Description

BAKING EQUIPMENT OF MANUFACTURING APPARATUS OF COLD CATHODE FLUORESCENT LAMP

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a baking equipment of a manufacturing apparatus of Cold Cathode Florescent Lamp (CCFL), more specifically, to a baking equipment of CCFL in which protects deformation of a bulb at injecting heat (or hot air) in order to remove an organic material included in both a protective layer and fluorescent substance coated in the bulb after inserting a plurality of bulbs into a quartz tube being strong to heat and being moved in horizontality. Background Art

[2] Generally, in order to manufacture CCFL, a bulb is coated with a protective layer added small quantity of alumina and fluorescent substance on its inside surface, is equipped with electrodes at both ends of the bulb after a baking process, is sealed through a vacuum exhausting process, and is charged with mixture gas such as a certain of mercury, Argon and Neon, etc. in its inner space. In the meantime, when a higher voltage applies to the electrodes equipped at both ends of the bulb, ultraviolet rays is emitted with mercury being excited due to electron emission by electric field from the electrodes. The ultraviolet rays may convert itself to visible rays by the florescent substance and light is irradiated. Therefore, it is called CCFL because of a method of electron emission through the electric field instead of heating.

[3] As shown in the Fig. 1, the traditional manufacturing apparatus of CCFL mainly includes a coating equipment 1 coating the bulb with a protective layer and florescent substance; a neck cleaning equipment 2 cleaning an end of the bulb coated with the protective layer and fluorescent substance; a baking equipment 3 removing organic material; an electrode sealing equipment 4 forming a getter room for inserting a getter, while forming A & B electrodes at both ends of the bulb; a heating & exhausting equipment 5 enveloping the getter room after both removing impurity gas and injecting discharge gas, while repeatedly performing gas cleaning process with the bulb formed with the A & B electrodes at the heating & exhausting process; a sealing & cutting equipment 6 shaping a lamp after enveloping the electrodes preliminary sealed at one side of the bulb and cutting the getter room; a heating equipment 7 overall diffusing mercury extracted out of the getter by a high frequency equipment into the lamp; and an aging equipment 8 stabilizing the status of lighting by applying voltage from an aging inverter to the A & B electrodes equipped at both ends of the lamp.

[4] In order to remove organic material added in the protective layer and florescent

substance formed through the coating equipment among the equipments, the bulb has to pass the coating equipment 3. More specifically, as shown in the FIG. 2, the baking equipment 2 comprises a rotating member 10 having a plurality of arms 11, a head 12 holding a bulb installed at one end of the arms 11, a nozzle 13 injecting hot air in inside of the bulb occluded with the head 12, and a heating block member 14 fixed on a table for heating the bulb occluded in the head 12. In the meantime, the arms 11 are rotated at a certain of angles by the index unit 9 and maintained same rotating angles as the index unit 9.

[5] A passage 15 is formed in the heating block member 14. The passage 15 has both an inlet inletting the bulb occluded with the head 12 of the arms 11 and an outlet releasing the bulb. The passage 15 has also a heater 16 in its inner wall. While the bulb occluded with the head 12 passes through the passage 15, the bulb is heated and hot air is injected to the bulb from a nozzle 13 so that an organic material included in both the protective layer and fluorescent substance coated in the inner wall of the bulb may be removed.

[6] As not shown in the drawings, there is a bulb-conveying device in both the inlet and outlet of the heating block member 14. The bulb-conveying device has the bulb coated with the protective layer and fluorescent substance occlude to the head 12 of the arms 11 or extract the bulb from the outlet. The bulb-conveying device, however, is already known technology to public, so it will be omitted about its configuration and detailed illustration.

