Peeling device

Abstract

To provide a peeling device capable of efficiently peeling a protective sheet pasted on a panel for a display device.SOLUTION: A peeling device has: a support part 200 for supporting a panel S on which a protective sheet having a rectangular shape is pasted; and a crimping tool 410 for peeling the protective sheet from a peeling starting end, by crimping an adhesive face of an adhesive tape TP in which a longer direction is a direction crossing a longer direction of the protective sheet, onto the peeling starting end which is one end in the longer direction of the protective sheet, and by separating from the panel S.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stripping device. [Background technology]

[0002] Display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays are manufactured through a process of forming circuits and signal lines on substrates, bonding the substrates together to form a panel that serves as the substrate that constitutes the display area, and attaching driver ICs and other components to terminals on the outside of the display area of ​​the panel.

[0003] A conventional method for mounting driver ICs has been to use flexible film-like electronic components equipped with driver ICs, such as COF (chip on film). This method involves crimping and connecting the terminals of the electronic components to terminals that are exposed horizontally from the periphery of the display area of ​​the panel, parallel to the display surface. Furthermore, a printed circuit board is crimped horizontally to these electronic components to electrically connect wiring that ensures connection to the outside, thereby manufacturing a display device.

[0004] Anisotropic conductive films (ACFs) are used to connect the terminals of such display panel and electronic components, or to connect electronic components and printed circuit boards, and these films ensure conductivity between the electrodes of the components through thermocompression bonding (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 07-253590 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] A protective sheet is attached to such panels to prevent defects during the manufacturing process. For example, a protective sheet is attached to the display area of ​​the panel and the area where electronic components are connected to prevent scratches. Furthermore, a protective sheet (reinforcing sheet) may be attached between the display area and the area where electronic components are connected to reinforce the panel. For example, the panel may be made of resin, and the final shape of the panel may be a shape folded between the display area and the edge of the panel. To make the folded portion of the panel easier to fold, the side opposite to the side where the electronic components are crimped is thinned in advance using a laser. In other words, a thinned portion exists between the area where electronic components are connected and the display area.

[0007] If the panel is thinned in this way, the rigidity of the panel will be weakened and unstable in that area, which may cause problems when crimping electronic components. For this reason, a protective sheet is attached to the thinned area to reinforce the panel, and after crimping the electronic components, the protective tape is removed, the panel is covered with resin, and then the panel is folded.

[0008] On the other hand, the protective sheet for the display area is provided so as to be separate and peelable from the protective sheet for the area where electronic components are connected and the protective sheet for reinforcing the thinned portion. This is because protection of the display area must be continued when connecting electronic components to the area where electronic components are connected or when peeling off the protective sheet for the thinner portion. In other words, three independent protective sheets may be attached to a panel for a display device.

[0009] This allows the protective sheet to be peeled off from the area where the electronic components are connected, and even after the electronic components are connected to the terminals, the protective sheet remains attached to other areas. Then, in a subsequent process, the protective sheet is peeled off from the thinned areas and covered with resin to protect the conductive areas. However, because the protective sheets for the areas where the electronic components are connected and the protective sheets used to reinforce the thinned areas are very narrow (about a few millimeters), it is difficult to reliably peel off only the desired protective sheet, whether peeled off manually or automatically, and a device that can perform efficient peeling has been sought.

[0010] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a peeling device that can efficiently peel off a protective sheet attached to a panel for a display device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the peeling device of the present invention includes a support part that supports a display panel to which a rectangular protective sheet is attached, and a peeling device that moves toward the display panel and peels an adhesive surface of an adhesive tape whose longitudinal direction intersects the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet toward one side of the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet. At the edge After the pressure bonding, the protective sheet is separated from the display panel, thereby One end a crimping tool that peels from the peel start end; a protective sheet peeled from the display device panel, the protective sheet having only the one end, which is the peeling start end, pressed to the adhesive tape and extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the adhesive tape, As the adhesive tape moves in the longitudinal direction, it moves to a position away from the crimping tool. Below and a receiving member disposed on the side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The present invention can provide a peeling device that can efficiently peel off a protective sheet attached to a panel for a display device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a plan view showing a display panel to which a protective sheet to be peeled according to an embodiment is attached; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the peeling device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a pressure-bonding portion, a presser, and a receiving portion. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positions of the pressure-bonding surface, adhesive tape, and protective sheet. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a drive mechanism for the pressing portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control device. [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart showing a peeling procedure according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the peeling operation of the peel start end of the protective sheet by the pressure bonding tool. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of peeling off the entire protective sheet by pressing. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the peeling operation of the peel start end of the protective sheet by the pressure bonding tool. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the hanging member. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for recovery processing of adhesive force. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] [Display panel] Referring to Figure 1, a display panel (hereinafter simply referred to as panel) S from which the protective sheet PS is to be peeled off will be described. The panel S is a member having terminals T for connecting a display unit D having a display function and an electronic component F having a drive circuit. The terminals T are conductive members and are arranged on one surface of the panel S in a line along a side that forms the outer edge. The terminals T extend in a direction perpendicular to the line direction of the multiple terminals T and are parallel to each other. A flexible film-like electronic component F equipped with a driver IC such as a COF is connected to the terminals T of such a panel S by thermocompression bonding via an anisotropic conductive film (ACF).

[0016] The planar area of ​​the panel S that includes the display unit D is called the display area Ad. Of the planar areas that include the terminals T of the panel S, the area to which the electronic components F are connected is called the connection area Ac. The planar area between the display area Ad and the connection area Ac of the panel S is called the narrow area Ai. The panel S is rectangular, and the outer edge of the display area Ad is similar to the outer edge of the panel S, making it a rectangular area that occupies most of the panel S. The connection area Ac is a rectangular area that follows one side of the outer edge of the panel S. The narrow area Ai is a rectangular area that follows between the display area Ad and the connection area Ac. The panel S in the narrow area Ai has a thin back surface (the surface opposite to the surface on which the terminals T are formed) to make it easier to bend. The connection area Ac and the narrow area Ai are areas that are narrower than the display area Ad.

