Actuator, work bonding machine, and work bonding method

Abstract

To provide an actuator, a work bonding machine equipped with the actuator, and a work bonding method that do not cause bonding defects even when there is warpage of a work or non-uniformity in the sealing amount of a peripheral seal.SOLUTION: The actuator is used together with a work adhesion chuck device in which a thin plate-like work adhered to a pair of holding plates is peeled in a vacuum atmosphere and then the periphery of the work is exposed to the atmosphere. The actuator is arranged annularly along the periphery of a work peripheral seal and used in such an arrangement, the actuator pressing the entire work peripheral seal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator used in a substrate bonding machine that bonds another workpiece such as a touch panel, cover glass, cover film or FPD to a workpiece such as a flat panel display (FPD) or sensor device, such as a liquid crystal module (LCM) or flexible printed circuit board (FPC), such as a touch panel FPD, 3D (three-dimensional) display or e-book, as well as a workpiece bonding machine and workpiece bonding method equipped with the actuator. [Background technology]

[0002] As a conventional workpiece bonding machine of this type, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a workpiece bonding machine including an upper surface plate on which an upper workpiece is seated, a lower surface plate on which a lower workpiece to be joined to the upper workpiece is seated, a workpiece adhesive chuck having adhesive rubber that uses adhesive force to fix the upper workpiece seated on the upper surface plate, and an adhesive release device that induces a force in the opposite direction to the adhesive force so that the upper workpiece is released from the adhesive rubber. In the operation of the workpiece bonding machine, the upper workpiece is first attracted and lifted by a vacuum chuck, where it adheres to the adhesive rubber attached to the upper surface plate. Next, the heating and expansion section expands in a vacuum atmosphere connecting the upper and lower chambers, releasing the upper workpiece from the adhesive rubber and bringing it face-to-face with the lower workpiece located below. For example, if the element to be placed within the workpiece is a liquid crystal display, the lower workpiece is coated with a main seal in a frame-like pattern that surrounds the display area of ​​the liquid crystal display, which essentially bonds the upper and lower workpieces together, and a peripheral seal that bonds the entire workpiece together. Figure 1 shows an example of such a workpiece. Main seals MS are positioned to surround each of the matrix-shaped liquid crystals LC arranged on the lower workpiece (liquid crystal glass substrate LCD). A separate peripheral seal (dummy seal DS) is also positioned around the periphery of the substrate to bond the entire liquid crystal glass substrate LCD. The upper and lower chambers are connected, and the upper and lower workpieces are bonded together in an evacuated vacuum atmosphere. When the upper and lower chambers are separated and opened to the atmosphere, the upper and lower workpieces are pressed together by atmospheric pressure, forming a strong bond. After the bonded workpieces are removed, each of the matrices is cut, and the peripheral seal no longer contributes to the bonding, so the peripheral seal is also called a dummy seal DS. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a liquid crystal display panel manufacturing device that prevents the occurrence of cell thickness unevenness by deforming a partial area of ​​the peripheral seal when exposed to the atmosphere, thereby intentionally creating a seal path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-126342 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-170673 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The workpiece bonding machine described in Patent Document 1 operates by opening the internal space sealed by the dummy seal DS to the atmosphere while maintaining a near-vacuum state, achieving bonding through the differential pressure between atmospheric pressure and vacuum. However, in cases where the workpieces are heat-treated prior to the workpiece bonding process, warping due to the heat treatment can occur. In cases where multiple dummy seals are used, the upper workpiece may not reach the dummy seal due to the surface tension of the main seal and the distance between the dummy seals, or the sealant may simply not be applied properly. In such cases, the closed space sealed by the dummy seal DS cannot be formed, and the differential pressure between atmospheric pressure and vacuum is insufficient when opening the space to the atmosphere, resulting in poor crimping of the finished workpiece. No workpiece bonding machine has addressed this issue. The device described in Patent Document 2 deforms the peripheral seal, but is unrelated to the technical challenge of ensuring a closed space sealed by the dummy seal DS.

