Substrate vacuum chucking device and photocuring device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, in particular to a substrate vacuum adsorption device and a photocuring device. The substrate vacuum adsorption device comprises a support plate, adsorption rods and an adjusting assembly, the adsorption rods penetrate through the support plate; the adsorption rod has a flange part, an adsorption end face and an air channel, the flange part extends radially outward and protrudes from the outer side wall of the adsorption rod; the adsorption end face is located at the bottom end part of the adsorption rod; the air channel comprises a first opening end close to the adsorption end face side and a second opening end close to the flange part side; the adjusting assembly is used for connecting the support plate and the flange part and is configured to adjust the gap between the flange part and the support plate, so as to adjust the levelness of the adsorption end faces of the adsorption rods. The substrate vacuum adsorption device provided by the application can ensure that all the adsorption rods are in vacuum adsorption with a mask plate during the vacuum adsorption process, improves the reliability and stability of the mask plate adsorption, and ensures the levelness of the mask plate after being adsorbed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and more specifically, to a substrate vacuum adsorption device and a photocuring device. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid crystal display (LCD) is a major type of flat panel display, offering advantages such as low power consumption, small size, and low radiation. An LCD is constructed by injecting liquid crystal into two parallel glass substrates, then sealing the substrates with an adhesive to prevent leakage. Voltage or current is applied to electrodes mounted within the substrates to alter the alignment of the liquid crystals, thereby transmitting or blocking light to achieve the display purpose.

[0003] In the production process of LCD encapsulating liquid crystal displays, it is required that the sealant around the LCD screen cure within a short time to prevent contamination of the liquid crystal by uncured sealant, which would affect the quality of the LCD screen. Related technologies for sealant curing devices include, for example, using a vacuum adsorption device to hold a photomask, placing the photomask between the light source and the LCD screen to be cured, using a robotic arm to place the LCD screen onto the curing device's work platform, and then using a lifting mechanism to lift the work platform to the designated curing position. The light source then photocures the sealant through the light-transmitting area of ​​the photomask.

[0004] The following shortcomings still exist in the related technologies of vacuum adsorption devices: the contact area between the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device and the mask plate is large. If the flatness of the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device is poor, the adhesion between the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device and the mask plate will be poor, resulting in the vacuum adsorption device being unable to firmly adsorb the mask plate, which will lead to the accidental drop of the mask plate and cause economic losses. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to at least solve the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a substrate vacuum adsorption device, which can improve the reliability and stability of mask adsorption, reduce or even avoid the phenomenon of mask falling off accidentally, and reduce or even avoid unnecessary economic losses.

[0006] A substrate vacuum adsorption device is provided to achieve the purpose of this invention. The substrate vacuum adsorption device includes:

[0007] Support plate;

[0008] An adsorption rod extends through the support plate; the adsorption rod has a flange, an adsorption end face, and an air passage; the flange extends radially outward and protrudes from the outer side wall of the adsorption rod; the adsorption end face is located at the bottom end of the adsorption rod; the air passage includes a first opening end near the adsorption end face and a second opening end near the flange; and...

[0009] An adjustment component, used to connect the support plate and the flange, is configured to: adjust the gap between the flange and the support plate to adjust the levelness of the adsorption end face of each adsorption rod.

[0010] Optionally, the adjustment assembly includes an adjustment plate and a positioning member, with the flange resting on the adjustment plate; the positioning member is used to connect the adjustment plate and the support plate, and is configured to adjust the gap between the adjustment plate and the support plate.

[0011] Optionally, the positioning element includes adjusting screws, and in each of the adjusting components, there are at least three adjusting screws that are not collinear;

[0012] The adjusting screw is threaded to the adjusting plate, and the lower end of the adjusting screw abuts against the upper surface of the support plate; or, the adjusting screw is threaded to the support plate, and the upper end of the adjusting screw abuts against the lower surface of the adjusting plate.

[0013] Optionally, the positioning element further includes a locking nut screwed onto the adjusting screw, configured to lock the adjusting screw to prevent it from rotating.

[0014] Optionally, the adjustment plate has a protective layer that at least covers the portion of the adjustment plate that contacts the adsorption rod.

[0015] Optionally, the adsorption end face is provided with an air suction groove, which is connected to the first opening end and distributed on the outer periphery of the first opening end.

[0016] Optionally, the air intake groove includes an arc-shaped groove, which communicates with the first opening end and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening end;

[0017] Alternatively, the air intake groove includes an arc-shaped groove and a strip-shaped groove, one end of the strip-shaped groove is connected to the first opening end, and the other end is connected to the arc-shaped groove, the arc-shaped groove is concentric with the first opening end and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening end;

[0018] Alternatively, the air intake groove may include a strip groove connected to the first opening end, wherein there are multiple strip grooves distributed on the outer periphery of the first opening end.

[0019] Optionally, the airway includes a weight-reducing hole and an adsorption hole, wherein the weight-reducing hole is located in the central region of the adsorption rod;

[0020] The diameter of the adsorption pore is smaller than the diameter of the weight reduction pore, and one end is connected to the weight reduction pore, while the other end is connected to the first opening end.

[0021] The second opening is connected to the weight reduction hole.

[0022] Optionally, the flange portion includes a flange body and a cover plate. The flange body is located at the upper end of the adsorption rod and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral wall of the adsorption rod. The upper end of the flange body has an opening communicating with the weight reduction hole. The cover plate is sealed and covered by the opening. The second opening end is located on the cover plate. The adjustment component is located between the flange body and the support plate.

[0023] Optionally, there are multiple adsorption rods, and the multiple adsorption rods are arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array.