[7] As to the operation of removing the organic material in a bulb coated with a protective layer and fluorescent substance through the baking equipment 3 as above, the bulb is delivered to the head 12 of the arms 11 through the public-known conveying device and moves along the passage 15 after being inlet in the inlet of the heating block member 14, while the rotating member 10 is rotated by the index unit 9. And, the bulb moving along the passage 15 is heated by a heater 16 installed in the inner wall of the passage 15, and hot air is injected into the bulb through a nozzle 13 installed on the head 12 so that organic material included in both the protective layer and fluorescent substance coated in the inner wall of the bulb may be removed. Then, the bulb is extracted from the outlet of the heating block member 14 and delivered to an electrode sealing equipment 4 with the bulb put on the transporting conveyer.

[8] The conventional baking equipment 3, however, may cause any deformation of the bulb, since the bulb is heated by the heater 16 installed in the passage 15 of the heating block member 14 and moved while upper part of the bulb is occluded with the head 12 in perpendicularity. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Solution

[9] In order to solve the problems as above, the baking equipment of CCFL according to the present invention is capable of protecting any deformation of the bulb, by moving the quartz tube including the bulbs in horizontality, while heating (or hot air) in order to remove orgaanic materials included in both protecting layer and the fluorescent substance, after inserting the bulbs into the quartz tube strong to heat moving in horizontality.

[10] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is provided a baking equipment of a manufacturing apparatus of CCFL. The baking equipment may comprise a loading member and an unloading member both installed at a main body in a diagonal position, a driving unit and a hot air supplier both installed at sides of the main body, respectively, a heater unit installed on the main body in its length position, a roller unit rotating in which a quartz tube is put and installed between the heater unit, a conveying block unit installed at lower part of the roller unit, a conveying chain unit installed at both ends and lower part of the conveying block unit for transferring the quartz tube.

[11] The driving unit may have both a main motor and a sub-motor generating a power, the power of the main motor transfers to a left-right outputting axis through a main bevel gear box so that the conveying block unit is driven by a cam of the left-right outputting axis, and the power of the sub-motor transfers to both the roller unit and the conveying chain unit through sub-bevel gear box so that both the roller unit and the conveying chain unit are driven.

[12] A nozzle unit of the hot air supplier may be done a straight- line reciprocating motion by a plurality of links and rods, as a crank elevated by a cam does a rotary motion, and the nozzle unit is inserted into the quartz tube so as to supply nitrogen gas at certain temperature.

[13] A plurality of bulbs may be inserted into the quartz tube putting on the roller unit through the loading member and the bulbs inserted into the quartz tube are pushed out through the unloading member after removing organic material.

[14] The conveying block unit may comprise an upholding plate, a reaction plate and an elevating plate, which are attached to a frame through an elevating rail and a left-right rail. An elevating rod is installed at the reaction plate, a left-right moving rod is installed at the elevating plate through a rotation link, and a guide roller is installed at the rotation link and the guide roller is interlocked with a left-right moving rod, hanging on a guide groove of the elevating plate. Both the elevating rod and the left- right moving rod are made a hinge combination with a conveying crank rotated by the cam of the left-right outputting axis.

[15] The conveying chain unit may comprise a quartz tube elevator, a quartz tube descending member and a quartz tube conveyer, on which a chain attaching a quartz tube holder at regular intervals is all put.

Advantageous Effects

[16] The present invention described as above comprises a loading member 110 and an unloading member 120 both installed at a main body 100 in a diagonal position, a driving unit 130 and a hot air supplier 140 both installed at sides of the main body 100, respectively, a heater unit 150 installed on the main body 100 in its length position, a roller unit 160 rotating in which is put a quartz tube 151 and installed between the heater unit 150, a conveying block unit 170 installed at lower part of the roller unit 160, and a conveying chain unit 180 installed at both ends and lower part of the conveying block unit 170. The quartz tube 151 keeps horizontal position as it is put on the roller unit 160 by the conveying block unit 170, and the bulbs moves with being kept its horizontal position, since the bulbs coated with the protective layer and fluoresent substance are inserted into the quartz tube 151 putting on the roller unit 160. Therefore, any deformation of the bulb may be prevented at baking, as effectively attching the fluorescent layers removed the organic material of the layer coated in the bulbs since the bulbs are supplied air (nitrogen gas) having a certain of temperature by a hot air supplier 140, and heated indirectly by the quartz tube 151, resulting in enhancing the productivity. Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] The FIG. 1 is a configuration of a traditional manufacturing apparatus of CCFL.

