Detection apparatus and base material processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a device for inexpensively, highly accurately and quickly detecting the state of a base material.SOLUTION: A detection device that detects a state of an elongated strip-shaped base material which is continuously transported, the detection device comprising: a plurality of sensors which are provided to be arranged so as to detect the entire base material in a width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a detection device for detecting the state of a substrate and a substrate processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been active discussion and accelerating technological development toward the realization of a carbon-neutral world. One of these efforts is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by promoting and widely disseminating the electrification of passenger cars, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

[0003] Batteries are one of the key technologies in the development of electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. In electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and all-solid-state batteries are being used to increase energy density, extend life, and reduce costs. In fuel cell vehicles, efforts are being made to reduce the size and improve the durability of fuel cells (FC stacks).

[0004] The electrodes that make up each battery are important components that determine battery performance. For example, in lithium-ion batteries, a slurry is created by uniformly dispersing metal oxide, resin material, conductive material, and solvent, and then coated and dried on metal foil to form the electrode layer. In fuel cells, a slurry is created by uniformly dispersing platinum-containing catalyst particles, resin material, and solvent, and then coated directly onto a polymer electrolyte membrane, or coated and dried on a separate substrate and then transferred to the polymer electrolyte membrane to form the catalyst electrode layer.

[0005] The amount and distribution of each material added to the slurry in the coating film of the formed electrode layer affect battery performance. Therefore, during the coating and drying processes, the coating amount, coating position, and drying temperature are adjusted to control the thickness and width of the coating film. In particular, the absolute amount of components in the film is determined by the thickness during coating and after drying, so the coating and drying processes are controlled by measuring the thickness.

[0006] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for calculating the thickness of a coating film by installing laser displacement meters before and after a roll that transports a substrate facing a coating mechanism and measuring the thickness of the substrate before coating and the combined thickness of the substrate and coating film after coating.

[0007] Patent Document 2 discloses a method of measuring the thickness of a coating film from the intensity of radiation that passes through a substrate and a coating film being transported, by emitting radiation from a radiation source to the substrate and the coating film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5413655 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5467517 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, in order to accurately measure an electrode layer having a thickness of about several tens of micrometers to several hundreds of micrometers using the laser displacement meter used in Patent Document 1, the diameter of the inspection area needs to be about several tens of micrometers, which makes it impossible to measure the thickness of the entire width of the coating film. Even if multiple laser displacement meters are arranged in the width direction, there is a limit to how small the spacing between adjacent laser displacement meters can be, making it impossible to accurately measure the entire width of the coating film.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to install the laser displacement meter, space is required to install the laser displacement meter itself, various wiring, a mounting jig for adjusting the optical axis, etc., which increases the size of the inspection device.

[0011] In addition, the measuring device described in Patent Document 2 simultaneously measures the width direction using a radiation source and a line sensor that receives the radiation. However, devices that use a radiation source are very expensive, and handling the radiation source requires the construction of a device and installation environment that prevents radiation leakage, which results in a large device size. Furthermore, operators who handle radiation must undergo specific training, and introducing and operating the device is very costly.

[0012] Furthermore, when detecting film thickness using radiation, the film thickness is not detected directly, but the radiation intensity ratio corresponding to the amount of components in the film is detected and converted into film thickness. Therefore, when the type of coating slurry changes, the relationship between the amount of components in the film and the detected radiation intensity ratio must be determined each time, which increases costs even after installation.

[0013] Therefore, there has been a demand for a detection device that can detect the state of the substrate, coating film, etc. in the coating width direction quickly, with high accuracy, and at low cost.

[0014] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an apparatus that detects the condition of a substrate, a coating film, etc., quickly, with high accuracy, and at low cost. Another aim of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus that processes a substrate, a coating film, etc. with high accuracy based on the detection results of the substrate, the coating film, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The detection device disclosed herein is a detection device that detects the surface condition of a continuously transported long strip-shaped substrate, and has a plurality of sensors arranged in a row so as to detect the entire width of the substrate.

[0016] In addition, the substrate processing device of the present disclosure has a processing unit that processes a continuously transported long strip of substrate, a sensor unit that is provided in the processing unit and detects the condition of the substrate, and a control unit that controls the processing unit based on the results of the detection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present disclosure, the condition of a substrate can be detected quickly and with high accuracy at low cost. Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the substrate can be processed with high accuracy based on the inspection results of the substrate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a coating device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the relationship between a sensor, a substrate, and a coating liquid film in a sensor unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view showing in detail the relationship between the fiber sensor, the substrate, and the coating liquid film in the sensor unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the details of the relationship between a fiber sensor, a substrate, and a coating liquid film in a sensor section. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the relationship between the sensor, the substrate, and the coating film in the sensor unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a top view showing details of the relationship between the fiber sensor, the substrate, and the coating film in the sensor section. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the details of the relationship between the fiber sensor, the substrate, and the coating film in the sensor section. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which an abnormality occurs in a coating liquid film after coating. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which an abnormality occurs in a coating liquid film after coating. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which an abnormality occurs in a coating film after drying. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which an abnormality occurs in a coating film after drying. [Figure 12] FIG. 3 is a step diagram showing the operation flow of the coating device. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the drying unit. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the drying unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the drying unit. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the winding section. [Figure 17]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the sensor unit. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the sensor unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each embodiment described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the components, the arrangement positions and connection forms of the components, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not recited in independent claims will be described as optional components.

[0020] Furthermore, each drawing is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used to denote substantially the same components, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0021] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a coating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The coating device 1 is a device that applies a slurry containing functional particles and the like to the surface of a long strip-shaped substrate made of, for example, a plastic film or a metal foil, and dries the applied slurry to form a coating film on the substrate.

[0022] The coating device 1 has an unwinding section 10 that unwinds a substrate 001 from an unwinding roll 100, a coating section 20 that applies a coating liquid to the substrate 001 to form a coating liquid film 002 (see FIG. 2, etc.), a drying section 30 that dries the coating liquid film 002 on the substrate 001 to form a coating film 004 (see FIG. 5, etc.), a winding section 40 that winds up the substrate 001 on which the coating film 004 has been formed, and sensor sections 50 and 51 that detect the state of the coating liquid film 002 or the coating film 004. Furthermore, each section of the coating device 1 is driven and controlled by a control section (not shown).

[0023] The unwinding section 10 unwinds the substrate 001, such as a long strip of plastic film or metal foil, from an unwinding roll 100 around which the substrate 001 is wound, and supplies the substrate 001 to the coating section 20. The unwinding section 10 has guide rolls 102, 104, and 105 that guide the substrate 001 unwound from the unwinding roll 100, a tension detection roll 101 that detects the tension of the substrate 001, and a dancer roll 103 that adjusts the tension of the substrate 001. The rolls in the coating device 1, including these rolls, which the substrate 001 comes into contact with and passes through, are made of, for example, chrome-plated metal such as aluminum or SUS.

[0024] The unwinding roll 100 is formed by winding the substrate 001 around a hollow core made of resin, for example. A motor (not shown) is connected to the shaft of the unwinding roll 100, and the substrate 001 wound in a roll shape is unwound by rotating the motor.

[0025] A load cell (not shown) is provided on the tension detection roll 101. The load cell is distorted by the tension applied to the substrate 001, and the tension applied to the substrate 001 can be calculated from the amount of distortion.

