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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for manufacturing an optical information recording medium,
comprising:
a table on which is placed a stamper having formed thereon undulations
corresponding to recording data, said table being selectively rotatable;
stamper fixing means for fixing said stamper at a central position of said
table;
a center pin set to be vertically movable in correspondence with a central
portion of said stamper, a support base for placement and support of a
light-transmitting disk substrate formed at a position close to an upper
distal end portion of said center pin;
driving means for vertically moving said center pin;
resin setting means for setting into a ring shape on the surface of said
stamper placed on said table, about said center pin, a resin having a
property of curing upon radiation of ultraviolet rays;
suction means, located at a central portion of said table, and including a
valve mechanism to be selectively opened/closed;
a light-transmitting weight member, having a property of transmitting, onto
the resin, ultraviolet rays radiated on an upper surface thereof, said
weight member being placed on the disk substrate supported by said support
base; and
control means for controlling said driving means to move said center pin
upward or downward.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stamper fixing means
comprises a guide ring set to project from the surface of said table, so
as to surround a central portion of said table, said guide ring being
fitted in an inner periphery of said stamper placed on said table.
control means for controlling said driving means to move said center pin
upward or downward.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:
first descent control means, for causing said center pin to descend to a
first position, at which position a lower surface of said disk substrate
on the point of contact with a resin on said stamper; second descent
control means, for causing said center pin to descend intermittently, in
units of very small amounts, from the first position set by said first
descent control means to a second position, at which position the entire
periphery of said resin is brought into contact with the surface of said
disk substrate; third descend control means, for causing said center pin
to descend from the second position to a third position, at which position
the height of a disk substrate support surface of a support base of said
center pin from a surface of said stamper corresponds to a predetermined
thickness of a recording resin layer; and setting means for keeping said
center pin set at the third position, and when descent of said center pin
is stopped by said setting means, said disk substrate is supported by said
resin on said stamper and caused to descended to a position of said
support base kept at the position by a load of said weight member.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said third descent control
means comprises wait means for causing said center pin to descend until
said disk substrate is brought into contact with the entire periphery of
said ring-like resin on said stamper and allowing said disk substrate to
descend, by means of the a load exerted by said weight member, while said
disk substrate is supported by said resin, and said suction means opens
said valve mechanism thereof for at least a time interval between
operations of said third descent control means and said setting means,
thereby drawing air by suction from a central portion of said ring-like
resin between said stamper and said disk substrate.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a vertically movable valve member, constituted by a cylindrical body, for
insertion of said vertically movable center pin in a central hole formed
therein; and
a path communicating with a vacuum source formed in an outer periphery of
said valve member, characterized in that a valve body is formed at an
upper end portion of said valve member and brought into contact with said
guide ring set on said table constituting said stamper fixing means, when
said valve member is set at a lower position, so that the valve mechanism
of said suction means is constituted by said valve body.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said guide ring projects from
the surface of said table to surround said center pin and is fitted in an
inner periphery of said stamper fixed on said table, an inner periphery of
the distal end of said guide ring being tapered to form a valve seat which
is brought into contact with said valve body.
7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an outer periphery of an
upper end portion of said valve member flares, and said valve body to be
brought into contact with the outer periphery of said guide ring when said
valve member descends is formed at an outer peripheral portion of the wide
portion.
8. An apparatus for manufacturing an optical information recording medium,
comprising:
a table on which is placed a stamper having formed thereon undulations
corresponding to recording data;
stamper fixing means for fixing said stamper at a central position of said
table;
a center pin set to be vertically movable in correspondence with a central
portion of said stamper, a support base for placement and support of a
light-transmitting disk substrate formed at a position close to an upper
distal end thereof;
driving means for vertically driving said center pin;
resin setting means for setting on the surface of said stamper placed on
said table a resin having a property of curing upon radiation of
ultraviolet rays;
an air path formed to open in the surface of said table, to allow air to be
blown to the outer periphery of said center pin; and
control means for controlling said driving means to move said center pin
upward or downward.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control means comprises
means for moving said center pin upward by a short distance after said
center pin has been descended, thereby forming a layer of said resin
between said disk substrate and said stamper mounted on said table, and
means for allowing air to flow from said air path to so as to form an air
layer between said resin layer and said stamper.
