Patent Publication Number: US-7213628-B2

Title: Photosensitive layer laminator and photosensitive layer laminating method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a photosensitive layer laminator and photosensitive layer laminating method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photosensitive layer laminator and photosensitive layer laminating method in which a photosensitive material can be handled easily, a photosensitive layer can be transferred to an entirety of a large transfer area, and modification of mechanisms can be easy when necessitated. 
     2. Description Related to the Prior Art 
     A color filter for use in a liquid crystal display device, plasma display device and the like is produced by utilizing photosensitive material. For example, three photosensitive layers for primary colors of red, green and blue are overlaid on a substrate of glass, resin or other rigid material. Those are referred to as photo resist. A laminated panel is obtained, and subjected to exposure and photographic processing to produce the color filter according to a process of photolithography. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,925 (corresponding to JP-A 2002-148794) discloses a photosensitive layer laminator for producing a laminated panel. A photosensitive material includes a support film, and a photosensitive layer of resin overlaid on the support film. The photosensitive material and the substrate are respectively transported. Lamination rolls or heat/pressure rollers are disposed on a transporting path, and operated to transfer and laminate the photosensitive layer to the substrate. 
     A supply unit of the photosensitive layer laminator is loaded with one roll of the photosensitive material having a great length sufficient for a high number of sheets. A width of the photosensitive material is predetermined and depends on a width of a transfer region defined on the substrate. In operation, the photosensitive material is unwound from the roll, and subjected to half cutting to form cuts through the photosensitive layer according to a length of the substrate. Then the photosensitive material is fed to the path. The heat/pressure rollers transfer the photosensitive layer to the substrate, before the support film is peeled from the photosensitive layer to obtain the laminated panel. 
     Recently, display devices of an enlarged panel size have been widely available in any one of types including a liquid crystal display device, plasma display device and the like. A size of the substrate has been greater, to enlarge a width of a transfer region. The larger width of the transfer region requires a greater width of the photosensitive material. However, a roll size of the photosensitive material must be larger, to enlarge mechanisms for transporting the roll, and those for advancing the photosensitive material. A cost for modifying the photosensitive layer laminator will be considerably high. This is a serious problem inconsistent to reducing the manufacturing cost of a laminated panel as product. Also, a greater width of the photosensitive material causes problems in greater weight and more frequent occurrence of wrinkles. The handling of the photosensitive material becomes considerably difficult. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive layer laminator and photosensitive layer laminating method in which a photosensitive material can be handled easily, a photosensitive layer can be transferred to an entirety of a large transfer area, and modification of mechanisms can be easy when necessitated. 
     In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a photosensitive layer laminator for transferring a photosensitive layer from a photosensitive material to a substrate is provided, the photosensitive material including a support, and the photosensitive layer overlaid on the support and containing resin. In the photosensitive layer laminator, a laminating mechanism applies the photosensitive layer of plural photosensitive materials to a transfer region on the substrate by applying heat and pressure to the plural photosensitive materials and the substrate. A photosensitive material feeder supplies the laminating mechanism with the plural photosensitive materials directed substantially in parallel with one another and including first and second photosensitive materials, the plural photosensitive materials having a width smaller than a width of the transfer region. A substrate feeder supplies the laminating mechanism with the substrate in placement on the plural photosensitive materials. 
     The laminating mechanism includes at least one heat/pressure roller. The photosensitive material feeder includes a first feeding mechanism for unwinding the first photosensitive material from a first photosensitive material roll, and supplying the first photosensitive material to a first roller portion of the heat/pressure roller. A second feeding mechanism unwinds the second photosensitive material from a second photosensitive material roll, and supplies the second photosensitive material to a second roller portion of the heat/pressure roller which extends from the first roller portion. 
     A sum of the width of the at least first and second photosensitive materials is equal to or less than the width of the transfer region. 
     Furthermore, a tension adjuster adjusts tension applied to the first and second photosensitive materials in an upstream direction from the laminating mechanism. 
     Each of the first and second feeding mechanisms includes a tension roller for applying first and second tension to the first and second photosensitive materials upstream from the laminating mechanism. The tension adjuster includes a tension detector for measuring the first and second tension applied to the first and second photosensitive materials. A controller is responsive to information from the tension detector, for controlling the tension roller, and setting the first and second tension substantially equal to one another. 