[0026] Although not shown, the dancer roll 103 is provided with a position detector that detects the position of the dancer roll 103 and a cylinder that adjusts the position of the dancer roll 103.

[0027] The substrate 001 unwound from the unwinding roll 100 is transported to the coating unit 20 through the tension detection roll 101, guide roll 102, dancer roll 103, and guide rolls 104 and 105. At this time, the control unit controls the number of rotations of the motor that rotates the unwinding roll 100 and / or the amount of expansion and contraction of the cylinder that adjusts the position of the dancer roll 103, based on the detection values ​​of the tension detection roll 101 and the position detector, so that the tension of the substrate 001 becomes a predetermined value.

[0028] In addition, since the substrate 001 may become charged when it is unwound from the unwinding roll 100 (when it is peeled off from the roll) or when it passes through each of the rolls 101 to 105 (when it comes into contact with the roll and is peeled off), a static eliminator (not shown) is provided in the unwinding section 10 to eliminate static electricity from the charged substrate 001.

[0029] The static eliminator eliminates static electricity by, for example, corona discharge, and may be a bar type that covers the upper or lower surface of the substrate 001 in the width direction, or a blower type that blows air onto the substrate 001 from the side. The blower type can simultaneously eliminate static electricity and remove foreign matter adhering to the substrate 001, but a bar type may also be used if there is only a small amount of foreign matter. The bar type can also be provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 001.

[0030] The coating section 20 applies a coating liquid to the substrate 001 supplied from the unwinding section 10 using a coating unit 210. The coating unit 210 has a tank 211 containing the coating liquid, a pump 212 that supplies the coating liquid, and a coating mechanism 213 that applies the coating liquid.

[0031] The tank 211 contains the coating liquid and is provided with sensors (not shown) for measuring the level and temperature of the coating liquid. The tank 211 may also be provided with stirring blades for stirring the coating liquid. Furthermore, the tank 211 may be provided with a pump for reducing the pressure inside the tank 211, thereby removing air bubbles from the coating liquid.

[0032] Pump 212 supplies the coating liquid from tank 211 to coating mechanism 213. The type of pump 212 is preferably a metering pump that can supply a constant amount of coating liquid, and a piston pump or a double diaphragm pump is preferred as a positive displacement pump, and a single-shaft eccentric screw pump is preferred as a rotary pump.

[0033] The coating mechanism 213 coats the substrate 001 with the coating liquid, and for example, slot die coating can be used. In slot die coating, the coating liquid supplied at a constant rate from the pump 212 is discharged from a nozzle through a manifold and a slit inside the slot die, and the discharged coating liquid is brought into contact with the surface of the substrate 001. The coating roll 200 that transports the substrate 001 is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). The coating liquid coming out of the nozzle is spread over the substrate 001 as the substrate 001 is transported by the rotation of the coating roll 200, and a coating liquid film 002 is formed on the substrate 001.

[0034] The distance between the substrate 001 and the nozzle tip is, for example, 50 μm to 1000 μm, and the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 applied onto the substrate 001 is, for example, 5 μm to 500 μm.

[0035] Although not shown, sensors for measuring the flow rate, pressure, and temperature of the coating liquid are provided in the piping that supplies the coating liquid from the pump 212 to the coating mechanism 213. The piping may also be equipped with a valve for adjusting the flow rate and a branch valve for returning the coating liquid to the tank 211. A damper for suppressing pulsation of the coating liquid being fed may also be provided.

[0036] Furthermore, instead of the slot die coater type coating mechanism 213, a roll coater type coating mechanism 214 consisting of a dam portion that temporarily stores the coating liquid and a roll may be employed. The coating liquid is supplied to the substrate 001 from the dam portion that stores the coating liquid, and the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 is adjusted by scraping off the coating liquid with a blade at the tip of a roll with a notch called a knife roll. The coating liquid is supplied to the dam portion from a tank 211 by a pump 212.

[0037] Although not shown, both the slot die coater type coating mechanism 213 and the roll coater type coating mechanism 214 are provided with a mechanism for adjusting the distance and position relative to the substrate. For example, by increasing the gap between the coating mechanism 214 and the coating roll 200 or between the coating mechanism 213 and the coating roll 200, the coating section can be cleaned. Furthermore, by changing the distance between the coating mechanism 214 and the substrate 001 or the distance between the coating mechanism 213 and the substrate 001, the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 can be changed.

[0038] Furthermore, by intermittently increasing the distance between the nozzle of the coating mechanism 213 and the substrate 001, the coating liquid is ejected intermittently, and the coating liquid film 002 can be formed intermittently in the transport direction of the substrate 001.

[0039] Furthermore, instead of adjusting the distance and position between the coating mechanism 213 and the coating roll 200, a branch valve may be provided that returns the coating liquid to the tank 211 instead of supplying it to the coating mechanism 213, and the supply of the coating liquid to the coating mechanism 213 and the circulation of the coating liquid to the tank 211 may be continuously switched to supply the coating liquid to the nozzle intermittently, thereby intermittently forming a coating liquid film.

[0040] Furthermore, by combining intermittently increasing the distance between the nozzle of the coating mechanism 213 and the coating roll 200 and switching between supplying the coating liquid to the coating mechanism 213 and circulating it to the tank 211, for example, the coating liquid may be circulated to the tank when the nozzle is moved away from the coating roll 200, and the coating liquid may be supplied to the coating mechanism 213 when the nozzle is moved closer to the coating roll 200. With this configuration, the coating liquid is supplied to the nozzle when a coating liquid film is being formed, and is not supplied to the nozzle when a coating liquid film is not being formed, so that the coating liquid can be reliably supplied to the nozzle without waste, and a coating liquid film can be reliably formed.

[0041] In addition to the above, the coating method may be a gravure coater method, a lip coater method, or the like, or may be an ink jet method, an air spray method, an electrostatic spray method, or the like.

[0042] The drying unit 30 evaporates the solvent component from the coating liquid film 002 formed on the substrate 001 in the coating unit 20 , thereby solidifying the coating liquid film 002 and forming a coating film 004 .

[0043] The drying section 30 has a chamber 300 that dries the coating liquid film 002 as the substrate 001 passes through. The chamber 300 has an inlet 301 through which the substrate 001 is carried into the chamber 300 and an outlet 302 through which the substrate 001 is carried out from the chamber. The inlet 301 and the outlet 302 have opening heights that are equal to or greater than the thickness of the substrate 001 and the coating liquid film 002, for example, about 5 mm to 10 mm, so that the substrate 001 can be carried in and out.

[0044] Air is supplied into chamber 300 by air supply blower 310. Although not shown, a heater is provided between air supply blower 310 and chamber 300, and air heated by the heater is sent into chamber 300 through air supply pipe 311. Also, although not shown, a sensor is provided in air supply pipe 311 to measure the temperature of the heated air, and the heater can be controlled based on this measurement value to adjust the temperature of the air supplied to chamber 300.

[0045] The air inside the chamber 300 is exhausted by an exhaust blower 320 through an exhaust pipe 312. A sensor for measuring the temperature of the air is also provided in the exhaust pipe.

[0046] Although not shown, valves for adjusting the flow rate are provided in the air supply pipe 311 and / or the exhaust pipe 312. Sensors for checking the flow rate and wind speed are attached before and after the valves, and the amount of air supply and exhaust can be adjusted based on the measured values. The valves may also be provided in the chamber 300 itself.

