Powder film formation apparatus
The apparatus addresses the challenge of forming powder films at specific locations on substrates by integrating pressing and removal mechanisms, ensuring efficient and damage-free film formation in lithium-ion battery manufacturing.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TORAY ENG CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing powder film forming apparatuses struggle to efficiently form a powder film at a predetermined position on a substrate while minimizing material loss and substrate damage during the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries.
A powder film forming apparatus equipped with a pressing mechanism to form a powder film at a predetermined position and a removal mechanism to eliminate non-pressed powder, utilizing a conveying mechanism, supply unit, and removal mechanisms like posture adjustment, suction, air blowing, or vibration to ensure precise film formation without substrate damage.
Enables efficient and precise formation of powder films at predetermined positions on substrates, reducing material loss and minimizing substrate damage, while maintaining film integrity and preventing foreign matter adhesion.
Smart Images
Figure JP2025033485_23072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Powder film forming apparatus
[0001] The present invention relates to a powder film forming apparatus for forming a powder film on a substrate.
[0002] In the manufacturing process of a lithium-ion battery, an electrode sheet is formed by depositing a powder of an electrode material on a sheet-like substrate such as an aluminum foil or a copper foil conveyed by roll-to-roll and pressing it to form a powder film.
[0003] Such a powder film forming apparatus used in the manufacturing process of a lithium-ion battery includes a conveying mechanism for conveying a substrate by roll-to-roll, a supply unit for supplying and depositing powder on the substrate during conveyance, and a pressing mechanism for pressing the powder deposited on the substrate. Then, powder is supplied from the supply unit onto the substrate conveyed by the conveying mechanism, and the powder deposited on the substrate is pressed by the pressing mechanism to form a powder film.
[0004] Patent No. 6402200
[0005] In such a powder film forming apparatus, for the purpose of improving productivity by increasing the speed and reducing the loss of the electrode material, development of means for forming a powder film at a predetermined position on the substrate, such as intermittently forming a powder film on the substrate, is required. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a powder film forming apparatus having a new technical means capable of forming a powder film at a predetermined position on the substrate.
[0006] The powder film forming apparatus of the present invention for solving the above problems is a powder film forming apparatus including a supply unit for supplying and depositing powder on a substrate, and a pressing mechanism for pressing and compressing a part of the powder deposited on the substrate to form a powder film and crimp it onto the substrate. The pressing mechanism is formed to press the powder deposited on the substrate at a predetermined position on the substrate, and is characterized in that a removing mechanism for removing the powder existing in the non-pressed region on the substrate that has not been pressed by the pressing mechanism is provided.
[0007] According to the above-described powder film forming apparatus, a pressing mechanism presses and compresses the powder deposited on the substrate at a predetermined position on the substrate, and a removal mechanism removes the powder present in the non-pressed areas on the substrate, i.e., the powder that was not pressed and compressed onto the substrate by the pressing mechanism, thereby forming a powder film at a predetermined position on the substrate.
[0008] Furthermore, the system may also include a conveying mechanism for continuously transporting the substrate, and the supply unit, the press mechanism, and the removal mechanism may be arranged in this order along the direction of transport of the substrate by the conveying mechanism.
[0009] This configuration allows for continuous processing of powder by the supply unit, press mechanism, and removal mechanism on a substrate being transported by the conveying mechanism, thereby enabling the efficient formation of a powder film at a predetermined location on the substrate.
[0010] Furthermore, the press mechanism may have a press roll section that rotates with a rotation axis parallel to the width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction in the in-plane direction of the substrate, and a press section that is provided so as to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section and presses the powder deposited on the substrate, and a plurality of press sections may be provided so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the roll section.
[0011] With this configuration, multiple pressing sections are provided on the outer surface of the press roll section so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the press roll section, allowing the powder deposited on the substrate to be intermittently pressed along the conveying direction of the substrate, thereby enabling the intermittent formation of a film on the substrate.
[0012] Furthermore, the press mechanism may have a press roll section that rotates with an axis of rotation parallel to the width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction in the in-plane direction of the substrate, and a press section that is provided so as to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section and presses the powder deposited on the substrate, and a plurality of press sections may be provided so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction.
