Coating Equipment

Abstract

To provide a coating applicator that can prevent leakage of application liquid on a portion where application is completed.SOLUTION: An application device which applies application liquid to a base material to be conveyed, comprises: an application part formed with a discharge port that is long in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the base material and an application flow passage which is connected to the discharge port and through which application liquid is supplied to the discharge port; and a volume adjusting mechanism that varies the volume of the application flow passage. The volume adjusting mechanism is configured to have a volume adjusting mechanism inserted into the application flow passage and a driving part that adjusts the amount of insertion of the volume adjusting part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating device that applies a coating liquid to a substrate to form a coating film. [Background technology]

[0002] In lithium-ion batteries, a slurry of electrode material is applied to a sheet-like substrate such as aluminum foil or copper foil that is transported roll-to-roll to form a coating, and the coating is then dried to form the positive and negative electrodes.

[0003] In the process of applying a coating liquid to a substrate being transported, the coating liquid is applied intermittently to increase the speed to improve productivity and reduce loss of the coating liquid. That is, the coating liquid is repeatedly applied and stopped to the substrate being transported by a roll-to-roll system, and coating films are continuously formed on the substrate so that a certain gap is left between each coating film in the transport direction of the substrate.

[0004] Patent Document 1 below discloses a coating device that intermittently coats a coating liquid. As shown in Fig. 10, this coating device includes a coating unit 910 that coats the coating liquid and a supply mechanism 920 that supplies the coating liquid to the coating unit 910. The coating liquid supplied from the supply mechanism 920 to the coating unit 910 passes through a manifold 911 and a slit 912 formed inside the coating unit 910 and is discharged from a discharge port 913 facing a substrate 930.

[0005] 10 , the supply mechanism 920 includes a supply path 921 connecting a tank 940 that stores the coating liquid with the coating unit 910, and a supply valve 922 provided in the supply path 921. The position of a valve element 923 provided inside the supply valve 922 is changed by driving a motor, thereby switching between two states: an open state that forms a flow path for the coating liquid, and a closed state that blocks the flow path for the coating liquid. When the supply valve 922 is switched to the open state, the coating device 900 starts applying the coating liquid by ejecting the coating liquid from the outlet 913 of the coating unit 910, and when the supply valve 922 is switched to the closed state, the supply of the coating liquid to the coating unit 910 is interrupted, thereby suspending the application of the coating liquid. That is, the coating device 900 intermittently applies the coating liquid to the substrate by repeatedly switching the supply valve 922 between the open state and the closed state by changing the position of the valve element 923.

[0006] 10, a recovery valve 924 is provided midway along supply path 921 before supply valve 922, and a position of a valve element 925 provided inside recovery valve 924 is changed by driving a motor, thereby switching recovery valve 924 between an open state and a closed state. Here, coating device 900 switches supply valve 922 to a closed state and recovery valve 924 to an open state, thereby interrupting the application of the coating liquid and recovering the coating liquid in tank 940, and then switches supply valve 922 to an open state and recovery valve 924 to a closed state, thereby coating the coating liquid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-188449 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the coating apparatus 900 has a problem in that the coating liquid drags at the coating end portion. Specifically, in the coating apparatus 900, when the supply valve 922 is switched to a closed state to interrupt the coating of the coating liquid by the coating unit 910, the position of the valve body 923 is changed toward the upstream side of the supply path 921 to reduce the pressure inside the coating unit 910, thereby drawing the coating liquid from the discharge port 913 toward the supply path 921 and draining the liquid at the discharge port 913. In this way, in the coating apparatus 900, the pressure inside the coating unit 910 is reduced by the operation of the valve body 923 of the supply valve 922, which is located away from the discharge port 913, so that this effect is less likely to reach the discharge port 913. As a result, the liquid cannot be sufficiently drained at the discharge port 913, and a drag 933 of the coating liquid may occur at the coating end portion 932, which is the end of the coating film 931, as shown in FIG. 11( a).

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a coating device that can suppress dragging of coating liquid at the end of coating. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the coating device of the present invention is a coating device that coats a coating liquid on a substrate being transported, and includes a coating section formed with a discharge port that is long in a width direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, and a coating flow path that is connected to the discharge port and supplies the coating liquid to the discharge port, and a volume adjustment mechanism that changes the volume of the coating flow path, wherein the volume adjustment mechanism is In the width direction The coating flow path From each of the two ends of inserted a pair A volume adjustment unit; a pair and a drive unit that adjusts the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit.

[0011] According to the coating device, the volume adjustment mechanism has a volume adjustment unit and a drive unit, and by adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit inserted into the coating flow path formed in the coating unit by the drive unit, the volume of the coating flow path can be increased, reducing the pressure in the coating flow path and drawing the coating liquid from the discharge port into the coating flow path. That is, the volume adjustment mechanism reduces the pressure within the coating unit by adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit inserted into the coating unit. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure within the coating unit at a position close to the discharge port, making it easier to exert this effect on the discharge port. This makes it possible to sufficiently drain the liquid at the discharge port when the coating of the coating liquid by the coating unit is interrupted, and suppresses dragging of the coating liquid at the end of coating. Furthermore, by adjusting the insertion amount of a pair of volume adjustment units inserted into the coating flow path from both ends of the flow path in the width direction (hereinafter referred to as the width direction), which is perpendicular to the substrate conveyance direction, the volume near both ends of the coating flow path in the width direction can be increased, reducing the pressure in the coating flow path at a position close to the discharge port and making it possible to draw the coating liquid from the discharge port toward the coating flow path. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure in the coating flow path at a position close to the discharge port across the width direction, and since this effect can be exerted across the width direction of the discharge port, dragging of the coating liquid at the coating end portion can be suppressed across the width direction.

