Coating method for end surface of sheet-shaped member, coating nozzle, and automatic coating device

Abstract

[Problem] To perform coating that avoids producing an uncoated portion on an end surface of sheet-shaped member while reducing adhesion of a liquid material to surfaces other than the end surface of the sheet-shaped member. [Solution] Provided is a coating method for an end surface of a sheet-shaped member using a nozzle 10 having a groove 13 that has a cross-sectional shape which tapers toward the deepest part thereof and a liquid material supply path 16 that is open at the deepest part of the groove 13, said coating method comprising: a step for disposing the nozzle 10 and a sheet-shaped member 21 such that an end surface of the sheet-shaped member 21 is positioned inside the groove 13; a step for supplying a liquid material from the liquid material supply path 16 to form a droplet 100 which has a liquid surface that is a convex meniscus at the open end of the liquid material supply path 16; and a step for moving the sheet-shaped member horizontally in a state in which the end surface of the sheet-shaped member 21 is in contact with the liquid surface of the droplet 100, thereby coating the end surface. Also provided is an automatic coating device that performs said method.

Description

Coating method for end surface of sheet-like member, coating nozzle, and automatic coating device

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating method for an end surface of a sheet-like member, a coating nozzle, and an automatic coating device.

[0002] Conventionally, a liquid material is applied to the edge (cut surface) of a film whose front and back surfaces are coated. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a known film 90 in which a protective layer 91 is formed on a first side of a substrate 93 and a protective layer 92 is formed on a second side. An edge 94 of the film 90 is not covered with the protective layers 91 and 92, which may be undesirable from the standpoints of corrosion resistance, moisture resistance, insulation, and the like. Therefore, the edge 94 of the film 90 is covered with a protective layer to prevent deterioration of the substrate 93.

[0003] Known methods for coating the edge surface of a film include, for example, non-contact application using a spray or the like, and contact application using a brush, etc. Patent Document 1 also discloses a coating method in which a sheet (paper) is inserted into a guide groove of a nozzle filled with hot melt resin, and the hot melt resin is applied to the cut surface of the sheet (paper) by moving the paper.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 58-67376

[0005] When coating the end faces of sheet-like members for purposes such as corrosion prevention, moisture prevention, and insulation, there is a problem that air bubbles get trapped between the end faces of the sheet-like member and the liquid material, resulting in areas where the coating is not applied (so-called coating gaps).The problem of coating gaps can sometimes be solved by submerging the end faces of the sheet-like member in the liquid material, but adhesion of the liquid material to surfaces other than the end faces (i.e., both side faces) is undesirable because it impairs the smoothness of the sheet-like member.

[0006] In the coating method described in Patent Document 1, in order to prevent the end faces from missing coating, it is necessary to immerse the sheet deeply in the hot melt resin filled in the guide groove, and it is difficult to prevent the hot melt resin from adhering to the surfaces (both side surfaces) perpendicular to the end faces of the sheet.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for coating a liquid material without causing coating gaps on the edge surfaces of a sheet-like member while reducing adhesion of the liquid material to surfaces other than the edge surfaces of the sheet-like member.

[0008] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member of the present invention comprises the following technical means: [1] A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member using a nozzle having a groove with a cross-sectional shape tapering toward its innermost portion and a liquid material supply channel opening at the innermost portion of the groove, the method comprising the steps of: positioning the nozzle and the sheet-like member so that the edge surface of the sheet-like member is positioned within the groove; supplying liquid material from the liquid material supply channel to form droplets with a convex meniscus liquid surface at the open end of the liquid material supply channel; and coating the edge surface by moving the sheet-like member and the nozzle relative to each other while the edge surface of the sheet-like member is in contact with the liquid surface of the droplets. [2] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member described in [1], characterized in that in the step of forming the droplets, first and second buffer spaces are provided on either side of the opening to prevent the liquid material from overflowing from the groove. [3] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to [1] or [2], characterized in that after the step of forming droplets, a step of placing the edge surface of the sheet-like member in the groove is performed. [4] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to [3], characterized in that in the step of coating the edge surface, the sheet-like member is moved relative to the groove by a relative drive device to perform continuous coating, and the liquid material is continuously supplied from the liquid material supply channel to the liquid material supply channel in an amount sufficient to maintain the convex meniscus. [5] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to [4], characterized in that the relative drive device can vary the relative movement speed of the sheet-like member, and in the step of coating the edge surface, the amount of liquid material supplied by the liquid material supply device is controlled in conjunction with the relative movement speed of the relative drive device. [6] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to [4] or [5], characterized in that in the step of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured, and the relative movement speed of the relative drive device is controlled based on the measurement result. [7] A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member described in any one of [4] to [6], characterized in that in the process of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured and the amount supplied by the liquid material supply device is controlled based on the measurement results.[8] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [4] to [7], characterized in that in the step of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured and the relative distance between the sheet-like member and the nozzle is adjusted based on the measurement results. [9] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to [8], characterized in that in the step of placing, the nozzle is placed so that the groove opens upward or downward.

[10] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to [9], characterized in that in the step of placing, the nozzle is placed so that the open end is parallel to the vertical or horizontal direction, and in the step of coating the edge surface, one edge surface of the sheet-like member is coated.

[11] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [4] to [8], wherein the nozzle is composed of a first nozzle and a second nozzle of the same configuration, the first nozzle, the second nozzle, and the sheet-like member are arranged in the arranging step so that both end faces of the sheet-like member are positioned in the grooves of the first nozzle and the second nozzle, respectively, and both end faces of the sheet-like member are simultaneously coated in the edge coating step.

[12] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to

[11] , wherein the arranging step includes arranging the first nozzle and the second nozzle side by side in a horizontal direction.

[13] The method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to

[11] or

[12] , wherein the arranging step includes arranging the first nozzle so that its opening faces downward, and arranging the second nozzle so that its opening faces upward.

[14] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to

[13] , characterized in that the nozzle has a first plane and a second plane that constitute the groove, and the angle formed by the first plane and the second plane is 10 to 90 degrees.

[15] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to

[14] , characterized in that the nozzle has an inner bottom surface that is continuous with the first plane and the second plane, and the opening is provided at the center of the inner bottom surface in the longitudinal direction.

[16] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to

[15] , characterized in that the liquid material supply path has an opening area that allows capillary action to occur.

[17] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to

[16] , wherein in the step of coating the edge surface, the sheet-like member is positioned so that capillary action occurs between the edge of the sheet-like member and the inner surface of the groove.

[18] The method for coating an edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to

[17] , wherein the sheet-like member is a flexible sheet-like member.

[0009] The coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member of the present invention comprises the following technical means.

[19] A coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member, comprising a groove having a cross-sectional shape tapering toward its innermost portion and a liquid material supply channel opening at the innermost portion of the groove, wherein the groove comprises a first buffer space and a second buffer space disposed on either side of the opening, and the first buffer space and the second buffer space function to prevent droplets formed at the innermost portion from overflowing from the groove when the coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member moves relative to the sheet-like member whose end surface abuts against the droplets.

[20] The coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member according to

[19] , comprising a first plane and a second plane constituting the groove, wherein the angle formed between the first plane and the second plane is 10 to 90 degrees.

[21] The coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member according to

[20] , comprising an inner bottom surface continuous with the first plane and the second plane, wherein the opening is provided at the longitudinal center of the inner bottom surface.

[22] A nozzle for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member, used in the method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of [1] to

[18] .

[0010] The automatic coating device for the edge of a sheet-like member of the present invention comprises the following technical means:

[23] An automatic coating device for the edge of a sheet-like member, comprising: a coating device equipped with a nozzle having a groove with a cross-sectional shape tapering toward its innermost portion and a liquid material supply channel opening at the innermost portion of the groove; a relative drive device for relatively moving the coating device and the sheet-like member; a liquid material supply device for supplying liquid material to the liquid material supply channel; and a control device, wherein the control device executes the coating method for the edge of a sheet-like member described in [4].