[0017] A protective sheet PS is attached to the surface of the panel S. This protective sheet PS is made of resin and is divided into multiple regions so that it can be separated and peeled off. More specifically, the protective sheet PS is attached to the entire surface of the panel S, and linear cuts are made at the boundaries between the display region Ad, the gap region Ai, and the connection region Ac, thereby separating the protective sheet PSx, PSy, and PSz. The protective sheet PSx is a rectangular sheet attached to the display region Ad. The protective sheet PSy is a rectangular sheet attached to the connection region Ac. The protective sheet PSz is a rectangular sheet attached to the gap region Ai. Because the connection region Ac and the gap region Ai are narrower than the display region Ad, the protective sheets PSy and PSz that protect them are also narrower than the protective sheet PSx. In other words, the protective sheets PSy and PSz are strip- or tape-like rectangular shapes whose long sides are at least twice as long as their short sides.

[0018] In this embodiment, the protective sheet PS to be peeled off will be described as a protective sheet PSz that reinforces the gap area Ai. In FIG. 1, a protective sheet PSy is shown in the connection area Ac, but in the pre-peeling step according to this embodiment, the protective sheet PSy is peeled off and an electronic component F is connected to the terminal T. The protective sheet PSx that protects the display area Ad remains attached to protect the display unit D.

[0019] [Adhesive tape] The adhesive tape TP used in this embodiment is a member for peeling off the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the adhesive tape TP is made of resin, is a long, strip-shaped member, and has adhesiveness on one side. The adhesive tape TP is fed and taken up by a supply / discharge mechanism 300, which will be described later (see Figure 2).

[0020] [overview] Next, an overview of the peeling device 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the peeling device 100 includes a support unit 200, a supply / discharge mechanism 300, a pressure-bonding unit 400, a presser unit 500, a support unit 600, an imaging unit 700, and a control device 800. The support unit 200 supports a panel S for a display device panel, which is a substrate. The supply / discharge mechanism 300 is a mechanism for supplying and discharging adhesive tape TP to and from the pressure-bonding unit 400. The pressure-bonding unit 400 includes a pressure-bonding tool 410. The pressure-bonding tool 410 presses the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP onto one end of the protective sheet PSz and then moves away from the panel S together with the adhesive tape TP, thereby peeling the protective sheet PSz pressed onto the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP from that end (see FIG. 9). The end where the peeling of the protective sheet PSz begins is designated as a peel start end B, and the other end opposite thereto is designated as a peel end end E.

[0021] The pressure-bonding tool 410 has a pressure-bonding surface 411 that presses and bonds the adhesive tape TP to the protective sheet PSz (see FIG. 1). The pressure-bonding tool 410 uses the pressure-bonding surface 411 to bond the adhesive tape TP at a position that includes the peeling start end B, i.e., at a position that overlaps the peeling start end B.

[0022] The pressing unit 500 has a presser foot 510, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 9, the presser foot 510 presses the panel S against the support unit 200 (see Fig. 2) against the peeling of the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz caused by the rise of the adhesive tape TP that has been pressure-bonded to the protective sheet PSz by the pressure-bonding tool 410. Also, as shown in Fig. 9, a space is created between the protective sheet PSz and the panel S when the peeling start end B is peeled off. In this space, the presser foot 510 moves relative to the panel S in a direction toward the peeling end E of the protective sheet PSz, thereby peeling the entire protective sheet PSz from the panel S.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 2, the hanging receiver 600 has a hanging receiver member 610. As shown in Fig. 3, the hanging receiver member 610 is attached to the adhesive tape TP and is arranged below the protective sheet PSz that moves from the crimping tool 410 to the take-up reel 331.

[0024] The imaging unit 700 captures images of the protective sheet PSz-attached area of ​​the panel S supported by the support unit 200 before and after the peeling operation. The protective sheet PSz-attached area is the gap area Ai described above, and it does not matter whether the protective sheet PSz is present or not when the image is captured. The control device 800 controls each part of the peeling device 100.

[0025] The direction in which the pressure-bonding tool 410 moves to press the adhesive tape TP against the protective sheet PSz is referred to as the pressure-bonding direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the initial peeling direction. The pressure-bonding direction and the initial peeling direction correspond to the direction along the Z direction in the figure. In a plane parallel to the pressure-bonding surface 411, the direction in which the panel S is carried into a position facing the pressure-bonding surface 411 is referred to as the carry-in direction, and the direction in which it is carried out is referred to as the carry-out direction. The carry-in direction and the carry-out direction correspond to the direction along the X direction in the figure. Furthermore, in a plane parallel to the pressure-bonding surface 411, the direction in which the presser 510 moves toward the peeling end E to peel the protective sheet PSz, which is perpendicular to the carry-in direction and the carry-out direction, is referred to as the peeling direction, and the direction in which it moves back to the peeling start point B is referred to as the return direction. The peeling direction and the direction of relative movement for returning correspond to the pressure-bonding direction, and the direction along the Y direction in the figure.

[0026] The delamination device 100 of this embodiment is installed so that the pressure-bonding surface 411 is horizontal. Therefore, the pressure-bonding direction, initial peeling direction, and Z direction are vertical. In the following description, the installation surface side of the delamination device 100 is referred to as the bottom and the opposite side as the top in the vertical direction. The position in the Z direction may also be referred to as the height. However, the installation direction of the delamination device 100 is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 5 , the position of the pressure-bonding surface 411 on the XY plane is referred to as the pressure-bonding position AP. The pressure-bonding position AP is, for example, the coordinates of the position where the pressure-bonding surface 411 should press the peel starting end B in the coordinate system of the XY plane. However, this pressure-bonding position AP may be specified by one point or by multiple points such as the four corners of a rectangle.