[0012] Also, The volume adjustment mechanism performs an operation by the drive unit to increase the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit into the application flow path at a slower speed than an operation by the drive unit to decrease the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit into the application flow path. This may also be configured as follows.

[0013] According to this configuration, By using the drive unit to increase the amount of volume adjustment unit inserted into the application flow path at a slower speed than using the drive unit to decrease the amount of volume adjustment unit inserted into the application flow path, it is possible to prevent the pressure in the application flow path from increasing rapidly when the drive unit increases the amount of volume adjustment unit inserted into the application flow path.

[0014] In addition, the application flow path may have a pair of enlarged spaces formed to protrude in the width direction beyond both ends of the outlet in the width direction, and the pair of volume adjustment units may be configured to be inserted into the pair of enlarged spaces.

[0015] According to this configuration, the pair of volume adjustment sections are inserted into a pair of enlarged spaces formed so as to protrude in the width direction beyond both ends of the outlet in the width direction, thereby making it less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid.

[0016] The coating flow path may also have a manifold that is a space that is long in the width direction and stores the coating liquid, and a slit that connects the manifold and the discharge outlet, and the pair of expanded spaces may be formed so as to protrude from both ends of the manifold in the width direction.

[0017] According to this configuration, the expanded space is formed so as to protrude from the manifold which is wider than the slit, and therefore the flow of the coating liquid is less likely to be obstructed than when the expanded space is formed in the slit.

[0018] The cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space in the width direction may be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold in the width direction.

[0019] With this configuration, because the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space in the width direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold in the width direction, it is possible to reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume adjustment unit inserted into the expanded space in the width direction compared to when the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space in the width direction is equal to or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold in the width direction. Furthermore, reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume adjustment unit in the width direction reduces the resistance the volume adjustment unit experiences when adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit, making it possible to quickly adjust the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit. This improves the responsiveness of the volume adjustment mechanism, making it easier to suppress dragging of the coating liquid at the end of coating.

[0020] Furthermore, the tip of the volume adjustment unit inserted into the expanded space may be provided with a resistance portion formed so that at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the width direction is approximately the same size as the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space, and the volume adjustment unit may be configured to reciprocate in the width direction in the expanded space by the drive unit.

[0021] According to this configuration, since a resistance portion is provided at the tip of the volume adjustment portion, the change in volume of the application flow path by adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment portion is larger than when a resistance portion is not provided, and it is possible to change the pressure in the application flow path more rapidly, making it easier to exert this effect on the discharge port. As a result, it is possible to further suppress dragging of the application liquid at the application end portion.

[0022] The resistance portion may be configured so that a cross-sectional area in the width direction decreases toward the center of the application portion in the width direction.

[0023] According to this configuration, when the volume adjustment unit inserted into the expanded space is operated in a direction to push it into the expanded space, the force with which the resistance unit pushes the coating liquid toward the discharge port through the coating flow path can be reduced, thereby preventing excessive coating of the coating liquid.

[0024] The coating flow path may also have a manifold that is a space that is long in the width direction and stores the coating liquid, and a slit that is wide in the width direction and connects the manifold to the discharge outlet, and the volume adjustment unit may be configured to be inserted into the manifold.

[0025] According to this configuration, the volume adjustment portion is inserted into a manifold that is wider than the slit, and therefore is less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid than if the volume adjustment portion were inserted into a slit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to the coating device of the present invention, dragging of the coating liquid at the end of coating can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a coating liquid is being applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which coating of a coating liquid is suspended. [Figure 3] 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a volume adjustment mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the coating operation of a coating device in one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a time chart of the operation of the supply valve, recovery valve, and volume adjustment unit, and (b) shows the state of the coating film formed by the coating device in this embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams showing variations of the application unit in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are diagrams showing variations of the application unit in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are diagrams showing variations of the volume adjustment section in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams showing variations of the application unit in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating variations of the coating operation of the coating device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional coating device. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the state of a coating film formed by a conventional coating device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] A coating apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams that schematically show the coating apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 showing a state in which a coating liquid 11 is being applied and Figure 2 showing a state in which application of the coating liquid 11 is suspended. In the following description, the three axes of a Cartesian coordinate system are designated as X, Y, and Z, the horizontal direction is referred to as the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane (i.e., the vertical direction) is referred to as the Z-axis direction.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 1, the coating apparatus 100 includes a conveying mechanism 2 that conveys the substrate 1, a coating unit 3 that applies a coating liquid 11 to the substrate 1, a tank 4 that stores the coating liquid 11, a supply mechanism 5 that supplies the coating liquid 11 from the tank 4 to the coating unit 3, and a volume adjustment mechanism 6 that adjusts the volume of a manifold 34 formed in the coating unit 3. The coating unit 3 repeatedly applies and stops applying the coating liquid 11 to the substrate 1 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2, thereby intermittently forming coating films 12 on the substrate 1. Here, intermittently applying the coating liquid 11 means continuously applying the coating liquid 11 to the substrate 1 so that a fixed interval is left between each coating film 12 formed in the conveyance direction of the substrate 1, as shown in Fig. 4(b).