[24] The automatic coating device for the edge of a sheet-like member described in

[23] , wherein the coating device has a valve for adjusting the amount of liquid material supplied to the liquid material supply channel, and the control device controls the valve in conjunction with the relative movement speed caused by the relative drive device.

[25] The automatic coating device for the edge of a sheet-like member described in

[23] or

[24] , wherein the relative drive device has a distance adjustment device for adjusting the relative distance between the sheet-like member and the nozzle.

[26] The automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to

[25] , further comprising a measuring device for measuring the shape of the droplets, wherein the control device measures the shape of the droplets and adjusts the relative distance between the sheet-like member and the nozzle using the distance adjustment device based on the measurement results.

[27] The automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any of

[23] to

[26] , further comprising a horizontal position adjustment device for adjusting the position in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of relative movement of the sheet-like member.

[28] The automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet-like member according to any of

[23] to

[27] , further comprising a liquid material hardening device for hardening the liquid material coated on the edge surface of the sheet-like member.

[29] An automatic coating device for the end surface of a sheet-like member described in any of

[23] to

[28] , characterized in that it is equipped with a measuring device for measuring the shape of the droplets, the relative drive device is capable of varying the relative movement speed of the sheet-like member, the liquid material supply device is equipped with a valve provided in a flow path that supplies liquid material to the liquid material supply path, and the control device measures the shape of the droplets and controls the relative movement speed of the relative drive device based on the measurement results, and / or controls the amount of material supplied by the liquid material supply device.

[30] An automatic coating device for the end surfaces of a sheet-like material described in any of

[23] to

[29] , characterized in that the coating device comprises a first coating device and a second coating device arranged so that their respective nozzles face each other, and the control device simultaneously coats both end surfaces of the sheet-like material using the first coating device and the second coating device.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for coating a sheet-like member without leaving any coating gaps on the end faces thereof while reducing adhesion of the liquid material to surfaces other than the end faces thereof.

[0012] 1 is a projection view of a grooved nozzle according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the grooved nozzle of FIG. 1; (a) a cross-sectional view in a first direction showing a state in which a liquid material is supplied to the grooved nozzle according to the first embodiment and a sheet-shaped member is brought into contact with it; (b) a cross-sectional view of a main portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; (a) a plan view of the grooved nozzle according to the first embodiment; (b) an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in (a); (a) a plan view of a grooved nozzle according to a first modified example; (b) an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in (a); (c) a plan view of a grooved nozzle according to a second modified example; (d) an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in (c); and (c) diagrams illustrating a method of coating processing using the grooved nozzle of the present invention, where (a) shows a state in which the sheet-shaped member is in a first position, (b) shows a state in which the sheet-shaped member is in a second position, and (c) shows a state in which a predetermined time has elapsed since the sheet-shaped member was placed in the second position. 1A is a diagram illustrating the state in which a sheet-like member at a first position contacts the liquid surface of a convex meniscus in the first embodiment, (b) is a diagram illustrating the state after a predetermined time has elapsed since (a), (c) is a diagram illustrating the state in which a sheet-like member at a second position contacts the liquid surface of a convex meniscus, (d) is a diagram illustrating the state in which a sheet-like member at a first position contacts the liquid surface of a concave meniscus in a conventional example, (e) is a diagram illustrating the state after a predetermined time has elapsed since (d), and (f) is a diagram illustrating the state in which a sheet-like member at a second position contacts the liquid surface of a concave meniscus. 1A is a diagram showing the contact angle between the inner wall surface and the liquid surface when the opening angle of the V-shaped groove is 0 degrees, (b) is a diagram showing the contact angle between the inner wall surface and the liquid surface when the opening angle of the V-shaped groove is 30 degrees, (c) is a diagram showing the contact angle between the inner wall surface and the liquid surface when the opening angle of the V-shaped groove is 60 degrees, and (d) is a diagram showing the contact angle between the inner wall surface and the liquid surface when the opening angle of the V-shaped groove is 90 degrees. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a coating device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a coating device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a coating device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 3A is a diagram explaining a first modified example of the third embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view of a sheet-like member arranged in a vertical direction, (b) is a side cross-sectional view explaining the cross-sectional shape of a droplet before the sheet-like member is arranged, and (c) is a side cross-sectional view explaining the cross-sectional shape of a droplet when the sheet-like member is moving.1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a second modified example of the third embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view of a sheet-shaped member arranged in a vertical direction, (b) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of droplets before the sheet-shaped member is arranged, and (c) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of droplets when the sheet-shaped member is moving.

[0034] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a coating device according to a fourth embodiment.

[0035] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view in a first direction illustrating a state in which a liquid material is supplied to a grooved nozzle according to a third modified example and a sheet-shaped member is brought into contact with the grooved nozzle, and (b) is a cross-sectional view in a first direction illustrating a state in which a liquid material is supplied to a grooved nozzle according to a fourth modified example and a sheet-shaped member is brought into contact with the grooved nozzle.

[0036] FIG. 1C is a projection view of a rectangular grooved nozzle according to a conventional example, and (b) is a cross-sectional view.

[0037] FIG. 1D is a diagram illustrating a method of coating a conventional rectangular grooved nozzle by filling the rectangular grooved nozzle with liquid material, where (a) shows a state in which the sheet-shaped member is in a first position, (b) shows a state in which the sheet-shaped member is in a second position, (c) shows a state in which a predetermined time has elapsed since the sheet-shaped member was moved to the second position, and (d) shows a state in which the sheet-shaped member is in a third position. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a known film having a protective layer formed on a first side of a substrate and a protective layer formed on a second side.

[0013]

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. <First Embodiment> Fig. 1 is a see-through perspective view of a main part of a grooved nozzle 10 according to a first embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the grooved nozzle 10 of Fig. 1 taken along a groove 13.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1 , the grooved nozzle 10 includes a base portion 11, a raised portion 12, and a groove 13. The grooved nozzle 10 of the embodiment is formed from metal, resin, or ceramic. The base portion 11 is a disk-shaped member, and is used by placing the bottom surface of the base portion 11 on the top surface of a nozzle connecting member 32 (see FIG. 10 ). A raised portion 12 extends upward from the top surface of the base portion 11. The raised portion 12 is cylindrical when including the space of the groove 13. The top surface 17 of the raised portion is flat and is on the same plane as the open end of the groove 13. The inner wall surfaces 14 a, 14 b and the inner bottom surface 15 of the raised portion 12 are preferably moderately hydrophilic and may be coated with a hydrophilic material.

[0015] The groove 13 has a substantially triangular shape in side view, and is formed by cutting out the raised portion 12 so that the long side of the upper end is positioned on the same plane as the flat upper surface of the raised portion 12. The closed side of the groove 13 is defined by the inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b of the raised portion 12, and the bottom surface is defined by the inner bottom surface 15. Although the groove 13 has a trapezoidal shape in side view, the inner bottom surface 15 is significantly narrower than the upper open end and is essentially triangular, and therefore the groove 13 may be referred to as a V-groove 13 in this specification.