10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said air path is formed near
an outer peripheral portion of said center pin, air being supplied to said
air path through an air path formed along an axis of said center pin.
11. An apparatus for manufacturing an optical information recording medium,
comprising:
a table on which is placed a stamper having formed thereon undulations
corresponding to recording data;
a support member, constituted by a vertically set cylinder, and having
integral therewith, at an upper side thereof, a receiving base for
supporting said table;
a guide ring, set on said table, to surround a central axis portion of said
table, and projecting to fit in an inner peripheral portion of said
stamper placed on said table;
a center pin, set to be vertically movable at a central axis portion of
said support member, an upper distal end of said center pin projecting
from the surface of said table, and a flange-like support base for
placement and support of a disk substrate formed at a position close to
the distal end portion;
a valve member set between said center pin and said support member so as to
be vertically movable;
a valve body, formed at a distal end portion of said valve member
corresponding to the surface of said table, and brought into contact with
a valve seat formed at an inner periphery of said guide ring, thereby
opening/closing a path communicating with a vacuum source;
an air path, open in an upper end portion of said valve member, for
allowing selective supplying of air from said air path; and
control means for controlling movement of said center pin and an air amount
to be supplied to said valve member, through said air path. |
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Claims  |
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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an optical
information recording medium such as a disk for use in recording of
digital data, and from which recorded information is read by using a laser
beam. Such a recording medium is used in, for example, audio and video
systems and in data recording of an information equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 62-187004 is
known as a means for manufacturing an optical disk. In this manufacturing
method, a resin which cures upon radiation of ultraviolet rays thereon is
sandwiched between a stamper having on its surface undulations for
expressing data, and serving as a master and a disk substrate composed of
a synthetic resin. Radiation of ultraviolet rays onto the layer of
ultraviolet-curing resin, now having the undulated surface of the stamper
imprinted thereon, causes the resin layer to be formed integral with the
surface of the disk substrate. Thereafter, the resin layer and the stamper
are separated, leaving a disk having an optical information recording
surface formed thereon.
In order to manufacture an optical disk as described above, the
ultraviolet-curing resin layer located between the disk substrate and the
stamper must be formed having a uniform thickness. Exemplary methods of
forming this resin layer are those disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure
(Kokai) Nos. 53-116105 and 58-173623. However, using even these methods,
bubbles are sometimes formed in the resin layer. Consequently, it is
difficult, using conventional methods, to manufacture, on a consistent
basis, optical disks with high precision through preventing formation of
bubbles.
In addition, the resin layer on which the data recorded on the surface of
the stamper is imprinted, upon radiation thereon of ultraviolet rays, must
subsequently be separated from the stamper. Japanese Patent Disclosure
(Kokai) No. 62-187004, for example, teaches a method wherein a push-up
member located at a central portion of the disk substrate is pushed upward
by a pin operated by air pressure, thereby to separate the resin layer
from the stamper surface.
However, when such a mechanical force is used to separate the resin layer
from the stamper, it creates a strong flexing force which acts not only on
the disk substrate but also on the resin layer on which the recorded data
has been imprinted, thereby damaging that surface of the resin layer.
Further, the flexing force may cause distortion of, the disk substrate
which supports the resin layer, and, when the disk substrate is pushed
upward, the stamper may become separated from its support table and be
pushed upward together with the disk substrate, i.e. resulting in
non-separation of these two elements.
In consideration of the above problems, a method of fixing the stamper to
the table has been proposed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No.
60-47253. According to this method, a first electromagnet is located at a
position corresponding to a central portion of the stamper, and a second
ring-like electromagnet is set to correspond to the periphery of the
stamper, thereby attracting and holding the stamper consisting of a
magnetic material. To separate the resin layer from the stamper, the first
electromagnet is switched off, with the periphery of the stamper remaining
attracted to the second electromagnet. In this state, by moving the
stamper away from the resin layer, the resin is separated sequentially
from the periphery of the stamper. However, this separating method
requires a complicated arrangement of first and second electromagnets set
in correspondence with the shape of the stamper. In addition, a
complicated on/off control must be performed in respect of the two
electromagnets, and an undesirably strong force acts on the resin layer
during its separation from the stamper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for
manufacturing an optical information recording medium such as an optical
disk, in which a manufacturing process efficiently and automatically
advances to manufacture an optical information recording medium with
stable quality.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an optical
recording medium manufacturing apparatus in which no bubbles remain in a
resin layer portion on which data is transferred and recorded from a
stamper in the above manufacturing process, thereby successively
manufacturing a highly reliable information recording medium having good
optical characteristics.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an optical
disk manufacturing apparatus in which a resin layer formed between a disk
substrate and a stamper and having recorded data of the stamper
transferred thereon can be easily and reliably peeled from the surface of
the stamper without applying a peeling force on the resin layer, and this
peeling step can be automatically performed, thereby manufacturing an
optical disk with high reliability.
