Air bubble removal method and air bubble removal device

Abstract

To provide a bubble removal method and bubble removal device, capable of removing bubbles formed with an adherend without subjecting an adhesive member to special machining.SOLUTION: A bubble removal method capable of removing bubbles formed between a workpiece W and an adhesive member 13 when bonding the workpiece W to the adhesive member comprises: a linear member arrangement step of arranging a linear member 14 between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 so as to extend from one end of the adhesive member 13 to the other end; and a pressing step of pressing at least one of the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 toward the other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for removing air bubbles, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for removing air bubbles that occur between an adherend and an adhesive member when they are attached to each other. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, adhesive members such as pressure-sensitive adhesive sheets having a smooth adhesive surface have been widely known. However, when such adhesive members are applied to an adherend, there is no escape route for the air, so air bubbles are likely to form between the adherend and the adherend, which results in problems such as a poor appearance of the adhesive member.

[0003] In order to solve such problems, an adhesive member (adhesive sheet) as described in Patent Document 1, for example, has been proposed.

[0004] The adhesive member described in Patent Document 1 has a large number of small independent protrusions formed on an adhesive layer. According to this technology, when the adhesive member is attached to the adherend, an escape route for air is formed between each small convex portion, which makes it possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles, and as a result, it is possible to achieve an attractive-looking attached state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 2587198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the adhesive member described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is necessary to prepare a mold for forming small convex portions on the adhesive layer, which inevitably increases the manufacturing cost.

[0007] Furthermore, the adhesive member described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the small convex portions are mainly adhered to the adherend, which naturally results in a problem of weak adhesive strength (adhesion) to the adherend.

[0008] Incidentally, when a treatment such as film formation (hereinafter referred to as "surface treatment") is performed on the surface of a workpiece (for example, a glass substrate), the treatment is sometimes performed in a state where the workpiece is held by an adhesive member. In this case, if the workpiece is held using the adhesive member described in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the workpiece may come off the adhesive member due to poor adhesion (poor adhesion), which could lead to problems such as a decrease in the quality of film formation, etc.

[0009] Such a problem can be solved by using an adhesive member on which no small convex portions are formed, such as the above-mentioned conventional adhesive member. However, surface treatments such as film formation are generally carried out under reduced pressure (vacuum state) below atmospheric pressure, so if an adhesive member that is prone to generating bubbles (such as the conventional adhesive member described above) is used, the bubbles will expand when the pressure is reduced, resulting in a problem of a decrease in the adhesive strength between the workpiece and the adhesive member.

[0010] The applicant of the present application has previously filed Patent Application Nos. 2022-109237 and 2022-178166 (hereinafter referred to as the "prior applications"), in which a workpiece holding mechanism and a workpiece holding method are disclosed that use an adhesive member to hold a workpiece.

[0011] Here, a workpiece holding mechanism equipped with an adhesive member according to the prior application will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Figure 8, the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application comprises a support 11, an adhesive tape 12 provided on the support 11, an elastic member 115 (elastic sheet) provided on the adhesive tape 12 on the side opposite the support 11, and an attachment member 113 (adhesive sheet) attached so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the elastic member 115 from one end to the other end of a bottom 115b thereof, and the attachment member 113 has a base-side attachment portion 113b attached to the adhesive tape 12 provided on the support 11, and a workpiece-side attachment portion 113a on the opposite side of the base-side attachment portion 113b to which a workpiece (e.g., a glass substrate, see "workpiece W" in Figure 6) can be attached.

[0012] In the workpiece holding mechanism 110', the adhesive force between the adhesive member 113 and the adhesive tape 12 (hereinafter referred to as "first adhesive force"), the adhesive force between the adhesive member 113 and the workpiece (hereinafter referred to as "second adhesive force"), and the adhesive force between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 (hereinafter referred to as "third adhesive force") are respectively: ·1st adhesive force > 2nd adhesive force > 3rd adhesive force Adhesion strength between the elastic member 115 and the adhesive tape 12 > second adhesive strength > third adhesive strength The relationship is set to hold.

[0013] In the work holding mechanism 110' configured in this manner, when the adhered and held work is moved in the direction of removing it from the adhesive member 113, the work side adhesive portion 113a can be gradually peeled off from the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115 (see Figures 7(a) and (b)). That is, according to the workpiece holding mechanism 110' of the prior application, it is possible to gradually reduce the adhesion area (adhesion force) between the workpiece and the adhesive member 113, so that the workpiece can be easily removed.

[0014] Furthermore, the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application is configured so that the workpiece can then be pressed against the adhesive member 113, thereby re-adhering the workpiece-side adhesive portion 113a to the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115. As a result, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application, when the workpiece is pressed against the adhesive member 113, it is possible to adhere them in a state of surface contact with each other, thereby making it difficult for the workpiece to come off the adhesive member 113.

[0015] In this way, the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application makes it possible to prevent the workpiece from coming off during surface treatment such as film formation, while making it possible to easily remove the workpiece after surface treatment.

[0016] However, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application, when the workpiece-side adhesive portion 113a is attached to the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115, air bubbles are likely to form between them, as with the conventional adhesive members described above. In such a case, the adhesive strength between the work-side adhesive portion 113a and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115 is reduced, and in some cases, there is a possibility that they may peel off, which may cause problems such as the held work being peeled off from the adhesive member 113.

[0017] Furthermore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application, if air bubbles are generated between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115, and the surface side of the workpiece side adhesive portion 113a becomes uneven, the adhesive area between the workpiece and the adhesive member 113 decreases, leading to a problem that the adhesive force of the adhesive member 113 that adhesively holds the workpiece decreases.

[0018] Furthermore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application, repeated removal and installation of the workpiece may result in the formation of vertical wrinkles or sagging in the workpiece-side adhesive portion 113a due to air bubbles that are generated each time the workpiece is removed and installed. In such a case, the adhesive strength of the work-side adhesive portion 113a (adhesive member 113) that is attached to the work or the elastic member 115 decreases, which can easily cause a problem that it becomes difficult to stably hold the work.

[0019] Considering these points, it can be said that the workpiece holding mechanism 110' according to the prior application still has room for improvement in terms of stably holding the workpiece.