[18] The FIG. 2 is an exemplary drawing illustrating critical part of a traditional baking equipment.

[19] The FIG. 3 is a configuration of a baking equipment according to the present invention.

[20] The FIG. 4 is an expanded exemplary drawing of its critical parts for illustrating a conveying chain unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[21] The FIG. 5 is an exemplary drawing illustrating plane view of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[22] The FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing illustrating side view of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[23] The FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conveying block unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[24] The FIG. 8 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a conveying block unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[25] The FIG. 9 is a front exemplary drawing illustrating a conveying block unit of the

baking equipment moving in horizontality according to the present invention.

[26] The FIG. 10 is a side view exemplary drawing illustrating being ascended a conveying block unit of the baking equipment by a cam according to the present invention.

[27] The FIG. 11 is a side view exemplary drawing illustrating being ascended a conveying block unit of the baking equipment by a cam according to the present invention.

[28] The FIG. 12 is a partly expanded exemplary drawing illustrating a hot air supplier of the baking equipment according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[29] The present invention is described more fully hereinafter. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[30] The FIG. 3 is a configuration of a baking equipment according to the present invention. The FIG. 4 is an expanded exemplary drawing of its critical parts for illustrating a conveying chain unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention. The FIGs. 5 and 6 are exemplary drawings illustrating both plane view and side view of the baking equipment according to the present invention. The FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conveying block unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention. The FIG. 8 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a conveying block unit of the baking equipment according to the present invention. The FIG. 9 is a front exemplary drawing illustrating a conveying block unit of the baking equipment moving in horizontality according to the present invention. The FIGs. 10 and 11 are side view exemplary drawings illustrating being ascended a conveying block unit of the baking equipment by a cam according to the present invention. The FIG. 12 is a partly expanded exemplary drawing illustrating a hot air supplier of the baking equipment according to the present invention.

[31] As illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is provided a baking equipment of a manufacturing apparatus of CCFL. According to the present invention, both a driving unit 130 and a hot air supplier 140 may be installed at sides of the main body 100, respectively, a heater unit 150 may be installed on the main body 100 in its length position, a roller unit 160 rotating a quartz tube 151 may be installed between the heater unit 150, a conveying block unit 170 may be installed at lower part of the roller unit 160, and a conveying chain unit 180 may be installed at both ends and lower part of the conveying block unit 170 for transferring the quartz tube 151.

[32] The driving unit 130 may have both a main motor 131 and a sub-motor 132 generating a power, the power of the main motor 131 may transfer to a left-right

outputting axis 134 through a main bevel gear box 133 so that the conveying block unit 170 is driven by a cam of the left-right outputting axis 134, the power of the sub-motor 132 may transfer to both the roller unit 160 and the conveying chain unit 180 through sub-bevel gear box 135 so that both the roller unit 160 and the conveying chain unit 180 are driven. A nozzle unit 144 of the hot air supplier 140 may be done a straight- line reciprocating motion by a plurality of links 142 and rods 143, as a crank 141 elevated by a cam does a rotary motion, and the nozzle unit 144 may be inserted into the quartz tube 151 so as to supply nitrogen gas at certain temperature.

[33] A plurality of bulbs may be inserted into the quartz tube 151 putting on the roller unit 160 through the loading member 110, and the bulbs inserted into the quartz tube 151 may be pushed out through the unloading member 120 after removing organic material. The conveying block unit 170 may comprise an upholding plate 173, a reaction plate 174 and an elevating plate 175, which are attached to a frame through an elevating rail 171 and a left-right rail 172. An elevating rod 176 may be installed at the reaction plate 174, a left-right moving rod 178 may be installed at the elevating plate 175 through a rotation link 177, and a guide roller 179 may be installed at the rotation link 177 and be interlocked with a left-right moving rod 178, hanging on a guide groove 169 of the elevating plate 175.