In an optical information recording medium manufacturing apparatus
according to the present invention, a disk substrate is supported by a
center pin, and this center pin is vertically driven. In addition, a table
is set to be selectively rotated about the center pin, and a stamper is
placed on this table. A resin having a property of curing by ultraviolet
rays is formed into a ring-like shape on the stamper. The disk substrate
is moved downward toward the surface of the stamper on which the resin
ring is formed. When the surface of the disk substrate is brought into
contact with part of the resin on the stamper, the disk substrate is
intermittently moved downward in units of very small distances thereafter.
When the entire periphery of the ring like-resin is brought into contact
with the surface of the disk substrate in this manner, only the center pin
is moved downward so that the resin interposed between the disk substrate
and the stamper is spread on the stamper surface by the load of a weight
set on the substrate.
In this case, the stamper is set on a table consisting of a magnet and kept
at a predetermined position by a guide ring formed on the table. An air
injection port is formed in a central portion of the table to inject air
between the stamper and the resin layer.
In the manufacturing apparatus having the above arrangement, part of the
ring-like resin formed on the surface of the stamper is brought into
contact with the disk substrate, and then the substrate is intermittently
moved downward to gradually increase a contact area between the resin and
the disk. Finally, the entire periphery of the ring-like resin is brought
into contact with the disk substrate. Thereafter, the resin on the stamper
is compressed and spread to form a layer by the weight of the disk
substrate portion. Therefore, it was confirmed by repetitive experiments
that the resin layer having a uniform thickness could be formed with high
stability between the stamper and the disk substrate, and bubbles in the
resin layer were effectively exhausted.
In addition, the stamper is held on the table by a magnetic attracting
force and kept at a predetermined position by the guide ring. After the
cured resin layer is formed between the disk substrate and the stamper,
the disk substrate is moved upward by a very small distance to separate
the central portion of the disk substrate from the stamper surface by a
very small distance, thereby forming a gap therebetween. Air is then
supplied into the gap to peel the resin layer from the central portion of
the stamper. That is, the resin layer can be peeled from the stamper while
it is kept in contact with the disk substrate without applying a peeling
force on the resin layer. As a result, a highly reliable optical disk can
be manufactured.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view for explaining an arrangement of an optical
information recording medium manufacturing apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a processing flow in a control unit
for controlling especially a center pin of the manufacturing apparatus
shown in FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 3 to 10 are sectional views for explaining a manufacturing process of
especially a recording resin layer of an optical disk.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, an optical disk manufacturing apparatus comprises a
center pin 11 serving as the center of a manufacturing operation and a
valve member 12 constituted by a cylindrical body. The valve member 12 is
vertically set, and the center pin 11 is inserted in a hollow portion of
the valve member 12 so as to be freely moved in the axial direction in the
hollow portion of the valve member 12. The valve member 12 is movably set
in a hollow portion of a support member 13 constituted by a cylindrical
body.
That is, the valve member 12 is vertically supported to be vertically
movable by the support member 13, and the center pin 11 is vertically
supported to be vertically movable by the valve member 12. The support
member 13 is vertically supported by a bearing mechanism 14 with respect
to a base 15 so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane. The base 15
coaxially supports the support member 13, the valve member 12 and the
center pin 11.
A gear 131 is integrally mounted on the support member 13 so that the
member 13 is rotated upon rotation of the gear 131. A horizontal receiving
base 16 is formed at the upper portion of the support member 13. A
disk-like table 17 is set on the receiving base 16, and a stamper 18 is
placed on the table 17. The table 17 consists of a magnet and attracts and
holds the stamper 18 consisting of a magnetic metal by a magnetic force.
