting mechanism for adjusting the respective distances between the two nozzles adjacent to each other with respect to the first direction by moving individually all all or except the one in the first direction.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the substrate by moving the plurality of nozzles in a main scanning direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate while continuously discharging a flowable material from the plurality of nozzles toward the substrate. A method of adjusting a pitch of the plurality of nozzles in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, wherein: a) a plurality of fluid materials discharged from the plurality of nozzles A liquid column, a pattern of the fluid material discharged from the plurality of nozzles and applied to the substrate, or a step of observing the plurality of nozzles through an optical system, and b) an observation result in the step a) And determining all the other nozzles excluding all or one of the plurality of nozzles according to the amount of movement; And a step of adjusting the respective distances between the two nozzles that are adjacent to each other with respect to the sub-scanning direction by moving individually to the sub-scanning direction.

  A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the pitch adjusting method according to the eleventh aspect, wherein in the step a), the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material, the fluid material through the optical system. The pattern or the image of the plurality of nozzles is acquired, and in the step b), the movement amount is obtained based on the image.

  A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the pitch adjustment method according to the twelfth aspect, wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged apart from each other in the main scanning direction, and in the step a), the plurality of nozzles are the main nozzles. It is moved in the scanning direction and sequentially positioned at the observation position by the optical system, and images of the plurality of liquid columns or the plurality of nozzles of the fluid material are acquired.

  The invention according to claim 14 is the pitch adjusting method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein in the step a), the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material discharged from the plurality of nozzles. An image is acquired, and a difference between each of the plurality of liquid columns and a predetermined liquid column shape is detected based on the image.

  A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the pitch adjusting method according to any one of the eleventh to fourteenth aspects, wherein the fluid material includes a pixel forming material for a flat display device.

  The invention described in claim 16 is the pitch adjusting method described in claim 15, wherein the pixel forming material is an organic EL material or a hole transport material for an organic EL display device.

  In the present invention, the pitch of the plurality of nozzles can be adjusted with high accuracy. According to the second and twelfth aspects of the present invention, the time required for detecting the pitch of the plurality of nozzles can be shortened. In the invention of claim 3, the pitch of the plurality of nozzles can be automatically adjusted. According to the fourth and tenth aspects of the present invention, the portion moved by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism can be reduced in size. In the inventions of claims 6 and 14, the liquid column shape can be confirmed while simplifying the configuration of the apparatus. In invention of Claim 13, the structure of an apparatus can be simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of a coating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating apparatus 1. The coating apparatus 1 is an apparatus that applies a fluid material containing a pixel forming material to a glass substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”) 9 for a flat display device. In the present embodiment, in the coating apparatus 1, a flowable material (hereinafter referred to as “organic”) containing an organic EL material and a solvent (for example, mesitylene) on a substrate 9 for an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device of an active matrix driving system. "EL liquid") is applied.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the coating apparatus 1 includes a substrate holding unit 11 that holds a substrate 9, and the substrate holding unit 11 includes a heating mechanism (not shown) using a heater. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coating apparatus 1 moves the substrate holding part 11 in a predetermined direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate 9 (that is, the Y direction in FIG. Imaging the alignment mark (not shown) formed on the substrate moving mechanism 12 and the substrate 9 that horizontally moves in the sub-scanning direction) and rotates around an axis oriented in the vertical direction (that is, the Z direction). The coating head 14 and the coating head 14 which are ejection mechanisms for continuously ejecting the organic EL liquid from the four nozzles 17 toward the substrate 9 on the alignment mark detection unit 13 and the substrate holding unit 11 are detected. 1. A head moving mechanism 15 that moves horizontally in the direction parallel to the surface and perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction (that is, the X direction in FIG. 1, hereinafter referred to as “main scanning direction”), and the substrate with respect to the main scanning direction. Of the holding part 11 Two liquid receiving parts 16 which are provided on the side and receive the organic EL liquid from the application head 14, a fluid material supply part 18 which supplies the same type of organic EL liquid to the four nozzles 17 of the application head 14, and The control part 2 which controls these structures is provided.

  In the coating head 14, the four nozzles 17 are arranged substantially linearly with respect to the X direction in FIG. 1 (that is, the main scanning direction) and in the Y direction in FIG. 1 (that is, the sub scanning direction). Slightly displaced. In the present embodiment, the distance between the adjacent two nozzles 17 in the sub-scanning direction is formed in advance on the application region 91 (shown by being surrounded by a broken line in FIG. 1) of the substrate 9. The pitch is adjusted to be equal to three times the pitch between the partition walls extending in the direction (hereinafter referred to as “partition wall pitch”). A method for adjusting the distance between the nozzles 17 will be described later.

  3 and 4 are a front view and a plan view showing the coating head 14, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coating head 14 includes four nozzles that continuously discharge the organic EL liquid toward the substrate 9 (hereinafter, when the four nozzles are described separately, (−X ) In order from the side, referred to as “first nozzle 17a”, “second nozzle 17b”, “third nozzle 17c”, “fourth nozzle 17d”), and nozzle mounting portion 141 to which the four nozzles are mounted. Prepare. In FIG. 3, a portion of the nozzle mounting portion 141 in the vicinity of the first nozzle 17a is shown in cross section.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle mounting portion 141 is formed with three slot portions 142 extending from the (−Y) side edge in the (+ Y) direction (that is, the sub-scanning direction). As described above, a dovetail groove (that is, a groove having a substantially trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the Y direction) is formed in the upper portion of the slot portion 142. In the coating head 14, the plate-like members 172 of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are fitted into the dovetail groove, whereby the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are It is attached to the nozzle attachment portion 141. The first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are individually movable in the sub-scanning direction as the respective plate-like members 172 advance and retract along the dovetail grooves.

