Drawing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a drawing device capable of efficiently and accurately forming a wiring pattern on both surfaces of a long sheet-like substrate.SOLUTION: The drawing apparatus includes a plurality of first exposure heads provided so as to irradiate a first main surface of a long sheet-like substrate with an exposure beam in a predetermined range in a transport path of the substrate and arranged at positions separated from each other in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, a plurality of second exposure heads provided so as to irradiate a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of the substrate with an exposure beam in the predetermined range and arranged at positions separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a holding unit configured to hold the substrate such that the substrate is curved in a thickness direction of the substrate in at least a part of the predetermined range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drawing apparatus for drawing a wiring pattern on a flexible substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the number of electronic devices used in transportation vehicles such as automobiles and airplanes has been steadily increasing. Accordingly, the number of wire harnesses used to supply power to the electronic devices and send and receive signals has also been increasing. Meanwhile, there is a demand for lighter weight and space-saving interiors in transportation vehicles, and the resulting increase in weight and space required by the increased number of wire harnesses has become a problem.

[0003] In view of these problems, it has been considered to replace the wire harnesses used in transport vehicles with flexible printed circuits (FPCs), which are flexible and have a long sheet shape.

[0004] As a pattern formation technique for a long sheet-like substrate, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which alignment measurement, overlay exposure, and workpiece exchange are performed in parallel in order to process the film while it is continuously transported without stopping the film transport using a roll-to-roll method.

[0005] Also known is a technique for drawing a pattern on both sides of a sheet-like substrate by irradiating both sides with laser light (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 61-72216 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-272791 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-98488 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-98718 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Yoshiaki Kito et al., "Development of a Roll-to-Roll High-Precision Direct Web Printing Device," Journal of the Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, Vol. 71, No. 10, pp. J230-J235 (2017), Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, September 8, 2017 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] When forming wiring patterns on both sides of a substrate, it is possible to pass the exposure beam through the irradiation area of ​​the substrate sequentially on the front and back sides (sequential exposure). However, this method is inefficient because it takes approximately twice as long to process as single-sided exposure. In addition, there is a risk of reducing the accuracy of alignment between the patterns on the front and back sides of the substrate.

[0009] It is also possible to simultaneously irradiate both sides of the substrate with the exposure beam, but in this case, the substrate cannot be supported by a stage as in single-sided exposure or sequential exposure, and therefore the substrate may bend when passing through the beam irradiation area, which may reduce the accuracy of the pattern drawn.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has as its object to provide a drawing device that can form wiring patterns efficiently and accurately on both sides of a long sheet-like substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problem, one embodiment of the present invention provides a drawing device comprising: a plurality of first exposure heads arranged in a predetermined range within a transport path of a long, sheet-like substrate so as to irradiate an exposure beam onto a first main surface of the substrate and positioned at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; a plurality of second exposure heads arranged in the predetermined range so as to irradiate an exposure beam onto a second main surface of the substrate, which is the surface opposite to the first main surface, and positioned at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; and a holding means for holding the substrate so that the substrate is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate in at least a portion of the predetermined range.

[0012] In the above-described drawing device, the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are arranged at positions facing each other, and a set of exposure heads consisting of first and second exposure heads arranged at positions facing each other is configured to irradiate exposure beams from both sides toward the same region in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and the holding means has two sets of air stages arranged upstream and downstream of the plurality of regions irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of sets of exposure heads, and each set of air stages includes: a first air stage arranged on the first main surface side of the substrate and having a first air ejection surface that curves in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a second air stage arranged on the second main surface side of the substrate and facing the first air ejection surface and having a second air ejection surface spaced a uniform distance from the first air ejection surface, and the substrate may be held in a non-contact manner by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate.

[0013] In the above-described drawing apparatus, the holding means may further have a set of air stages arranged between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent sets of exposure heads, the set of air stages including a third air stage arranged on the first main surface side of the substrate and having a planar third air ejection surface, and a fourth air stage arranged on the second main surface side of the substrate and facing the third air ejection surface and having a fourth air ejection surface spaced a uniform distance from the third air ejection surface, and the substrate may be held flat in a non-contact manner by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate.

[0014] In the above-described drawing apparatus, the first air jetting surfaces of the two sets of air stages may be curved in the same direction, and the holding means may further have a set of air stages arranged between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent sets of exposure heads, the set of air stages including: a third air stage arranged on the first main surface side of the substrate, and having a third air jetting surface that is curved in the opposite direction to the first air jetting surface in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; and a fourth air stage arranged on the second main surface side of the substrate, facing the third air jetting surface and spaced a uniform distance from the third air jetting surface; and the substrate may be held in a non-contact state curved in the longitudinal direction of the substrate by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate.

[0015] In the above-described drawing apparatus, the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through the area irradiated by the beam, and the holding means may further include a third air stage that is positioned below the substrate and between the two areas irradiated by the beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads, has a planar air ejection surface, and holds the substrate flat without contact by blowing air onto the substrate from below.

[0016] In the above-described drawing device, the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are respectively arranged at positions facing each other, and a set of exposure heads consisting of the first and second exposure heads arranged at positions facing each other is configured to irradiate exposure beams from both sides toward the same area in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and the holding means is provided on one main surface side at the upstream and downstream sides of the area irradiated by the beams emitted from each set of exposure heads, and comprises two support rollers that support the substrate so as to be transportable, and a holding means that is provided on the upstream side of the area irradiated by the beams emitted from the set of exposure heads that is located most upstream among the plurality of sets of exposure heads. The exposure head may further include a first auxiliary roller arranged further upstream than the support roller and on the other main surface side of the substrate, and a second auxiliary roller arranged further downstream than the support roller arranged downstream of the area irradiated by the beam emitted from the exposure head located most downstream of the plurality of sets of exposure heads and on the other main surface side of the substrate, wherein the two support rollers are arranged so that the areas of their outer surfaces that come into contact with the substrate are in the same plane, and the first and second auxiliary rollers are arranged so that the outer surfaces of the first and second auxiliary rollers extend beyond the plane toward the rotation axes of the two support rollers.