That is, since the table 17 need only hold the stamper 18 by a magnetic
force, the entire table 17 need not consist of a magnet as long as the
magnetic force acts on the surface of the table 17. Although not shown in
detail, the table 17 may have a permanent magnet embedded therein.
A circular guide hole is formed in a central portion of the stamper 18, and
grooves or undulations for recording information bits are formed on its
upper surface. A guide ring 19 formed integrally with the table 17 is
fitted in the hole at the center of the stamper 18, thereby positioning
the stamper 18 on the table 17.
An inner circumferential portion of the upper end portion of the guide ring
19 is tapered to form a valve seat, and a valve body 20 integrally formed
at the upper end of the valve member 12 is brought into contact with this
valve seat portion. That is, the valve member 12 is vertically moved as
indicated by an arrow A, and the valve body 20 of the member 12 is brought
into contact with or separated from the valve seat of the guide ring 19
accordingly.
For example, when the valve member 12 is located at a lower position as
shown in FIG. 1, the valve body 20 is in contact with the valve seat of
the guide ring 19. When the valve member 12 is moved upward from this
position, a path is defined between the valve body 20 and the guide ring
19.
This path defined between the valve seat and the valve body 20 communicates
with a path 21 formed in the receiving base 16, and the path 21
communicates with a vacuum source (not shown). Alternatively, the path 21
is caused to selectively communicate with the outer atmosphere via a
switching valve.
An air path 22 is formed in the center pin 11 to correspond to its central
axis portion and communicates with a path 23 formed in the valve member
12. The path 23 is open at the upper end face of the valve member 12 so
that air supplied to the path 22 in the center pin 11 is injected from a
disk-like receiving tray 24 formed to be recessed at a central portion of
the table 17.
The center pin 11 is vertically moved as indicated by an arrow B by a drive
mechanism 25. The drive mechanism 25 comprises a screw shaft 252 rotated
by a servo motor 251, and the center pin 11 is supported by a moving body
253 threadably engaged with the screw shaft 252. By controlling a
rotational angle of the servo motor 251, the center pin 11 is vertically,
precisely moved in units of .mu.m. The rotational angle of the servo motor
251 is controlled by a control circuit 26 comprising a microcomputer and
the like.
A flange-like support base 27 is formed at an upper portion of the center
pin 11 so that the center pin 11 projects upward from the support base 27.
A disk substrate 29 is placed on the support base 27 so that its central
position is set by the center pin 11.
The disk substrate 29 consists of a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy,
an epoxy vinyl ester or a nonsaturated polyester, a thermoplastic resin
such as a polymethyl methacrylate or a polycarbonate, or a
light-transmitting material such as glass.
When the center pin 11 is moved downward, the support base 27 is fitted in
the recess portion of the receiving tray 24.
A disk-like weight 31 consisting of a transparent body such as glass is
placed on the disk substrate 29 supported by the center pin 11. The weight
31 is supported by a moving base 30 which is set inside a chamber 32 so as
to be vertically movable. The chamber 32 is vertically movable as
indicated by an arrow C. Referring to FIG. 1, the chamber 32 is set at a
lower position. In this state, the lower end of the chamber 32 is in
contact with the surface of the base 15 to define a chamber room 33 sealed
on the upper surface of the base 15, and the table 17 is set in the
chamber room 33.
An ultraviolet source (not shown) is located above the weight 31 in the
chamber room 33 and radiates ultraviolet rays onto the surface of the
stamper 18 placed on the table 17 through the transparent weight 31 and
the disk substrate 29.
A resin 36 as a material for forming a recording layer of an optical disk
is set on the stamper 18 subjected to radiation of ultraviolet rays. The
resin 36 consists of a 2P (Photo Polimar) resin material which is cured
upon radiation of ultraviolet rays. More specifically, the resin 36 is a
liquid resin having an acryl group and/or an methacryl group at its
terminal end, e.g., an acrylic and/or methacrylic ester of an epoxy resin,
a urethane resin having an acryl group and/or a methacryl group at its
terminal end, or a resin prepared by diluting the liquid resin by a
reactive monomer having an acryl group and/or a methacryl group.
