JP2006201680A - Peeling method of rubbing cloth - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a peeling method for easily peeling a rubbing cloth to which a double-coated adhesive tape is stuck, from a roller, in the rubbing roller to which the rubbing cloth is stuck via the double-coated adhesive tape. <P>SOLUTION: The tip part of a scraper 15 which is formed into an acute angle and acts as a peeling claw is inserted between the roller 8 of the rubbing roller 7 rotating in small amounts and the double-coated adhesive tape 14, and LN<SB>2</SB>19 as cooling solvent is showered from the outside of the rubbing roller 7 toward the neighborhood of the tip part of the scraper 15 from a shower nozzle 18. Then, the double-coated adhesive tape 14 located at the tip part of the scraper 15 is cooled, adhesive force between the roller 8 and the adhesive tape 14 is weakened, and the rubbing cloth 9 is easily peeled without leaving the adhesive tape 14 on the outer surrounding surface of the roller 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a rubbing cloth peeling method capable of easily peeling a rubbing cloth from a roller in a rubbing roller used in an alignment treatment step of a liquid crystal display element substrate.

  The basic structure of a liquid crystal display element is a two-sheet structure in which switching elements and electrodes that control the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules by applying a voltage are formed on the surface, and an alignment film that gives a pretilt angle to the liquid crystal molecules is formed on the upper surface. The liquid crystal display element substrate is fixed with a sealing material at intervals with dispersed spacers so that the switching elements and the electrodes face each other through the alignment film. A liquid crystal layer is provided in a portion surrounded by the two liquid crystal display element substrates and the sealing material, and a polarizing plate is provided outside each liquid crystal display element substrate. In such a liquid crystal display element structure, the alignment film applied to the liquid crystal display element substrate is formed of an organic polymer film such as a polyimide resin, and the surface of the alignment film is rubbed in a certain direction with a polyamide synthetic fiber. (Rubbing) An alignment process is performed in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned (pretilted) along the grooves by forming fine grooves.

  A general method for rubbing the alignment film in such an alignment process is to attach a rubbing cloth in which piles (hairs) are planted on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical roller to form a rubbing roller, and to fix a liquid crystal display element substrate. The alignment film formed on the liquid crystal display element substrate is rubbed with a pile of a rotating rubbing roller while moving in a direction at a constant speed.

  By the way, the rubbing cloth is treated as a consumable because it is deformed and consumed as the rubbing process proceeds, and is replaced with a new one when a predetermined number of liquid crystal display element substrates are subjected to orientation processing. In that case, the entire surface of the rubbing cloth is affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, and removing the rubbing cloth from the roller is a difficult operation requiring considerable labor and time.

  The adhesive force of the double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is stronger on the outer peripheral surface of the roller than on the cloth of the rubbing cloth. Therefore, even after the rubbing cloth is peeled off from the rubbing roller, the double-sided adhesive tape that remains easily torn off and remains on the roller outer peripheral surface remains, and the roller outer peripheral surface is cleaned with an organic solvent such as trichlene, acetone, ethanol, etc. It was necessary to remove the double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that was in close contact with the film, which was a troublesome and troublesome maintenance.

  Furthermore, in order to peel off the rubbing cloth adhered to the roller with a strong adhesive force, the work is forcibly advanced by manpower. Therefore, when the rubbing cloth is peeled off from the roller, dust is generated, which becomes a source of cleanliness contamination and deteriorates the working environment.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, a rubbing roller that can easily replace the rubbing cloth has been proposed. That is, a non-adhesive material such as Teflon (registered trademark) is applied to the outer peripheral surface of a metal roller to form a non-adhesive material film, and a rubbing cloth is pasted thereon via a double-sided adhesive tape ( For example, see Patent Document 1.)
JP-A-6-27470

  By the way, in order to provide the non-adhesive material layer on the outer peripheral surface of the roller, a dedicated device capable of accommodating the roller and performing processing such as coating and heating is required. On the other hand, it is necessary to increase the length of the rubbing roller used for the rubbing process as the liquid crystal display element substrate becomes larger. For example, the sixth generation liquid crystal display element substrate (glass) size, which is the current liquid crystal generation, is about 1500 mm. In order to cope with × 1800 mm, the length of the rubbing roller has to be about 2750 mm, and in order to cope with a liquid crystal display substrate which is expected to be about 1800 mm × 2000 mm in the seventh generation in the future. For this, the length of the rubbing roller must be 3200 mm to 3400 mm.

