Heating curing device, heating curing apparatus, and heating curing method

Abstract

The application discloses a heating and curing device, a heating and curing equipment and a heating and curing method, relates to the technical field of liquid crystal panel photoresist heating and curing, and the heating and curing device comprises a heating bin, a heating device and a supporting assembly, a heating cavity is formed in the heating bin, and the outer wall of the heating bin is provided with an opening communicated with the heating cavity; the heating device is located in the heating cavity, and the heating device comprises a heat plate assembly and a temperature control assembly; the heat plate assembly comprises a plurality of composite plates; the heating cavity comprises a plurality of heating spaces, at least one composite plate is arranged in each heating space, and at least one temperature control assembly is arranged in each composite plate. The temperature control assembly is used for adjusting the temperature of the corresponding composite plate according to the temperature of the heating space, so that the temperature of each heating space is in a preset temperature range; the volatilization speed of the photoresist in each region on the material tends to be consistent, the uniformity of the photoresist film is improved, and the uniformity of the brightness of the OLED display screen is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat curing technology for photoresist in liquid crystal panels, and particularly to a heat curing apparatus, heat curing equipment, and heat curing method. Background Technology

[0002] Photoresist coating and developing equipment is a core component of the TFT (Thin Film Transistor) manufacturing process for display panels. In the display panel industry, the coating machine evenly coats photoresist onto a cleaned and dried glass substrate. Then, heating and cooling equipment removes approximately 80%-90% of the solvent from the photoresist, curing it to form a photoresist film. OLED (Organic Electroluminescence Display) displays manufactured using this traditional process are prone to uneven brightness across different areas. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a heat curing apparatus, heat curing equipment, and heat curing method, which aims to solve the problem of improving the uniformity of brightness in OLED displays.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a heat curing apparatus comprising:

[0005] A heating chamber, wherein a heating cavity is formed inside the heating chamber, and an opening communicating with the heating cavity is provided on the outer wall of the heating chamber;

[0006] A heating device is located in a heating chamber. The heating device includes a heat spreader assembly and a temperature control assembly. The heat spreader assembly includes multiple composite plates, which are spliced ​​together to form a spliced ​​plate. The heating chamber includes multiple heating spaces, each heating space having at least one corresponding composite plate and each composite plate having at least one corresponding temperature control assembly. The temperature control assembly is used to adjust the temperature of the corresponding composite plate according to the temperature of the heating space, so that the temperature of each heating space is within a preset temperature range.

[0007] A support assembly, comprising multiple support members, all of which are disposed on the top of the splicing panel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the heating curing device further includes an air outlet assembly, which includes a housing and a fan. An air duct is formed inside the housing, and the air outlet side of the fan is connected to the air duct. The housing is provided with a plurality of spaced air outlet holes, each of which is connected to the air duct. The heating chamber has two side walls that are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and the housing and ventilation holes are respectively provided thereon. The air outlet holes are arranged toward the heating chamber and are connected to the heating chamber.

[0009] In one embodiment, at least two buffer plates are sequentially arranged inside the housing along the flow direction of the airflow in the duct, so that the buffer plates can buffer the airflow flowing in the duct.

[0010] In one embodiment, each of the carrier components includes a base, a support rod, and a ball bearing. The base is connected to the lifting frame, one end of the support rod is connected to the base, and the ball bearing is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support rod.

[0011] In one embodiment, the composite panel includes a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plate, an aluminum plate, and a mica plate stacked sequentially, with the PTFE plate disposed on top of the aluminum plate, and the temperature control component connected to the mica plate.

[0012] In one embodiment, the temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. The temperature sensor and the heating element are both communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate. The temperature sensor can acquire temperature information of the heating space. The thermostat can control the power of the heating element according to the temperature information. The heating element can adjust the temperature of the composite plate to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range.

[0013] The present invention also proposes a heat curing device, which includes a mounting frame and the aforementioned heat curing devices. The number of heat curing devices is multiple, and the multiple heating chambers are arranged sequentially and at intervals along the vertical direction on the mounting frame.