[0030] The substrate 1 is a metal foil that will become the electrode plate for the lithium-ion battery, and aluminum foil or the like is used to form the positive electrode, and copper foil or the like is used to form the negative electrode. The substrate 1 is a strip-shaped sheet that is long in one direction, and is continuously transported by a transport mechanism 2.

[0031] The coating liquid 11 is, for example, a slurry in which an active material, a binder, and a conductive additive are mixed in a solvent, and is used as a material for a battery electrode plate (so-called electrode material) for a lithium-ion battery. The coating liquid 11 is applied to the substrate 1 by the application unit 3, thereby forming a coating film 11.

[0032] The conveying mechanism 2 is for conveying the substrate 1 and employs a roll-to-roll system in which multiple rolls rotate to convey the substrate 1. The conveying speed of the substrate 1 by this conveying mechanism 2 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). This control unit is, for example, a general-purpose computer, and will be treated similarly in the following description. Note that in this embodiment, only the coating roll 21 that guides the substrate 1 to the location where the coating liquid 11 is to be applied is illustrated. The coating roll 21 faces the coating unit 3 and is positioned so as to maintain a predetermined distance from the discharge port 36 when the coating liquid 11 is applied by the coating unit 3. Therefore, the substrate 1 can be conveyed while maintaining a constant distance from the coating unit 3.

[0033] The coating section 3 is for applying a coating liquid 11 to the substrate 1 being transported to form a coating film 12, and is formed long along the width direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 1) perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1. In the following description, the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1 will simply be referred to as the width direction.

[0034] 1, the applicator unit 3 is formed by combining a first divided body 31 having a tapered first lip 31a and a second divided body 32 having a tapered second lip 32a with a shim plate 33 sandwiched between them. Inside the applicator unit 3, a manifold 34 is formed, which is a space that is long in the width direction and that stores the application liquid 11, and a slit 35 that is wide in the width direction and connected to the manifold 34. Between the first lip 31a and the second lip 32a, a discharge port 36 is formed at the open end of the slit 35, opening to the same length as the slit 35 in the width direction. In other words, the manifold 34 and the discharge port 36 are connected via the slit 35.

[0035] The slit 35 is formed to be elongated in the width direction, similar to the manifold 34. The width dimension of this slit 35 is determined by the inner dimensions of the shim plate 33, and the coating liquid 11 having a width dimension substantially equal to the width dimension of the slit 35 can be coated onto the substrate 1. The gap dimension (height dimension) of the slit 35 is, for example, 0.1 to 10 mm. In this embodiment, the coating unit 3 is installed in such a position that the gap direction of the slit 35 is the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction in FIG. 1 ), and the width direction is the horizontal direction. That is, the coating unit 3 is installed in such a position that the manifold 34 and the slit 35 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, and the direction in which the coating liquid 11 stored in the manifold 34 is discharged through the slit 35 and the discharge port 36 is the horizontal direction.

[0036] In this embodiment, the direction in which the coating liquid 11 flows through the discharge port 36 onto the substrate 1 is horizontal, but this is not necessarily limited to this and may be changed to any direction as appropriate. For example, it may be an upward direction or a downward direction.

[0037] The discharge port 36 faces the application roll 21 with the substrate 1 sandwiched therebetween. That is, the discharge port 36 faces the substrate 1 on the surface side of the substrate 1. This allows the coating liquid 11 to be applied to the surface side of the substrate 1 while maintaining a constant distance between the discharge port 36 and the substrate 1.

[0038] 1 and 3(a), an inlet section 37 is provided in the center in the width direction of the coating section 3. The inlet section 37 is a through-hole that connects the outside of the coating section 3 to the manifold 34, and the coating liquid 11 is supplied to the manifold 34 by the supply mechanism 5 through the inlet section 37. In this embodiment, the inlet section 37 is connected to the bottom of the manifold 34.

[0039] The supply mechanism 5 is for supplying the coating liquid 11 stored in the tank 4 to the coating unit 3. As shown in Fig. 1 , the supply mechanism 5 in this embodiment includes a supply path 51 connecting the coating unit 3 and the tank 4, a supply valve 52 that switches the open / close state of the supply path 51, a recovery path 53 that connects the supply path 51 and the tank 4, a recovery valve 54 that switches the open / close state of the recovery path 53, and a pump (not shown) that sends the coating liquid 11 from the tank 4 toward the coating unit 3.

[0040] 1 , the supply path 51 connects the coating unit 3 and the tank 4, and is a flow path through which the coating liquid 11 is sent from the tank 4 to the coating unit 3 by a pump. In this embodiment, the supply path 51 is connected to the inlet 37, and the coating liquid 11 sent from the tank 4 by the pump is supplied to the manifold 34 through the supply path 51 and the inlet 37. The coating liquid 11 supplied to the manifold 34 is then discharged from the discharge port 36 via the slit 35. In this way, the coating liquid 11 is applied to the substrate 1, and a coating film 12 is formed.