  A first nozzle fixing portion 171a that fixes the first nozzle 17a to the nozzle mounting portion 141 is provided on the (−X) side of the first nozzle 17a. As shown in FIG. 3, the first nozzle fixing portion 171a includes a fixing screw 1711 that is screwed into a screw hole formed in the nozzle mounting portion 141, a cylindrical rubber 1712 into which the fixing screw 1711 is inserted, and a fixing screw. Washers 1713 and 1714 are provided between the head 1711 and the rubber 1712.

  In the first nozzle fixing portion 171a, when the fixing screw 1711 is tightened, the rubber 1712 is pressed by the washer 1714 and deformed so as to spread laterally. The rubber 1712 presses the plate-like member 172 of the first nozzle 17 a toward the inner surface of the dovetail groove of the slot portion 142 on the (+ X) side, so that the first nozzle 17 a is against the nozzle mounting portion 141. Fixed. When fixing the first nozzle 17a, the fixing screw 1711 is used until the lower surface of the washer 1713 contacts the nozzle mounting portion 141 in order to keep the deformation amount of the rubber 1712 (that is, the force for fixing the first nozzle 17a) constant. Tighten.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the coating head 14, a second nozzle fixing portion 171b and a fourth nozzle fixing portion 171d are provided on the (+ X) side of the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d. The structure of the second nozzle fixing portion 171b and the fourth nozzle fixing portion 171d is the same as that of the first nozzle fixing portion 171a, and the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d are fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141 by tightening the fixing screw. The second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d can be moved in the sub-scanning direction by loosening the fixing screw.

  On the other hand, the third nozzle 17 c is fixedly attached to the nozzle attachment portion 141 and does not move relative to the nozzle attachment portion 141. In other words, in the coating head 14, all the other nozzles (that is, the first nozzle 17 a, the second nozzle 17 b, and the fourth nozzle 17 d) except for one of the four nozzles are connected to the nozzle mounting portion 141. Are attached to be movable in the sub-scanning direction. In the coating apparatus 1, the positions of the other three nozzles are adjusted with reference to the position of the third nozzle 17c when adjusting the nozzle position, which will be described later.

  In the coating apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the coating head 14 continuously discharges the organic EL liquid by the head moving mechanism 15 in a state where the four nozzles 17 are fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141 (see FIG. 4). The substrate 9 is moved stepwise in the sub-scanning direction by the substrate moving mechanism 12 every time the coating head 14 is moved once in the main scanning direction. Then, the relative movement of the nozzle 17 relative to the substrate 9 in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction is repeated, so that the organic EL liquid is applied to the substrate 9 in a stripe shape. In the coating apparatus 1, the head moving mechanism 15 and the substrate moving mechanism 12 move the four nozzles 17 together with the nozzle mounting portion 141 relative to the substrate 9 in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction. It becomes a scanning mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coating apparatus 1 includes a nozzle position adjustment unit 3 that adjusts the position of the nozzle 17 in the sub-scanning direction, and a nozzle position detection unit 4 that detects the position of the nozzle 17 in the sub-scanning direction. These configurations are also controlled by the control unit 2. In the coating apparatus 1, the nozzle position adjustment unit 3 and the nozzle position detection unit 4 are provided separately from the coating head 14, and the four nozzles 17 and the nozzle mounting unit 141 include the head moving mechanism 15 and the substrate moving mechanism 12. Thus, the nozzle position adjusting unit 3 and the nozzle position detecting unit 4 are moved independently. In other words, the nozzle position adjusting unit 3 and the nozzle position detecting unit 4 are arranged independently from the relative movement of the coating head 14 with respect to the substrate 9 by the head moving mechanism 15 and the substrate moving mechanism 12.

  The nozzle position adjusting unit 3 includes three sets of pitch adjusting mechanisms 31 and stepping motors 32 corresponding to the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d, respectively. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 and the stepping motor 32 corresponding to the first nozzle 17 a together with the coating head 14. In FIG. 5, a part of the nozzle mounting portion 141 is shown in a cross section including the central axis of the first nozzle 17a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 includes a chuck portion 311 disposed below the first nozzle 17a, and a micrometer 312 that is a mechanism for moving the chuck portion 311 in the sub-scanning direction. 312 is connected to a stepping motor 32 which is a drive unit that drives the pitch adjusting mechanism 31. The chuck portion 311 protrudes from the upper surface (that is, the (+ Z) side surface) on the (−Y) side and the (+ Y) side of the lower end portion (that is, the (−Z) side end portion) of the first nozzle 17a. Two protrusions 3111 are provided.

  In the nozzle position adjusting unit 3, the stepping motor 32 is driven by the adjusting mechanism control unit 21 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the control unit 2 so that the chuck unit 311 advances and retreats in the sub-scanning direction, so that the two protrusions 3111 are moved. Any one of these contacts the side surface of the first nozzle 17a and pushes the first nozzle 17a in the sub-scanning direction. As a result, the first nozzle 17a moves in the sub-scanning direction. In addition, when moving the 1st nozzle 17a, the fixing screw 1711 (refer FIG. 3) of the 1st nozzle fixing | fixed part 171a is loosened previously.