[0014] This invention also proposes a heat curing method, which is applied to the aforementioned heat curing device. The heat curing device further includes a lifting device and a robotic arm. The lifting device is located inside the heating chamber and includes a drive assembly, a lifting frame, and load-bearing components. The drive assembly and the lifting frame are located on the side of the composite plate away from the support member. Multiple load-bearing components are present, each positioned on the side of the lifting frame facing the composite plate. The splicing plate has through holes for the load-bearing components to pass through, and the number of through holes corresponds to the number of load-bearing components. The drive assembly is connected to the lifting frame so that the drive assembly can drive each load-bearing component to rise and fall via the lifting frame. The heat curing method includes the following steps:

[0015] The temperature control components are controlled to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range.

[0016] The drive assembly is controlled to lift the support component.

[0017] The robotic arm is controlled to feed the material into the heating chamber through the opening and place the material on the carrier.

[0018] The drive assembly is controlled to lower the carrier until the material contacts the support;

[0019] The drive component is controlled to lift the carrier component after a preset time.

[0020] The robotic arm is controlled to remove the material from the heating chamber.

[0021] In one embodiment, the temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. The temperature sensor and the heating element are both communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate. The temperature sensor can acquire temperature information of the heating space. The thermostat can control the power of the heating element based on the temperature information. The heating element can adjust the temperature of the composite plate to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range. The step of controlling each temperature control component to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range includes:

[0022] Real-time control of each temperature sensor to acquire temperature information of the corresponding heating space;

[0023] The thermostats are controlled in real time to adjust the power of the corresponding heating element according to the temperature information, so as to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range.

[0024] And / or, the heating curing device further includes an air outlet assembly, which includes a housing and a fan. An air duct is formed inside the housing, and the air outlet side of the fan communicates with the air duct. The housing is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart air outlets, each of which communicates with the air duct. The heating chamber has two opposite sidewalls along a first direction, each provided with the housing and a ventilation hole. The air outlets face the heating chamber and communicate with it. After the step of controlling the drive assembly to lower the support member until the material contacts the support member, and before the step of controlling the drive assembly to raise the support member after a preset time, the following steps are included:

[0025] The fan is controlled to blow out airflow to carry away the volatile solvent in the heating chamber;

[0026] And / or, the heat curing apparatus further includes a gate assembly disposed in the heating chamber, the gate assembly being used to open or close the opening, and the step of controlling each temperature control assembly to maintain the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range, followed by the step of controlling the drive assembly to lift the carrier, includes:

[0027] Control the gate assembly to open the opening;

[0028] After the step of controlling the robotic arm to feed the material into the heating chamber through the opening and place the material on the carrier, and before the step of controlling the drive assembly to lower the carrier until the material contacts the support, the following steps are included:

[0029] Control the gate assembly to close the opening;

[0030] After the step of controlling the drive assembly to lift the carrier after a preset time, and before the step of controlling the robot to remove the material from the heating chamber, the following steps are included:

[0031] Control the gate assembly to open the opening.

[0032] The technical solution of this invention uses multiple temperature control components to independently adjust the temperature of the corresponding composite plate, so that the temperature of each heating space in the heating cavity can be maintained within a preset temperature range, thereby effectively improving the uniformity of temperature distribution in the heating cavity, making the evaporation rate of photoresist in different areas of the material basically consistent, improving the uniformity of photoresist film, and thus improving the uniformity of brightness of OLED display. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the heat curing apparatus provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the present invention, in which multiple composite boards are spliced ​​together to form a composite board;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the heating and curing apparatus for a glass substrate located inside a heating chamber, provided by the present invention.

[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at point AA;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a magnified schematic diagram of the structure at point B in section 4;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a structural embodiment of the gas flow state inside the heating chamber provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the lifting device provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the driving component provided by the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the carrier provided by the present invention;

[0043] Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the housing provided by the present invention;

[0044] Figure 11 A front view of an embodiment of the housing provided by the present invention;

[0045] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the heat curing equipment provided by the present invention;

[0046] Figure 13 This is a schematic flowchart of the first embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention;

[0047] Figure 14This is a schematic flowchart of the second embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention;

[0048] Figure 15 This is a schematic flowchart of the third embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention.