[0024] And / or, the adsorption rod is a quartz rod;

[0025] And / or, the substrate is a mask plate;

[0026] And / or, the cross-sectional shape of the adsorption rod is circular.

[0027] Optionally, the substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a first vacuum generating device and a vacuum tank. The air inlet of the vacuum tank is connected to the second opening of the adsorption rod, and the air outlet of the vacuum tank is connected to the first vacuum generating device through a first air pipe. The vacuum tank is configured to maintain the vacuum pressure of the air passage in the adsorption rod if the first vacuum generating device malfunctions.

[0028] The first gas pipe is equipped with a first one-way valve, configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank to the first vacuum generating device.

[0029] Optionally, the substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a second vacuum generating device, which is connected to the outlet of the vacuum tank via a second air pipe. The second vacuum device is configured to evacuate the vacuum tank if the vacuum level of the vacuum tank is lower than a preset vacuum level value.

[0030] Optionally, the second trachea is connected to the first trachea;

[0031] And / or, the second gas pipe is provided with a second one-way valve, configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank to the second vacuum generator.

[0032] Optionally, the number of adsorption rods is at least four, arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array.

[0033] The number of vacuum tanks is at least two, and the outermost adjacent adsorption rods are sequentially connected to different vacuum tanks.

[0034] Optionally, the substrate vacuum adsorption device further includes a driving member and a support platform, wherein the driving member is tractively connected to the support platform; the driving member is configured to drive the support platform to move up and down to approach or move away from the adsorption end face of the adsorption rod; the support platform is configured to support the substrate and provide a reference for adjusting the adsorption end faces of the plurality of adsorption rods to be on the same horizontal plane.

[0035] The substrate vacuum adsorption device provided by the present invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0036] By setting the adsorption end face at the end of the adsorption rod, multiple adsorption rods are used to form a multi-point dispersed adsorption area. An adjustment component is provided between the flange of the adsorption rod and the support plate to adjust the gap between the flange and the support plate, ensuring that the adsorption end faces of each adsorption rod are on the same horizontal plane. This means that the adsorption end faces of each adsorption rod are parallel to the surface of the mask. During vacuum adsorption, on the one hand, it ensures that the adsorption end faces of each adsorption rod can synchronously contact the surface of the mask, achieving vacuum adsorption of each adsorption rod with the mask, improving the reliability and stability of mask adsorption, and reducing or even avoiding the phenomenon of accidental mask drop, thereby reducing or even avoiding unnecessary economic losses. On the other hand, because the adsorption at each adsorption point of the mask is relatively consistent, it reduces or even avoids the phenomenon of local deformation of the mask, thus ensuring the horizontality of the mask after adsorption, further improving the pass rate of subsequent light source curing the product to be cured below the mask through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask. In addition, it reduces the downtime of the substrate vacuum adsorption device and increases the photocuring capacity.

[0037] The present invention also provides a photocuring apparatus, which includes a substrate, a light source, and the aforementioned substrate vacuum adsorption device. The substrate is a mask plate, and the adsorption rod is a quartz rod. The light source is located below the support plate and is configured to cure the product to be cured located below the mask plate through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask plate.

[0038] Optionally, the light source is an ultraviolet light source;

[0039] And / or, the light source has multiple; the multiple adsorption rods are arranged in a rectangular array to form multiple adsorption rows, and the multiple light sources are respectively located between adjacent adsorption rows, or the multiple adsorption rods are arranged in a circular array to form multiple adsorption rings, and the multiple light sources are respectively located between adjacent adsorption rings.

[0040] Optionally, the photocuring device further includes an air-cooling component, which includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet each have multiple outlets and are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction and alternately along a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the adsorption rod.

[0041] The photocuring apparatus provided by this invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0042] Since the photocuring apparatus includes the substrate vacuum adsorption device provided above, it has all the beneficial effects of the substrate vacuum adsorption device described above, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of a substrate vacuum adsorption device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle;

[0045] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A top-down view;

[0046] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle BB section;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a partial isometric view of the adsorption rod in a substrate vacuum adsorption device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the adsorption rod and the vacuum generator in a substrate vacuum adsorption device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 7 This is a front view schematic diagram of a photocuring device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the air-cooled component in a photocuring device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0052] 10 - Support plate; 110 - Through hole;

[0053] 20-Adsorption rod; 210-Flange; 211-Flange body; 2111-Opening; 2211-Strip groove; 2212-Arc groove; 212-Cover plate; 220-Adsorption end face; 221-Suction groove; 230-Air passage; 231-First opening end; 232-Second opening end; 233-Weight reduction hole; 234-Adsorption hole;

[0054] 30 - Adjustment component; 310 - Adjustment plate; 311 - Protective layer; 312 - First hole; 313 - Second hole; 320 - Positioning component; 321 - Adjustment screw; 322 - Locking nut;

[0055] 40-First vacuum generator; 401-First gas pipe; 402-First check valve;

[0056] 50-Vacuum container;

[0057] 60-Second vacuum generator; 601-Second gas pipe; 602-Second check valve;

[0058] 70-Drive components;

[0059] 80 - Support Platform;

[0060] 90 - Light source;

[0061] 100 - Air-cooled component; 101 - Air inlet; 102 - Air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The following will be combined with the appendix Figure 1 - Figure 8 The technical solutions of the present invention have been clearly and completely described. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0063] This invention provides a substrate vacuum adsorption device, which mainly uses an adjustment component 30 to adjust the height of multiple adsorption rods 20, ensuring that the adsorption end faces 220 of the multiple adsorption rods 20 are at the same horizontal plane. This solves the technical problem in related vacuum adsorption devices where the contact area between the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device and the mask is large. If the flatness of the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device is poor, the adhesion between the adsorption end face of the vacuum adsorption device and the mask will be poor, resulting in the vacuum adsorption device failing to firmly adsorb the mask, leading to the mask accidentally falling off and causing economic losses. Further explanation follows.

