Abstract: Force for biasing a roller member is changed according to the contact state of first and second plate-like bodies during the travel of the roller member. By that, the pressing force per unit area given from the second plate-like body to the first plate-like body during travel is suppressed. An object to be transferred is satisfactorily transferred despite a change in the contact state of the plate-like bodies during the travel of the roller member.

Abstract: A first movable body is provided movably in a separation direction and a first engaging member is provided for each suction unit. When the first movable body is moved in the separation direction, the plurality of first engaging members are respectively engaged with the first movable body in the same sequence as an array sequence of the suction units. Thereafter, the suction units are moved in the separation direction together with the first movable body.

Abstract: Force for biasing a roller member is changed according to the contact state of first and second plate-like bodies during the travel of the roller member. By that, the pressing force per unit area given from the second plate-like body to the first plate-like body during travel is suppressed. An object to be transferred is satisfactorily transferred despite a change in the contact state of the plate-like bodies during the travel of the roller member.

Abstract: It is aimed to provide a technique enabling a roller member to press a plate body with a uniform and stable pressing force. A transfer roller 431 configured to come into contact with a blanket BL and press the blanket BL against a substrate SB is rotatably supported by a pair of supports 430 on opposite end parts thereof. Supporting angles 4334 configured to support a rotary shaft of the transfer roller 431 are supported movably upward and downward by linear guides 4332, 4333 and biased upwardly by biasing portions 434. Displacements of the supporting angles 4334 by biasing forces are restrained at a predetermined height by stoppers 435, and the posture of the transfer roller 431 (inclination of the rotary shaft) when the transfer roller 431 approaches the blanket BL from below is controlled. Restraint by the stoppers 435 is released when the blanket BL is pressed against the substrate SB and a constant pressing force is applied to the blanket BL by the biasing forces.

Abstract: It is aimed to suppress the influence of a positional deviation occurring in bringing two plate bodies aligned in advance into contact in a transfer apparatus for bringing two plate bodies into contact by pressing by a roller member. Alignment mechanisms 71 are mounted on a main frame 10 and an alignment stage 36 is mounted on the alignment mechanisms 71. A lower stage block 3, a transfer roller block 4 and a roller travel driver 5 are placed via a detachable stage 37 on the alignment stage 36. A positional relationship between a blanket BL held on a lower stage 31 and a transfer roller 431 for pushing up the blanket BL does not vary by an alignment adjustment. Thus, the influence of a positional deviation, a magnitude of which changes according to the amount of deflection of the blanket BL, can be suppressed.

Abstract: A carrier and a substrate are aligned even if an imager cannot be simultaneously focused on alignment marks formed on both the carrier and the substrate. Center of gravity positions G1m of an alignment pattern element AP1 on a substrate and G2m of an alignment pattern element AP2 on a transparent blanket are calculated by image processing from an image IM imaged via the blanket by a CCD camera. The position of the center of gravity Gm2 is specified by a process associated with edge extraction from the image imaged with the alignment pattern element AP2 on the blanket being in focus. High spatial frequency components are removed and low frequency components are extracted for the alignment pattern element AP1 on the substrate imaged out of focus to have a blurred outline, and the position of the center of gravity G1m is specified from an extraction result.

Abstract: The supply of a negative pressure to an opening P(+1) adjacent to an opening P(0) is stopped by switching a suction valve connected to the opening P(+1) from an open state to a closed state while keeping a positive pressure valve connected thereto closed. Then, near the opening P(+1), a force for holding a blanket becomes gradually weaker against a pressure force in a pressurized space. Associated with that, an air component in the pressurized space flows into a space between a portion of the blanket vertically above the opening P(+1) and an upper surface, whereby the blanket portion is lifted from the upper surface and brought into contact with the lower surface of a printing plate. In this way, a contact area is slowly and stably widened while a sudden change of a pressure in the pressurized space SP5 is suppressed.

Abstract: A print section patterns a coating layer to form a pattern layer on a carrier and then transfers the pattern layer to a substrate. A controller obtains a first carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the coating layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the coating layer and the printing plate based on the first carrier thickness immediately before the coating layer is patterned. The controller also obtains a second carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the pattern layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the pattern layer and the substrate based on the second carrier thickness immediately before the pattern layer is transferred.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus includes a plurality of holders respectively coming into contact with a carrier and a roller member. Each of the holders is sequentially separated from the carrier in accordance with a movement of the roller member, moves to a retracted position where the holder does not interfere with the roller member, comes into contact with the other surface of the carrier again after the passage of the roller member, and moves in the direction away from the carrier while sucking the carrier by the suction unit.

Abstract: In a detaching apparatus, a detachment starter bends one end part of a first plate-like body into a cylindrical or prismatic surface in a direction opposite to a second plate-like body, thereby forming a single and straight boundary line between an adhering region and a detached region. A separator increases a distance between a first holder holding the first plate-like body and a second holder holding the second plate-like body to separate the first and second plate-like bodies.

Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus comprises: a first holder which holds a blanket carrying a pattern forming material on one surface in a horizontal posture with a carrying surface for the pattern forming material faced up; a second holder which holds a plate for patterning the pattern forming material or a substrate, to which a pattern is transferred, as a processing object such that the processing object is proximate to and facing the carrying surface of the blanket held on the first holder; and a push-up unit which partially pushes up an effective area in a central part of the blanket from a lower surface side of the blanket to bring the effective area into contact with the processing object held on the second holder and moves along the lower surface of the blanket to change a push-up position of the blanket.