[0005] Furthermore, in recent years, with the trend toward higher resolution displays, the bonding precision of the two workpieces, the upper and lower workpieces, has required submicron-order precision, necessitating precise alignment. On the other hand, when peeling and bonding one or both of the thin workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, there is a problem in that even slight vibration of the surface plate due to the peeling operation reduces the bonding precision.

[0006] The present invention addresses these problems and aims to provide an actuator that does not cause poor crimping or reduced bonding accuracy even if the workpiece is warped or the sealing amount of the peripheral seal is uneven, as well as a workpiece bonding machine and workpiece bonding method equipped with this actuator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve this object, the technical means according to the present invention is an actuator having at least the following configuration.

[0008] This actuator is used in conjunction with a work holding mechanism that peels off one or both of a thin plate-shaped workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then opens the area around the workpiece to the atmosphere.The actuator is arranged circumferentially around the periphery of the workpiece outer periphery seal, and is characterized in that it presses the entire workpiece outer periphery seal.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the technical means according to the present invention is a workpiece bonding machine having at least the following configuration.

[0010] The device is characterized by comprising a workpiece holding mechanism that peels off one or both of a thin plate-shaped workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then opens the periphery of the workpiece to the atmosphere, and an actuator that is arranged circumferentially around the periphery of the workpiece outer periphery seal and presses the entire workpiece outer periphery seal.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the technical means according to the present invention is a method for bonding workpieces, which comprises at least the following configuration.

[0012] This method for joining workpieces includes at least a step of peeling off one or both of thin plate-shaped workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and a step of opening the periphery of the workpieces to the atmosphere, and is characterized by further including a step of pressing a seal around the outer periphery of the workpieces. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] By virtue of these characteristics, the present invention provides the following advantageous effects. It is possible to provide an actuator that does not cause poor crimping even if the workpiece is warped or the sealing amount of the outer peripheral seal is uneven, as well as a workpiece bonding machine and workpiece bonding method that are equipped with the actuator. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a liquid crystal glass substrate to be bonded by a conventional work bonding machine and a work bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a bottom view of an upper surface plate. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a portion of an actuator and an upper surface plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a workpiece bonding operation performed by the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a liquid crystal glass substrate to be subjected to the work bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a drive system and the like of the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a bottom view of an upper surface plate. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece bonding machine that prevents the lower surface plate from shaking, and is a bottom view of the upper surface plate. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece bonding machine that takes into consideration both poor pressure bonding and prevention of shaking of the lower surface plate, and is a bottom view of the upper surface plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (Overall composition) As shown in FIG. 2, the workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is designed for thin-plate workpieces, such as liquid crystal glass substrates (LCDs). The vacuum chuck firmly and detachably holds the workpiece in place by contacting the adhesive portion, and the peeling portion protrudes toward the workpiece to release the workpiece from the adhesive portion and transfer it. The machine primarily comprises multiple workpiece adhesive chuck devices 2 and multiple rectangular actuators 1 that press the entire outer periphery of the workpiece. The workpiece bonding machine also includes an upper surface plate UP that supports the upper glass substrate ULCD and a lower surface plate LP that supports the lower glass substrate LLCD. As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator 1 is located on the upper surface plate UP along with the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 (not shown). The lower surface plate LP does not have the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 or actuator 1. However, the lower surface plate LP may also have the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 and actuator 1. The upper surface plate UP and the lower surface plate LP are surface plates formed from a hard material such as metal, ceramic, or hard synthetic resin.

[0016] The workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 has, as its main components, an adhesive surface and a release portion. The workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 is an adhesive sheet made entirely or in part of an adhesive material such as rubbers such as fluororubber or butyl rubber, elastomer, photosensitive resin, acrylic or silicone. As shown in Fig. 2, the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 is formed in a circular frame shape, but it may also be formed in an elliptical or other annular, or a rectangular or polygonal frame shape.

[0017] The adhesive surface of the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 is configured to come into contact with a part of the workpiece, thereby adhering to the contacted part and removably holding the adhered part. As a specific example, by forming an uneven surface during the surface processing of rubber during molding, the contact area of ​​the adhesive surface with the surface of the workpiece is reduced, and the adhesive force is limited so that it can be easily pushed off.