  Therefore, the present 6th generation and the future 7th generation rubbing cloth peeling device has a capacity and durability enough to accommodate the entire rubbing roller and apply non-adhesive substances, overheating, etc. Must. Therefore, a large space is required when installing the apparatus, and the degree of freedom in selecting the installation location is limited. In addition, the capital investment and running cost for the peeling device are increased, which in turn increases the manufacturing cost.

  Furthermore, the method of providing a non-adhesive substance layer on the outer peripheral surface of the roller to weaken the adhesive force with the double-sided adhesive tape is effective for making the rubbing cloth easy to peel off, but in the rubbing process, the rubbing cloth The weakening of the adhesive strength may cause problems such as peeling during work, and it remains a problem whether a reproducible and stable rubbing treatment can be ensured.

  The above-mentioned method can be expected to have the same effect and effect by selecting and using double-sided adhesive tape with weak adhesive strength, and it is not necessary enough to invest special capital and prepare a special peeling device. Conceivable.

  The present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a rubbing cloth that ensures a strong adhesive force at the time of rubbing treatment and makes it easy to peel the rubbing cloth from the roller by weakening the adhesive force at the time of peeling. The peeling method is provided.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that the rubbing cloth of a rubbing roller in which a rubbing cloth is bonded to a cylindrical roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, In this method, the adhesive tape is peeled off from the roller with the double-sided adhesive tape attached thereto, and a cooling means is applied to the entire rubbing roller, and the peeling operation is performed while the cooling effect of the rubbing roller is maintained. It is characterized by.

  The invention described in claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 1, cooling means is simultaneously applied to the entire outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.

  The invention described in claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 1, cooling means is simultaneously applied to the entire inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.

  In the invention described in claim 4 of the present invention, the rubbing cloth of a rubbing roller in which a rubbing cloth is attached to a cylindrical roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, and the double-sided adhesive tape is attached to the rubbing cloth side. In this method, the adhesive tape is peeled off from the roller in a state of being attached, and the cooling means is partially and continuously applied to the rubbing roller, and the peeling operation is simultaneously performed within a range in which the cooling effect of the rubbing roller reaches. It is characterized by.

  Further, the invention described in claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 4, the cooling means is partially and continuously applied to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller. .

  The invention described in claim 6 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 4, the cooling means is partially and continuously applied to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller. is there.

  The invention described in claim 7 of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 6, the cooling means cools the liquid nitrogen by contacting it.

  In the method for peeling a rubbing cloth of the present invention, the adhesive force is weakened by cooling the double-sided adhesive tape that affixes the rubbing cloth to the roller of the rubbing roller, so that the rubbing cloth can be easily peeled from the roller.

  As a result, labor and time for peeling the rubbing cloth from the roller can be saved, and the rubbing cloth can be replaced with a simple operation.

  In addition, after the rubbing cloth is peeled from the roller, no adhesive tape remains on the outer peripheral surface of the roller, and cleaning of the outer peripheral surface of the roller is unnecessary, so that maintenance can be easily performed.

  Further, when the rubbing cloth is peeled off from the roller, no dust is generated and the working environment is not deteriorated.

  Furthermore, because it is a method that secures a strong adhesive force during rubbing treatment and weakens the adhesive force during peeling, it can eliminate the problems of rubbing caused by insufficient adhesive force during the orientation treatment, resulting in a high-quality orientation treatment. A substrate can be manufactured with high yield.