[0013] With this configuration, multiple pressing sections are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction, allowing the powder deposited on the substrate to be pressed at multiple locations along the width direction. This makes it possible to form multiple films side by side on the substrate in the width direction.
[0014] Furthermore, the removal mechanism may be configured to include a posture adjustment unit that adjusts the posture of the substrate so that the powder present in the non-pressed area falls, thereby separating the powder from the substrate.
[0015] With this configuration, the posture adjustment unit adjusts the posture of the substrate so that powder present in the non-pressed area falls off, thereby allowing the powder present in the non-pressed area to fall off the substrate, and thus leaving only the powder contained in the film on the substrate. Furthermore, since the powder present in the non-pressed area can be removed without contact, it is possible to suppress damage to the substrate and film that may occur due to contact between the removal mechanism and the film, while also suppressing the adhesion of foreign matter to the substrate and film.
[0016] Furthermore, the removal mechanism may be configured to include a suction section for sucking up the powder present in the non-pressed area.
[0017] With this configuration, the suction unit can remove powder present in the non-pressed area from the substrate, thus leaving only the powder contained in the film on the substrate. Furthermore, since the powder present in the non-pressed area can be removed without contact, it is possible to suppress damage to the substrate and film that may occur if the removal mechanism comes into contact with the film, while also suppressing the adhesion of foreign matter to the substrate and film.
[0018] Furthermore, the removal mechanism may be configured to include an air blowing section that blows air onto the substrate to blow away the powder present in the non-pressed area and separate it from the substrate.
[0019] With this configuration, the air blowing section blows away the powder present in the non-pressed area, thereby removing the powder from the substrate, and leaving only the powder contained in the film on the substrate. Furthermore, since the powder present in the non-pressed area can be removed without contact, it is possible to suppress damage to the substrate and film that may occur if the removal mechanism comes into contact with the film, while also suppressing the adhesion of foreign matter to the substrate and film.
[0020] Furthermore, the removal mechanism may be configured to include a vibration-applying unit that vibrates the substrate, thereby causing the powder present in the non-pressed area to flow and separate from the substrate.
[0021] With this configuration, the vibration unit vibrates the substrate, causing the powder present in the non-pressed area to flow and fall from the substrate, thus leaving only the powder contained in the film on the substrate.
[0022] Furthermore, the powder may contain an adhesive, and the press mechanism may be configured to further include a heating section for heating the pressing section.
[0023] With this configuration, by heating the pressing section with the heating section, the adhesive contained in the powder can be melted while pressing the powder on the substrate, thereby increasing the adhesive strength between the powder particles in the film and between the substrate and the film. This also suppresses the removal of powder particles from the film by the removal mechanism.
[0024] Furthermore, the mechanism may be configured to adjust the time the press section presses the powder accumulated on the substrate based on the relative speed difference between the substrate being transported by the transport mechanism and the press section rotating by the press roll section.
[0025] With this configuration, the relative speed difference between the substrate being transported by the transport mechanism and the press section rotating by the press roll section adjusts the time the press section presses the powder deposited on the substrate, thereby allowing adjustment of the shape of the powder film formed on the substrate. Specifically, the slower the rotation speed of the press section is compared to the transport speed of the substrate, the longer the time the press section presses the powder deposited on the substrate. Therefore, the powder film formed on the substrate becomes longer in the transport direction of the substrate as the rotation speed of the press section is slower compared to the transport speed of the substrate. Conversely, the faster the rotation speed of the press section is compared to the transport speed of the substrate, the shorter the time the press section presses the powder deposited on the substrate. Therefore, the powder film formed on the substrate becomes shorter in the transport direction of the substrate as the rotation speed of the press section is faster compared to the transport speed of the substrate.
[0026] Furthermore, the configuration may include an inspection unit provided downstream of the press mechanism for inspecting the state of the powder film formed on the substrate.
[0027] With this configuration, the inspection unit can inspect the condition of the powder film formed by pressing the powder deposited on the substrate by the press mechanism. This allows for inspection to determine whether there are any abnormalities in the powder film, such as foreign matter adhering to its surface. If the inspection unit finds that there are abnormalities in the powder film, it becomes possible to take measures such as maintaining the press mechanism or not using the abnormal powder film as a product.