  Similarly, in the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d shown in FIG. 4, the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 is driven by the adjustment mechanism control unit 21 of the control unit 2 controlling the stepping motor 32 corresponding to each nozzle, The second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d move in the sub-scanning direction. In the coating apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the three pitch adjusting mechanisms 31 move all the nozzles except the third nozzle 17c (see FIG. 4) individually in the sub-scanning direction. Each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other in the scanning direction (hereinafter referred to as “inter-nozzle distance”) is adjusted.

  The nozzle position detection unit 4 observes the four liquid columns of the organic EL liquid ejected from the four nozzles 17, and the four liquid columns of the organic EL liquid through the optical system 41. An imaging unit 42 (in this embodiment, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera) that captures images and acquires images is provided. The optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42 are disposed at a position below the lower end of the nozzle 17 so as not to interfere with the movement of the coating head 14.

  In the coating apparatus 1, the distance between the nozzles is detected from the image acquired by the imaging unit 42 by the pitch detection unit 22 of the control unit 2, and based on the detection result of the pitch detection unit 22 (that is, observation by the optical system 41). The inter-nozzle distance is adjusted by controlling the three stepping motors 32 by the adjustment mechanism control unit 21 (based on the result). Further, the liquid column state detection unit 23 of the control unit 2 detects a difference between each of the four liquid columns and a predetermined liquid column shape based on the image acquired by the imaging unit 42. Then, it is confirmed whether or not the shape of the liquid column is normal.

  Next, the flow of adjusting the pitch (hereinafter referred to as “nozzle pitch”) of the plurality of nozzles in the coating apparatus 1 in the sub-scanning direction will be described, and then the flow of applying the organic EL liquid by the coating apparatus 1 will be described. . FIG. A, FIG. B and FIG. C is a diagram showing a flow of nozzle pitch adjustment. FIG. A thru | or FIG. As shown in C, when the nozzle pitch is adjusted in the coating apparatus 1, first, the coating head 14 receives the position indicated by the solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2 (that is, the receiving on the (+ X) side of the substrate 9). The fluidic material supply unit 18 is controlled by the control unit 2 in a state of being located above the liquid unit 16 and hereinafter referred to as “imaging position”), and discharge of the organic EL liquid is started from the four nozzles. (Step S11). At this time, the fixing screws of the first nozzle fixing portion 171a, the second nozzle fixing portion 171b, and the fourth nozzle fixing portion 171d (see FIG. 4) are tightened, and the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17 d is fixed to the nozzle mounting part 141.

  Subsequently, the coating head 14 is moved in the main scanning direction in the vicinity of the imaging position by the head moving mechanism 15, and the first nozzle 17a (see FIG. 4) is observed by the optical system 41 (that is, the imaging unit of the nozzle position detection unit 4). (Position at a predetermined distance from 42) (step S12). In the nozzle position detection unit 4, after the focus adjustment is automatically performed by the imaging unit 42, the liquid column of the organic EL liquid discharged from the first nozzle 17 a passes through the optical system 41 (in other words, optical An image is acquired (observed by the system 41) (step S13). At this time, the liquid column from the first nozzle 17a corresponds to the main surface of the substrate 9 when the organic EL liquid is applied (in the present embodiment, a position about 0.5 mm below the lower end of the first nozzle 17a). ). The acquired image is sent to the liquid column state detection unit 23 of the control unit 2 (step S14).

  When the image of the liquid column from the first nozzle 17a is acquired, it is confirmed by the control unit 2 that imaging for all the nozzles has not been completed (step S15), and the head moving mechanism 15 returns to step S12. The second nozzle 17b is moved to the observation position, an image of the liquid column from the second nozzle 17b is acquired by the imaging unit 42 and sent to the liquid column state detection unit 23, and then the process returns to step S12 again ( Steps S12 to S15). In the coating apparatus 1, the movement to the observation position, the acquisition of the liquid column image, and the transmission of the image to the liquid column state detection unit 23 are sequentially performed for all four nozzles (steps S12 to S15). ).

  In the liquid column state detection unit 23, image processing is performed on the images of the four liquid columns, and the shapes of the respective liquid columns are obtained. Specifically, the image is binarized based on the difference in brightness between the liquid column and the surroundings in the image, and the change in the pixel value in the direction perpendicular to the liquid column is detected, that is, the width of the liquid column (that is, , The diameter of the liquid column). And the shape of a liquid column is calculated | required by calculating | requiring the width | variety of a liquid column sequentially along the direction parallel to a liquid column. In the unlikely event that the liquid column is interrupted due to a discharge failure such as nozzle clogging (that is, when the discharge volume is oscillating and the discharge liquid is in the form of droplets), the liquid column is disconnected at the portion where the liquid column is interrupted. Since there is no change in the pixel value in the direction perpendicular to the column, the width of the liquid column is zero.

  In the liquid column state detection unit 23, the shape of the liquid column obtained from the image (hereinafter referred to as “actual shape”) and a predetermined liquid column shape (previously determined and stored in the liquid column state detection unit 23). Hereinafter, it is referred to as “set shape”), and a difference between the actual shape and the set shape is detected (step S16). If the difference between the actual shape and the set shape is outside the predetermined allowable range (step S17), the controller 2 notifies the operator of the liquid column shape abnormality (step S171), and the nozzle pitch is changed. The adjustment work is once completed. Then, after the discharge of the organic EL liquid is stopped by the worker who has received the communication, the nozzle in which the abnormality is detected is inspected, and the nozzle is cleaned or replaced as necessary.