[0018] The multiple release portions (not shown) are made, in whole or in part, of an elastically deformable material, such as rubbers (e.g., fluororubber, ethylene propylene diene (EPDM) rubber), elastomers, or soft synthetic resins, and are configured as diaphragms or elastic plates with circular or rectangular elastically deformable surfaces formed into thin plates. The multiple release portions are arranged to sandwich the inner and outer sides of the adhesive surface and have one or more pressing surfaces facing the workpiece surface. The pressing surfaces are configured to elastically protrude and deform toward the workpiece surface in a direction perpendicular to the workpiece surface. Specific examples of release portions include diaphragms or elastic plates integrally or incorporated into the workpiece by compression molding, injection molding, or other techniques. Because this function is well-known, detailed description is omitted. However, the release portion of this embodiment can smoothly push and peel even easily deformed thin workpieces with relatively little deflection.

[0019] The workpiece bonding machine has a drive unit for moving either or both of the upper and lower base plates UP and LP closer to or farther apart relative to one another, a drive unit for peeling the workpiece from the upper and lower base plates using the peeling unit, a drive unit for the actuator that presses the seal around the workpiece, and a control unit that manages each of the drive systems that control these.

[0020] (Actuator configuration) The actuator that presses the workpiece peripheral seal, a characteristic feature of the present invention, will now be described. As previously explained, FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a liquid crystal glass substrate as a workpiece targeted by a conventional workpiece bonding machine. The liquid crystal glass substrate targeted by the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention is roughly the same. However, the detailed dimensions and placement of the peripheral seal (dummy seal) are specially designed to meet requirements for optimizing the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention and other requirements. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal glass substrate LCD targeted by the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention has a main seal MS arranged to surround each matrix-shaped liquid crystal LC. Separately, a dummy seal DS is arranged around the periphery of the substrate to press the entire liquid crystal glass substrate LCD. To optimize the dimensions of the dummy seal DS, the line width of the dummy seal DS is set smaller than that of a conventional seal. Furthermore, to maximize the effective area on the glass substrate in which the matrix-shaped liquid crystal LC can be placed, the dummy seal DS is arranged in a closed loop as close as possible to the edge of the substrate.

[0021] As mentioned above, this embodiment, as well as conventional workpiece bonding machines, can smoothly push and peel easily deformed thin plate-shaped workpieces with relatively little deflection. However, the problem does not end there. In some cases, warping of the substrate occurs during, for example, a heat treatment process prior to the workpiece bonding process. Even if push-and-peel operation is smooth, the workpiece may still be warped after peeling. Therefore, the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention is equipped with an actuator that presses the workpiece outer periphery seal (dummy seal DS). Conventionally, bonding of upper and lower substrates relies solely on the adhesive strength of the sealant. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to apply a slightly larger amount of sealant and a larger line width. However, if the substrate warpage is greater than expected, applying a larger amount of sealant will not achieve the required bonding unless the upper and lower substrates physically contact each other. Therefore, by applying pressure to the area where the dummy seal DS is applied, the upper and lower substrates can be reliably bonded together. This means that less sealing material is required, and the line width of the dummy seal DS can be made smaller than before.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a bottom view of the upper surface plate. That is, the view is of the upper surface plate UP from below. The upper surface plate UP includes multiple workpiece adhesive chuck devices 2 and multiple actuators 1. The actuators 1 are arranged along the dummy seal DS shown in FIG. 1 to surround the entire periphery of the liquid crystal glass substrate LCD. However, as shown in FIG. 2, at the four corners, the actuators 1 are positioned vertically offset from the positions of the adjacent actuators 1 on the left and right to avoid the camera holes CH. Since it is preferable to have the actuators 1 directly facing the center line of the dummy seal DS, most of the actuators 1 are positioned along the center line of the dummy seal DS. However, even if some actuators 1 are slightly offset, this does not pose a significant problem as long as they can abut against the dummy seal DS. Therefore, at the locations where the camera holes CH are located, the actuators are positioned to avoid them. Note that although multiple actuators 1 surround the entire periphery of the liquid crystal glass substrate LCD, a certain distance is maintained between each individual actuator 1. This is because the crushing is achieved by the rigidity of the glass, so the actuator 1 does not need to be arranged continuously around the entire periphery.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a portion of an actuator and an upper surface plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3(a) shows an actuator 1 configured with a diaphragm 12. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the actuator 1 is normally disposed on the upper surface plate UP so that its pressing surface 11 is flush with the lower surface of the upper surface plate UP. However, when fluid is injected through the air inlet 13 and the diaphragm 12 presses down on the pressing surface 11, the pressing surface 11 protrudes downward from the upper surface plate UP and presses against the upper substrate to which the dummy seal DS is applied. The pressing surface 11 is formed of conductive PEEK. Because static electricity tends to be generated during pressing, conductive PEEK is used, but other materials may be used as long as they provide anti-static measures. The diaphragm 12 and pressing surface 11 are joined by fitting or screwing. The actuator 1 using the diaphragm 12 can be made common with the air drive system that operates the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2, making it possible to simplify the drive system.