[0041] The supply valve 52 switches the state of the supply path 51 between two states: an open state in which a flow path for the coating liquid 11 is formed, and a closed state in which the flow path for the coating liquid 11 is blocked. The supply valve 52 is provided midway along the supply path 51. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , the inlet for the coating liquid 11 of the supply valve 52 is connected to the supply path 51 via the inlet for the coating liquid 11 of the recovery valve 54, and the outlet for the coating liquid 11 of the supply valve 52 is connected to the coating unit 3 via the supply path 51. That is, the coating liquid 11 sent from the tank 4 by the pump is supplied to the supply valve 52 from the inlet of the supply valve 52 through the supply path 51 and the inlet of the recovery valve 54, and is then supplied from the outlet of the supply valve 52 to the coating unit 3 via the supply path 51.

[0042] 1, the supply valve 52 has a valve element 52a therein, and by changing the position of the valve element 52a, the open / closed state of the supply path 51 is switched. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the valve element 52a is connected to a valve element drive unit 52b (for example, an air cylinder or an electric motor) which is a drive source, and the valve element drive unit 52b moves a shaft 52c connected to the valve element 52a in the opening / closing direction of the supply path 51, thereby opening and closing the supply path 51 with the valve element 52a. The valve element drive unit 52b is controlled by the control unit described above.

[0043] 1, the supply mechanism 5 switches the supply path 51 to an open state using the supply valve 52, thereby supplying the coating liquid 11 to the coating unit 3, and switches the supply path 51 to a closed state using the supply valve 52, thereby stopping the supply of the coating liquid 11 to the coating unit 3, as shown in Fig. 2. By repeatedly switching the supply path 51 between an open and closed state using the supply valve 52, the coating unit 3 repeatedly applies and stops the application of the coating liquid 11, and the coating liquid 11 is intermittently applied to the substrate 1 transported by the transport mechanism 2.

[0044] 1, the recovery path 53 connects the tank 4 to the supply path 51, which is located upstream of the supply valve 52 in the flow path of the coating liquid 11, via the outlet of the recovery valve 54. That is, the coating liquid 11 flowing through the supply path 51 is supplied to the recovery valve 54 from the inlet of the recovery valve 54, and is recovered into the tank 4 from the outlet of the recovery valve 54 through the recovery path 53.

[0045] The recovery valve 54 is used to switch the state of the recovery path 53 between two states: an open state in which a flow path for the coating liquid 11 is formed, and a closed state in which the flow path for the coating liquid 11 is blocked. As shown in FIG. 1, the recovery valve 54 has a valve element 54a, and is configured to switch the open / closed state of the recovery path 53 by changing the position of the valve element 54a. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the valve element 54a is connected to a valve element driver 54b (e.g., an air cylinder or an electric motor) which serves as a drive source. The valve element driver 54b moves a shaft 54c connected to the valve element 54a in the direction in which the recovery path 53 is opened or closed, thereby opening or closing the recovery path 53 with the valve element 54a. The valve element driver 54b is controlled by the control unit described above.

[0046] Then, the supply mechanism 5 recovers the coating liquid 11 into the tank 4 by switching the recovery path 53 to an open state using the recovery valve 54 as shown in Figure 2, and stops the recovery of the coating liquid 11 into the tank 4 by switching the recovery path 53 to a closed state using the recovery valve 54 as shown in Figure 1.

[0047] 4(a), the supply mechanism 5 is configured to switch the open / closed state of the recovery path 53 by the recovery valve 54 in accordance with the switching operation of the open / closed state of the supply path 51 by the supply valve 52. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the recovery valve 54 switches the recovery path 53 to a closed state when the supply valve 52 switches the supply path 51 to an open state, and switches the recovery path 53 to an open state when the supply valve 52 switches the supply path 51 to a closed state.

[0048] 2, when supply channel 51 is switched to a closed state by supply valve 52 to stop the supply of coating liquid 11 to coating unit 3, coating liquid 11 in supply channel 51 located upstream of supply valve 52 can be recovered into tank 4 through recovery channel 53, thereby preventing an increase in pressure in supply channel 51 located upstream of supply valve 52. This makes it possible to prevent excessive supply of coating liquid 11 to coating unit 3 when supply valve 52 switches supply channel 51 to an open state.

[0049] 2, when the supply valve 52 switches the supply path 51 to a closed state to interrupt the application of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3, the supply mechanism 5 moves the shaft 52c connected to the valve body 52a by the valve body drive unit 52b in the direction of closing the supply path 51, thereby reducing the pressure inside the coating unit 3 and drawing the coating liquid 11 from the discharge port 36 toward the supply path 51. In this way, the coating device 100 drains the liquid from the discharge port 36 when the application of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3 is interrupted.

[0050] Here, the coating device 100 reduces the pressure in the coating unit 3 by operating the valve body 52a of the supply valve 52 located away from the discharge port 36, making it difficult for this effect to reach the discharge port 36. As a result, the liquid cannot be sufficiently drained at the discharge port 36, and at the end of the coating film 12, dragging of the coating liquid 11 (drag 933 shown in FIG. 11(a)) may occur at the coating end section 14 (see FIG. 4(b)). Therefore, in the coating device 100 of this embodiment, in order to suppress dragging of the coating liquid 11 at the coating end section 14, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 reduces the pressure in the coating unit 3 at a position closer to the discharge port 36 than the supply valve 52.

[0051] The volume adjustment mechanism 6 will now be described.

