Liquid ejecting apparatus, method for manufacturing organic light-emitting apparatus, and method for

Abstract

The invention provides a liquid ejecting apparatus, a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting device, and a method of operating a head, the liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a lifting mechanism that lifts a support portion that supports a carriage holding a head that ejects liquid between a first height and a second height lower than the first height; a holding portion that holds the carriage when the support portion is at the second height; and a positioning mechanism for positioning the carriage when the support part is at the second height, the holding part receiving the carriage from the support part while the support part is lowered from the first height to the second height, and the positioning mechanism positioning the carriage when the support part is raised from the second height to the first height, the holding part receiving the carriage from the support part while the support part is lowered from the first height to the second height. The support portion receives the carriage from the holding portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a liquid ejection device, a manufacturing method of an organic light emitting device and an operating method of a ejection head. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, attempts have been made to use inkjet devices to form patterns in the manufacture of various functional elements. The technology of using inkjet devices to form patterns has the advantages of high material utilization efficiency and the miniaturization of manufacturing devices due to the non-vacuum process. In recent years, the development of organic light-emitting devices (OLED devices) using organic EL elements has become increasingly popular. Since organic EL materials are expensive, it is expected to use inkjet devices with excellent material utilization efficiency.

[0003] If the device is continuously produced, the surface state of the inkjet head (hereinafter referred to as the nozzle) changes, and therefore, maintenance may be performed to restore the surface state to its original state. The nozzle maintenance can be performed at a maintenance position different from the coating position. However, if the nozzle is returned to the coating position after being moved to the maintenance position for maintenance, the position of the nozzle may be shifted. In addition, when the nozzle is moved from the coating position to another position for purposes other than maintenance and then returned to the coating position, the position of the nozzle may also be shifted.

[0004] Although not directly related to the present invention, Patent Document 1 describes an image forming apparatus having a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering a base member carrying a plurality of recording heads for ejecting liquid droplets.

[0005] Prior Art Literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-30270 Summary of the invention

[0008] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0009] The present invention provides a technique that is advantageous for reducing positional deviation of a nozzle that may be generated by moving a nozzle including a nozzle portion that ejects liquid.

[0010] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0011] A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a liquid ejecting device, characterized in that the liquid ejecting device comprises: a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers a supporting portion between a first height and a second height that is lower than the first height, the supporting portion supporting a slide that holds a nozzle that ejects liquid; a holding portion that holds the slide when the supporting portion is at the second height; and a positioning mechanism that positions the slide when the supporting portion is at the second height, the holding portion receiving the slide from the supporting portion during a period when the supporting portion descends from the first height to the second height, and the supporting portion receiving the slide from the holding portion during a period when the supporting portion rises from the second height to the first height.

[0012] A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an organic light-emitting device, characterized in that the manufacturing method includes: a coating step, in which the organic light-emitting material is coated on multiple parts of a processing object by a liquid ejecting device of a first embodiment that is configured to eject a liquid containing the organic light-emitting material; and a processing step, in which the processing object is processed to obtain the organic light-emitting device.

[0013] A third embodiment of the present invention relates to an operating method for operating a slide that holds a nozzle that ejects liquid, and is characterized in that the operating method includes: a process of lowering a supporting portion that supports the slide from a first height to a second height that is lower than the first height; a process of causing a holding portion to receive and hold the slide from the supporting portion during the period of descending from the first height to the second height; a process of positioning the slide when the supporting portion is at the second height; and a process of causing the supporting portion to receive the slide from the holding portion during the period of rising from the second height to the first height.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, there is provided a technique that is advantageous in reducing positional deviation of a nozzle that may be generated by moving a nozzle including a nozzle portion that ejects liquid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the operation of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4It is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a plan view showing a second state of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 6 1 and 2 are a plan view (a) and a front view (b) showing a configuration example of a pressing mechanism of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 7 It is a plan view showing another configuration example of the pressing mechanism of the liquid ejecting device according to the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a perspective view showing a first structural example of a kinematic coupler constituting the positioning mechanism of the second embodiment.