[0064] Please see Figures 1-4This invention provides a substrate vacuum adsorption device, which includes a support plate 10, an adsorption rod 20, and an adjustment assembly 30. The adsorption rod 20 passes through the support plate 10. The adsorption rod 20 has a flange portion 210, an adsorption end face 220, and an air passage 230. The flange portion 210 extends radially outward and protrudes from the outer side wall of the adsorption rod 20. The adsorption end face 220 is located at the bottom end of the adsorption rod 20. The air passage 230 includes a first opening end 231 near the adsorption end face 220 and a second opening end 232 near the flange portion 210. The first opening end 231 is used for adsorbing the substrate, and the second opening end 232 is used for connecting to a vacuum device. For example, as... Figure 1 As shown, the first opening end 231 penetrates the adsorption end face 220, and the second opening end 232 penetrates the outer wall or top surface of the adsorption rod 20. The adjustment assembly 30 is used to connect the support plate 10 and the flange portion 210, and is configured to adjust the gap between the flange portion 210 and the support plate 10 to adjust the levelness of the adsorption end face 220 of each adsorption rod 20. It should be noted that the adsorption rod 20 is not fixed to the support plate 10; the support plate 10 only provides support for the adsorption rod 20. The adsorption end face 220 of the adsorption rod 20 needs to achieve a specified flatness.

[0065] This embodiment of the invention uses the application of the substrate vacuum adsorption device in a photocuring apparatus for adsorbing a photomask as an example. The substrate vacuum adsorption device provided in this embodiment of the invention, by setting the adsorption end face 220 at the end of the adsorption rod 20, allows for the use of multiple adsorption rods 20, forming a multi-point dispersed adsorption area. The flange portion 210 of the adsorption rod 20 is connected to the support plate 10 via an adjustment assembly 30. Adjusting the gap between the flange portion 210 and the support plate 10 adjusts the levelness of the adsorption end face 220 of each adsorption rod 20, ensuring that the adsorption end face 220 of each adsorption rod 20 is parallel to the surface of the photomask. During the vacuum adsorption process, this ensures that the adsorption end face 220 of each adsorption rod 20 is aligned with the surface of the photomask. The simultaneous contact of the surfaces ensures that each adsorption rod 20 is vacuum-adsorbed onto the mask, improving the reliability and stability of the mask adsorption and reducing or even eliminating the occurrence of accidental mask drop, thereby reducing or even eliminating unnecessary economic losses. On the other hand, since the adsorption conditions at each adsorption point on the mask are relatively consistent, the occurrence of local deformation of the mask is reduced or even eliminated, thus ensuring the horizontality of the mask after adsorption. This further improves the pass rate of subsequent light source 90 curing the product to be cured located below the mask through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask. In addition, it reduces the downtime of the substrate vacuum adsorption device and increases the photocuring capacity.

[0066] Please see Figure 4In this embodiment of the invention, specifically, the support plate 10 is provided with a plurality of through holes 110, and the adsorption rod 20 has a plurality of through holes 110 respectively, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the through holes 110 is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the adsorption rod 20. This arrangement prevents the outer wall surface of the adsorption rod 20 from directly contacting the inner wall surface of the through holes 110 of the support plate 10, reducing wear on the adsorption rod 20 and extending its lifespan.

[0067] Please see Figure 2 In this embodiment of the invention, the adjustment assembly 30 includes an adjustment plate 310 and a positioning member 320. The adjustment plate 310 is located above the support plate 10. Adsorption rods 20 pass through the adjustment plate 310, and flanges 210 rest on the adjustment plate 310. The positioning member 320 connects the adjustment plate 310 and the support plate 10, configured to adjust the gap between the adjustment plate 310 and the support plate 10. Specifically, there are multiple adjustment plates 310, corresponding one-to-one with the number and position of the adsorption rods 20. The adjustment plate 310 has a first hole 312, and the adsorption rods 20 are fitted into the first hole 312, with the lower surface of the flanges 210 abutting against the upper surface of the adjustment plate 310. With this configuration, the gap between the adjustment plate 310 and the support plate 10 is adjusted by the positioning member 320, thereby adjusting the gap between the flanges 210 and the support plate 10, and thus adjusting the levelness of the adsorption end faces 220 of the multiple adsorption rods 20.

[0068] Please see Figure 2 In this embodiment of the invention, the positioning member 320 includes adjusting screws 321, and in each adjusting component 30, there are at least three adjusting screws 321 that are not collinear;

[0069] The adjusting screw 321 is used to connect the adjusting plate 310 and the support plate 10. The adjusting screw 321 can be threaded onto either the adjusting plate 310 or the support plate 10, as follows: For example, the adjusting screw 321 is threaded onto the adjusting plate 310 with its lower end abutting against the upper surface of the support plate 10; or, for another example, the adjusting screw 321 is threaded onto the support plate 10 with its upper end abutting against the lower surface of the adjusting plate 310. This configuration simplifies the adjustment process, requires no complex tools or specialized skills, and places lower skill demands on the adjuster.

[0070] In this embodiment of the invention, in each adjustment component 30, the adjustment screws 321 can be arranged around the outer periphery of the adsorption rod 20 and spaced apart on a circumference. Preferably, the central axis of the circumference where the adjustment screws 321 are located is collinear with the axis of the adsorption rod 20. Specifically, in each adjustment component 30, there are three adjustment screws 321, which are respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the adsorption rod 20 and spaced apart on a circumference.