  On the other hand, when the difference between the actual shape of the liquid column and the set shape is within the allowable range (including the case where no difference is detected) (step S17), the pitch detection unit 22 displays images of the four liquid columns. Based on the synthesized image (in other words, based on the observation result by the optical system 41), the liquid column from the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d and the liquid from the third nozzle 17c are combined. Each distance between the pillars is obtained (step S18). Based on a predetermined nozzle pitch (as described above, the distance is equal to three times the partition wall pitch in the present embodiment, hereinafter referred to as “set nozzle pitch”), the control unit 2 performs nozzle It is confirmed whether or not position adjustment is necessary (step S19).

  The distance between the liquid column from the first nozzle 17a and the liquid column from the third nozzle 17c is equal to twice the set nozzle pitch, and the liquid column from the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d and the third nozzle 17c. If the respective distances from the liquid column are equal to the set nozzle pitch, it is determined that adjustment of the nozzle position is unnecessary, and the nozzle pitch adjustment operation is completed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the nozzle position needs to be adjusted, the first nozzle 17a and the second nozzle based on the third nozzle 17c based on the distance between the liquid columns obtained in step S18. The amount of movement of the 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d in the sub-scanning direction is obtained (step S20). Specifically, the amount of movement of the first nozzle 17a is determined so that the distance between the liquid column from the first nozzle 17a and the liquid column from the third nozzle 17c is equal to twice the set nozzle pitch. The amount of movement of the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d is such that the distance between the liquid column from the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d and the liquid column from the third nozzle 17c is equal to the set nozzle pitch. It is asked to become.

  When the movement amounts of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are obtained, the flowable material supply unit 18 is controlled by the control unit 2, and the discharge of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle is stopped (step). S21). Subsequently, the coating head 14 is moved to the (+ X) side by the head moving mechanism 15 and is located above the chuck portion 311 of the nozzle position adjusting portion 3 (a position indicated by a two-dot chain line on the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2). , Hereinafter referred to as “pitch adjustment position”) (step S22). At this time, the lower ends of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are positioned between the two protrusions 3111 of the corresponding chuck portion 311. Then, the fixing screws of the first nozzle fixing portion 171a, the second nozzle fixing portion 171b, and the fourth nozzle fixing portion 171d are loosened by the operator, and the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are moved in the sub-scanning direction. (Step S23).

  In the nozzle position adjustment unit 3, the adjustment mechanism control unit 21 controls the stepping motor 32 corresponding to the first nozzle 17 a to drive the pitch adjustment mechanism 31, and the first nozzle 17 a is connected to the sub nozzle according to the movement amount obtained in step S <b> 20. It is moved in the scanning direction. Subsequently, the pitch adjustment mechanism 31 corresponding to the second nozzle 17b is driven by the adjustment mechanism control unit 21, the second nozzle 17b is moved in the sub-scanning direction according to the movement amount, and then the fourth nozzle 17d is sub-driven according to the movement amount. It is moved in the scanning direction (step S24). As described above, in the coating apparatus 1, the nozzle pitch is adjusted by sequentially moving all the nozzles except the third nozzle 17 c individually in the sub-scanning direction in accordance with the movement amount obtained by the pitch detection unit 22. . In the present embodiment, the nozzle pitch is adjusted in the range of 120 μm to 700 μm. In the coating head 14, since the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are individually movable, the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, the fourth nozzle 17d, the third nozzle 17c, Each distance between can be adjusted arbitrarily.

  When the movement of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d is finished, the fixing screws of the first nozzle fixing portion 171a, the second nozzle fixing portion 171b, and the fourth nozzle fixing portion 171d are tightened by the operator. The first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141 (step S25). When the nozzle is fixed, the coating head 14 is moved from the pitch adjustment position to the imaging position by the head moving mechanism 15 (step S26).

  When the coating head 14 is positioned at the imaging position, the process returns to step S11, and the discharge of the organic EL liquid is started again. After the liquid column from each nozzle is sequentially imaged and the liquid column state is confirmed, the first nozzle 17a, The respective distances between the liquid column from the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d and the liquid column from the third nozzle 17c are obtained, and it is confirmed whether or not the nozzle position needs to be adjusted (steps S11 to S11). S19). If it is determined that the adjustment of the nozzle position is unnecessary, the adjustment operation of the nozzle pitch ends.

  If it is determined that the nozzle position needs to be readjusted, the movement amount of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d is calculated, the discharge of the organic EL liquid is stopped, and the pitch adjustment position of the coating head 14 After the movement and adjustment of the nozzle pitch are performed, the coating head 14 is moved and positioned again at the imaging position (steps S20 to S26). And it returns to step S11 and the necessity of adjustment of a liquid column state and a nozzle position is confirmed again (steps S11-S19). In the coating apparatus 1, steps S20 to S26 and steps S11 to S19 are repeated until it is determined that adjustment of the nozzle position is unnecessary, and the nozzle pitch adjustment operation is completed.