[0017] In the above-described drawing device, the holding means may further have a third auxiliary roller provided between two areas irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads and on the other main surface side of the substrate, and the third auxiliary roller may be positioned so that the area of ​​the outer surface of the third auxiliary roller that contacts the substrate is flush with the plane, or so that the outer surface of the third auxiliary roller extends beyond the plane toward the rotation axes of the two support rollers.

[0018] In the above-described drawing device, the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through the area irradiated by the beam, the two support rollers are provided below the substrate, and the holding means may further include a plurality of bearings that contact the outer peripheral surfaces of each of the two support rollers to rotatably support each support roller, the plurality of bearings being distributed at multiple locations in the direction of the rotation axis of each support roller.

[0019] In the above-described drawing device, the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads may be arranged alternately, and the holding means may include a plurality of first support rollers that are respectively arranged on the second main surface side of a plurality of regions that are respectively irradiated by beams emitted from the plurality of first exposure heads and that support the substrate in a transportable manner, and a plurality of second support rollers that are respectively arranged on the first main surface side of a plurality of regions that are respectively irradiated by beams emitted from the plurality of second exposure heads and that support the substrate in a transportable manner, and the plurality of first and second support rollers may be arranged so that the areas of the outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of first and second support rollers over which the substrate is spanned are zigzag.

[0020] In the above-described drawing device, the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are arranged in a staggered manner, and the holding means comprises a plurality of first support rollers that are respectively arranged on the second main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of first exposure heads and that support the substrate so as to be transportable, a plurality of second support rollers that are respectively arranged on the first main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of second exposure heads and that support the substrate so as to be transportable, and a plurality of second support rollers that are further upstream of the most upstream support roller of the plurality of first and second support rollers and are on the opposite side of the upstream support roller with respect to the substrate. and a second auxiliary roller disposed further downstream of the most downstream support roller of the plurality of first and second support rollers and on the opposite side of the downstream support roller with respect to the substrate, wherein the plurality of first and second support rollers are arranged so that areas of the outer surfaces of the plurality of first and second support rollers that contact the substrate are flush with each other, the first auxiliary roller is arranged so that the outer surface of the first auxiliary roller extends beyond the plane toward the rotation axis of the upstream support roller, and the second auxiliary roller is arranged so that the outer surface of the second auxiliary roller extends beyond the plane toward the rotation axis of the downstream support roller.

[0021] In the above-described drawing device, the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through the area irradiated by the beam, the plurality of first support rollers are provided below the substrate, and the holding means may further include a plurality of bearings that contact the outer peripheral surfaces of each of the plurality of first support rollers to rotatably support each first support roller, and are provided at multiple locations distributed in the direction of the rotation axis of each first support roller. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, a holding means is provided for holding a long sheet-shaped substrate so that the substrate is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate in at least a portion of a predetermined range within a transport path of the long sheet-shaped substrate, so that bending of the substrate during transport can be suppressed without supporting the substrate with a stage. Therefore, by simultaneously irradiating both sides of the substrate with an exposure beam, it is possible to form a wiring pattern efficiently and accurately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drawing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of an exposed portion shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic internal configuration of the exposure head shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams for explaining irradiation areas on a substrate by beams emitted from a plurality of exposure heads. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the lower support roller shown in FIG. 5 as viewed from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9 is an enlarged schematic view showing a substrate being transported on the air stage shown in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, drawing devices according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, in the description of each drawing, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0025] The drawings referred to in the following description merely show the shapes, sizes, and positional relationships in a schematic manner to enable the understanding of the contents of the present invention. That is, the present invention is not limited to the shapes, sizes, and positional relationships exemplified in each drawing. Furthermore, there may be parts in which the dimensional relationships and ratios differ between the drawings.

[0026] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a drawing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the drawing apparatus 1 includes a transport system 3 that transports a long, sheet-like substrate 2, an exposure unit 4 that irradiates the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L, and a control device 5 that controls the operations of the transport system 3 and the exposure unit 4. The drawing apparatus 1 is a so-called direct exposure type drawing apparatus that directly draws a wiring pattern on the substrate 2 by scanning the beam L.

[0027] In the following description, the two main surfaces of the substrate 2 will be referred to as the front surface 2a and the back surface 2b for convenience, but there is no particular difference between the front surface 2a and the back surface 2b themselves and the treatments for the front surface 2a and the back surface 2b.

[0028] In this embodiment, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) is used as the substrate 2 to be processed. The FPC is a flexible substrate in which a metal foil such as copper is bonded to a base film made of insulating resin such as polyimide. The substrate 2 is an FPC formed in a strip shape, for example, several meters to several tens of meters, and is unwound from a roll around an unwinding reel 31, transported by a transport system 3, where a pattern is formed by an exposure unit 4, and then wound up around a take-up reel 32. This transport method in which a strip-shaped workpiece is unwound from a roll, subjected to a predetermined process, and then wound up again on a roll is called a roll-to-roll method.

[0029] The transport system 3 is provided with a rotating shaft 31a that rotatably supports the supply reel 31, a rotating shaft 32a that rotatably supports the take-up reel 32, a plurality of guide rollers 33 that guide the substrate 2 between the supply reel 31 and the take-up reel 32, and two tension pulleys 34. Hereinafter, in the transport path of the substrate 2, the supply reel 31 side is referred to as the upstream side, and the take-up reel 32 side is referred to as the downstream side.

[0030] The tension pulleys 34 are installed on the upstream and downstream sides of the exposure unit 4, below the exposure unit 4, so as to be vertically movable. More specifically, each tension pulley 34 is rotatably supported on a rotation shaft 34a that is vertically movable. Each rotation shaft 34a is connected to a tension adjustment mechanism that urges the rotation shaft 34a downward. By urging the tension pulley 34 downward via the rotation shaft 34a by this tension adjustment mechanism, the substrate 2 can be passed through the exposure unit 4 while applying a predetermined tension.