[0016] Fig. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view of the grooved nozzle 10 taken at the center of the supply flow path 16 along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inner bottom surface 15, and Fig. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the grooved nozzle 10 taken at a line passing through the longitudinal center of the inner bottom surface 15. For ease of explanation, Fig. 3(a) illustrates a state in which the sheet-like member 21 is placed in the V-shaped groove 13. Note that Fig. 3 is a simplified depiction, and the sizes of the elements differ from those in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3A, the inner wall surface 14a is a plane extending in a direction intersecting a horizontal plane, and the inner wall surface 14b is a plane of the same shape as the inner wall surface 14a, but is disposed symmetrically to the inner wall surface 14a across a vertical line. The angle formed by the inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b is, for example, 20 to 70 degrees or 15 to 90 degrees. The lower end of a sheet-like member 21 is inserted into the groove 13 and moved horizontally. The sheet-like member 21 is, for example, a multilayer film having a thickness of 10 to 1000 μm, and the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member is coated for insulation or other purposes. Sheet-like members to which the present invention can be applied include not only flexible members such as films, paper, sheets, and tapes, but also non-flexible members such as thin plates, glass plates, and substrates.

[0018] FIG. 4( a ) is a plan view of the grooved nozzle 10, and FIG. 4( b ) is an enlarged view of the area surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 4( a ). As shown in FIG. 4 , the deepest portion of the groove 13 is defined by a rectangular inner bottom surface 15 when viewed from above. The width W3 of the inner bottom surface 15 in the short side direction is equal to or less than the thickness W1 of the sheet-like member 21. The width W3 of the inner bottom surface 15 in the short side direction is equal to or less than 1 / 3 or 1 / 4 of the width W2 of the upper end of the groove 13 in the short side direction. A supply flow path 16 is provided at the center of the deepest portion of the inner bottom surface 15, penetrating the raised portion 12 and the base portion 11 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 3 , an upper opening 16 a of the supply flow path 16 is provided in the inner bottom surface 15, and a lower opening 16 b is provided in the bottom surface of the base portion 11. The supply flow path 16 is fluidly connected to a liquid material supply device (not shown), and the liquid material supplied from the lower opening 16 b flows out from the upper opening 16 a onto the inner bottom surface 15 to form droplets 100 .

[0019] The diameter of the supply flow path 16 in this embodiment is the same as the width W3 in the short direction of the inner bottom surface 15, but it may be narrower or wider than the width W3. The supply flow path 16 has a diameter (for example, 1 mm or less) or a cross-sectional area (for example, 1 mm or less) that allows capillary action to occur to deliver the liquid material onto the inner bottom surface 15. ２ It is preferable that the shape of the supply flow path 16 is narrow, which is expected to reduce pulsation during supply from a liquid material supply device (not shown). The supply flow path 16 does not have to be cylindrical, and may have a polygonal or elliptical cross section, for example.

[0020] Fig. 5(a) is a plan view of a grooved nozzle 10a according to a first modified example, and (b) is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in (a). The grooved nozzle 10a according to the first modified example has a columnar supply flow path 161 having a cross-sectional shape consisting of a pair of opposing arcs and a pair of straight lines connecting each end of the pair of arcs. Fig. 5(c) is a plan view of a grooved nozzle 10b according to a second modified example, and (d) is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in (c). The grooved nozzle 10b according to the second modified example has a columnar supply flow path 162 having a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

[0021] The coating method of the present invention includes a step of supplying a liquid material from a supply flow path 16 to form a droplet 100 having a semicircular cross section on the inner bottom surface 15, and a step of placing the lower end surface 21a of a sheet-like member in a groove 13 and coating the end surface by moving the sheet-like member 21 horizontally while the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member is abutted against the top of the droplet 100.

[0022] 3(b), when the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow channel 16, the liquid material flowing out from the upper opening 16a forms a droplet (liquid puddle) 100 having a semicircular cross section. From another perspective, in this embodiment, the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow channel 16 in an amount sufficient to form the droplet 100 having a semicircular cross section on the inner bottom surface 15. The droplet 100 formed on the inner bottom surface 15 has a liquid surface 100a in the shape of a convex meniscus, and therefore the top of the droplet 100 can be initially brought into contact with the center in the width direction of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member 21.

[0023] The sheet-like member 21 moves in the delivery direction 24, and at this time, the droplet 100 maintains a convex meniscus due to surface tension because there is a first buffer space 101 on the delivery direction side of the droplet 100 and a second buffer space 102 on the opposite side of the delivery direction 24. In addition, the buffer spaces 101 and 102 act to prevent the liquid material from overflowing from the V-shaped groove 13 as the sheet-like member 21 is delivered.

[0024] When carrying out the coating method of the present invention, it is important that droplets 100 having a semicircular cross section are formed on the inner bottom surface 15. Here, the semicircular shape referred to in this specification is not limited to a perfect semicircle, but also includes an elliptical semicircle or a shape similar to a semicircle (for example, a shape obtained by removing a part of a circle along a line parallel to the diameter). Note that when coating onto the moving sheet-like member 21, the cross-sectional shape of the droplet may not be semicircular due to shear stress received from the sheet-like member 21.

[0025] In the process of applying the liquid material to the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member 21, liquid material is supplied from the upper opening 16a to replace the amount of liquid material that has been lost by adhering to the lower end surface 21a, and is controlled so as not to distort the shape of the droplets 100. The supply flow path 16 is connected to a liquid material supply device (not shown) via a valve (preferably a flow control valve) (not shown), and a desired amount of liquid material is supplied to the supply flow path 16 by controlling the operation of the valve.

[0026] <Concave Meniscus> FIG. 17( a) is a perspective view of a main portion of a rectangular groove nozzle 210 according to a conventional example. As shown in FIG. 17( a), the rectangular groove nozzle 210 includes a base portion 211, a raised portion 212, and a groove 213. The rectangular groove nozzle 210 differs from the grooved nozzle 10 of this embodiment in that the groove 213 has a rectangular shape in side view. The coating method using the rectangular groove nozzle 210 also differs from the coating method of this embodiment. As described in Patent Document 1, in the conventional example, the rectangular groove 213 is entirely filled with liquid material supplied from the supply channel 216 before coating the lower end surface of the sheet. FIG. 17( b) is a cross-sectional view of the rectangular groove nozzle 210 cut at the center of the supply channel 216 by a line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inner bottom surface 215.

[0027] Fig. 18 is a diagram illustrating a method for coating by filling a nozzle 210 having a groove with a rectangular cross section as in Patent Document 1 with a liquid material. Note that Fig. 18 is a simplified depiction, and therefore the sizes of the elements are different from those in Fig. 17.

[0028] 18(a), when a liquid material is supplied from a supply flow path 216 (not shown in FIG. 18) formed on the inner bottom surface 215 of a rectangular groove 213 having a rectangular cross section, the liquid material 200 forms a concave meniscus liquid surface 200a due to the wettability between the liquid material and the inner wall surface 214. Conventionally, it has not been practiced to supply a small amount of liquid material that would form droplets to the rectangular groove 213, but even if the amount of liquid material supplied is small, the shape of the rectangular groove 213 makes the liquid surface 200a of the liquid material a concave meniscus.

[0029] 18(b), when the sheet-like member 221 is further lowered from the position shown in Fig. 18(a), the edge 221b of the sheet-like member (the corner formed by the lower end surface 221a of the sheet-like member and the front and back surfaces 222, 223 of the sheet-like member) first comes into contact with the liquid surface 200a, and a space that will cause bubbles 201, as described below, is present between the lower end surface 221a of the sheet-like member and the liquid surface 200a. Here, the same occurs when the position of the sheet-like member 221 remains as shown in Fig. 18(a) and additional liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path 216, and the concave liquid surface 200a comes into contact with the edge 221b of the sheet-like member first.

[0030] If the sheet-like member 221 is left in the position shown in Figure 18(b) for a predetermined time, the liquid material will spread over the entire hydrophilic end surface 221a of the sheet-like member, as shown in Figure 18(c). However, as shown in Figure 18(c), air bubbles 201 may occur in the widthwise center of the lower end surface 221a of the sheet-like member. To resolve the problem of missing coating (uncoated areas) due to these air bubbles 201, the sheet-like member 221 must be lowered further from the position shown in Figure 18(c). However, because the first side surface 222 and the second side surface 223 are located below the liquid surface 200a, there is a problem in that unwanted liquid material will adhere to the first side surface 222 and the second side surface 223.