[0027] [Support part] As shown in FIG. 2, the support unit 200 has a support column 211, a moving table 220, a drive mechanism 230, a stage 240, and a drive mechanism 250. The support column 211 is a member erected on a base (not shown). The base is installed on an installation surface. The moving table 220 is a plate-like body parallel to the crimping surface 411, and is supported by the support column 221 so as to be movable in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. The drive mechanism 230 is a mechanism that moves the moving table 220 in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. As the drive mechanism 230, for example, a ball screw mechanism that is provided on the support column 221 and moves up and down by a ball screw that is rotated by a drive source is used.

[0028] The stage 240 is a plate-like body having a mounting surface 241 that supports the back surface of the panel S. The mounting surface 241 is parallel to the pressure-bonding surface 411. The mounting surface 241 has suction holes connected to a pneumatic circuit (not shown), which adsorb and hold the panel S by negative pressure. That is, the stage 240 has a vacuum chuck as a holder for holding the panel S. Note that an electrostatic chuck or a mechanical chuck can also be used as the holder. The drive mechanism 250 is a mechanism for moving the stage 240 in two axial directions along the X and Y directions. The drive mechanism 250 is, for example, a biaxial mechanism including two stacked linear guides in mutually perpendicular directions, which move a slider by rotating a ball screw using a drive source such as a motor. The stage 240 is supported on the moving table 220 via the drive mechanism 250, thereby allowing the panel S to be moved in the loading and unloading directions, and the protective sheet PSz to be positioned at the pressure-bonding position AP.

[0029] After the adhesive tape TP is pressed by the pressing tool 410, when the stage 240 moves the panel S away from the pressing tool 510, it moves diagonally downward by combining the operation of the drive mechanism 230 in the initial peeling direction (downward in the Z direction) and the operation of the drive mechanism 250 in the return direction (towards the peeling starting point B in the Y direction).

[0030] [Supply / discharge mechanism] 2, the supply / discharge mechanism 300 has a main body 310, a supply unit 320, and a discharge unit 330, and is a mechanism that supplies the adhesive tape TP to the crimping unit 400 (described later) in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S. In other words, the adhesive tape TP sent out from the supply unit 320 is supplied in a direction perpendicular to the long side of the rectangular protective sheet PSz attached to the panel S so as to come into contact with the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410, and is then taken up by the discharge unit 330. The main body 310 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped plate, and is erected on a stand (not shown) at a position adjacent to the support unit 200 via a drive mechanism 430 (described later).

[0031] The supply unit 320 has a rotation axis parallel to the Y direction, and includes a supply reel 321 and a path roller 322 provided on the upper side of the main body unit 310. The supply reel 321 is a reel around which the adhesive tape TP is wound and from which the adhesive tape TP is fed by rotation. The supply reel 321 is supported with a desired rotational resistance via a torque control device (not shown), and is provided so that the adhesive tape TP can be fed out by a predetermined length at a time without slack in accordance with the drive of the take-up reel 331 (described below). Here, the desired rotational resistance via the torque control device is a rotational resistance that maintains the adhesive tape TP without slack against the adhesive force of the protective sheet PSz to the panel S during initial peeling (described below).

[0032] The path rollers 322 guide the movement of the adhesive tape TP fed out from the supply reel 321, and change the direction of movement of the adhesive tape TP, thereby feeding the adhesive tape TP in the direction toward the pressure-bonding unit 400. The position of the shaft of the path rollers 322 is fixed relative to the main body unit 310. The path rollers 322 are provided with an encoder, which counts the number of rotations and thereby detects the amount of adhesive tape TP fed out.

[0033] The discharge unit 330 has a rotation axis parallel to the Y direction, and includes a take-up reel 331 and a path roller 332 provided below the supply unit 320. The take-up reel 331 is a reel that takes up the adhesive tape TP that has passed through the pressure-bonding unit 400 and has the protective sheet PSz bonded thereto. The take-up reel 331 is provided so that it can take up the adhesive tape TP by a predetermined length by being rotated by a motor (not shown). As described above, this rotation causes the adhesive tape TP to be fed out from the supply reel 321 by a predetermined length. The path roller 332 guides the movement of the adhesive tape TP from the pressure-bonding unit 400, and also changes the direction of movement to feed it out to the take-up reel 331.

[0034] [Crimping part] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the crimping unit 400 includes a crimping tool 410, a guide unit 420, and a drive mechanism 430. The crimping tool 410 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member disposed in the main body 310. The crimping tool 410 includes a crimping surface 411. The crimping surface 411 is a flat, rectangular surface that faces parallel to the stage 240 of the support unit 200. The long sides of the crimping surface 411 are longer than the width of the adhesive tape TP and are disposed along the Y direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the length ws of the short sides of the crimping surface 411 is preferably equal to or shorter than the short sides, i.e., the width wt, of the protective sheet PSz. This prevents the adhesive tape TP from coming into contact with the adjacent protective sheet PSx.