[0047] Furthermore, although not shown, chamber 300 is provided with a differential pressure gauge that detects the pressure difference between the inside and outside of chamber 300, and is configured so that the pressure inside chamber 300 can be adjusted by controlling the opening and closing of intake air blower 310, exhaust air blower 320, and the above-mentioned valves based on the detected value. Chamber 300 is also provided with a plurality of temperature measuring sensors for temperature control, and the temperature inside chamber 300 can be adjusted by controlling the intake air volume and its temperature, and the exhaust air volume and its temperature.

[0048] The air supplied into the chamber 300 is discharged from the gas outlets 330 and 331 toward the coating liquid film 002 on the substrate 001 .

[0049] The type of gas outlets 330, 331 is not particularly limited, but a type in which a perforated plate with many holes formed in it attached to the tip of a box (330) or a tapered box with slit-shaped openings (331) is placed facing the substrate 001 and air is blown from an air supply blower 310 is preferred. Alternatively, a type in which air is blown from a narrow slit-shaped nozzle in the substrate conveyance direction to float the substrate 001 may be used. Alternatively, a type in which nozzles that blow air are installed above and below the substrate and the air is blown onto the substrate 001 to float it.

[0050] To further accelerate drying, a heater 340 may be provided in the chamber 300, which contacts the back surface (lower surface) of the substrate 001 on which the coating liquid is not applied. The type of heater 340 is not particularly limited, but examples include a metal plate with embedded heating wires and a plate with internal piping for circulating heated solvent. The heater surface of the heater 340 that contacts the substrate 001 is preferably one that has been smoothly polished to prevent scratches on the substrate 001 during transport, or one that uses a porous material to adsorb the substrate 001 by negative pressure.

[0051] Furthermore, a lamp 350 that emits light of a wavelength that reacts with the solvent component contained in the coating liquid film 002 may be provided in the chamber 300, and the coating liquid film 002 may be dried by this lamp 350. As the lamp 350, one that emits near-infrared rays or far-infrared rays is particularly preferred.

[0052] The means for drying the coating liquid film 002 may be provided singly or in appropriate combination, such as the gas outlets 330 and 331, the heater 340, and the lamps 350. The means for drying the coating liquid film 002 may be provided only on the side of the substrate 001 on which the coating liquid film 002 is formed, or only on the side on which the coating liquid film 002 is not formed, or may be provided on both sides of the substrate 001 facing each other so as to sandwich the substrate 001 therebetween.

[0053] In the chamber 300, warm air supplied from the air supply blower 310 is blown onto the coating liquid film 002. This air causes the dried coating film 004 to easily fall off. When the coating liquid film 002 is formed intermittently on the substrate 001, the dried coating film 004 is likely to fall off from its edge (the boundary with the area where the coating film 004 is not formed). Fine powder made from the fallen coating film accumulates on the floor surface inside the chamber 300 and may be mixed into the exhaust system operated by the exhaust blower 320.

[0054] Depending on the coating material, care must be taken to prevent fine powder from the coating film from accumulating on the floor of the chamber 300. For example, catalysts used in fuel cells include platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) on the anode side, which contribute to the reaction that converts supplied hydrogen into protons. Platinum (Pt) or platinum alloys are used on the cathode side, which contribute to the reaction that generates water through the catalytic reaction between supplied oxygen and protons from the anode side. Platinum alloys are often alloys of platinum with ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), or nickel (Ni). Because they contribute to catalytic reactions on both the anode and cathode sides, they are materials with very high activity themselves. Furthermore, catalysts often consist of platinum (Pt) or platinum alloys supported on the surface of carbon materials.

[0055] In this case, the fine powder generated by the peeling paint film contains carbon powder and heavy metal elements. The paint film deposited on the floor inside chamber 300 may become red-hot due to self-heating caused by the heat from the atmosphere in chamber 300. In addition, if the deposited paint film comes into contact with ethanol (vapor) contained in the solvent, the reaction heat caused by the oxidation of the ethanol may be transferred to the carbon, causing it to become red-hot.

[0056] Therefore, although not shown, a dust removal device is installed before the exhaust blower 320 to collect the solvent components evaporated from the coating liquid film 002 and the small amount of dust generated by the coating film 004 after the coating liquid film 002 dries. A water-based scrubber is preferable as the removal device. Even if the deposited coating film becomes red-hot, a water-based scrubber can suppress this. Furthermore, since the dust contains small amounts of heavy metals, they can be collected in a water tank inside the scrubber. Air that passes through the removal device is exhausted to the outside by the exhaust blower 320. When the temperature inside the chamber 300 is high, high-temperature gas and solvent vapor are supplied to the removal device. Therefore, to prevent water evaporation and heat damage inside the removal device, an outside air intake may be installed in the piping between the chamber 300 and the removal device.

[0057] The winding section 40 winds the substrate 001 that has left the drying section 30 onto a winding roll 400. The winding section 40 has guide rolls 401, 402, 403, 404, and 406 that guide the substrate 001, a dancer roll 405 that adjusts the tension of the substrate 001, and a tension detection roll 407 that detects the tension of the substrate 001.

[0058] The take-up roll 400 is formed by rotating a hollow resin core with a motor and winding the substrate 001 on which the coating film 004 has been formed around the core.

[0059] A load cell (not shown) is provided on the tension detection roll 407. The load cell is distorted by the tension applied to the base material 001, and the tension applied to the base material 001 can be calculated from the amount of distortion.

[0060] Although not shown, the dancer roll 405 is provided with a position detector that detects the position of the dancer roll 405 and a cylinder that adjusts the position of the dancer roll 405.

[0061] The tension of the substrate 001 changes significantly due to factors such as softening of the substrate 001 due to heat when passing through the drying section 30 and shrinkage of the substrate 001 due to hardening shrinkage when the coating film dries. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a dancer roll 405 in the winding section 40 to strictly control the tension of the substrate 001.

[0062] The substrate 001 transported to the winding unit 40 passes through guide rolls 401, 402, 403, 404, dancer roll 405, guide roll 406, and tension detection roll 407, and is then wound onto winding roll 400. At this time, the control unit controls the number of rotations of the motor that rotates winding roll 400 and / or the amount of expansion and contraction of the cylinder that adjusts the position of dancer roll 405, based on the detection values ​​of tension detection roll 407 and the position detector, so that the tension of the substrate 001 becomes a predetermined value.

[0063] Furthermore, the side of the substrate 001 on which the coating film 004 is formed comes into contact with the guide rolls 404 and 406. The rolls that come into contact with the coating film 004 are preferably made of a material that has low friction with the coating film 004. For example, a metal roll whose surface is covered with a heat-shrinkable tube made of fluororesin is preferred.

[0064] Furthermore, the take-up roll 400 is prone to misalignment in the width direction of the substrate 001 due to misalignment between the roll and both ends of the substrate 001 in the width direction between the rolls during transport, softening of the substrate 001 in the chamber 300, and shrinkage of the substrate 001 due to hardening shrinkage when the coating film 004 dries. For this reason, it is preferable to install a roll (not shown) immediately before the take-up roll 400 that moves linearly in the width direction of the substrate 001, which is perpendicular to the transport direction, to adjust the take-up position.

[0065] Furthermore, the substrate 001 undergoes peeling electrification as it passes over many rolls before being transported to the winding section 40, resulting in a large amount of electrification on the winding roll 400. In particular, if a roll coated with a fluororesin is used as the roll that comes into contact with the coating film 004, the amount of electrification will be even greater. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a static eliminator near the winding roll 400.