[0031] Each guide roller 33 is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 33a. The guide rollers 33 are arranged at various points along the transport path where the transport direction of the substrate 2 changes, along which the substrate 2 is unwound from the unwinding reel 31 passes through the exposure unit 4 via the upstream tension pulley 34, and then passes through the downstream tension pulley 34 to be wound onto the take-up reel 32, to guide the substrate 2. Note that the sizes of the guide rollers 33 provided along the transport path do not necessarily have to be the same, and can be determined appropriately depending on the angle of the transport path and the installation space at the point where the transport direction of the substrate 2 changes.

[0032] An alignment camera 37 may be installed near the roller 33 upstream of the exposure unit 4. Alternatively, instead of camera 37, an alignment camera 38 may be installed near the roller 33(1). Furthermore, an air blowing or roller-type dust removal device 39 may be installed on the transport path of the substrate 2 upstream of the exposure unit 4.

[0033] The transport means for transporting the substrate 2 is not limited to the configuration of the transport system 3 shown in FIG. 1 , as long as it can transfer the substrate 2 by a roll-to-roll method and form a pattern on the substrate 2. For example, in the exposure section 4 shown in FIG. 1 , the substrate 2 is transported from top to bottom in the figure, and multiple guide rollers 33 are arranged to accommodate this configuration. However, the substrate 2 may be transported horizontally in the exposure section 4, in which case the guide rollers 33 may be arranged to accommodate the transport of the substrate 2. Furthermore, the transport system 3 shown in FIG. 1 may be provided with a unit (e.g., a pre-processing unit, a post-processing unit) that performs additional processing after the substrate 2 is unwound from the unwinding reel 31 and before it reaches the exposure section 4, or before the substrate 2 that has passed through the exposure section 4 is wound onto the take-up reel 32. The transport system 3 is typically provided with an edge position control (EPC) device that detects the edge position of the substrate 2 and finely moves the unwinding device or winding device to prevent the substrate from meandering during transport.

[0034] The control device 5 is a device that comprehensively controls the operation of each part of the drawing device 1, and can be configured by a computer that includes an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and storage devices such as semiconductor memory and a disk drive. The control device 5 is connected via an interface to devices such as the exposure heads 41 to 44, an encoder that detects the amount of rotation of the take-up reel 32, and a substrate transport drive device that drives the transport system 3, and transfers data and gives instructions to these devices, thereby comprehensively controlling the operation of the drawing device 1 and causing it to draw a pattern on the substrate 2.

[0035] Fig. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the exposure unit 4 shown in Fig. 1. The exposure unit 4 is provided in an exposure processing area R, which is a predetermined range within the transport path of the substrate 2. In Fig. 2, the area between two guide rollers 33(1) and 33(2) is the exposure processing area R.

[0036] The exposure unit 4 includes a plurality of (four in FIG. 2) exposure heads 41-44 that are arranged to irradiate the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L in the exposure processing area R, and a holding means that holds the substrate 2 so that the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate 2 in at least a part of the exposure processing area R. In this embodiment, the holding means has a plurality of (four in FIG. 2) support rollers 45-48. The holding means may also include an auxiliary roller 49.

[0037] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration inside each of the exposure heads 41 to 44. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the exposure heads 41 to 44 includes a laser light source 411 that outputs laser light, a beam shaping optical system 412, a reflecting mirror 413, a polygon mirror 414, and an imaging optical system 415. Of these, the polygon mirror 414 is provided with a driving device that rotates the polygon mirror 414 around a rotation axis 414a.

[0038] The beam shaping optical system 412 includes optical elements such as a collimator lens, a cylindrical lens, a filter for adjusting the amount of light, and a polarizing filter, and shapes the laser light output from the laser light source 411 into a beam L having a spot-like beam shape. The reflecting mirror 413 reflects the beam L shaped by the beam shaping optical system 412 toward the polygon mirror 414. The polygon mirror 414 rotates around a rotation axis 414a and reflects the beam L incident from the direction of the reflecting mirror 413 in multiple directions within a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 414a. The imaging optical system 415 includes optical elements such as an fθ lens or a telecentric fθ lens, and forms an image of the beam L reflected by the polygon mirror 414 on the substrate 2. In the exposure heads 41 to 44, by controlling the rotation of the polygon mirror 414, the beam L emitted from the exposure heads 41 to 44 can be irradiated onto the substrate 2 and scanned one-dimensionally within a predetermined scanning range SR.

[0039] 3, as long as the exposure heads 41 to 44 can focus the beam L on the substrate 2 and one-dimensionally scan the beam L in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the transport direction) of the substrate 2. For example, the emission direction of the beam L may be changed by disposing a reflecting mirror between the polygon mirror 414 and the imaging optical system 415.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, when the emission direction of the beam L from the exposure heads 41 to 44 is aligned with the optical axis direction of the beam shaping optical system 412, i.e., when it is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the housings of the exposure heads 41 to 44, the size of the drawing device 1 can be made compact by arranging the housings of the exposure heads 41 to 44 horizontally and transporting the substrate 2 in the vertical direction in the exposure processing area R, as shown in Figure 1.

[0041] Of the four exposure heads 41 to 44, two exposure heads 41, 43 are provided on the front surface 2a side of the substrate. The exposure heads 41, 43 are arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2, and irradiate the front surface 2a of the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L. Two other exposure heads 42, 44 are provided on the back surface 2b side of the substrate 2. The exposure heads 42, 44 are arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2, and irradiate the back surface 2b of the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L. The exposure heads 41, 43 on the front surface 2a side and the exposure heads 42, 44 on the back surface 2b side are arranged alternately.

[0042] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining areas on a substrate irradiated with beams emitted from multiple exposure heads 41 to 44. Fig. 4(a) shows areas (irradiation areas) SA1 to SA4 irradiated with beams L emitted from exposure heads 41 to 44, and Fig. 4(b) shows areas (drawing areas) PA1 to PA4 in which wiring patterns are formed by irradiation with beams L.