[0020] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a bubble removal method and bubble removal device that can remove air bubbles that occur between the adhesive member and the adherend without requiring any special processing of the adhesive member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0021] The above problem is solved by a bubble removal method for removing bubbles that occur between an adherend and an adhesive member when the two are adhered together, the method comprising: a linear member placement step of placing a linear member between the adherend and the adhesive member so that the linear member extends from one end of the adhesive member to the other; and a pressing step of pressing at least one of the adherend and the adhesive member towards the other after the linear member placement step.

[0022] In addition, in the invention relating to the bubble removal method, it is preferable that the adherend is a workpiece, the adhesive member has a workpiece adhesive portion to which the workpiece can be attached, and the linear member placement process includes a process of placing the linear member between the workpiece and the workpiece adhesive portion.

[0023] In addition, in the invention relating to the bubble removal method, it is preferable that the adherend is made of an elastic member that can be elastically deformed, and has a base mounting portion that is attached to an adhesive tape provided on a base, the attachment member is made of an adhesive sheet that is attached so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the adherend from one end to the other end of the base mounting portion, and has a base-side attachment portion that is attached to the adhesive tape and a work-side attachment portion on the opposite side of the base-side attachment portion to which a workpiece can be attached, and when the adhesive strength between the attachment member and the adhesive tape is defined as a first adhesive strength, the adhesive strength between the attachment member and the workpiece is defined as a second adhesive strength, and the adhesive strength between the attachment member and the elastic member is defined as a third adhesive strength, then the following relationships hold: first adhesive strength > second adhesive strength > third adhesive strength, and adhesive strength between the elastic member and the adhesive tape > second adhesive strength > third adhesive strength, and the linear member arrangement step includes a step of arranging the linear member between the elastic member and the work-side attachment portion.

[0024] Furthermore, in the invention relating to the bubble removal method, the adherend is made of an elastic member that can be elastically deformed and is provided on a base, the attachment member is made of an adhesive sheet and is attached so as to cover the entire outer periphery of the elastic member, and has a base-side attachment portion that is attached to an adhesive tape provided on the base, and a work-side attachment portion that is capable of attaching a work on the opposite side of the base-side attachment portion, and when the adhesive force between the attachment member and the adhesive tape is defined as a first adhesive force, the adhesive force between the attachment member and the work is defined as a second adhesive force, and the adhesive force between the attachment member and the elastic member is defined as a third adhesive force, a relationship of the first adhesive force > the second adhesive force > the third adhesive force is established, and the linear member arranging step includes a step of arranging the linear member between the elastic member and at least one of the base-side attachment portion and the work-side attachment portion. This is preferable.

[0025] Furthermore, in the invention relating to the bubble removal method, it is preferable that the adherend and the adhesive member are contained in a space that can be decompressed, and the bubble removal method includes a decompression step of decompressing the space after performing the pressing step.

[0026] Furthermore, in the invention relating to the bubble removal method, it is preferable that the linear member placement process includes a process of placing a plurality of the linear members in parallel with a gap between the adhesive member and the adherend.

[0027] In the invention relating to the air bubble removal method, it is preferable that the linear member has an outer diameter within a range of 0.03 to 0.1 mm.

[0028] The above problem can also be solved by providing a bubble removal device that removes air bubbles that occur between an adherend and an adhesive member when the two are adhered together, and that includes a linear member that is arranged on the adhesive surface of the adhesive member to which the adherend is adhered, extending from one end of the adhesive surface to the other end. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] As described above, the bubble removal method and bubble removal device of the present invention have a relatively simple configuration, but can efficiently and stably remove air bubbles that occur between the adhesive member and the adherend without requiring any special processing of the adhesive member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a workpiece holding mechanism that is one embodiment of a bubble removal device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the bubble removal method according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view schematic diagram showing the state of air bubbles present between the workpiece and the adhesive member, where (a) shows the state under atmospheric pressure, (b) shows the state at the initial stage of decompression, and (c) shows the state at the final stage of decompression. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus provided with a plurality of the workpiece holding mechanisms of FIG. 1, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the results of a test conducted using the workpiece holding mechanism of FIG. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a modified example of the workpiece holding mechanism. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of the workpiece holding mechanism of Figure 6, where (a) is a diagram showing the state immediately before the workpiece adhered to the adhering member is removed, and (b) is a diagram showing the state in which the workpiece of (a) is being removed from the adhering member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing a workpiece holding mechanism previously filed by the applicant of the present application. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the results of tests conducted using the workpiece holding mechanisms shown in FIGS. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a modification of the workpiece holding mechanism of FIG. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are schematic side views for explaining the operation of the workpiece holding mechanism of FIG. 10, in which (a) and (b) show the state in which the workpiece is being removed from the adhering member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The air bubble removal method and air bubble removal device of the present invention will be described below based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic side view showing one embodiment of the air bubble removal device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the air bubble removal method of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the state of air bubbles generated between the workpiece and the adhesive member.

[0032] <Overall configuration of film forming apparatus 1> As shown in FIG. 1, a workpiece holding mechanism 10 serving as a bubble removal device according to this embodiment is provided inside (internal space S) of a film forming apparatus 1 that performs surface treatment such as film formation on a workpiece W (for example, a glass substrate). As will be described in more detail later, the workpiece holding mechanism 10 is configured to adhere and hold the workpiece W (workpiece holding function) and also to remove any air bubbles that may be generated when the workpiece W is adhered (air bubble removal function). The workpiece holding mechanism 10, the workpiece W, and the internal space S correspond to the "air bubble removal device," "adherend," and "space that can be depressurized" described in the claims.

[0033] Before describing the workpiece holding mechanism 10 according to this embodiment, the configuration of the film forming apparatus 1 will be described below.

[0034] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a vacuum chamber 2 that constitutes a film forming chamber, and a pressure reducing means 3 . The vacuum chamber 2 has an internal space S, and in this internal space S, there are provided a workpiece holding mechanism 10 and various devices (not shown) required for surface treatment such as film formation, such as a device for vacuum deposition (not shown), a device for sputtering, and a device for lifting and lowering the workpiece W to attach and detach it from the workpiece holding mechanism 10. The pressure reducing means 3 is a device for reducing the pressure in the internal space S of the vacuum chamber 2 to a vacuum state below atmospheric pressure, and can be configured using, for example, a known vacuum exhaust pump. The pressure reduction by the pressure reducing means 3 is performed when performing surface treatment on the workpiece W.

