MASK EXTENSION WELDING DEVICE FOR THIN FILM DEPOSITION

• US 20170106472A1
• Filed: 04/14/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: HAN, Jeongwon
• Granted Patent: US 10,675,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/037 by pressing on the workpiece, e.g. pressing roller foot
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/244 Overlap seam welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0443 Jigs
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/24 Vacuum evaporation

Abstract

A mask extension welding apparatus for thin film deposition to extend and weld a mask on a frame includes an extension unit configured to extend the mask in a first direction, a pressure unit configured to press the mask towards the frame, and a laser welding unit configured to weld the mask and the frame. The pressure unit includes an upper housing, a lower housing spaced apart from the upper housing with respect to a fluid inlet, and a porous plate disposed at a downstream of the fluid inlet, the porous plate connecting the upper housing and the lower housing, and configured to eject a fluid supplied through the fluid inlet towards the mask.

Claims

1. A mask extension welding apparatus for thin film deposition to extend and weld a mask on a frame, comprising:

an extension unit configured to extend the mask in a first direction;

a pressure unit configured to press the mask towards the frame, the pressure unit comprising;

an upper housing;

a lower housing spaced apart from the upper housing with respect to a fluid inlet; and

a porous plate disposed at a downstream of the fluid inlet, the porous plate connecting the upper housing and the lower housing, and configured to eject a fluid supplied through the fluid inlet towards the mask; and

a laser welding unit configured to weld the mask and the frame.

2. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extension unit comprises a mask extension clamp extending both ends of the mask and fixing the both ends of the mask to the frame.

3. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure unit is configured to press the mask towards the frame so that surfaces of the mask and the frame facing each other are in close-contact with each other.

4. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein both ends of the mask are configured to be pressed by using the fluid supplied through the fluid inlet.

5. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein both ends of the mask are configured to be pressed by a corresponding side of the lower housing.

6. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the laser welding unit is configured to irradiate laser light on a side of the mask in an internal direction or an external direction of the mask with respect to a contacting area between the lower housing and the both ends of the mask.

7. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the fluid inlet is inclined to direct the fluid in an internal direction of the mask with respect to a contacting area between the lower housing and the both ends of the mask.

8. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the fluid inlet is inclined to direct the fluid in an external direction of the mask with respect to a contacting area between the lower housing and the both ends of the mask.

9. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing facing each other are inclined with respect to the mask.

10. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the porous plate connects the upper housing and the lower housing in an inclined state, and the porous plate is configured to eject the fluid supplied through the fluid inlet towards the mask.

11. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the pressure unit comprises a first pressure unit and a second pressure unit;

the first pressure unit comprises;

a first upper housing;

a first lower housing spaced apart from the first upper housing with respect to a first fluid inlet; and

a first porous plate disposed at a downstream of the first fluid inlet, the first porous plate connecting the first upper housing and the first lower housing, and configured to eject the fluid supplied through the first fluid inlet towards the mask; and

the second pressure unit comprises;

a second upper housing;

a second lower housing spaced apart from the second upper housing with respect to a second fluid inlet; and

a second porous plate disposed at a downstream of the second fluid inlet, the second porous plate connecting the second upper housing and the second lower housing, and configured to eject the fluid supplied through the second fluid inlet towards the mask.

12. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first fluid inlet is inclined to direct the fluid in an internal direction of the mask with respect to a first contacting area between the first lower housing and both ends of the mask; and

the second fluid inlet of the second pressure unit is inclined to direct the fluid in an external direction of the mask with respect to a second contacting area between the second lower housing and the both ends of the mask.

13. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein surfaces of the first upper housing and the first lower housing facing each other are inclined with respect to the mask.

14. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein surfaces of the second upper housing and the second lower housing facing each other are inclined with respect to the mask.

15. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first porous plate connects the first upper housing and the first lower housing in an inclined state, the inclined state corresponding to an ejecting direction of the fluid supplied through the first fluid inlet towards the mask.

16. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second porous plate connects the second upper housing and the second lower housing in an inclined state, the inclined state corresponding to an ejecting direction of the fluid supplied through the second fluid inlet towards the mask.

17. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid is gas.

18. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fluid is inert gas or air.

19. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pressure applied to the mask is controlled by a pressure of the fluid supplied through the fluid inlet and ejected from the porous plate.

20. The mask extension welding apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pressure of fluid is applied to an entire welding area of the mask and the frame.