Glass substrate package

Abstract

A glass substrate package (1) in which a glass substrate (2) is packed and sealed is prepared by folding a film such as a PET film (3) which does not dirty surfaces of the glass substrate (2), inserting the glass substrate (2) into the folded portion of the PET film (3), and heat sealing three sides of the folded portion of the PET film while squeezing the air out of the folded portion so that heat-sealed portions (4) and (5) are formed. The package achieves high efficiency in transportation and storage of glass substrates (specifically, glass substrates to be used for LCDs etc.), and concurrently eliminates the need for a chemical washing process which is carried out after unpacking and before processing of each glass substrate and which uses special detergents.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a package in which a glass substrate is packed and sealed with a film, and more specifically, to a package in which a glass substrate to be used for a liquid crystal display or the like is packed and sealed with a film. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] To realize high quality of a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), one of the greatest concerns is to eliminate scratches and dirt on surfaces of a glass substrate to be used for the display device as much as possible during transportation and storage thereof. [0003] To address this problem, there have been several practical methods for transporting and storing the glass substrates. Such methods include a method of using a container provided with a plurality of grooves in which individual glass substrates are inserted, and a method of stacking a plurality of glass substrates each protected by a frame. In those methods, a gap filled with clean air is prov...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] Since the glass substrate is packed and sealed with the film which does not dirty the surfaces of the glass substrate in the glass substrate package according to the present invention, it is possible to solve both of the problems of surface-yellowing and the costly and time-consuming chemical washing process carried out after unpacking and before processing of the glass substrate, while realizing high efficiency in transportation and storage of the glass substrates through direct stacking of a plurality of packages. Thus, the glass substrate packed in the glass substrate package according to the present invention requires only the physical washing process after unpacking and before processing thereof. This greatly reduces the time and costs required for the washing process down to a level much lower than those of the chemical washing process that has been indispensable so far. Such an advantageous effect is particularly important in the case of the glass substrate for the liquid crystal display which requires particular caution to eliminate scratches and dirt on the surfaces thereof.

[0023] The effect of preventing dirtying of the surfaces of the glass substrate can be further enhanced by using the laminated film as the film for the package of the present invention and providing the moisture proof property to at least one of the layers constituting the laminated film. This further reduces the time and costs required for the washing process.

[0024] In addition, the package according to the present invention using the film which does not dirty the surfaces of the glass substrate enables vacuum-packaging (i.e. packaging while deaerating the inside volume of the package) of the glass substrate. This is because the film used for the package does not leave on the surfaces of the glass substrate the residuals that require wash-off through the chemical washing process even if the film is strongly pressed against the surfaces. Such vacuum-packaging further improves the stacking efficiency, i.e., the efficiency in transportation and storage of the glass substrates. In addition, unfavorable displacement of the glass substrate within the package can be prevented when the vacuum-packaging is employed. This prevents the scratches due to effect of friction between adjacent glass substrates that cannot be totally blocked by the films.

Problems solved by technology

However, the above methods of providing the gap between each adjacent glass substrate considerably limit the number of the glass substrates that can be stored in a space of a fixed size (i.e. stacking efficiency), and thus limit efficiency in transportation and storage of the glass substrates.

In that method, however, a problem of what is called “surface yellowing” occurs because of chemical reaction between the sheets of paper and moisture in the atmosphere.

In addition, dirtying of edge faces of each glass substrate cannot be eliminated in that method since the edge faces are exposed to the outer atmosphere.

In the method of using the films, however, another problem has arisen.

That is, residuals of the films remain sticking to the surfaces of the glass substrates even after removal of the films.

Such a chemical washing process using the detergent or the like requires much time and large costs, and thus is a key factor which limits production efficiency of products such as LCDs.

In addition, the above method using the coating films does not solve the problem of dirtying of the edge faces.

Further, in the case where the sheets of paper are additionally used, dirtying due to the sheets of paper cannot be totally eliminated, either.

However, there is a possibility that rather unfavorable sticking occurs between the inner surfaces of the film and the surfaces of the glass substrate, particularly when a plurality of packed glass substrates are stacked within the container and the films are pressed against the surfaces of the glass substrates.

That is, the method of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11(1999)-1205 does not eliminate the possibility that residuals may remain on the surfaces of the glass substrates after unpacking thereof, and thus still require the chemical washing process that is costly and time-consuming.

This may reduce the residuals to some degree, but still does not completely eliminate the need for a chemical washing process using a detergent or the like.

However, when the film is such a one that requires the chemical washing process, such deaeration of the inside volume of the package is disadvantageous rather than advantageous since it may further increase the residuals because of tight adhesion of the film to the surface of the glass substrate.

This further increases the costs and time required for the chemical washing process.

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