[0035] (Work holding mechanism 10) Next, the workpiece holding mechanism 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece holding mechanism 10 includes a support 11, an adhesive tape 12, an adhesive member 13, and a linear member 14. The adhesive member 13 and the linear member 14 correspond to the "adhesive member" and the "linear member" recited in the claims, respectively.

[0036] The support 11 is a member whose upper and lower surfaces are both flat, and whose lower surface is fixedly attached to the bottom of the vacuum chamber 2. The adhesive tape 12 is a so-called double-sided tape having adhesive layers formed on both sides, and is attached to the upper surface of the support 11. As such adhesive tape 12, for example, a known double-sided adhesive tape made of polyimide can be used.

[0037] The adhesive member 13 is made of a sheet-like member with adhesive layers formed on both sides, and one side is adhered and fixed to the support 11 via adhesive tape 12, while the other side is configured to be able to adhere (hold) the workpiece W. As such an adhesive member 13, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape made of polyimide or silicone and having a tape thickness of about 1 mm can be used. In this embodiment, the adhesive member 13 is attached to the vacuum chamber 2 via the support 11, but it is also possible to omit the support 11 and attach the adhesive member 13 directly to the vacuum chamber 2.

[0038] The linear member 14 is made of a member that can be stretched linearly, and is attached to the upper surface of the adhesive member 13 . Specifically, the linear member 14 according to this embodiment is disposed at the center of the width of the adhesive member 13 and extends from one end to the other end in the length direction (see FIG. 3). As such a linear member 14, for example, a commonly used thread material or wire can be used. As will be described in more detail later, in this embodiment, the workpiece W is adhered (held) to the adhesive member 13 by pressing the workpiece W against the adhesive member 13 on which the linear member 14 is arranged, and air bubbles generated between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 are discharged to the outside along the linear member 14 (see "air bubbles A1, A2" and "air A3" in Figure 3). The upper surface of the adhesive member 13 corresponds to the "adhesive surface" described in the claims.

[0039] <Operation of the workpiece holding mechanism 10> Next, a bubble removal method using the workpiece holding mechanism 10 configured as above will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In the following, the description will be given on the assumption that the workpiece W is attached to the attaching member 13 under atmospheric pressure.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the bubble removal method according to this embodiment includes a linear member arrangement step S100, a pressing step S200, and a decompression step S300. The above-mentioned bubble removal method, linear member arrangement step S100, pressing step S200, and decompression step S300 correspond to the "bubble removal method," "linear member arrangement step," "pressing step," and "decompression step" described in the claims, respectively.

[0041] (Linear member arrangement step S100) As shown in FIG. 2, the bubble removal method according to this embodiment begins with a linear member arrangement step S100.

[0042] In the linear member placement step S100, the linear member 14 is placed on the upper surface of the adhesive member 13. Specifically, in the linear member placement step S300, as shown in FIG. 3, the linear member 14 is attached to the attachment member 13 at approximately the center in the width direction thereof and so as to extend from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction.

[0043] It is preferable that the end of the linear member 14 is disposed so as to protrude beyond the longitudinal end of the adhesive member 13 or be disposed in a position close to the end. This makes it possible to efficiently expel air bubbles ("air bubbles A1" in FIG. 3) present between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 when the pressing step S200 or the decompression step S300 is performed. This point will be explained later.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the bubble removal method according to this embodiment is configured so that a linear member pressing step S100 is performed and then a pressing step S200 is performed.

[0045] (Pressing step S200) In the pressing step S200, the workpiece W is attached to the attachment member 13 and pressed. Note that such pressing may be performed mechanically using a device that elevates or lowers the workpiece W, or may be performed manually.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3(a), when the workpiece W is attached to the attachment member 13, air bubbles A1 tend to form between them. In this state, when the workpiece W is pressed, the air bubbles A1 are crushed between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 and begin to expand. As described above, in this embodiment, the linear member 14 is adhered to the adhesive member 13, so that when the expanded air bubble A1 comes into contact with the linear member 14, the air bubble A2 moves along the linear member 14 and is discharged to the outside (see "air A3").

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, by performing the pressing step S200, it is possible to remove air bubbles (air bubbles A1, A2) that exist between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the adhesion (adhesion) between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13, and therefore to increase the adhesive force of the adhesive member 13 that adheres and holds the workpiece W.

[0048] The pressure of the workpiece W pressed against the adhesive member 13 can be adjusted appropriately depending on the contact area with the adhesive member 13, the amount of bubbles A1 generated, and the like. For example, if the contact area between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 is large or if a large amount of air bubbles A1 are generated, it is sufficient to apply a relatively strong pressure to the workpiece W. This makes it easier for the air bubbles A1 to come into contact with the linear member 14, and therefore it is possible to efficiently remove the air bubbles (air bubbles A1, A2) that exist between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13. Conversely, when the contact area between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 is small, the workpiece W can be pressed by using its own weight, or by applying a relatively light pressing force.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the bubble removal method according to this embodiment is configured to perform a pressure reducing step S300 after a pressing step S200.

[0050] (Decompression step S300) In the depressurization step S300, the internal space S of the vacuum chamber 2 is depressurized (see FIG. 1). Specifically, in the decompression step S300 according to this embodiment, the decompression means 3 is operated (driven).

[0051] Figures 3(b) and (c) are planar schematic diagrams showing the state of bubbles after the decompression step S300, where (b) shows the state at the initial stage of decompression (low vacuum state), and (c) shows the state at the final stage of decompression (high vacuum state).

[0052] As shown in Figure 3(b), the air bubbles A1 that exist between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13, i.e., the air bubbles A1 that remain between them even after the above-mentioned pressing process S200, gradually expand as the internal space S (see Figure 1) is decompressed.

