JP2010162446A - Functional fluid supplying apparatus and droplet discharging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Functional liquid supply capable of easily and quickly performing liquid draining work accompanying replacement of a main tank accompanying switching of functional liquid models, maintenance of the entire apparatus, long-term shutdown of the apparatus, and change of the installation location of the apparatus An apparatus and a droplet discharge device are provided.
A functional liquid supply device for pressure-feeding a functional liquid stored in a main tank to a sub-tank and supplying the functional liquid in the sub-tank to a functional liquid droplet ejection head using an ink jet method. A primary-side supply flow path from the main tank 13 to the sub-tank 12 and a secondary-side supply flow path from the sub-tank 12 to the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9, and the primary-side supply flow path from the sub-tank 12 to the main tank It is piped in a downward slope toward 13.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a functional liquid supply apparatus and a liquid droplet ejection apparatus that pressure-feeds a functional liquid stored in a main tank to a sub tank and supplies the functional liquid in the sub tank to an ink jet type functional liquid droplet ejection head by gravity. .

  As this type of functional liquid supply device, a plurality of sub tanks that supply the functional liquid to the functional liquid droplet ejection head, a main tank that replenishes the plurality of sub tanks with the functional liquid, an ink tube that connects these devices, a pump, There is known a device including a valve or the like, and provided with a liquid feeding means for feeding a functional liquid between the apparatuses via an ink tube and controlling the liquid feeding (Patent Document 1). When the functional liquid droplets are ejected from the functional liquid droplet ejection head and the functional liquid stored in the sub tank decreases, the functional liquid is supplied from the main tank to the sub tank. On the other hand, when it is determined that the sub tank is full, the replenishment operation is terminated, and the functional liquid is reversely fed from the sub tank toward the main tank.

JP 2008-246336 A

  By the way, the functional liquid supply device performs a liquid draining operation to drain the functional liquid from the entire device in accordance with the model switching of the functional liquid in the main tank, maintenance of the entire device, long-term shutdown of the device, change of the installation location of the device, etc. is required. However, in the functional liquid supply apparatus as described above, since the functional liquid flow path from the main tank to the sub tank is partially piped up and down, the functional liquid remains in the flow path when the liquid is drained. There was a problem. For this reason, the functional liquid in the apparatus could not be completely drained, and the above work could not be performed efficiently.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a functional liquid supply device and a droplet discharge device that can efficiently drain liquid from a main tank to a sub tank.

  The functional liquid supply apparatus of the present invention is a functional liquid supply apparatus that pressure-feeds the functional liquid stored in the main tank to the sub tank, and supplies the functional liquid of the sub tank to the ink jet type functional liquid droplet ejection head by gravity, A primary-side supply channel from the main tank to the sub-tank, and a secondary-side supply channel from the sub-tank to the functional liquid droplet ejection head, and the primary-side supply channel is inclined downward from the sub-tank toward the main tank. It is characterized by being piped.

  According to this configuration, when performing the drainage operation of the primary side supply flow path from the main tank to the sub tank, the primary side supply flow path is piped downward from the sub tank toward the main tank. The liquid can be drained using the water head, and the functional liquid flows smoothly, so that the functional liquid does not remain in the primary side supply channel. This makes it possible to easily and quickly perform the liquid draining work associated with the replacement of the main tank associated with the functional fluid model change, the overall maintenance of the device, the long-term shutdown of the device, and the change of the installation location of the device. Will improve. In addition, it is preferable to perform the liquid drainage of the secondary supply channel by sucking the functional liquid from the functional liquid droplet ejection head using a suction device.

  In this case, it is preferable that the sub-tank is a closed tank, and the sub-tank is connected to an air release pipe that is open to the atmosphere.

  According to this configuration, the functional liquid can smoothly flow down to the main tank by releasing the sub tank located at the upstream end to the atmosphere during the liquid draining operation.

  According to another aspect of the invention, a droplet discharge device includes the functional liquid supply device described above and an ink jet type functional droplet discharge head that receives the supply of the functional liquid from the functional liquid supply device.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to easily and quickly perform the liquid draining operation accompanying the main tank replacement accompanying the switching of the functional liquid model, the entire apparatus maintenance, the long-term stoppage of the apparatus, and the change of the installation location of the apparatus. A droplet discharge device can be provided and productivity can be improved.