     Each of the first and second photosensitive materials includes cover film, overlaid on the photosensitive layer, for protection thereof. Furthermore, a cover peeler peels the cover film from the first and second photosensitive materials transported to the substrate. 
     Furthermore, at least one half cutter cuts the photosensitive layer in the first and second photosensitive materials with the support uncut and in a predetermined size adapted to the transfer region with reference to a transporting direction. 
     The at least one half cutter comprises at least two half cutters associated with respectively the first and second feeding mechanisms, for keeping adjustable a size of the photosensitive layer to be transferred individually from one another. 
     A plurality of photosensitive layer portions constituted by the photosensitive layer and having the predetermined size are arranged in the transporting direction and transferred to the transfer region commonly. 
     The laminating mechanism produces a laminated panel having the substrate and the photosensitive layer. Furthermore, a cooler cools the laminated panel from the laminating mechanism. A support peeler for peeling the support from the photosensitive layer of the laminated panel from the cooler. 
     The photosensitive layer is colorable in a predetermined color which is different between the at least first and second photosensitive materials. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the photosensitive layer is colorable in a predetermined color which is selected from three primary colors and black color. 
     The at least first and second photosensitive materials are different in the width. 
     The photosensitive layer of the first photosensitive material is transferred for forming a predetermined visible pattern. The second photosensitive material has a width smaller than a width of the first photosensitive material, and has the photosensitive layer adapted to form a positioning indicia for positioning the visible pattern being formed. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a photosensitive layer laminating method of transferring a photosensitive layer containing resin to a transfer region on a substrate is provided. In the photosensitive layer laminating method, at least first and second photosensitive materials are transported to the substrate, wherein the first and second photosensitive materials respectively include a support and the photosensitive layer overlaid thereon, have a width smaller than a width of the transfer region, and are disposed to extend along one another. The photosensitive layer from the first and second photosensitive materials is applied to the transfer region on the substrate with heat and pressure. 
     The first and second photosensitive materials are unwound from respectively first and second photosensitive material rolls. The applying step is effected in first and second laminating domains which are arranged in a direction crosswise to transport of the first and second photosensitive materials, and are supplied with respectively the first and second photosensitive materials. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an side elevation illustrating a photosensitive layer laminator; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross section illustrating a photosensitive material; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation, partially cutaway, illustrating a photosensitive material feeder; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan, partially cutaway, illustrating a substrate and a transfer region defined on the substrate; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating first and second feeding mechanisms adjacent to each other; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan, partially cutaway, illustrating another preferred set of two photosensitive materials for two colors; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan, partially cutaway, illustrating still another preferred set of three photosensitive materials for the red and black for alignment of the red. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1 , a photosensitive layer laminator  2  is illustrated, and includes a substrate feeder  10 , a preheater  11 , a laminating mechanism  12  with heat and pressure, a cooler  13 , a support peeler  14 , a panel ejector  15 , and a photosensitive material feeder  16 . The photosensitive material feeder  16 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , includes a first feeding mechanism  16   a  and a second feeding mechanism  16   b . The first feeding mechanism  16   a  is loaded with a first photosensitive material roll  18   a , which is formed by winding first long photosensitive material  17   a . The second feeding mechanism  16   b  is loaded with a second photosensitive material roll  18   b , which is formed by winding second long photosensitive material  17   b . The first feeding mechanism  16   a  unwinds the first photosensitive material  17   a  from the first photosensitive material roll  18   a , and supplies the same into a transporting path. Similarly, the second feeding mechanism  16   b  unwinds the second photosensitive material  17   b  for supply in a manner parallel with a direction of the first photosensitive material  17   a.    