[0053] Thereafter, as the internal space S is decompressed, the air bubble A1 further expands and comes into contact with the linear member 14 as shown in Fig. 3(c) (see "air bubble A2"). As a result, the air bubble A2 that has come into contact with the linear member 14 travels along the linear member 14 and is discharged to the outside (see "air A3"), and the air bubble A1 that exists between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 is gradually removed. As a result, the adhesion area between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 increases, and the adhesive force of the adhesive member 13 that adheres and holds the workpiece W can be further improved.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, in the bubble removal method according to this embodiment, after the decompression step S300, (1) Surface treatment for the workpiece W, (2) Removal of the workpiece W from the adhesive member 13; (3) Preparation of a new workpiece W (a workpiece W that has not been subjected to surface treatment), The above steps are performed in order, and then the pressing step S200 is performed again.

[0055] In this embodiment, after the depressurization process S300 is performed, the pressing process S200 is repeatedly performed without performing the linear member arrangement process S100 (without replacing the linear member 14 arranged on the adhesive member 13) (depressurization process S300 → pressing process S200 → depressurization process →...), but it is also possible to remove the linear member 14 from the adhesive member 13 each time a surface treatment or the like is performed on the workpiece W, and then perform the linear member arrangement process S100 (depressurization process S300 → linear member pressing process S100 → pressing process S200 → depressurization process S300 →...).

[0056] <Test 1> However, if the diameter of the linear member 14 is too small, it becomes difficult to efficiently discharge air bubbles to the outside, while if the diameter is too large, problems such as impeding adhesion of the workpiece W to the adhesive member 13 may occur. For this reason, the applicant of the present application conducted a test (hereinafter referred to as "Test 1") on the diameter of the linear member 14 to verify such problems. "Test 1" will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

[0057] In "Test 1," the following conditions were met using a workpiece W and a workpiece holding mechanism 10 (see Figure 1), and the linear member placement process S100, pressing process S200, and decompression process S300 (see Figure 2) were carried out in sequence for each of a number of linear members 14 of different diameters. Workpiece W: Glass substrate (width: 100 mm, length: 100 mm) Adhesive tape 12: Polyimide tape (PI tape) Adhesive material 13: Adhesive sheet (width: 10 mm, length: 50 mm, tape thickness: 1.0 mm) Linear member 14: thread Diameter of the linear member 14: 0.01mm, 0.02mm, 0.03mm, 0.06mm, 0.1mm, 5 types in total For ease of explanation, the test in which the diameter of the linear member 14 is 0.01 mm will be referred to as "Test 1a," the test in which the diameter is 0.02 mm will be referred to as "Test 1b," the test in which the diameter is 0.03 mm will be referred to as "Test 1c," the test in which the diameter is 0.06 mm will be referred to as "Test 1d," and the test in which the diameter is 0.1 mm will be referred to as "Test 1e."

[0058] In addition, in "Test 1", for each of the plurality of linear members 14 having different diameters, Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the pressing step S200 (see Figure 3(a)), Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the decompression step S300 (see Figure 3(c)). This was done by visually checking (visual inspection).

[0059] As a result of conducting "Test 1a" to "Test 1e," the following changes in the amount of bubbles were confirmed in each test. (1) Test results for "Test 1a" and "Test 1b" Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the pressing process S200: Decreased Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the decompression step S300: No change (2) Test results for "Test 1c" and "Test 1d" Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the pressing process S200: Decreased Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the decompression step S300: Decreased (3) Test results for "Test 1e" Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the pressing process S200: Decreased Change in the amount of bubbles before and after the decompression step S300: Decreased (bubbles disappear after the decompression step S300)

[0060] From these test results, it was confirmed that regardless of whether the diameter of the linear member 14 was 0.01 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.06 mm, or 0.1 mm, when the workpiece W was pressed against the adhesive member 13 under atmospheric pressure, the amount of air bubbles present between them decreased.

[0061] On the other hand, it was found that the change in the amount of bubbles when the internal space S of the vacuum chamber 2 (see Figure 1) was reduced in pressure only decreased when the diameter of the linear member 14 was 0.03 mm or more, and that when the diameter was 0.1 mm, the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 were adhered over the entire surface (full surface adhesion).

[0062] From the above test results, it was found that when performing surface treatment on the workpiece W, i.e., in an environment where the atmospheric pressure state is changed to a vacuum state, the diameter of the linear member 14 is preferably 0.03 mm to 0.1 mm, and more preferably 0.1 mm.

[0063] <Test 2> In addition to the above-mentioned "Test 1," the applicant also conducted a test (hereinafter referred to as "Test 2") to verify the adhesive strength (adhesion strength) of the adhesive member 13 that adheres and holds the workpiece W. "Test 2" will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0064] "Test 2" was carried out by measuring the adhesive strength of the adhesive member 13 in a state where the workpiece W was pressed against the adhesive member 13 under atmospheric pressure (the state after the "pressure step S200" and before the "depressurization step S300"). The adhesive strength was measured using a known method (tensile test method) of applying tensile stress to the workpiece W. The workpiece W used in "Test 2" was a glass substrate with a width of 500 mm and a length of 250 mm.

[0065] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the apparatus used in "Test 2," where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. In "Test 2," the apparatus shown in Figure 4 was used. As shown in Figure 4, the device used in "Test 2" was a device in which multiple (five in this test) workpiece holding mechanisms 10 (see Figure 1) described above were arranged side by side at regular intervals. In "Test 2," in addition to the device shown in Figure 4 (hereinafter referred to as "workpiece holding device with linear members"), a test was also conducted using a device from which the linear members 14 had been removed (not shown, hereinafter referred to as "workpiece holding device without linear members"). Note that the test using the "workpiece holding device without linear members" was conducted under the same test conditions (for example, the method of measuring adhesive strength) as the "workpiece holding device with linear members."

[0066] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the test results of "Test 2." From the graph shown in Figure 5, it can be seen that in the case of the "workpiece holding device with linear member," the adhesive force gradually decreases from "50 N" to "40 N" during the period from when the workpiece W is attached (pressed) to the adhesive member 13 until "approximately 14 minutes" have passed, and then it suddenly drops to "0 N," indicating peeling. In contrast, with the "workpiece holding device without linear members," the adhesive force gradually decreases from "50N" to "40N" during the "approximately 7 minutes" that elapses after the workpiece W is pressed against the adhesive member 13, and then suddenly drops to "0N," indicating peeling.

[0067] In other words, in "Test 2," it was found that when a linear member 14 was placed on the adhesive member 13, the workpiece W could be held for "approximately twice" as long as when no linear member 14 was placed on the adhesive member 13. In this regard, it can be said that it has been demonstrated that by placing the linear member 14 on the adhesive member 13, air bubbles present between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 are efficiently removed, thereby increasing the adhesive strength of the adhesive member 13.