[0049] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0050] 100. Heating and curing device; 1. Heating chamber; 11. Heating cavity; 12. Opening; 13. Ventilation hole; 2. Heat spreader assembly; 21. Composite board; 211. Polytetrafluoroethylene board; 212. Aluminum board; 213. Mica board; 3. Support assembly; 31. Support component; 4. Air outlet assembly; 41. Housing; 411. Air duct; 412. Air outlet hole; 413. Buffer plate; 42. Fan; 5. Lifting device; 51. Drive assembly; 511. Servo motor; 512. High-precision reducer; 513. Screw jack; 52. Lifting frame; 53. Bearing component; 531. Base; 532. Support rod; 533. Ball bearing; 6. Gate assembly;

[0051] 200. Heating and curing equipment; 201. Mounting frame;

[0052] 300. Glass substrate.

[0053] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0056] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0057] Photoresist coating and developing equipment is a core component of the TFT (Thin Film Transistor) manufacturing process for display panels. In the display panel industry, the coating machine evenly coats photoresist onto a cleaned and dried glass substrate. Then, heating and cooling equipment removes approximately 80%-90% of the solvent from the photoresist, curing it to form a photoresist film. OLED (Organic Electroluminescence Display) displays manufactured using this traditional process are prone to uneven brightness across different areas.

[0058] The inventors discovered that the heat curing process after photoresist coating is directly related to the uniformity of the film formation in the device, which is one of the key factors affecting the device's light emission. The problem with the existing heat curing process is that the solvent evaporation rate of the photoresist in the peripheral area of ​​the glass substrate is faster, while the solvent evaporation rate of the photoresist in the middle area of ​​the glass substrate is slower. This results in uneven thickness of the photoresist film after the heat curing process, which in turn affects the display of the OLED screen and makes it easy for different areas to have uneven brightness (mura).

[0059] In view of this, the present invention proposes a heat curing apparatus, a heat curing device, and a heat curing method, aiming to solve the problem of how to improve the uniformity of brightness in OLED displays.

[0060] Please see Figures 1 to 4In one embodiment of the present invention, the heating curing device 100 includes a heating chamber 1, a heating device, and a support assembly 3. The heating chamber 1 has a heating cavity 11 formed inside, and the outer wall of the heating chamber 1 is provided with an opening 12 communicating with the heating cavity 11. The heating device is located in the heating cavity 11 and includes a heat spreader assembly 2 and a temperature control assembly. The heat spreader assembly 2 includes multiple composite plates 21, which are spliced ​​together to form a spliced ​​plate. The heating cavity 11 includes multiple heating spaces, each heating space having at least one corresponding composite plate 21 and each composite plate 21 having at least one corresponding temperature control assembly. The temperature control assembly is used to adjust the temperature of the corresponding composite plate 21 according to the temperature of the heating space so that the temperature of each heating space is within a preset temperature range. The support assembly 3 includes multiple support members 31, which are all disposed on the top of the spliced ​​plate.

[0061] The technical solution of this invention employs multiple temperature control components to acquire temperature information for corresponding heating spaces, and then adjusts the temperature of the corresponding composite plate 21 based on this temperature information. Since each composite plate 21 has at least one corresponding temperature control component, the temperature of each composite plate 21 can be independently adjusted. This independent adjustment of the composite plate 21 temperature enables temperature regulation of different heating spaces, ensuring that the temperature of each heating space remains within a preset temperature range. The material is then placed in the heating chamber 11 and heated for a preset time. Because the temperature of each heating space is maintained within the preset temperature range, the uniformity of temperature distribution within the heating chamber 11 is effectively improved, resulting in a more consistent evaporation rate of the photoresist in different areas of the material. This effectively improves the uniformity of the photoresist film, thereby enhancing the uniformity of the OLED display's brightness. It should be noted that the preset temperature range is generally 99℃-101℃, and the preset time is generally 30s-45s. It should also be noted that the material can be a glass substrate 300 or a substrate of other materials.