[0071] In this embodiment of the invention, in each adjustment assembly 30, the positioning member 320 further includes a locking nut 322, which is screwed onto the adjustment screw 321 and configured to lock the adjustment screw 321 to prevent the adjustment screw 321 from rotating. This configuration prevents the gap between the adjustment plate 310 and the support plate 10 from changing again after adjustment due to external force.

[0072] Please see Figure 4 In this embodiment of the invention, the adjustment plate 310 has a protective layer 311, which at least covers the portion of the adjustment plate 310 that contacts the adsorption rod 20. Specifically, the adjustment plate 310 has a second hole 313, and the protective layer 311 is nested within the second hole 313. The protective layer 311 has a limiting portion and an inner hole. The limiting portion extends radially outward and protrudes from the outer wall of the flange portion 210. The limiting portion is located between the flange portion 210 and the adjustment plate 310. The inner hole of the protective layer 311 forms a first hole 312. It should be noted that the adsorption rod 20 is made of a fragile material. During each adsorption process of the mask plate, the flange portion 210 of the adsorption rod 20 is completely lifted against the adjustment plate 310 to achieve the optimal adsorption state. This design ensures that when the flange 210 of the adsorption rod 20 moves downward from its position of being fully raised above the adjustment plate 310 to its position of abutting against the adjustment plate 310, the adsorption rod 20 makes buffered contact with the protective layer 311 made of plastic material. This reduces or even avoids the adsorption rod 20 being damaged by impact due to the excessive distance between the flange 210 of the adsorption rod 20 and the adjustment plate 310, causing the adsorption rod 20 to make direct rigid contact with the adjustment plate 310 during downward movement. This extends the lifespan of the adsorption rod 20.

[0073] It should be noted that the protective layer 311 can be made of plastic materials, such as PVC, nylon, or resin. Preferably, the protective layer 311 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon.

[0074] Please see Figure 5In this embodiment of the invention, the adsorption end face 220 may be provided with an air suction groove 221. The air suction groove 221 is connected to the first opening end 231 and distributed on the outer periphery of the first opening end 231. That is, the first opening end 231 is not radially expanded outward as a whole, but the air suction groove 221 is provided in a circular area radially outward of the first opening end 231. The air suction groove 221 is only a part of the circular area. The provision of the air suction groove 221 increases the adsorption area. This configuration, while maintaining the unchanged dimensions of the adsorption end face 220 of the adsorption rod 20, transfers the vacuum pressure from the first opening end 231 located at the center to the suction groove 221 on the outer periphery. On one hand, compared to only having the first opening end 231, it increases the vacuum adsorption area, increasing the force points on the mask and the adsorption force of each adsorption rod 20, resulting in uniform and strong support for the mask, improving the reliability and stability of the mask adsorption, reducing or even preventing accidental mask drop, thereby reducing or even avoiding unnecessary economic losses. On the other hand, since the first opening end 231 is not... The 231 is radially flared outward to form a circular hole, which only increases a portion of the aforementioned circular area. Its adsorption force is not excessively increased, thereby reducing or even avoiding excessive local stress on the mask plate, which could cause deformation, cracking, or damage to the mask plate. In short, the design of the suction groove 231 increases the adsorption area, and the radial edge of this adsorption area is closer to the outer edge of the adsorption end face. This means that, under the premise of the same adsorption area, the adsorption point of the adsorption force can be closer to the outer edge of the adsorption end face, which is equivalent to increasing the adsorption torque of the adsorption end face, thereby improving the adsorption stability of the adsorption end face.

[0075] In this embodiment of the invention, the shape of the air intake groove 221 can be various, as follows:

[0076] In the first embodiment, the suction groove 221 includes an arc-shaped groove 2212, which is connected to the first opening end 231 and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening end 231. That is, the arc-shaped groove 2212 is provided in a radially outward circular area of ​​the first opening end 231, and the arc-shaped groove 2212 and the first opening end 231 form an adsorption area. This arrangement transmits the vacuum pressure of the first opening end 231, located at the center, to the arc-shaped groove 2212. On the one hand, this ensures that both the center and periphery of each adsorption area of ​​the mask are adsorbed, increasing the vacuum adsorption area, improving the reliability and stability of the mask adsorption, and reducing or even avoiding the phenomenon of the mask accidentally falling off, thereby reducing or even avoiding unnecessary economic losses. On the other hand, the arc-shaped groove 2212 has a small width, and its adsorption force is not excessively increased, thus reducing or even avoiding the phenomenon of excessive local stress on the mask, which could cause deformation, cracking, or damage to the mask.

[0077] Please see Figure 5In the second embodiment, the suction groove 221 comprises an arc-shaped groove 2212 and a strip-shaped groove 2211, one end of the strip-shaped groove 2211 is communicated with the first opening end 231, and the other end is communicated with the arc-shaped groove 2212, the arc-shaped groove 2212 is concentric with the first opening end 231 and surrounds the outer peripheral side of the first opening end 231; the arc-shaped groove 2212, the strip-shaped groove 2211 and the first opening end 231 form an adsorption area. Specifically, the strip-shaped groove 2211 extends outward along the radial direction of the adsorption end surface 220 of the adsorption rod 20. With this arrangement, the vacuum pressure at the first opening end 231 located at the central position is transmitted into the arc-shaped groove 2212 through the strip-shaped groove 2211. On one hand, compared with the arrangement of only the first opening end 231, the vacuum adsorption area is increased, so that both the center and the periphery of each adsorption area of the mask can be adsorbed, which improves the reliability and stability of the adsorption of the mask; on the other hand, the width of the arc-shaped groove 2212 and the strip-shaped groove 2211 is small, and the adsorption force thereof is not excessively increased, thereby reducing or even avoiding the phenomenon that the mask is deformed, cracked or damaged due to excessive local stress on the mask.