[0035] 1 and 5, the pressure-bonding surface 411 faces the protective sheet PSz so as to include the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz in plan view. In other words, the pressure-bonding surface 411 is not pressed so that the entire surface overlaps the protective sheet PSz, but is pressed so that a portion of the surface of the pressure-bonding surface 411 protrudes from the protective sheet PSz in the long side direction (Y direction). At this time, the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned with respect to the pressure-bonding position AP, and the adhesive tape TP is pressed against it. For this reason, the pressure-bonding position AP where the peel start end B is positioned is set inside the pressure-bonding surface 411 in plan view. Here, the center of the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410 is set as the crimping position AP, and the adhesive tape TP is crimped with the center of the width of the adhesive tape TP overlapping the crimping position AP, so that, for example, if the width h of the adhesive tape TP is 15 mm, the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned relative to the crimping position AP so that the width ht that adheres to the protective sheet PSz is approximately 10 mm and the width hs that does not adhere is approximately 5 mm.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4 , the guide section 420 is provided between the supply reel and the crimping tool 410, contiguous with the crimping tool 410, and regulates displacement of the adhesive tape TP in the width direction. The guide section 420 has a sliding surface 421 and a guide surface 422. The sliding surface 421 is a surface that follows the non-adhesive side of the adhesive tape TP. The guide surface 422 is a pair of inner walls that rise from the sliding surface 421 in the thickness direction of the adhesive tape TP and face each other across the adhesive tape TP. Both edges of the adhesive tape TP come into contact with the guide surfaces 422, thereby regulating displacement of the adhesive tape TP in the width direction. This allows the adhesive tape TP fed by the supply / discharge mechanism 300 to run stably on the crimping surface 411. Furthermore, because the guide section 420 is a common component with the crimping tool 410, the number of components can be reduced, the configuration can be simplified, and the assembly process can be reduced. The corners that define the boundary between guide surface 422 and crimping surface 411 and the corners that define the boundary between the side surface of crimping tool 410 opposite guide surface 422 and crimping surface 411 are rounded, thereby preventing damage to adhesive tape TP and allowing it to move smoothly.

[0037] 2, the driving mechanism 430 is a mechanism that moves the crimping tool 410 disposed in the main body 310 in the crimping direction and the initial peeling direction. The driving mechanism 430 is configured, for example, with a linear guide or the like that rotates a ball screw using a driving source such as a motor to move the main body 310 along a guide rail.

[0038] [Holding part] As shown in FIG. 2, the presser 500 has a presser 510 and a drive mechanism 520. The presser 510 is a flat plate-like member parallel to the stage 240 of the support 200. In this embodiment, the presser 510 moves only in the Y direction and is fixed and does not move in the X or Z directions. As shown in FIG. 4, the presser 510 has pressing units 511 and 512 and a peeling unit 513. The pressing unit 511 is a unit that presses the display area Ad of the panel S and is hereinafter referred to as the first pressing unit. The pressing unit 512 is a unit that presses the connection area Ac of the panel S and is hereinafter referred to as the second pressing unit. As shown in FIG. 10, the peeling unit 513 is a unit that peels off the entire adhesive tape TP while coming into contact with the adhesive tape TP as the presser 510 moves in the peeling operation direction.

[0039] 6, when the pressing unit 500 presses the panel S, the first pressing unit 511 and the second pressing unit 512 overlap the panel S, but the peeling unit 513 does not overlap the panel S. The gap between the first pressing unit 511 and the second pressing unit 512 is such that the pressing tool 410 including the pressing surface 411 and the adhesive tape TP can move in and out (see FIG. 11).

[0040] In this embodiment, the first pressing portion 511, peeling portion 513, and second pressing portion 512 of the presser 510 are connected together, so that their inner edges are generally U-shaped, i.e., a rectangle with one broken side. This continuous inner edge is called a concave cutout portion 514. The side of the cutout portion 514 is formed by a tapered surface 515 that widens toward the support portion 200. As a result, when the adhesive tape TP enters the cutout portion 514 together with the crimping tool 410, the area of ​​the cutout portion 514 that comes into contact with the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP is reduced, making it less likely that the adhesive tape TP will adhere to the side of the cutout portion 514 and get caught, etc. Furthermore, by forming the first pressing portion 511, peeling portion 513, and second pressing portion 512 as a single continuous member in this way, the configuration can be simplified compared to when a pressing member and a peeling member are separately provided. To prevent the panel S from lifting up, it is preferable to press the display area Ad and the connection area Ac of the panel S with the first pressing portion 511 and the second pressing portion 512, but it is also possible to use only one of them. In this case, since the lifting of the panel S occurs from the outer edge side, it is also possible to use only the pressing portion 512 and press only the outer edge side (connection area Ac side) of the panel S.

[0041] Furthermore, a non-adhesive treatment is applied to the surface of the presser foot 510 that does not come into contact with the panel S, thereby preventing the adhesive tape TP from sticking to it. For example, the surface of the presser foot 510 is provided with a non-adhesive coating made of resin. Of course, the entire surface of the presser foot 510 may be non-adhesively treated. Furthermore, a protective tape is applied to the surface of the presser foot 510 that comes into contact with the panel S, thereby preventing scratches on the panel S and the protective sheet PSx. For example, a tape mainly made of polyimide is applied to the surface of the presser foot 510.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 6, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the peeling operation direction, thereby inserting a peeling unit 513 between the protective sheet PSz, one end of which has been peeled off, and the panel S, and peels the entire length of the protective sheet PSz, that is, the entirety of the protective sheet PSz, from the panel S (see Fig. 10). The drive mechanism 520 also moves the presser foot 510 in the return direction. The drive mechanism 520 uses a linear guide 522 that moves an arm 521 supporting the presser foot 510 along a guide rail by rotating a ball screw using a drive source such as a motor, for example.