[0062] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 10 and Figure 11In one embodiment, the heating curing device 100 further includes an air outlet assembly 4, which includes a housing 41 and a fan 42. An air duct 411 is formed inside the housing 41, and the air outlet side of the fan 42 is connected to the air duct 411. A plurality of spaced air outlet holes 412 are provided on the housing 41, and each air outlet hole 412 is connected to the air duct 411. The heating chamber 1 has a housing 41 and a ventilation hole 13 respectively provided on two side walls that are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction. The air outlet holes 412 are arranged towards the heating chamber 11 and are connected to the heating chamber 11. The airflow generated by the fan 42 enters the air duct 411 and flows along it. The air duct 411 guides the airflow. This airflow eventually leaves the air duct 411 through the air outlet 412 and enters the heating chamber 11. After passing through the heating chamber 11, it leaves through the ventilation hole 13. During the process of the airflow entering and leaving the heating chamber 11, it carries away the volatiles generated during the photoresist heating and curing process, reducing the impact of the volatiles on the heating and curing process of the glass substrate 300. Due to the fan... The airflow generated by fan 42 is blown through air duct 411 to air outlet 412. Air duct 411 guides and buffers the airflow, making the airflow from air outlet 412 more uniform. Furthermore, since there are multiple air outlets 412, all facing the heating chamber 11, the airflow from the outlets 412 is even more uniform. The multiple air outlets 412 are arranged in an array, further improving the uniformity of airflow. This reduces the probability of large temperature distribution differences within the heating chamber 11 due to uneven airflow. It should be noted that fan 42 can be either a blower or a fan. It should also be noted that... Figure 10 The arrow indicates the direction of airflow within air duct 411.

[0063] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the height of the ventilation hole 13 and the air outlet 412 is higher than the height of the top of the support member 31; since the volatiles will flow upward with the hot airflow, the height of the ventilation hole 13 and the air outlet 412 is set above the glass substrate 300, so that the volatiles can be better carried out of the heating chamber 11.

[0064] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the opening 12 is disposed on any side wall of the heating chamber 1 that is disposed opposite to each other along the second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular, that is, the extension direction of the opening 12 is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the shell 41 and the ventilation hole 13.

[0065] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there are multiple ventilation holes 13, which are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular; by providing multiple ventilation holes 13, it is helpful to quickly discharge volatiles.

[0066] Please see Figure 4In one embodiment, at least two buffer plates 413 are sequentially arranged inside the housing 41 along the flow direction of the airflow in the air duct 411, so that the buffer plates 413 can buffer the airflow flowing in the air duct 411. By setting the buffer plates 413 to buffer the airflow generated by the fan 42, it is beneficial to improve the uniformity of the airflow.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the air duct 411 can be bent to provide a certain buffering effect on the airflow, thereby helping to improve the uniformity of the airflow.

[0068] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 7 In one embodiment, the heating curing device 100 further includes a lifting device 5, which is located inside the heating chamber 1. The lifting device 5 includes a drive assembly 51, a lifting frame 52, and a carrier 53. The drive assembly 51 and the lifting frame 52 are located on the side of the composite plate 21 away from the support member 31. There are multiple carriers 53, and each carrier 53 is located on the side of the lifting frame 52 facing the composite plate 21. The splicing plate is provided with through holes for the carriers 53 to pass through. The number of through holes is the same as the number of carriers 53 and they are arranged one-to-one. The drive assembly 51 is connected to the lifting frame 52 so that the drive assembly 51 can drive each carrier 53 to rise and fall through the lifting frame 52. Generally, a robotic arm grasps the glass substrate 300. Once the temperature of each heating space within the heating chamber 11 is within a preset range, the drive assembly 51 lifts the carrier 53 via the lifting frame 52. The robotic arm then feeds the glass substrate 300 into the heating chamber 11 through the opening 12, where the carrier 53 supports the glass substrate 300. The drive assembly 51 then lowers the carrier 53 via the lifting frame 52, causing the glass substrate 300 on the carrier 53 to fall and contact the support member 31, which supports the glass substrate 300. Since the support member 31 is located on top of the assembly plate, there is a gap between the glass substrate 300 on the support member 31 and the assembly plate. When the glass substrate 300 has been heated and cured for the preset time, the drive assembly 51 lifts the carrier 53 via the lifting frame 52, causing the carrier 53 to lift the glass substrate 300, separating it from the support member 31. The robotic arm then carries the glass substrate 300 out of the heating chamber 11 through the opening 12. It should be noted that the drive component 51 can be a cylinder or an electric cylinder.