[0052] The volume adjustment mechanism 6 is used to change the volume of the coating flow path. The coating flow path here refers to a flow path formed in the coating unit 3 for supplying the coating liquid 11 to the discharge port 36, and in this embodiment refers to the manifold 34 and the slit 35. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the volume adjustment mechanism 6 has a pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted from both ends of the coating flow path in the width direction, and a drive unit 62 that adjusts the insertion amount of each of the pair of volume adjustment units 61.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3(a), the volume adjustment section 61 has a rod-like shape that is formed long in one direction, and is inserted into the manifold 34. Here, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the manifold 34 has a pair of expanded spaces 38 that are formed to protrude in the width direction beyond both ends of the discharge port 36 in the width direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the pair of volume adjustment parts 61 are adapted to be inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3(a), each volume adjustment part 61 is inserted into the respective expanded space 38 so as to extend from a wall part that forms the respective expanded space 38 formed in the applicator part 3 toward the expanded space 38 into which the other volume adjustment part 61 is inserted.

[0055] As described above, in the present embodiment, the pair of volume adjustment units 61 are inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38 formed so as to protrude in the width direction beyond both ends of the discharge port 36 in the width direction. This makes it less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid 11 than if the volume adjustment units 61 were inserted into a portion of the coating flow path other than the pair of expanded spaces 38. Specifically, if there is a convex portion (the volume adjustment unit 61 in this embodiment) in the flow path through which the coating liquid 11 flows, the convex portion may cause a change in the flow rate of the coating liquid 11, resulting in variations in the amount of coating liquid 11 discharged from the discharge port 37 in the width direction. In other words, the flow of the coating liquid 11 may be obstructed by the volume adjustment unit 61. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the volume adjustment unit 61 is inserted into the expanded spaces 38 formed so as to protrude from the coating flow path, making it less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid 11.

[0056] Furthermore, since the expanded space 38 is formed to protrude from the manifold 34, which is wider than the slit 35, the expanded space 38 is less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid 11 than if the expanded space 38 were formed in the slit 35. Specifically, if a recess (the expanded space 38 in this embodiment) is present in the flow path through which the coating liquid 11 flows, the recess may cause a change in the flow rate of the coating liquid 11, resulting in variations in the amount of the coating liquid 11 discharged from the discharge port 37 in the width direction. In other words, the expanded space 38 may be a factor in obstructing the flow of the coating liquid 11. In contrast, in this embodiment, the expanded space 38 is formed to protrude from the manifold 34, which is wider than the slit 35, so the expanded space 38 is less likely to obstruct the flow of the coating liquid 11 than if the expanded space 38 were formed in the slit 35, which is narrower than the manifold 34.

[0057] 1, 2, 3(a), and 3(b), the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction. In this embodiment, of the first divider 31, the second divider 32, and the shim 33 that form the manifold 34, the expanded space 38 is formed only in the second divider 32, so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction. Because the expanded space 38 is formed only in the second divider 32, even if the configuration of the applicator unit 3 is changed other than the second divider 32, such as by changing the shim 33 to change the height of the slit 35, the size and shape of the expanded space 38 do not change.

[0058] The drive unit 62 is a drive source (for example, an air cylinder or an electric motor) for adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61, and is connected to the volume adjustment unit 61 as shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the drive unit 62 is an electric motor, and is capable of varying the speed of the operation for adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61. The drive unit 62 adjusts the volume of the application flow path by causing the volume adjustment unit 61 to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction of the volume adjustment unit 61.

[0059] Specifically, the drive unit 62 operates to pull the volume adjustment unit 61 out of the expanded space 38, thereby increasing the volume of the coating flow path and reducing the pressure in the coating flow path, and the drive unit 62 operates to push the volume adjustment unit 61 into the manifold 34, thereby reducing the volume of the coating flow path and increasing the pressure in the coating flow path. The operation of the drive unit 62 is controlled by the control unit described above.

[0060] Here, a resistance portion 63 is provided at the tip portion inserted into the expanded space 38 of the volume adjustment portion 61, which is reciprocated by the drive portion 62. As shown in Fig. 3(a), the resistance portion 63 in this embodiment is composed of a disk portion 63a and a cone portion 63b.

[0061] The disk portion 63a is formed so that the cross-sectional area in the width direction is approximately the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38. Here, "approximately the same size" means that the resistor portion 63 can be operated in conjunction with the operation of the volume adjustment portion 61 by the drive portion 62, and that the coating liquid 11 can be prevented from leaking out toward the wall portion of the expanded space 38 into which the volume adjustment portion 61 is inserted when the resistor portion 63 operates. This makes it possible to increase the amount of change in the volume of the coating flow path when the volume adjustment portion 61 is reciprocated by the drive portion 62 compared to when the resistor portion 63 is not provided, and therefore makes it possible to rapidly reduce the pressure in the coating flow path when the volume of the coating flow path is increased.

[0062] Furthermore, the conical portion 63b is formed so that the cross-sectional area in the width direction decreases toward the direction in which the volume adjustment portion 61 is inserted into the expanded space. As a result, when the drive portion 62 operates the volume adjustment portion 61 to push it into the expanded space 38 to reduce the volume of the application flow path, the force with which the application liquid 11 is pushed out toward the discharge port 36 can be reduced compared to when the resistance portion 63 is configured only by the disk portion 63a.

[0063] When the drive unit 62 operates to push the volume adjustment unit 61 into the expanded space 38, the volume adjustment unit 61 is operated so that the tip of the resistance portion 63 is positioned at the same position in the width direction as the end of the discharge port 36, as shown in FIG. 3(a). The position of the volume adjustment unit 61 after this operation will be referred to as the first position in the following description. When the drive unit 62 operates to withdraw the volume adjustment unit 61 from the expanded space 38, the volume adjustment unit 61 is operated so that the resistance portion 63 remains in the expanded space 38, as shown in FIG. 3(b). The position of the volume adjustment unit 61 after this operation will be referred to as the second position in the following description.