     In  FIG. 2 , each of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  includes a support sheet  19  of resin film, and a photosensitive layer  20  overlaid thereon. The photosensitive layer  20  is used for forming a color filter. A cover film  21  for protection is overlaid on the photosensitive layer  20  in a peelable manner. To produce a panel for a color display device, the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  for one of three primary colors of red, green and blue for the three filters are used. There is a glass substrate  22  or substrate containing resin or other transparent rigid material, to which one layer is transferred in a frame-sequential manner color after color. At first the photosensitive material rolls  18   a  and  18   b  for the red color are set, to transfer the red photosensitive layer to the substrate  22 . After the transfer, photo lithographic operation is effected to expose and develop the photosensitive layer, to form a filter pattern. The photosensitive layer with the pattern is baked, and fixed on the substrate. 
     After the baking, the substrate  22  with filter patterning of the red color is loaded in the photosensitive layer laminator  2  again. The photosensitive material rolls  18   a  and  18   b  for the green color are set, to transfer the green photosensitive layer to the substrate  22 . In a similar manner to the red photosensitive layer, the green photosensitive layer is patterned for the filter patterning, and fixed by baking. After this, the substrate  22  with filter patterning of the blue color is loaded in the photosensitive layer laminator  2  again. The blue photosensitive layer is transferred to the substrate  22 . In a manner similar manner, the blue photosensitive layer is patterned, and fixed by baking. After this filter patterning of the three colors, the black (BK) photosensitive layer is transferred to the substrate  22  in order to fill fine gaps between the patterned portions. 
     In  FIG. 1 , a supply robot hand  23  is incorporated in the substrate feeder  10 , and supplies the substrate  22  to the preheater  11  in an orientation with its transfer surface directed down and periodically at a regular interval. A preferred example of the substrate  22  has a size of a 2×2 combination of four panels. When lamination to form a color filter is completed, the substrate  22  will be cut into four. 
     The preheater  11  includes a substrate transporting mechanism  24  and heater units  25  and  26 . The substrate transporting mechanism  24  is constituted by a flotation blower  27  of a board form and a number of transporting rollers  28 . The flotation blower  27  is disposed under a path for the substrate  22 , and opposed to a transfer surface of the substrate  22 , blows clean air over the transfer surface to float the substrate  22 . 
     The transporting rollers  28  contact lateral edge operations of the transfer surface of the substrate  22  being floated, and rotate to transport the substrate  22  toward the laminating mechanism  12  for heat and pressure. There occurs no transfer to those edge portions of the transfer surface. In those portions, the transporting rollers  28  does not contact the photosensitive layer  20 . The transporting rollers  28  are structurally flange-formed rollers, have a flange (not shown), which guides the substrate  22  and regulates the position of the substrate  22  in the width direction. 
     The heater units  25  and  26  are arranged above and below the path for the substrate  22  in the substrate transporting mechanism  24 , and disposed in suitable numbers of a plurality. The heater units  25  and  26  heat the substrate  22  up to the temperature in a range of, for example, 50–110° C. The substrate  22  heated by the preheater  11  is transported by the transporting rollers  28  to the laminating mechanism  12 . 
     The laminating mechanism  12  is constituted by a heat/pressure roller set  29  and backup rollers  30 . In the heat/pressure roller set  29 , a first heat/pressure roller  29   a  contacts the substrate  22  as lamination roll. A second heat/pressure roller  29   b  contacts the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  as lamination roll. A heater is incorporated in each one of the heat/pressure rollers  29   a  and  29   b  and the backup rollers  30 . The heat/pressure roller set  29  squeezes and transports the substrate  22  and the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b , so as to attach the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  to the substrate  22  with heat and pressure. The backup rollers  30  are caused to rotate by contact of the heat/pressure rollers  29   a  and  29   b , and uniformize the force for lamination with heat and pressure by suppressing flexing or distortion of the heat/pressure rollers  29   a  and  29   b.    
     A half cut line formed by a half cutter blade group  45  in the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  will be described later. When the half cut line moves past a predetermined position in the laminating mechanism  12 , then a start signal is input to the substrate transporting mechanism  24 . The photosensitive layer  20  is transferred from the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  to the substrate  22  in a state with the half cut line positioned on the substrate  22 . At this time, the support  19  is transported in the downstream direction from the heat/pressure roller set  29  according to movement of the substrate  22 . 