[34] Both the elevating rod 176 and the left-right moving rod 178 may be made a hinge combination with a conveying crank 136 rotated by the cam of the left-right outputting axis 134, and the conveying chain unit 180 may comprise a quartz tube elevator 183, a quartz tube descending member 184 and a quartz tube conveyer 185, in which a chain 182 attaching a quartz tube holder 181 at regular intervals is put.

[35] As to the numbers not illustrated in the drawings, the number 50 means a sprocket driving the chain 182 of the conveying chain unit 180, and the number 52 means a driving chain driving respective rollers of the roller unit 160. In the meantime, the number 52 is a fixing bracket upholding the conveying crank 136 of the conveying block unit 170, the number 56 is a hinge bracket installed the rotation link 177 of the conveying block unit 170 on its top, and the number 58 is an elastic spring installed at the conveying crank 136 of the conveying block unit 170.

[36] As to the chain 182 attaching the quartz tube holder 181 installed at the conveying chain unit 180, especially at a quartz tube elevator 183, a quartz tube descending member 184, and a quartz tube conveyer 185, it may be illustrated with same symbol and number in the drawings as its structure are all same. Moreover, this equipment may be used as a manufacturing equipment of CCFL and general fluorescent lamp including External Electrode Fluorescent lamp (EEFL).

[37] As to the baking equipment according to the present invention as illustrated in the

FIGS. 3 through 7, both loading member 110 inletting a plurality of bulbs to a quartz

tube 151 and unloading member 120 extracting the bulbs out of the quartz tube 151 may be installed at both left and right of a main body 100. Moreover, a driving unit 130 and a hot air supplier 140 may be installed at both sides of the main body 100. The quartz tube 151 may be moved along a roller unit 160 by a conveying block unit 170.

[38] More specifically, the quartz tube 151 having strong thermal resistance may rotate while it is put on the roller unit 160 rotated by a driving chain 52. Moreover, the quartz tube 151 may be moved by the conveying block unit 170 consecutively installed along a horizontal direction of the main body 100, while it is put on a quartz tube holder 181 attached at regular intervals to the chain 182 putting on the conveying chain unit 180.

[39] In the meantime, the quartz tube holder 181 attached to the chain 182 putting on the conveying chain unit 180 mainly comprising the quartz tube elevator 183, quartz tube descending member 184, and quartz tube conveyer 185, may have a plurality of grooves to convey the quartz tube 151 putting on the quartz tube holder 181. In case that the chain 182 moves counterclockwise, the quartz tube 151 is put on the quartz tube holder 181 being all at the position of ascending the chain 182 of the quartz tube elevator 183, at the position of descending the chain 182 of the quartz tube descending member 184, and at the upper side of the chain 182 of the quartz tube conveyer 185.

[40] If the quartz tube 151 is ascended by the quartz tube elevator 183 of the conveying chain unit 180 as above, the quartz tube 151 is put on the roller unit 160 by the conveying block unit 170, and the quartz tube 151 is moved a certain distance on the roller unit 160 by the conveying block unit 170.

[41] While the quartz tube 151 passes by the roller unit 160 through such an operation consecutively, the quartz tube 151 is heated by a heater unit 150 installed at both upper and lower parts of the main body 100. Moreover, a plurality of nozzle units 144 of the hot air supplier 140 installed on a side of the main body 100 are inserted into the quartz tube 151 moving and putting on the roller unit 160. Thereafter, nitrogen gas is supplied into the quartz tube 151 at a certain temperature. In conclusion, a plurality of bulbs is inserted in the quartz tube 151 rotating while it is moving in horizontality. Therefore, an organic material included in both the protective layer coated in the bulb and fluorescent substance may be removed and eliminated while the bulbs keep a horizontal position.