[0064] Furthermore, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 in this embodiment has a first adjustment mode in which the drive unit 62 adjusts the insertion amounts of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 so that the insertion amounts of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 are reduced when application of the application liquid 11 by the applicator 3 is interrupted, and a second adjustment mode in which the drive unit 62 adjusts the insertion amounts of the volume adjustment units 61 so that the insertion amounts of the volume adjustment units 61 adjusted in the first adjustment mode are returned to the insertion amounts before the adjustment when application of the application liquid 11 by the applicator 3 is resumed. The first adjustment mode and the second adjustment mode are switched between by the control unit described above.

[0065] A more detailed explanation will be given. In the first adjustment mode, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 operates the pair of volume adjustment units 61 by using the drive unit 62 to move the pair of volume adjustment units 61 from the pair of expanded spaces 38 to move them from the first position shown in FIG. 3(a) to the second position shown in FIG. 3(b), thereby increasing the volume of the application flow path and reducing the pressure in the application flow path. That is, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 reduces the pressure within the application unit 3 by operating the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the application unit 3. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure within the application unit 3 at a position close to the discharge port 36, making it easier to exert this effect on the discharge port 36. This makes it possible to sufficiently drain the application liquid 11 at the discharge port 36 when the application of the application liquid 11 by the application unit 3 is interrupted, thereby suppressing dragging of the application liquid 11 at the application end portion 14.

[0066] Here, the resistance portion 63 composed of the disk portion 63a and the cone portion 63b is provided at the tip of the volume adjustment portion 61, so that the amount of change in the volume of the application flow path by adjusting the insertion amount of the pair of volume adjustment portions 61 can be made larger than when the resistance portion 63 is not provided, making it possible to change the pressure in the application flow path more rapidly and making it easier to exert this effect on the discharge port 36. This makes it possible to further suppress dragging of the application liquid 11 at the application end portion 14.

[0067] In the first adjustment mode, the drive unit 62 adjusts the insertion amount of a pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the coating flow path from both ends of the coating flow path in the width direction, thereby increasing the volume near each end of the coating flow path in the width direction. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure in the coating flow path more quickly than when increasing the volume of the coating flow path by operating a single volume adjustment unit 61, thereby more effectively suppressing dragging of the coating liquid 11 at the coating end section 13. Furthermore, it becomes possible to reduce the pressure in the coating flow path across the width direction, and this effect can be applied across the width of the discharge port 36. This makes it possible to suppress dragging of the coating liquid 11 at the coating end section 14 across the width direction.

[0068] In the second adjustment mode, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 operates the drive unit 62 to push the pair of volume adjustment units 61 into the pair of expanded spaces 38 so as to return the positions of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 from the second position shown in Fig. 3(b) to the first position shown in Fig. 3(a), thereby reducing the volume of the coating flow path and increasing the pressure in the coating flow path. This causes the coating liquid 11 to be pushed out from the coating flow path toward the discharge port 36 and discharged from the discharge port 36.

[0069] Furthermore, since the resistance portion 63 composed of the disk portion 63a and the cone portion 63b is provided at the tip of the volume adjustment portion 61, it is possible to reduce the resistance force on the coating liquid 11 when the pair of volume adjustment portions 61 are pushed into the pair of expanded spaces 38 compared to when the resistance portion 63 is composed of only the disk portions 63a, and it is therefore possible to reduce the force with which the coating liquid 11 is pushed out toward the discharge port 36. This prevents excessive application of the coating liquid 11 when application of the coating liquid 11 is resumed, and prevents the coating film 12 from swelling (swelling 934 in FIG. 11(b)) at the application start portion 13 (see FIG. 4(b)), which is the starting end of the coating film 12.

[0070] Furthermore, as described above, because the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume adjustment unit 61 inserted into the expanded space 38 can be made smaller in the width direction than when the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is equal to or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction. Furthermore, by reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume adjustment unit 61 in the width direction, the resistance that the volume adjustment unit 61 experiences when adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61 is reduced, making it possible to quickly adjust the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61. This improves the responsiveness of the volume adjustment mechanism 6, making it easier to suppress drag of the coating liquid 11 in the coating end section 14. Furthermore, because the amount of change in the volume of the coating flow path when adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61 is smaller than when the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is equal to or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction, it becomes possible to finely adjust the pressure in the coating flow path.

[0071] The operation of the coating apparatus 100 in this embodiment will be specifically described below.

[0072] In the following description, the description will start from a state in which the supply mechanism 5 is not supplying the coating liquid 11 to the coating unit 3 and the coating liquid 11 is not being applied, as shown in Fig. 4(a). That is, the description will start from a state in which the supply valve 52 closes the supply path 51 and the recovery valve 54 opens the recovery path 53, as shown in Fig. 2. It is assumed that the pump is constantly sending the coating liquid 11 from the tank 4 to the coating unit 3 until the application of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3 is completely stopped.

