JPH0141977B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic photolithographic film reducing machine, and more particularly to an automatic photolithographic film reducing machine that reduces the force of a film to be processed while advancing it by mechanical force.

Photolithographic films often require reduction processing, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

When photolithographic film is advanced by mechanical force and immersed in a reducing solution to reduce the force, the front and back of the film are pinched with pinch rollers to create a horizontal hollow, which is often used in other bath liquid processing fields. It is better to advance the film in a straight line than to curve it to penetrate the liquid. The reason is that in the former method, the film advances under tension, making it extremely difficult to maintain constant velocity of the film, which is a condition for obtaining uniform reduction force, whereas in the latter method, the film advances under tension. This is because uniform speed progression control can be easily established. However, when traveling in a straight line, the film cannot pass through the reducing liquid in the tray at a fixed position, so it is necessary to spray the reducing liquid from above the film, but this is hardly a problem if the film is wide enough. However, if the film is narrow, the reducing liquid that falls on the film will flow down without stopping on the film, resulting in insufficient or uneven reducing force.

Therefore, the present invention allows the film to advance straight without the problem of the reducing liquid flowing down.
The aim is to ensure uniform automatic power reduction processing.

The automatic photolithographic film reduction processing machine of the present invention includes a film feeding device that advances the film at a constant speed;
A pinch roller that includes a film reduction zone for reducing force on the film, and a film pre-wetting zone connected to the front side of the film reduction zone, and moves the film horizontally straight into the film reduction zone, and the zone. Equipped with a reducing liquid dropper that rains reducing liquid onto the film in progress from above, the film is equipped with a reducing liquid dropper that has holes all over the film in the reducing force zone, and is of the type that applies liquid pressure on the lower side. It is characterized by having a horizontally oriented flat plate whose top surface allows the film to advance through which the reducing liquid flows.

According to the present invention, a film to be subjected to reduced force for photolithography is moved at a constant speed through a film reduced force zone by a film feeding device, is passed through the film reduced force zone under control of horizontal straight movement by a pinch roller, and is passed through the film reduced force zone in the film reduced force zone by a pinch roller. The force is reduced by the force reducing liquid that is poured onto the film from the dropper.

As described above, in the present invention, since the film is advanced in a straight line, the film is transported under tension by the above-mentioned feeding device, and uniform speed advancement control for passing the film through the reduction zone can be easily established. Furthermore, in this case, since the film pre-wetting zone is connected in front of the film reduction zone in the present invention, the film is pre-wetted in the latter zone, thereby improving the affinity with the reduction liquid and the permeability of the reduction liquid. , the reducing liquid applied above the film in the film reducing zone blends well with the film and penetrates well.
Even with a narrow film width, the contact with the reducing liquid required for reducing force is maintained. In addition, the film is assisted in moving straight by a horizontally oriented flat plate provided in the film's force reduction zone, and at this time, the film is kept in a floating state due to the force reduction liquid flowing out slightly above the top surface of the flat plate through the holes in the plate. Therefore, regardless of whether the liquid bath immersion method is used or not, the liquid bath treatment is as effective as submersion. Thus, according to the present invention, it is ensured that the film is automatically and uniformly reduced in force while the film is moved straight and horizontally at a constant speed by mechanical force.

In the present invention, if necessary, a water washing zone may be connected following the film force reduction zone, and a drying zone may further be connected subsequent to the water washing zone. According to this, the film can be automatically reduced in strength, washed with water, and then dried. In this case, the film feed device can be arranged at the entrance or beginning of the film pre-wetting zone and at the end of the drying zone or after the drying zone to ensure a structurally simple film feed. Preferably, on the other hand, the water washing zone has primary water washing,
It is preferable to use a multi-stage water washing process such as secondary water washing.

In the present invention, a guide device may be provided for directly introducing the film into the washing zone, more preferably the secondary washing step in the washing zone of the multi-stage washing step, in addition to the path from the film pre-wetting zone to the film reduction zone. The addition of such a guide device makes it possible to introduce the film, which has been subjected to so-called manual reduction by reducing force with a brush impregnated with a force-reducing liquid, into the washing zone by means of the guide device, and to wash and dry the film. The processing machine can also be used as a washing and drying machine.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the figure, 1 is a film feeding device that advances the film at a constant speed, 2 is a film reduction zone, 3 is a film pre-moistening zone connected before the film reduction zone 2, and 4 is a film following the film reduction zone 2. A connected two-stage water washing process type water washing zone, 5 indicates a drying zone connected subsequent to the water washing zone 4,
In the illustrated case, the feeding device 1 includes a pinch feed roller 1a disposed at the starting end of the film pre-wetting zone 3, and a pinch feed roller 1b disposed at the end of the drying zone 5. It may be replaced with an appropriate format.

The film force reduction zone 2 includes pinch rollers 6, 6, 7, 7 for moving the film horizontally and straight;
The film pre-wetting zone 3 is provided with an appropriate type, for example, a shower-type reducing liquid dropper 8, which sprays a reducing liquid from above onto the film in progress in the zone 2.
is equipped with a wetting water supply device 9 of an appropriate type such as a shower type. Instead of the above-mentioned method, the pre-wetting in the film pre-wetting zone 3 may be performed by passing the film through a water tank.