[0069] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive assembly 51 includes a servo motor 511, a high-precision reducer 512 and a screw jack 513. The output shaft of the servo motor 511 is connected to the reducer, the reducer is connected to the screw jack 513 in a transmission connection, and the screw jack 513 is connected to the lifting frame 52, so that the servo motor 511 can drive the lifting frame 52 to rise and fall through the high-precision reducer 512 and the screw jack 513.

[0070] Please see Figures 7 to 9 In one embodiment, each carrier 53 includes a base 531, a support rod 532, and a ball bearing 533. The base 531 is connected to the lifting frame 52, one end of the support rod 532 is connected to the base 531, and the ball bearing 533 is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support rod 532. By providing the ball bearing 533 to contact the glass substrate 300, the probability of scratches caused by contact between the glass substrate 300 and the carrier 53 is effectively reduced, thus providing a certain guarantee for the yield rate of the glass substrate 300.

[0071] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the support member 31 can be a circular bead, which is rotatably mounted on the composite plate. That is, the top surface of each composite plate 21 can be provided with a circular bead, or the top surface of some composite plates 21 can be provided with a circular bead, which is not limited here. By providing a circular bead, the probability of scratches caused by contact between the glass substrate 300 and the support member 31 is reduced.

[0072] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the support member 31 can be a support column and a circular bead. One end of the support column is connected to the composite plate, and the circular bead is rotatably installed on the other end of the support column. That is, the support member 31 can be provided on the top surface of each composite plate 21, or the support member 31 can be provided on the top surface of some composite plates 21. There is no limitation here. By providing the circular bead, the probability of scratches caused by contact between the glass substrate 300 and the support member 31 is reduced.

[0073] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6 In one embodiment, the composite plate 21 includes a polytetrafluoroethylene plate 211, an aluminum plate 212, and a mica plate 213 stacked sequentially. The polytetrafluoroethylene plate 211 is disposed on top of the aluminum plate 212, and the temperature control component is connected to the mica plate 213. This arrangement allows for better independent adjustment of the temperature of different heating spaces within the heating chamber 11.

[0074] In one embodiment, the temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. Both the temperature sensor and the heating element are communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate 21. The temperature sensor acquires temperature information of the heating space, and the thermostat controls the power of the heating element based on the temperature information. The heating element adjusts the temperature of the composite plate 21 to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range. The heating element is also connected to the mica plate 213. The temperature sensor acquires the temperature information of the corresponding heating space in real time, and the thermostat adjusts the voltage of the heating element based on this temperature information, thereby changing the power of the heating element and thus affecting the heat generated by the heating element, thereby changing the temperature of the corresponding heating space and maintaining the temperature of the heating space within the preset temperature range. It should be noted that the heating element can be a thermocouple or a semiconductor heating element.

[0075] Please see Figure 1 According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat curing apparatus 100 further includes a gate assembly 6, which is disposed in the heating chamber 1. The gate assembly 6 is used to open or close the opening 12. By setting the gate assembly 6 to open and close the opening 12, when it is necessary to put the glass substrate 300 into the heating chamber 11 or take it out of the heating chamber 11 through the opening 12, the gate assembly 6 can be controlled to remove the obstruction of the opening 12 so that the robot can operate smoothly. When it is necessary to heat cure the glass substrate 300, the gate assembly 6 can be controlled to block the opening 12, thereby reducing the influence of the external environment on the temperature of the heating chamber 11.

[0076] Please see Figure 12 The present invention also proposes a heat curing apparatus 200, which includes a mounting frame 201 and the aforementioned heat curing devices 100. Multiple heat curing devices 100 are provided, with multiple heating chambers 1 arranged sequentially and at intervals along the vertical direction on the mounting frame 201. Since the heat curing apparatus 200 employs all the technical solutions of the above embodiments, it possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated upon here. By providing multiple heat curing devices 100, the heat curing apparatus 200 can simultaneously heat and cure multiple glass substrates 300, effectively improving the heat curing efficiency of the glass substrates 300.