[0073] First, the operation when starting to apply the coating liquid 11 by the coating device 100 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4(a), the coating device 100 switches the supply path 51 from a closed state to an open state by the supply valve 52, and switches the recovery path 53 from an open state to a closed state by the recovery valve 54. As a result, the coating liquid 11 is supplied from the tank 4 through the supply path 51 by the pump to the manifold 34. The coating liquid 11 supplied to the manifold 34 is then discharged from the discharge port 36 via the slit 35. As a result, a coating start portion 13 is formed on the substrate 1 being transported by the transport mechanism 2, as shown in FIG. 4(b). The series of operations when starting to apply the coating liquid 11 by the coating device 100 is also performed when resuming application of the coating liquid 11 after the application of the coating liquid 11 has been interrupted.

[0074] When the coating device 100 starts coating the coating liquid 11, the pair of volume adjustment parts 61 are located at the first position as shown in FIG. 3(a).

[0075] The coating device 100 then continues to apply the coating liquid 11 using the coating unit 3 while maintaining the states of the supply valve 52, the recovery valve 53, and the volume adjustment unit 61, thereby forming a coating film 12 on the substrate 1 being transported by the transport mechanism 2, as shown in Figure 4(b).

[0076] Next, an operation when the coating of the coating liquid 11 by the coating device 100 is interrupted will be described. As shown in Figures 2 and 4(a), the coating device 100 switches the supply path 51 from an open state to a closed state using the supply valve 52, and switches the recovery path 53 from a closed state to an open state using the recovery valve 54. This stops the supply of the coating liquid 11 to the manifold 34, interrupts the coating of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3, and forms a coating end portion 14, which is the end of the coating film 12, on the substrate 1 being transported by the transport mechanism, as shown in Figure 4(b).

[0077] Here, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 performs operation in the first adjustment mode simultaneously with the operation of the supply valve 52 and the recovery valve 54. Specifically, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 operates the drive unit 62 to pull the pair of volume adjustment units 61 out of the pair of expanded spaces 38, so as to move the pair of volume adjustment units 61 from the first position shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a) to the second position shown in Figures 3(b) and 4(a), thereby draining the liquid from the discharge port 36.

[0078] Next, a description will be given of the operation when the coating device 100 resumes coating of the coating liquid 11. Note that, except for the operation of the volume adjustment mechanism 6, the operation is the same as the operation when starting coating of the coating liquid 11, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0079] The volume adjustment mechanism 6 performs operation in the second adjustment mode simultaneously with the operation of the supply valve 52 and the recovery valve 54. Specifically, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 operates the pair of volume adjustment units 61 by the drive unit 62 to push the pair of volume adjustment units 61 into the pair of expanded spaces 38 so as to return the positions of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 from the second position shown in Figures 3(b) and 4(a) to the first position shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a), thereby reducing the volume of the application flow path and increasing the pressure in the application flow path.

[0080] As a result, application of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3 is resumed, forming a coating start portion 13. Here, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the volume adjustment mechanism 6 operates the volume adjustment unit 61 from the second position to the first position at a slower speed than when operating the volume adjustment unit 61 from the first position to the second position. This prevents a rapid increase in pressure in the coating flow path, thereby preventing excessive application of the coating liquid 11 when application of the coating liquid 11 is resumed and preventing the coating film 12 from swelling up at the coating start portion 13. The coating device 100 then repeats the above operations as shown in FIG. 4(a), thereby intermittently applying the coating liquid 11 to the substrate 1 as shown in FIG. 4(b).

[0081] As described above, according to the coating device 100 of the above embodiment, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 has a volume adjustment unit 61 and a drive unit 62. By adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61 inserted into the coating flow path formed in the coating unit 3 using the drive unit 62, the volume of the coating flow path can be increased, the pressure in the coating flow path can be reduced, and the coating liquid 11 can be drawn into the coating flow path from the discharge port 36. That is, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 reduces the pressure within the coating unit 3 by adjusting the insertion amount of the volume adjustment unit 61 inserted into the coating unit 3. This makes it possible to reduce the pressure within the coating unit 3 at a position close to the discharge port 36, making it easier to exert this effect on the discharge port 36. This makes it possible to sufficiently drain the coating liquid 11 at the discharge port 36 when the coating of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3 is interrupted, and thus makes it possible to suppress dragging of the coating liquid 11 at the coating end portion 14.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the coating device 100 of the above embodiment, by adjusting the insertion amount of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the coating flow path from both ends of the coating flow path in the width direction, it is possible to reduce the pressure in the coating flow path across the width direction, and this effect can be exerted across the width direction of the discharge port 36. This makes it possible to suppress dragging of the coating liquid 11 at the coating end portion 14 across the width direction.

[0083] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, an example configuration in which the volume adjustment mechanism 6 has a pair of volume adjustment parts 61 has been described, but this is not limiting, and the volume adjustment mechanism 6 may have only one volume adjustment part 61.