[0028] According to the powder film forming apparatus of the present invention, a powder film can be formed at a predetermined position on a substrate.
[0029] This figure shows a powder film deposition apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This figure illustrates the press roll section according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows a state in which a powder film has been formed on a substrate by the powder film deposition apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows a powder film deposition apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows one variation of the press mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] [First Embodiment] The powder film deposition apparatus in this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the three axes of the Cartesian coordinate system are X, Y, and Z, the horizontal direction is expressed as the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane (i.e., the vertical direction) is expressed as the Z-axis direction.
[0031] Figure 1 shows a powder film forming apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the press roll section 52 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a state in which a film 12 of powder 11 has been formed on a substrate 1 by the powder film forming apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the powder film forming apparatus 100 includes a conveying mechanism 2 for conveying a substrate 1, a supply unit 3 for supplying and depositing powder 11 onto the substrate 1, a squeegee unit 4 for leveling the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1, and a pressing mechanism 5 for pressing a portion of the powder 11 leveled by the squeegee unit 4. The powder 11 supplied and deposited by the supply unit 3 onto the substrate 1 being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2 and leveled by the squeegee unit 4 is then pressed and compressed by the pressing mechanism 5 to form a film 12 of powder 11 (hereinafter referred to as film 12) and press it onto the substrate 1.
[0033] The base material 1 is a metal foil that will serve as the electrode plate for a lithium-ion battery. When forming the positive electrode, aluminum foil or the like is used, and when forming the negative electrode, copper foil or the like is used. This base material 1 is a long, strip-shaped sheet and is transported by the transport mechanism 2 so as to pass through each part that makes up the powder film deposition apparatus 100.
[0034] The powder 11 is a powdery material in which at least a portion of the surface of the electrode active material is coated with a non-aqueous binder. This powder 11 is supplied onto the substrate 1 by the supply unit 3, leveled by the squeegee unit 4, and then pressed by the press mechanism 5 to form a film 12. This forms the positive or negative electrode of a lithium-ion battery.
[0035] The conveying mechanism 2 is for continuously conveying the base material 1 in its longitudinal direction. This conveying mechanism 2 includes an unwinding roll (not shown) for unwinding the base material 1, a winding roll (not shown) for winding the base material 1, and a plurality of conveying rolls 21 that the base material 1, unwinded by the unwinding roll, passes through before being wound onto the winding roll. By rotating these rolls, the base material 1 is conveyed so as to pass through each part of the powder film forming apparatus 100.
[0036] The supply unit 3 is for supplying powder 11 onto the substrate 1. This supply unit 3 is formed to be long in one direction, and is long along the width direction (Y-axis direction shown in Figure 1) which is perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1 in the in-plane direction of the substrate 1. The supply unit 3 is positioned directly above the substrate 1 that is transported by the transport mechanism 2. In the following description, the width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1 in the in-plane direction of the substrate 1 will also be referred to as the width direction in the description of the supply unit 3, etc.
[0037] Furthermore, the supply unit 3 has a discharge port 31 for discharging the powder 11 and a storage unit connected to the discharge port 31 for accumulating the powder 11. The discharge port 31 is an opening for discharging the powder 11 and is formed to be long in the width direction. The storage unit is a space formed within the supply unit 3 for accumulating the powder 11 and is formed to be open at the lower end of the supply unit 3. The open end of this storage unit is the discharge port 31, and the powder 11 accumulated in the storage unit is discharged from the discharge port 31 by gravity. This makes it possible to supply and accumulate the powder 11 over the width direction on the substrate 1 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2. In this embodiment, the dimensions of the discharge port 31 and the storage unit in the width direction are equal.
[0038] The squeegee section 4 is for leveling the powder 11 that has been supplied onto the substrate 1 by the supply section 3 and deposited thereon, and is located downstream of the supply section 3 in the conveying direction of the substrate 1. In this embodiment, the squeegee section 4 is a roll having a rotation axis parallel to the width direction and is positioned directly above the substrate 1 at a predetermined distance from the substrate 1. When the substrate 1, which is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2, passes under the squeegee section 4, the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 comes into contact with the squeegee section 4, and the thickness of the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 is leveled to the predetermined distance.