[0066] The static eliminator eliminates static electricity by, for example, corona discharge, and may be a bar type that covers the upper or lower surface of the substrate 001 in the width direction, or a blower type that blows air onto the substrate 001 from the side. The blower type can simultaneously eliminate static electricity and remove foreign matter adhering to the substrate 001, but a bar type may also be used if there is only a small amount of foreign matter. The bar type can also be provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 001.

[0067] In the example of Figure 1, the coating film 004 is wound on the take-up roll 400 so that it faces outward relative to the center of the roll, but a guide roll may be added before the take-up roll 400 so that the coating film faces inward. Similarly, a guide roll may be added between the unwinding roll 100 and the tension detection roll 101 so that the coating is applied to the outside of the substrate.

[0068] In coating device 1, the rotation speed of coating roll 200 in coating unit 20 is the reference line speed for transporting the substrate. Based on the tension detected by tension detection roll 101 and tension detection roll 407, the control unit coordinates the positions of dancer rolls 103 and 405, the rotation speeds of the motors of unwind roll 100 and winding roll 400, and the rotation speed of coating roll 200 to maintain a preset tension value during transport of substrate 001.

[0069] Although not shown, a speedometer for measuring the actual conveying speed of the substrate 001 may be provided, for example, in the winding section 40, so as to control the speed in addition to the tension. Furthermore, the rolls for conveying the substrate 001 are not limited to metal rolls; rubber nip rolls for sandwiching the substrate may be provided in the unwinding section 10, the coating section 20, the drying section 30, and the winding section 40 to convey the substrate.

[0070] The coating section 20 and the winding section 40 are provided with sensor sections 50 and 51 for detecting the state of the coating liquid film 002 and the coating film 004 formed on the substrate 001 .

[0071] 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the sensor unit 50, the substrate 001, and the coating liquid film 002. The coating liquid film 002 is formed in the center of the width direction on the substrate 001 by a coating mechanism 213. The sensor unit 50 is provided between guide rolls 201 and 202 so as to sandwich the substrate 001 from above and below.

[0072] The sensor unit 50 can be a transmission-type optical sensor that detects objects between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit by detecting visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, etc. emitted by the light-emitting unit with the light-receiving unit, and among optical sensors, a fiber sensor is particularly preferred. A fiber sensor is a sensor that transmits light generated by an LED or the like to the tip of the sensor through an optical fiber and irradiates it. Since the sensor part only transmits light, it can be made compact when installed. Furthermore, since the light-emitting unit only has an optical axis due to the optical fiber, it is less susceptible to contamination from the sensor or the solvent atmosphere from the slurry.

[0073] The fiber sensor may be of a transmission type in which the light-emitting section and the light-receiving section are provided on both the upper and lower sides of the substrate so as to face each other, or may be of a reflection type in which the light-emitting section and the light-receiving section are provided on the same side of the substrate.

[0074] 3 and 4 are diagrams showing the detailed relationship between the sensor unit 50, the substrate 001, and the coating liquid film 002. The sensor unit 50 has a light-projecting unit made up of modules in which a large number of optical fibers are arranged in the width direction, and in the example of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, five light-projecting modules 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505 are arranged in the width direction and provided on the upper surface side of the substrate 001. The distance between the coating liquid film 002 and the light-projecting modules 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505 is, for example, 10 mm to 50 mm.

[0075] Meanwhile, on the underside of the substrate 001, light receiving modules 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505' that detect light irradiated by the light projecting units are arranged in the width direction so as to face the light projecting unit modules 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505. The light receiving units are made up of modules in which the same number of optical fibers as the light projecting units are arranged in the width direction, similar to the light projecting units.

[0076] Additionally, although not shown, multiple elements are installed in the light-emitting module and light-receiving module in an array. For example, elements with optical axes of approximately 2 mm diameter are arranged at pitch intervals of 1 to 2 mm. In this case, if the size of the optical axes is equal to or greater than the pitch interval, light can be emitted and received continuously in the width direction. This makes it possible to detect the film condition across the entire width.

[0077] At both widthwise ends of each module of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, there are portions where no optical fiber is provided. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, it is preferable to arrange the modules in a staggered manner so that the widthwise ends of adjacent modules overlap in the front-to-rear direction. With this configuration, the optical fibers can be arranged at approximately equal intervals across the entire width of the substrate 001, making it possible to detect the state of the coating liquid film 002 across the entire width. Note that the modules may also be arranged in a straight line instead of in a staggered manner.

[0078] In order to reduce the effect on detection caused by vertical shaking during transport of the substrate 001, when a transmission-type fiber sensor is provided on both the top and bottom of the substrate, it is preferable to provide it between adjacent guide rolls. When a reflective-type fiber sensor is provided on one of the top and bottom sides of the substrate, it is preferable to provide it at a position facing the guide roll across the substrate.

[0079] 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the sensor unit 51, the substrate 001, and the coating film 004. The coating film 004, which is a dried coating liquid film 002, is formed in the center in the width direction on the substrate 001. The sensor unit 51 is provided between guide rolls 401 and 402 so as to sandwich the substrate 001 from above and below.

[0080] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the detailed relationship between the sensor unit 51, the substrate 001, and the coating film 004. The sensor unit has a light-projecting unit made up of modules in which a large number of optical fibers are arranged in the width direction, and in the example of Figures 6 and 7, five light-projecting unit modules 511, 512, 513, 514, and 515 are arranged in the width direction and provided on the upper surface side of the substrate 001. The distance between the coating film 004 and the light-projecting unit modules 511, 512, 513, 514, and 515 is, for example, 10 mm to 50 mm.

[0081] Meanwhile, on the underside of the substrate 001, light receiving modules 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515' that detect light irradiated by the light projecting units are arranged in the width direction so as to face the light projecting unit modules 511, 512, 513, 514, and 515. The light receiving units are made up of modules in which the same number of optical fibers as the light projecting units are arranged in the width direction, similar to the light projecting units.

[0082] The configuration of the sensor unit 51 is the same as that of the sensor unit 50, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0083] Next, the operation of the coating device 1 in Fig. 1 will be described. In this embodiment, an apparatus and method for coating a substrate with a slurry containing a catalyst material for a fuel cell will be described as an example. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell can be formed by a method of coating a film to form a catalyst layer and then transferring the layer to a polymer electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer, or by a method of directly coating the catalyst layer onto a polymer electrolyte membrane or a gas diffusion layer.

[0084] <Setting the substrate> First, an unwinding roll 100 with a substrate 001 wound around it is attached to the unwinding section 10. When the catalyst material is applied to a film and transferred, the substrate material may be a single-component olefin-based material such as polyester or polypropylene, which is an olefin-based material that allows the coating liquid to be easily released, a composite material containing an olefin-based material, a base substrate on which an olefin-based material is laminated, or a heat-resistant polyimide or fluorine-based material.

[0085] In particular, a material made of polypropylene, which has a low specific gravity and high transparency among resins, is preferable. For example, the thickness of the substrate is generally 10 μm to 100 μm, preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, and more preferably 25 μm to 50 μm.