[0084] Furthermore, the volume adjustment mechanism 6 may have a plurality of pairs of volume adjustment units 61, and each pair of volume adjustment units 61 may be arranged side by side along the flow direction of the coating liquid 11 in the coating flow path. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the manifold 34 and the slit 35 each have a pair of expanded spaces 38, and a pair of volume adjustment units 61 is inserted into each of the pair of expanded spaces 38. Here, when the volume adjustment mechanism 6 moves the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38 of the manifold 34 from the second position shown in FIG. 5(b) to the first position shown in FIG. 5(a), it also moves the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38 of the slit 35 from the first position shown in FIG. 5(b) to the second position shown in FIG. 5(a). That is, when application of the coating liquid 11 is resumed, the pressure in the coating flow path, which has increased due to operation of the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38 of the manifold 34, is reduced by operating the pair of volume adjustment units 61 inserted into the pair of expanded spaces 38 of the slit 35. This makes it possible to prevent excessive application of the coating liquid 11 when application of the coating liquid 11 is resumed, and to prevent the coating film 12 from swelling up at the application start portion 13.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first position is the position after the volume adjustment unit 61 is operated so that the tip of the resistance portion 63 is positioned at the same position in the width direction as the end of the discharge port 36, and the second position is the position after the volume adjustment unit 61 is operated so that the resistance portion 63 is left in the expanded space 38 and the volume adjustment unit 61 is withdrawn from the expanded space 38, but this is not limiting and the positions may be changed as appropriate depending on the width dimension and film thickness of the coating film 12 to be formed. In other words, the amount of change in the volume of the coating path may be controlled by appropriately changing the first position and the second position depending on the conditions for applying the coating liquid 11.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the expanded space 38 is formed in the second divided body 32, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the expanded space 38 may be formed in the first divided body 31.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction, but this is not limiting, and as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38 in the width direction may be the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction. In this case, as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume adjustment section 61 in the width direction may also be the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold 34 in the width direction.

[0088] In the above embodiment, an example in which the resistance portion 63 is configured by the disk portion 63a and the cone portion 63b has been described, but this is not limiting, and it is preferable that the resistance portion 63 is formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​at least a portion thereof in the width direction is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space 38. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the resistance portion 63 may be configured by only the disk portion 63a.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the resistance portion 63 is provided at the tip of the volume adjustment portion 61, but the resistance portion 63 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0090] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the manifold 34 has a pair of expanded spaces 38, but this is not limiting, and it is preferable that at least the application flow path has the expanded space 38. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the slit 35 may have the expanded space 38.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the application flow path has a pair of expanded spaces 38, but the number of expanded spaces 38 may be one.

[0092] Furthermore, the application flow path does not necessarily have to have the expanded space 38. That is, the manifold 34, the slit 35, and the discharge port 36 may be formed to have the same area in the width direction.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the application of the coating liquid 11 by the coating unit 3 is started and stopped by switching the open and closed states of the supply path 51 and the recovery path 53 using the supply valve 52 and the recovery valve 54, but this may also be done using the volume adjustment mechanism 6. In other words, the coating device 100 does not have to be equipped with the supply valve 52 and the recovery valve 54.

[0094] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the volume adjustment mechanism 6 moves the volume adjustment unit 61 from the second position to the first position at a slower speed than when moving the volume adjustment unit 61 from the first position to the second position, but the volume adjustment unit 61 may also be moved from the second position to the first position at the same speed as shown in Figure 9(a). [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 100 Coating device 1 Base material 11 Coating liquid 12 Paint film 13 Application start point 14 Application end 2. Transport mechanism 21 Coating roll 3. Application section 31 First division 31a First Lip 32 Second division 32a Second Lip 33 Shim plate 34 Manifold 35 Slit 36 Discharge port 37 Inlet 38 Expanded Space 4 Tank 5 Supply mechanism 51 Supply route 52 Supply valve 52a Valve body 52b Valve body drive unit 52c shaft 53 Recovery Route 54 Recovery valve 54a Valve body 54b Valve body drive unit 54c shaft 6 Volume adjustment mechanism 61 Volume adjustment section 62 Drive unit 63 Resistance section 63a Disc section 63b Cone section

Claims

1. A coating device that applies a coating liquid to a substrate being transported, a coating section having a discharge port that is long in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the substrate and a coating flow path that is connected to the discharge port and supplies a coating liquid to the discharge port; a volume adjustment mechanism that changes the volume of the application flow path, The volume adjustment mechanism includes a pair of volume adjustment units inserted from both ends of the coating flow path in the width direction, and a drive unit that adjusts the insertion amount of the pair of volume adjustment units.

2. The coating device described in Claim 1, characterized in that the volume adjustment mechanism performs an operation by the drive unit to increase the amount of insertion of the volume adjustment unit into the coating flow path at a slower speed than an operation by the drive unit to reduce the amount of insertion of the volume adjustment unit into the coating flow path.

3. the application flow path has a pair of enlarged spaces formed to protrude in the width direction beyond both ends of the discharge port in the width direction, 3. The coating device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of volume adjustment portions are inserted into the pair of enlarged spaces.

4. the coating flow path includes a manifold that is a space that is long in the width direction and that stores the coating liquid, and a slit that connects the manifold and the discharge port, 4. The coating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pair of expanded spaces are formed so as to protrude from both ends of the manifold in the width direction.

5. The coating apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space in the width direction is smaller than a cross-sectional area of ​​the manifold in the width direction.

6. The coating device according to claim 3, characterized in that a resistance portion is provided at a tip portion of the volume adjustment portion inserted into the expanded space so that at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the width direction is approximately the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the expanded space, and the volume adjustment portion reciprocates in the width direction in the expanded space by the drive portion.

7. The coating device according to claim 6, wherein the resistance portion is formed so that a cross-sectional area in the width direction decreases toward a center of the coating portion in the width direction.

8. The coating device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the coating flow path has a manifold which is a space that is long in the width direction and stores the coating liquid, and a slit that is wide in the width direction and connects the manifold and the discharge port, and the volume adjustment unit is inserted into the manifold.

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