[0024] FIG. 3(b) shows another example of an actuator, in which actuator 1' is configured using a mechanical cylinder 14. As shown in FIG. 3(b), actuator 1' is normally disposed on upper surface plate UP so that its pressing surface 11 is flush with the underside of upper surface plate UP. However, when mechanical cylinder 14, driven by a driving means (not shown), presses down on pressing surface 11, pressing surface 11 protrudes downward from upper surface plate UP and presses against the upper substrate to which dummy seal DS is applied. In actuator 1, pressing is achieved by fully expanding diaphragm 12, making stroke limit control difficult. However, in actuator 1', either air-driven or motor-driven mechanical cylinder 14 can be used. Using a motor-driven system has the advantage of easier stroke limit control.

[0025] (About workpiece joining operation) The workpiece bonding operation performed by the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the workpiece bonding operation performed by the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] In Figure 4(a), the upper glass substrate ULCD is mounted on an upper surface plate UP, and the lower glass substrate LLCD is mounted on a lower surface plate LP. At this time, the atmosphere in a chamber (not shown) is substantially a vacuum. A main seal MS is applied in a colony shape to the lower glass substrate LLCD, and a dummy seal DS is applied near the outer periphery of the substrate. The main seal MS and dummy seal DS may be formed on the upper glass substrate ULCD.

[0027] In Figure 4(b), when the upper glass substrate ULCD is peeled off from the upper surface plate UP by a peeling part (not shown), a problem with the upper glass substrate ULCD becomes apparent. The warping of the edge of the upper glass substrate ULCD caused by the pre-processing has reappeared due to the peeling, and if this continues, the dummy seal DS may not be able to bond the upper and lower glass substrates together. In this situation, even if the substrate is opened to the atmosphere, the dummy seal DS will not form a closed space, and therefore bonding will not be achieved.

[0028] However, the workpiece bonding machine according to the embodiment of the present invention is equipped with an actuator 1 that presses the dummy seal DS, and as shown in Figure 4(c), by injecting air into the diaphragm to cause the pressing surface 11 to protrude downward, the warped portion of the upper glass substrate ULCD can be brought into physical contact with the lower glass substrate LLCD. The dummy seal DS then effectively contributes to bonding the upper and lower substrates together.

[0029] 4(d), when the substrates are opened to the atmosphere (Atmospheric Open), the upper and lower substrates are crushed by the differential pressure between the internal vacuum space created by the dummy seal DS and the outside, making the pressure bond between the main seal MS and dummy seal DS stronger. Specifically, the gap between the upper and lower substrates to which the sealant is applied was about 100 μm before being crushed by atmospheric pressure, due to the influence of the liquid crystal, etc., but after being crushed, it becomes about 3 μm, the height restricted by the spacers.