[0039] The press mechanism 5 is used to press and compress a portion of the powder 11 leveled by the squeegee section 4 to form a film 12 and press it onto the substrate 1. It is located downstream of the squeegee section 4 in the conveying direction of the substrate 1. In this embodiment, the press mechanism 5 has a set of roll sections 51 that press the powder 11 on the substrate 1 by sandwiching the substrate 1 from above and below.
[0040] Each set of rolls 51 includes a press roll section 52 positioned above the base material 1 with a gap between them, and a support roll section 53 positioned below the base material 1 so as to contact it. The rotation axes of each section are arranged parallel to the width direction. The base material 1, transported by the transport mechanism 2, passes between the press roll section 52 and the lower roll 53, thereby pressing the powder 11 accumulated on the base material 1. This forms a film 12 on the base material 1, which is then pressed onto the base material 1.
[0041] Here, the powder film forming apparatus 100 is configured to form a film 12 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1. Specifically, the powder film forming apparatus 100 is configured such that a press mechanism 5 presses the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1, and a removal mechanism 6 is provided to remove the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 on the substrate 1 that was not pressed by the press mechanism 5. In other words, the powder film forming apparatus 100 forms a film 12 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1 by pressing the film 12 only at a predetermined position on the substrate 1 using the press mechanism 5 and pressing it onto the substrate 1, and by removing the powder 11 that was not pressed onto the substrate 1 by the removal mechanism 6, thereby forming a powder film 12 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1.
[0042] The following will provide a specific explanation using an example of intermittently forming multiple films 12 on a substrate 1. Intermittently forming films 12 on a substrate 1 means continuously forming films 12 on the substrate 1 such that there is a certain gap between each film 12 formed in the transport direction of the substrate 1, as shown in Figure 3. Forming multiple films 12 on a substrate 1 means forming multiple films 12 on the substrate 1 in the width direction such that there is a certain gap between each film 12 in the width direction, as shown in Figure 3.
[0043] As shown in Figure 2, the press mechanism 5 in this embodiment has a press section 54 that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section 52 and presses the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1. In this embodiment, the contact surface of the press section 54 that contacts the powder 11 is formed in a rectangular shape. When the powder 11 on the substrate 1 is pressed by this press section 54, a film 12 with the same shape as the contact surface of the press section 54 is formed on the substrate 1. The distance between the contact surface of the press section 54 and the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 is smaller than the distance between the squeegee section 4 and the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1.
[0044] A plurality of pressing units 54 are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the pressing roll unit 52. Therefore, when the base material 1 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2 passes between the pressing roll unit 52 and the support roll unit 53, the powder 11 deposited on the base material 1 is intermittently pressed along the conveying direction of the base material 1 by each of the plurality of pressing units 54 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the pressing roll unit 52 so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction. As a result, the film 12 is intermittently formed on the base material 1 and is pressure-bonded to the base material 1.
[0045] Also, a plurality of pressing units 54 are provided so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction. Therefore, when the base material 1 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2 passes between the pressing roll unit 52 and the support roll unit 53, the powder 11 deposited on the base material 1 is pressed at a plurality of locations along the width direction by each of the plurality of pressing units 54 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the pressing roll unit 52 so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction. As a result, the films 12 are formed side by side in the width direction on the base material 1 and are pressure-bonded to the base material 1.
[0046] The removing mechanism 6 is for removing the powder 11 existing in the non-pressing region 13, and is provided on the downstream side of the pressing mechanism 5 in the conveying direction of the base material 1. That is, the supply unit 3, the pressing mechanism 5, and the removing mechanism 6 are arranged side by side along the conveying direction of the base material 1 in this order.