[0068] As described above, in this embodiment, after the linear member 14 is placed on the adhesive member 13 ("linear member placement step S100" in Figure 2), the workpiece W is pressed onto the adhesive member 13 ("pressing step S200" in Figure 2), and the internal space S in which they are stored is depressurized ("depressurization step S300" in Figure 2), so that air bubbles present between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 are discharged to the outside along the linear member 14.

[0069] That is, in this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently and stably remove air bubbles (see "air bubble A1" in Figure 3, etc.) that occur between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13, thereby increasing the adhesive area thereof. As a result, in this embodiment, the adhesive force between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 13 can be increased, so that the workpiece W can be stably held.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, unlike the above-mentioned conventional technology (Utility Model Registration No. 2587198), a configuration for removing bubbles (a bubble removal device) can be obtained by simply placing (adhering) a thread material or the like (a general-purpose product) as the linear member 14 on the adhesive member 13, without performing any processing on the adhesive member, and therefore the device is extremely easy to manufacture.

[0071] Second Embodiment In the above embodiment, the adherend to be adhered to the adhering member is a workpiece W (for example, a glass substrate), but the present invention is not limited to this, and other members may also be used. Hereinafter, an embodiment (modified example) in which the adherend is a member other than the workpiece W will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. Note that, in the following, the same components as those in the above embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. For ease of explanation, the above embodiment will be referred to as the "first embodiment," and the modified example shown below will be referred to as the "second embodiment."

[0072] 6 and 7, in the second embodiment, an adherend to be adhered to the adhesive member 113 is provided together with the adhesive member 113 in a work holding mechanism 110 that holds a workpiece W. Hereinafter, the work holding mechanism 110 including such an adherend and adhesive member will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

[0073] (Work holding mechanism 110) As shown in Figure 6, the workpiece holding mechanism 110, similar to the workpiece holding mechanism 10 of the first embodiment, is a device for holding a workpiece W (e.g., a glass substrate), and is provided inside the film forming apparatus 1 (internal space S) that performs surface treatment of the workpiece W (see Figure 1). The workpiece holding mechanism 110 and the workpiece W correspond to the "air bubble removing device" and the "workpiece" recited in the claims (claim 3), respectively.

[0074] The work holding mechanism 110, like the work holding mechanism 110' (see Figure 8) of the prior application, is equipped with a support 11, adhesive tape 12, an adhesive member 113, and an elastic member 115, and is also configured to include a linear member 14 having a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment. The support 11, adhesive tape 12, adhesive member 113, elastic member 115, and linear member 14 correspond to the "base," "adhesive tape," "adhesive member," "elastic member," and "linear member" respectively as defined in the claims (Claim 3).

[0075] Here, the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 will be explained again. The elastic member 115 is made of a known elastic sheet that is elastically deformable, and its bottom portion 115b is adhered and fixed to the support 11 via adhesive tape 12. The adhesive member 113 is made of an adhesive sheet-like member (for example, double-sided adhesive tape) and is attached so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the elastic member 115 from one end to the other end in the width direction of the bottom portion 115b. The adhesive member 113 configured in this manner has a base-side adhesive portion 113b that is adhered and fixed to the support 11 via adhesive tape 12, and a work-side adhesive portion 113a on the opposite side of the base-side adhesive portion 113b to which the work W can be adhered. The base side adhesive portion 113b, the work side adhesive portion 113a, and the bottom portion 115b correspond to the "base side adhesive portion," the "work side adhesive portion," and the "base mounting portion" respectively as set forth in the claims (Claim 3).

[0076] Furthermore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment, the adhesive force between the elastic member 115 and the adhesive tape 12 (hereinafter referred to as "adhesive force A0"), the adhesive force between the attachment member 113 and the adhesive tape 12 (hereinafter referred to as "first adhesive force A1"), the adhesive force between the attachment member 113 and the workpiece W (hereinafter referred to as "second adhesive force B1"), and the adhesive force between the attachment member 113 and the elastic member 115 (hereinafter referred to as "third adhesive force C1") are respectively: ·1st adhesive force A1>2nd adhesive force B1>3rd adhesive force C1 ·Adhesive force A0 > 2nd adhesive force B1 > 3rd adhesive force C1 The following relationship is established (see FIG. 7(a)). The above adhesive force A0, first adhesive force A1, second adhesive force B1, and third adhesive force C1 correspond to the "adhesive force," "first adhesive force," "second adhesive force," and "third adhesive force" respectively as defined in the claims (Claim 3).

[0077] Furthermore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment, the second adhesive force B1 and the third adhesive force C1 have the following relationship with the force for removing the workpiece W adhered to the adhesive member 113 (see FIG. 7(b), hereinafter referred to as the "peeling force E"): Secondary adhesive strength B1>Peeling strength E>Third adhesive strength C1 It is set to be.

[0078] The linear member 14 according to the second embodiment is disposed between the work-side adhering portion 113 a of the adhering member 113 and the upper portion 115 a of the elastic member 115 . Specifically, the linear member 14 is attached to the back side of the work-side adhesive portion 113a, and is positioned so that, with the adhesive member 113 attached to the elastic member 115, it is positioned at the center of the width of the elastic member 115 and extends from one end to the other end in the length direction (see Figure 3). The operation of arranging the linear member 14 between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 corresponds to the "linear member arranging step" set forth in the claims (claim 3).

[0079] Furthermore, the linear member 14 according to the second embodiment is arranged to be embedded in the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115 with the adhesive member 113 adhered to the elastic member 115. This allows the front surface of the work-side adhesive portion 113a to be made substantially flat, so that when the work W is adhered to the adhesive member 113, they can be in good surface contact with each other.

[0080] In the workpiece holding mechanism 110 configured in this manner, when the pressing step S200 (see Figure 2) of pressing the workpiece W against the adhesive member 113 is performed, the workpiece W is adhered to the adhesive member 113, as shown in Figure 7(a).

[0081] In the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a decompression process S300 (see Figure 2) and a process for performing surface treatment on the workpiece W are then performed, and then the workpiece W is removed using a peeling force E.