[0077] Please see Figure 13 , Figure 13This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention. The present invention also proposes a heat curing method applied to the aforementioned heat curing apparatus. The heat curing apparatus further includes a lifting device and a robotic arm. The lifting device is located within the heating chamber and includes a drive assembly, a lifting frame, and load-bearing components. The drive assembly and the lifting frame are located on the side of the composite plate away from the support member. Multiple load-bearing components are present, each disposed on the side of the lifting frame facing the composite plate. The splicing plate has through holes for the load-bearing components to pass through, the number of through holes corresponding to the number of load-bearing components. The drive assembly is connected to the lifting frame, enabling the drive assembly to drive each load-bearing component to rise and fall via the lifting frame. The heat curing method includes the following steps:

[0078] S100 controls each temperature control component to maintain the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range;

[0079] By adjusting the temperature of each heating space through various temperature control components, the temperature of each heating space is kept within the preset range, thereby reducing the temperature difference between different areas in the heating chamber. This helps to heat and cure the glass substrate subsequently, and makes the solvent evaporation rate of each area of ​​the glass substrate basically consistent.

[0080] S200, control the drive assembly to drive the carrier to rise;

[0081] The drive assembly is connected to the lifting frame, and the carrier is mounted on the lifting frame. Therefore, the drive assembly can drive the carrier to rise through the lifting frame to provide reliable support for the glass substrate entering the heating chamber from the opening.

[0082] S300, control the robotic arm to feed the material into the heating chamber through the opening and place the material on the carrier;

[0083] The robotic arm feeds the glass substrate into the heating chamber through the opening, avoiding the risk of burns to workers that can occur when manually moving the glass substrate.

[0084] S400, control the drive assembly to drive the carrier to descend until the material contacts the support;

[0085] The control drive component lowers the carrier through the lifting frame, so that the glass substrate located on the carrier can also fall together until the glass substrate contacts the support. The support provides reliable support for the glass substrate. By setting the support, there is a gap between the glass substrate and the splicing plate. The two are set at intervals, and the support can also provide reliable support for the glass substrate.

[0086] S500, control the drive component to drive the carrier to rise after a preset time;

[0087] After the glass substrate has been in place for a preset time, typically 30-45 seconds, the control drive assembly lifts the carrier component via the lifting frame. The rising carrier component first contacts the glass substrate, and then, as the carrier component rises, the glass substrate separates from the support component, and the carrier component provides reliable support for the glass substrate again, until the glass substrate is moved to the height position where it first contacts the carrier component when it enters the heating chamber, so that it can be grasped by the robot arm later.

[0088] S600, control the robotic arm to remove the material from the heating chamber.

[0089] By using a robotic arm to remove the glass substrate from the heating chamber, the risk of workers being burned during manual handling of the glass substrate is avoided.

[0090] The technical solution of this invention uses multiple temperature control components to obtain temperature information of the corresponding heating space, and then adjusts the temperature of the corresponding composite plate according to the temperature information. Since each composite plate has at least one temperature control component, the temperature of each composite plate can be adjusted independently. By independently adjusting the temperature of the composite plate, the temperature of different heating spaces can be adjusted so that the temperature of each heating space can be maintained within a preset temperature range. Then, the material is placed in the heating chamber and heated for a preset time. Since the temperature of each heating space can be maintained within the preset temperature range, the uniformity of temperature distribution in the heating chamber is effectively improved, so that the evaporation rate of photoresist in different areas of the material is basically consistent, effectively improving the uniformity of the photoresist film, and thus improving the uniformity of the brightness of the OLED display.

[0091] Please see Figure 14 , Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention. In one embodiment, the temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. The temperature sensor and the heating element are both communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate. The temperature sensor can acquire temperature information of the heating space. The thermostat can control the power of the heating element according to the temperature information. The heating element can adjust the temperature of the composite plate to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range. Step S100 includes:

[0092] S110, Real-time control of each temperature sensor to acquire temperature information of the corresponding heating space;

[0093] S120, Real-time control of each thermostat adjusts the power of the corresponding heating element according to the temperature information to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range;

[0094] The temperature sensor acquires the temperature information of the corresponding heating space in real time. The thermostat can adjust the voltage of the heating element according to the temperature information, thereby changing the power of the heating element and thus affecting the heat generated by the heating element, thereby changing the temperature of the corresponding heating space and maintaining the temperature of the heating space within the preset temperature range.

