JPH0315171B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for bonding an upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate by aligning the upper plate and a lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate while forming a desired distance between the upper plate and the lower plate. This invention relates to an alignment device.

The apparatus used by the inventors for aligning and bonding the upper and lower plates of the liquid crystal glass plate generally attaches the upper plate 1 and the lower plate 2 of the liquid crystal glass plate, as shown in FIG. 1a. an illumination mechanism that illuminates the alignment patterns 1l, 1r and 2l, 2r printed in advance; a detection mechanism 13l that detects the alignment patterns 1l, 1r, 2l, 2r of the upper glass plate 1 and the lower glass plate 2; 13r, a holding mechanism (described later) that holds the upper plate and the lower plate 2, and a moving mechanism (described later) that moves the lower glass plate 2, and the illumination mechanism includes a mercury lamp 10, a condenser lens 9, It consists of a filter 8, a fiber 7, a condenser lens 6, a half mirror 5, an objective lens 4, and a mirror 3, and the detection mechanisms 13l and 13r include the mirror 3, the objective lens 4, the half mirror 5, relay lens 11;
It consists of a TV camera 12 and monitors 30l and 30r. Next, the operation is shown in Figures 2 and 3.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. First, the objective lens 4 is moved in the opposite direction to the mirror 3 on the optical axis. Then, the focus of the objective lens 4 matches the upper glass plate 1, and the alignment patterns 1l and 1r are projected onto the monitors 30l and 30r via the TV camera 12. At the same time, a cross-shaped pattern is displayed on the monitors 30l and 30r. White lines 20l and 20r are generated, and the cross-shaped white lines 20l and 20r are moved on 30l and 30r using a white line generation and movement device (not shown) to align the centers of alignment patterns 1l and 1r and the cross-shaped white lines 20l and 20r. Align the centers of the white lines 20l and 20r (Fig. 2a). Next, the objective lens 4 is moved along the optical axis in the direction of the mirror 3. Then, the focus of the objective lens 4 matches the lower plate glass 2, so the monitor 30
Only the alignment patterns 2l and 2r of the lower glass plate 2 are projected on the lower glass plates 2l and 30r, and the lower plate glass 2 is moved by the moving mechanism so that the centers of the alignment patterns 2l and 2r remain on the monitors 30l and 30r. The alignment of the upper glass plate 1 and the lower glass plate 2 is completed by aligning them with the centers of the cross-shaped white lines 20l and 20r. Then, the lower glass plate 2 is vertically raised to bond the upper glass plate 1 and the lower glass plate 2 together.

As shown in FIG. 5, the holding mechanism used in the apparatus for aligning and bonding the upper and lower plates of the liquid crystal glass plate described above is a bearing mounted on a conveying table 40 supported by a bearing 48. 45, the upper plate holder 42 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 44 and supported by the stopper 41, and the lower plate holder 52 is supported on the pin 47 provided on the conveyance table 40 so as to be movable up and down through the tapered hole 46. The plate holder 42 is provided with a suction hole that communicates with the detection holes 42l, 42r and the suction hose 43, and the lower plate holder 52 is provided with a suction hole 49 that communicates with the suction hose 101 via a suction hole 50 of a slider 51, which will be described later. The upper glass plate 1 is attached to the upper plate holder 42, the upper glass plate 1 is attached to the lower plate holder 42, and the lower plate holder 52 is attached by vacuum mounting (not shown).
The lower glass plates 2 are held respectively.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the movement mechanism for the lower glass plate 2 includes a Y table 107 mounted on a base 108 for moving the lower glass plate 2 in the lateral direction y.
An X table 106 for moving the lower glass plate 2 in the longitudinal direction x is placed on the Y table 107, and the
A Θ table 105 for rotating the lower glass plate 2 in an arbitrary direction Θ around the Z axis is placed on the X table 106, and the lower glass plate 2 is placed in the center of the Θ table 105 via a bearing 102. Slider 51 to move in the vertical direction Z
The slider 51 is provided with a suction hole 50 that communicates the suction hole 49 of the lower plate holder 52 with the suction hose 101, and the Θ table 105 is
A stand 103 provided above and the slider 51 are linked by a rack pinion 104,
The Θ table 105, the X table 106, and the Y table 107 move the lower glass plate 2 in one horizontal plane via the slider 51 and the lower plate holder 52 to match the position of the upper glass plate 1, and the rack pinion 104 moves the lower glass plate 2 through the slider 51 and the lower plate holder 52. The holder 52 is raised and the lower glass plate 2 is bonded to the upper glass plate 1.