[42] As the quartz tube holder 181 is attached at regular intervals on the chain 182 of the conveying chain unit 180, especially the quartz tube elevator 183, quartz tube descending member 184 and the quartz tube conveying device 185, it may be installed to be overlapped at same position in side view, and to be crossed in plane view. Therefore, the quartz tube 151 putting on the quartz tube holder 181 may be efficiently moved.

[43] As to a driving unit 130 illustrated in the FIG. 5, a main motor 131 and a sub-motor

132 are installed in center of the main body 100. If power is supplied to both a main bevel gear box 133 and a sub -bevel gear box 135, the conveying block unit 170 may be operated by a cam installed at a left-right outputting axis 134 of the main bevel gear box 133. The sub-bevel gear box 135 is installed at regular intervals along horizontal position of the main body 100 and supplies power to both the roller unit 160 and the conveying chain unit 180.

[44] As to the conveying block unit 170 and the conveying chain unit 180 as illustrated in the FIG. 6, the conveying chain unit 180 is installed at both left/right sides and lower part of the main body 100. In the meantime, a quartz tube conveyer 185 is installed at lower part of the main body 100, the quartz tube elevator 183 is installed at left side of the quartz tube conveyer 185, and the quartz tube descending member 184 is installed at right side of the quartz tube conveyer 185. Therefore, they may be installed to be partially overlapped in front view, and to be crossed in plane view, therefore, the quartz tube 151 may be put on the quartz tube holder 181 and be moved.

[45] The roller unit 160 may be installed at the same position as the quartz tube holder

181 being the highest position among the quartz tube holder 181 in which is attached at regular intervals on the chain 182 of both quartz tube elevator 183 and the quartz tube descending member 184 and maintained in horizontality. In the meantime, a heater unit 150 is installed at both upper and lower parts of the roller unit 160 so that it may heat outside of the quartz tube 151 putting on the roller unit 160.

[46] As rollers are installed in the roller unit 160 to be engaged crisscross each other so as to make them in horizontality, and rotated by the driving chain 52. Therefore, the quartz tube 151 putting on the roller unit 160 may be also rotated and the heater 150 may uniformly heat outside of the quartz tube 151. Meanwhile, as a plurality of bulbs coated with a protective layer and fluorescent substance is inserted in the quartz tube 151, the bulbs may also rotate while the quartz tube 151 is rotating. In conclusion, the bulbs may be indirectly heated through the quartz tube 151 so that an organic material included in both the protective layer and fluorescent substance may be eliminated and removed.

[47] It is illustrated in the FIGS. 7 through 11 about the operation of the conveying block unit 170 in which has the quartz tube 151 being moved by the conveying chain unit 180 put on the roller unit 160. The conveying block unit 170 may be continually installed between the quartz tube elevator 183 and the quartz tube descending member 184. Therefore, the conveying block unit 170 may have the quartz tube 151 put on the roller unit 160 by both moving at certain distance to the right on the drawings and descending, after it lifts up the quartz tube 151 putting on the quartz tube holder 181 being at the quartz tube elevator 183.

[48] The quartz tube 151 putting on the right side of the roller unit 160 may be loaded on

the conveying block unit 170 installed at right side of the drawings. Thereafter, the conveying block unit 170 may move to right, and load the quartz tube 151 on the quartz tube holder 181 being at the quartz tube descending member 184. The quartz tube 151 may be deviated from the roller unit 160, descended by the quartz tube descending member 184 and moved to the quartz tube conveyer 185.

[49] As the conveying block unit 170 is consecutively installed at the main body 100 from the left side to the right side, and repeatedly carries out the operations of ascending, moving to right, descending and moving to left, the quartz tube 151 may consecutively be transferred either to the roller unit 160 or the conveying chain unit 180.