[0043] 4(a), the width of irradiation areas SA1 to SA4 of the beam L emitted from the exposure heads 41 to 44 (i.e., scanning range SR) is set according to the number of exposure heads 41 to 44 arranged on one side of the substrate 2. When two exposure heads are arranged on each side of the substrate 2, as in this embodiment, the width of irradiation areas SA1 to SA4 is approximately half the width W of the substrate 2. However, it is also possible to provide areas at the ends of the substrate 2 in the width direction that are not irradiated with the beam L, or to provide an area in the center of the substrate 2 in the width direction that is irradiated with overlapping beams L emitted from the two exposure heads.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 4(a), irradiation areas SA1 and SA2 of the beams L emitted from the exposure heads 41 and 43 on the front surface 2a side are set so as not to overlap in the width direction of the substrate 2. Therefore, by scanning the irradiation areas SA1 and SA3 with the beams L emitted from the exposure heads 41 and 43 while transporting the substrate 2, wiring patterns are drawn in areas PA1 and PA3 as shown in Fig. 4(b). The same is true on the back surface 2b side of the substrate 2.

[0045] 2 again, of the four support rollers 45-48, two support rollers 45, 47 are respectively arranged on the back surface 2b side of two irradiation areas irradiated with beams L emitted from the two exposure heads 41, 43 on the front surface 2a side, and transportably support the substrate 2. Furthermore, support rollers 46, 48 are respectively arranged on the front surface 2a side of two irradiation areas irradiated with beams L emitted from the multiple exposure heads 42, 44 on the back surface 2b side, and transportably support the substrate 2. The exposure heads 41-44 are aligned so that the beams L are irradiated onto the vertices of the curved substrate 2 stretched across the support rollers 45-48 in the normal direction of the tangent plane at the vertices.

[0046] The support rollers 45 to 48 are arranged so that their rotation axes 45a to 48a are aligned in a straight line. The substrate 2 is stretched over the support rollers 45 to 48 so that the back surface 2b and the front surface 2a of the substrate 2 alternately come into contact with the support rollers 45 to 48. As a result, the substrate 2 is curved at four locations along the support rollers 45 to 48 in the exposure processing area R.

[0047] However, the support rollers 45 to 48 do not necessarily need to be arranged so that the rotation axes 45a to 48a are aligned in a straight line. The support rollers 45 to 48 may be arranged so that the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the support rollers 45 to 48 over which the substrate 2 is placed is zigzag.

[0048] Furthermore, depending on the positional relationship between the most upstream support roller 45 and the guide roller 33(1) upstream thereof, and the positional relationship between the most downstream support roller 48 and the guide roller 33(2) downstream thereof, an auxiliary roller 49 may be disposed to assist in preventing the substrate 2 from floating above the support rollers 45, 48. For example, in Fig. 2, the auxiliary roller 49 is disposed between the support roller 48 and the guide roller 33(2) to ensure that the substrate 2 is hung on the support roller 48.

[0049] As described above, according to this embodiment, in the exposure processing area R, the support rollers 45 to 48 support the substrate 2 so that at least a portion of the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction, thereby suppressing deflection of the substrate 2. This allows the beams L emitted from the exposure heads 41 to 44 to be accurately irradiated onto target positions on both sides of the substrate 2. Therefore, it becomes possible to form wiring patterns on both sides of the substrate 2 with high precision.

[0050] Furthermore, since the beam L is irradiated toward the region of the substrate 2 supported by the support rollers 45 to 48, fluctuations in the position of the substrate 2 due to the energy of the beam L can be suppressed.

[0051] In this embodiment, two exposure heads and two support rollers are provided on the front surface 2a side and the back surface 2b side of the substrate 2, but the numbers of exposure heads and support rollers may be further increased.

[0052] (Second embodiment) Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the exposure section of a drawing device related to the second embodiment of the present invention, and shows the configuration of the transport path of the substrate 2 in the drawing device, near the exposure processing area R where a pattern is drawn by irradiating the substrate 2 with a beam L.

[0053] 5, the exposure section 4A of the imaging device according to this embodiment includes a plurality of (four in FIG. 5) exposure heads 41A-44A that are arranged to irradiate the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L, and a holding means that holds the substrate 2 so that the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate 2 in at least a part of the exposure processing area R. In this embodiment, the holding means includes a plurality of (four in FIG. 5) support rollers 51-54 that support the substrate 2 so that it is flat, and two auxiliary rollers 55, 56 located upstream and downstream near the support rollers 51-54.

[0054] The general configuration of the exposure heads 41A to 44D is generally the same as that of the exposure heads 41A to 44D in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3). However, in the exposure heads 41A to 44D, a reflecting mirror is disposed between the polygon mirror 414 and the imaging optical system 415, so that the emission direction of the beam L is bent perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the beam shaping optical system 412. When the emission direction of the beam L is bent in this way, the beam L can be emitted in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing of the exposure head. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, by arranging the housings of the exposure heads 41A to 44A horizontally and transporting the substrate 2 horizontally in the exposure processing area R, the size of the drawing device can be made compact.

[0055] Of the four support rollers 51-54, the support rollers 51, 54 located on the most upstream and downstream sides are respectively arranged on the back surface 2b side of two irradiation areas by the beams L emitted from the two exposure heads 41A, 43A on the front surface 2a side, and support the substrate 2 so that it can be transported. The remaining two support rollers 52, 53 are respectively arranged on the front surface 2a side of two irradiation areas by the beams L emitted from the multiple exposure heads 42A, 44A on the back surface 2b side, and support the substrate 2 so that it can be transported. These support rollers 51-54 are arranged so that the areas of their outer peripheries that come into contact with the substrate 2 are flush with each other. As a result, the substrate 2 is transported between the support rollers 51-54 while remaining flat and perpendicular to the beams L.