[0031] <Convex Meniscus> As shown in Fig. 6(a), when a liquid material is supplied from a supply channel 16 (not shown in Fig. 6) to the V-groove 13 of this embodiment, the liquid material forms a convex meniscus liquid surface 100a due to the wettability and surface tension between the liquid material and the inner wall surface 14. The amount of liquid material supplied from the supply channel 16 here is less than the amount that fills the entire V-groove 13, but is an amount that is sufficient to form a droplet 100 (see Fig. 3(b)). In the present invention, it is important that the liquid material flowing out from the upper opening 16a forms a convex meniscus due to the wettability and surface tension between the liquid material and the inner wall surface 14.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6(b), when the sheet-like member 21 is further lowered from the position shown in Figure 6(a), the liquid surface 100a first comes into contact with the center of the width W1 of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member. After a predetermined time has passed in this state, the liquid material spreads over the entire hydrophilic surface of the end surface 21a of the sheet-like member, as shown in Figure 6(c). The wetting state shown in Figure 6(c) is maintained even when the sheet-like member 21 is moved horizontally in the length direction (the direction perpendicular to the width direction).

[0033] With the grooved nozzle 10 of this embodiment, the liquid surface 100a first comes into contact with the center of the width direction (W1 direction) of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member, eliminating the problem of missing coating due to the formation of air bubbles or spaces between the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member and the droplet 100. Additionally, capillary action in the gap G between the edge 21b of the sheet-like member and the inner wall surface 14 allows the liquid material to spread to both edges 21b of the sheet-like member, reducing the likelihood of missing coating. The gap G in this embodiment is set to be less than the thickness of the sheet-like member 21. From another perspective, coating the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member with the gap G between the edge 21b of the sheet-like member and the inner wall surface 14 at a distance sufficient for capillary action (e.g., 1 mm or less) is preferable because it ensures that no unwetted portions of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member are left uncovered. The gap G on the front side and the gap G on the back side of the sheet-like member 21 do not have to be the same. In addition, the gap G on the front or back side may be set to 0, and the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member may be supported by the inner wall surface 14a or 14b, thereby maintaining a constant relative position of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member with the inner wall surface 14a or 14b.

[0034] Even if the sheet-like member 21 is further lowered from the position shown in Figure 6(c), the amount of liquid material adhering to the edges of the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-like member is minimal. This will be explained with reference to Figure 7. Figures 7(a) to (c) are diagrams illustrating the first embodiment, and Figures 7(d) to (f) are diagrams illustrating a conventional example. Note that the liquid material is not depicted in color in Figure 7.

[0035] FIG. 7( a) is a side view showing a state in which the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-shaped member is positioned to abut against the liquid surface 100a of the convex meniscus. In FIG. 7, the dotted line L1 indicates the contact position between the liquid surface 100a of the convex meniscus and the inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b. After a predetermined time has elapsed from the state shown in FIG. 7( a), the liquid surface 100a spreads over the entire lower end surface 21a of the sheet-shaped member, as shown in FIG. 7( b). In FIG. 7( b), the liquid surface 100a abutting the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-shaped member is lifted by the wettability. In other words, the force acting to expand the contact area with the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-shaped member due to the wettability exceeds the gravity acting on the liquid material. This gravity counteracts the liquid material from wetting up onto the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-shaped member. 7(c) , gravity prevents the sheet-like member 21 from wetting up onto the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23. In this way, the coating method of this embodiment has a range of relative positions that can prevent the sheet-like member from wetting up onto the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23. Therefore, it is possible to absorb some deviation in the relative position of the sheet-like member with the grooved nozzle due to individual differences in the sheet-like member and some deviation in position when setting up the grooved nozzle.

[0036] FIG. 7(d) is a side view showing a state in which the lower end surface 221a of the sheet-shaped member is positioned to abut against the liquid surface 200a of the concave meniscus. In FIG. 7, dotted line L2 indicates the contact position between the liquid surface 200a of the concave meniscus and the inner wall surface 214. After a predetermined time has elapsed from the state shown in FIG. 7(d), the liquid surface 200a spreads over the entire lower end surface 221a of the sheet-shaped member, as shown in FIG. 7(e). In FIG. 7(e), the lower end surface 221a of the sheet-shaped member is located below the dotted line L2. Therefore, the effect of suppressing wetting due to gravity acting on the liquid material is smaller than in the case of a convex meniscus, and the liquid material also adheres to the first side surface 222 and the second side surface 223 of the sheet-shaped member, which are located below the dotted line L2. If the sheet-like member 221 is further lowered from the position in Figure 7(e) to the position in Figure 7(f), the area of ​​the first side 222 and second side 223 of the sheet-like member located below the dotted line L2 increases, and the amount of liquid material adhering to the first side 222 and second side 223 of the sheet-like member also increases further.

[0037] <Opening angle of V-groove> The opening angle of the V-groove required to form a convex meniscus liquid surface will be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. In Fig. 8, the base portion 11 and the raised portion 12 are drawn with dotted lines for the sake of convenience. In Fig. 9, the liquid material is not drawn in color for the sake of convenience. Fig. 8 shows the opening angle θ of the V-groove 13. １ , contact angle θ ２ and boundary angle θ ３ The inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b of the V-shaped groove 13 are extended toward the innermost portion to form an isosceles triangle, and the apex angle is an opening angle θ １ The base angle (the other two interior angles) is the boundary angle θ ３ Therefore, the opening angle of the V-shaped groove is θ １ When the liquid surface forms a convex meniscus, the boundary angle θ ３ is calculated by the following formula 1, and the contact angle θ ２ is the boundary angle θ ３ When the pressure is greater than 1000kJ / s, a convex meniscus is formed.

[0038] [Formula 1] θ ３ = (180-θ １ ) / 2

[0039] FIG. 9(a) shows the V-groove opening angle θ １ The contact angle θ between the inner wall surfaces 314a and 314b and the liquid surface 301 when the ２ 1 is a diagram showing the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove. １ When is 0 degrees, the boundary angle θ ３ In FIG. 9(a), the contact angle θ ２ is 60 degrees, and the boundary angle θ ３ Since the liquid surface 301 is smaller than the liquid surface 302, the liquid surface 301 forms a concave meniscus.

[0040] FIG. 9B shows the V-groove opening angle θ １ The contact angle θ between the inner wall surfaces 324a and 324b and the liquid surface 302 when the ２ 1 is a diagram showing the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove. １ When the angle is 30 degrees, the boundary angle θ ３ The contact angle θ is 75 degrees. ２ is the boundary angle θ ３ , the liquid surface 302 forms a concave meniscus.

[0041] FIG. 9C shows the V-groove opening angle θ １ The contact angle θ between the inner wall surfaces 334a and 334b ​​and the liquid surface 303 when the ２ 1 is a diagram showing the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove. １ When the angle is 60 degrees, the boundary angle θ ３ In FIG. 9(c), the contact angle θ ２ is 60 degrees, and the boundary angle θ ３ Therefore, the liquid surface 303 forms a plane.

[0042] FIG. 9(d) shows the V-groove opening angle θ １ The contact angle θ between the inner wall surfaces 344a and 344b and the liquid surface 304 when the angle is 90 degrees ２ 1 is a diagram showing the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove. １ When the angle is 90 degrees, the boundary angle θ ３ In FIG. 9(d), the contact angle θ ２ is 60 degrees, and the boundary angle θ ３ Since the liquid surface 304 is larger than the liquid surface 304, the liquid surface 304 forms a convex meniscus.