It is a perspective view of the droplet discharge device concerning an embodiment. It is a piping system diagram of a functional liquid supply device. It is a schematic diagram which shows piping of a primary side supply flow path and a secondary side supply flow path.

  Hereinafter, a liquid droplet ejection apparatus to which a functional liquid supply apparatus for a functional liquid droplet ejection head according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This droplet discharge device is incorporated in a flat panel display production line, and uses, for example, a function droplet discharge head into which a special ink or a functional liquid that is a light-emitting resin liquid is introduced, and the color of a liquid crystal display device A light emitting element or the like to be used for each pixel of a filter or an organic EL device is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the droplet discharge device 1 is disposed on an X-axis support base 2 supported by a stone surface plate, extends in the X-axis direction that is the main scanning direction, and moves the workpiece W to X An X-axis table 3 that is moved in the axial direction (main scanning direction) and a pair (two) of Y-axis support bases 5 that are spanned across the X-axis table 3 via a plurality of columns 4 A Y-axis table 6 disposed and extending in the Y-axis direction as the sub-scanning direction, and 13 (plurality) carriage units 7 on which a plurality of functional liquid droplet ejection heads 9 (FIG. 2) are mounted. The thirteen carriage units 7 are suspended from the Y-axis table 6. Further, the droplet discharge device 1 includes a chamber 8 that accommodates these devices in an atmosphere in which temperature and humidity are controlled, and a functional droplet discharge head 9 that passes from the outside of the chamber 8 to the internal functional droplet discharge head 9. And a functional liquid supply unit 11 having three functional liquid supply devices 10 (FIG. 2) for supplying the functional liquid. The functional liquid droplet discharge head 9 is driven to discharge in synchronization with the driving of the X-axis table 3 and the Y-axis table 6, thereby discharging the R, G, and B color functional liquid droplets supplied from the functional liquid supply unit 11. A predetermined drawing pattern is drawn on the workpiece W.

  The functional liquid supply unit 11 includes three sets of functional liquid supply devices 10 corresponding to R, G, and B colors. As shown in FIG. 2, each functional liquid supply apparatus 10 includes 13 tank units 14 having two main tanks 13, 13 constituting a functional liquid supply source, and 13 units (corresponding to each carriage unit 7 ( A plurality of) sub-tanks 12, an upstream-side functional liquid channel 15 connecting the tank unit 14 and 13 sub-tanks 12, and 13 sets of downstream-side functional liquids connecting each sub-tank 12 and each functional liquid droplet ejection head 9. And a flow path 16. The three sets of functional liquid supply devices 10 are connected to the functional liquid droplet ejection heads 9 corresponding to the R, G, and B colors, respectively. Liquid is supplied. The primary supply flow path in the claims refers to the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 from the main tank 13 to the sub tank 12, and the secondary supply flow path refers to the discharge of functional liquid droplets from the sub tank 12. The downstream functional liquid flow path 16 leading to the head 9 is said.

  The functional liquid in each main tank 13 is pressurized by compressed nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas supply equipment 17 connected to the main tank 13 and selectively supplied to the 13 sub tanks 12 via the upstream functional liquid flow path 15. Supplied. At that time, various open / close valves are controlled to open / close by the compressed air of the compressed air supply facility 18. At the same time, each sub tank 12 is opened to the atmosphere via the gas exhaust equipment 19 and receives a required amount of functional liquid. The functional liquid in each sub-tank 12 is supplied to the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 via the downstream functional liquid flow path 16 while maintaining a predetermined hydraulic head pressure by driving the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 connected thereto. . In the embodiment, 13 carriage units 7 and 13 sub tanks 12 are mounted correspondingly, but the number of carriage units 7 and sub tanks 12 is arbitrary.

  The tank unit 14 includes a pair of main tanks 13 and 13 serving as functional liquid supply sources, a pair of weight measuring devices 21 and 21 for measuring the weights of the pair of main tanks 13 and 13, and a pair of main tanks 13 and 13, respectively. 13 and a switching mechanism 22 that is connected to the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 and switches the pair of main tanks 13 and 13. Each main tank 13 is connected to a nitrogen gas supply facility 17 and a gas exhaust facility 19 via a gas tank flow path 23 so as to be switchable, and pressurizes when the functional liquid is pressure-fed and reversely feeds the functional liquid. In this case, negative pressure control (corresponding to release to the atmosphere) is possible.