[0095] Please see Figure 15 , Figure 15 This is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of the heat curing method provided by the present invention. In one embodiment, the heat curing device further includes an air outlet assembly, which includes a housing and a fan. An air duct is formed inside the housing, and the air outlet side of the fan communicates with the air duct. The housing is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart air outlets, each of which communicates with the air duct. The heating chamber has two sidewalls opposite to each other along a first direction, each provided with the housing and a ventilation hole. The air outlets are oriented towards and communicate with the heating chamber. The process includes steps S400 and S500, followed by:

[0096] S410, control the fan to blow out airflow to carry away the volatile solvent in the heating chamber;

[0097] The airflow generated by the fan enters the air duct and flows along it. The air duct guides the airflow, which eventually leaves the air duct through the air outlet and enters the heating chamber. After passing through the heating chamber, it leaves through the ventilation hole. During the process of the airflow entering and leaving the heating chamber, it carries away the volatiles generated during the photoresist heating and curing process, reducing the impact of the volatiles on the heating and curing process of the glass substrate. Since the airflow generated by the fan is blown towards the air outlet through the air duct, the air duct can guide and buffer the airflow, making the airflow from the air outlet more uniform. Furthermore, since there are multiple air outlets, and multiple air outlets are set towards the heating chamber, the airflow from the air outlets is more uniform. The multiple air outlets are arranged in an array, which further improves the uniformity of the airflow.

[0098] In one embodiment, the heat curing apparatus further includes a gate assembly disposed in the heating chamber, the gate assembly being used to open or close the opening, and the process following step S100 and preceding step S200 includes:

[0099] S101, control the gate assembly to open the opening;

[0100] The steps following S300 and the steps preceding S400 include:

[0101] S301, control the gate assembly to close the opening;

[0102] The steps following S500 and the steps preceding S600 include:

[0103] S501, control the gate assembly to open the opening.

[0104] By setting a gate assembly to open and close the opening, when it is necessary to put the glass substrate into the heating chamber or take it out of the self-heating chamber through the opening, the gate assembly can be controlled to remove the obstruction of the opening so that the robot can operate smoothly. When it is necessary to heat and cure the glass substrate, the gate assembly can be controlled to block the opening, thereby reducing the influence of the external environment on the temperature of the heating chamber.

[0105] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat curing apparatus, characterized in that, The heat curing device is used to process the display panel, and the heat curing device includes: A heating chamber, wherein a heating cavity is formed inside the heating chamber, and an opening communicating with the heating cavity is provided on the outer wall of the heating chamber; A heating device is located in a heating chamber. The heating device includes a heat spreader assembly and a temperature control assembly. The heat spreader assembly includes multiple composite plates, which are spliced ​​together to form a spliced ​​plate. The heating chamber includes multiple heating spaces, each heating space having at least one corresponding composite plate and each composite plate having at least one corresponding temperature control assembly. The temperature control assembly is used to adjust the temperature of the corresponding composite plate according to the temperature of the heating space, so that the temperature of each heating space is within a preset temperature range. A support assembly, comprising multiple support members, all of which are disposed on the top of the splicing panel; The heating and curing device further includes an air outlet assembly, which includes a housing and a fan. An air duct is formed inside the housing. The air outlet side of the fan is connected to the air duct. The housing is provided with a plurality of spaced air outlet holes, each of which is connected to the air duct. The heating chamber is provided with the housing and ventilation holes on two side walls that are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction. The air outlet holes are arranged towards the heating chamber and are connected to the heating chamber. Inside the housing, at least two buffer plates are sequentially arranged along the flow direction of the airflow in the duct, so that the buffer plates can buffer the airflow flowing in the duct. The height of the ventilation hole and the air outlet is higher than the height of the top of the support member; The heating and curing device also includes a lifting device located inside the heating chamber. The lifting device includes a drive assembly, a lifting frame, and a carrier component. The drive assembly and the lifting frame are located on the side of the composite board away from the support component. There are multiple carrier components, each of which is located on the side of the lifting frame facing the composite board. The splicing plate is provided with through holes for the carrier components to pass through. The number of through holes is the same as the number of carrier components and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The drive assembly is connected to the lifting frame so that the drive assembly can drive each carrier component to rise and fall through the lifting frame. Each of the aforementioned load-bearing components includes a base, a support rod, and a ball bearing. The base is connected to the lifting frame, one end of the support rod is connected to the base, and the ball bearing is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support rod.