[0024] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view showing a second configuration example of the kinematic coupler constituting the positioning mechanism of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Hereinafter, the embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following embodiments do not limit the invention involved in the claims, and the combination of features described in the embodiments is not necessarily required for the invention. Two or more of the multiple features described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In addition, the same figure mark is marked on the same or similar structures, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0026] In this specification and the drawings, directions are described based on an XYZ coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the XY plane is a horizontal plane, and the Z axis is parallel to the vertical direction. The position in the Z axis direction is also expressed as a height.

[0027] Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 The structure of the liquid ejection device 50 according to the first embodiment is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of the liquid ejection device 50 is illustrated. The liquid ejection device 50 can also be understood as an inkjet printer that ejects ink as a liquid. The liquid or ink can be selected from all substances that can be ejected. The liquid or ink can be, for example, an organic light-emitting material, but can also be other materials (such as pigments, curable compositions). The organic light-emitting material can be, for example, a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film.

[0028] The liquid ejecting device 50 may include a carriage 5 that holds one or more nozzles 1 that eject liquid. In the following, "nozzle 1" refers to one or more nozzles 1 unless there is a contradiction in the context. The liquid ejecting device 50 may include a lifting mechanism 30 that lifts and lowers a supporting portion 3 that supports the carriage 5 between a first height H1 and a second height H2. The lifting mechanism 30 may be supported by a main body frame 2. The second height H2 is lower than the first height H1. The liquid ejecting device 50 may include a holding portion 6 that holds the carriage 5 when the supporting portion 3 is at the second height H2. The holding portion 6 may hold the carriage 5 from below, for example. In addition, Figure 2 , for convenience of explanation, the support portion 3 at a first height H1 and the slide 5 supported by the support portion 3 are shown, and the support portion 3 at a second height H2 and the slide 5 held by the holding portion 6 are shown. The height of the support portion 3 may refer to the height of the surface of the support portion 3 that supports the slide 5 in one example.

[0029] When the support portion 3 is at the first height H1, the lower end of the nozzle 1 is aligned with the first surface A. This state is, for example, a state in which the nozzle 1 can be maintained, and is referred to as the first state. When the support portion 3 is at the second height H2 and the slide 5 is held by the holding portion 6, the lower end of the nozzle 1 is aligned with the second surface B. This state is a state in which liquid can be ejected from the nozzle 1, and is referred to as the second state. It can also be understood that the nozzle 1 held by the slide 5 is raised and lowered between the first surface A and the second surface B by the lifting mechanism 30.

[0030] The liquid ejection device 50 may include a positioning mechanism 40 that positions the carriage 5 when the support portion 3 is located at the second height H2. By positioning the carriage 5 by the positioning mechanism 40, the nozzle head 1 can be positioned. The holding portion 6 receives the carriage 5 from the support portion 3 while the support portion 3 descends from the first height H1 to the second height H2. The support portion 3 receives the carriage 5 from the holding portion 6 while the support portion 3 rises from the second height H2 to the first height H1.

[0031] The lifting mechanism 30 includes a driving mechanism for driving the slide 5 (and the nozzle 1 held by the slide 5). The driving mechanism may include, for example, a ball screw 7 and a motor (rotary motor) 4. Alternatively, the driving mechanism may include a linear motor. The lifting mechanism 30 may, for example, activate the motor 4 in response to an instruction from a control unit not shown in the figure, thereby rotating the screw shaft of the ball screw 7, thereby lifting and lowering the support portion 3 fixed to the nut of the ball screw 7. The lifting mechanism 30 may include a position sensor that detects the position of the nut or the support portion 3, and may also perform feedback control on the position of the support portion 3 based on the output of the position sensor. The lifting mechanism 30 may include a plurality of driving mechanisms. Figure 1 to Figure 5In the example, two support parts 3 support the slide 5 at the ends in the length direction thereof, and the lifting mechanism 30 includes two driving mechanisms to drive the two support parts 3 respectively.