[0056] In FIG. 5, the support rollers 51 and 54 on the back surface 2b side and the support rollers 52 and 53 on the front surface 2a side have different diameters, but these support rollers 51 to 54 may have the same size.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 5, support rollers 51, 54 located below the substrate 2 may be provided with a plurality of bearings 57 that rotatably support each of the support rollers 51, 54. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the lower support rollers 51, 54 shown in Fig. 5, viewed from below. As shown in Fig. 6, the bearings 57 are provided at a plurality of locations in the rotational axis direction of each support roller 51, 54, and contact the outer circumferential surface of the support roller 51, 54 to support the support roller. By distributing the bearings 57 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the support rollers 51, 54 from bending due to the weight of the substrate 2 or the tension received from the substrate 2, and to maintain the flat state of the substrate 2 between the support rollers 51 to 54.

[0058] Auxiliary roller 55 is arranged further upstream of support roller 51, which is the most upstream of support rollers 51 to 54, and on the opposite side of support roller 51 with respect to substrate 2. Auxiliary roller 56 is arranged further downstream of support roller 54, which is the most downstream of support rollers 51 to 54, and on the opposite side of support roller 54 with respect to substrate 2. Auxiliary rollers 55 and 56 are arranged so that their outer circumferential surfaces extend beyond the surface (plane) of substrate 2 between support rollers 51 to 54 toward the rotation axes of support rollers 51 and 54 (downward in FIG. 5). This allows substrate 2 to be curved in the thickness direction on the upstream and downstream sides of support rollers 51 to 54.

[0059] According to this embodiment, the substrate 2 can be kept flat in the irradiation area of ​​the beam L, while the substrate 2 can be curved in the thickness direction outside the irradiation area.

[0060] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the support rollers 51, 54 on the lower side of the substrate 2 are supported by a plurality of bearings, so that even if the diameter of the support rollers 51, 54 is small, deflection of the support rollers 51, 54 can be suppressed.

[0061] (Variation) In the first embodiment, the transport direction of the substrate 2 in the exposure processing area R may be horizontal. In this case, each of the support rollers below the substrate 2 may be provided with a plurality of bearings that rotatably support the support roller.

[0062] (Third embodiment) FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of the vicinity of the exposure processing area R on the transport path of the substrate 2 in the drawing apparatus.

[0063] 7, the exposure section 4B of the imaging device according to this embodiment includes a plurality of exposure heads 41A-44A that are arranged to irradiate the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L, and a holding means that holds the substrate 2 so that the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate 2 in at least a part of the exposure processing area R. The configuration of the exposure heads 41A-44A is the same as in the second embodiment, and the substrate 2 is transported horizontally as it passes through the irradiation area of ​​the beam L. In this embodiment, the holding means also includes support rollers 61-64 that support the substrate 2 from the back surface 2b side (below) and auxiliary rollers 66-68 that are arranged on the front surface 2a side (above) of the substrate 2.

[0064] In this embodiment, the two exposure heads 41A, 43A on the front surface 2a and the two exposure heads 42A, 44A on the back surface 2b are arranged in positions facing each other. This allows the pair of facing exposure head 41A and exposure head 42A to irradiate the beam L from both sides toward the same region in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2. The same applies to the pair of exposure heads 43A, 44A.

[0065] Of the support rollers 61-64, the pair of two support rollers 61, 62 on the upstream side are arranged at a slight distance from each other on the back surface 2b side, upstream and downstream of the irradiation area by the beam L emitted from the pair of exposure heads 41A, 42A on the upstream side, and support the substrate 2 so that it can be transported. The distance between the two support rollers 61, 62 need only be such that the beam L emitted from the exposure head 42A on the back surface 2b side can reach the substrate 2. The same applies to the pair of two support rollers 63, 64 on the downstream side. These support rollers 61-64 are arranged so that the upper ends of the outer circumferential surfaces that come into contact with the substrate 2 are flush with each other, and at least in the regions between the support rollers 61 and 62 and between the support rollers 63 and 64, the substrate 2 is transported while remaining flat and perpendicular to the beam L.

[0066] Furthermore, a plurality of bearings 65 may be further provided to contact the outer peripheral surfaces of the support rollers 61 to 64 and rotatably support the support rollers 61 to 64. The plurality of bearings 65 are disposed at a plurality of locations in the rotational axis direction of each of the support rollers 61 to 64 (see bearing 57 in FIG. 6).

[0067] The auxiliary roller 66 is arranged on the surface 2a (on the opposite side of the substrate 2 from the support rollers 61 and 62) further upstream than the support roller 61 provided upstream of the area irradiated by the beam L emitted from the exposure heads 41A and 42A located most upstream among the exposure heads 41A to 44A. The auxiliary roller 68 is arranged on the surface 2a (on the opposite side of the substrate 2 from the support rollers 63 and 64) further downstream than the support roller 64 provided downstream of the area irradiated by the beam L emitted from the exposure heads 43A and 44A located most downstream among the exposure heads 41A to 44A.

[0068] The auxiliary rollers 66 and 68 are arranged so that the outer peripheral surfaces of the auxiliary rollers 66 and 68 extend beyond the surface (plane) of the substrate 2 between the support rollers 61 and 62 and between the support rollers 63 and 64 toward the rotation axes of the support rollers 61 to 64. This allows the substrate 2 to be curved in the thickness direction on the upstream and downstream sides of the support rollers 61 to 64.

[0069] Furthermore, an auxiliary roller 67 may be disposed on the surface 2a side between two irradiation areas irradiated by the beams L emitted from the exposure heads 41A and 42A and the exposure heads 43A and 44A. The auxiliary roller 67 may be disposed so that the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary roller 67 that contacts the substrate 2 is flush with the surface (plane) of the substrate 2 between the support rollers 61 and 62 and between the support rollers 63 and 64. In this case, the substrate 2 can be transported in a flat state even between two adjacent irradiation areas. The auxiliary roller 67 may also be disposed so that the outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary roller 67 extends beyond the plane toward the rotation axes of the support rollers 61 to 64. In this case, the substrate 2 can be curved in the thickness direction between the adjacent irradiation areas. In either case, disposing the auxiliary roller 67 can improve the effect of suppressing deflection of the substrate 2.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the substrate 2 is kept flat in the region irradiated with the beam L, while the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction in the region outside the irradiation region, thereby suppressing bending of the substrate 2.