  In a rubbing roller with a rubbing cloth affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, a strong adhesive force is ensured during orientation treatment, and the adhesive force is weakened during peeling to easily peel off the rubbing cloth. The purpose of this was realized by utilizing the characteristics of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape whose adhesive strength decreases when cooled.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 (the same reference numerals are given to the same portions). In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable specific example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, The range of this invention limits this invention especially in the following description. As long as there is no description of that, it is not restricted to these Examples.

  One of the manufacturing processes of a liquid crystal display element substrate is an alignment treatment step by rubbing. That is, an alignment film applied to the liquid crystal display element substrate is formed of an organic polymer film such as polyimide resin, and the surface of the alignment film is rubbed in a certain direction with a polyamide-based synthetic fiber (rubbing) to form fine grooves. Thus, an alignment treatment is performed so that liquid crystal molecules are aligned (pretilt) along the grooves.

  A general method for rubbing the alignment film in such an alignment process is to attach a rubbing cloth in which piles (hairs) are planted on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical roller to form a rubbing roller, and to fix a liquid crystal display element substrate. The alignment film formed on the liquid crystal display element substrate is rubbed with a pile of a rotating rubbing roller while moving in a direction at a constant speed.

  By the way, the rubbing cloth is treated as a consumable because it is deformed and consumed as the rubbing process proceeds, and is replaced with a new one when a predetermined number of liquid crystal display element substrates are subjected to orientation processing. In that case, the entire surface of the rubbing cloth is affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, and removing the rubbing cloth from the roller is a difficult operation requiring considerable labor and time.

  Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to easily replace the rubbing roller by utilizing the fact that the double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape for affixing the rubbing cloth to the roller has a characteristic that the adhesive force decreases when cooled.

  The specific method is roughly divided into two. One is a method in which the entire rubbing roller is cooled and a peeling operation is performed while the cooling is maintained. This is a method of performing a peeling operation.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a cooling device for a rubbing roller used in Example 1 of the former peeling method. The structure of the apparatus is as follows: a lid 2 having a predetermined thickness to which an injection tube 1 for injecting LN ₂ (liquid nitrogen) serving as a refrigerant is attached, and a support 3 that protrudes inward from one of opposing ends. And a rotating support shaft 4 that also serves as a support projecting inward from the other, and a container 6 having a predetermined thickness to which a discharge pipe 5 for discharging LN ₂ is attached. . Although not shown, the injection pipe 1 is provided with an injection valve, and the discharge pipe 5 is provided with a discharge valve so that the injection and discharge of LN ₂ can be controlled.

By fitting the lid 2 and the container 6, the portion excluding the inlet of the LN ₂ inlet pipe 1 and the outlet of the outlet pipe 5 constitutes a sealed space.

  Further, the rubbing roller 7 is an end having at least an outer peripheral surface made of metal and a cylindrical roller 8 with a rubbing cloth 9 attached to the cylindrical roller 8 via a double-sided adhesive tape (not shown), and flanges 10 provided at both ends. A plate 11 is attached with the flange 10 facing outward. A concave portion 12 is provided at a substantially central portion of the outer surface of each flange 10.

  The method for cooling the rubbing roller by the cooling device is to first fit the support 3 and the rotation support shaft 4 projecting into the container 6 with the recesses 12 provided in the flanges 10 of the rubbing roller 7. The rubbing roller 7 is rotatably supported in the container 6. Then, the opening 13 of the container 6 is closed with the lid 2 and sealed.

After the rubbing roller 7 is rotatably supported in the container 6 and sealed, the discharge valve provided in the discharge pipe 5 is closed, and the injection valve provided in the injection pipe 1 is opened to seal the LN ₂ in the container 6. Inject into. When the inside of the container 6 is filled with LN ₂ , the injection valve is closed to stop the injection of LN ₂ into the container 6.

In this state, since the entire rubbing roller 7 supported in the container 6 is immersed in LN ₂ , the entire rubbing roller 7 is cooled without rotating.

On the other hand, when the amount of LN ₂ injected into the container 6 is small and only a part of the rubbing roller 7 is immersed in the LN ₂ , the rubbing roller 7 is rotated by rotating the rotating support shaft 4 to thereby rub the rubbing roller 7. The roller 7 is evenly immersed in the LN ₂ so that the whole is cooled.