  Each weight measuring device 21 includes a load cell that measures the weight of each main tank 13 through a waterproof pan. Each main tank 13 is placed on the weight measuring device 21, and when the stored functional liquid is consumed and reaches a predetermined weight, an alarm for prompting replacement is issued. Each liquid tank channel 25 connecting each main tank 13 and the switching mechanism 22 is provided with a bubble detection sensor 26 (consisting of two optical sensors). After 13 reaches a predetermined weight, when the bubble detection sensor 26 detects a bubble, the flow path is switched to the other main tank 13 (automatic or manual).

  The upstream functional liquid channel 15 includes, from the upstream side, a main channel 27 having an upstream side connected to the tank unit 14, a 13 branch channel (branch channel) 24 having an upstream side connected to the main channel 27, and an upstream side Are connected to the 13 branch flow paths 24, and 13 branch flow paths 28 are connected to the sub tank 12 on the downstream side. The functional liquid supplied from the tank unit 14 is divided into 13 by the 13 branch flow paths 24 and supplied to each sub tank 12. Further, a bubble removing unit 29, a first on-off valve 31, an air vent unit 32, and a second on-off valve 33 are interposed in the main flow path 27 from the upstream side. Each of the 13 branch channels 24 is provided with a third on-off valve 34 located in the vicinity of each sub tank 12.

  Each sub-tank 12 faces and is stored in a sub-tank main body that stores the functional liquid, a lid float that is dropped on the sub-tank main body and floats like a lid, a transparent bypass tube that is disposed on the side of the sub-tank main body, and a bypass tube. A liquid level detection mechanism for detecting the liquid level of the functional liquid, and a hydraulic pressure sensor disposed on the lower side of the sub tank body (not shown). Further, the sub tank 12 is connected to the upper portion of the sub tank main body with a nitrogen gas supply equipment 17 and a gas exhaust equipment 19 (FIG. 2), and the sub tank main body is opened to the atmosphere when liquid is supplied from the main tank 13. And it is comprised so that pressurization control to the main tank 13 is possible.

  The downstream-side functional liquid channel 16 includes, from the upstream side, a head-side main channel 66 whose upstream side is connected to each sub-tank 12, a four-branch channel 35 whose upstream side is connected to the head-side main channel 66, and an upstream side. And a plurality of individual flow paths 36 connected to the four branch flow paths 35. As a result, the functional liquid is supplied from each sub tank 12 to the respective functional liquid droplet ejection heads 9 via the four branch channels 35 and the individual channels 36. That is, the functional liquid is supplied to 13 × 4 functional liquid droplet ejection heads 9 by the 13 branches of the upstream functional liquid channel 15 and the 4 branches of the downstream functional liquid channel 16. In addition, since the functional liquid supply unit 11 has three sets of functional liquid supply devices 10 of R, G, and B, the functional liquid is supplied to 13 × 12 functional liquid droplet ejection heads 9. Further, a fourth on-off valve (head passage opening / closing means) 37 and a pressure reducing valve 38 are interposed in the head-side main passage 66.

  Each component from the tank unit 14 to the 13 branch flow path 24 of each functional liquid supply apparatus 10 is housed in a tank cabinet 39 disposed on the side wall of the chamber 8. The tank cabinet 39 is disposed adjacent to the main tank storage section in which the tank units 14 are stored, the unit storage section in which the bubble removal units 29 are stored, and the unit storage section. And a branch channel storage section in which each of the 13 branch channels 24 is stored (not shown).

  Further, the droplet discharge device 1 includes a control unit (liquid feeding control unit and liquid level control unit) that is connected to each unit and controls the entire droplet discharge device 1.

  Next, the characteristic part of this embodiment is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 3, the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 extends from the main tank 13 to 13 sub tanks 12 mounted on each carriage unit 7, and all the flow paths from the sub tank 12 to the main tank 13. Also, parts such as on-off valves and joints are piped with a certain downward slope toward the upstream side (main tank 13 side). The upstream functional liquid flow path 15 of the embodiment is configured by a tube, but is piped so as to have a constant downward gradient from the sub tank 12 toward the main tank 13 by using many tube support members. . The descending slope is preferably 1/20 (50/1000) or more, but the descending slope is preferably larger if there is no restriction on the layout of the entire apparatus. This gradient can minimize the functional liquid remaining in the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 in the liquid draining operation described later.