[0071] (Fourth embodiment) FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of the vicinity of the exposure processing area R on the transport path of the substrate 2 in the drawing apparatus.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8, the exposure section 4C of the imaging device according to this embodiment includes a plurality of exposure heads 41A-44A that are arranged to irradiate the substrate 2 with an exposure beam L, and a holding means that holds the substrate 2 so that the substrate 2 is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate 2 in at least a part of the exposure processing area R. The configuration of the exposure heads 41A-44A is the same as in the second embodiment, and the substrate 2 is transported horizontally as it passes through the irradiation area of ​​the beam L. In this embodiment, the holding means has a plurality of air stages 71-78 that hold the substrate 2 in a non-contact manner by blowing air onto the substrate 2. Furthermore, a transport roller 81 is installed upstream of the air stages 71-77, and a suction roller 82 is installed downstream of the air stages 71-77.

[0073] In this embodiment, the two exposure heads 41A, 43A on the front surface 2a and the two exposure heads 42A, 44A on the back surface 2b are arranged in positions facing each other. This allows the pair of facing exposure head 41A and exposure head 42A to irradiate the beam L from both sides toward the same region in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2. The same applies to the pair of exposure heads 43A, 44A.

[0074] The suction roller 82 is a device in which a vacuum mechanism is attached to a roller with numerous holes or slits formed on its surface. The drive mechanism 82a that rotates the suction roller 82 is preferably a mechanism that can control rotation with high precision, such as a combination of a servo motor and a reducer, or a direct drive motor. The suction roller 82 transports the substrate 2 while vacuum adsorbing it. This prevents the substrate 2 from slipping, allowing the substrate 2 to pass through the area where the air stages 71-77 are located accurately at a predetermined speed. A position sensor 83 is provided near the transport roller 81, and the operation of the drive mechanism 82a, i.e., the timing at which the substrate 2 begins to be transported and the transport speed, can be controlled based on the detection signal from the position sensor 83.

[0075] Each air stage 71-78 is formed with a flow path 79 that allows air supplied from the air supply pipe 70 to flow and be sprayed from the surface of the stage. A precision regulator 70a is provided in the air supply pipe 70. The precision regulator 70a adjusts the pressure of the air supplied from the air supply pipe 70 to each air stage 71-78 based on pressure values ​​input from pressure sensors P1-P5 provided in the air stages 71-78, respectively. This enables feedback control so that air is sprayed from each air stage 71-78 at a predetermined pressure. Note that while FIG. 8 shows only one air supply pipe 70 and precision regulator 70a, it is also possible to provide an air supply pipe and precision regulator 70a in each air stage 71-78 and adjust the air pressure for each air stage.

[0076] Figure 9 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing a substrate being transported on the air stage shown in Figure 8. In order to make it easier to understand the structure of the air stage, Figure 9 shows a state in which air stages 73, 75, and 77 provided on the front surface 2a side of the substrate 2 have been removed. A plurality of air outlets 80 that eject air introduced through a flow path 79 are arranged on air ejection surfaces 71a to 78a, which are the surfaces of the air stages 71 to 78. By ejecting air at a predetermined pressure from these air outlets 80, the substrate 2 can be held and transported in a non-contact state.

[0077] A pair of air stages 72 and 73 are arranged upstream of the irradiation area by the beam L emitted from the pair of exposure heads 41A and 42A. Of these, air stage 72 is arranged on the back surface 2b side of substrate 2, and has an air ejection surface 72a that curves in the longitudinal direction of substrate 2. Air stage 73 is arranged on the front surface 2a side of substrate 2, and has an air ejection surface 73b that faces air ejection surface 72a and is spaced apart from air ejection surface 72a at a uniform interval.

[0078] Furthermore, a pair of air stages 76, 77 are arranged downstream of the irradiation area by the beam L emitted from the pair of exposure heads 43A, 44A. Of these, air stage 76 is arranged on the back surface 2b side of substrate 2, and has an air ejection surface 76a that curves in the longitudinal direction of substrate 2. Furthermore, air stage 77 is arranged on the front surface 2a side of substrate 2, and has an air ejection surface 77a that faces air ejection surface 76a and is spaced apart from air ejection surface 76a at a uniform interval.

[0079] By blowing air onto both sides of the substrate 2 using these air stages 72, 73, 76, and 77, the substrate 2 can be curved in the thickness direction on the upstream and downstream sides of the irradiation area of ​​the beam L while the substrate can be held in a non-contact manner.

[0080] An air stage 71 having an air ejection surface 71a that curves in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2 is disposed upstream of the air stages 72 and 73. An air stage 78 having an air ejection surface 78a that curves in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 2 is disposed downstream of the air stages 76 and 77. By providing such air stages 71 and 78, the substrate 2 can be sent out in a gently curved state from the transport roller 81 toward the air stages 72 and 73, and from the air stages 76 and 77 toward the suction roller 82.

[0081] A pair of air stages 74, 75 are arranged between two irradiation areas irradiated by the beams L emitted from the pair of exposure heads 41A, 42A and the pair of exposure heads 43A, 44A. The distance between the air stages 72, 74 and the air stages 74, 75, and the distance between the air stages 74, 75 and the air stages 76, 77 may be such that the beams L emitted from the exposure heads 41A to 44A can reach the substrate 2.