[0047] In the present embodiment, the removal mechanism 6 has a posture adjustment unit 61 that separates the powder 11 from the base material 1 by adjusting the posture of the base material 1 so that the powder 11 existing in the non-press region 13 falls. In the present embodiment, the conveyance roll 21 is the posture adjustment unit 61, and as shown in FIG. 1, it is disposed at a position forming the conveyance path of the base material 1 so that the base material 1 after passing through the press mechanism 5 is conveyed downward in the vertical direction. Thus, by adjusting the posture of the base material 1 by the posture adjustment unit 61 so that the base material 1 is conveyed downward in the vertical direction, the powder 11 existing in the non-press region 13 as shown in FIG. 1 can be dropped from above the base material 1 by gravity. Thereby, only the powder 11 contained in the film 12 can be left on the base material 1. Therefore, the film 12 can be formed intermittently and in multiple rows on the base material 1.
[0048] Further, in the present embodiment, since the powder 11 existing in the non-press region 13 can be removed non-contact by the posture adjustment unit 61, scratches on the base material 1 and the film 12 and adhesion of foreign matters that may occur when the removal mechanism 6 contacts the film 12 can be suppressed.
[0049] In addition, the press mechanism 5 in the present embodiment further has a heating unit (not shown) that heats the press part 54. The heating unit is a heater and is provided inside the press roll part 52. By heating the press part 54 by this heating unit, the powder 11 on the base material 1 can be pressed while melting the binder contained in the powder 11, so that the adhesive force between the powders 11 contained in the film 12 and the adhesive force between the base material 1 and the film 12 can be increased. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the powder 11 contained in the film 12 from being removed by the removal mechanism 6.
[0050] Moreover, in the powder film forming apparatus 100 in the present embodiment, it is preferable that a powder receiving part (not shown) for receiving the powder 11 dropped from the base material 1 whose posture is adjusted by the posture adjustment unit 61 is provided. By providing this powder receiving part, the powder 11 dropped from above the base material 1 can be recovered and supplied onto the base material 1 from the supply part 3 again, so that the loss of the powder 11 can be reduced.
[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the powder film forming apparatus 100 adjusts the shape of the film 12 formed on the substrate 1 by adjusting the time the press section 54 presses the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 based on the relative speed difference between the substrate 1 conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2 and the press section 54 rotated by the press roll section 52.
[0052] Specifically, the powder film forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment adjusts at least one of the following: the rotational speed of the press roll section 52 by the press mechanism 5 and the conveying speed of the substrate 1 by the conveying mechanism 2. The slower the rotational speed of the press section 54 is compared to the conveying speed of the substrate 1, the longer the time the press section 54 presses the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1. As a result, the length of the film 12 formed on the substrate 1 in the conveying direction of the substrate 1 increases as the rotational speed of the press section 54 is slower compared to the conveying speed of the substrate 1.
[0053] Furthermore, by adjusting the rotational speed of the press roll section 52 by the press mechanism 5 and adjusting the transport speed of the base material 1 by the transport mechanism 2, the faster the rotational speed of the press section 54 is made compared to the transport speed of the base material 1, the shorter the time the press section 54 spends pressing the powder 11 deposited on the base material 1. As a result, the film 12 formed on the base material 1 becomes shorter in the transport direction of the base material 1 as the rotational speed of the press section 54 is increased compared to the transport speed of the base material 1.
[0054] Here, between the supply unit 3 and the press roll unit 52 in the conveying direction of the substrate 1, there is a preheating unit (not shown) that preheats the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1. The preheating unit is, for example, an infrared heater. By preheating the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 on the front side of the press roll unit 52 with this preheating unit, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the adhesive strength between the powder 11 contained in the film 12 due to the binder, and the adhesive strength between the substrate 1 and the film 12, due to insufficient heating of the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 when the rotation speed of the press unit 54 is faster than the conveying speed of the substrate 1. As a result, even when the rotation speed of the press unit 54 is faster than the conveying speed of the substrate 1, it is possible to suppress the removal of the powder 11 contained in the film 12 by the removal mechanism 6.
[0055] Furthermore, the powder film forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment is further provided with an inspection unit 71 located downstream of the press mechanism 5, which inspects the state of the film 12 formed on the substrate 1. The inspection unit 71 in this embodiment is a camera for imaging the film 12 and is positioned directly above the substrate 1. This inspection unit 71 images the film 12 formed by pressing the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 by the press mechanism 5.