[0086] Examples of substrate materials include hydrocarbon-based and fluorine-based polymer electrolyte materials. Polymer electrolyte membranes containing perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid are particularly preferred, such as Nafion (registered trademark). The thickness of the substrate is generally 25 μm to 300 μm. Polymer electrolyte membranes tend to swell and deform due to atmospheric humidity or water contained in the coating liquid. To prevent deformation, a backsheet may be attached to the polymer electrolyte membrane.

[0087] The substrate material may also be a gas diffusion layer. It may be a conductive porous sheet called a carbon sheet or carbon cloth, or carbon impregnated or mixed with a water-repellent resin, or a gas diffusion layer containing a water-repellent resin superimposed on the catalyst layer side of the gas diffusion layer. It may also be a porous sheet made of a conductive material and a resin material, without a conductive substrate like a carbon sheet or carbon cloth. The thickness of the substrate is generally 50 μm or more.

[0088] <Coating liquid setting> A coating liquid in which catalyst material is slurried is charged into the tank 211 of the coating unit 20. The catalyst slurry used in fuel cells is composed of a catalyst, a polymer electrolyte, and a solvent.

[0089] The catalyst material is not particularly limited, but examples include precious metals such as platinum (Pt) and platinum alloys. Platinum alloys include alloys of platinum with ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), etc. Furthermore, platinum (Pt) and platinum alloys supported on the surface or inside of conductive carbon materials are also used.

[0090] The polymer electrolyte is not particularly limited, but a perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid polymer is preferable, such as Nafion (registered trademark). It has the role of conducting protons and is called an ionomer.

[0091] As the solvent, a mixture of water with a lower alcohol such as ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-hexanol, or 1-butanol, or a mixture of water with a solvent having a boiling point of 100°C or higher, such as polyethylene glycol, can be used.

[0092] The catalyst slurry may further contain a conductive material, such as fibrous carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers. By adding a fibrous conductive material, the conductivity of the catalyst layer can be increased while also improving the gas diffusion properties of the catalyst layer.

[0093] Catalyst slurry is made by mixing and dispersing catalyst powder, solvent, and polymer electrolyte. As an example, water and ethanol are added sequentially to platinum-loaded carbon black. Next, a dispersion of polymer electrolyte pre-dispersed in water and ethanol is added, followed by mixing and stirring. After that, the mixture is processed in a dispersing machine such as an ultrasonic homogenizer or ball mill to obtain catalyst slurry.

[0094] <Coating> The catalyst slurry filled in tank 211 is sent by pump 212 to coating mechanism 213, such as a slot die coater. When a fibrous conductive material such as carbon fiber or carbon nanotube is added to the catalyst slurry, the slurry becomes highly viscous, exceeding 1 Pa·s at a shear rate of 0.1 (1 / s). Pump 212 needs to be able to send a constant amount of highly viscous catalyst slurry, and a single-shaft eccentric screw can be used.

[0095] The distance between the substrate 001 and the coating mechanism 213 is, for example, 50 μm to 500 μm. The thickness of the catalyst slurry coated on the substrate 001 before drying is, for example, 50 μm to 500 μm, e.g., 100 μm to 300 μm.

[0096] <Measurement> The state of the coating liquid film 002 applied to the substrate 001 is detected by the sensor unit 50. The amount of light received by the light-receiving units 501′, 502′, 503′, 504′, and 505′ changes depending on the thickness and amount of each component of the coating liquid film 002. This is because the light emitted from the light-emitting units 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505 is partially reflected from the surface or interior of the coating liquid film 002, partially transmitted through the coating liquid film 002 to the lower surface side (the substrate side), and partially diffused within the coating liquid film 002, and the amount of light changes depending on the thickness and amount of components of the coating liquid film 002.

[0097] To determine the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 based on the amount of light received by the light receiving sections 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505', the relationship between the amount of light received and the thickness is determined and stored in advance, and the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 can be determined based on this relationship.

[0098] The relationship between the amount of received light and thickness can be determined, for example, by providing a laser displacement meter for measuring thickness within the sensor unit 50 and measuring the thickness of the coating liquid film 002. Alternatively, the relationship between the amount of received light and thickness can be determined by performing coating in advance using a separate device while changing the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 and measuring it with a fiber sensor and a laser displacement meter. The determined relationship is then stored as a table in the control unit of the coating device 1.

[0099] To determine the component amounts of the coating liquid film 002 based on the amounts of light received by the light receiving sections 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505', for example, in the case of inorganic substances, the relationship between the amount of light received and the amount of the component is determined using a fluorescent X-ray analyzer.

[0100] The amount of platinum (Pt) contained in the coating liquid film 002 changes in proportion to the film thickness if the dispersion state of the slurry is good. Therefore, the coating liquid film 002 is coated on the substrate 001 in advance with different thicknesses, and the relationship between the amount of platinum (Pt) and the film thickness is calculated using fluorescent X-rays. The calculated relationship is then stored as a table in the control unit of the coating device 1. This makes it possible to derive the relationship between the amount of received light and the amount of components from the relationship between the amount of received light and the film thickness and the relationship between the film thickness and the amount of components.

[0101] If the dispersion state of the slurry is poor, the relationships between the amount of received light and film thickness, the amount of received light and the amount of components, and the film thickness and the amount of components will change, so it is also possible to grasp changes in the dispersion state of the slurry.

[0102] The amount of organic matter in the coating liquid film 002 also changes depending on the dispersion state of the slurry. Poor dispersion can lead to uneven distribution of the polymer electrolyte, catalyst powder, and carbon fiber. Similarly to poor dispersion stability, uneven distribution can also occur. Furthermore, catalyst powder and carbon fiber, which have particle sizes larger than the polymer electrolyte, can be unevenly distributed in the catalyst layer due to the shear force they receive during coating.

[0103] Therefore, it is possible to use infrared spectroscopy or Raman spectroscopy to determine the relationship between the amount of received light and the amount of components in advance, and to create a table of this relationship. For example, characteristic components such as chemical bonds such as SO3H, CF2, and CF2CF2 contained in polymer electrolytes, and carbon-carbon chemical bonds contained in catalyst powders with platinum supported on carbon and carbon fibers can be detected using spectroscopy. The amounts of polymer electrolyte, catalyst, and carbon fiber are varied in advance, and the created coating liquid film is measured to calculate a table of the detected amounts and the amounts of components. The calculated relationship is then stored as a table in the control unit of the coating device 1.

[0104] In addition to the relationship between thickness and component amounts, the surface condition of the coating liquid film 002 can also be determined. The surface of the coating liquid film has a matte appearance with little gloss due to the particles contained in the catalyst slurry. This is because the minute irregularities of the catalyst particles on the coated surface cause the incident light to be reflected and diffused on the surface. When carbon fiber is added as a conductive material, its fibrous shape results in a more matte appearance than catalyst powder alone. During coating, the viscosity of the catalyst slurry decreases due to shear forces as it passes through the piping, slits in the slot die coater, and nozzle, and then recovers after being applied to the substrate. Differences in surface roughness occur during the catalyst slurry leveling process. The applied shear rate and leveling time correspond to the coating speed, the gap between the substrate and the coating, and the flow rate discharged from the nozzle onto the substrate.

[0105] Therefore, the relationship between the amount of received light and the surface roughness can be found in advance by carrying out coating while changing the coating speed of the catalyst slurry, the gap between the substrate and the coating, and the flow rate of the catalyst slurry discharged from the nozzle onto the substrate.