[0030] While the warping of the edge of the upper glass substrate UCLD shown in Figure 4(b) was explained as being caused by pretreatment, other factors can also cause this warping. For example, warping can occur during the bonding process due to the distance from the liquid crystal and main seal MS, as well as the surface tension of the liquid crystal. The thickness of the sealant before bonding is on the order of 10 μm, while the thickness of the liquid crystal before bonding is approximately 100 μm. However, due to the strong surface tension of the liquid crystal, the liquid crystal spreads significantly between the substrates immediately after bonding, bonding the upper and lower substrates with great force. Because the liquid crystal is distributed evenly from the center to the periphery of the substrates, the upper and lower substrates are bonded together with great force, starting from the center. As a result, the bonding process is delayed at the periphery of the dummy seal DS, which is located relatively farther out, and the high viscosity of the sealant can leave a curved shape.

[0031] The dummy seal DS is more likely to warp as it moves away from the main seal MS and the liquid crystal, which poses a significant problem when trying to increase the usable area of ​​the substrate. Conventionally, the only way to address this issue was to minimize the warping that tends to occur in previous processes or to increase the amount of dummy seal DS applied. However, this embodiment fundamentally solves this problem by physically pressing the upper glass substrate ULCD against the dummy seal DS to bring them into contact. Furthermore, when applying sealant using a dispenser, the sealant may be applied in a wavy manner, resulting in variations in the application height. During this application process, the application height may be greater at the beginning and end of the application, which also contributes to variations in the application height.

[0032] Furthermore, substrate warpage can also occur for other reasons. In the preceding explanation, we have described the dummy seal DS as forming an internal closed space and using the differential pressure between vacuum and atmospheric pressure to bond the upper and lower substrates. However, the dummy seal DS also serves another purpose. After the bonding process, the substrates undergo other processes, such as chemical immersion, and the dummy seal DS also serves to protect the internal components by creating the space. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a liquid crystal glass substrate that takes this into consideration and is targeted by the workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the liquid crystal LCD' of this example has a triple layer of dummy seals, including a first dummy seal DS1 and a second dummy seal DS2, in addition to the main seals MS arranged in each matrix of the liquid crystal LC, and dummy seals DS arranged near the outer periphery of the substrate. During processing after the bonding process, the substrate may be cut into smaller pieces for processing due to the size of the processing equipment. In this case, even if the outermost dummy seal DS is separated and loses its protective function due to cutting, the function of protecting the main seal MS and the liquid crystal is maintained as long as the second dummy seal DS2 or the first dummy seal DS1 is not cut. On the other hand, the distance between the liquid crystal and the outermost dummy seal DS becomes large, which may cause warping at the edge of the substrate, as mentioned above. The workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention can also effectively handle another example of a liquid crystal display (LCD). In this case, the pressing actuator only needs to be provided for the outermost dummy seal DS; it is not necessary to provide it for the first dummy seal DS1 or the second dummy seal DS2. The actuator is required to reliably form a vacuum internal space. In other words, when bonding is achieved by differential pressure, the first dummy seal DS1 and the second dummy seal DS2 are reliably pressed against each other.

[0033] (Actuator drive system) The actuator drive system will now be described. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the drive system and other components of a workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a bottom view of the upper surface plate. A diaphragm-based actuator 1 is assumed as the actuator. As mentioned above, the actuator 1 using the diaphragm 12 can also be shared with the air drive system that operates the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2. Even in conventional workpiece bonding machines, multiple air drive systems, for example, one for the inside and one for the outside, have been provided for the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2 so that the timing of diaphragm inflation can be differentiated to prevent workpiece bending during peeling. Such air drive system design technology can be easily applied to the workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, either directly or with only partial modifications. As shown in FIG. 6, the workpiece bonding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes three air drive systems: a first drive system DR1 for driving the workpiece adhesive chuck device 2, a second drive system DR2 for driving the actuator 1 in the left-right direction as viewed in the drawing, and a third drive system DR3 for driving the actuator 1 in the up-down direction as viewed in the drawing. The gas piping in each system is configured so as to be directly connected to the individual diaphragms. However, the piping may be integrated using connectors or block manifolds, or may be connected together using a gun drill that drills horizontal holes in the upper surface plate UP. The number of drive systems may also be four or more.

