Manufacturing system and method for inkjet printing flexible display device
11214077 · 2022-01-04
Assignee
Inventors
- Jiankui CHEN (Hubei, CN)
- Zhouping Yin (Hubei, CN)
- Yongan Huang (Hubei, CN)
- Hua Yang (Hubei, CN)
- Yongqing Duan (Hubei, CN)
- Yixin Wang (Hubei, CN)
- Qiangqiang Liu (Hubei, CN)
- Huayang Li (Hubei, CN)
- Kaiyou Song (Hubei, CN)
- Zhilong Shao (Hubei, CN)
- Zhou ZHANG (Hubei, CN)
- Wen Ou (Hubei, CN)
Cpc classification
B25J5/005
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J11/002
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J2/2142
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J3/4073
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J3/407
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B05B13/0278
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41M3/006
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J2/16579
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B41J3/407
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41M3/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B41J11/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
A manufacturing system for an inkjet printing flexible display device includes a substrate input module, a substrate transferring module, a printing module, a post-printing processing module, a solid content detection module, a film packaging printing module, a film formation detection module, a substrate output module. At the same time, the functional modules are highly integrated and optimized in structure and layout. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device is suitable for industrial production and are adopted to monitor the manufacturing process by using a plurality of detection modules.
Claims
1. A manufacturing system for an inkjet printing flexible display device, the manufacturing system comprising a substrate input module, a substrate transferring module, a printing module, a post-printing processing module, a solid content detection module, a film packaging printing module, a film formation detection module, and a substrate output module, wherein the substrate input module is disposed at a front end of the entire manufacturing system, and is configured to preprocess a substrate as a printing material to be transported into the printing module; the substrate transferring module is located in a central region of the entire manufacturing system and has a plurality of substrate handling manipulators and an annular track, and the printing module, the post-printing processing module, the solid content detection module, the film packaging printing module, and the film formation detection module are arranged along a circumferential direction of the annular track, so that according to different working requirements, the substrate handling manipulators is adopted to perform directional movement on the annular track, thereby implementing handling and transfer of the substrate between the functional modules; the printing module comprises a first Y-axis movement unit, a first X-axis movement unit, a first printhead unit, a first printhead top-view detection unit, a first substrate bottom-view detection unit, a first flying ink drop observation unit, and a printing automated optical inspection (AOI) detection unit, wherein the first Y-axis movement unit is configured to implement movement of the first printhead unit in a horizontal direction as a Y-axis direction, and the first X-axis movement unit is configured to implement movement of the substrate in a vertical direction as an X-axis direction; the first printhead unit is equipped with a movement component in an upright direction as a Z-axis direction, and is configured to execute patterned deposition of an ink material functional layer on a surface of the substrate after reaching a predetermined position; the first printhead top-view detection unit is configured for real-time detection of surface cleanliness and position angle of a printhead of the first printhead unit, and the first substrate bottom-view detection unit is configured for real-time detection of a position of the substrate; and the first flying ink drop observation unit is configured to observe a state of ink drops ejected by the first printhead unit and calibrate a drive waveform, the printing AOI detection unit is configured to execute scanning and imaging on the substrate after the patterned deposition is completed while using a collected image to detect a printing defect; the post-printing processing module is configured for vacuum drying, baking, and curing processing on the substrate transferred after the patterned deposition; and the solid content detection module comprises a film surface sputtering equipment and a film surface detection equipment, wherein the film surface sputtering equipment is configured to sputter a metallic-coated layer on a designated region of the transferred substrate and send the substrate to the film surface detection equipment to detect morphological characteristics of the ink material functional layer before and after the metallic-coated layer; the film packaging printing module is configured to continue printing and film formation of a film packaging ink material on the surface of the transferred substrate transferred; and the film formation detection module is kept connected with the film packaging printing module and is configured to detect whether there is a quality defect on the surface of the substrate after film packaging; and the substrate output module is disposed at a back end of the entire manufacturing system and comprises a first substrate rotating component, a first linear movement component, a first substrate fixture, and a first air floating conveying platform, wherein the first substrate rotating component is configured to firstly adjust a movement direction of the transferred substrate, the first air floating conveying platform suspends the substrate above a platform surface using airflow; and the first substrate fixture clamps the substrate, and the substrate is finally output from the manufacturing system through a reciprocating movement of the first linear movement component.
2. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate input module comprises a second air floating conveying platform, a second linear movement component, a second substrate fixture, and a second substrate rotating component, wherein the second air floating conveying platform suspends the substrate above a platform surface using airflow, the second substrate fixture clamps the substrate, a transportation movement of the substrate is implemented through a reciprocating movement of the second linear movement component; and the second substrate rotating component is configured to modulate the movement direction of the substrate to ensure that the substrate enters the printing module.
3. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the film packaging printing module comprises a second Y-axis movement unit, a second X-axis movement unit, a second printhead unit, a second printhead top-view detection unit, a second substrate bottom-view detection unit and a second flying ink drop observation unit, wherein the second Y-axis movement unit is configured to implement movement of the second printhead unit in the horizontal direction as the Y-axis direction, and the second X-axis movement unit is configured to implement the movement of the substrate in the vertical direction as the X-axis direction; the second printhead unit is configured to print and film form the film packaging ink material on the surface of the substrate; the second printhead top-view detection unit is configured for real-time detection of surface cleanliness and position angle of a printhead of the second printhead unit, and the second substrate bottom-view detection unit is configured for real-time detection of the position of the substrate; and the second flying ink drop observation unit is configured to observe a state of ink drops ejected by the second printhead unit and calibrate the drive waveform.
4. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the first printhead unit in the printing module is an overall module structure composed of a plurality of modules with a same structure, and each of the modules comprises a base-plate component, a back-plate component, a front-plate component, a top-plate component, a left sealing plate component, a right sealing plate component and a printhead accessory, wherein the base-plate component (311) is located at a lower part of the module and serves as an installation basis for other components; the back-plate component is located at a back part of the module and is configured to install an external electric/pneumatic interface while implementing a clamping/relaxing operation of the printhead; the front-plate component is located at a front part of the module and is configured to install a structure that enables the printhead to move in the Z-axis direction and a matching stabilizing structure; the top-plate component is located on an upper part of the module and is provided with a liquid inlet and a handle for filling ink and fetching the module; the left sealing plate component and the right sealing plate component are respectively located on left and right sides of the module to form an enclosed structure together with other sealing plate components, and are provided with heat-dissipating fans; and the printhead accessory is configured to provide ink/gas to a printhead and is installed inside the enclosed structure together with printheads connected thereto.
5. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the first printhead top-view detection unit in the printing module comprises a top-view high-power vision component, a top-view low-power vision component and a lens protection component, wherein the top-view low-power vision component is installed near the first flying ink drop observation unit and is configured to align with a position of the printhead for large-field-of-view low-precision visual detection; the top-view high-power vision component is installed near the first X-axis movement unit and is configured to align with the position of the printhead for small-field-of-view high-precision visual detection; and the lens protection component is installed above lenses of the top-view high-power vision component and the top-view low-power vision component, and is configured to prevent ink from polluting the lenses.
6. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate bottom-view detection unit in the printing module comprises a bottom-view vision module base, and a bottom-view high-power vision component and a bottom-view low-power vision component respectively installed thereon, wherein when positioning the substrate, the bottom-view low-power vision component is firstly used for large-field-of-view coarse positioning, and after a positioning point is found, the bottom-view high-power vision component is then used for small-field-of-view precise positioning.
7. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the first flying ink drop observation unit in the printing module comprises two vision components and a control board, wherein each of the vision components comprises an industrial camera, a lens, a stroboscopic light source and a reflector for transmitting light from the stroboscopic light source to the lens; the two vision components are arranged at an included angle α of less than or equal to 90°, an intersection point of two light paths of the vision components after passing through the reflector is located directly below a certain orifice of the printhead, and a principle of binocular vision is adopted to collect 3D images of ink drops; and the control board is configured to control a lag time of a trigger signal of each of the industrial cameras and each of the stroboscopic light sources relative to an ignition signal of the printhead, so that image collection starts when the ink drops enter an observation position.
8. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the first flying ink drop observation unit is movable along a plurality of axial directions, so as to implement observation of ink drops at different orifice positions of the printhead.
9. The manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the printing AOI detection unit in the printing module comprises a plurality of image collection components, and each of the image collection components comprises an industrial camera, a lens, a coaxial light source and a vision unit base, wherein all of the image collection components are connected as a whole through the vision unit bases and are distributed at equal intervals along a direction, at the same time, a scanning movement of the entire printing AOI detection unit in the Y-axis direction relative to the substrate is implemented under driving of the first Y-axis movement unit, so that a collected image is used to detect a printing defect after scanning and imaging of the substrate are completed.