[0082] When the workpiece W is moved in the removal direction (the upward direction of the paper, hereinafter referred to as the "removal direction"), the adhesive force A0 and the first adhesive force A1 to the third adhesive force A3 are First adhesive strength A1> Second adhesive strength B1> Peel strength E> Third adhesive strength C1 Adhesion strength A0>Secondary adhesive strength B1>Peeling strength E>Third adhesive strength C1 Since the relationship is set to hold, the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 behave as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0083] That is, in the second embodiment, when the workpiece W is moved outward with a peeling force E, the workpiece side adhesive portion 113a of the adhesive member 113 is actively peeled off from the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115, forming a gap G1 between them.

[0084] Thereafter, when the workpiece W is further moved in the outward direction, the portion of the workpiece-side adhering portion 113a that is attached to the workpiece W is pulled, and the adhering member 113 moves in the outward direction of the workpiece W, centering on the attached portion. As a result, the adhering member 113 takes on an arc shape with the portion that is attached to the workpiece W at the top, and gradually peels off from the workpiece W.

[0085] That is, in the second embodiment, when removing the workpiece W from the adhesive member 113, the workpiece holding mechanism 10 of the first embodiment (see Figure 1) requires a force greater than the adhesive force between the adhesive member 13 and the workpiece W (adhesive force corresponding to the second adhesive force B1), whereas the workpiece holding mechanism 110 makes it possible to do this with a force (peeling force E) smaller than the second adhesive force B1.

[0086] In the second embodiment, after performing the workpiece W removal operation, the operation of attaching a new workpiece W to the adhesive member 113 is repeated, as in the first embodiment (see "Decompression step S300" → "Pressing step S200" → "Decompression step S300" → ... in Figure 2).

[0087] In this way, in the second embodiment, the attachment and detachment of the attaching member 113 to the elastic member 115 is performed in response to repeated attachment and detachment of the workpiece W to and from the attaching member 113.

[0088] In this regard, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110, in order to hold the workpiece W more stably, it is preferable that the workpiece W and the adhesive member 113 are properly adhered with the second adhesive force B1, and that the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 are also properly adhered with the third adhesive force C1, that is, that no air bubbles are generated between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115, and that they are adhered with a strong adhesive force (adhesion force).

[0089] If the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 are not adhered with such adhesion force, even if the workpiece W is adhered to the adhesive member 113, there is a risk that the adhesion between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 may be released, and in such a case, a problem may arise in which the workpiece W may detach from the adhesive member 113.

[0090] Furthermore, if the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 are repeatedly attached together while air bubbles are generated between them, wrinkles or the like may form in the adhesive member 113. In such a case, not only will the third adhesive force C1 between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 decrease, but the second adhesive force B1 between the workpiece W and the adhesive member 113 will also decrease, causing problems.

[0091] Therefore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 110, the linear member 14 similar to that in the first embodiment is arranged between the adhesive member 113 and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115. This makes it possible to remove air bubbles that occur between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115, as explained in the first embodiment, and as a result, it is possible to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0092] <Test 3> The applicant of the present application conducted a test (hereinafter referred to as "Test 3") using a work holding mechanism 110 (see FIG. 6) in which linear members 14 were arranged, and a work holding mechanism 110' (see FIG. 8) in which no linear members 14 were arranged, as a comparison, in order to verify the adhesiveness (adhesion) between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115. For ease of explanation, hereinafter, the work holding mechanism 110 shown in FIG. 6 will be referred to as the "work holding mechanism with linear members," and the work holding mechanism 110' shown in FIG. 8 will be referred to as the "work holding mechanism without linear members."

[0093] In "Test 3," tests were performed on the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 under conditions 1 to 3 shown below using the "workpiece holding mechanism with linear member" and the "workpiece holding mechanism without linear member." (1) Condition 1 Adhesive material 113: Polyimide-based silicone double-sided adhesive tape ("Kapton double-sided tape No. 760H (manufactured by Teraoka Seisakusho)") Elastic member 115: Silicone elastic sheet (2) Condition 2 Adhesive material 113: Polyimide-based silicone double-sided adhesive tape ("Kapton double-sided tape No. 760H (manufactured by Teraoka Seisakusho)") Elastic member 115: Non-silicon elastic sheet (3) Condition 3 Adhesive member 113: Polyimide-based silicone double-sided adhesive tape ("Polyimide-based silicone double-sided adhesive tape 4390 (manufactured by 3M)") Elastic member 115: Non-silicon elastic sheet In "Test 3," a "glass substrate" was used as the workpiece W, as in "Test 1" and "Test 2" described above.

[0094] In "Test 3," a "tensile load of 40 N" was applied to the "glass substrate" attached to the adhesive member 113 under "vacuum conditions," and the time during which the adhesive member 113 held the "glass substrate" (hereinafter referred to as "holding time") was measured. In "Test 3," the "holding time" was measured up to a maximum of "60 minutes."

[0095] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the test results of "Test 3." From the graph shown in Figure 9, it can be seen that the "workpiece holding mechanism with linear members" adheres and holds the "glass substrate" for "60 minutes", which is the longest measured time in "Test 3", under all conditions from Condition 1 to Condition 3. In contrast, it can be seen that the "line-member-free workpiece holding mechanism" adhered and held the "glass substrate" for only about "20 minutes" under any of conditions 1 to 3.

[0096] The reason why the holding time of the "workpiece holding mechanism without linear members" to hold the "glass substrate" is shorter than that of the "workpiece holding mechanism with linear members" is thought to be because the latter held the "glass substrate" in a state where there were many air bubbles between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115, i.e., the adhesion between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115 was gradually released by these air bubbles.

[0097] In this regard, it can be said that by carrying out "Test 3", it was demonstrated that when the linear member 14 is placed between the adhesive member 113 and the elastic member 115, air bubbles that occur between them can be effectively removed.

[0098] In this way, the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment can hold the workpiece W more stably during surface treatment such as film formation, and can be removed with a relatively small force after the surface treatment.