[0043] [Suspended part] As shown in FIG. 2, the tape receiving section 600 has a tape receiving member 610 and a drive mechanism 620. The tape receiving member 610 is a plate-shaped member arranged along the feeding direction of the adhesive tape TP. As shown in FIG. 3, the tape receiving member 610 has a horizontal surface adjacent to the presser section 500, a plurality of upwardly sloping inclined surfaces, and another horizontal surface that continues from the horizontal surface. The tape receiving member 610 has a width greater than the overall length of the protective sheet PSz, and is provided along the path of the adhesive tape TP, from the edge of the presser section 500 to a position corresponding to the outer shape of the take-up reel 331. In other words, the tape receiving member 610 is shaped to receive any peeled-off protective sheet PSz until the adhesive tape TP is wound onto the take-up reel 331. The main purpose of the hanging receiver 600 is to prevent the peeled protective sheet PSz from adhering to the electronic component F, so it is sufficient that the length (length in the feeding direction of the adhesive tape TP) is long enough to cover at least the area where the peeled protective sheet PSz sent to the take-up reel 331 may adhere to the electronic component F. The driving mechanism 620 is a mechanism for moving the hanging receiver member 610 in the vertical direction. For example, a cylinder is used as the driving mechanism 620. Therefore, when the panel S to which the electronic component F is connected is carried in, the hanging receiver 610 can be retracted so that the hanging receiver 610 does not come into contact with the electronic component F.

[0044] [Image capture unit] As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging unit 700 images the panel S supported by the support unit 200. The imaging unit 700 is supported by a support base (not shown) so that its position relative to the main body unit 310 is fixed. The imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai before and after the protective sheet PSz is peeled off. This makes it possible to determine whether the peeling was performed normally. The imaging position of the imaging unit 700 is the same position determined by the stage 240 before and after the peeling.

[0045] The imaging unit 700 includes a camera. The camera is a CCD camera that includes optical components such as a lens, a CCD imaging element, and an image processing circuit that generates image data according to the amount of light received by the CCD. The camera captures images by receiving reflected light from a light source. In this embodiment, for example, a red light source is used as the light source, which highlights the boundaries between the protective sheets PSx, PSy, and PSz.

[0046] [Control device] 2, the control device 800 is a device that controls each part of the peeling device 100. This control device 800 can be configured, for example, by a dedicated electronic circuit or a computer that operates on a predetermined program. That is, the control contents for controlling the support unit 200, the supply / discharge mechanism 300, the pressure-bonding unit 400, the presser unit 500, the receiver unit 600, and the imaging unit 700 are programmed and executed by a processing device such as a PLC or a CPU.

[0047] The configuration of such control device 800 will be described with reference to the block diagram of Fig. 7. That is, control device 800 has a mechanism control unit 81, an image processing unit 82, a movement amount calculation unit 83, a movement instruction unit 84, a time determination unit 85, a winding instruction unit 86, a state determination unit 87, a memory unit 88, and an input / output control unit 89. Mechanism control unit 81 controls drive mechanism 230 of support unit 200, drive mechanism 250, supply / discharge mechanism 300, drive mechanism 430 of pressure-bonding unit 400, drive mechanism 520 of presser unit 500, drive mechanism 620 of hanging receiver unit 600, and imaging unit 700.

[0048] Image processing unit 82 converts the image captured by imaging unit 700 into an image suitable for display and position determination. Movement distance calculation unit 83 determines the position of peel start end B of protective sheet PSz from the image processed by image processing unit 82 and calculates the amount of movement required to move to pressure-bonding position AP. For example, the position coordinates of the line of peel start end B are determined based on the black and white binary image generated by image processing unit 82.

[0049] These position coordinates are position coordinates in a coordinate system of the XY plane in which the position coordinates of the above-mentioned crimping position AP are set. In this coordinate system, the position coordinates of the crimping position AP and the position coordinates of the imaging position of the imaging unit 700 are fixed, and the position coordinates in the image captured by the imaging unit 700 can be converted into position coordinates in the coordinate system. Therefore, the movement amount calculation unit 83 can calculate the XY movement amount from the position coordinates of the peel start end B determined from the image to the position coordinates of the crimping position AP. Note that it is also possible to calculate the amount of deviation from the position coordinates of the previous crimping position AP and calculate a corrected movement amount based on this deviation amount.

[0050] The movement instruction unit 84 instructs the mechanism control unit 81 to drive the drive mechanism 250 of the support unit 200 in accordance with the movement amount calculated by the movement amount calculation unit 83. This makes it possible to accurately position the peel start end B at the pressure bonding position AP even if there is variation in the position of the panel S on the stage 240.

[0051] The time determination unit 85 calculates the elapsed time from the point in time when the peeling device 100 stopped the peeling operation based on the time acquired from the internal clock of the control device 800, and determines whether the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Whether the elapsed time is greater than the threshold value may be determined, for example, by whether the date has changed. If the elapsed time is greater than the threshold value, the winding instruction unit 86 instructs the mechanism control unit 81 to cause the supply / discharge mechanism 300 to perform an operation of winding and recovering the exposed adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP. The amount of adhesive tape TP to be fed out by this winding is preset to a feed amount such that the portion of the adhesive tape TP along its path from the supply reel 321 to the pressing surface 411 where the adhesive surface is exposed and the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the threshold value is removed from the pressing surface 411. The feed amount is detected by the encoder of the path roller 322. The feed amount may be, for example, the length of the path of the adhesive tape TP from the portion where the adhesive tape TP leaves the supply reel 321 to the pressing surface 411 of the crimping tool 410.

[0052] The state determination unit 87 determines the state of the protective sheet PSz based on the image captured by the imaging unit 700. That is, the state determination unit 87 determines whether or not the protective sheet PSz is present, whether or not it has a normal shape, and the like, based on the image processed by the image processing unit 82, and determines whether or not it is normal.

[0053] The storage unit 88 stores information necessary for control of this embodiment. For example, along with the above-mentioned program, the captured image, the coordinate system and position coordinates for positioning the protective sheet PSz, the movement amount, the correction amount, the time threshold value for judgment by the time judgment unit 85, the feed amount of the adhesive tape TP, etc. are stored in the storage unit 88. The input / output control unit 89 is an interface that controls signal conversion and input / output between each unit to be controlled.