A predetermined amount of the resin 36 is injected from a nozzle mechanism
37 moved on the stamper 18 as indicated by an arrow while the table 17 is
rotated, thereby forming a ring-like resin. The table 17 is rotated
together with the support member 13 by rotating the gear 131.
FIG. 2 shows a processing flow of the control circuit 26 for controlling
the movement of the center pin 11 and other manufacturing operations in a
step of forming a recording layer of an optical disk.
In step 101, the center pin 11 is initially set at an upper position as
shown in FIG. 3. In this process, the nozzle mechanism 37 and the like are
controlled to set the ring-like resin 36 about the center pin 11 in resin
setting step 51. While the center pin 11 is kept at the upper position, a
conveyor mechanism 40 conveys the disk substrate 29 to a position above
the center pin 11 and sets the substrate 29 on the support base 27 fitted
on the center pin 11 in substrate setting step 52. Before this process,
the chamber 32 is moved upward from the position shown in FIG. 1 so as not
to interfere with the movement of the conveyor mechanism 40. When the disk
substrate 29 is set on the center pin 11 as described above, the chamber
32 is moved downward to the position shown in FIG. 1 in chamber descending
step 53.
After the substrate 29 is set on the pin 11 in this manner, the weight 31
is placed on the substrate 29 as shown in FIG. 4 in weight setting step
54. In this case, the valve member 12 is set at a lower position as shown
in FIG. 4.
After the disk substrate 29 is set at a predetermined position and the
weight 31 is placed on the substrate 29 as described above, in step 102,
the center pin 11 is moved downward until an interval between the stamper
18 and the substrate 29 is set in a first state. The first state shown in
FIG. 5 is set immediately before the lower surface of the disk substrate
29 is brought into contact with the ring-like resin 36.
After the center pin 11 is moved downward to set the interval between the
substrate 29 and the stamper 18 in the first state, in step 103, the
center pin 11 is intermittently moved downward every one to several
seconds in units of microns. During an intermittent downward movement of
the pin 11, part of the resin 36 is brought into contact with the lower
surface of the disk substrate 29, and this contact portion area is
gradually enlarged. Finally, the entire periphery of the ring-like resin
36 is brought into contact with the substrate 29.
In step 104, the control circuit 26 checks whether the interval between the
stamper 18 and the disk substrate 29 is set in a second state. If the
circuit 26 determines that the interval is set in the second state, the
downward movement of the center pin 11 is stopped, and the flow advances
to step 105. In the second state, the interval is set such that the entire
periphery of the ring-like resin 36 is brought into contact with the disk
substrate 29. The value of this interval is experimentally obtained and
arbitrarily stored.
In step 105, the center pin 11 is further moved downward. This downward
movement is continued until a support surface of the support base 27 of
the center pin 11 is moved downward to a position separated from the
surface of the stamper 18 by a predetermined distance, i.e., a position at
a height corresponding to the thickness of a resin recording layer of an
optical disk to be manufactured. When the pin 11 is moved downward to a
position at which the support surface of the support base 27 is located at
the height corresponding to the thickness of the recording layer above the
surface of the stamper 18, the downward movement of the pin 11 is stopped.
In this case, since the disk substrate 29 is supported by the resin 36,
only the center pin 11 is moved downward to the predetermined position.
At the same time, in vacuum suction step 55, the valve member 12 is moved
upward as shown in FIG. 6 to separate the valve body 20 from the guide
ring 19, thereby defining a suction path between the guide ring 19 and the
valve body 20.
In this state, a room surrounded by the ring-like resin 36 is formed
between the stamper 18 and the substrate 29 and evacuated by the vacuum
source. Since the load of the weight 31 acts on the resin 36 via the
substrate 29, the resin 36 is gradually pressed by this load and spread
between the stamper 18 and the substrate 29.
When the disk substrate 29 is brought into contact with the ring-like resin
36, bubbles are sometimes formed in the resin. Therefore, immediately
before the substrate 29 is brought into contact with the resin 36, the
substrate 29 is intermittently moved downward every one second in units of
microns so as to be brought into contact with the resin 36 at one portion.
Thereafter, as the disk 29 is further intermittently moved downward, a
contact portion between the substrate 29 and the resin 36 is expanded in
both the right and left directions along the ring. Finally, the entire
periphery of the ring is brought into contact with the substrate 29. When
the contact portion is formed between the ring-like resin 36 and the disk
substrate 29 in this manner, bubble formation in the resin 36 can be
reliably prevented.