[0056] Then, by checking the image of the film 12 obtained by the inspection unit 71, it becomes possible to inspect whether or not there is any abnormality in the film 12, such as foreign matter adhering to the surface of the film 12. If the inspection unit 71 finds that there is an abnormality in the film 12, processing is carried out to resolve the abnormality. For example, if it is found that the abnormality in the film 12 is that wear particles from the press mechanism 5 are adhering to the surface of the film 12, measures such as maintenance of the press mechanism 5 or not using the film 12 with the wear particles attached as a product are taken.
[0057] Furthermore, the inspection unit 71 may be connected to a general-purpose computer device (not shown), and the inspection unit 71 may transmit an image of the film 12 captured by the inspection unit 71 to the computer device, which then inspects whether or not there is an abnormality in the film 12 based on the image of the film 12 received by the computer device. If the inspection result indicates that there is an abnormality in the film 12, the computer device stores which of the multiple films 12 formed on the substrate 1 had the abnormality. This makes it easy to check which film 12 on the wound substrate 1 had the abnormality even after the substrate 1 has been wound onto the winding roll, and makes it easier to discard the abnormal film 12 so that it is not used as a product. Note that abnormalities in the film 12 include not only foreign matter adhering to the surface of the film 12, but also defects in the shape and thickness of the film 12, and delamination between the substrate 1 and the film 12.
[0058] In this manner, the powder film forming apparatus 100 in the above embodiment can form a film 12 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1 by pressing and compressing the powder 11 deposited on the substrate 1 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1 using the pressing mechanism 5, and by removing the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 on the substrate 1, that is, the powder 11 that was not pressed and compressed by the pressing mechanism 5, using the removal mechanism 6.
[0059] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the supply unit 3, the press mechanism 5, and the removal mechanism 6 are arranged in this order along the conveying direction of the substrate 1, making it possible to continuously process the powder 11 by the supply unit 3, the press mechanism 5, and the removal mechanism 6 on the substrate 1 being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 2. This makes it possible to efficiently form a film 12 at a predetermined position on the substrate 1.
[0060] [Second Embodiment] Next, a powder film-forming apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4. The powder film-forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the removal mechanism 6 has a suction section 62. In the following description, specific details of points that are the same as in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the differences will be described in detail.
[0061] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the powder film deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, the removal mechanism 6 in this embodiment has a suction unit 62 that sucks up the powder 11 present in the non-press area 13. The suction unit 62 is not particularly limited as long as it has a suction force capable of sucking up the powder 11 and a suction port with a diameter larger than the particle size of the powder 11. By sucking up the powder 11 present in the non-press area 13 with the suction unit 62, the powder 11 present in the non-press area 13 can be removed from the substrate 1, so that only the powder 11 contained in the film 12 can be left on the substrate 1. In addition, since the powder 11 present in the non-press area 13 can be removed without contact, scratches on the substrate 1 and the film 12 that may occur due to the removal mechanism 6 coming into contact with the film 12, and the adhesion of foreign matter can be suppressed.
[0062] [Third Embodiment] Next, a powder film deposition apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The powder film deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that the removal mechanism 6 has an air blowing section (not shown). In the following description, specific details of points similar to those in the first and second embodiments will be omitted, and the differences will be the focus of the description.
[0063] The removal mechanism 6 in this embodiment has an air blowing section that blows air onto the substrate 1 to blow away the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 and separate it from the substrate 1. The air blowing section is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of blowing air with an air volume and force sufficient to blow away the powder 11 onto the substrate 1. By blowing away the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 with the air blowing section, the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 can be removed from the substrate 1, so that only the powder 11 contained in the film 12 can be left on the substrate 1. In addition, since the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 can be removed without contact, scratches on the substrate 1 and the film 12 that may occur due to contact between the removal mechanism 6 and the film 12, and the adhesion of foreign matter can be suppressed.
[0064] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a powder film deposition apparatus 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The powder film deposition apparatus 100 in this embodiment differs from the first, second, and third embodiments in that the removal mechanism 6 has a vibration-applying part (not shown). In the following description, specific details of points similar to the first, second, and third embodiments will be omitted, and the differences will be described in detail.