[0043] Contact angle θ ２ The contact angle θ varies depending on the properties of the liquid material used. ２ The smaller the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove is, the larger the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove needs to be in order to form a convex meniscus liquid surface. １ On the other hand, in order to enhance the effect of making the liquid surface convex, the opening angle θ of the V-shaped groove is １ If the angle is obtuse, it becomes difficult to maintain the shape of the liquid pool.

[0044] If the grooved nozzle is positioned facing a direction other than directly up or directly down, the liquid surface will be distorted due to the influence of gravity, and strictly speaking, the above formula 1 will no longer hold. However, since the effect of surface tension is more dominant than the effect of gravity, the above formula 1 can be considered to hold approximately for grooved nozzles with small openings (for example, with a width W2 of 1 cm or less).

[0045] <Coating Apparatus> Figure 10 is a perspective view of a coating apparatus 30 according to a first embodiment. The coating apparatus 30 of this embodiment includes a valve device 31, a nozzle connecting member 32, and a liquid material inlet 33. The valve device 31 has the nozzle connecting member 32 connected to its top surface and the liquid material inlet 33 provided on its side. The liquid material inlet 33 is connected to a liquid material storage container 35 via a supply pipe 34 (not shown in Figure 10) (see Figure 11). The grooved nozzle 10 described above is detachably attached to the nozzle connecting member 32. Inside the valve device 31 (not shown) are provided a flow path connecting the supply flow path 16 of the grooved nozzle 10 with the liquid material inlet 33, a valve for controlling the amount of liquid material supplied to the supply flow path 16, and a discharge control device for controlling the valve.

[0046] The sheet-like member 21, standing upright in the vertical direction, is positioned so that its lower end surface 21a is located within the groove of the grooved nozzle 10. In this state, a liquid material is supplied to the grooved nozzle 10, and a process of forming a droplet having a convex meniscus liquid surface is performed, thereby bringing the center of the width W1 of the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member into contact with the liquid surface (see FIG. 6(b)). As time passes from this state, the liquid material spreads over the entire lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member, as shown in FIG. 6(c). Here, the process of supplying the liquid material to the grooved nozzle 10 may be followed by a process of placing the lower end surface 21a of the sheet-like member 21 within the groove of the grooved nozzle 10. The sheet-like member 21 is moved horizontally relative to the grooved nozzle 10 by a relative drive device (not shown), and the desired liquid material is applied to the lower end surface 21a as it passes through the grooved nozzle 10. If it is difficult to apply the liquid material to the tip of the sheet-like member 21 in the longitudinal direction, the tip is discarded. The speed of the relative movement of the sheet-like member 21 can be adjusted by the function of a transport program stored in a storage device of a transport control device (not shown).

[0047] According to the coating device 30 and coating method of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to minimize the amount of liquid material adhering to the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-like member while solving the problem of missing coating when coating the lower end surface 21 a of the sheet-like member. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to minimize the amount of liquid material wetting up onto the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-like member even when the position of the lower end surface 21 a of the sheet-like member fluctuates in the up-down direction.

[0048] 11 is a perspective view of an automatic coating device 40 according to a second embodiment. The automatic coating device 40 of this embodiment includes a coating device 30, delivery devices (51-53), an imaging device 60, guide devices (71-74), and a liquid material curing device 80. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, with a minimum explanation of the points in common.

[0049] The coating device 30 is the same as that in the first embodiment. The liquid material storage container 35 is connected to a pressurized air source (not shown) and functions as a liquid material supply device that supplies liquid material to the grooved nozzle 10 via a supply pipe 34. The delivery device includes an upstream roller device 51 that unwinds the flexible sheet-like member 21, a downstream roller device 52 that recovers the sheet-like member 21 after the lower end surface has been coated, and a transport control device 53. The upstream roller device 51 and the downstream roller device 52 function as relative drive devices that move the sheet-like member 21 relative to the coating device 30. The transport control device 53 is a computer equipped with a processing device and a storage device storing a transport program. The transport program of the transport control device 53 controls the rotation speed of the upstream roller device 51 and the downstream roller device 52 to adjust the transport speed.

[0050] The transport control device 53 is also connected to the valve device 31 so as to be able to communicate with it, and has the function of adjusting the amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 31 to an optimal amount when the transport speed of the sheet-shaped member 21 (i.e., the relative movement speed with respect to the coating device 30) is changed. As the transport speed of the sheet-shaped member 21 increases, the consumption rate of the liquid material also increases, and as the transport speed decreases, the consumption rate of the liquid material also decreases. The relationship between the transport speed of the sheet-shaped member 21 and the supply amount of liquid material per unit time can be calculated in advance. The transport program of this embodiment stores the relationship between the transport speed of the sheet-shaped member 21 and the supply amount of liquid material per unit time, and sends a supply amount change instruction to the valve device 31 when the transport speed is changed. Note that cables connecting the transport control device 53 to each device are not shown in FIG. 11 .

[0051] The imaging device 60 is equipped with a fiber cable 61 having a camera attached to its tip. The imaging device 60 captures an image of the droplet 100 in the V-groove 13 with the camera and transmits the captured image data to the transport control device 53. The transport program also has a function of performing image processing on the received captured image data to obtain the shape of the droplet 100 or the shape and height of the liquid surface 100a, and transmitting to the valve device 31 an instruction to change the supply amount necessary to correct the droplet 100 or liquid surface 100a to an appropriate level.

[0052] The guide device includes upper guides 71 and 72, lower guides 73 and 74, an upper guide drive device (not shown), and a lower guide drive device (not shown). The upper guides 71 and 72 and the lower guides 73 and 74 each include a groove through which the end of the sheet-like member 21 is inserted.

[0053] The upper guide drive device includes a horizontal cylinder that moves the upper guides 71 and 72 back and forth horizontally, and adjusts the horizontal position perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheet-like material 21. The lower guide drive device includes a horizontal cylinder that moves the lower guides 73 and 74 back and forth horizontally, and adjusts the horizontal position perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheet-like material 21. In other words, the guide device functions as a horizontal position adjustment device that adjusts the horizontal position of the sheet-like material 21.

[0054] Furthermore, the upper guide driving device and the lower guide driving device each include a vertical cylinder that adjusts the vertical position of the upper guides 71, 72 and the lower guides 73, 74, thereby adjusting the height position of the sheet-like member 21. In other words, the guide device also functions as a distance adjustment device that adjusts the relative distance between the sheet-like member 21 and the nozzle 10.

[0055] The lower guide 74 may be disposed downstream of the liquid material curing device 80, and the lower end of the sheet-like member 21 after the applied liquid material has cured may be pushed up by the lower guide 74. Note that the positions of the upper guides 71, 72 and the lower guides 73, 74 may be fixed without providing the upper guide driving device and the lower guide driving device.

[0056] The liquid material curing device 80 is, for example, a UV light irradiation device. When the liquid material applied to the lower end surface 21 a of the sheet-shaped member is, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin, the liquid material is cured by irradiating it with UV light. Instead of a UV light irradiation device, the liquid material curing device 80 can also be provided with a heater for heat curing, a dryer for dry curing, or the like, depending on the application.

[0057] The automatic coating device 40 and coating method of this embodiment described above also achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment. In addition, even when the conveying speed of the sheet-like member 21 is changed, the conveying program can automatically adjust the supply amount of liquid material to maintain a constant position of the liquid surface 100a of the convex meniscus. Furthermore, since the conveying program automatically adjusts the supply amount of liquid material based on the image data captured by the imaging device 60, it is possible to automatically correct changes in the position of the liquid surface 100a that cannot be predicted by prior calculation. Furthermore, since the horizontal and vertical positions of the sheet-like member 21 are maintained constant by the upper guides 71 and 72 and the lower guides 73 and 74, coating quality can be improved.