  When the nozzle pitch adjustment operation is completed, the substrate 9 is placed and held on the substrate holding unit 11, and the alignment mark detection unit 13 images the alignment mark. Then, the substrate moving mechanism 12 is driven based on the output from the alignment mark detector 13, and the substrate 9 is positioned at the application start position indicated by the solid line in FIG. As described above, the coating head 14 is previously positioned above the liquid receiving part 16 on the (+ X) side of the substrate 9 (that is, the above-described imaging position).

  Subsequently, the flowable material supply unit 18 is controlled to start the discharge of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle 17, and the head moving mechanism 15 is driven to start the movement of the coating head 14. In the present embodiment, the moving speed of the coating head 14 is about 1 m / sec. In the coating apparatus 1, the same type of organic EL liquid is continuously discharged from the four nozzles 17 toward the substrate 9, and the nozzle 17 is moved in the (−X) direction from the (+ X) side in FIG. (In the main scanning direction), the organic EL liquid is applied to the four grooves between the partition walls formed in advance on the application region 91 of the substrate 9. In the coating apparatus 1, the stripe-shaped organic EL liquids applied to the four grooves are arranged at a pitch equal to three times the partition wall pitch in the sub-scanning direction. In other words, two grooves to which other types of organic EL liquids are to be applied (or applied) are sandwiched between two adjacent grooves to which the organic EL liquid is applied.

  When the coating head 14 moves above the liquid receiving part 16 on the (−X) side of the substrate 9 (indicated by a two-dot chain line on the left side in FIGS. 1 and 2), the substrate moving mechanism 12 is driven, and the substrate is moved. 9 moves together with the substrate holder 11 in the (+ Y) direction in FIG. At this time, in the coating head 14, the organic EL liquid is continuously discharged from the nozzle 17 toward the liquid receiving unit 16. When the movement of the substrate 9 in the sub-scanning direction is completed, the coating head 14 moves from the (−X) side of the substrate 9 to the (+ X) side while discharging the organic EL liquid from the nozzle 17.

  In the coating apparatus 1, the organic EL liquid is applied on the substrate 9 in a stripe pattern by repeating the main scanning and the sub-scanning of the four nozzles 17 with respect to the substrate 9 at high speed. When the substrate 9 moves to the application end position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the discharge of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle 17 is stopped and the application of the organic EL liquid to the substrate 9 is completed.

  As described above, in the coating apparatus 1, four liquid columns of the organic EL liquid discharged from the four nozzles are observed by the optical system 41 of the nozzle position detection unit 4, and the observation result by the optical system 41 is obtained. The first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are individually moved in the sub-scanning direction by the three pitch adjustment mechanisms 31 of the nozzle position adjustment unit 3 according to the movement amount obtained based on the movement amount. The pitch of the nozzles in the sub-scanning direction (that is, the nozzle pitch) is adjusted. Since the diameter of the organic EL liquid column from the nozzle is very small, such as several tens of μm, it is difficult to observe with high accuracy with the naked eye. However, the coating apparatus 1 is based on the observation result with high accuracy by the optical system 41. The nozzle pitch can be adjusted with high accuracy.

  In the coating apparatus 1, an image of the liquid column from the nozzle is acquired by the imaging unit 42 of the nozzle position detection unit 4, and each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction is the pitch detection unit of the control unit 2. 22 based on the image. Thereby, it is possible to shorten the time required for detecting the nozzle pitch in the adjustment operation of the nozzle pitch. Further, the adjustment mechanism control unit 21 controls the stepping motor 32 that drives each pitch adjustment mechanism 31 based on the detection result of the pitch detection unit 22, so that the nozzle pitch can be automatically adjusted.

  As described above, the coating head 14 and the substrate holding unit 11 are movable independently from the nozzle position adjusting unit 3 (that is, the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 and the stepping motor 32). For this reason, in the application of the organic EL liquid, it is not necessary to move the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 at the time of main scanning and sub-scanning of the coating head 14 with respect to the substrate 9. As described above, in the coating apparatus 1, the portion moved by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism (that is, the coating head 14 and the substrate holding unit 11 moved by the head moving mechanism 15 and the substrate moving mechanism 12) is reduced in size and weight. As a result, downsizing of the coating apparatus 1 can be realized. In the coating apparatus 1, since the main scanning of the coating head 14 is performed at a high speed, it is particularly preferable to reduce the size of the coating head 14.

  In the coating apparatus 1, since the nozzle pitch is adjusted based on the observation result of the liquid column from the nozzle by the optical system 41, the nozzle pitch can be adjusted without actually applying the organic EL liquid to the substrate. it can. Thereby, the work time and labor concerning carrying in / out of the board | substrate for nozzle pitch adjustment etc. can be reduced. When observing the liquid column, by observing the liquid column at a position corresponding to the main surface of the substrate 9 at the time of actual application, based on a distance equal to the pitch of the organic EL liquid actually applied on the substrate. The nozzle pitch can be adjusted.

  In the coating apparatus 1, when observing the liquid column from the nozzle, the movement of each nozzle to the observation position (that is, focus adjustment) using a part of the mechanism for coating the organic EL liquid (that is, the head moving mechanism 15). ) Is performed, the apparatus structure can be simplified. In particular, the movement of the coating head 14 by the head moving mechanism 15 is very highly controlled in position accuracy, so that focus adjustment can be performed easily and with high accuracy. Further, when the organic EL liquid is actually applied to the substrate 9, it is necessary to confirm that the liquid column of the organic EL liquid discharged from the nozzle has a predetermined shape. Then, since the liquid column shape can be confirmed using a part of the nozzle pitch adjusting mechanism (that is, the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42), the structure of the apparatus can be further simplified.