If bubbles are still formed in the resin 36 even when the substrate 29 is
brought into contact with the resin 36 as described above, the resin 36 is
drawn by suction of the vacuum source from the center of the room
surrounded by the resin 36 after the entire periphery of the resin 36 is
brought into contact with the substrate 29. That is, the ring-like resin
36 is drawn to move inward to push the bubbles formed in the resin 36
outward. Such a phenomenon was confirmed by repetitive experiments, i.e.,
it was confirmed that the bubbles in the resin 36 were reliably
eliminated.
In step 106, 50 seconds, e.g., are waited to hold the above state. During
this wait period, the ring-like resin 36 is spread between the stamper 18
and the disk substrate 29 by the load of the weight 31, thereby reducing
the height of the resin 36. The substrate 29 is moved downward with height
reduction in the resin 36.
After the resin 36 is completely spread between the stamper 18 and the
substrate 29, i.e., a layer of the resin 36 is formed on the entire
surface of the stamper 18 on which data is recorded, the substrate 29
abuts against and is stopped by the support base 27 of the center pin 11
which is moved downward in step 105, as shown in FIG. 7.
In this state, since an interval between the stamper 18 and the substrate
29 is numerically correctly set by the lower position of the center pin
11, the thickness of the resin 36 on the data recorded surface of the
stamper 18 can be easily and correctly controlled.
In this case, the stamper 18 is correctly positioned and mounted on the
table 17 and effectively prevented from being peeled from the table 17 by
the guide ring 19. In addition, the path 21 communicating with the vacuum
source is formed at the outer periphery of the guide ring 19, i.e., at the
lower side of the inner periphery of the stamper 18. For this reason, even
if the resin 36 reaches the rear side of the stamper 18 upon spreading of
the resin on the surface of the stamper 18, this resin is drawn by vacuum
suction and reliably recovered and removed therefrom.
When the layer of the resin 36 is formed between the stamper 18 and the
disk substrate 29 as described above, the substrate 29, the weight 31 and
the like are rotated together with the table 17 as shown in FIG. 7 in
table rotation step 56. In this state, in ultraviolet radiation step 57,
ultraviolet rays are uniformly radiated on the entire surface of the resin
36 through the transparent weight 31, as shown in FIG. 8. As a result, the
layer of the resin 36 formed between the stamper 18 and the substrate 29
is cured to form a recording resin layer 41. The record expressed by the
undulations formed on the stamper 18 is transferred to the surface of the
layer 41 opposite to the stamper 18. As a result, a recording surface of
an optical disk is formed by the layer 41.
In this manner, the resin layer 41 on which the recording surface is formed
integrally with the disk substrate 29 is obtained, thereby completing a
basic structure of the optical disk. Thereafter, since the substrate 29
and the layer 41 must be integrally peeled from the surface of the stamper
18, the chamber 32 must be moved upward in chamber lifting step 58 before
a peeling step starts.
The peeling step will be described below. In step 107, the center pin 11 is
moved upward by a very small amount as shown in FIG. 9. In this case, the
chamber 33 is set at its upper position, and the valve member 12 is set at
its lower position to close the path communicating with the vacuum space
between the guide ring 19, the valve member 12 and the valve seat 20. In
air supply step 59, air is supplied through the air path 22 and the path
23 formed in the valve member 12 and injected from the receiving tray 24.
The injected air is supplied from the lower surface of the support base 27
to the lower surface at the central portion of the disk substrate 29 and
between the recording resin layer 41 and the stamper 18, thereby peeling
the layer 41 from the stamper 18. At the same time, the weight 31 is
removed and moved upward.
When the center pin 11 is further moved upward in step 108, the layer 41 is
smoothly peeled from the surface of the stamper 18 and moved upward
together with the substrate 29 to a conveyance position, as shown in FIG.
10. When the substrate 29 integrally having the layer 41 thereon is moved
to the conveyance position, in disk discharging step 60, the conveyor
mechanism 40 is controlled to chuck and convey the substrate 29 to a
predetermined storage position.
The disk substrate 29 having the recording resin layer 41 is completed as
an optical disk via a reflecting layer or protection film formation step.
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Description  |
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