[0082] Air stage 74 is disposed on the back surface 2b side of substrate 2 and has a planar air ejection surface 74a. Air stage 75 is disposed on the front surface 2a side of substrate 2 and faces air ejection surface 74a, having air ejection surface 75a spaced a uniform distance from air ejection surface 74a. By providing such air stages 74, 75, substrate 2 can be held and transported in a planar, non-contact manner between the irradiation area by beams L emitted from exposure heads 41A, 42A and the irradiation area by beams L emitted from exposure heads 43A, 44A.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the substrate 2 is held in a non-contact manner by air stages 72, 73, 76, and 66 having curved air ejection surfaces on the upstream and downstream sides of the irradiation area of ​​the beam L, thereby suppressing deflection in the thickness direction of the substrate 2. Furthermore, by holding the substrate 2 in a curved state, deflection in the width direction of the substrate 2 in the irradiation area of ​​the beam L can be suppressed.

[0084] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, suction rollers 82 are provided downstream of the air stages 71 to 78, so that the substrate 2, which is held non-contact between the transport rollers 81 and the suction rollers 82, can be transported while applying appropriate tension.

[0085] In this embodiment, two sets of exposure heads are provided to irradiate both surfaces of the substrate 2 with the beam L, but more sets of exposure heads may be provided. In this case, it is sufficient to provide more air stages 74, 75 that are arranged between the irradiation areas of adjacent beams L according to the number of sets of exposure heads.

[0086] (Fifth embodiment) FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of the vicinity of the exposure processing area R on the transport path of the substrate 2 in the drawing apparatus. As shown in Fig. 10, the exposure unit 4D of the imaging device according to this embodiment has air stages 85 and 86 instead of the air stages 74 and 75 of the exposure unit 4C shown in Fig. 8. The configuration of each part of the exposure unit 4D other than the air stages 85 and 86 is the same as the configuration of each part of the exposure unit 4C.

[0087] Here, the air ejection surfaces 72a, 73a of the air stages 72, 73 located upstream of the irradiation area by the beam L emitted from the exposure heads 41A to 44A, and the air ejection surfaces 76a, 77a of the air stages 76, 77 located downstream of the same area, are curved in the same direction (upward convex in Figure 10).

[0088] In contrast, air blowing surface 85a of air stage 85 arranged on the back surface 2b side of substrate 2 is curved in the opposite direction (downward convex in FIG. 10) to air blowing surfaces 72a, 73a, 76a, and 77a in the longitudinal direction of substrate 2. Furthermore, air blowing surface 86a of air stage 86 arranged on the front surface 2a side of substrate 2 faces air blowing surface 85a and has air blowing surface 86a spaced a uniform distance from air blowing surface 85a. Air stages 85 and 86 hold substrate 2 in a non-contact manner while bending it in the opposite direction to substrate 2 on air stages 72, 73, 76, and 77. In this case, exposure heads 41A to 44A are preferably positioned so that beam L is irradiated onto a region that corresponds to a maximum or minimum point when curved substrate 2 is viewed from the side.

[0089] In this way, by curving the substrate 2 even between the irradiation areas of the adjacent beams L, it is possible to further suppress the bending of the substrate 2.

[0090] In this embodiment, two sets of exposure heads are provided to irradiate both surfaces of the substrate 2 with the beam L, but more sets of exposure heads may be provided. In this case, it is sufficient to provide more air stages 85, 86 that are arranged between the irradiation areas of adjacent beams L according to the number of sets of exposure heads.

[0091] (Sixth embodiment) FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an exposure unit of a drawing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of the vicinity of the exposure processing area R on the transport path of the substrate 2 in the drawing apparatus. As shown in Figure 11, the exposure section 4E of the drawing device of this embodiment is different from the exposure section 4C shown in Figure 8 in that the air stage 75 arranged on the surface 2a side of the substrate 2 between the irradiation areas of adjacent beams L is omitted.

[0092] Even if the air stage 75 is omitted, by appropriately adjusting the tension applied to the substrate 2 by the suction roller 82 and the pressure of the air ejected from the air stages 71 to 74 and 76 to 78, it is possible to maintain a constant floating amount of the substrate 2 above the air ejection surface 74a above the air stage 74 and transport the substrate 2 in a non-contact, planar state. In this case, the exposure heads 41A and 43A on the front surface 2a side of the substrate 2 can irradiate the beam L onto the substrate area above the air stage 74, allowing for greater freedom in the arrangement of the exposure heads 41A and 43A and in the data design of the drawing pattern.

[0093] The present invention described above is not limited to the first to sixth embodiments and modifications thereof, and various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the components disclosed in the first to sixth embodiments and modifications thereof. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the first to sixth embodiments and modifications thereof, or the components shown in the first to sixth embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1...imaging device, 2...substrate, 2a...front surface, 2b...back surface, 3...transport system, 4, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E...exposure section, 5...control device, 31...unwinding reel, 31a, 32a, 33a, 34a, 45a to 48a...rotating shaft, 32...take-up reel, 33...guide roller, 34...tension pulley, 37, 38...camera, 39...dust removal device, 41 to 44, 41A to 44A...exposure head, 45 to 48...support roller, 49, 55, 56, 66 to 68...auxiliary roller, 51 to 54, 61 to 64...support roller 57·65...Bearings, 70...Air supply pipe, 70a...Precision regulator, 71 to 78·85·86...Air stage, 71a to 78a·85a·86a...Air ejection surface, 79...Flow path, 80...Air ejection port, 81...Transport roller, 82...Suction roller, 82a...Drive mechanism, 83...Position sensor, 411...Laser light source, 412...Beam shaping optical system, 413...Reflecting mirror, 414...Polygon mirror, 414a...Rotation axis, 415...Imaging optical system, P1 to P5...Pressure sensors, PA1...Plotting area, SA1...Irradiation area

Claims

1. a plurality of first exposure heads arranged to irradiate a first main surface of a long sheet-shaped substrate with an exposure beam within a predetermined range within a transport path of the substrate, and arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; a plurality of second exposure heads arranged to irradiate an exposure beam onto a second main surface of the substrate, the second main surface being the surface opposite to the first main surface, within the predetermined range, and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; a holding means for holding the substrate so that the substrate is curved in a thickness direction of the substrate in at least a part of the predetermined range; A drawing device comprising:

2. the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are disposed at positions facing each other, a set of exposure heads consisting of a first and a second exposure head arranged at positions facing each other is configured to irradiate an exposure beam from both sides toward the same region in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; the holding means has two sets of air stages arranged on the upstream side and downstream side of a plurality of regions irradiated with beams emitted from a plurality of sets of exposure heads, The air stage for each group is as follows: a first air stage disposed on a first main surface side of the substrate and having a first air ejection surface curved in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; a second air stage disposed on a second main surface side of the substrate, facing the first air ejection surface and having a second air ejection surface spaced at a uniform interval from the first air ejection surface; and holding the substrate in a non-contact manner by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate. The drawing device according to claim 1 .

