Ultraviolet curing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647107-B2
Application number	US-201815982146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

An ultraviolet curing apparatus includes a housing, a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a length direction of the housing, and at least one shutter part coupled to the housing to be movable in the length direction, to cover at least a portion of the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs to limit an irradiation region of ultraviolet light emitted by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultraviolet curing apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a length direction of the housing; and
at least one shutter part, movable in the length direction, coupled to the housing, the at least one shutter part to cover at least a portion of the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs to limit an irradiation region of ultraviolet light emitted by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs, wherein the at least one shutter part includes:
a first blocking portion in front of the plurality of LEDs; and
a second blocking portion protruding from the first blocking portion away from the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs and contacting the irradiation region, wherein the second blocking portion includes a groove portion having a linear shape in a front surface of the second blocking portion, in a width direction of the housing.

2. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 1 , wherein the groove portion includes a plurality of groove portions formed in parallel in the width direction.

3. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 1 , wherein the groove portion includes a side wall inclined with respect to the irradiation region.

4. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 2 , wherein the second blocking portion includes a plurality of groove portions having an arc shape centered on a virtual point in the irradiation region.

5. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a coupling groove portion formed in a side of the housing in the length direction, and the shutter part is movably coupled to the coupling groove portion.

6. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 1 , wherein:
the shutter part includes a first shutter portion and a second shutter portion, and
the first shutter portion and the second shutter portion are spaced apart from each other to have the irradiation region interposed between the first and second shutter portions.

7. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 6 , wherein the first and second shutter portions are disposed symmetrically with respect to each other, with the irradiation region interposed between the first and second shutter portions.

8. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 1 , wherein the shutter part is further provided with a reflective layer on a side of the shutter part in contact with the irradiation region.

9. An ultraviolet curing apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a first surface in a length direction;
a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs on the first surface of the housing in the length direction;
a controller to selectively control an on/off operation of the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs to adjust an irradiation region of ultraviolet light emitted by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs;
a driving unit controlled by the controller; and
at least one shutter part to cover at least a portion of the first surface to provide a region in which ultraviolet light is blocked, at least one shutter part being movable in the length direction by the driving unit, wherein the at least one shutter part includes:
a first blocking portion in front of the plurality of LEDs; and
a second blocking portion protruding from the first blocking portion away from the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs and contacting the irradiation region, wherein the second blocking portion includes a groove portion having a linear shape in a front surface of the second blocking portion, in a width direction of the housing.

10. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 9 , wherein the at least one shutter part is provided with a groove portion having a linear shape, formed in a front surface thereof, in a width direction of the housing.

11. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one shutter part includes a first shutter portion and a second shutter portion, and
the first shutter portion and the second shutter portion are spaced apart from each other along the length direction with the irradiation region interposed between the first and second shutter portions.

12. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one shutter part includes a first shutter portion and a second shutter portion, and
the driving unit includes a first driving portion and a second driving portion coupled to the first shutter portion and the second shutter portion, respectively.

13. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 12 , wherein:
the first and second shutter portions are spaced apart from each other with the irradiation region interposed between the first and second shutter portions, and
an area of irradiation light irradiated by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs selectively turned on by the controller is longer than the irradiation region.

14. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 9 , wherein the driving unit is a linear actuator.

15. An ultraviolet curing apparatus, comprising:
a linear housing positioned above a stage to support an imprint mold;
a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs arranged in the linear housing in a length direction of the housing, to irradiate ultraviolet light onto the stage;
at least one shutter part movably coupled to the linear housing in the length direction, to block a space between the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs and the stage, wherein the at least one shutter part includes:
a first blocking portion in front of the plurality of LEDs; and
a second blocking portion protruding from the first blocking portion away from the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs and contacting the irradiation region, wherein the second blocking portion includes a groove portion having a linear shape in a front surface of the second blocking portion, in a width direction of the housing;
a driving unit on the linear housing to move the at least one shutter part in the length direction; and
a controller to selectively control an on/off operation of the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs to adjust an irradiation region of ultraviolet light emitted by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs and to control a region in which the at least one shutter part blocks the irradiation region by controlling the driving unit.

16. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 15 , wherein an area of the ultraviolet light irradiated by the plurality of ultraviolet LEDs selectively turned on by the controller is longer than an area of light irradiated on to the stage.

17. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 16 , wherein a length of the housing is greater than a length of the imprint mold in the length direction.

18. The ultraviolet curing apparatus as claimed as claim 15 , wherein the linear housing moves above the stage while maintaining a predetermined gap therewith.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Ho
• Kim Dong Wook
• Kim Byeong Sang
• Park Kyung Bin
• Sohn Ki Ju
• Lee Ju Hyun

Classifications

• B41F23/0453 Primary

  by ultraviolet dryers · CPC title

• B41M7/0081

  using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams · CPC title

• B05D3/067

  Curing or cross-linking the coating · CPC title

• B41F23/0409 Primary

  Ultraviolet dryers · CPC title

• F26B3/283

  in combination with convection · CPC title