JP2002003231A - Scribe device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a scribe device capable of suppressing horizontal runout of a head portion and suppressing generation of glass chips, cullets, and the like when cutting a glass plate. A head includes a table on which a glass plate is disposed on an upper surface, a cutter disposed so as to be in contact with the glass plate, and a piezoelectric element for vibrating the cutter in a vertical direction along a thickness direction of the glass plate. A head 2 that is supported by the support 1 via a leaf spring 12 that amplifies the vertical vibration of the cutter 11; A linear motion guide 20 is provided between the head unit 2 and the support unit 1 to allow the head unit 2 to move only in the vertical direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a scribing apparatus for cutting a glass plate, for example, a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel, at a predetermined position along a line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows the structure of a conventional scribing apparatus of this type. This scribing apparatus comprises a support section 1 and a head section 2. The support portion 1 includes a fixed base 4 attached to a frame 3 and a movable base 5 slidably provided on the fixed base 4 in a vertical direction.
The movable base 5 is pressed downward by the pressing unit 6.

The head section 2 includes a frame 7, a rod 9 provided on the frame 7 via a guide 8 so as to be movable in a vertical direction, and a piezoelectric element as a vibration applying mechanism for applying a vertical vibration to the rod 9. 10.
The piezoelectric element 10 is attached to the frame 7, and a cutter 11 is provided at the lower end of the rod 9.

[0004] The frame 7 of the head 2 is supported by the support 1.
Is supported by a plurality of leaf springs 12 as elastic members.

[0005] A table 13 is provided below the scribing device, and a liquid crystal display panel P in which liquid crystal is sealed between a pair of glass substrates is mounted on the table 13.

When a predetermined portion of the glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel P is cut, the movable base 5 is
Then, the head portion 2 is pressed downward to press the cutter 11 at the lower end of the rod 9 against the glass substrate. In this state, the piezoelectric element 10 applies vertical vibration to the rod 9 and the cutter 11.

The head portion 11 is supported by a leaf spring 12. When the rod 9 and the cutter 11 vibrate, the vibration spreads over the entire head portion 2, and the head portion 2 starts from the leaf spring 12. And vibrates up and down,
Thereby, the vibration of the rod 9 and the cutter 11 is amplified, and the glass substrate is cut via the cutter 11 by the amplified vibration.

[0008]

However, in the conventional scribing apparatus, the head section 11 is supported on the support section 1 only by the leaf spring 12 for amplifying the vibration. When vibration is applied, the head portion 2 swings not only in the vertical direction but also in the front, rear, left and right directions with respect to the glass substrate surface. Is generated in a large amount, and the strength of the cut end face of the glass is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to suppress the horizontal deflection of the head portion and to reduce the generation of glass chips and cullets when cutting glass. An object of the present invention is to provide a scribe device that can be suppressed.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a table on which a glass plate is disposed on an upper surface, a cutter disposed so as to be capable of contacting the glass plate, and a cutter arranged in a vertical direction along a thickness direction of the glass plate. A head portion having a vibration applying mechanism for vibrating, and a support portion for supporting the head portion, wherein the head portion is supported by the support portion via an elastic member that amplifies vertical vibration of the cutter, It is characterized in that a guide mechanism is provided between the head portion and the support portion to allow the head portion to move only in the vertical direction.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As described above, a scribing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a table on which a glass plate is disposed on an upper surface; a cutter disposed so as to be able to contact the glass plate; The head unit includes a head unit having a vibration applying mechanism such as a piezoelectric element that vibrates in a vertical direction along a direction, and a support unit that supports the head unit.

The head portion is supported by the support portion via an elastic member such as a leaf spring for amplifying the vertical vibration of the cutter, and only between the head portion and the support portion in the vertical direction of the head portion. There is provided a guide mechanism such as a linear motion guide that allows the movement of the moving object.

When the cutter vibrates due to the driving by the vibration applying mechanism, the vibration spreads over the entire head portion, and the head portion vibrates up and down from the elastic member as a starting point, thereby amplifying the vibration of the cutter. The glass plate is cut via the cutter by the amplified vibration.

When the head portion vibrates up and down with the elastic member as a base, the head portion moves up and down while being guided by the guide mechanism. At this time, the horizontal swing of the head portion is suppressed by the guide mechanism. .