[0058] 12 is a perspective view of an automatic coating device 140 according to a third embodiment. The automatic coating device 140 of this embodiment includes a coating device 30 disposed below, a second coating device 130 disposed above, delivery devices (51-53), an imaging device 60, guide devices (71-74), and a liquid material curing device 80. The following description will focus on the differences from the second embodiment, with a minimum explanation of the points in common.

[0059] The second coating device 130 has the same configuration as the coating device 30 of the second embodiment and includes a valve device 131, a nozzle connecting member 132, and a liquid material inlet (not shown). The valve device 131 includes a flow path connecting the grooved nozzle 110 and a supply pipe 134, a valve for controlling the amount of liquid material supplied to the grooved nozzle 110, and a discharge control device for controlling the valve. The valve device 131 has the nozzle connecting member 132 connected to its underside and a liquid material inlet on its side. The liquid material inlet is connected to a second liquid material storage container (not shown) via the supply pipe 134. The second liquid material storage container is connected to a pressurized air source (not shown) and functions as a second liquid material supply device that supplies liquid material to the grooved nozzle 110 via the supply pipe 134.

[0060] The grooved nozzle 110 provided in the second coating device 130 has the same configuration as the grooved nozzle 10 of the second embodiment, and is provided with a V-shaped groove and a supply flow path that supplies liquid material to the V-shaped groove. Here, the amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 131 and stored in the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 110 is adjusted to be less than the amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 31 and stored in the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 10. This is because the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 110 in the second coating device 130 is open downward, and therefore the liquid material supplied from the supply flow path to the inner bottom surface of the V-shaped groove is prevented from dripping downward. Since the amount of liquid material stored in the V-shaped groove of grooved nozzle 110 is smaller than the amount of liquid material stored in the V-shaped groove of grooved nozzle 10, the distance between the inner bottom surface of the V-shaped groove of coating device 130 and the end face of sheet-like member 21 is set shorter than the distance between the inner bottom surface 15 of the V-shaped groove of coating device 30 and end face 21 a of sheet-like member 21. The inside of the V-shaped groove of grooved nozzle 110 can be photographed by fiber cable 62 connected to imaging device 60.

[0061] The cross-sectional shape of the droplets formed on the inner bottom surface of the V-shaped groove of the second coating device 130 is also semicircular. Here, as with the coating device 30, the semicircular shape is not limited to a perfect semicircle. That is, when coating the moving sheet-like member 21, the cross-sectional shape of the droplets may not be semicircular due to shear stress from the sheet-like member 21. Because the surface tension acting on the V-shaped groove with a hydrophilic surface is greater than the gravity acting on the droplets, coating can be performed on the edge surface of the sheet-like member 21 even when the coating device 130 is positioned so that the V-shaped groove opens downward. The upper guides 71 and 72 and the lower guides 73 and 74 of the third embodiment are also equipped with upper guide drive devices and lower guide drive devices (not shown), and function as horizontal position adjustment devices and height adjustment devices.

[0062] The delivery device is the same as in the second embodiment and includes an upstream roller device 51, a downstream roller device 52, and a transport control device 53. By applying the coating device 30 and the second coating device 130 while the sheet-like member 21 is delivered by the delivery device, it is possible to simultaneously and continuously apply the liquid material to the upper and lower end surfaces of the sheet-like member 21. In the third embodiment, too, it is possible to minimize the amount of liquid material adhering to the first and second side surfaces of the sheet-like member while eliminating the problem of missing coating when applying the liquid material to the upper and lower end surfaces of the sheet-like member.

[0063] <<First Modification of Third Embodiment>> In the third embodiment, a method for applying a liquid material to both end faces of a sheet-like member 21 moving in a horizontal direction has been described. However, it is also possible to apply both end faces of a sheet-like member 21 moving in a vertical direction using the application device 140 of the first modification. The application device 140 is configured by rotating the application device 30, the second application device 130, the upstream roller device 51, and the downstream roller device 52 by 90 degrees, making it possible to apply both end faces of a sheet-like member 21 moving in a vertical direction. In the first modification of the third embodiment, the upstream roller device 51 is disposed below, the downstream roller device 52 is disposed above, and the opening ends of the grooved nozzles 10, 110 are disposed parallel to the vertical direction.

[0064] Fig. 13(a) is a perspective view of a sheet-like member 21 arranged in a vertical direction. As shown in the figure, the grooved nozzles 10, 110 of a coating device 140, which is arranged by rotating each coating device (30, 130) by 90 degrees, are arranged to sandwich both end faces of the sheet-like member 21 extending in the vertical direction. In the first modified example, the sheet-like member 21 is delivered from below to above, as indicated by the arrows. Note that, for ease of explanation, components of the coating device 140 other than the grooved nozzles 10, 110 are not depicted in Fig. 13(a).

[0065] FIG. 13(b) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of a droplet 300a before the sheet-like member 21 is placed. In FIGS. 13(b) and 13(c), the nozzle 10 is also illustrated in cross-section. As shown in the figure, the liquid material flowing out of the supply channel 16 provided at the center of the base portion 11 of the grooved nozzle 10 forms a droplet 300a with its top drooping downward due to gravity. Here, the influence of gravity acting on the liquid material differs from that of the first embodiment, in which the V-shaped groove opens upward. Therefore, it is necessary to take this into consideration when adjusting the amount of liquid material and the distance between the inner bottom surface of the V-shaped groove and the edge surface of the sheet-like member. A distance adjustment device including a pair of first horizontal cylinders may be provided to adjust the relative distance between each of the grooved nozzles 10 and 110 and the sheet-like member 21 and the nozzle 10 and 110. A horizontal position adjustment device including a pair of second horizontal cylinders perpendicular to the first horizontal cylinders may also be provided to adjust the horizontal position of the sheet-like member 21.

[0066] 13(c) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of droplet 300b during movement of sheet-shaped member 21. When sheet-shaped member 21 is sent upward with the end face of sheet-shaped member 21 in contact with the top of droplet 300a shown in Fig. 13(b), the top of droplet 300a is lifted upward by the shear stress exerted by the end face of sheet-shaped member 21, and the cross-sectional shape of droplet 300a becomes close to a semicircle of a perfect circle like droplet 300b.

[0067] 13(b) and (c) illustrate the change in the cross-sectional shape of the droplet 300a formed in the grooved nozzle 10, but the droplet formed in the second grooved nozzle 110 also has a similar cross-sectional shape.

[0068] The coating device 140 of the first modified example described above can coat the left and right end surfaces of the sheet-like member 21 that is fed vertically upward. Of course, it is also possible to modify the coating device 140 of the first modified example to a configuration that does not include one of the grooved nozzles 10, 110, and coat only one of the left and right end surfaces of the sheet-like member 21.

[0069] Second Modification of the Third Embodiment The second modification of the third embodiment has the same device configuration as the first modification, except that the upstream roller device 51 is arranged above and the downstream roller device 52 is arranged below. FIG. 14( a) is a perspective view of a sheet-like member 21 arranged vertically. As shown in the figure, the grooved nozzles 10, 110 of the coating device 140, which is arranged by rotating each coating device (30, 130) 90 degrees, are arranged to sandwich both end faces of the sheet-like member 21 extending vertically. In the second modification, the sheet-like member 21 is delivered from above to below, as indicated by the arrows. Note that, for ease of explanation, components of the coating device 140 other than the grooved nozzles 10, 110 are not depicted in FIG. 14( a).

[0070] 14(b) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of a droplet 300c before the placement of the sheet-like member 21. As shown in the figure, the liquid material flowing out of the supply flow path 16 forms a droplet 300a with its top hanging down due to gravity, similar to the first modified example.