10 is a reducing liquid tank in the film reducing zone 2, 11 is a water tank in the film pre-wetting zone 3, 12 is a water tank in the primary washing step 4a of the washing zone 4, and 13 is a water tank in the second washing zone 4. The water tank in the next water washing step 4b is shown, and the reducing liquid tank 10 and the water tank 11 are kept at a constant temperature by being equipped with appropriate constant temperature heating control means. Water from the tank 13 is introduced into the tank 12, and the water is allowed to overflow from the tank 12 to the outside of the system, thereby supplying fresh water to the tank 13.

14, 15, 16 and 17 are reducing fluid tank 1
0. Horizontal flat plates placed at predetermined levels of water tanks 11, 12, and 13. Holes 29 are perforated on the entire surface of these flat plates, and a reducing liquid or so that the water flows out,
Hydraulic pressure is applied to the lower surface of the flat plate. This application of hydraulic pressure is performed by moving the pressure liquid reservoir chamber 30 to the flat plates 14 and 1 to which pressure is applied by appropriate means such as a pump.
5, 16, and 17, and communicate the upper surface of the flat plate with the pressure liquid storage chamber through the hole 29.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a washing water shower disposed in the primary washing step 4a of the washing zone 4, in which washing water is circulated between it and the water tank 12. 19 is a washing water shower placed in the secondary washing process 4b, and a water tank 13
Washing water is circulated between the
20 is a heater provided in the drying zone 5.

Squeegee rollers may be provided in the film reduction zone 2, the primary washing step 4a and the secondary washing step 4b of the washing zone 4, if necessary, and a squeegee roller may also be provided at the entrance of the drying zone 5, if necessary.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a guide device that directly introduces the film into the inlet side of the secondary washing step 4b of the washing zone 4, apart from the path from the film pre-wetting zone 3 to the film reduction zone 2; A slit-like passage 2 into which the film is inserted between
Although a trough-type structure forming 3 is used, other suitable types may be used. The gutter-shaped guide device 21 has a guide roller 24 at its distal end, and the distal end of the gutter faces in front of the pinch feed rollers 26, 26 which rotate in contact with the drive roller 25.
Pinch feed rollers 27, 27 are disposed following the pinch feed rollers 26, 26, and the rollers 27, 27 rotate in contact with the drive roller 25.

In the illustrated processor of the present invention, the film is fed by a pinch feed roller 1a to a film prewetting zone 3 where it is prewetted with wetting water from a feeder 9, and then by pinch rollers 6,
6, 7, and 7, the film passes through the film reduction zone 2 while maintaining a straight horizontal state, and then reaches the reduction liquid dropper 8.
The force is reduced by spraying a reducing liquid onto the top surface (film surface) of the film, which passes through a primary washing process 4a and a secondary washing process 4b, and is washed with washing water from showers 18 and 19, after which it is pinch-fed. It is taken out of the system via rollers 1b, and is dried in a drying zone 5 along the way. The taken out film may be collected on a tray 28.

The above series of film pre-wetting, reduction, water washing,
During the drying process, the film is maintained at a constant speed by being fed by the pinch feed roller 1a and the pinch delivery roller 1b, and the film is fed by the pinch feed roller 1a and the pinch feed roller 1b, and the film is kept moving at a constant speed by the pinch feed roller 1a and the pinch feed roller 1b.
16 and 17 assist the film to move straight in each step, and at this time, the pressure of the liquid flowing upward through the perforations of the flat plate maintains the floating state, ensuring the reliability and smoothness of the film straightening assistance by the flat plate. Guarantee.

When the film is inserted between the contact rotating pinch rollers 26, 26 through the guide device 21, the film is sent from the rollers to the subsequent contact rotating pinch feed rollers 27, 27 to the secondary washing step 4b, where it is washed with water. It undergoes washing with water and drying in the drying zone 5 according to the process.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an embodiment of the present invention with some parts omitted, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a gutter type guide device in the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a pressure fluid in the embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a reservoir and a horizontally oriented flat plate. 1 is a film feeding device, 2 is a film reduction zone, 3 is a film pre-moistening zone, 4 is a water washing zone, 5 is a drying zone, 6, 6, 7, 7 are pinch rollers for moving the film horizontally, and 8 is a reduction liquid. 9 is a wetting water supply device, 10 is a reducing liquid tank,
11 is a wetting water tank, 12 and 13 are cleaning water tanks, 21 is a guide device, 26, 26, 27, and 27 are contact rotating pinch feed rollers, 29 is a hole, and 30 is a pressure liquid storage chamber.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A film feeding device that advances the film at a constant speed, a film reduction zone that reduces force on the film, and a film pre-moistening zone connected in front of the film reduction zone as constituent elements, Equipped with a pinch roller that moves the film horizontally straight into the film reduction zone, and a reduction liquid dropper that rains reduction liquid from above onto the film traveling in the zone, the film is completely covered in the film reduction zone. A photoengraving device characterized by having a horizontally oriented flat plate having a hole and having a bottom surface that applies liquid pressure so that a reducing liquid flows out slightly above the top surface through the hole, and through which a film is advanced on the top surface. Automatic film reduction processing machine. 2. In the processing machine described in claim 1,
An automatic film reduction processing machine for photolithography, comprising a film reduction zone followed by a washing zone, and a drying zone followed by the washing zone. 3. In the processing machine described in claim 2,
This is an automatic film reduction processing machine for photolithography equipped with a guide device that directly introduces the film into the washing zone, separate from the path from the film pre-wetting zone to the film reduction zone.