Therefore, the cutter vibrates only in the vertical direction without swinging in the horizontal direction, so that the glass plate can be cut with almost no generation of unnecessary glass chips and cullets when cutting the glass plate. A decrease in the strength of the end surface of the cut glass plate can also be suppressed.

[0016]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Parts corresponding to those of the conventional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

The head 2 is supported by the support 1 via a leaf spring 12.
And a linear motion guide 20 as a guide mechanism is provided between the head unit 2 and the support unit 1.

The leaf spring 12 is provided horizontally between the movable base 5 of the support section 1 and the frame 7 of the head section 2, and causes the head section 2 to vibrate up and down by elastic deformation. I have.

The linear motion guide 20 comprises a guide rail 21 and a slider 22 slidably fitted to the guide rail 21. The guide rail 21 is mounted on the movable base 5 of the support 1 and the slider 2
2 is attached to the frame 7 of the head 2.

The guide rail 21 of the linear motion guide 20 is vertically mounted on the side surface of the movable base 5 with its longitudinal direction facing up and down. The slider 22 is slidably fitted to the guide rail 21 while being restrained from moving in the horizontal direction, and is fixed to the frame 7 of the head unit 2.

When a predetermined portion of the glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel P mounted on the table 13 is cut by the scribing device, the movable base 5 and the head 2 are moved downward through the pressing unit 6. By pressing, the cutter 11 at the lower end of the rod 9 is pressed against the glass substrate, and in this state, the piezoelectric element 10 applies a vertical vibration to the rod 9 and the cutter 11 along the thickness direction of the glass substrate.

When the rod 9 and the cutter 11 vibrate, the vibration spreads over the entire head portion 2 so that the head portion 2 starts from the leaf spring 12. Then, the vibration of the rod 9 and the cutter 11 is amplified, and the glass substrate is cut via the cutter 11 by the amplified vibration.

When the head section 9 vibrates in the vertical direction with the leaf spring 12 as a base point, the head section 9 moves in the vertical direction while being guided by the linear motion guide 20. In the horizontal direction is suppressed by the linear motion guide 20.

Therefore, the cutter 11 vibrates only in the vertical direction without swinging in the horizontal direction with respect to the surface of the glass substrate, so that unnecessary glass chips and cullets are hardly generated when cutting the glass substrate. The glass substrate can be cut, and a decrease in the strength of the cut end surface of the glass substrate can be suppressed.

In the above embodiment, the linear motion guide is used as the guide mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the guide mechanism is composed of a spline shaft and a slider having a spline hole fitted to the spline shaft. Alternatively, a spline shaft may be attached to one of the support portion and the head portion, and a slider may be attached to the other, so that the head portion is allowed to move only in the vertical direction by fitting the spline shaft and the slider. It is possible.

Further, it is needless to say that the scribing apparatus of the present invention can be used not only for cutting a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display panel but also for cutting a glass plate used for other purposes.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the guide mechanism is provided between the head and the support to allow the head to move only in the vertical direction, the cutter can be used when cutting the glass plate. It vibrates only in the vertical direction without swinging in the horizontal direction, so that the glass sheet can be cut with almost no generation of unnecessary glass chips and cullets, and the strength of the end face of the cut glass sheet can be reduced. The decrease can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a scribe device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a conventional scribe device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Support part 2 ... Head part 6 ... Pressurizing part 7 ... Frame 9 ... Rod 10 ... Piezoelectric element (vibration addition mechanism) 11 ... Cutter 12 ... Leaf spring (elastic member) 13 ... Table 20 ... Linear motion guide (guide mechanism) ) 21: guide rail 22: slider P: liquid crystal display panel

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A table for arranging a glass plate on an upper surface, a cutter arranged to be in contact with the glass plate, and a vibration applying mechanism for oscillating the cutter in a vertical direction along a thickness direction of the glass plate. A head portion, and a support portion for supporting the head portion, wherein the head portion is supported by the support portion via an elastic member that amplifies vertical vibrations of the cutter, and the head portion and the support portion A scribing device provided with a guide mechanism for allowing the head to move only in the vertical direction between the scribing devices.