Abstract: The supply of a negative pressure to an opening P(+1) adjacent to an opening P(0) is stopped by switching a suction valve connected to the opening P(+1) from an open state to a closed state while keeping a positive pressure valve connected thereto closed. Then, near the opening P(+1), a force for holding a blanket becomes gradually weaker against a pressure force in a pressurized space. Associated with that, an air component in the pressurized space flows into a space between a portion of the blanket vertically above the opening P(+1) and an upper surface, whereby the blanket portion is lifted from the upper surface and brought into contact with the lower surface of a printing plate. In this way, a contact area is slowly and stably widened while a sudden change of a pressure in the pressurized space SP5 is suppressed.

Abstract: A print section patterns a coating layer to form a pattern layer on a carrier and then transfers the pattern layer to a substrate. A controller obtains a first carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the coating layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the coating layer and the printing plate based on the first carrier thickness immediately before the coating layer is patterned. The controller also obtains a second carrier thickness by measuring the thickness of the carrier carrying the pattern layer and adjusts a gap between the carrier carrying the pattern layer and the substrate based on the second carrier thickness immediately before the pattern layer is transferred.

Abstract: A carrier and a substrate are aligned even if an imager cannot be simultaneously focused on alignment marks formed on both the carrier and the substrate. Center of gravity positions G1m of an alignment pattern element AP1 on a substrate and G2m of an alignment pattern element AP2 on a transparent blanket are calculated by image processing from an image IM imaged via the blanket by a CCD camera. The position of the center of gravity Gm2 is specified by a process associated with edge extraction from the image imaged with the alignment pattern element AP2 on the blanket being in focus. High spatial frequency components are removed and low frequency components are extracted for the alignment pattern element AP1 on the substrate imaged out of focus to have a blurred outline, and the position of the center of gravity G1m is specified from an extraction result.

Abstract: A non-oil repellent photosensitive material layer 2 and an oil repellent photosensitive material layer 3 formed by coating on a substrate 1 are exposed at the same time with light having a single wavelength (I-line) in accordance with bank regions and thereafter developed. In consequence, banks 300 are formed having a double-layer structure which is comprised of bottom layer portions 31 of a non-oil repellent material and top layer portions 32 of an oil repellent material. This blocks organic EL materials supplied between the banks 300 from moving beyond tops of the banks 300 and prevents color mixing of the organic EL materials. Further, since the bottom layer portions 31 between which organic layers are formed are made of the non-oil repellent material, the profiles of the organic layers will not change due to surface tension.

Abstract: In a thermal type flowmeter 60, a heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 which is shaped as a coil is fit close into an approximately central portion of a duct pipe 63. A flow rate computing circuit 65 supplies electric power to the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 in accordance with an instruction received from a control portion, the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 develops heat, and the heat developing at the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 heats up a hole transporting material 8 which flows through the duct pipe 63. Further, the flow rate computing circuit 65 which is electrically connected with the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 detects a difference between an upstream-side temperature and a downstream-side temperature, and calculates the flow rate (mass flow rate) of the hole transporting material 8 based on this temperature difference, the amount of heating, physical properties data such as the specific heat and the heat capacity regarding the hole transporting material 8.

Abstract: A non-oil repellent photosensitive material layer 2 and an oil repellent photosensitive material layer 3 formed by coating on a substrate 1 are exposed at the same time with light having a single wavelength (I-line) in accordance with bank regions and thereafter developed. In consequence, banks 300 are formed having a double-layer structure which is comprised of bottom layer portions 31 of a non-oil repellent material and top layer portions 32 of an oil repellent material. This blocks organic EL materials supplied between the banks 300 from moving beyond tops of the banks 300 and prevents color mixing of the organic EL materials. Further, since the bottom layer portions 31 between which organic layers are formed are made of the non-oil repellent material, the profiles of the organic layers will not change due to surface tension.

Abstract: Using a mixture of (BAYTRON P) of PEDT (polyethylene dioxythiophene) and PSS (polystyrene sulfonic acid) as a hole transportation material and using water and ethanol as polar solvents, a coating composition having a contact angle of 35 degrees or smaller with respect to an ITO layer is obtained. The coating composition is then poured for coating upon exposed surfaces of first electrodes (ITO) 4R, 4G and 4B enclosed by barrier walls 6. Thus applied coating composition uniformly spreads all over the first electrodes 4R, 4G and 4B. As the coating composition naturally dries at a room temperature for about fifteen seconds, the solvents are removed from the coating composition.

Abstract: In a thermal type flowmeter 60, a heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 which is shaped as a coil is fit close into an approximately central portion of a duct pipe 63. A flow rate computing circuit 65 supplies electric power to the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 in accordance with an instruction received from a control portion, the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 develops heat, and the heat developing at the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 heats up a hole transporting material 8 which flows through the duct pipe 63. Further, the flow rate computing circuit 65 which is electrically connected with the heating/heat-sensitive coil 64 detects a difference between an upstream-side temperature and a downstream-side temperature, and calculates the flow rate (mass flow rate) of the hole transporting material 8 based on this temperature difference, the amount of heating, physical properties data such as the specific heat and the heat capacity regarding the hole transporting material 8.