Feeding mechanism for continuous processing of elongate base material, processing apparatus and thin film forming apparatus using the same, and elongate member produced thereby

Abstract

A feeding mechanism, having a base station to which an elongate base material is continuously fed to be physically or chemically processed at a prescribed speed and from which the processed base material is continuously recovered, wherein tensile force T 1 in a direction opposite to a feeding direction is applied at a supply side of the base station, frictional force F is applied at the base station and tensile force T 2 in the feeding direction is applied at the recovery side of the base station, on said base material, with these forces satisfying the relation of F>T 1 >T 2 , is provided. A feeding mechanism for feeding a base material for performing physical or chemical processing with high accuracy while an elongate base material is continuously fed, particularly a feeding mechanism that suppresses thickness variation along the lengthwise direction or surface damage at a portion where a function is added of the processed base material, can be obtained.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of processing an elongate base material on a feeding mechanism including a base station, the method comprising steps of:
 continuously feeding the elongate base material to the base station;   physically or chemically processing the elongate base material at a prescribed speed to form a processed base material;   continuously recovering the processed base material, wherein
 tensile force T 1  in a direction opposite to a feeding direction is applied at a supply side of the base station, 
 frictional force F is applied at the base station, and 
 tensile force T 2  in the feeding direction is applied at the recovery side of the base station, on said base material, with the T 1 , F and T 2  forces satisfying the relation of F>T 1 >T 2 . 
   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 said tensile forces T 1  and T 2  are adjusted in a complementary manner to constant values in accordance with a change in difference of an amount of said base material on said supply side and on said recovery side, at least until said processing is finished over the entire length of said base material.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising steps of:
 feeding said base material in contact with rollers controlled by torque motors on said supply side and said recovery side, and a roller controlled by a servo motor at said base station in between.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the relation of F>T 1 >T 2  is realized by setting speed of rotation of a roller on the recovery side controlled by a torque motor on said recovery side higher than speed of rotation of a base station roller at said base station when said tensile force T 1  is 0.   
     
     
         13 . A processing apparatus configured to implement the method according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         14 . A thin film forming apparatus configured to implement the method according to  claim 9 .