However, the above-mentioned conventional moving mechanism has horizontal movement mounting (Θ table 105, X table 10
6. Y table 107) with a lifting device (lower plate holder 52, slider 51 coupled to lower plate holder 52)
etc.) and an elevating drive device (stand 103, rack pinion 104, other motors, etc.), so the rigidity of the horizontal moving device must be made so that it can sufficiently withstand and support the weight of the elevating device and the elevating drive device. Therefore, the overall size of the apparatus increases, and there are disadvantages such as the inability to obtain highly accurate positioning.

In view of the above-mentioned points, an object of the present invention is to miniaturize the entire device, align the upper and lower plates of liquid crystal glass plates with high precision in a non-contact state, and achieve high-precision bonding. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for aligning an upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate.

That is, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features:
A transport table provided on a base, an upper plate holder which suction-holds the upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate and is also supported on the transport table, and a liquid crystal glass plate suction-held by the upper plate holder. a lower plate holder facing the upper plate, having a first suction hole in communication with the lower end so as to suction and hold the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate on the upper surface, and being movable up and down on the transport table; It can be moved in the horizontal direction of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction on the base below the lower plate holder,
Furthermore, there is an X, Y, Θ table formed to be able to rotate Θ around a vertical axis, and an X, Y, Θ table that is stopped from rotating with respect to the table and is supported so as to be movable up and down, and whose upper end is connected to the lower end of the lower plate holder. a slider having a second suction hole formed at its upper end, which is connected to the first suction hole and connected to the suction source when brought into contact with the slider;
The holder has a holder that supports the slider via a sliding means that is slidably engaged with the slider in a horizontal direction with low friction, and provides two stages of vertical displacement to the holder,
A two-step vertical displacement is applied to the lower plate holder via the sliding means and the slider to form and adhere the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate to the upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate for a desired distance. An alignment pattern formed on the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate and an alignment pattern formed on the upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate, which are arranged opposite to each other at a desired distance by the lifting drive device. an illumination means for illuminating the pattern; a detection means for detecting relative positions by imaging each alignment pattern illuminated by the illumination means; and a detection means for detecting relative positions of the alignment patterns detected by the detection means. and controlling the drive of the X, Y and Θ tables to move the integrally formed slider and lower plate holder in the horizontal direction while being slid by the sliding means with respect to the holder of the lifting drive device. This is a positioning device for positioning an upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate, comprising positioning means for positioning a lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate with respect to an upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a bonding device for bonding an upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate having a positioning function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 5 indicate the same parts. That is,
The present invention separates a horizontal moving device A having a lifting device (lower plate holder 52 and slider 51) and a lifting drive device B (lower than the holder 63),
The slider 51 is mounted on the Θ table 105 of the horizontal movement device A by means of a bearing 102, as shown in FIG. 61.

The lifting drive device B includes a holder 63 holding a ball 61 by a spring 62, a plate 65 supporting the holder 63 by a spring 64 and a bearing 66, and a piston 71 mounted on the plate 65.
It consists of a first air cylinder 72 whose upper end is fixed, a second air cylinder 69 which is installed with a piston 67 facing the holder 63, and a stopper 60, and the pistons of the first and second air cylinders 72, 69 71 and 67 are supported by bearings 70 and 68, and a shock absorber 73 is provided on the piston 67 of the second air cylinder 69.

Next, the operation will be explained.