[0034] <Additional Notes> A workpiece bonding operation that does not cause a bonding failure was previously described using Figure 4. However, by using the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to solve other problems that occur in the process related to workpiece bonding. Therefore, without being bound by the recitation of the claims, such a multifaceted invention will be described below. <a1> A method for bonding workpieces, comprising at least a step of peeling off one or both of thin plate-like workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and a step of exposing the periphery of the workpieces to the atmosphere, At least, a step of pressing the outer periphery seal of the workpiece before performing the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere is included. A method for bonding workpieces.

[0035] According to the above configuration, the warp originally present in the workpiece can be corrected by heat treatment or the like, and the accuracy of bonding two workpieces together can be improved.

[0036] <a2> Furthermore, when laminating workpieces in a vacuum atmosphere, the outer periphery seal of the workpiece is pressed. A method for bonding workpieces according to A1, characterized in that

[0037] According to the above configuration, warpage of the workpieces can be corrected and high-quality workpiece bonding can be performed without causing poor pressure bonding.

[0038] <a3> A work bonding machine comprising a work holding mechanism that peels off one or both of a thin plate-like workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then opens the periphery of the workpiece to the atmosphere, and an actuator that is used by circumferentially arranging an actuator along the periphery of the workpiece outer periphery seal and presses the entire workpiece outer periphery seal, Further, a control unit is provided, The control unit performs pressure control to press the outer periphery seal of the workpiece before performing the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere. A workpiece bonding machine characterized by the above.

[0039] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a workpiece bonding machine that can correct warpage of the workpieces and bond high-quality workpieces without causing poor bonding.

[0040] <a4> The control unit performs pressure control to press the outer periphery seal of the workpiece during the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere. A workpiece bonding machine according to A3, characterized in that

[0041] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a workpiece bonding machine that can correct warpage of the workpieces and bond high-quality workpieces without causing poor pressure bonding.

[0042] <b1> A method for bonding workpieces, comprising at least a step of peeling off one or both of thin plate-like workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and a step of exposing the periphery of the workpieces to the atmosphere, At least, after the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere and before the workpiece is peeled off, a process of pressing the workpiece outer periphery seal is included. A method for bonding workpieces.

[0043] Regarding the behavior around the lower workpiece, whether the lower workpiece is placed directly on the lower surface plate or via a substrate plate, the lower workpiece rarely shifts from the lower surface plate. This is because the contact area between these two or three elements is large, creating sufficient friction between them. Meanwhile, the lower surface plate, which is connected to the machine frame, has a movement mechanism and some play in the equipment, so slight wobble may occur. However, with the above-described configuration, wobble of the lower surface plate that may occur during the upper workpiece peeling operation is fixed, stabilizing the operation during the upper workpiece peeling and improving the alignment accuracy of the two workpieces.

[0044] <b2> A work bonding machine comprising a work holding mechanism that peels off one or both of a thin plate-like workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then opens the periphery of the workpiece to the atmosphere, and an actuator that is used by circumferentially arranging an actuator along the periphery of the workpiece outer periphery seal and presses the entire workpiece outer periphery seal, Further, a control unit is provided, The control unit performs pressure control to press the outer periphery seal of the workpiece after the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere and before the workpiece is peeled off. A workpiece bonding machine characterized by the above.

[0045] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a work bonding machine that can fix the wobbling movement of the lower surface plate that may occur when the upper workpiece is peeled off, stabilize the operation when the upper workpiece is peeled off, and align two workpieces with high precision.

[0046] Furthermore, the following inventions can be mentioned as means for preventing the lower surface plate from shaking. <c1> A method for bonding workpieces, comprising at least a step of peeling off one or both of thin plate-like workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and a step of exposing the periphery of the workpieces to the atmosphere, At least, a step of directly pressing the lower surface plate before peeling off the workpiece is included. A method for bonding workpieces.