2. The heating and curing apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The composite panel includes a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plate, an aluminum plate, and a mica plate stacked in sequence. The PTFE plate is disposed on top of the aluminum plate, and the temperature control component is connected to the mica plate.

3. The heating and curing apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. The temperature sensor and the heating element are both communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate. The temperature sensor can acquire the temperature information of the heating space. The thermostat can control the power of the heating element according to the temperature information. The heating element can adjust the temperature of the composite plate to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range.

4. A heat curing device, characterized in that, The heating and curing equipment includes a mounting frame and a heating and curing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein there are multiple heating and curing devices, and multiple heating chambers are arranged sequentially and at intervals along the vertical direction on the mounting frame.

5. A heat curing method, characterized in that, The heat curing method is applied to the heat curing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The heat curing apparatus further includes a lifting device and a robotic arm. The lifting device is located inside the heating chamber and includes a drive assembly, a lifting frame, and a carrier. The drive assembly and the lifting frame are located on the side of the composite plate away from the support member. There are multiple carriers, each of which is located on the side of the lifting frame facing the composite plate. The splicing plate is provided with through holes for the carriers to pass through. The number of through holes is the same as the number of carriers and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The drive assembly is drivenly connected to the lifting frame so that the drive assembly can drive each carrier to rise and fall through the lifting frame. The heat curing method includes the following steps: The temperature control components are controlled to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range. The drive assembly is controlled to lift the support component. The robotic arm is controlled to feed the material into the heating chamber through the opening and place the material on the carrier. The drive assembly is controlled to lower the carrier until the material contacts the support; The drive component is controlled to lift the carrier component after a preset time. The robotic arm is controlled to remove the material from the heating chamber.

6. The heat curing method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The temperature control component includes a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat. The temperature sensor and the heating element are both communicatively connected to the thermostat. The heating element is connected to the composite plate. The temperature sensor can acquire temperature information of the heating space. The thermostat can control the power of the heating element based on the temperature information. The heating element can adjust the temperature of the composite plate to keep the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range. The step of controlling each temperature control component to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range includes: Real-time control of each temperature sensor to acquire temperature information of the corresponding heating space; The thermostats are controlled in real time to adjust the power of the corresponding heating element according to the temperature information, so as to maintain the temperature of each heating space within the preset temperature range. And / or, the heating curing device further includes an air outlet assembly, which includes a housing and a fan. An air duct is formed inside the housing, and the air outlet side of the fan communicates with the air duct. The housing is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart air outlets, each of which communicates with the air duct. The heating chamber has two opposite sidewalls along a first direction, each provided with the housing and a ventilation hole. The air outlets face the heating chamber and communicate with it. After the step of controlling the drive assembly to lower the support member until the material contacts the support member, and before the step of controlling the drive assembly to raise the support member after a preset time, the following steps are included: The fan is controlled to blow out airflow to carry away the volatile solvent in the heating chamber; And / or, the heat curing apparatus further includes a gate assembly disposed in the heating chamber, the gate assembly being used to open or close the opening, and the step of controlling each temperature control assembly to maintain the temperature of each heating space within a preset temperature range, followed by the step of controlling the drive assembly to lift the carrier, includes: Control the gate assembly to open the opening; After the step of controlling the robotic arm to feed the material into the heating chamber through the opening and place the material on the carrier, and before the step of controlling the drive assembly to lower the carrier until the material contacts the support, the following steps are included: Control the gate assembly to close the opening; After the step of controlling the drive assembly to lift the carrier after a preset time, and before the step of controlling the robot to remove the material from the heating chamber, the following steps are included: Control the gate assembly to open the opening.

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