  Next, a coating apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the configuration of the coating apparatus 1a. As shown in FIG. 7, in the coating apparatus 1 a, the nozzle position detection unit 4 is disposed above the substrate holding unit 11. Other configurations are the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description. In the coating apparatus 1a, when adjusting the nozzle pitch, the pattern of the organic EL liquid ejected from the four nozzles 17 and applied on the substrate 9a as a test is observed by the optical system 41, and the organic EL liquid crystal is observed by the imaging unit 42. An image of the liquid pattern is acquired.

  FIG. A and FIG. B is a diagram showing a flow of nozzle pitch adjustment by the coating apparatus 1a. FIG. A and FIG. As shown in FIG. 1B, when the nozzle pitch is adjusted in the coating apparatus 1a, first, the test coating substrate 9a is held and moved by the substrate holder 11, and the coating start position (shown by the solid line in FIG. 1). (Step S31). On the substrate 9a, the partition mentioned in the first embodiment is not formed. The coating head 14 is previously positioned above the liquid receiving unit 16 on the (+ X) side of the substrate 9a (that is, a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 7 and hereinafter referred to as a “standby position”). The discharge of the organic EL liquid is started from the four nozzles 17 (step S32).

  Subsequently, the nozzle 17 is moved in the (−X) direction (ie, in the main scanning direction) from the (+ X) side while continuously discharging the same type of organic EL liquid from the nozzle 17 toward the substrate 9a. Thus, the organic EL liquid is applied on the substrate 9a (step S33). When the coating head 14 moves to above the liquid receiving unit 16 on the (−X) side of the substrate 9a as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7, the coating is applied onto the substrate 9a by the nozzle position detection unit 4. An organic EL liquid pattern (that is, four organic EL liquid lines arranged in stripes) is imaged to obtain an image (step S34), and the image is sent to the pitch detection unit 22 of the control unit 2. (Step S35).

  In the pitch detection unit 22, based on the pattern image of the organic EL liquid, the lines of the organic EL liquid applied and discharged from the first nozzle 17 a, the second nozzle 17 b, and the fourth nozzle 17 d (see FIG. 4) The respective distances from the line of the organic EL liquid from the three nozzles 17c (see FIG. 4) are obtained (step S36). Then, it is confirmed whether or not the nozzle position needs to be adjusted based on the set nozzle pitch (step S37). If it is determined that the adjustment is not necessary, the nozzle pitch adjustment operation ends.

  If it is determined that the nozzle position needs to be adjusted, the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle are set based on the third nozzle 17c on the basis of the distance between the lines obtained in step S36. The amount of movement of the nozzle 17d in the sub-scanning direction is obtained (step S38).

  When the movement amounts of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are obtained, similarly to the first embodiment, the discharge of the organic EL liquid is stopped and the coating head 14 is moved to the pitch adjustment position (that is, The first nozzle 17a and the second nozzle are moved after the nozzle position adjusting unit 3 is moved to a position indicated by a two-dot chain line on the right side in FIG. 7 and the fixing screws of the nozzle fixing units are loosened. The 17b and the fourth nozzle 17d are moved in the sub-scanning direction according to the movement amount obtained in step S38 (steps S39 to S42). After the fixing screws are tightened and the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141, the coating head 14 moves from the pitch adjustment position to the standby position and the substrate. 9a is step-moved in the (+ Y) direction (steps S43 to S45).

  When the coating head 14 is positioned at the standby position, the process returns to step S32, and the application of the organic EL liquid to the substrate 9a, the imaging of the organic EL liquid pattern on the substrate 9a, and the necessity of adjustment of the nozzle position are confirmed (step). S32 to S37). In the coating apparatus 1a, steps S38 to S45 and steps S32 to S37 are repeated until it is determined that adjustment of the nozzle position is unnecessary, and the nozzle pitch adjustment operation is completed. When the adjustment of the nozzle pitch is completed, the test coating substrate 9a is carried out of the coating apparatus 1a. Since the subsequent flow of application of the organic EL liquid to the product substrate 9 is the same as that in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, in the coating apparatus 1a, the nozzle pitch can be adjusted with high accuracy based on the observation result with high accuracy by the optical system 41, as in the first embodiment. In addition, the time required for detecting the nozzle pitch can be shortened by the imaging unit 42 and the pitch detection unit 22, and the nozzle pitch can be automatically adjusted by the nozzle position adjustment unit 3 and the adjustment mechanism control unit 21. it can.

  In the coating apparatus 1a, in particular, by observing the pattern of the organic EL liquid actually applied to the substrate 9a, the lines of the organic EL liquid from the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d and the third Each distance from the line of the organic EL liquid from the nozzle 17c can be easily obtained. As a result, the movement amounts of the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d can be easily obtained, and the adjustment of the nozzle pitch can be simplified.

  Next, a coating apparatus 1b according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a front view showing the configuration of the coating apparatus 1b. As shown in FIG. 9, in the coating apparatus 1 b, the nozzle position detection unit 4 of the coating head 14 located above the liquid receiving unit 16 on the (+ X) side of the substrate 9 (hereinafter referred to as “imaging position”). Arranged above. Other configurations are the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals are given in the following description. In the coating device 1b, when the nozzle pitch is adjusted, the four nozzles 17 are sequentially observed by the optical system 41, and an image of the upper end portion (that is, the (+ Z) side end portion) of the nozzle 17 is acquired by the imaging unit 42. The

  FIG. A and FIG. B is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of the nozzle pitch by the coating device 1b. FIG. A and FIG. As shown in B, when the nozzle pitch is adjusted in the coating apparatus 1b, first, the four nozzles 17 are sequentially moved to the imaging position by the head moving mechanism 15, and the nozzles 17 are sequentially imaged to form an image. Obtained (step S51). The acquired image is sent to the pitch detector 22 (step S52).