[0047] <c2> The workpiece bonding method according to C1, wherein the step of directly pressing the lower surface plate includes directly pressing the holding plate without using a glass substrate.

[0048] <c3> Furthermore, the lower surface plate continues to press down even when the workpieces are being bonded in a vacuum atmosphere. The workpiece bonding method according to C1 or C2, characterized in that

[0049] <c4> Furthermore, the lower surface plate continues to press down even when the workpiece is peeled off. The workpiece bonding method according to C3, characterized in that

[0050] <c5> A work bonding machine including a work holding mechanism that releases one or both of a thin plate-like workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then releases the periphery of the workpiece to the atmosphere, and a second actuator that is disposed around the circumference and that directly presses a lower surface plate, Further, a control unit is provided, The control unit performs pressure control to directly press the lower surface plate with the second actuator at least before peeling off the workpiece. A workpiece bonding machine characterized by the above.

[0051] <c6> Furthermore, pressure control is performed so that the second actuator continues to press the lower surface plate during the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere. The workpiece bonding machine according to C5, characterized in that

[0052] <c7> Furthermore, when the workpiece is peeled off, the second actuator continues to press the lower surface plate. The workpiece bonding machine according to C6, characterized in that

[0053] <c1> ~ <c7>FIG. 7 is shown to specifically explain the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece bonding machine that prevents the lower surface plate from wobbling, specifically a bottom view of the upper surface plate. That is, a view of the upper surface plate UP from below. The upper surface plate UP is equipped with multiple workpiece adhesive chuck devices 2 and multiple second actuators 1'. The second actuators 1' are arranged circumferentially around the outside of the liquid crystal glass substrate LCD. In this example, multiple separate actuators are arranged, but the second actuators 1' may be linear or rectangular, surrounding the glass substrate LCD. This configuration can prevent the lower surface plate from wobbling during the upper workpiece peeling operation, thereby improving stability during the upper workpiece peeling operation. Furthermore, the second actuators 1', like the actuators 1 and 1', are composed of a diaphragm or mechanical cylinder. While the configuration of FIG. 7 cannot adequately address poor compression caused by warpage of the workpiece or uneven sealing of the peripheral seal, there are also workpieces for which poor compression is not an issue. Therefore, this configuration can be considered an invention specialized for preventing the lower surface plate from wobbling.

[0054] moreover, <c1> ~ <c7>The invention can be provided with modified or additional configurations. For example, <c1> ~ <c3>In the invention of (2), if the pressing means is suddenly driven in the early stage of the process of directly pressing the lower surface plate, it may actually shift the relative positions (relative positions in the alignment direction) of the upper and lower surface plates. In order to avoid this, if the second actuator 1' is configured with a diaphragm or a mechanical cylinder air drive system, it is advisable to introduce the following control process (a) or (b) in the early stage of the pressing process. (a) A process in which the pressure is gradually increased by using a flow control means such as a speed controller to prevent the platen from being pressed suddenly. (b) A two-stage pressure process using an electro-pneumatic regulator (or GAP control) to apply a gentle pressure before the final fine adjustment, then apply pressure while adjusting, and then apply a strong pressure to secure the part after adjustment is complete.

[0055] Also, <c5> ~ <c7>In the invention of (1), as an example of dealing with workpieces with poor crimping due to warpage of the workpiece or uneven sealing amount of the peripheral seal, it is also effective to arrange actuator 1 in combination with second actuator 1'. An example of using two actuator systems in combination like this is shown in Figure 8. In comparison with the configuration shown in Figure 7, that is, the configuration with second actuator 1' that directly presses the lower surface plate, this configuration adds actuator 1 that presses the entire peripheral seal of the workpiece.

[0056] Also, <c5> ~ <c7>In the invention, the second actuator 1' may be arranged on the upper surface plate so as to directly press the lower surface plate on the outside of the glass substrate, or may be arranged so as to press the side surface of the lower surface plate or so as to press the back surface of the lower surface plate. In particular, if the second actuator 1' is configured with a motor-driven mechanical cylinder and arranged so as to press the back surface of the lower surface plate, the shaking of the lower surface plate can be suppressed without applying pressure to the lower surface plate by utilizing the brake or lock mechanism of the motor that drives the mechanical cylinder.