[0032] Figure 3 The liquid ejecting device 50 is shown in the first state. Figure 4 Represents the liquid ejection device 50 in the second state. The support portion 3 can support (constrain) the slide 5 by friction. The support portion 3 can also be connected to the movable part (such as the nut of the ball screw 7) of the lifting mechanism 30 (driving mechanism) via a buffer mechanism such as an elastic hinge. This helps to reduce or prevent damage to the lifting mechanism 30 caused by over-constraint. In addition, in order to prevent the slide 5 supported by the support portion 3 from falling when an external force is applied to the slide 5 due to an earthquake or the like, a stopper that limits the movable range of the slide 5 can also be provided on the support portion 3. The liquid ejection device 50 can include a maintenance portion M for performing maintenance on the nozzle 1 when the support portion 3 is located at the first height H1 and the slide 5 is supported by the support portion 3.

[0033] In from Figure 3 During the transition from the first state shown (i.e., the state in which the support portion 3 is located at the first height H1) to the second state (i.e., the state in which the support portion 3 is located at the second height H2), the holding portion 6 receives the slide 5 from the support portion 3. The slide 5 is held by the holding portion 6 in a manner of being seated on the holding portion 6. In the second state, the stopping accuracy of the slide 5 can be suppressed to the inherent vibration level of the structure composed of the main body frame 2 and the slide 5. The liquid ejection device 50 also includes a stage mechanism ST for moving the processing object (e.g., substrate) S, and the nozzle 1 can be operated in a state in which the slide 5 is held by the holding portion 6 to eject liquid to the processing object S.

[0034] Figure 5 A top view of the liquid ejection device 50 in the second state is shown. When the ejection portion of the ejection head 1 held by the carriage 5 is shifted from the first state in which the ejection portion can eject liquid to the second state for maintenance or the like and then returns to the first state, the carriage 5 (the ejection head 1) may be in a state deviated from the previous position. The positioning mechanism 40 can be used to reduce such positional deviation or to position the carriage 5 (the ejection head 1) at a target position (standard position). Figure 5 and Figure 6 A configuration example of the positioning mechanism 40 is shown.

[0035] The holding portion 6 may be configured to be able to hold the slide 5 via air. The holding portion 6 may hold the slide 5 via air when the slide 5 is positioned by the positioning mechanism 40. Thus, it is possible to reduce the force required by the positioning mechanism 40 to move the slide 5. The holding portion 6 may hold the slide 5 without air after the slide 5 is positioned by the positioning mechanism 40. The holding portion 6 may have a holding surface 61 that holds the held surface 51 of the slide 5. The holding portion 6 may operate in a manner that air is supplied to the space between the held surface 51 and the holding surface 61 when the slide 5 is positioned by the positioning mechanism 40, and air is not supplied to the space between the held surface 51 and the holding surface 61 after the slide 5 is positioned.

[0036] like Figure 5 As shown in the example, the positioning mechanism 40 may include one or more pressing mechanisms 8 (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) that position the slide 5 by applying a pressing force to the slide 5. The positioning mechanism 40 may include, for example, at least four pressing mechanisms 8 (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d). It may be configured such that two pressing mechanisms 8a and 8b press the first surface 55 of the slide 5, and two pressing mechanisms 8c and 8d press the second surface 56 (the surface on the opposite side of the first surface 55) of the slide 5.

[0037] Figure 6 (a) and (b) show a top view and a front view of a pressing mechanism 8 of a structural example. The pressing mechanism 8 can be constructed to press the slide 5 using a pressing member 12. The pressing member 12 can be, for example, a roller. The pressing member 12 formed of a roller is conducive to reducing the friction between the slide 5 and the pressing member 12, thereby improving the positioning accuracy. The pressing mechanism 8 may include a sliding mechanism 13, which can make the pressing member 12 descend together with the slide 5 in a state where the slide 5 is positioned. The sliding mechanism 13 is conducive to reducing the friction between the slide 5 and the pressing member 12, thereby improving the positioning accuracy. The pressing mechanism 8 may include an actuator 10 that drives the pressing member 12.