  In the pitch detection unit 22, the distances between the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, the fourth nozzle 17d, and the third nozzle 17c (see FIG. 4) are obtained based on the images of the four nozzles 17. (Step S53), it is confirmed whether or not the nozzle position needs to be adjusted based on the set nozzle pitch (Step S54).

  When it is determined that adjustment of the nozzle position is unnecessary, the adjustment operation of the nozzle pitch is finished, and when it is determined that adjustment is necessary, the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are moved in the sub-scanning direction. Is obtained (step S55). Then, after the coating head 14 is moved to the pitch adjustment position and the fixing screw of each nozzle fixing portion is loosened, the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are obtained in step S55. It is moved in the sub-scanning direction according to the movement amount. Furthermore, after each fixing screw is tightened and the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d are fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141, the coating head 14 moves from the pitch adjustment position to the imaging position (step). S56-S60).

  When the coating head 14 is located at the imaging position, the process returns to step S51 to check whether the nozzle 17 is imaged and whether the nozzle position needs to be adjusted (steps S51 to S54), and it is determined that the nozzle position does not need to be adjusted. Steps S55 to S60 and Steps S51 to S54 are repeated until the nozzle pitch adjustment operation is completed. Since the flow of application of the organic EL liquid onto the substrate 9 after the adjustment of the nozzle pitch is the same as in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  Also in the coating apparatus 1b, the nozzle pitch can be adjusted with high accuracy based on the observation result with high accuracy by the optical system 41, as in the first embodiment. In addition, the time required for detecting the nozzle pitch can be shortened by the imaging unit 42 and the pitch detection unit 22, and the nozzle pitch can be automatically adjusted by the nozzle position adjustment unit 3 and the adjustment mechanism control unit 21. it can. In the case of the coating apparatus 1b, it is not necessary to discharge the organic EL liquid when adjusting the nozzle pitch.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible.

  For example, in the nozzle position adjustment unit 3, only one set of the pitch adjustment mechanism 31 and the stepping motor 32 may be provided. In this case, the nozzle pitch is adjusted while the pitch adjusting mechanism 31 sequentially moves to positions corresponding to the first nozzle 17a, the second nozzle 17b, and the fourth nozzle 17d.

  In the coating head 14, any one of the nozzles other than the third nozzle 17 c may be fixed to the nozzle mounting portion 141 and used as a reference for adjusting the nozzle pitch. Further, all of the four nozzles 17 may be attached so as to be individually movable in the sub-scanning direction. In this case, the nozzle pitch is adjusted by moving any three nozzles or all four nozzles in the sub-scanning direction.

  In the coating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, a moving mechanism that moves the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42 in the main scanning direction is provided, and the focus adjustment during imaging of the liquid column is performed by the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42. It may be performed by movement in the main scanning direction. Further, in the nozzle position detection unit 4, when the nozzle pitch is large (for example, when the nozzle pitch is about 200 μm to 700 μm) or when the number of nozzles is large, the liquid columns from all the nozzles fit in the field of view of the imaging unit 42. If not, a moving mechanism for moving the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42 in the sub-scanning direction is provided, and the positions of the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42 are changed, and imaging of all the liquid columns is sequentially performed.

  In the coating apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, the optical system 41 and the imaging unit 42 are not necessarily provided in the apparatus only from the viewpoint of reducing the size and weight of the portion moved by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism. Alternatively, it may be provided outside the coating apparatus. Even in this case, the nozzle pitch can be adjusted with high accuracy by moving the nozzle by the nozzle position adjusting unit 3.

  In the coating apparatus according to the above embodiment, the number of nozzles provided in the coating head 14 is not limited to four. For example, three types of organic EL liquids each containing three types of organic EL materials having different colors from red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are simultaneously ejected from three nozzles onto the substrate 9. It may be applied. In this case, the distance between the adjacent two nozzles in the sub-scanning direction is adjusted to be equal to the partition wall pitch. In the coating apparatus, a fluid material containing a hole transport material may be applied to the substrate 9. Here, the “hole transport material” is a material that forms a hole transport layer of an organic EL display device, and the “hole transport layer” is a positive electrode that is formed into an organic EL layer formed of an organic EL material. It means not only a narrowly defined hole transport layer that transports holes, but also includes a hole injection layer that injects holes.

  The coating device is not necessarily used only for coating a fluid material containing an organic EL material or a hole transport material for an organic EL display device as a pixel forming material. For example, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, etc. It may be used when a fluid material containing other types of pixel forming materials such as a coloring material and a fluorescent material is applied to the flat display device substrate. In addition to the substrate for flat display devices, the above coating device is used for coating various types of flowable materials on various substrates such as glass substrates and ceramic substrates for magnetic disks and optical disks, and semiconductor substrates. May be.