[50] As to the conveying block unit 170 consecutively moving the quartz tube 151, more specifically, it may comprise an upholding plate 173, a reaction plate 174 and an elevating plate 175. In the meantime, a pair of vertical rails 171 is installed at a side of the upholding plate 173, and a pair of horizontal rails 172 at a side of the reaction plate 174. Moreover, a vertical block is installed at the other side of the reaction plate 174, and a horizontal block is installed at a side of the elevating plate 175. Therefore, both the vertical block and the horizontal block move along both the vertical rail 171 and the horizontal rail 172, respectively, so that the reaction plate 174 and the elevating plate 175 may perform both vertical operation and horizontal operation.

[51] In the meantime, the upholding plate 173 may be firmly attached on a frame of the main body 100, a fixing bracket 54 may be attached on a frame of the main body 100, and an elevating rod 176 may be attached on the lower unit of the reaction plate 174. Moreover, the elevating rod 176 makes a single body with a conveying crank 136 of the fixing bracket 54. Therefore, as the conveying crank 136 is ascended by a cam of a left-right outputting axis 134, the elevating rod 176 may be operated in perpendicularity so as to ascend the reaction plate 174.

[52] A left-right moving rod 178 may be made a hinge combination with the conveying crank 136 and the elevating rod 176. Moreover, the left-right moving rod 178 may also be made a hinge combination with a rotation link 177 of a hinge bracket 56 attached on a frame of the main body 100. Therefore, as the left-right moving rod 178 ascends, the rotation link 177 may move counterclockwise. Then, the elevating plate 175 may be moved to right by a guide roller 179 installed at an end of the rotation link 177 hanging on a guide groove 169 of the elevating plate 175.

[53] In the meantime, as the conveying crank 136 deviates from the cam of the left-right outputting axis 134, the conveying crank 136 may be descended by an elastic spring 58 installed at an end of the conveying crank 136 due to its tensile power. As the elevating rod 176 makes the reaction plate 174 descend, the elevating plate 175 may also descend similarly due to making a single body with the reaction plate 174 and the

horizontal rail 172. Moreover, the elevating plate 175 may move to left along the horizontal rail 172, as the rotation link 177 is rotated reverse by the left-right moving link 178.

[54] The operations such as ascending, moving to right, descending and moving to left, of the conveying block unit 170, may be repeatedly done by one cycle of the left-right outputting axis 134. Therefore, the conveying block unit 170 may do a consecutive operation within a certain of range so that the quartz tube 151 putting on the roller unit 160 may move at regular intervals from the left to right.

[55] In order to efficiently remove any organic material included in the bulb, nitrogen gas may be supplied into the quartz tube 151 moving on the roller unit 160 through the conveying block unit 170 at fixed temperature through a hot air supplier 140. As to the operation of the hot air supplier 140, more specifically, the hot air supplier 140 may be installed at the side of the main body 100. In the meantime, a nozzle unit 144 of the hot air supplier 140 may be moved to either left or right on the drawings by a crank 141 being elevated by the cam of the left-right outputting axis 134, a plurality of links 142 and a rod 143.

[56] On the contrary, if the crank 141 deviates from the cam and is descended by an elastic spring, the rod 143 may be operated. Then, the rod 143 rotates the respective link 142 so that the nozzle unit 144 may be inserted into the quartz tube 151, and the nozzle unit 144 may supply nitrogen gas into the quartz tube 151 at certain temperature.

[57] In conclusion, as the quartz tube 151 is heated by the heater unit 150 and supplied with nitrogen gas from the hot air supplier 140, the organic material in the bulb inserted in the quartz tube may be completely eliminated and removed. Especially, as the bulb is kept its horizontal position by the quartz tube 151 moving in horizontality, any deformation of the bulb may be prevented as well as removing the organic material.

[58] The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few example embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well

as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The present invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein. Industrial Applicability [59] The present invention may apply to the area of manufacturing appartus of CCFL.