Method and apparatus for manufacturing electronic device using roll-to-roll rotary pressing process

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device, which is intended to economically manufacture an electronic circuit device, such as an IC chip, using functional ink and a roll-to-roll rotary pressing process. The method includes a first step of injecting functional ink into a forming groove of a forming roll, a second step of removing ink covering a surface of the forming roll, a third step of drying a surface of the functional ink injected into the forming groove, a fourth step of transferring the dried surface of the functional ink to a printing roll, a fifth step of drying another surface of the functional ink transferred to the printing roll, a sixth step of transferring the functional ink from the printing roll to flexible printing paper which is unwound from a winding roll, and a seventh step of winding the printing paper, on which an electronic circuit is printed, around a rewinding roll.

1 . A method of manufacturing electronic devices using a roll-to-roll rotary pressing process, comprising: 
 a first step of injecting functional ink into a forming groove of a forming roll;    a second step of removing ink covering a surface of the forming roll;    a third step of drying a surface of the functional ink injected into the forming groove;    a fourth step of transferring the dried surface of the functional ink to a printing roll;    a fifth step of drying another surface of the functional ink transferred to the printing roll;    a sixth step of transferring the functional ink from the printing roll to flexible printing paper which is unwound from a winding roll; and    a seventh step of winding the printing paper, on which an electronic circuit is printed, around a rewinding roll.    
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a drying medium at the third and fourth steps comprises hot air or rays, such as far infrared rays.  
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a dielectric-layer coating step provided between the sixth and seventh steps.    
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a passivation-layer coating step provided between the sixth and seventh steps.    
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a printing-paper cutting step performed just before the seventh step.    
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for manufacturing electronic devices using a roll-to-roll rotary pressing process, comprising: 
 a winding roll around which flexible printing paper is wound;    a plurality of printing units arranged in a straight line, each of the printing units comprising: 
 an ink reservoir storing functional ink therein;  
 an ink injection roll installed to be immersed in the functional ink;  
 a forming roll installed to rotate in one direction while contacting the ink injection roll, with forming grooves provided on the surface of the forming roll to correspond to the shape of a desired circuit pattern;  
 a doctor blade installed to contact a side of the forming roll, and scraping ink from a surface of the forming roll;  
 a first drying unit to dry a surface of the functional ink injected into each of the forming grooves;  
 a printing roll installed to rotate in a direction opposite that of the forming roll while contacting the forming roll, and transferring forming ink transferred from the forming roll to the printing paper;  
 a second drying unit to dry another surface of the forming ink transferred to a surface of the printing roll; and  
 a press roll installed to rotate in a direction opposite that of the printing roll while contacting the printing roll, and pressing the printing paper toward the printing roll at a constant pressure;  
   at least one coating unit, comprising: 
 a coating-agent container to contain a coating agent therein;  
 a coating-agent feeding roll installed to be immersed in the coating agent;  
 a coating roll installed to contact the coating-agent feeding roll, rotating in one direction, and coating the surface of the printing paper having the circuit pattern with the coating agent; and  
 a coating press roll installed to contact the coating roll, thus pressing the printing paper;  
   a rewinding roll to rewind the printing paper when printing has been completed;    a plurality of guide rolls arranged between the winding roll and the rewinding roll, thus guiding the printing paper; and    tension regulating units installed around the winding roll and the rewinding roll, respectively, and regulating tension of the printing paper.    
     
     
         7 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein at least one surface of the printing roll comprises an elastomer.  
     
     
         8 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the elastomer is silicone rubber.  
     
     
         9 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the elastomer has shore hardness ranging from 20 to 70 HS.  
     
     
         10 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein a difference between surface energy of the printing roll and surface energy of the functional ink is 2erg/cm or less.  
     
     
         11 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein contact pressure between the forming roll and the ink injection roll is regulated by a first pressure regulator.  
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein contact pressure between the press roll and the printing roll is regulated by a second pressure regulator.  
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a cutting unit installed before the rewinding roll, thus cutting the printing paper when the printing has been completed.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for printing electronic devices, comprising: 
 an ink reservoir storing functional ink therein;    an ink injection roll installed to be immersed in the functional ink;    a forming roll installed to rotate in one direction while contacting the ink injection roll, with forming grooves provided on a surface of the forming roll to correspond to a shape of a desired circuit pattern;    a doctor blade installed to contact a side of the forming roll, and scraping ink from a surface of the forming roll;    a first drying unit to dry a surface of the functional ink injected into each of the forming grooves;    a printing roll installed to rotate in a direction opposite that of the forming roll while contacting the forming roll, and transferring forming ink from the forming roll to the printing paper;    a second drying unit to dry another surface of the forming ink transferred to a surface of the printing roll; and    a press roll installed to rotate in a direction opposite that of the printing roll while contacting the printing roll, and pressing the printing paper toward the printing roll at a constant pressure.    
     
     
         15 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein at least one surface of the printing roll comprises an elastomer.  
     
     
         16 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the elastomer is silicone rubber.  
     
     
         17 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the elastomer has shore hardness ranging from 20 to 70 HS.  
     
     
         18 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein a difference between surface energy of the printing roll and surface energy of the functional ink is 2erg/cm or less.  
     
     
         19 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein contact pressure between the forming roll and the ink injection roll is regulated by a first pressure regulator.  
     
     
         20 . The printing apparatus as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein contact pressure between the press roll and the printing roll is regulated by a second pressure regulator.