[0099] <Modification> In the second embodiment described above, the bottom 115b of the elastic member 115 is adhered to the adhesive tape 12 together with the substrate-side adhesion portions 113b, 113b of the attachment member 113. However, it is also possible to configure the bottom 115b to not be adhered, as in the work holding mechanism 210 shown in Fig. 10. Below, a work holding mechanism 210 according to a modified example will be described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. Note that the work holding mechanism 210 differs from the work holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment described above only in the manner in which the attachment member is adhered to the elastic member 115, and the rest of the configuration is the same. Therefore, the same reference numerals will be used and their description will be omitted unless necessary.

[0100] (Work holding mechanism 210) As shown in Figure 10, the work holding mechanism 210 of the modified example includes the support 11, adhesive tape 12, linear member 14, and elastic member 115 described above, and also includes an adhesive member 213 having a different configuration from the adhesive member 113 described above (see Figure 6). The workpiece holding mechanism 210, the support 11, the adhesive tape 12, the adhesive member 213, the linear member 14, and the elastic member 115 correspond to the "air bubble removal device," "base," "adhesive tape," "adhesive member," "linear member," and "elastic member" respectively as set forth in the claims (Claim 4).

[0101] The adhesive member 213 is attached so as to cover the entire outer periphery of the elastic member 115 in the width direction, and has a work-side adhesive portion 213a to which the work W can be attached, and a base-side adhesive portion 213b that is adhered to the adhesive tape 12 attached to the support 11. That is, in the adhesive member 213 according to this modification, the base-side adhesive portion 213b and the work-side adhesive portion 213a are arranged opposite each other (fully opposed) in a state where they are attached to the elastic member 115. Note that, as such an adhesive member 213, for example, an adhesive sheet such as a double-sided adhesive sheet can be used. The workpiece-side adhering portion 213a and the base-side adhering portion 213b correspond to the "workpiece-side adhering portion" and the "base-side adhering portion" recited in the claims (claim 4), respectively.

[0102] In the modified example configured in this manner, unlike the second embodiment shown in Figure 6, the elastic member 115 is attached to the support 11 by adhering the base side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213 attached to the elastic member 115 to the adhesive tape 12.

[0103] The linear member 14 according to the modified example is disposed between the work-side adhering portion 213a of the adhering member 213 and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115, similar to the linear member 14 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 6). Specifically, the linear member 14 in the modified example is attached to the back side of the work-side adhesive portion 213a, and when the adhesive member 213 is attached to the elastic member 115, it is positioned at the center of the width of the elastic member 115 and extends from one end to the other end in the length direction (see Figure 3).

[0104] In addition, the linear member 14 of the modified example, like the linear member 14 of the second embodiment (see Figure 6), is embedded in the upper part 115a of the elastic member 115 with the adhesive member 213 attached to the elastic member 115, thereby making it possible to make the surface side of the work side adhesive portion 213a an approximately flat surface.

[0105] Furthermore, in the workpiece holding mechanism 210 according to this modified example, similarly to the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 6), the first adhesive force A2 between the adhesive member 213 and the adhesive tape 12, the second adhesive force B2 between the adhesive member 213 and the workpiece W, and the third adhesive force C2 between the adhesive member 213 and the elastic member 115 are respectively: ·1st adhesive force A2>2nd adhesive force B2>3rd adhesive force C2 The relationship is set to hold. The first adhesive force A2, the second adhesive force B2, and the third adhesive force C2 correspond to the "first adhesive force," the "second adhesive force," and the "third adhesive force" respectively as defined in the claims (Claim 4).

[0106] In other words, in the work holding mechanism 210, when an attempt is made to remove the adhered work W from the adhesive member 213 using a peeling force E, the adhesion between the work side adhesive portion 213a of the adhesive member 213 and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115 is gradually released, since the third adhesive force C2 is set to be smaller than the second adhesive force B2 and the third adhesive force C2.

[0107] As a result, in the workpiece holding mechanism 210, it is possible to peel the workpiece W from between the workpiece-side adhesive portion 213a of the adhesive member 213 and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115 (see "gap G2" in FIG. 11(a)). As a result, in the workpiece holding mechanism 210 according to the modified example, as in the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 7(b)), the workpiece W can be removed with a force (peeling force E) smaller than the second adhesive force B2.

[0108] In addition, in the work holding mechanism 210, a linear member 14 similar to that of the work holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment (see Figure 7(b)) is arranged between the work side adhesive portion 213a of the adhesive member 213 and the upper portion 115a of the elastic member 115. That is, in the workpiece holding mechanism 210 according to the modified example, when the pressing step S200 or the decompression step S300 is performed, it is possible to effectively discharge the air bubbles present between the adhesive member 213 and the elastic member 115 to the outside (see FIG. 3), and therefore the workpiece W can be held more stably.

[0109] In this way, with the workpiece holding mechanism 210 according to the modified example, similar to the workpiece holding mechanism 110 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 6), the workpiece W can be held more stably during surface treatment such as film formation, and can be removed with a relatively small force after the surface treatment.

[0110] In this modification, the second adhesive member 213 is attached so as to cover the entire outer periphery of the elastic member 115 (for example, an elastic sheet), unlike the second embodiment (see FIG. 6). Therefore, when removing the workpiece W from the adhesive member 213, depending on the removal direction, the magnitude of the peeling force E, etc., it is possible that the workpiece W will peel off from between the base-side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213 and the lower portion 115b of the elastic member 115, as shown in FIG. 11(b).

[0111] In such a case, the adhesive member 213 takes on an arc shape with the adhered portion of the workpiece side adhesive portion 213a attached to the workpiece W as being pulled, and the elastic member 115 is also pulled by the adhesive member 213 and curves while forming a dome-shaped gap G3 between the bottom portion 115b and the base side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213. That is, even when the adhesive member 213 and the elastic member 115 are peeled off in the manner shown in Figure 11 (b), the adhesive member 213 can be gradually peeled off from the workpiece W as the workpiece W moves in the removal direction.

[0112] In this way, in the modified work holding mechanism 210, it is possible that the work W will be peeled off in the manner shown in Figure 11(b), but even in this case, as in the case of peeling off in the manner shown in Figure 11(a), the work W can be removed with a force (peeling force E) smaller than the second adhesive force B2.

[0113] However, after the workpiece W is removed in this manner, if the base-side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213 and the lower portion 115b of the elastic member 115 are adhered to each other, air bubbles are likely to form between them, as described above. In such a case, the adhesiveness (close contact) between the adhesive member 213 and the elastic member 115 decreases, that is, the adhesive force (holding force) of the adhesive member 213 that holds the workpiece W decreases.