[0106] <Drying> The catalyst slurry applied to the substrate 001 is dried by hot air in the chamber 300. For example, in the case of a catalyst slurry made with a solvent containing water, ethanol, or 1-propanol, the drying can be performed at an ambient temperature in the chamber 300 of 100°C or less, for example, at 40°C to 80°C.

[0107] The coating liquid film 002 that has entered the chamber 300 undergoes a falling-rate drying period in which the solvent evaporates uniformly from within the catalyst slurry, followed by a constant-rate drying period in which the outermost surface of the coating liquid film 002 dries and solidifies, slowing down the rate of evaporation from within, and then transforms into a coating film 004.

[0108] At the inlet 301 and outlet 302 of the chamber 300, the airflow rates of the air supply blower 310 and the exhaust blower 320 are adjusted so that the solvent contained in the slurry does not escape from the chamber. For example, at the inlet 301 and outlet 302, it is preferable to adjust the airflow rate of the exhaust blower 320 so that the air velocity toward the inside of the chamber 300 is 0.4 m / s or more, particularly 1 m / s or more, and so that the airflow rate of the exhaust blower 320 is greater than the airflow rate of the air supply blower 310. Since the airflow rates at the inlet 301 and outlet 302 vary depending on the temperature inside the chamber 300, the airflow rate, exhaust air flow rate, airflow temperature, and exhaust temperature are controlled. Anemometers may be installed at the inlet 301 and outlet 302, or the airflow rate may be measured and adjusted for each set condition. The opening size of the inlet and outlet may also be adjusted.

[0109] The thickness of the catalyst layer, which is the coating film 004 that has dried after passing through the chamber 300, is, for example, 5 μm to 20 μm.

[0110] <Measurement> The state of the coating film 004 after drying is detected by the sensor unit 51. The amount of light received by the light-receiving units 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515' varies depending on the thickness and component amounts of the coating film 004. This is because part of the light projected from the light-projecting units 511, 512, 513, 514, and 515 is reflected from the outermost surface or interior of the coating film 004, part is transmitted through the coating film 004 to the lower surface side, which is the substrate 001 side, and part is diffused within the film, and these amounts vary depending on the thickness and component amounts of the coating film 004.

[0111] To determine the thickness of the coating film 004 based on the amount of light received by the light receiving sections 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515', the relationship between the amount of light received and the thickness is determined and stored in advance, and the thickness of the coating film 004 can be determined based on this relationship.

[0112] The relationship between the amount of received light and thickness can be determined, for example, by providing a laser displacement meter for measuring thickness within the sensor unit 51 and measuring the thickness of the coating film 004. Alternatively, the relationship between the amount of received light and thickness can be determined by coating the coating film 004 with different thicknesses in advance and measuring the thickness with the fiber sensor and laser displacement meter. The determined relationship is then stored as a table in the control unit of the coating device 1.

[0113] To determine the component amounts of the coating film 004 based on the amount of light received by the light receiving sections 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515', for example, in the case of inorganic substances, the relationship between the amount of light received and the component amount can be determined using fluorescent X-rays.

[0114] The amount of platinum (Pt) contained in the coating film 004 changes in proportion to the film thickness if the dispersion state of the slurry is good. Therefore, the coating film 004 is coated on a substrate in advance with different thicknesses, and the relationship between the amount of platinum (Pt) and the film thickness is calculated using fluorescent X-rays. The calculated relationship is then stored as a table in the control unit of the coating device 1. This makes it possible to derive the relationship between the amount of received light and the amount of components from the relationship between the amount of received light and the film thickness and the relationship between the film thickness and the amount of components.

[0115] If the dispersion state of the slurry is poor, the relationships between the amount of received light and film thickness, the amount of received light and the amount of components, and the film thickness and the amount of components will change, so it is also possible to grasp changes in the dispersion state of the slurry.

[0116] The amount of organic matter in the coating film 004 can be determined by previously determining the relationship between the amount of received light and the amount of the component using infrared spectroscopy or Raman spectroscopy, and creating a table of this relationship.

[0117] During drying, particles move within the coating film as the solvent evaporates. Polymer electrolyte membranes, in particular, have smaller particle diameters than catalyst particles or carbon fibers, making them particularly susceptible to movement within the membrane. For example, they may migrate toward the surface of the coating film (004) or toward the substrate (001). Furthermore, as the solvent evaporates, the distance between particles dispersed in the solvent decreases, causing particle aggregation and potentially segregation of components. Spectroscopy can detect characteristic components, such as chemical bonds such as SO3H, CF2, and CF2CF2 contained in the polymer electrolyte membrane, as well as carbon-carbon bonds contained in platinum-supported carbon catalysts and carbon fibers. The relationship between component amounts and drying speed can be determined by varying the drying temperature and air speed to create coating film with different drying speeds. Furthermore, the relationship between the detected amount of coating and the component amounts can be determined by varying the amounts of polymer electrolyte, catalyst, and carbon fiber.

[0118] In addition to the relationship between thickness and component amounts, the surface condition of the dried coating film 004 can also be determined. The dried surface has a matte appearance with little gloss due to the particles contained in the catalyst slurry. This is because the minute irregularities of the catalyst particles on the dried surface cause the projected light to be reflected and diffused on the surface. When carbon fiber is added as a conductive material, its fibrous shape results in a more matte appearance than catalyst powder alone. As the solvent dries, the surface tension and concentration within the liquid film change, causing convection within the liquid film. The viscosity of the catalyst slurry also temporarily decreases depending on the drying temperature, and the state of the film surface at the time of coating changes due to a leveling effect. As a result, minute irregularities appear on the dried film surface. Furthermore, strong winds hitting the surface of the coating liquid film 002 cause wind ripples, which are larger irregularities.

[0119] Therefore, the relationship between the amount of received light and the surface roughness can be obtained in advance by changing the thickness of the coating film 004, the drying temperature, and the wind speed during drying.

[0120] The sensor units 50 and 51 may use the same measurement method, or different measurement methods may be selected.

[0121] <Winding> After passing through the sensor unit 51, the substrate 001 is wound up by a winding roll 400. For example, when a polypropylene substrate is used, the thickness of the substrate 001 is 10 μm to 100 μm, and a coating film 004 with a dried catalyst layer is attached to the substrate 001 to a thickness of 5 μm to 20 μm.

[0122] The conveying angle of the substrate 001 relative to each roll during conveyance and the diameter of each roll affect the quality of the coating film. For example, if the diameter of the guide roll or the take-up roll 400 is small, the coating film 004 may peel off from the substrate 001 during the take-up process. Therefore, it is preferable that the diameter of the guide roll or the take-up roll 400 is 50 mm or more.

[0123] Next, the case where the sensor units 50 and 51 detect an abnormality will be described.

[0124] 8 and 9 are diagrams showing examples of abnormalities occurring in the coating liquid film 002. For example, when the coating mechanism 213 is a slot die coater, abnormalities can occur when catalyst particles aggregate over time as the catalyst slurry, which was previously uniformly dispersed, passes through the tank 211 or the pump 212, causing temporary clogging of the nozzle. In this case, a defective area where no film is formed appears in the coating liquid film 002, which is called a coating streak 010 in this case. Another type of defect is a coating streak, which is formed in a streaky area where the thickness is insufficient due to a lack of coating liquid.