3. the holding means further includes a pair of air stages disposed between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads; The set of air stages comprises: a third air stage disposed on the first main surface side of the substrate and having a planar third air ejection surface; a fourth air stage disposed on the second main surface side of the substrate, facing the third air ejection surface, and having a fourth air ejection surface spaced at a uniform interval from the third air ejection surface; and holding the substrate flat in a non-contact manner by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate. The drawing device according to claim 2 .

4. In the two sets of air stages, the first air ejection surfaces are curved in the same direction, the holding means further includes a pair of air stages disposed between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads; The set of air stages comprises: a third air stage disposed on the first main surface side of the substrate and having a third air ejection surface that curves in the opposite direction to the first air ejection surface in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; a fourth air stage disposed on the second main surface side of the substrate, facing the third air ejection surface, and having a fourth air ejection surface spaced at a uniform interval from the third air ejection surface; and holding the substrate in a curved state in the longitudinal direction of the substrate without contact by blowing air onto the first and second main surfaces of the substrate. The drawing device according to claim 2 .

5. the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through an area irradiated by the beam; the holding means further includes a third air stage, which is disposed below the substrate and between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads, has a planar air ejection surface, and holds the substrate flat without contact by blowing air onto the substrate from below; The drawing device according to claim 2 .

6. the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are disposed at positions facing each other, a set of exposure heads consisting of a first and a second exposure head arranged at positions facing each other is configured to irradiate an exposure beam from both sides toward the same region in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; The holding means is two support rollers provided on one main surface side at the upstream side and downstream side of an area irradiated by the beams emitted from each set of exposure heads, and which support the substrate so as to be transportable; a first auxiliary roller provided on the other main surface side of the substrate, further upstream than the support roller provided upstream of an area irradiated with beams emitted from the exposure head set located most upstream among the plurality of sets of exposure heads; a second auxiliary roller provided on the other main surface side of the substrate, further downstream than the support roller provided downstream of an area irradiated with a beam emitted from the exposure head located most downstream among the plurality of sets of exposure heads; and the two support rollers are arranged so that the regions of the outer circumferential surfaces of the two support rollers that come into contact with the substrate are flush with each other; the first and second auxiliary rollers are arranged such that their outer circumferential surfaces extend beyond the plane toward the rotation axes of the two support rollers; The drawing device according to claim 1 .

7. the holding means further includes a third auxiliary roller provided between two regions irradiated by beams emitted from adjacent pairs of exposure heads and on the other main surface side of the substrate; the third auxiliary roller is arranged so that an area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the third auxiliary roller that comes into contact with the substrate is flush with the plane, or so that the outer circumferential surface of the third auxiliary roller protrudes beyond the plane toward the rotation axes of the two support rollers. The drawing device according to claim 6.

8. the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through an area irradiated by the beam; The two support rollers are provided below the substrate, the holding means further includes a plurality of bearings that contact the outer peripheral surfaces of the two support rollers and rotatably support each support roller, the plurality of bearings being distributed at a plurality of locations in the rotation axis direction of each support roller; 8. The drawing device according to claim 6 or 7.

9. the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are arranged in a staggered manner, The holding means is a plurality of first support rollers that are respectively disposed on the second main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of first exposure heads, and that support the substrate so as to be transportable; a plurality of second support rollers that are respectively disposed on the first main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of second exposure heads, and that support the substrate so as to be transportable; the plurality of first and second support rollers are arranged such that the regions of the outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of first and second support rollers over which the substrate is laid are zigzag. The drawing device according to claim 1 .

10. the plurality of first exposure heads and the plurality of second exposure heads are arranged in a staggered manner, The holding means is a plurality of first support rollers that are respectively disposed on the second main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of first exposure heads, and that support the substrate so as to be transportable; a plurality of second support rollers that are respectively disposed on the first main surface side of a plurality of regions that are irradiated with beams emitted from the plurality of second exposure heads, and that support the substrate so as to be transportable; a first auxiliary roller provided further upstream of the most upstream support roller of the plurality of first and second support rollers and on the opposite side of the upstream support roller with respect to the substrate; a second auxiliary roller provided downstream of the most downstream support roller of the plurality of first and second support rollers and on the opposite side of the downstream support roller with respect to the substrate; and the first and second support rollers are arranged such that the regions of the outer circumferential surfaces of the first and second support rollers that come into contact with the substrate are flush with each other; the first auxiliary roller is disposed such that an outer circumferential surface of the first auxiliary roller protrudes beyond the plane toward the rotation axis of the upstream support roller, the second auxiliary roller is disposed such that an outer circumferential surface of the second auxiliary roller protrudes beyond the plane toward the rotation axis of the downstream support roller; The drawing device according to claim 1 .

11. the substrate is transported horizontally as it passes through an area irradiated by the beam; the plurality of first support rollers are provided below the substrate; the holding means further includes a plurality of bearings that contact the outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of first support rollers to rotatably support each of the first support rollers, the bearings being distributed at a plurality of locations in the rotational axis direction of each of the first support rollers; 11. The drawing device according to claim 9 or 10.

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