[0071] 14(c) is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cross-sectional shape of droplet 300c when sheet-shaped member 21 moves. When sheet-shaped member 21 is sent downward with the end face of sheet-shaped member 21 in contact with the top of droplet 300a shown in FIG. 14(b), the top of droplet 300a is pulled downward by shear stress exerted by the end face of sheet-shaped member 21, forming droplet 300c with increased distortion. Droplet 300c having such a cross-sectional shape with increased distortion has a contact angle θ with the end face of sheet-shaped member 21. ４ This reduces the size of the end surface of the sheet-like member 21, which has the effect of making it easier for the liquid material to remain on the end surface of the sheet-like member 21 (i.e., reducing the risk of missing areas being applied).

[0072] 14(b) and (c) illustrate the change in the cross-sectional shape of the droplet 300a formed in the grooved nozzle 10, but the droplet formed in the second grooved nozzle 110 also has a similar cross-sectional shape.

[0073] The coating device 140 of the second modified example described above can coat both the left and right end surfaces of the sheet-like member 21 that is fed vertically downward. Of course, it is also possible to modify the coating device 140 of the second modified example to a configuration that does not include one of the grooved nozzles 10, 110, and coat only one of the left and right end surfaces of the sheet-like member 21.

[0074] 15 is a perspective view of an automatic coating device 400 according to a fourth embodiment. The automatic coating device 400 of this embodiment is a tabletop coating device mainly including a stand 411, a coating device 430, relative drive devices (412 to 414), a movable head 415, and a control device (not shown).

[0075] The relative drive device is composed of an X-direction drive device 412, a Y-direction drive device 413, and a Z-direction drive device 414. The X-direction drive device 412 has a beam member supported by two columns and can move the movable head 415 back and forth in the X direction. The Z-direction drive device 414, which holds the coating device 430, is attached to the lower front of the movable head 415 and can move the coating device 430 back and forth in the Z direction. The Y-direction drive device 413 is provided on the top surface of the stand 411 and can move the workpiece holding member 420 back and forth in the Y direction.

[0076] The workpiece holding member 420 is a jig having a groove 420a formed in the horizontal direction. The sheet-like member 421 is inserted and held in the groove 420a of the workpiece holding member 420 in a manner that the end surface to be coated is exposed. The workpiece holding members 420 holding the sheet-like members 421 may be automatically transported sequentially onto the Y-direction driving device 413 by a transport device.

[0077] The coating device 430 includes a grooved nozzle 410, a valve device 431, and a nozzle connecting member 432. The grooved nozzle 410 is the same as the grooved nozzle 10 of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The valve device 431 has a nozzle connecting member 432 connected to its side, through which liquid material is supplied from a liquid material storage container (not shown). The grooved nozzle 410 is detachably attached to the nozzle connecting member 432. The internal structure of the valve device 431 is similar to that of the valve device 31 of the first embodiment, and includes a flow path connecting the supply flow path of the grooved nozzle 410 with the liquid material storage container, a valve for controlling the amount of liquid material supplied to the supply flow path, and a discharge control device for controlling the valve.

[0078] The grooved nozzle 410 is attached to the nozzle connecting member 432 so that the center line of the V-shaped groove overlaps the horizontal line. In other words, the grooved nozzle 410 is arranged in a manner rotated 90 degrees from the grooved nozzle 10 of the first embodiment. The end face of the sheet-like member 421 is positioned so that the end face of the sheet-like member 421 is located within the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 410. The amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 431 and stored in the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 410 is adjusted to be less than the amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 31 of the first embodiment and stored in the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 10. The grooved nozzle 10 of the first embodiment, which opens upward, and the grooved nozzle 410, which opens horizontally, differ in the effect of gravity acting on the liquid material. Therefore, the amount of liquid material and the distance between the inner bottom surface of the V-shaped groove and the end face of the sheet-like member are adjusted taking this into consideration.

[0079] The control device (not shown) includes a processing device (not shown) and a storage device (not shown) that stores a control program for controlling the operation of the relative drive devices (412 to 414). By executing the control program, a liquid material is supplied into the V-shaped groove of the grooved nozzle 410 to form a droplet having a liquid surface with a convex meniscus, and the edge surface can be coated by moving the sheet-like member 421 and the grooved nozzle 410 relatively in the Y direction while the edge surface of the droplet is in contact with the sheet-like member 421.

[0080] In the illustrated example, the end surface of the sheet-like member 421 parallel to the Y direction is exposed. However, it is also possible to coat the end surface by exposing the end surface parallel to the X direction and moving the sheet-like member 421 and the grooved nozzle 410 relative to each other in the X direction. In this case, the sheet-like member 421 does not move, and coating is performed by moving the movable head 415 in the X direction using the X-direction driving device 412. Furthermore, while this embodiment discloses a method for coating the end surface of a horizontally disposed sheet-like member 421, it is also possible to coat the end surface of a vertically disposed sheet-like member 421 using the automatic coating device 400. For example, it is also possible to coat the end surface by rotating the workpiece holding member 420 90 degrees so that the side surface 420b without grooves of the workpiece holding member 420 becomes the bottom surface, exposing the end surface parallel to the Z direction, and moving the sheet-like member 421 and the grooved nozzle 410 relative to each other in the Z direction.

[0081] The automatic coating device 400 and coating method of this embodiment described above can minimize the amount of liquid material adhering to the top and bottom surfaces of a sheet-like material while eliminating the problem of missing coating when coating the edge surface of the sheet-like material. This embodiment is particularly suitable for applications in which automatic coating is performed on the edge surfaces of non-flexible sheet-like materials that are difficult to wind up using a roller device.

[0082] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications and improvements can be made to the above-described embodiments, and such modifications and improvements are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0083] For example, the grooved nozzle 10 may not have an inner bottom surface 15, but may have a triangular prism-shaped groove 13 in which the lower ends of the inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b are aligned in the same straight line, and the opening 16a may be formed by cutting out the inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b. Also, the relative distance between the lower end surface of the sheet-like member 21 and the reference position of the grooved nozzle 10 may be measured by a distance measuring device and fed back to the conveyance control device 53, whereby the horizontal and vertical positions of the sheet-like member 21 may be automatically adjusted by an upper guide drive device that adjusts the positions of the upper guides 71 and 72 and a lower guide drive device that adjusts the positions of the lower guides 73 and 74.

[0084] Furthermore, if the thickness of the sheet-like member 21 is not uniform, the thickness can be measured using a thickness measuring device and fed back to the conveying control device 53 to adjust the amount of liquid material supplied from the valve device 31 to an optimal amount, or the horizontal and vertical positions of the sheet-like member 21 can be automatically adjusted using an upper guide drive device that adjusts the positions of the upper guides 71, 72 and a lower guide drive device that adjusts the positions of the lower guides 73, 74.

[0085] The groove of the grooved nozzle is not limited to a V-shaped groove as long as it has a cross-sectional shape that tapers toward the innermost portion. An example of a grooved nozzle having a cross-sectional shape that tapers toward the innermost portion will be described with reference to Figure 16.

[0086] 16(a) shows a grooved nozzle 510 equipped with a groove 513 that is approximately U-shaped in side view. This grooved nozzle 510 has a wide opening angle when the liquid level is low, which tends to result in a more convex meniscus, and a narrow opening angle when the liquid level is high, which tends to result in a more concave meniscus. In other words, it has the characteristic that the height of the center of the meniscus (the top position of the liquid surface) is less likely to fluctuate even if the size (volume) of the droplet fluctuates.