First, the piston 71 of the first air cylinder 72 is extended, and the plate 65, holder 63, ball 61,
When the lower plate holder 52 is raised via the slider 51 and the distance between the upper glass plate 1 and the lower plate glass 2 reaches d, the plate 65 hits the stopper 60,
The first air cylinder 72 is made stationary. At this time,
The tapered hole 46 of the lower plate holder 52 is connected to the transport table 4.
0, the lower plate holder 52 becomes free, and the slider 51 is further attached to the lower plate holder 52.
Since a suction hole 49 is provided which communicates with the suction hose 101 through the suction hole 50, the lower plate glass 2 is suctioned and held on the lower plate holder 52 by attaching a vacuum chamber (not shown), and this suction force The lower plate holder 52 and the slider 51 are integrally engaged. Next, in the above state, the horizontal movement device A is operated to align the lower glass plate 2 with the upper glass plate 1. Once alignment is complete,
The piston 67 of the second air cylinder 69 is extended to further raise the lower plate holder 52 via the holder 63, the ball 61, and the slider 51, and the upper plate holder 42
The lower glass plate 2 held by the lower plate holder 52 is bonded to the upper glass plate 1 held by the lower plate holder 52.

Note that, as in the above embodiment, the shock absorber 7 is attached to the piston 67 of the second air cylinder 69.
3 absorbs the impact when bonding the lower glass plate 2 to the upper glass plate 1, so there is no risk of the upper and lower glass plates 1 and 2 breaking.

As described above, in the present invention, in the positioning device for the upper and lower plates of a liquid crystal glass plate, the horizontal moving device and the lifting device are separated, so the horizontal moving device includes the lifting device and the lifting device. There is no load on the lifting drive device, and therefore there is no need to increase the rigidity of the horizontal movement device.For this reason, the entire alignment device can be downsized, and the upper and lower plates of the liquid crystal glass plate can be made smaller. It is possible to obtain highly accurate positioning, and as a result, there are effects such as being able to realize highly accurate adhesion.

Further, according to the present invention, since the slider is supported by the elevating device by a spherical surface, the driving force of the horizontal moving device can be small.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the illumination mechanism and detection mechanism of the alignment device in the bonding device for the upper and lower plates of liquid crystal glass plates; Figs. 2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the alignment method; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional bonding device for the upper and lower plates of a liquid crystal glass plate.
6 to 8 are diagrams for explaining the structure and operation of an embodiment of the bonding device for bonding the upper and lower plates of liquid crystal glass plates according to the present invention, and FIG. - line sectional view. 1... Upper plate glass, 2... Lower plate glass, 1l,
2r... Alignment pattern, 4... Objective lens, 10... Mercury lamp, 13l, 13r... Detection mechanism, 42... Upper plate holder, 52... Lower plate holder,
61...Ball, 51...Slider, A...Horizontal movement device, B...Elevating drive device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport table provided on a base, an upper plate of a liquid crystal glass plate is suction-held, and an upper plate holder supported on the transport table, and an upper plate holder is suctioned to the upper plate holder. The first suction hole is connected to the lower end so as to face the upper plate of the held liquid crystal glass plate and hold the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate by suction on the upper surface, and is provided so as to be movable up and down on the transport table. A lower plate holder is formed on the lower base of the lower plate holder, and an X, Y, a Θ table, which is supported to be movable up and down while being stopped from rotating with respect to the X, Y, Θ table, and is connected to the first suction hole when its upper end is brought into contact with the lower end of the lower plate holder; a slider having a second suction hole connected to the source formed at the upper end, and a holder supporting the slider via a sliding means that is slidably engaged with a horizontal direction with low friction; A two-stage vertical displacement is applied to the holder, and a two-stage vertical displacement is applied to the lower plate holder via the sliding means and the slider to move the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate to a desired position relative to the upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate. An elevating drive device that forms and brings the liquid crystal glass plate into close contact with the positioning pattern formed on the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate, which are arranged facing each other at a desired distance by the elevating drive device. an illumination means for illuminating the alignment patterns formed on the upper plate; a detection means for detecting relative positions by imaging each alignment pattern illuminated by the illumination means; Based on the relative position of the alignment pattern, the X, Y, Θ table is driven and controlled to move the integrally formed slider and lower plate holder to the holder of the lifting drive device by the sliding means. An upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate, characterized in that the upper plate and the lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate are provided with positioning means for aligning the lower plate of the liquid crystal glass plate with respect to the upper plate of the liquid crystal glass plate by moving in the horizontal direction while sliding. alignment device with. 2. A device for aligning an upper plate and a lower plate of a liquid crystal glass plate according to claim 1, wherein the sliding means is constituted by a spherical body.