Coating apparatus including nozzle cleaning mechanism and method of forming coating layer using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561521-B2
Application number	US-98053110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2010
Priority date	Oct 27, 2010
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A coating apparatus includes: a nozzle having a nozzle front end configured to spray a coating solution and a head configured to store the coating solution; a movement axis configured to cause the nozzle to move back and forth in a straight line; a rotating connection member configured to connect the movement axis with the nozzle and allow the nozzle to rotate; a stage disposed under the movement axis; and a cleaning means disposed at an end of the movement axis, and having a nozzle front end insertion unit in a concave shape of the nozzle front end and a base fixing the insertion unit, wherein the nozzle is fixed in a normal direction of a surface of the stage by the movement axis, moves back and forth in an extension direction of the movement axis, and rotates with respect to the movement axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coating apparatus, comprising:
a nozzle having a nozzle front end configured to spray a coating solution and a head configured to store the coating solution, wherein the nozzle front end is disposed on the head, the nozzle front end has a bar shape having a first axis in a length direction of the nozzle front end such that a length of the nozzle front end is greater than a width of the nozzle front end, wherein the coating solution is sprayed through an opening in the nozzle front end extending the entire length of the nozzle front end;
a movement axis on which the nozzle moves back and forth in a straight line in an extension direction, the nozzle is fixed to the movement axis by a rotating connection member, the rotating connection member is configured to allow the first axis of the nozzle front end to rotate between directions parallel to the movement axis and perpendicular to the movement axis while the first axis of the nozzle front end remains fixed in the Z-axis direction;
a stage disposed under the movement axis; and
a nozzle front end cleaning mechanism, which is disposed at an end of the movement axis, including a nozzle front end insertion unit defining a groove with a concave shape corresponding to the nozzle front end such that the groove has a length parallel to the extension direction, said nozzle front end insertion unit has a length direction disposed in the same direction as the movement axis, said nozzle front end insertion unit is configured to receive the nozzle front end such that when nozzle front end is disposed to be inserted into the nozzle front end insertion unit for cleaning the first axis of the nozzle front end is parallel with the movement axis;
wherein the nozzle is fixed in a normal direction of a surface of the stage by a height of the movement axis such that a height of the nozzle over the stage is the same as a height of the nozzle over the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism,
wherein, when the nozzle moves back and forth in the extension direction of the movement axis, the first axis of the nozzle front end is oriented perpendicular to the extension direction of the movement axis over the stage, and
wherein, when the nozzle engages with the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism, the nozzle is rotated with respect to the movement axis so that the first axis of the nozzle front end is parallel to the extension direction of the movement axis.

2. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism is configured to vertically move the nozzle front end insertion unit.

3. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle front end insertion unit is made of rubber or sponge.

4. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a substrate is floated in the air over the stage.

5. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle front end insertion unit is made of a material such that an adhesion of the coating solution to the nozzle front end insertion unit is higher than an adhesion of the coating solution to the nozzle front end.

6. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coating solution includes a photoresist coating solution.

7. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of holes are configured to discharge air to float the substrate over a surface of the stage and in parallel with the surface of the stage.

8. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the air is discharged having a pressure to float the substrate at a predetermined height over the stage.

9. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism further includes a base to maintain the nozzle front end insertion unit fixed when engaging with the nozzle front end.

10. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the groove extends an entire length of the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism such that the groove opens to front and back ends of the nozzle front end cleaning mechanism.

Assignees

• Jeong Tae-Kyun
• Jeong Kyong-Deuk
• Park Jong-Ik
• Kim Myung-Shik
• Kim Hyoung-Won
• Shin Dong-Ki
• Choi Jeong-Hak
• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Tae-Kyun
• Jeong Kyong-Deuk
• Park Jong-Ik
• Kim Myung-Shik
• Kim Hyoung-Won
• Shin Dong-Ki
• Choi Jeong-Hak

Classifications

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• B05B15/70

  Arrangements for moving spray heads automatically to or from the working position · CPC title

• B05C11/11

  Vats or other containers for liquids or other fluent materials · CPC title

• C03C17/002

  for flat glass, e.g. float glass · CPC title

• B05D1/02 Primary

  performed by spraying · CPC title