     The cooler  13  includes a cool gas blower  31  of a board form, and transporting rollers  32 . Cool air is passed through a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter to obtain clean cool air, which is directed by the cool gas blower  31  to blow the substrate  22 . Thus, the substrate  22  is cooled to the room temperature which may be 30° C. or lower while transported by the transporting rollers  32 . 
     The support peeler  14  is constituted by a peeling roller  33  and a support sheet winder  34 . The peeling roller  33  consecutively peels the support  19  from the substrate  22  to be a laminated panel. A support sheet spindle  34   a  of the winder  34  winds and withdraws the support  19  in a roll form. A motor (not shown) causes the spindle  34   a  to rotate. The motor is controlled for its torque, in order to maintain tension applied to the support  19  at a constant level in a zone downstream from the heat/pressure roller set  29 , so as to prevent occurrence of flexing or looseness in the support  19 . 
     The panel ejector  15  is positioned downstream from the support peeler  14 , and has a flotation blower  35  of a board form. The flotation blower  35  is structurally the same as the flotation blower  27  in the preheater  11 . Also, a robot hand  36  is disposed in the panel ejector  15 . The laminated panel including the substrate  22 , when transported from the support peeler  14  to the panel ejector  15 , is sucked by a suction device in the robot hand  36 , and picked up and ejected. 
     In  FIG. 3 , the first feeding mechanism  16   a  includes a supply spindle  37 , a half cutter  39 , a cover peeler  41  and a tension adjuster  43 . In a manner separate from this, the second feeding mechanism  16   b  includes a supply spindle  38 , a half cutter  40 , a cover peeler  42  and a tension adjuster  44 . The photosensitive material rolls  18   a  and  18   b  are set on respectively the supply spindles  37  and  38 . 
     Each of the half cutters  39  and  40  includes the half cutter blade group  45 . The first photosensitive material  17   a  has a photosensitive layer  20   a  and cover film  21   a . The second photosensitive material  17   b  has a photosensitive layer  20   b  and cover film  21   b . The half cutter  39  cuts the photosensitive layer  20   a  and the cover film  21   a , but keeps the support  19  uncut. Similarly, the half cutter  40  cuts the photosensitive layer  20   b  and the cover film  21   b , but keeps the support  19  uncut. A relationship between the half cutters  39  and  40  is based on a size of a transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 . The half cutter blade group  45  includes two blades with cutting edges extending in the width direction of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . An interval between the two blades is defined according to an interval or period of the transport of the substrate  22  one after another. To be precise, the interval between the blades is set equal to an interval between a rear end of the transfer region  22   a  of a first substrate and a front end of the transfer region  22   a  of a second substrate succeeding to the first. The two are actuated at the same time, to form two cuts simultaneously for the appropriate positions. 
     The cover peeler  41  peels the cover film  21   a  from the first photosensitive material  17   a  after cutting of the photosensitive layer  20   a . The cover peeler  42  peels the cover film  21   b  from the second photosensitive material  17   b  after cutting of the photosensitive layer  20   b . Each of the cover peelers  41  and  42  is loaded with a peeling tape roll  46 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape  47  is unwound from the peeling tape roll  46 . A pressure roller  48  presses the adhesive tape  47  on to the cover film  21 . The adhesive tape  47  adheres to the cover film  21 . A tape spindle  49  winds up and withdraws the adhesive tape  47 , so that the adhesive tape  47  takes away the cover film  21  for withdrawal. 
     The tension adjuster  43  is constituted by a tension roller  50 , a motor  52  and a tension sensor or detector  54 . Similarly, the tension adjuster  44  includes a tension roller  51 , a motor  53  and a tension sensor or detector  55 . The tension rollers  50  and  51  operate according to tension detected by the tension detectors  54  and  55 , keep constant the tension of a portion of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  positioned upstream from the heat/pressure roller set  29 , so as to prevent flexing or looseness of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . An example of the tension detectors  54  and  55  is a tension pickup (TP) device having a rotatable roll with a small diameter. There is a controller  56  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Information of the tension detected by the tension detectors  54  and  55  is input to the controller  56 , which responsively adjusts the tension by controlling a rotational speed and a rotating amount of the motors  52  and  53 . 
