Patent ID: 7699200

Claim:
A separation apparatus, comprising: first and second scribing means for scribing scribing lines on front and rear surfaces, respectively, of a mother substrate made of a brittle material, the first and second scribing means being opposed to each other and being provided on an upper side and a lower side of the mother substrate, respectively; and first and second rollers for separating the mother substrate along the scribing lines provided by the first and second scribing means, the first roller being provided on the upper side of the mother substrate and rolling on the front surface of the mother substrate, the first roller being attached to a first roller attachment which is moveable upward and downward to move the first roller independently of the first scribing means to contact and press the front surface of the mother substrate such that during separating, the first scribing means does not contact the substrate, and the second roller being provided on the lower side of the mother substrate and rolling on the rear surface of the mother substrate, the second roller being attached to a second roller attachment which is moveable upward and downward to move the second roller independently of the second scribing means to contact and press the rear surface of the mother substrate such that during separating, the second scribing means does not contact the substrate, a first supporting member for supporting the first scribing means and first roller, a second supporting member for supporting and second scribing means and second roller, wherein the supporting members are configured to move the scribing means and rollers to a scribing position in which the scribing means contact the substrate, and wherein the roller attachments are movable independently of the supporting members to move the rollers into a separating position in which only the rollers contact the substrate, said supporting members being movable across said mother substrate and being shiftable laterally of the scribing lines to move the scribing means to scribe the mother substrate and to allow the rollers to create a bending force on the scribing lines to separate the mother substrate.