Thus, when the rubbing roller 7 supported in the container 6 is cooled, the discharge valve is opened, the LN ₂ in the container 6 is discharged to the outside, and the rubbing roller 7 is taken out from the container 6.

  The rubbing roller 7 taken out from the container 6 has the rubbing cloth peeled off from the roller by the method shown in FIG. It was formed at an acute angle of a scraper 15 serving as a peeling claw between the roller 8 and the double-sided adhesive tape 14 of the rubbing roller 7 in which the rubbing cloth 9 was bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the roller 8 via the double-sided adhesive tape 14. The rubbing roller 7 is rotated with the tip portion inserted.

  Then, since the double-sided adhesive tape 14 is cooled, the adhesive force between the roller 8 and the adhesive tape 14 is weakened, and the rubbing cloth can be easily peeled without the adhesive tape remaining on the outer peripheral surface of the roller.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a method of cooling the entire rubbing roller as described above. In this method, end portions where injection pipes 1 for injecting LN _{2 serving} as a refrigerant are attached to both ends of a rubbing roller 7 in which a rubbing cloth 9 is bonded to a cylindrical roller via a double-sided adhesive tape 14. A side body 16 and an end side body 16 to which a discharge pipe 5 for discharging LN ₂ is attached are attached. Although not shown, the injection pipe 1 is provided with an injection valve, and the discharge pipe 5 is provided with a discharge valve so that the injection and discharge of LN ₂ can be controlled.

The rubbing roller 7 and the two end side bodies 16 constitute a sealed space except for the inlet of the LN ₂ inlet pipe 1 and the outlet of the outlet pipe 5.

The method of cooling the rubbing roller with the above configuration is as follows. First, the discharge valve provided in the discharge pipe 5 is closed, the injection valve provided in the injection pipe 1 is opened, and the LN ₂ is sealed in the cylinder of the rubbing roller 7. 17 is injected. When the cylinder 17 is filled with LN ₂ , the injection valve is closed and the injection of LN ₂ into the cylinder 17 is stopped.

In this state, the entire rubbing roller 7 is cooled by the LN ₂ filled in the cylinder 17.

Thus, when the rubbing roller 7 is cooled, the discharge valve is opened and the LN ₂ in the cylinder 17 of the rubbing roller 7 is discharged to the outside.

  The rubbing roller 7 which has been cooled as a whole is peeled off from the roller by the method shown in FIG. The description of the method for peeling the rubbing cloth shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a method of peeling the rubbing cloth from the rubbing roller while cooling the rubbing roller, unlike the first and second embodiments. In this method, a rubbing roller 7 having a rubbing cloth 9 bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the roller 8 via a double-sided adhesive tape 14 is formed at an acute angle of a scraper 15 serving as a peeling claw between the roller 8 and the double-sided adhesive tape 14. The inserted tip portion is inserted, and LN ₂ 19 serving as a cooling solvent is showered from the shower nozzle 18 toward the vicinity of the tip portion of the scraper 15 from the outside of the rubbing roller 7.

  Then, the double-sided adhesive tape 14 positioned at the tip of the scraper 15 is cooled, the adhesive force between the roller 8 and the adhesive tape 14 is weakened, and the rubbing cloth 9 is easily left without the adhesive tape 14 remaining on the outer peripheral surface of the roller 8. Can be peeled off.

Then, the rubbing roller 7 is rotated little by little while maintaining the positional relationship between the shower ring of the LN ₂ 19 and the scraper 15, and when the rubbing roller 7 makes one rotation, the rubbing cloth 9 with the double-sided adhesive tape attached thereto is completely removed from the roller 8. Is peeled off.

FIG. 5 shows a method of peeling the rubbing cloth from the rubbing roller while cooling the rubbing roller, as in the fourth embodiment. That is, LN ₂ is injected while leaving a space in the cylinder of the rubbing roller, and both ends of the rubbing roller are closed to confine LN ₂ in the cylinder of the rubbing roller.