     A position control device  57  is a single device for the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . The position control device  57  operates to regulate a distance between the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  at a predetermined level, to stabilize the transport of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . It is to be noted that the position control device  57  may be added to other positions in a suitable manner to keep high precision in transporting the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b.    
     In  FIG. 4 , let W 1  a width of the entirety of the transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 . Let W 2  be a width of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . The first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  satisfy W 2 &lt;W 1 . More precisely, the following condition is satisfied:
 
 W 2≦½× W 1
 
     The first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  are transported in parallel with one another. The photosensitive layer  20  can be transferred to nearly the entire area of the transfer region  22   a . Thus, the parallel supply of the photosensitive materials having the smaller width than the transfer region  22   a  is effective in transferring the photosensitive layer to the entirety of the transfer region  22   a . There is no need of using a differently designed photosensitive material with a greater width. 
     In  FIG. 5 , the tension rollers  50  and  51  for the first and second feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  are positioned in a manner coaxial with one another. A motor driver  62  is connected with the motor  52  to drive the tension roller  50 . Separately from this, a motor driver  63  is connected with the motor  53  to drive the tension roller  51 . The controller  56  controls the motors  52  and  53 , to adjust tension of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . Should a single tension roller be used for transporting plural strips of photosensitive materials, it is impossible to keep the tension at an unchanged level, because of occurrence of a slip in at least one of the plural photosensitive materials. In the present embodiment, the tension adjuster is associated with each strip of the long photosensitive material for individual control. This is effective in maintaining tension of the photosensitive material at a constant level. 
     The operation of the above construction is hereinafter described. The supply robot hand  23  in the substrate feeder  10  supplies the preheater  11  with the substrate  22 . The substrate  22  in the preheater  11  is initially heated by the heater units  25  and  26 , and sent to the laminating mechanism  12  for heat and pressure. The first and second feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  supply the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  to the substrate  22  in the laminating mechanism  12  in a parallel orientation with one another. 
     In a step prior to supply of the laminating mechanism  12  with the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b , the controller  56  controls the first and second feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  in a manner separate from one another to pre-treatment of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . The half cutter blade group  45  in each of the half cutters  39  and  40  forms cuts in the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  according to a length of the transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 , before transport to the cover peelers  41  and  42 . The cover peelers  41  and  42  peel an uppermost film piece constituted by the cover films  21   a  and  21   b  from the photosensitive layer  20   a  and  20   b  as overlaid element in the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b . The first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  after moving past the cover peelers  41  and  42  are transported to the laminating mechanism  12  with their tension kept constant and equal by the tension adjusters  43  and  44 . 
     The first photosensitive material  17   a  supplied from the first feeding mechanism  16   a  is transported through the heat/pressure roller set  29  of the laminating mechanism  12  in a state positioned at the transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 . The photosensitive layer  20   a  in the first photosensitive material  17   a  is transferred to the transfer region  22   a . Similarly, the second photosensitive material  17   b  from the second feeding mechanism  16   b  moves through the heat/pressure roller set  29  of the laminating mechanism  12  as positioned at the transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 . The photosensitive layer  20   b  in the second photosensitive material  17   b  is transferred to the transfer region  22   a . The substrate  22  after the transfer of the photosensitive layer  20   a  or  20   b  is sent to the cooler  13 , cooled by blowing cool gas from the cool gas blower  31 , and moved to the support peeler  14 . The support peeler  14  winds up the support from the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  on the spindle  34   a , to peel the support. A laminated panel having the substrate  22  after peeling of the support of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  is moved to the panel ejector  15 , is grasped by the robot hand  36  upwards according to suction, and is ejected. 
     It is possible in the photosensitive material feeder  16  that the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  being transported together have a width smaller than a width of the transfer region  22   a  of the substrate  22 . Thus, it is unnecessary to raise a width or size of a structure for feeding the photosensitive material. The entire area of the substrate can be laminated easily without largely modifying the structure of the laminator. Also, the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  with the smaller width than the conventional photosensitive material are remarkably easy to handle. Occurrence of wrinkles of the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  can be suppressed efficiently, to cause handling with great ease without lowering quality. 