[0125] When a coating streak 010 occurs, the light irradiated from the light-emitting unit 502 is more likely to pass through the coating liquid film 002 in that portion, and so the amount of light received by the light-receiving unit 502' in the portion corresponding to the coating streak 010 increases compared to the amount of light received by the light-receiving units 501', 503', 504', and 505' in normal portions of the film. Therefore, the occurrence of a coating streak 010 can be detected based on the amount of light detected by the light-receiving units 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505'.

[0126] By setting a threshold value for the amount of light detected by the light receiving units 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505' and setting the time when the amount of light is above or below that threshold, it is possible to detect areas where the coating is normal and areas where the coating is abnormal.

[0127] If an abnormality occurs in the coating liquid film 002, the control unit stops the entire coating device 1 because inspection and adjustment of the coating unit 20 are required to find the cause of the abnormality.

[0128] The platinum (Pt) contained in the catalyst is a rare material, and if a coating abnormality occurs, it is necessary to stop the conveyance and coating to prevent the continuous production of defective products.

[0129] Also, if the occurrence of coating streak 010 is temporary and the coating condition quickly returns to normal, it may be possible to reduce losses by continuing coating without stopping the line.

[0130] 10 and 11 are diagrams showing examples of abnormalities occurring in the coating film 004. Even if a coating streak 010 occurs in the coating liquid film 002, the film thickness may become uniform due to the leveling effect, but in some cases, the film may dry without becoming uniform, resulting in the formation of a coating streak 011 in the coating film 004.

[0131] When a coating streak 011 occurs, light irradiated from light-emitting unit 512 is more likely to pass through that portion of coating film 004, and so the amount of light received by light-receiving unit 512' in the portion corresponding to coating streak 011 increases compared to the amount of light received by light-receiving units 511', 513', 514', and 515' in normal portions of the film. Therefore, the occurrence of a coating streak 011 can be detected based on the amount of light detected by light-receiving units 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515'.

[0132] By setting a threshold value for the amount of light detected by the light receiving units 511', 512', 513', 514', and 515' and setting the time when the amount of light is above or below that threshold, it is possible to detect areas where the coating is normal and areas where the coating is abnormal.

[0133] Furthermore, there may be cases where no abnormality occurs in the coating section 20, but an abnormality occurs in the drying section 30. For example, if dirt adheres to part of the surface of the substrate 001, when the coating liquid film 002 is dried, the adhesive force between the coating film 004 and the substrate 001 may weaken, causing part of the coating film 004 to fall off.

[0134] If an abnormality occurs in the coating film 004, the control unit stops the entire coating apparatus 1 because inspection and adjustment of the coating unit 20 and drying unit 30 are required to find the cause of the abnormality.

[0135] The platinum (Pt) contained in the catalyst is a rare material, and if a coating abnormality occurs, it is necessary to stop the conveyance and coating to prevent the continuous production of defective products.

[0136] Also, if the occurrence of coating streak 011 is temporary and the coating condition quickly returns to normal, it may be possible to reduce losses by continuing coating and drying without stopping the line.

[0137] Furthermore, even if an abnormality in the coating mechanism 213 causes the coating film 004 to be applied so thickly that it peels off and the sensor unit 50 in the coating unit 20 temporarily malfunctions, the abnormality can be detected by the sensor unit 51 in the drying unit 30, so the condition of the coating film 004 can be correctly grasped.

[0138] If peeling of the coating is detected in the drying oven, the air supply to the oven is stopped. This prevents further peeling of the coating by preventing air from directly blowing onto the coating, and prevents parts of the peeled coating from scattering inside the oven. Furthermore, by stopping the air supply to the scrubber and outside the oven, the exhaust volume increases, allowing parts of the coating that may react with the heat and solvent vapor inside the oven due to the catalyst material to be quickly discharged to the scrubber. This is particularly useful when the coating liquid film is formed intermittently on the substrate or when the catalyst layer contains fibrous conductive materials, as these are more likely to peel.

[0139] 12 is a step diagram showing the operation flow of the coating device 1 in this embodiment. First, the substrate 001 starts to be conveyed at a predetermined conveying speed and tension (step S1). Next, coating of the substrate 001 by the coating mechanism 213 is started at a predetermined coating amount, coating length, and coating position (step S2).

[0140] Next, the state of the formed coating liquid film 002 is detected by the sensor unit 50 (step S3). If the state of the coating liquid film 002 is outside a preset threshold or range, the coating conditions of the coating unit 20 are changed (step S2). If the state of the coating liquid film 002 is within the preset threshold or range, the substrate 001 continues to be transported, and is dried by the drying unit 30 (step S4).

[0141] Next, the state of the coating film 004, which is the film after drying, is detected by the sensor unit 51 (step S5). If the state of the coating film 004 is outside a preset threshold or range, the coating conditions of the coating unit 20 are changed (step S2). Furthermore, the drying conditions of the drying unit 30 are changed (step S4). Either or both of the coating conditions of the coating unit 20 and the drying conditions of the drying unit 30 are changed as needed. If the state of the coating film 004 is within a preset threshold or range, the substrate 001 continues to be transported (step S6).

[0142] Then, when the coating film 004 has been applied and dried to a required length, the conveyance of the substrate 001 is terminated (step S7).

[0143] 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the drying unit 30. As in this example, the air inside the chamber 300 may be configured to flow along the transport direction of the substrate 001. In this example, the gas outlet 360 and the gas inlet 361 are provided on the upper surface of the substrate 001, and the air flows in the transport direction of the substrate 001. The direction of the air may be opposite to the transport direction of the substrate 001. In this example as well, the gas outlet 360 and the gas inlet 361 may be installed only on the side of the substrate 001 on which the coating liquid film 002 is formed, or only on the side on which the coating liquid film 002 is not formed, or may be installed on both sides of the substrate 001 facing each other so as to sandwich the substrate 001 therebetween.

[0144] 14 is a diagram showing another modified example of the drying unit 30. In this example, chambers 300-1 and 300-2 are arranged in series, with sensor unit 50 located before chamber 300-1, sensor unit 51 located between chambers 300-1 and 300-2, and sensor unit 52 located behind chamber 300-2.

[0145] In this example, two chambers are arranged in series, with sensors located in front of and behind each chamber, allowing for more precise control of the drying section while detecting the condition of the coating film in more detail, resulting in a more appropriate coating film formation.

[0146] 15 is a diagram showing another modified example of the drying unit 30. In this example, the transport direction of the substrate 001 is turned around inside the chamber 300, and the inlet 301 and the outlet 302 are provided on the same side of the chamber 300. The sensor unit 50 is provided before the inlet 301 in the transport direction (on the left side in the figure), and the sensor unit 51 is provided after the outlet 302 in the transport direction (on the left side in the figure).

[0147] In this example, the conveying direction of the substrate 001 is turned back inside the chamber 300, and the inlet 301 and outlet 302 are provided on the same side of the chamber 300, so that the entire coating device 1 can be configured compactly.

[0148] 16 is a diagram showing a modified example of the winding section 40. In this modified example, an accumulator 408 is provided in the winding section 40. Furthermore, a sensor section 52 is provided behind the accumulator 408 (downstream in the conveying direction).

[0149] In this configuration, by comparing the detection results of the sensor unit 51 and the sensor unit 52, it is possible to detect if an abnormality has occurred in the coating film 004 due to the operation of the accumulator 408 or the transport state in the winding unit 40.