[0038] Reference Figure 5 , the sequence of positioning the carriage 5 by the positioning mechanism 40 is described by way of example. First, the pressing mechanisms 8a and 8b are operated, and a reference surface for positioning the first side surface 55 of the carriage 5 is formed by these pressing members 12. Then, the pressing mechanisms 8c and 8d are operated, and these pressing members 12 are pressed against the second side surface 56 of the carriage 5. Thus, the pressing members 12 are pressed against the carriage 5 by all the pressing mechanisms 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d, and the carriage 5 is positioned.

[0039] All the parts of the side surface of the slide 5 that are pressed by the pressing members 12 of the pressing mechanisms 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d may be formed of flat surfaces. Alternatively, three parts of the side surface of the slide 5 that are pressed by the pressing members 12 of the pressing mechanisms 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d may be formed of flat surfaces, and the remaining part may be formed of flat surfaces. Figure 7 By pressing four locations on the side of the carriage 5 with the pressing mechanisms 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d, the carriage 5 can be positioned in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction, Y-axis direction) and in the direction of rotation around the vertical direction (Z-axis).

[0040] As described above, by positioning the carriage 5 by the positioning mechanism 40 while the carriage 5 is held by the holding portion 6, it is possible to eliminate the positional deviation of the carriage 5 accompanying the raising and lowering of the carriage 5 by the lifting mechanism 30. In addition, when the carriage 5 is raised by the lifting mechanism 30, the support portion 3 receives the carriage 5 positioned by the positioning mechanism 40 from the holding portion 6, so that the nozzle head 1 moves to the first surface A while ensuring the positional accuracy. Therefore, the nozzle head 1 can be maintained (for example, status confirmation, status recovery) while ensuring the positional accuracy.

[0041] The above embodiment related to the operation of the liquid ejection device 50 has a mode as an operation method for operating the carriage 5 holding the ejection head 1 for ejecting liquid. The operation method may include: a process of lowering the support portion 3 supporting the carriage 5 from the first height H1 to the second height H2; a process of receiving and holding the carriage 5 from the support portion 3 by the holding portion 6 during the period of lowering from the first height H1 to the second height H2; a process of positioning the carriage 5 when the support portion 3 is at the second height H2; and a process of receiving the carriage 5 from the holding portion 6 by the support portion 3 during the period of rising from the second height H2 to the first height H1.

[0042] Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the liquid ejection device 50 will be described. Matters not mentioned in the second embodiment may be the same as those in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the positioning mechanism 40 in the liquid ejection device 50 of the first embodiment is constituted by a kinematic coupler.

[0043] Figure 8 The first structural example of the kinematic coupler constituting the positioning mechanism 40 in the second embodiment is shown. The kinematic coupler constrains six degrees of freedom between two rigid bodies. In the first structural example, the six degrees of freedom are constrained by constraining one degree of freedom by the ball 100 and the plane 101, constraining two degrees of freedom by the ball 100 and the V-surface 102, and constraining three degrees of freedom by the ball 100 and the conical surface 103.

[0044] Fig. 9A second configuration example of the kinematic coupler constituting the positioning mechanism 40 in the second embodiment is shown. In the second configuration example, by arranging the balls 100 and the V-surfaces 102 at three locations, two degrees of freedom are constrained by the balls 100 and the V-surfaces 102, thereby realizing six degrees of freedom constraint.