10. A method for manufacturing an inkjet printing flexible display device, wherein the method is executed based on the system according to claim 1, the method comprising: step S1: preprocessing and inputting the substrate wherein the step S1 includes preprocessing the substrate as the printing material, and then transporting the substrate into the printing module through the substrate input module; step S2: printing and relevant monitoring a functional layer of the substrate wherein the step S2 includes firstly executing real-time detection and corresponding calibration of the position of the substrate through the first substrate bottom-view detection unit after the substrate enters the printing module, then detecting and processing the surface cleanliness and the position angle of the printhead of the first printhead unit through the first printhead top-view detection unit, and observing the ink drops ejected by the first printhead unit and calibrating the corresponding drive waveform through the first flying ink drop observation unit; completing the patterned deposition of the ink material functional layer at a specified position of the substrate by the first printhead unit and the substrate respectively driven by the first Y-axis movement unit and the first X-axis movement unit after passing all of the above detection; and scanning and imaging the substrate through the printing AOI detection unit while detecting the printing defect using the collected image after completing the patterned deposition; step S3: transferring and sputtering the substrate wherein the step S3 includes fetching the substrate from the printing module by the substrate transferring module, and then transferring the substrate into the post-printing processing module to sequentially execute vacuum drying, baking, and curing processing; and continue transferring the substrate into the solid content detection module by the substrate transferring module, sputtering the metallic-coated layer to the specified position of the substrate through the film surface sputtering equipment while detecting the morphological characteristics of the ink material functional layer after the metallic-coated layer through the film surface detection equipment; and step S4: transferring and packaging the substrate wherein the step S4 includes fetching the substrate from the solid content detection module by the substrate transferring module, and then transferring the substrate into the film packaging printing module, and continue executing printing and film formation of the film packaging ink material on the substrate; continue transferring the substrate to the post-printing processing module by the substrate transferring module to execute film curing processing; continue transferring the substrate to the film formation detection module by the substrate transferring module to detect whether there is the quality defect on the film packaging; and finally transferring the substrate to the substrate output module by the substrate transferring module, and implementing smooth output by the substrate output module.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
(10) For the objective, technical solutions, and advantages of the disclosure to be clearer, the disclosure is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and the embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described here are only used to explain the disclosure, but not to limit the disclosure. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the disclosure described below may be combined with each other as long as there is no conflict therebetween.
(11) As shown in
(12) Each module will be explained and described in detail below.
(13) The substrate input module 100 is placed at a front end of the entire inkjet printing manufacturing system and is responsible for transporting the substrate into the manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device.
(14) More specifically, according to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, the substrate input module 100 may include a second air floating conveying platform 101, a second linear movement component 102, a second substrate fixture 103, and a second substrate rotating component 104. The second air floating conveying platform 101 suspends the substrate above the surface of the platform with the help of airflow. The second substrate fixture 103 clamps the substrate. The transportation movement of the substrate is implemented through the reciprocating movement of the second linear movement component 102. The second substrate rotating component 104 is configured to modulate the movement direction of the substrate to ensure that the substrate enters the printing module 300.
(15) The substrate transferring module 200 is placed at a center position of the entire printing manufacturing system and includes multiple substrate handling manipulators 201 and an annular track 202. The substrate handling manipulators 201 may move on the annular track 202 to transfer the substrate between multiple modules. Different substrate handling manipulators 201 may adapt to handling requirements of different environmental conditions.
(16) The printing module 300 preferably includes a first printhead unit 310, a first printhead top-view detection unit 320, a first substrate bottom-view detection unit 330, a first flying ink drop observation unit 340, a first printing automated optical inspection (AOI) detection unit 350, a first Y-axis movement unit 360, and a first X-axis movement unit 370. More specifically, the first printhead unit 310 implements the printing and deposition of ink material on the substrate. The first printhead top-view detection unit 320, the first substrate bottom-view detection unit 330, the first flying ink drop observation unit 340, and the first printing AOI detection unit 350 implement the detection of equipment status and process inside the printing module 300. The first Y-axis movement unit 360 implements the detection and printing movement of the first printhead unit 310 in the Y-axis direction. The first X-axis movement unit 370 implements the detection and printing movement of the substrate in the X-axis direction. The entire module is mainly configured for the printing manufacturing of the functional layer of the flexible display device.
(17) The post-printing processing module 400 may, for example, include a vacuum drying chamber 410, a baking hotplate 420 and a curing chamber 430, which may implement process operations such as vacuum drying, baking, and curing on the printed substrate.
(18) The solid content detection module 500, for example, includes a film surface sputtering equipment 510 and a film surface detection equipment 520. The film surface sputtering equipment 510 sputters a metallic-coated layer on the film surface at a specified position of the substrate to be sent to the film surface detection equipment 520 for detection, so as to obtain the morphological features of the functional layer after the metallic-coated layer.