[0150] 17 and 18 are diagrams showing modified examples of the sensor unit 50. In addition to light-emitting modules 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505 and light-receiving modules 501', 502', 503', 504', and 505' of the fiber sensors, the sensor unit 50 is provided with laser displacement meters 521, 522, and 523 adjacent to the substrate 001 in the conveying direction.

[0151] The fiber sensor detects the presence or absence (presence or absence of defects) of the coating liquid film 002 along the width direction of the substrate 001. On the other hand, the laser displacement meters 521, 522, and 523 detect the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 along the width direction of the substrate 001.

[0152] Therefore, this configuration makes it possible to simultaneously detect not only the presence or absence of the coating liquid film 002 (presence or absence of defects), but also the thickness of the coating liquid film 002, and by controlling the coating device 1 based on the detected results, the coating liquid film 002 can be formed more accurately.

[0153] Furthermore, there is no limitation as to which of the fiber sensor and the laser displacement meters 521, 522, and 523 is arranged upstream with respect to the conveyance direction of the substrate 001, but it is preferable to arrange the fiber sensor upstream and the laser displacement meters 521, 522, and 523 downstream. With this arrangement, when the fiber sensor detects the coating liquid film 002 on the substrate 001, measurement of the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 by the laser displacement meter can be started, and the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 can be accurately measured when the coating liquid film 002 is formed intermittently.

[0154] If guide rolls are installed below the laser displacement meters 521, 522, and 523, the laser displacement meters need only be installed above the coating liquid film 002. Although not shown, a laser displacement meter may be installed at the edge of the coating liquid film 002 to measure the thickness of the coating liquid film 002 by measuring the step between the substrate 001 and the coating liquid film 002. A camera may also be installed to the side of the substrate 001 to photograph the step between the substrate 001 and the coating liquid film 002 and measure the thickness of the coating liquid film 002.

[0155] The sensor units 51 and 52 may also have the same configuration as the modified example of the sensor unit 50 described above.

[0156] In the above-described sensor units 50, 51, and 52, the light-projecting modules and the light-receiving modules are each arranged in a single row in the width direction of the substrate, but they may each be arranged in two rows, with the first row used to check the presence of the coating liquid film or coating film, and the second row used to detect the state of the coating liquid film 002 or coating film 004. This allows the state of the coating liquid film 002 or coating film 004 to be detected accurately.

[0157] In the above embodiment, the sensor unit 50 may be provided in the unwinding unit 10, the sensor unit 51 in the coating unit 20, and the sensor 52 in the drying unit 30. By measuring the thickness of the substrate 001 with the sensor unit 50 in the unwinding unit 10 and subtracting the thickness of the substrate 001 from the thickness measured with the sensor units 51 and 52, the film thicknesses of the coating liquid film 002 and the coating film 004 can be measured with high accuracy.

[0158] In the above example, a configuration was described in which a laser displacement meter was provided in addition to a fiber sensor as the sensor unit, but sensors other than a laser displacement meter may also be used. For example, fluorescent X-ray sensors that detect inorganic substances, or infrared or Raman spectroscopy sensors that detect organic substances, may also be used. Furthermore, a photoelectric sensor that detects unevenness on the coating surface may also be used.

[0159] In addition, although the above embodiment has been described as an example of a coating device having an unwinding section, a coating section, a drying section, and a winding section, the present disclosure can also be applied to substrate processing equipment that does not have some of the unwinding section, coating section, drying section, and winding section, and can also be applied to substrate processing equipment that has processing sections other than the above sections.

[0160] Furthermore, while the above embodiment has been described as an example of a coating device that forms a coating film on a substrate, the inspection device and substrate processing device of the present disclosure can be applied to devices other than coating devices that inspect or process long, strip-shaped substrates. For example, the inspection device of the present disclosure can be applied to detecting the condition of a substrate on which a coating film is not formed. Furthermore, the substrate processing device of the present disclosure can be applied to processing a substrate on which a coating film is not formed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0161] As described above, the present invention is extremely useful and has high industrial applicability because it can detect, determine, and manage the state of a coating film applied to a substrate quickly, with high accuracy, and at low cost, and can produce coating films stably. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to fuel cells, lithium batteries, and all-solid-state batteries, but also to roll-to-roll manufacturing of perovskite solar cells, MLCCs, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0162] 1 Coating device 10 Unwinding section 20 Coating Department 30 Drying section 40 Winding section 50 Sensor section 51 Sensor section 100 unwinding rolls 200 coating roll 300 Chamber 400 take-up rolls 001 Base material 002 Coating liquid film 004 Paint film

Claims

1. A detection device for detecting the state of a continuously transported long strip-shaped substrate, the detection device having a plurality of sensors arranged so as to detect the entire width direction of the substrate. Detection device.

2. The sensor is a fiber sensor. The detection device according to claim 1 .

3. The fiber sensor has a light-emitting unit arranged on one surface side of the base material and a light-receiving unit arranged on the other surface side of the base material. The detection device according to claim 2 .

4. Further comprising a laser displacement meter.

4. The detection device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. a plurality of modules each having a plurality of sensors arranged in a row and an area at an end where the sensor is not provided, are arranged in a staggered pattern such that the areas at the end of adjacent modules overlap each other in the front and rear; The detection device according to claim 1 .

6. a processing section for processing a continuously transported long strip-shaped substrate; a sensor unit provided in the processing unit to detect the state of the substrate; a control unit that controls the processing unit based on the result of the detection; A substrate processing device having:

7. The sensor unit has a plurality of sensors arranged in a line so as to detect the entire width direction of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

8. The sensor unit detects the presence and / or thickness of a coating formed on the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

9. the processing section is a coating section that forms a coating on the substrate, The sensor unit detects the state of the formed coating. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

10. the control unit controls the coating unit based on the state of the coating film detected by the sensor unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

11. the processing section is a drying section that dries the base material, The sensor unit detects the state of the dried substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

12. The sensor unit is provided at the inlet and outlet of the drying unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 .

13. the drying unit is a plurality of drying units arranged in series, The sensor unit is provided at the inlet and the outlet of each of the plurality of drying units. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 .

14. the control unit controls the drying unit based on the state of the coating formed on the substrate detected by the sensor unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 13.

15. the processing section is a winding section that winds up the substrate, The sensor unit detects the state of the substrate before it is wound up. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

16. the winding section has an accumulator that adjusts the transport speed of the substrate; The sensor unit is provided downstream of the accumulator. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 15 .

17. the control unit controls the winding unit based on the state of the coating formed on the substrate detected by the sensor unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16.

18. an unwinding unit that unwinds a long strip-shaped substrate from an unwinding roll; a coating unit that forms a coating on the unwound substrate; a drying section that dries the substrate on which the coating film is formed; a winding section that winds up the dried substrate; a sensor unit for detecting the state of the substrate; a control unit that controls any one of the unwinding unit, the coating unit, the drying unit, and the winding unit based on a detection result of the sensor unit; A coating device having the above.

19. the sensor unit detects the state of the coating before it is dried, The control unit controls the coating unit. The coating device according to claim 18.

20. the sensor unit detects the state of the coating after drying; The control unit controls the drying unit. The coating device according to claim 18.

21. the sensor unit further detects the state of the coating before drying; the control unit controls the drying unit based on the state of the coating before and after drying. The coating device according to claim 20.

22. the sensor unit detects the state of the coating before being wound, The control unit controls the winding unit. The coating device according to claim 18.

23. The control unit further controls the drying unit.

23. The coating device according to claim 22.

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