Then, since LN ₂ accumulates in the lower part of the cylinder of the rubbing roller, the double-sided adhesive tape 14 at that portion is cooled and the adhesive force between the roller 8 and the adhesive tape 14 is weakened. Accordingly, the tip portion formed at an acute angle of the scraper 15 serving as a peeling claw is inserted in the vicinity of the position where the LN ₂ is accumulated, that is, between the roller 8 below the rubbing roller and the double-sided adhesive tape 14, and the rubbing roller 7 is slightly moved. When the rubbing roller 7 rotates once, the rubbing cloth 9 with the double-sided adhesive tape attached thereto is completely peeled off from the roller 8.

When the cylindrical inner whole of the rubbing roller filled with LN _2, the position to place the scraper to become the entire rubbing roller is cooled is not intended to be limited, in consideration of the structure of the apparatus, the efficiency, and the like What is necessary is just to set suitably. The rubbing cloth 9 can be easily peeled off without the adhesive tape 14 remaining on the outer peripheral surface of the roller 8.

  In any of the above Examples 1 to 4, the scraper is made of a material softer than the material constituting the outer peripheral surface of the roller, and does not damage the outer peripheral surface of the roller even when it contacts the rotating roller. It is like that. Further, the width of the scraper may be substantially equal to or longer than the length in the longitudinal direction of the rubbing roller, or may be shorter than the length in the longitudinal direction of the rubbing roller. However, when the width of the scraper is shorter than the length of the rubbing roller in the longitudinal direction, one or more scrapers are moved in the longitudinal direction of the rubbing roller while peeling is performed while controlling the rotation of the rubbing roller.

It is an exploded three-dimensional view of the cooling device used in Example 1 of the peeling method of the rubbing cloth concerning the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the apparatus which peels a rubbing cloth from the cooled rubbing roller in the rubbing cloth peeling method concerning this invention. It is a three-dimensional exploded view of the cooling device used in Example 2 of the rubbing cloth peeling method according to the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the peeling apparatus used in Example 3 of the peeling method of the rubbing cloth concerning this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the peeling apparatus used in Example 4 of the peeling method of the rubbing cloth concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Injection pipe 2 Lid 3 Support body 4 Rotation support shaft 5 Discharge pipe 6 Container 7 Rubbing roller 8 Roller 9 Rubbing cloth 10 Flange 11 End plate 12 Recess 13 Opening 14 Double-sided adhesive tape 15 Scraper 16 End side body 17 In cylinder 18 Shower nozzle 19 LN ₂

Claims (7)

  The rubbing cloth of a rubbing roller in which a rubbing cloth is attached to a cylindrical roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, and the adhesive tape is peeled off from the roller in a state where the double-sided adhesive tape is attached to the rubbing cloth side. A rubbing cloth peeling method, wherein a cooling means is applied to the entire rubbing roller, and the peeling operation is performed while the cooling effect of the rubbing roller is maintained.   The rubbing cloth peeling method according to claim 1, wherein cooling means is simultaneously applied to the entire outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.   The rubbing cloth peeling method according to claim 1, wherein cooling means is simultaneously applied to the entire inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.   The rubbing cloth of a rubbing roller in which a rubbing cloth is attached to a cylindrical roller via a double-sided adhesive tape, and the adhesive tape is peeled off from the roller in a state where the double-sided adhesive tape is attached to the rubbing cloth side. A rubbing cloth peeling method, wherein the rubbing roller is partially and continuously subjected to the cooling means, and the peeling operation is simultaneously performed within a range in which the cooling effect of the rubbing roller reaches.   The rubbing cloth peeling method according to claim 4, wherein the cooling means is partially and continuously applied to an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.   The rubbing cloth peeling method according to claim 4, wherein the cooling means is partially and continuously applied to an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rubbing roller.   The said cooling means cools by making liquid nitrogen contact, The peeling method of the rubbing cloth of any one of Claims 1-6 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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