(19) The film packaging printing module 600 preferably includes a second printhead unit 610, a second printhead top-view detection unit 620, a second substrate bottom-view detection unit 630, a second flying ink drop observation unit 640, a second X-axis movement unit 650 and a second Y-axis movement unit 660. More specifically, the second printhead unit 610 implements the printing and film formation of a film packaging ink material above the substrate. The second printhead top-view detection unit 620, the second substrate bottom-view detection unit 630 and the second flying ink drop observation unit 640 respectively implement the equipment status and process detection inside the film packaging printing module 600. In addition, the second X-axis movement unit 650 implements the detection and printing movement of the substrate in the X-axis direction. The second Y-axis movement unit 660 implements the detection and printing movement of the second printhead unit 610 in the Y-axis direction. The entire module is mainly configured for the printing manufacturing of a packaging film layer of the flexible display device.
(20) The film formation detection module 700 is connected with the film packaging printing module 600 to implement the transmission of the flexible display device and may, for example, include a cured film AOI detection unit 710 for detecting whether there is a defect on the film after packaging.
(21) In addition, the substrate output module 800 is placed at a back end of the entire printing manufacturing system. According to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, the substrate output module 800 may include a first substrate rotating unit 801, a first linear movement unit 802 driven by a linear motor, a first substrate fixture 803 and a first air floating conveying platform 804. The module adjusts the movement direction of the substrate after packaging and AOI detection through the first substrate rotating unit 801, and transports the substrate carried on the first air floating conveying platform 804 away from the manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device using the first substrate fixture 803 installed on the first linear movement unit 802.
(22) According to another preferred embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in
(23) According to another preferred embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in
(24) More specifically, when detecting the position of the substrate, the bottom-view low-power vision component 332 is first used for large-field-of-view coarse positioning. After the positioning point is found, the bottom-view high-power vision component 332 is then used for small-field-of-view precise positioning. At the same time, the height direction of the two vision modules should ensure that 2 cameras can focus at the same time, and the horizontal distance should ensure that the two do not interfere. During detection, the substrate and the first substrate bottom-view detection unit 330 move under the drive of the X-axis and Y-axis movement units. The substrate is scanned to detect the positioning marks at the four corners of the substrate and the ink drop position.
(25) According to yet another preferred embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in
(26) According to yet another preferred embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in
(27) According to yet another preferred embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in
(28) As shown in
(29) As shown in
(30) 1) The substrate is transported into the printing module 300 through the substrate input module 100 after preprocessing.
(31) 2) The position of the substrate inside the printing module 300 is calibrated through the first substrate bottom-view detection unit 330.
(32) 3) The first printhead top-view detection unit 320 detects the surface cleanliness and position of the printhead of the first printhead unit 310.
(33) 4) The first flying ink drop observation unit 340 observes the ink drops ejected by the first printhead unit 310 and calibrates the drive waveform.
(34) 5) After passing all detection, the first printhead unit 310 and the substrate are driven by the first Y-axis movement unit 360 and the first X-axis movement unit 370 to complete the printing deposition of the ink material at the specified position of the substrate.
(35) 6) After printing is completed, the printing AOI detection unit 350 is used to detect the printed substrate.
(36) 7) The substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the printing module 300 and transfers the substrate to the vacuum drying chamber 410 of the post-printing processing module 400 for vacuum drying and film formation.
(37) 8) After the substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the vacuum drying chamber 410, the substrate is put into the baking hotplate 420 for heating and baking to improve the film performance.
(38) 9) The substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the baking hotplate 420 and transfers the substrate into the solid content detection module 500.
(39) 10) The film surface sputtering equipment 510 sputters the metallic-coated layer on the specified position of the substrate.
(40) 11) The film surface detection device 520 detects parameters such as the film thickness after the metallic-coated layer.
(41) 12) After passing detection, the substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the solid content detection module 500 and transfers the substrate to the film packaging printing module 600.
(42) 13) The film packaging printing module 600 performs printing deposition of a packaging film material.
(43) 4) The substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the film packaging printing module 600 and transfers the substrate to the curing chamber 430 for film curing.
(44) 15) The substrate transferring module 200 fetches the substrate from the curing chamber 430 and transfers the substrate to the film formation detection module 700 for film defect detection.
(45) 16) After device detection is completed, the substrate is transported away from the manufacturing system for the inkjet printing flexible display device through the substrate output module 800.
(46) The above steps only describe the whole process of preparing the flexible display device on different modules in the inkjet printing manufacturing system. The actual process may be that multiple modules in the system operate at the same time and repeatedly in cycles to effectively improve the production efficiency.
(47) In the disclosure, only the inkjet printing manufacturing processes of certain typical functional layers are listed. However, the flexible display device is a multilayer film structure with multiple functional layers, such as a light-emitting layer, a hole injection layer, and an electron transport layer. The functional layers only need to replace the printing ink materials and printing parameters to print, which has no influence on the process flow and system of the disclosure.
(48) Persons skilled in the art may easily understand that the above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the disclosure.