[0078] In the above-mentioned first embodiment and the second embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the arc-shaped groove 2212 may be a circular arc-shaped groove 2212, or a "hollow square"-shaped groove.

[0079] In the third embodiment, the suction groove 221 comprises a plurality of strip-shaped grooves 2211 communicated with the first opening end 231, and the plurality of strip-shaped grooves 2211 are distributed on the outer peripheral side of the first opening end 231. Specifically, the strip-shaped grooves 2211 extend radially with the axis of the first opening end 231 as the center, and the first opening end 231 and the plurality of strip-shaped grooves 2211 form an adsorption area. With this arrangement, the vacuum pressure at the first opening end 231 located at the center is transmitted into each strip-shaped groove 2211. On one hand, the vacuum adsorption area is increased, which improves the reliability and stability of mask adsorption; on the other hand, the width of the strip-shaped groove 2211 is small, and the adsorption force thereof is not excessively increased, thereby reducing or even avoiding the phenomenon that the mask is deformed, cracked or damaged due to excessive local stress on the mask.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 4In this embodiment of the invention, the air passage 230 includes a weight-reducing hole 233 and an adsorption hole 234. The weight-reducing hole 233 is located in the central region of the adsorption rod 20. The diameter of the adsorption hole 234 is smaller than that of the weight-reducing hole 233, and one end is connected to the weight-reducing hole 233, while the other end is connected to the first opening end 231. The second opening end 232 is connected to the weight-reducing hole 233. This configuration hollows out the interior of the adsorption rod 20, reducing its weight and thus reducing the bending deformation of the support plate 10. This enhances the reliability of the mask vacuum adsorption, improves the flatness of the mask after vacuum adsorption, reduces the occurrence of light leakage in the liquid crystal display caused by large bending deformation, and further improves the pass rate of subsequent curing of the product to be cured below the mask through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask.

[0081] Please see Figure 4 In this embodiment of the invention, the flange portion 210 includes a flange body 211 and a cover plate 212. The flange body 211 is located at the upper end of the adsorption rod 20 and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral wall of the adsorption rod 20. The upper end of the flange body 211 has an opening 2111 communicating with the weight reduction hole 233. The cover plate 212 is sealed and covered by the opening 2111. A second opening end 232 is provided on the cover plate 212 for connecting a gas pipe connector and connecting to a vacuum device through the gas pipe connector. The adjustment assembly 30 is provided between the flange body 211 and the support plate 10. It should be noted that the cover plate 212 can be glued to the flange body 211. This arrangement facilitates fixing the gas pipe connector to the cover plate 212, thereby ensuring the normal use of the adsorption rod 20.

[0082] In this embodiment of the invention, the substrate can be a mask plate.

[0083] In this embodiment of the invention, there are multiple adsorption rods 20, which can be arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array. This arrangement allows the number and position of the arrayed adsorption rods 20 to be adjusted according to the shape and size of the substrate to be adsorbed. Through the synergistic effect of multiple adsorption rods 20, the stability of vacuum adsorption of the mask substrate to be adsorbed is improved.

[0084] In this embodiment of the invention, preferably, the adsorption rod 20 can be a quartz rod. With this configuration, when the light source 90 cures the product to be cured located below the mask through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask, the quartz adsorption rod 20 reduces obstruction of the light source 90, allowing it to pass smoothly without scattering. The high transmittance of the light source 90 ensures efficient transmission of light, guarantees the same curing speed at all irradiation positions, and improves the curing effect.

[0085] In this embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional shape of the adsorption rod 20 can be circular. This design simplifies manufacturing.

[0086] Please see Figure 6 In this embodiment of the invention, the substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a first vacuum generating device 40 and a vacuum tank 50. The air inlet of the vacuum tank 50 is connected to the second opening end 232 of the adsorption rod 20, and the air outlet of the vacuum tank 50 is connected to the first vacuum generating device 40 through a first air pipe 401. The vacuum tank 50 is configured to maintain the vacuum pressure of the air passage 230 inside the adsorption rod 20 if the first vacuum generating device 40 malfunctions. The first air pipe 401 is equipped with a first one-way valve 402, configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank 50 to the first vacuum generating device 40. It should be noted that the first vacuum generating device 40 can be a vacuum pump or a vacuum generator. With this configuration, the vacuum tank 50 achieves the storage of the vacuum negative pressure source and the stability of the vacuum degree, providing a stable vacuum negative pressure source for substrate vacuum adsorption and improving the stability of mask vacuum adsorption. If the first vacuum generating device 40 malfunctions, the valve of the first one-way valve 402 closes, preventing external gas from flowing back into the vacuum tank 50 through the first vacuum generating device 40, thereby maintaining the vacuum degree in the vacuum tank 50.

[0087] Please see Figure 6 In this embodiment of the invention, the substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a second vacuum generating device 60, which is connected to the outlet of the vacuum tank 50 via a second gas pipe 601. The second vacuum device is configured to evacuate the vacuum tank 50 if the vacuum level of the vacuum tank 50 is lower than a preset vacuum level value. It should be noted that the second vacuum generating device 60 can be a vacuum pump or a vacuum generator. In a specific embodiment, the second vacuum device is configured to evacuate the vacuum tank 50 if the first vacuum device malfunctions and the vacuum level of the vacuum tank 50 is lower than the preset vacuum level value. With this configuration, when the vacuum level in the vacuum tank 50 drops below the preset vacuum level value, the second vacuum generating device 60 is activated to bring the vacuum level in the vacuum tank 50 to a usable state, ensuring the adsorption state of the mask.