[0057] Furthermore, if the second actuator 1' is configured as an air-driven mechanical cylinder, it is possible to lock the movement of the cylinder rod with a lock cylinder mechanism and suppress the shaking of the lower surface plate without applying pressure to the lower surface plate.When the second actuator 1' is a lock cylinder mechanism, the piston that locks the cylinder rod can be driven by (1) air + spring (single acting), (2) air (double acting), (3) diaphragm + air (vacuum), or (4) an electric actuator (motor).

[0058] Although the actuators and workpiece bonding machines according to the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also encompasses design changes within the scope of the present invention. For example, while an adhesive chuck has been used as the workpiece holding mechanism, the present invention can also be applied to electrostatic chucks and suction plates that utilize differential pressure, as these commonly suffer from problems due to defective dummy seals. Furthermore, the actuators do not have to be arranged as multiple, separated actuators; linear actuators or a rectangular arrangement may also be used. As explained in this specification, conventionally, efforts have been made to ensure that the outer seal (dummy seal) is in contact with the atmosphere so that the seal can be bonded when open to the atmosphere. However, it should be correctly recognized that the present invention is understood as a broad technical concept that accepts a situation in which the outer seal (dummy seal) is formed so that it does not come into contact, and overcomes the problems that arise in that situation by using an actuator. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1 Actuator (actuator for pressing the outer seal of the workpiece) 1' Actuator (actuator for pressing the outer seal of the workpiece) 1' Second actuator (actuator for pressing the lower surface plate) 11 Pressing surface 12 diaphragm 13 Air inlet 14 Mechanical Cylinder 2 Workpiece adhesive chuck device UP upper surface plate LP lower surface plate ULCD glass substrate LLCD lower glass substrate MS Main Seal DS Dummy Seal (Periphery Seal) DS1 First Dummy Seal DS2 Second Dummy Seal DR1 First drive train DR2 Second drive train DR3 3rd drivetrain < / c5> < / c5> < / c1> < / c1> < / c1>

Claims

1. An actuator used in conjunction with a workpiece holding mechanism that separates one or both of a thin plate-shaped workpiece held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and then opens the area around the workpiece to the atmosphere, The actuator is used with the actuators arranged circumferentially along the circumference of the workpiece outer seal, and presses the entire workpiece outer seal. An actuator characterized by the following features.

2. The actuator operates before opening to the atmosphere and presses against a dummy seal formed along the outer circumference of the workpiece. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

3. The workpiece holding mechanism is an adhesive chuck. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

4. The actuator is driven so that the dummy seal formed along the outer circumference of the workpiece does not allow the gas introduced into the chamber by venting to the atmosphere to communicate with the inside of the dummy seal. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

5. The actuator is capable of changing the drive pressure and / or drive speed. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

6. The actuator is configured such that the tip of the pressing surface is made of a cushioning material. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

7. The actuator is rectangular in shape. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

8. The actuator is detachably attached to at least one of the pair of retaining plates. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

9. The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and the workpiece adhesive chuck device are provided together. A workpiece bonding machine characterized by the following features.

10. Furthermore, it includes a control unit, The control unit performs pressing control to press the outer periphery seal of the workpiece during the workpiece bonding operation in a vacuum atmosphere. The workpiece bonding machine according to feature 9.

11. A workpiece bonding method comprising at least the steps of peeling off one or both of thin sheet-shaped workpieces held by a pair of holding plates in a vacuum atmosphere, and opening the area around the workpieces to the atmosphere, Furthermore, the process includes pressing the outer periphery seal of the workpiece. A method for bonding workpieces characterized by the following features.

12. The process of opening the area around the workpiece to the atmosphere prevents the gas introduced into the chamber from communicating with the inside of the dummy seal formed along the outer circumference of the workpiece. The workpiece bonding method according to feature 11.

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