Here, the operation of supplying the functional liquid to the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 will be described with reference to FIG. In this operation, the upstream side functional liquid channel 15 (primary side supply channel) from the main tank 13 to the sub tank 12 and the downstream side functional liquid channel 16 from the sub tank 12 to the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 are used. (Secondary-side supply flow path), and a series of operations until the functional liquid is discharged from the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9.
When compressed nitrogen gas is supplied to the main tank 13 from the nitrogen gas supply equipment 17, the functional liquid in the main tank 13 is pressurized, and each sub tank 12 can be replenished with functional liquid via the upstream functional liquid flow path 15. It becomes. On the other hand, when the functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 is driven to eject the functional liquid droplets, the functional liquid in the sub tank 12 decreases. When the liquid decrease is sensed in each sub tank 12, the third on-off valve 34 is opened, and the functional liquid is supplied (supplemented) from the upstream functional liquid channel 15 to the sub tank 12.

Next, a liquid draining operation for draining the functional liquid from the entire apparatus will be described.
First, after releasing the pressurization to the main tank 13, an empty main tank 13 or an empty waste liquid tank instead of the main tank 13 is connected to the upstream functional liquid channel 15. Next, all the on-off valves provided in the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 are opened, and the sub tank 12 is opened to the atmosphere. As a result, the functional liquid in the sub tank 12 and the functional liquid in the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 flow back through the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 arranged at a certain downward slope toward the main tank 13, and the valve It flows down to the main tank 13 without accumulating inside or in the middle of the flow path. In addition to using the natural water head to drain the liquid, the sub-tank 12 may be pressurized to cause the functional liquid to flow backward to forcibly drain the liquid.

  On the other hand, in order to drain the liquid on the sub tank 12 side, the functional liquid in each functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 and the downstream functional liquid flow path 16 is sucked through each functional liquid droplet ejection head 9 using the suction unit 41. . Also in this case, the inside of the sub tank 12 is opened to the atmosphere, but pressurization into the sub tank 12 may be used in combination. The functional liquid is drained by such a series of operations.

  As described above, it is preferable that the upstream functional liquid flow path 15 is piped from the sub tank 12 toward the main tank 13 with a predetermined downward gradient of 1/20 (50/1000) or more (see FIG. 3). More specifically, the predetermined downward slope is: A: frictional force with the pipe in contact with the liquid (functional liquid), B: surface tension of the liquid trying to stay in place, C: returning to the main tank 13 It is determined using four indices: surface tension of the liquid to be tried, and D: gravity due to gradient. When the functional liquid is going to return to the main tank 13 during the liquid draining operation, if (C + D)> (A + B), no droplet remains in the pipe, but if (C + D) <(A + B) Liquid droplets remain in the pipe.

  In addition, it is preferable that all the downward gradients of the upstream functional liquid channel 15 are constant. If the downward gradient is not constant, the functional liquid may remain in the flow path. That is, when the flow point changes from a steep downward gradient to a gentle downward gradient, the flow rate of the functional liquid at that point decreases, so that the flow is delayed and the functional liquid tends to accumulate. Similarly, when the gradient changes from a gentle gradient to a steep gradient, the functional liquid tends to accumulate in the flow path. Therefore, when a space for piping with a gradient cannot be secured due to problems in piping layout, it is preferable to form a flow path in a spiral shape using a coil tube or the like in part and maintain a constant gradient.

  As described above, the functional liquid supply device 1 of the present embodiment pipes the functional liquid in the flow path by piping the primary supply flow path from the main tank 13 to the sub tank 12 with a certain downward gradient. The liquid draining operation can be performed easily and quickly without remaining in the water.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Droplet discharge device 9 ... Functional droplet discharge head 10 ... Functional liquid supply apparatus 12 ... Sub tank 13 ... Main tank 15 ... Upstream functional liquid flow path 16 ... Downstream functional liquid flow path

Claims (3)

A functional liquid supply device that pressure-feeds the functional liquid stored in the main tank to the sub tank and supplies the functional liquid of the sub tank to the ink jet type functional liquid droplet ejection head by gravity,
A primary-side supply channel from the main tank to the sub-tank, and a secondary-side supply channel from the sub-tank to the functional liquid droplet ejection head,
The functional liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary side supply flow path is piped downward from the sub tank toward the main tank. The sub tank is composed of a sealed tank,
The functional liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an air release pipe that is open to the atmosphere is connected to the sub tank. The functional liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2,
A liquid droplet ejection apparatus comprising: an ink jet type functional liquid droplet ejection head receiving functional liquid from the functional liquid supply apparatus.

Images