[0088] Please see Figure 6 In this embodiment of the invention, the second air pipe 601 and the first air pipe 401 can be interconnected; or they can be independent of each other and connected to the outlet end of the vacuum tank 50 respectively. For example, the second air pipe 601 is connected to the first air pipe 401. Specifically, the second air pipe 601 is connected to the first air pipe 401 between the outlet end of the first one-way valve 402 and the first vacuum generating device 40.

[0089] Please see Figure 6In this embodiment of the invention, the second gas pipe 601 may be equipped with a second one-way valve 602, configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank 50 to the second vacuum generating device 60. For example, the second gas pipe 601 is connected to the first gas pipe 401 between the outlet end of the vacuum tank 50 and the inlet end of the first one-way valve 402. With this configuration, if the second vacuum generating device 60 malfunctions, the valve of the second one-way valve 602 will close, preventing external gas from flowing back into the vacuum tank 50 through the second vacuum generating device 60, thereby maintaining the vacuum level in the vacuum tank 50; or, if the second vacuum generating device 60 is open, the valve of the second one-way valve 602 will close, preventing the vacuum pressure in the first gas pipe 401 from being lost through the second gas pipe 601.

[0090] In this embodiment of the invention, the number of adsorption rods 20 is at least four, arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array; the number of vacuum tanks 50 is at least two, with the outermost adjacent adsorption rods 20 sequentially connected to different vacuum tanks 50. Please refer to [link to previous text]. Figure 6 For example, there are 25 adsorption rods 20 arranged in a rectangular array; there are 4 vacuum tanks 50, named the first vacuum tank, the second vacuum tank, the third vacuum tank, and the fourth vacuum tank; the outermost 16 adsorption rods 20 are connected in parallel to the same vacuum tank 50 every 3 adsorption rods 20; for example, the outermost 16 adsorption rods 20 are connected to the first vacuum tank, the second vacuum tank, the third vacuum tank, and the fourth vacuum tank in a clockwise direction, repeating in sequence. This arrangement avoids adsorption rods 20 in the same row or at the same corner being connected to the same vacuum tank 50. This prevents the mask plate located in the same row or at the same corner from detaching from the adsorption rods 20 due to a large loss of vacuum pressure in one vacuum tank 50. This would create gaps between adjacent adsorption rods 20 in the same row or at the same corner and the mask plate, resulting in a large area of ​​weakened vacuum adsorption force, thus making the vacuum adsorption area of ​​the entire mask plate uneven, and ultimately causing the entire mask plate to detach.

[0091] In the embodiments of the present invention, please refer to the appendix. Figure 6 The number of adsorption rods 20 is 25. The eight adsorption rods 20 located on the inner rectangular side can all be connected to the same vacuum tank 50; alternatively, they can be connected in parallel to any two vacuum tanks 50 with every other adsorption rod 20; alternatively, they can be connected in parallel to the same vacuum tank 50 with every two adsorption rods 20; alternatively, they can be connected in parallel to the same vacuum tank 50 with every three adsorption rods 20; the vacuum tank 50 connected to the central adsorption rod 20 is not limited here. It should be noted that the number of adsorption rods and the number of vacuum tanks can also be set in other ways, which are not limited here.

[0092] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment of the invention, the substrate vacuum adsorption device further includes a driving component 70 and a support platform 80. The driving component 70 is tractively connected to the support platform 80. The driving component 70 is configured to drive the support platform 80 to move up and down to approach or move away from the adsorption end face 220 of the adsorption rod 20. The support platform is configured to support the substrate and provide a reference for adjusting the adsorption end faces 220 of the multiple adsorption rods 20 to be on the same horizontal plane. It should be noted that the driving component 70 can be a power jack, or other driving methods can be used, as long as they can drive the support platform 80 to move up and down, such as a linear motor, etc., which are not limited here.

[0093] In this embodiment of the invention, the principle of adjusting the adsorption end faces 220 of the multiple adsorption rods 20 to be on the same horizontal plane can be as follows:

[0094] The driving component 70 drives the support platform 80 to move upward, slowly contacting the bottom end of the adsorption rod 20; the driving component 70 continues to drive the support platform 80 to move upward slowly a preset distance, and the support platform 80 completely lifts the adsorption rod 20, that is, makes the lower surface of the flange portion 210 of the adsorption rod 20 detach from the upper surface of the adjustment plate 310; then, the driving component 70 stops moving, and controls the adsorption rod 20 to be vacuum adsorbed onto the support platform 80. At this time, the adsorption end face 220 of the adsorption rod 20 is at the same horizontal plane as the surface of the support platform 80; the gap between the lower surface of the flange portion 210 of the adsorption rod 20 and the upper surface of the adjustment plate 310 is measured by a feeler gauge, and the gap between the lower surface of the adjustment plate 310 and the upper surface of the support plate 10 is adjusted by adjusting each adjustment screw 321, so that the adsorption end face 220 of the adsorption rod 20 is at the same horizontal plane. After adjusting screw 321, drive component 70 drives support platform 80 downward a preset distance. Then, measure again whether the gap between the lower surface of each adjustment plate 310 and the upper surface of support plate 10 is within the preset distance range. This confirms whether the adsorption end faces 220 of each adsorption rod 20 have been adjusted to be horizontal. If the gap between the lower surface of each adjustment plate 310 and the upper surface of support plate 10 exceeds the preset distance range, repeat the above operation to make the adsorption end faces 220 of the adsorption rods 20 horizontal, thus meeting the usage requirements.