[0114] Therefore, in this modified example, when the adhesive member 213 and the elastic member 115 are peeled off in this manner, the linear member 14 is arranged between the base-side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213 and the lower part 115b of the elastic member 115. Note that such an arrangement can be realized by, for example, adhering the linear member 14 to the back side of the base-side adhesive portion 213b (see FIG. 11(b)). This makes it possible to remove air bubbles that occur between the base-side adhesive portion 213b of the adhesive member 213 and the lower part 115b of the elastic member 115, and as a result, it is possible to improve the adhesive force (holding force) of the adhesive member 213 that holds the workpiece W.

[0115] In this modified example, the linear member 14 is disposed at one of the positions shown in FIG. 11(a) and (b), but it is also possible to dispose it at both positions.

[0116] Furthermore, in the second embodiment and the modified example, the linear member 14 is attached to the adhesive member 113 (adhesive member 213) side, but it may be attached to the elastic member 115 side.

[0117] Furthermore, although the above embodiments have been described with reference to a single linear member 14 disposed between the adhesive member and the elastic member, it is also possible to dispose multiple linear members. In this case, the multiple linear members may be disposed in parallel with each other at intervals. With this configuration, it is expected that air bubbles generated between the adhesive member and the elastic member can be removed more efficiently and stably.

[0118] In each of the above embodiments, the workpiece W (adherend) is configured to be pressed toward the adhesive member, but the opposite is also possible, and it is also possible to configure the workpiece W and the adhesive member to press against each other.

[0119] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been shown in which a workpiece holding mechanism is used as a method for removing air bubbles, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bubble removal method according to the present invention can be applied to a case where a sheet-like adhesive member (e.g., a seal or sticker) is attached (adhered) to a predetermined smooth surface (an adherend, for example, the outer surface of a vending machine). In this case, for example, a linear member stretched in a straight line can be attached so that it protrudes from the adhesive surface of the adhesive member, and then attached to the predetermined smooth surface. In this case, the linear member can be removed (pulled out) after the adhesive member is attached to the smooth surface.

[0120] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the decompression process is performed after the linear member placement process and the pressing process (see Figure 2, etc.), but it is also possible to omit the decompression process depending on the purpose and use of adhering the adherend and the adhesive member.

[0121] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a workpiece holding mechanism is shown as an example of a bubble removal device, but the present invention can be applied to any device that adheres an adhesive member to an adherend (for example, a device that adheres a sealing material to a product, etc.).

[0122] Although the present invention has been described above as an embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the descriptions and drawings that form part of the disclosure of the present invention according to the embodiment. In other words, it should be added that all other embodiments, examples, and operational techniques that are made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiment are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0123] 1 Film deposition equipment 2. Vacuum chamber 3. Pressure reduction means 10,110,210 Workpiece holding mechanism (air bubble removal device) 110´ Work holding mechanism 11 Support (base) 12 adhesive tape 13,113,213 Adhesive members 113a, 213a Work side adhesive part 113b,213b Base side attachment part 14 Linear members 115 Elastic member 115a upper part 115b Bottom (base mounting part) double work S interior space A1, A2 bubbles A3 Air G1~G3 gap A0 Adhesive strength A1,A2 1st adhesive strength B1,B2 2nd adhesive strength C1,C2 3rd adhesive strength E Peeling force

Claims

1. A bubble removal method for removing bubbles that occur between an adherend and an adhesive member when they are attached to each other, comprising: a linear member arranging step of arranging a linear member between the adherend and the adhesive member so as to extend from one end of the adhesive member to the other end of the adhesive member; a pressing step of pressing at least one of the adherend and the adhesive member toward the other after the linear member arranging step; Including, the adherend is made of an elastic member that is elastically deformable, and has a base mounting portion that is attached to an adhesive tape provided on the base; the attachment member is made of an adhesive sheet and is attached so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the adherend from one end to the other end of the base mounting portion, and has a base-side attachment portion that is attached to the adhesive tape, and a work-side attachment portion that is on the opposite side of the base-side attachment portion and can attach a workpiece; When the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the adhesive tape is defined as a first adhesive strength, the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the workpiece is defined as a second adhesive strength, and the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the elastic member is defined as a third adhesive strength, the first adhesive strength>the second adhesive strength>the third adhesive strength Adhesion strength between the elastic member and the adhesive tape>the second adhesive strength>the third adhesive strength The relationship is established, The bubble removal method, wherein the linear member placement step includes a step of placing the linear member between the elastic member and the work-side adhesive portion.

2. A bubble removal method for removing bubbles that occur between an adherend and an adhesive member when they are adhered to each other, comprising: a linear member arranging step of arranging a linear member between the adherend and the adhesive member so as to extend from one end of the adhesive member to the other end of the adhesive member; a pressing step of pressing at least one of the adherend and the adhesive member toward the other after the linear member arranging step; Including, the adherend is made of an elastic member that is elastically deformable and is provided on a base; the attachment member is made of an adhesive sheet and is attached so as to cover the entire outer periphery of the elastic member, and has a base-side attachment portion that is attached to an adhesive tape provided on the base, and a work-side attachment portion that is on the opposite side of the base-side attachment portion and can attach a workpiece; When the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the adhesive tape is defined as a first adhesive strength, the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the workpiece is defined as a second adhesive strength, and the adhesive strength between the adhesive member and the elastic member is defined as a third adhesive strength, the first adhesive strength>the second adhesive strength>the third adhesive strength The relationship is established, The linear member placement step is an air bubble removal step that includes a step of placing the linear member between the elastic member and at least one of the base side adhesion portion and the work side adhesion portion.

3. the adherend and the adhesive member are accommodated in a space that can be decompressed, The bubble removal method according to claim 1 , further comprising a depressurizing step of depressurizing the space after the pressing step.

4. The bubble removal method according to claim 1 , wherein the linear member arranging step includes a step of arranging a plurality of the linear members in parallel with intervals between the adhesive member and the adherend.

5. 2. The bubble removal method according to claim 1, wherein the linear member has an outer diameter within a range of 0.03 to 0.1 mm.

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