[0054] Furthermore, an input device 91 and an output device 92 are connected to the control device 800. The input device 91 is an input means such as a switch, a touch panel, a keyboard, or a mouse that allows an operator to operate the peeling device 100 via the control device 800. The above threshold values ​​and the like can be set by inputting desired values ​​from the input device 91.

[0055] The output device 92 is an output means such as a display, lamp, meter, speaker, buzzer, etc. that makes information for checking the status of the device recognizable to the operator. For example, an image captured by the imaging unit 700 is displayed on the display, allowing the operator to check the peeling of the protective sheet PSz. Furthermore, when the time determination unit 85 determines that the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value, the adhesive strength of the adhesive tape TP is deemed to have decreased, and the display, lamp illumination, speaker, and buzzer sound are used to notify the operator. In other words, the output device 92 functions as a means for notifying the operator of the decrease in adhesive strength.

[0056] [Operation] The operation of the peeling device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 8, the explanatory diagrams in Fig. 9 to Fig. 12, and the flowchart in Fig. 13 in addition to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are views taken along the arrow M shown in Fig. 6, and Figs. 11 and 12 are views taken along the arrow N shown in Fig. 6. In the following description, the position in the Z direction of the surface of the presser foot 510 facing the panel S is defined as the reference position RP (see Figs. 9 to 12).

[0057] (Adhesive tape set) First, as shown in Fig. 2, the adhesive tape TP is set in the supply / discharge mechanism 300. That is, the wound adhesive tape TP is fitted onto the supply reel 321. Then, the pulled-out adhesive tape TP passes through the guide portion 420 of the crimping tool 410 via the path roller 322, and is tensioned so that it reaches the take-up reel 331 via the path roller 332 from a position where it covers the crimping surface 411. Then, after the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP to be crimped onto the protective sheet PSz is fed onto the crimping surface 411 of the crimping tool 410 by the supply / discharge mechanism 300, the rotation of the supply reel 321 and the take-up reel 331 is stopped, and the movement of the adhesive tape TP is fixed.

[0058] (Image taken before peeling) On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 1, in a previous process, the protective sheet PSx is peeled off from the connection area Ac of the panel S, and an electronic component F is connected. As shown in Fig. 2, this panel S is placed on the stage 240 and is held by suction using negative pressure. Then, before the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, the imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai of the panel S (step S101). When the panel S connected to the electronic component F is carried in, the hanging member 610 is in an initial position at a height that does not allow it to come into contact with the electronic component F (see Fig. 11).

[0059] The movement distance calculation unit 83 determines the position coordinates of the peel start end B from the captured image and calculates the movement distance required to move the peel start end B to a position facing the pressure-bonding surface 411 (step S102). The movement instruction unit 84 outputs a movement instruction according to the calculated movement distance to the mechanism control unit 81, and the mechanism control unit 81 causes the drive mechanism 250 of the support unit 200 to move the stage 240. As a result, the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is positioned at a position facing the pressure-bonding position AP on the pressure-bonding surface 411, as shown in Figures 9(A) and 11(A) (step S103).

[0060] The state determination unit 87 determines the state of the protective sheet PSz based on the image captured by the imaging unit 700 and processed by the image processing unit 82. If it is determined that the protective sheet PSz is absent or that the state of the protective sheet PSz is abnormal, the state determination unit 87 determines that the protective sheet PSz is abnormal and notifies the operator of this via a display or the like of the output device 92, and causes the mechanism control unit 81 to eject the panel S. The notification to the operator may also be a notification urging the operator to re-image the protective sheet PSz to determine the state of the protective sheet PSz.

[0061] (Initial peeling operation) 9(B) and 11(B), the driving mechanism 430 drives the main body 310 to lower, and the crimping tool 410 provided on the main body 310 also lowers and enters the notch 514 of the presser foot 510, and stops at a position where the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP covering the crimping surface 411 reaches the reference position RP (step S104). As a result, the surface of the presser foot 510 facing the panel S and the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP are at the same height.

[0062] 9(C) and 11(C), the driving mechanism 230 raises the stage 240 of the support unit 200 toward the pressure-bonding unit 400, thereby pressing the panel S against the presser foot 510 and the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP covering the pressure-bonding surface 411 (step S105). As a result, the adhesive tape TP is pressure-bonded to the peel-off starting end B of the protective sheet PSz.

[0063] 9(D) and 11(D), the driving mechanism 430 drives the pressure bonding tool 410 to rise, which also raises the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz adhered to the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP, and the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz is peeled off from the panel S (initial peeling) (step S106). At this time, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first pressing portion 511 and the second pressing portion 512 of the presser 510 press the connection area Ac and the display area Ad, preventing the panel S from lifting up. Note that in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9(D) and 10, the protective sheet PSy has been peeled off, resulting in a step with the protective sheet PSx. If this step causes a problem, a thicker polyimide sheet or the like can be attached to the back surface of the second pressing portion 512 to eliminate the step.

[0064] (Full peeling operation) Next, as shown in FIG. 10(A), the stage 240 of the support unit 200 moves diagonally downward to separate the panel S from the presser foot 510 (step S107). This operation is performed to avoid the risk that the protective sheet PSz, which is pressed against the adhesive tape TP, may peel off from the adhesive tape TP due to tension applied to the protective sheet PSz being peeled off if the panel S is separated from the presser foot 510 by movement only in the Z direction. In other words, a combined operation in the Y direction and the Z direction is performed to separate the panel S from the presser foot 510 without generating tension in the protective sheet PSz being peeled off. Then, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the peeling direction, thereby peeling off the entire protective sheet PSz (step S108). The movement of the stage 240 separates the panel S from the presser foot 510, allowing the presser foot 510 to move without contacting the panel S.