It is a top view of the coating device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a front view of a coating device. It is a front view of an application head. It is a top view of a coating head. It is a front view of a pitch adjustment mechanism and a stepping motor. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a front view of the coating device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a front view of the coating device which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch. It is a figure which shows the flow of adjustment of a nozzle pitch.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1a, 1b Coating device 9, 9a Substrate 11 Substrate holding unit 12 Substrate moving mechanism 15 Head moving mechanism 17 Nozzle 21 Adjustment mechanism control unit 22 Pitch detection unit 23 Liquid column state detection unit 31 Pitch adjustment mechanism 32 Stepping motor 41 Optical system 42 imaging part 141 nozzle attachment part S11-S26, S31-S45, S51-S60, S171 Step

Claims (16)

An application device for applying a flowable material to a substrate,
A substrate holder for holding the substrate;
A plurality of nozzles that continuously discharge a flowable material toward the substrate;
A nozzle mounting portion to which all of the plurality of nozzles or all other than one are individually movably mounted in a first direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate;
A main scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles relative to the substrate together with the nozzle mounting portion in a second direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction;
A sub-scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion relative to the substrate in the first direction;
A plurality of liquid columns of the flowable material discharged from the plurality of nozzles, a pattern of the flowable material discharged from the plurality of nozzles and applied to a substrate, or an optical system for observing the plurality of nozzles ,
Adjacent to each other with respect to the first direction by individually moving all of the plurality of nozzles or all other than the nozzles individually in the first direction in accordance with the amount of movement determined based on the observation result by the optical system A pitch adjustment mechanism for adjusting each distance between the two nozzles;
A coating apparatus comprising: The coating apparatus according to claim 1,
An imaging unit that acquires images of the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material, the pattern of the fluid material, or the plurality of nozzles via the optical system;
A pitch detector that detects each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other in the first direction from the image;
A coating apparatus further comprising: The coating apparatus according to claim 2,
A drive unit for driving the pitch adjustment mechanism;
An adjustment mechanism control unit that controls the drive unit based on a detection result of the pitch detection unit;
A coating apparatus further comprising: The coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The coating apparatus, wherein the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion are moved independently of the pitch adjusting mechanism by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism. The coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The coating apparatus, wherein the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material discharged from the plurality of nozzles are observed by the optical system. The coating apparatus according to claim 2,
Images of the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material discharged from the plurality of nozzles are acquired by the imaging unit,
The coating apparatus further comprising: a liquid column state detection unit that detects a difference between each shape of the plurality of liquid columns and a predetermined liquid column shape determined in advance based on the image. apparatus. The coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The coating apparatus, wherein the pattern of the flowable material applied to a substrate is observed by the optical system. A coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The coating apparatus, wherein the fluid material includes a pixel forming material for a flat display device. The coating apparatus according to claim 8,
The coating device, wherein the pixel forming material is an organic EL material or a hole transport material for an organic EL display device. An application device for applying a flowable material to a substrate,
A substrate holder for holding the substrate;
A plurality of nozzles that continuously discharge a flowable material toward the substrate;
A nozzle mounting portion to which all of the plurality of nozzles or all other than one are individually movably mounted in a first direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate;
A main scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles relative to the substrate together with the nozzle mounting portion in a second direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction;
A sub-scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion relative to the substrate in the first direction;
Arranged independently of the movement of the plurality of nozzles and the nozzle mounting portion by the main scanning mechanism and the sub-scanning mechanism, all of the plurality of nozzles or all but one are individually moved in the first direction. A pitch adjusting mechanism for adjusting each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other with respect to the first direction,
A coating apparatus comprising: Application for applying the flowable material to the substrate by moving the plurality of nozzles in a main scanning direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate while continuously discharging the flowable material from the plurality of nozzles toward the substrate. In the apparatus, the pitch adjustment method for the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the plurality of nozzles,
a) A plurality of liquid columns of fluid material discharged from a plurality of nozzles, a pattern of fluid material discharged from the plurality of nozzles and applied to a substrate, or the plurality of nozzles via an optical system An observing process;
b) determining the amount of movement in the sub-scanning direction except for all or one of the plurality of nozzles based on the observation result in the step a);
c) adjusting each distance between two nozzles adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction by individually moving all of the plurality of nozzles or all but one of them in the sub-scanning direction according to the movement amount. Process,
A pitch adjustment method comprising: The pitch adjustment method according to claim 11,
In the step a), images of the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material, the pattern of the fluid material, or the plurality of nozzles are acquired via the optical system,
In the step b), the amount of movement is obtained based on the image. A pitch adjusting method according to claim 12,
The plurality of nozzles are arranged apart from each other in the main scanning direction;
In the step a), the plurality of nozzles are moved in the main scanning direction and sequentially positioned at the observation position by the optical system, and the plurality of liquid columns of the fluid material or the images of the plurality of nozzles are displayed. A pitch adjustment method characterized by being acquired. The pitch adjustment method according to claim 12 or 13,
In the step a), images of the plurality of liquid columns of the flowable material discharged from the plurality of nozzles are acquired, and the shapes of the plurality of liquid columns are predetermined based on the images. A pitch adjustment method, wherein a difference from a predetermined liquid column shape is detected. The pitch adjusting method according to any one of claims 11 to 14,
The pitch adjusting method, wherein the fluid material includes a pixel forming material for a flat display device. The pitch adjustment method according to claim 15,
The pitch adjusting method, wherein the pixel forming material is an organic EL material or a hole transport material for an organic EL display device.

Images