[0087] FIG. 16(b) shows a grooved nozzle 610 having a flared groove 613 in a side view. This grooved nozzle 610 has a wider opening angle near the open end than at the deepest part. The grooved nozzle 610 tends to form a more convex meniscus when the liquid level is low due to the wider opening angle, and tends to form a more concave meniscus when the liquid level is high due to the narrower opening angle. Furthermore, with respect to the relationship between the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-like member 21, the large gap between the inner wall surfaces 614a, 614b and the first side surface 22 and the second side surface 23 of the sheet-like member 21 effectively suppresses wetting of the side surface of the sheet-like member 21.

[0088] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Grooved nozzle 11 Base portion 12 Raised portion 13 Groove 14 Inner wall surface 15 Inner bottom surface 16, 161, 162 Supply flow path (liquid material supply path) 17 Upper surface of raised portion 21 Sheet-like member 22 First side surface 23 Second side surface 30 Coating device 31, 131 Valve device 32, 132 Nozzle connecting member 33 Liquid material inlet 34, 134 Supply pipe 35 Liquid material storage container 40, 140, 400 Automatic coating device 51 Upstream roller device 52 Downstream roller device 53 Conveyance control device 60 Imaging device 61, 62 Fiber cable 71, 72 Upper guide 73, 74 Lower guide 80 Liquid material hardening device 90 Film 91, 92 Protective layer 93 Substrate 94 End surface of film 100 Droplet 130 Second application device 200 Liquid material

Claims

1. A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member using a nozzle having a groove with a cross-sectional shape that tapers towards its innermost portion and a liquid material supply channel that opens into the innermost portion of the groove, comprising the steps of: positioning the nozzle and the sheet-like member so that the edge surface of the sheet-like member is positioned within the groove; supplying liquid material from the liquid material supply channel to form a droplet with a convex meniscus liquid surface at the open end of the liquid material supply channel; and coating the edge surface by moving the sheet-like member and the nozzle relative to each other while the edge surface of the sheet-like member is abutted against the liquid surface of the droplet.

2. A method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the process of forming the droplets, a first buffer space and a second buffer space are provided on either side of the opening to prevent the liquid material from overflowing from the groove.

3. The method for coating the end surface of a sheet member according to claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the end surface of the sheet member in the groove after the step of forming the droplets.

4. A method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the process of coating the end surface, the sheet-like member is moved relative to the liquid material by a relative drive device to perform continuous coating, and an amount of liquid material that maintains the convex meniscus is continuously supplied from the liquid material supply device to the liquid material supply path.

5. A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 4, characterized in that the relative drive device can vary the relative movement speed of the sheet-like member, and in the process of coating the edge surface, the amount of liquid material supplied by the liquid material supply device is controlled in conjunction with the relative movement speed caused by the relative drive device.

6. A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 4, characterized in that in the process of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured and the relative movement speed of the relative drive device is controlled based on the measurement results.

7. A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 4, characterized in that in the process of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured and the amount of liquid material supplied by the liquid material supply device is controlled based on the measurement results.

8. A method for coating the edge surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 4, characterized in that in the process of coating the edge surface, the shape of the droplets is measured and the relative distance between the sheet-like member and the nozzle is adjusted based on the measurement results.

9. The method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member according to claim 1, wherein in the positioning step, the nozzle is positioned so that the groove opens upward or downward.

10. A method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the positioning step, the nozzle is positioned so that the open end is parallel to the vertical or horizontal direction, and in the end surface coating step, one end surface of the sheet-like member is coated.

11. A method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 4, characterized in that the nozzle is composed of a first nozzle and a second nozzle of the same configuration, the first nozzle, the second nozzle and the sheet-like member are arranged in the positioning step so that both end surfaces of the sheet-like member are positioned within the grooves of the first nozzle and the second nozzle, respectively, and both end surfaces of the sheet-like member are simultaneously coated in the end surface coating step.

12. The method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member according to claim 11, wherein in the arranging step, the first nozzle and the second nozzle are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.

13. A method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 11, characterized in that in the arranging step, the first nozzle is arranged so that it opens downward, and the second nozzle is arranged so that it opens upward.

14. A method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 1, characterized in that the nozzle has a first plane and a second plane that form the groove, and the angle formed by the first plane and the second plane is 10 to 90 degrees.

15. A method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 14, characterized in that it has an inner bottom surface that is continuous with the first plane and the second plane, and the opening is provided at the center of the inner bottom surface in the longitudinal direction.

16. A method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member according to claim 1, wherein the liquid material supply path has an opening area that allows capillary action to occur.

17. A method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the process of coating the end surface, the sheet-like member is positioned so that capillary action occurs between the edge of the sheet-like member and the inner surface of the groove.

18. A method for coating an end surface of a sheet-like member according to claim 1, wherein the sheet-like member is a flexible sheet-like member.

19. A coating nozzle for the end face of a sheet-like member, the nozzle having a groove with a cross-sectional shape tapering toward its innermost portion and a liquid material supply path opening at the innermost portion of the groove, wherein the groove has a first buffer space and a second buffer space provided on either side of the opening, and the first buffer space and the second buffer space function to prevent droplets formed at the innermost portion from overflowing from the groove when the nozzle moves relative to the sheet-like member whose end face abuts against the droplets.

20. A coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 19, characterized in that it comprises a first plane and a second plane that form the groove, and the angle formed by the first plane and the second plane is 10 to 90 degrees.

21. A coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in claim 20, characterized in that it has an inner bottom surface that is continuous with the first plane and the second plane, and the opening is provided at the center of the inner bottom surface in the longitudinal direction.

22. A coating nozzle for the end surface of a sheet-like member, used in the method for coating the end surface of a sheet-like member according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

23. An automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet-like member, comprising: a coating device equipped with a nozzle having a groove with a cross-sectional shape tapering towards its innermost portion and a liquid material supply path opening at the innermost portion of the groove; a relative drive device for moving the coating device and a sheet-like member relative to each other; a liquid material supply device for supplying liquid material to the liquid material supply path; and a control device, wherein the control device executes the coating method for the edge surface of a sheet-like member described in claim 4.

24. An automatic coating device for the end surface of a sheet-like material as described in claim 23, characterized in that the coating device has a valve that adjusts the amount of liquid material supplied to the liquid material supply path, and the control device controls the valve in conjunction with the relative movement speed caused by the relative drive device.

25. An automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet material according to claim 23, wherein the relative drive device is provided with a distance adjustment device for adjusting the relative distance between the sheet material and the nozzle.

26. An automatic coating device for the end surface of a sheet-like material as described in claim 25, characterized in that it is equipped with a measuring device that measures the shape of the droplets, and the control device measures the shape of the droplets and adjusts the relative distance between the sheet-like material and the nozzle using the distance adjustment device based on the measurement results.

27. An automatic coating device for the end surface of a sheet-like material as described in claim 23, characterized in that the relative drive device is provided with a horizontal position adjustment device for adjusting the position of the sheet-like material in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of relative movement.

28. An automatic coating device for the edge surface of a sheet-like material according to claim 23, further comprising a liquid material hardening device for hardening the liquid material coated on the edge surface of the sheet-like material.

29. An automatic coating device for the end surface of a sheet-like member as described in any of claims 23 to 28, characterized in that it is equipped with a measuring device that measures the shape of the droplets, the relative drive device is capable of varying the relative movement speed of the sheet-like member, the liquid material supply device is equipped with a valve provided in a flow path that supplies liquid material to the liquid material supply path, and the control device measures the shape of the droplets and controls the relative movement speed of the relative drive device based on the measurement results, and / or controls the amount of liquid material supplied by the liquid material supply device.

30. An automatic coating device for the end surfaces of a sheet-like material as described in any one of claims 23 to 28, characterized in that the coating device comprises a first coating device and a second coating device arranged so that their respective nozzles face each other, and the control device simultaneously coats both end surfaces of the sheet-like material using the first coating device and the second coating device.

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