[0065] The removal mechanism 6 in this embodiment has a vibration-applying unit that vibrates the substrate 1, thereby causing the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 to flow and separate from the substrate 1. The vibration application may be, for example, ultrasonic vibration of the substrate 1, or vibration by striking the substrate 1, and is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to vibrate the substrate 1. By vibrating the substrate 1 with the vibration-applying unit, the powder 11 present in the non-pressed area 13 can be caused to flow and fall from the substrate 1, so that only the powder 11 contained in the film 12 can be left on the substrate 1.
[0066] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the configurations and combinations thereof in the above embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications to the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, an example in which the powder 11 includes a binder was described, but it does not have to be a binder as long as it is an adhesive that can bond the powders 11 together and the powders 11 together with the substrate 1.
[0067] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes an example in which the press mechanism 5 has a press roll section 52, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the press mechanism 5 may also have a stamp section 55 that moves vertically to press the powder 11 on the substrate 1, thereby pressing the powder 11.
[0068] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes an example in which the contact surface of the press portion 54 is rectangular, it is not limited to this and may be appropriately changed according to the shape of the film 12 to be formed. For example, it may be circular.
[0069] Furthermore, although examples have been described in each of the above embodiments in which the removal mechanism 6 has a posture adjustment unit 61, a suction unit 62, an air blowing unit, and a vibration applying unit, it may have multiple units. In this case, the powder 11 present in the non-pressing area 13 can be removed more reliably.
[0070] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes an example where the inspection unit 71 is a camera, it is not limited to this and may be a sensor, for example.
[0071] 100 Powder Film Forming Apparatus 1 Substrate 11 Powder 12 Film 13 Non-Press Area 2 Conveying Mechanism 21 Conveying Roll 3 Supply Section 31 Discharge Port 4 Squeegee Section 5 Pressing Mechanism 51 Roll Section 52 Press Roll Section 53 Support Roll Section 54 Press Section 55 Stamp Section 6 Removal Mechanism 61 Posture Adjustment Section 62 Suction Section 71 Inspection Section
Claims
1. A powder film forming apparatus comprising: a supply unit for supplying and depositing powder onto a substrate; and a press mechanism for pressing and compressing a portion of the powder deposited on the substrate to form a powder film and press it onto the substrate, wherein the press mechanism is configured to press the powder deposited on the substrate at a predetermined position on the substrate, and a removal mechanism is provided for removing powder present in the non-pressed area on the substrate that was not pressed by the press mechanism.
2. The powder film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a conveying mechanism for continuously conveying a substrate, wherein the supply unit, the pressing mechanism, and the removal mechanism are arranged in this order along the conveying direction of the substrate by the conveying mechanism.
3. The powder film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the press mechanism comprises a press roll section that rotates with respect to an axis parallel to the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction in the in-plane direction of the substrate, and a press section provided so as to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section and presses powder deposited on the substrate, and a plurality of the press sections are provided so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the press roll section.
4. The powder film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the press mechanism includes a press roll section that rotates with respect to an axis parallel to the width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction in the in-plane direction of the substrate, and a press section that is provided so as to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the press roll section and presses the powder deposited on the substrate, and a plurality of the press sections are provided so as to be arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction.
5. The powder film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the removal mechanism has a posture adjustment unit that adjusts the posture of the substrate so that the powder present in the non-pressed area falls, thereby separating the powder from the substrate.
6. The powder film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the removal mechanism has a suction unit for sucking up powder present in the non-pressing area.
7. The powder film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the removal mechanism has an air blowing section that blows air onto the substrate to blow away the powder present in the non-pressed area and separate it from the substrate.
8. The powder film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the removal mechanism has a vibration-applying unit that vibrates the substrate to cause the powder present in the non-pressing region to flow and separate from the substrate.
9. The powder deposition apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the powder contains an adhesive, and the pressing mechanism further has a heating section for heating the pressing section.
10. The powder film forming apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the time for which the press section presses the powder deposited on the substrate is adjusted by the relative speed difference between the substrate conveyed by the conveying mechanism and the press section rotated by the press roll section.
11. The powder film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an inspection unit provided downstream of the press mechanism for inspecting the state of the powder film formed on the substrate.