[0045] Hereinafter, a manufacturing method for manufacturing an organic light-emitting device using the above-mentioned liquid ejection device 50 is exemplified. The manufacturing method may include a coating step of coating an organic light-emitting material on multiple parts of a processing object (e.g., a substrate) by means of the liquid ejection device 50, and a processing step of processing the processing object to obtain an organic light-emitting device. The manufacturing method may further include a drying step of drying the organic light-emitting material coated on the multiple parts of the processing object in the coating step and a firing step of firing the organic light-emitting material after the drying step. In this case, in the processing step, the processing object after the firing step is processed. The organic light-emitting material may, for example, be composed of a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film. The organic film may, for example, be any one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer of an organic EL (OLED) element. The manufacturing method of an organic EL element may include a step of forming each organic film such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer on a substrate.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0047] Description of Reference Numerals

[0048] 1: nozzle, 5: carriage, 30: lifting mechanism, 40: positioning mechanism, 50: liquid ejecting device, H1: first height, H2: second height.

Claims

1. A liquid ejection device, characterized in that: The liquid ejection device comprises: a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers a support portion between a first height and a second height that is lower than the first height, the support portion supporting a carriage holding a nozzle for ejecting liquid; a holding portion for holding the slide when the support portion is located at the second height; and a positioning mechanism for positioning the slide when the support portion is at the second height, The holding portion receives the slide from the supporting portion while the supporting portion descends from the first height to the second height, and the supporting portion receives the slide from the holding portion while the supporting portion ascends from the second height to the first height.

2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The holding portion can hold the carriage via air.

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The holding portion holds the carriage via air when the carriage is positioned by the positioning mechanism.

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The holding portion holds the carriage without air after the carriage is positioned by the positioning mechanism.

5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The holding portion has a holding surface that holds a held surface of the slide. The holding portion supplies air to a space between the held surface and the holding surface when the carriage is positioned by the positioning mechanism. The holding portion does not supply air to the space after the carriage is positioned by the positioning mechanism.

6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a pressing mechanism that positions the carriage by applying a pressing force to the carriage.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pressing mechanism presses the slide using a pressing member.

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a slide mechanism capable of lowering the pressing member together with the carriage in a state where the carriage is positioned.

9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a plurality of pressing mechanisms, and the plurality of pressing mechanisms positions the carriage by applying a pressing force to the carriage.

10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The plurality of pressing mechanisms are at least four pressing mechanisms.

11. The liquid ejection device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The at least four pressing mechanisms press the slide using a pressing member.

12. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a kinematic coupler.

13. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism positions the slide in a horizontal direction.

14. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism positions the nozzle in a horizontal direction and in a direction rotating around a vertical direction.

15. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid ejecting device further comprises a stage mechanism for moving the object to be processed. The ejection head ejects liquid toward the processing object in a state in which the carriage is held by the holding portion.

16. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid ejection device further includes a maintenance unit configured to perform maintenance on the ejection head in a state where the support unit is located at the first height and the carriage is supported by the support unit.

17. The liquid ejection device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The liquid contains an organic light-emitting material.

18. A method for manufacturing an organic light-emitting device, characterized in that: The method for manufacturing the organic light-emitting device comprises: a coating step of coating the organic light-emitting material on a plurality of locations of the object to be processed by the liquid ejecting device according to claim 17; and The processing step is to process the processing object to obtain an organic light-emitting device.

19. The manufacturing method according to claim 18, characterized in that: The manufacturing method further comprises: a drying step of drying the organic light emitting material applied to the plurality of locations of the object to be processed in the applying step; and a firing step of firing the organic light-emitting material after the drying step, In the processing step, the processing object that has undergone the firing step is processed.

20. An operating method for operating a carriage holding a nozzle for ejecting liquid, characterized in that: The operation method comprises: a step of lowering a support portion supporting the slide from a first height to a second height lower than the first height; The step of receiving and holding the carriage by a holding portion from the support portion during the descending from the first height to the second height; a step of positioning the carriage when the support portion is at the second height; and The step of receiving the carriage from the holding portion by the supporting portion while the supporting portion is ascending from the second height to the first height.

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