     In the above embodiment, various mechanisms for the supply are associated with the photosensitive material rolls  18   a  and  18   b  as plural sets in a separate manner from one another, including the tension adjusters  43  and  44 , the half cutters  39  and  40 , and the cover peelers  41  and  42 . However, a single set of mechanisms can be used for the plural photosensitive materials. However, the separate sets of the half cutters  39  and  40  are advantageous because the individual control enables fine adjustment of the production of panels. In the above embodiment, one operation of the transfer for the lamination is a multi-sheet form for producing four panels. The length of the photosensitive layer to be transferred at one time is determined by a length cut by the half cutting. Therefore, adjustment of a cutting position makes it possible to, for example, transfer an amount of two panels for a first photosensitive material, and to transfer an amount of only one panel for a second photosensitive material. There are effects in reducing load in the developing process. 
     In the above embodiment, the second photosensitive material  17   b  is for the same color as that for the first photosensitive material  17   a . In  FIG. 6 , another preferred embodiment is illustrated. The first photosensitive material  17   a  is red photosensitive material, and is supplied by the first feeding mechanism  16   a . The second photosensitive material  17   b  is green photosensitive material, is supplied by the second feeding mechanism  16   b , and is transported in parallel with the first photosensitive material  17   a . Also, the number of the feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  can be three or more instead of the two. 
     In the above embodiment, the second photosensitive material  17   b  has the width which is equal to that of the first photosensitive material  17   a , and is equal to or less than ½ of the width W 1  of the transfer region  22   a . However, the width of the second photosensitive material  17   b  may be different from that of the first photosensitive material  17   a . A width of the photosensitive material  17   a  or  17   b  may be more than ½ of the width of the transfer region  22   a . For example, a width of the first photosensitive material  17   a  can be ⅔ as much as the width of the transfer region  22   a , a width of the second photosensitive material  17   b  being ⅓ as much as the width of the transfer region  22   a . This is advantageous in treating raw material with a temporarily small width. Changes in the width make it possible to utilize such raw material in spite of its small width in view of higher productivity in the manufacturing line. 
     In  FIG. 7 , still another preferred embodiment is illustrated. A first black (BK) photosensitive material for developing black color is supplied by a first feeding mechanism. A red photosensitive material is supplied by a second feeding mechanism, and is transported in parallel with the first black photosensitive material. A second black (BK) photosensitive material is supplied by a third feeding mechanism, and is transported in parallel with those two. The black (BK) photosensitive materials are specialized in the use for transferring an alignment indicia or mark which is adapted to setting equal a position of transfer of primary colors. In general, it is known to form an alignment indicia by use of the same photosensitive layer as used for the transfer of the red photosensitive layer. However, the red color used for the alignment indicia has a problem in characteristically low contrast and low discernible properties in comparison with the black color. On the other hand, a step of transferring a photosensitive layer for the black color may be added for the alignment indicia. However, another problem arises in complication of the process according to adding one step. This considerably decreases the efficiency and productivity. In  FIG. 7 , transfer of photosensitive layers for the two additional alignment indicia are added to the red transfer. It is possible to form a pattern at an alignment indicia with high discernible properties and without raising the number of the steps in the production. 
     Note that according to the above embodiment, there is a gap between the first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  being transported together. However, such a gap may not exist. The first and second photosensitive materials  17   a  and  17   b  can run in such a manner that their longitudinal edges can contact one another exactly, or may overlap on one another at a small area. 
     In the above embodiment, paths of the transport of the first and second feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  are parallel with one another. However, the first feeding mechanism  16   a  may have a differently formed path from that of the second feeding mechanism  16   b . For example, at least one of the first and second feeding mechanisms  16   a  and  16   b  can have a form to turn the photosensitive material  17   a  or  17   b  with 90 degrees, and can be disposed in horizontally separate zones, or vertically separate zones. 
     The transfer of the photosensitive material to a substrate according to the invention may be used in any of various panels in the fields of imaging or electricity, for example, panels for a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device, and an organic electro luminescence (EL) panel, and also for a printed wiring board, a thin film transistor (TFT) board, and the like. 
     Although the present invention has been fully described by way of the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those having skill in this field. Therefore, unless otherwise these changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as included therein.