[0065] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10(B), the movement of the presser foot 510 brings the edge of the peeling portion 513 into contact with the protective sheet PSz. Then, as shown in FIG. 10(C), the presser foot 510 continues to move, causing the peeling to proceed. Then, as shown in FIG. 10(D), the movement of the presser foot 510 is stopped when the peeling portion 513 of the presser foot 510 reaches the peeling end E. When the peeling portion 513 of the presser foot 510 reaches the peeling end E, the entire length of the protective sheet PSz is peeled off from the panel S. At this time, the protective sheet PSz, with its peeling start end B adhered to the adhesive tape TP, is in a state where its peeling end E is placed on the top surface of the peeling portion 513. This movement of the presser foot 510 reduces the Z component of the tension of the protective sheet PSz applied to the portion where the protective sheet PSz and the adhesive tape TP are pressed together, allowing the protective sheet PSz to be peeled off reliably from the panel S.

[0066] (Feed-out operation) Next, as shown in FIG. 12(A), the hanging receiver 610 is lowered from the initial position (see FIG. 11) above the reference position RP to below the reference position RP (step S109). Then, as shown in FIG. 12(B), the adhesive tape TP is fed by the supply / discharge mechanism 300, whereby the peeling start end B of the protective sheet PSz adhered to the adhesive tape TP moves, and simultaneously the peeling end E slides from the upper surface of the peeling section 513 over the upper surface of the second pressing section 512 (see FIG. 10(D)), and the protective sheet PSz moves above the hanging receiver 610 (step S110). In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, with the peeling start end B, which is one end of the protective sheet PSz, adhered to the adhesive tape TP, the adhesive tape TP is taken up and collected by the take-up reel 331, and at the same time, a new adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP comes into the area of ​​the pressure-bonding surface 411. Then, the drive mechanism 520 moves the presser foot 510 in the return direction to return to the initial position. In this embodiment, the protective sheet PSz is adhered to the adhesive tape TP in a direction perpendicular to the adhesive tape TP and then collected, but the direction does not have to be strictly perpendicular.

[0067] (Image taken after peeling) The driving mechanisms 230 and 250 of the support unit 200 move the stage 240 to the imaging position, and the imaging unit 700 images the gap area Ai of the panel S. If the state determination unit 87 determines based on the captured image that the protective sheet PSz remains, it determines that the state is abnormal and notifies the operator of this via the display of the output device 92, etc.

[0068] The above operation is a procedure for peeling off the protective sheet PSz from one panel S, but the panel S placed on the stage 240 can be replaced and the protective sheets PSz can be peeled off sequentially from the panels S by following the above procedure. In this way, the peeled protective sheets PSz are stuck one after another with their ends stuck to the adhesive tape TP, and are taken up together with the adhesive tape TP by the take-up reel 331 and collected.

[0069] (Check adhesive strength) Next, the operation of checking the adhesive strength of the adhesive tape TP and removing adhesive tape TP with reduced adhesive strength will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 13. It is known that the adhesive strength of adhesive tape TP may gradually decrease over time if continuously exposed to air. For this reason, the time determination unit 85 measures the elapsed time from the stop of operation to the start of the peeling operation to check the adhesive strength. That is, after the peeling operation is stopped, when the peeling operation is next started, the time determination unit 85 determines the elapsed time from the stop of the peeling operation (step S201). If this determined time exceeds a predetermined threshold value (step S202), the supply / discharge mechanism 300 starts winding the adhesive tape TP in response to an instruction from the winding instruction unit 86 (step S203).

[0070] When the encoder detects that a predetermined amount has been fed out (YES in step S204), feeding and winding are stopped (step S205). Here, the predetermined amount is, for example, the length of the path of the adhesive tape TP from the part where the adhesive tape TP leaves the supply reel 321 to the crimping surface of the crimping tool. This makes it possible to not use parts of the adhesive tape TP whose adhesive strength has decreased over time. For example, it is possible to not use parts of the adhesive tape TP where the adhesive surface has been exposed for 24 hours.

[0071] [Action and effect] (1) The peeling device 100 of this embodiment includes a support part 210 that supports a panel S to which a rectangular protective sheet PSz is attached, and a pressure-bonding tool 410 that moves toward the panel S and presses the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape TP, whose longitudinal direction intersects the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet PSz, against a peeling start end B, which is one end of the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet PSz, and then moves away from the panel S to peel the protective sheet PSz from the peeling start end B.

[0072] With this configuration, the protective sheet PSz can be peeled off efficiently by peeling it off from one end of the protective sheet PSz using the adhesive tape TP. For example, when peeling from a portion other than the end of the protective sheet PSz, the adhesion at both ends continues, requiring a stronger force and making peeling mistakes more likely. However, in this embodiment, peeling is performed from one end, so subsequent peeling can be performed smoothly. Because only one end of the protective sheet PSz is attached to the adhesive tape TP and collected, adhesive tape TP can be saved more than if the entire length of the protective sheet PSz were attached to the adhesive tape TP and collected.

[0073] (2) After the crimping tool 410 has been pressed, the pressure applying tool 510 presses the panel S against the support part 200, resisting the peeling of the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz caused by the rise of the adhesive tape TP. Therefore, even when the panel S is supported by the support part 200, the panel S is prevented from lifting up or shifting in response to the peeling of the peel start end B, making peeling errors less likely to occur. For example, even if a vacuum chuck is used as the holding part, when peeling the peel start end B, the panel S may be unable to withstand the holding force of the holding part, causing the panel S to lift up or shift. In this embodiment, such problems can be prevented by the pressure applying tool 510 pressing the panel S.