[0095] In this embodiment of the invention, the working principle of the substrate vacuum adsorption device can be as follows:

[0096] After adjusting the adsorption end faces 220 of each adsorption rod 20 to be on the same horizontal plane, the drive unit 70 drives the support platform 80 to move upward on the mask plate. After moving to a specified height, the drive unit 70 begins to decelerate, and the drive unit 70 drives the support platform 80 to slowly contact the adsorption end faces 220 of the adsorption rod 20. Then, the drive unit 70 drives the support platform 80 to continue to move upward slowly for a certain distance. At this time, the mask plate completely lifts the adsorption rod 20, that is, the lower surface of the flange portion 210 of the adsorption rod 20 is separated from the upper surface of the adjustment plate 310. Then, the first vacuum device is controlled to evacuate the vacuum so that the adsorption end faces 220 of the adsorption rod 20 are vacuum adsorbed onto the support platform 80. After the vacuum degree in the air passage 230 of the adsorption rod 20 reaches the preset vacuum degree value, the drive unit 70 drives the support platform 80 to slowly descend and completely detach from the mask plate. At this time, the mask plate is completely adsorbed by the adsorption rod 20. If, during the adsorption process, the vacuum level in the air passage 230 of the adsorption rod 20 falls below the preset vacuum level, the residual vacuum pressure in the vacuum tank 50 will ensure that the mask does not fall off within a certain period of time. At this time, the operator can place the mask on the support platform 80 to prevent the mask from falling off and causing damage. If the vacuum level in the vacuum tank 50 falls below the preset vacuum level, the second vacuum device will be activated to evacuate the vacuum tank 50 to ensure the normal operation of the substrate vacuum adsorption device.

[0097] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 7 The present invention also provides a photocuring apparatus, which includes a substrate, a light source 90 and the aforementioned substrate vacuum adsorption device. The substrate is a mask plate and the adsorption rod 20 is a quartz rod. The light source 90 is located below the support plate 10 and is configured to cure the product to be cured located below the mask plate through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask plate.

[0098] Since the photocuring apparatus includes the aforementioned substrate vacuum adsorption device, it possesses all the beneficial technical effects of the aforementioned substrate vacuum adsorption device, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0099] Photocuring is a technology that uses light to initiate a reaction and harden materials under the action of a light source 90. The light source 90 is one of the main basic elements in the photocuring process, and its selection directly affects the effect and quality of photocuring. Generally, light sources 90 are divided into two categories: ultraviolet (UV) light sources 90 and visible light light sources 90. UV light sources 90 have the advantages of high energy, high efficiency, and fast reaction speed. Common UV light sources 90 include halogen lamps, LED lamps, plasma arc lamps, and argon laser lamps. Visible light light sources 90, compared to UV light sources 90, have lower energy and slower reaction speeds. In this embodiment of the invention, preferably, the light source 90 is an ultraviolet (UV) light source 90. This configuration, taking the application of the photocuring device to the curing of the frame adhesive of an LCD screen as an example, enables rapid curing of the LCD screen frame adhesive, preventing contamination of the LCD by uncured frame adhesive and thus protecting the LCD screen's quality.

[0100] Please see Figure 8 In this embodiment of the invention, there are multiple light sources 90; multiple adsorption rods 20 are arranged in a rectangular array in multiple rows, and multiple light sources 90 are respectively located between adjacent rows of adsorption rods 20; or multiple adsorption rods 20 are arranged in a circular array in multiple rings, and multiple light sources 90 are respectively located between adsorption rods 20 in adjacent rings. This arrangement ensures the uniformity of light distribution.

[0101] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this embodiment of the invention, the photocuring device may further include an air-cooling component 100, which includes an air inlet 101 and an air outlet 102. Multiple air inlets 101 and 102 are respectively arranged opposite each other along a first direction and alternately along a second direction. The first and second directions are perpendicular to each other and both perpendicular to the axis of the adsorption rod 20. This arrangement allows the large amount of heat generated by the light source 90 during irradiation to be rapidly discharged from both sides of the photocuring device, thereby reducing the impact of heat on the components inside the photocuring device, i.e., reducing deformation of the components and reducing or even preventing damage to the light source 90.

[0102] Please see Figure 8 In this embodiment of the invention, the adsorption rod 20 has a circular cross-sectional shape. This design reduces the influence of the adsorption rod 20 on the airflow direction of the air-cooled assembly 100. Furthermore, the vertical installation of the adsorption rod 20, with its shorter vertical length and circular cross-sectional shape, minimizes airflow disturbance, thereby reducing the vibration amplitude and frequency of the adsorption rod 20. This prevents excessive vibration amplitude or frequency, which could lead to mask plate breakage and detachment, thus significantly improving the safety performance of the adsorption rod 20.

[0103] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A substrate vacuum adsorption device, characterized in that, include: Support plate (10); An adsorption rod (20) extends through the support plate (10); the adsorption rod (20) has a flange (210), an adsorption end face (220), and an air passage (230); the flange (210) extends radially outward and protrudes from the outer side wall of the adsorption rod (20); the adsorption end face (220) is located at the bottom end of the adsorption rod (20); the air passage (230) includes a first opening end (231) near the adsorption end face (220) and a second opening end (232) near the flange (210); and, An adjustment component (30) is used to connect the support plate (10) and the flange (210), and is configured to adjust the gap between the flange (210) and the support plate (10) to adjust the levelness of the adsorption end face (220) of each adsorption rod (20).

2. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment assembly (30) includes an adjustment plate (310) and a positioning member (320), with the flange (210) resting on the adjustment plate (310); the positioning member (320) is connected to the adjustment plate (310) and the support plate (10) and is configured to adjust the gap between the adjustment plate (310) and the support plate (10).

3. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning element (320) includes adjusting screws (321), and in each of the adjusting components (30), there are at least three adjusting screws (321) that are not collinear; The adjusting screw (321) is threaded to the adjusting plate (310), or the adjusting screw (321) is threaded to the support plate (10).

4. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The positioning element (320) further includes a locking nut (322), which is screwed onto the adjusting screw (321) and configured to lock the adjusting screw (321) to prevent the adjusting screw (321) from rotating.

5. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment plate (310) has a protective layer (311) that at least covers the part of the adjustment plate (310) that contacts the adsorption rod (20).

6. The substrate vacuum adsorption apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The adsorption end face (220) is provided with an air intake groove (221), which is connected to the first opening end (231) and distributed on the outer periphery of the first opening end (231).

7. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The air intake groove (221) includes an arc-shaped groove (2212), which is connected to the first opening end (231) and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening end (231); Alternatively, the air intake groove (221) includes an arc-shaped groove (2212) and a strip-shaped groove (2211), one end of the strip-shaped groove (2211) is connected to the first opening end (231), and the other end is connected to the arc-shaped groove (2212). The arc-shaped groove (2212) is concentric with the first opening end (231) and surrounds the outer periphery of the first opening end (231). Alternatively, the air intake groove (221) may include a strip groove (2211) connected to the first opening end (231), and the strip groove (2211) may have a plurality of grooves and be distributed on the outer periphery of the first opening end (231).

8. The substrate vacuum adsorption apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The airway (230) includes a weight-reducing hole (233) and an adsorption hole (234), wherein the weight-reducing hole (233) is located in the central region of the adsorption rod (20); The diameter of the adsorption pore (234) is smaller than that of the weight reduction pore (233), and one end is connected to the weight reduction pore (233), while the other end is connected to the first opening end (231). The second opening end (232) is connected to the weight reduction hole (233).

9. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The flange portion (210) includes a flange body (211) and a cover plate (212). The flange body (211) is located at the upper end of the adsorption rod (20) and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral wall of the adsorption rod (20). The upper end of the flange body (211) has an opening (2111) communicating with the weight reduction hole (233). The cover plate (212) seals the opening (2111). The second opening end (232) is located on the cover plate (212). The adjustment component (30) is located between the flange body (211) and the support plate (10).

10. The substrate vacuum adsorption apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The adsorption rod (20) is multiple, and the multiple adsorption rods (20) are arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array. And / or, the adsorption rod (20) is a quartz rod; And / or, the substrate is a mask plate; And / or, the cross-sectional shape of the adsorption rod (20) is circular.

11. The substrate vacuum adsorption apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a first vacuum generator (40) and a vacuum tank (50). The air inlet of the vacuum tank (50) is connected to the second opening end (232) of the adsorption rod (20), and the air outlet of the vacuum tank (50) is connected to the first vacuum generator (40) through a first air pipe (401). The vacuum tank (50) is configured such that if the first vacuum generator (40) malfunctions, the vacuum tank (50) is used to maintain the vacuum pressure of the air passage (230) in the adsorption rod (20). The first gas pipe (401) is equipped with a first one-way valve (402), configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank (50) to the first vacuum generator (40).

12. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The substrate vacuum adsorption device includes a second vacuum generator (60), which is connected to the outlet of the vacuum tank (50) through a second air pipe (601). The second vacuum device is configured to evacuate the vacuum tank (50) if the vacuum degree of the vacuum tank (50) is lower than a preset vacuum degree value.

13. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second trachea (601) is connected to the first trachea (401); And / or, the second gas pipe (601) is provided with a second one-way valve (602) configured to allow gas to flow only from the vacuum tank (50) to the second vacuum generator (60).

14. The substrate vacuum adsorption device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The number of adsorption rods (20) is at least 4, arranged in a rectangular array or a circular array; The number of vacuum canisters (50) is at least two, and the outermost adjacent adsorption rods (20) are sequentially connected to different vacuum canisters (50).

15. The substrate vacuum adsorption apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The substrate vacuum adsorption device further includes a drive unit (70) and a support platform (80), wherein the drive unit (70) is tractively connected to the support platform (80); the drive unit (70) is configured to drive the support platform (80) to move up and down to approach or move away from the adsorption end face (220) of the adsorption rod (20); the support platform is configured to support the substrate and provide a reference for adjusting the adsorption end faces (220) of the plurality of adsorption rods (20) to be on the same horizontal plane.

16. A photocuring apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a substrate, a light source (90), and a substrate vacuum adsorption device according to any one of claims 1-15, wherein the substrate is a mask plate, and the adsorption rod (20) is a quartz rod; the light source (90) is disposed below the support plate (10) and configured to: cure the product to be cured located below the mask plate through the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask plate.

17. The photocuring apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, The light source (90) is an ultraviolet light source (90); And / or, the light source (90) has multiple; the multiple adsorption rods (20) are arranged in a rectangular array to form multiple adsorption rows, and the multiple light sources (90) are respectively located between adjacent adsorption rows, or the multiple adsorption rods (20) are arranged in a circular array to form multiple adsorption rings, and the multiple light sources (90) are respectively located between adjacent adsorption rings.

18. The photocuring apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, The photocuring device further includes an air-cooling component (100), which includes an air inlet (101) and an air outlet (102). The air inlet (101) and the air outlet (102) each have multiple outlets and are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction and alternately arranged along a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the adsorption rod (20).

Images