[0074] (3) The presser 510 moves relative to the panel S in a direction toward the peeling end E of the protective sheet PSz on the opposite side from the peeling start end B, filling the space between the protective sheet PSz and the panel S created by peeling the peeling start end B, thereby peeling the entire protective sheet PSz from the panel S. This allows the same member to be used for pressing the panel S and the peeling member, simplifying the configuration and enabling efficient peeling of the protective sheet PSz.

[0075] (4) The receiving member 610 is disposed below the peeled protective sheet PSz, which moves to a position away from the pressure bonding tool 410 as the adhesive tape TP moves in the longitudinal direction. This prevents the peeled protective sheet PSz from adhering to the panel S or other locations.

[0076] (5) The guide portion 420 that restricts the displacement of the position of the adhesive tape TP in the short direction is provided near the pressure-bonding tool 410. This prevents the adhesive tape TP from meandering and reduces displacement from the pressure-bonding position AP.

[0077] (6) The apparatus has an imaging unit 700 that images the attachment position of the protective sheet PSz on the panel S supported by the support unit 200 before and after the peeling operation of the protective sheet PSz. This prevents the peeling operation from being performed on a panel S from which the protective sheet PSz has already been peeled, and prevents a panel S from which the protective sheet PSz has not been peeled from being sent to the next process.

[0078] (7) The supply / discharge mechanism 300 is provided, which discharges the adhesive tape TP whose adhesive surface has been exposed for a time exceeding a predetermined threshold value from the crimping position AP by the crimping tool 410, thereby supplying the subsequent adhesive tape TP to the crimping tool 410. This prevents the use of adhesive tape TP whose adhesive strength has weakened, thereby reducing the occurrence of peeling errors.

[0079] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but also includes the following aspects. (1) The panel S may be any substrate having a display area for a display device and conductive parts such as leads, to which a protective sheet PS is attached. For example, it may be a substrate having a display area that can be used now or in the future, such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

[0080] (2) The movements of the stage 240, the pressure bonding tool 410, the presser foot 510, and the hanging member 610 may be relative movements. That is, the pressure bonding of the peel start end B of the protective sheet PSz to the adhesive tape TP by the pressure bonding tool 410 may be performed by moving the pressure bonding tool 410, by moving the stage 240, or by moving both. The holding down of the panel S by the presser foot 510 may be performed by moving the presser foot 510, by moving the stage 240, or by moving both. The movement of the hanging member 610 relative to the stage 240 may be performed by moving the stage 240, by moving the hanging member 610, or by moving both.

[0081] (3) Furthermore, a suction device that adsorbs the adhesive tape TP may be provided on the bonding surface 411 of the bonding tool 410. That is, after the adhesive tape TP is fed by the supply unit 320, the suction device is activated to adsorb the adhesive tape TP to the bonding surface 411 and bond it. Thereafter, the bonding tool 410 is raised, the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, and the suction of the suction device is released. With this configuration, when the protective sheet PSz is peeled off, the adhesive tape TP is raised with the suction force of the suction device, so that the protective sheet PSz can be peeled off more forcefully and more reliably.

[0082] (4) In this embodiment, the peeling of the protective sheet PSz has been described, but when peeling the protective sheet PSy, the protective sheet PSy can be peeled off in the same manner by positioning the panel S so that the peeling starting end of the protective sheet PSy faces the pressure-bonding position AP on the pressure-bonding surface 411.

[0083] Although the embodiments of the present invention and modifications of each part have been described above, these embodiments and modifications of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 70 Imaging unit 81 Mechanism control unit 82 Image processing section 83 Travel amount calculation section 84 Movement instruction section 85 Time determination section 86 Winding instruction section 87 Status determination unit 88 Memory section 89 Input / Output Control Unit 91 Input Device 92 Output Devices 100 Peeling device 200 Support part 210 Post 220 Mobile Table 230 Drive Mechanism 240 Stages 241 Placement surface 250 Drive Mechanism 300 Supply / discharge mechanism 310 Main body 320 Supply section 321 Supply Reel 322 Path Roller 330 Discharge section 331 Take-up reel 332 Path Roller 400 Crimping section 410 Crimping Tool 411 Crimping surface 420 Guide part 421 Sliding surface 422 Guide surface 430 Drive Mechanism 500 holding part 510 Presser 511 first pressing portion 512 Second pressing part 513 Peeling part 514 Notch 515 Tapered surface 520 Drive Mechanism 521 Arm 522 Linear Guide 600 Hanging part 610 Hanging member 620 Drive Mechanism 700 Imaging unit 800 Control Device

Claims

1. a support portion that supports a display panel having a rectangular protective sheet attached thereto; a pressure-bonding tool that moves toward the display device panel, presses an adhesive surface of an adhesive tape whose longitudinal direction intersects with the longitudinal direction of the protective sheet onto one longitudinal end of the protective sheet, and then moves away from the display device panel to peel off the protective sheet from the peel start end, which is the one end; a receiving member disposed below the protective sheet, which is peeled off from the display device panel and extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the adhesive tape with only the one end, which is the peeling start end, being pressure-bonded to the adhesive tape, and which moves to a position away from the pressure-bonding tool as the adhesive tape moves in the longitudinal direction; A peeling device having:

2. 2. The peeling device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide portion near the pressure bonding tool for restricting displacement of the adhesive tape in the lateral direction.

3. 3. The peeling device according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit that images the attachment position of the protective sheet on the display panel supported by the support unit before and after the peeling operation by the pressure bonding tool.

4. 4. A peeling device according to claim 1, further comprising a supply / discharge mechanism that supplies subsequent adhesive tape to the crimping tool by discharging adhesive tape whose adhesive surface has been exposed for a period of time exceeding a predetermined threshold value from the crimping position of the crimping tool.

Images