Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 3232~9
PATENT
DOCKET NO. 1728-34-00
,
TITL~: HIGH LAMIN TION SPE D AUTOMA?IC
LAMINATOR
BACRGROUND OP T~ INVENTION
1. ~Field of the Inventlon
The pre3ent invention relates to the automatic
lamination of circuit boards or other substrate~ with a
dry film of photopoly~er r~sist material, and more par-
ticularly, to a tacking and laminating method and
apparatus th~t enable4 an lncrea~ed ~peed of la~ination
with greater reliability of film adherence to the
sub~r~te~
2. De cription of the Prior Art
Dry film~ of curable photopolymer re~i~t material
have been developed for use in the manufacture of
: 15 printed circuit boards. Such boards have particular use
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in the electronics industry, A particularly advan-
tageous form of sueh film that is available ccmmercially
is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3,8a7,450, en~itled
"PHOTOPOLYMERIZABLE COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING POLYMERIC
8INDING AGENTS." U. S. Patent No. 3,887,450 was
granted to Michael N. Gilano et al. and is assigned to
the assignee of the present invention. As manuactured,
the dry film photopolymer is characterized in being
; easily contaminated. It is alQo tacky and limp.
Although tacky, the film is ~peelable.~ This ~ake~ it
pos3ible to us~ polyethylene cover film for protection
and for facilitating handling. The composite is
packaged in reels. Typically, such dry films of photo-
polymer ha~e thicknesqes of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 mils,
and have widths in the range of 5ix ~6~ inches to thirty
~30~ inches.
Machines, termed laminators, are known in the prior
art for applying dry film~ of curable photopolymer to
the surfaces of each of a plurality of printed circuit
~0 boards in succes~ion. In one form thereof, such lamina-
tor utilize a so-called two-~tep laminating process
conqisting, in a first step, of pressing in the presence
of heat, the leadiny end of a film sheet into pressure
sealed contact with the ace of the board at a forward
portion thereof, a step referred to hereinafter as
"tacting ~ ~nd in ~ second step, feeding the t~rd, with
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the film sheet trailing behind, bet~een heated pressure
or lamination roller means or compression bonding of
the film sheet onto the face of the board, a step
referred to hereinaft2r as "laminating."
Thus, as disclosed in U. S. Patents 3,658,629 to
L. P. Cramer et al., 4,025,380 to E. T. Bernardo,
4,650,536 to A. B. Cera~o and 4,659,419 to ~. Miyake,
each of a plurality of blank boards i~ trans~erred, in
turn, to a film web tacking ~tation of the laminator
where the leading end of a continuou~ length of film web
iq tacked to a forward end portion of the board. The
board i9 then transferred to and moved through a lami-
nating station, wlth the film web being pulled along,
where lamination rolls cause the film web to become
bonded to the board. During thla laminating operation,
the ~ilm web is cut to form a film portion of predeter-
mined length that matches the length of the board.
Such film sheet portions may simultaneously be
applied to the opposite sides of the board with each
film portion being of the same, larger or smaller size
than that of the board being laminated. As disclo~ed
in the aforementioned U. S. Patent 4,650,536 to
A. B. Cera~o, applying a smaller film sheet portion
which fits within the perimeter of the board advan-
t~gec~ly l=~es free the ed2e~ th-reof in ~hich cen-
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tering holes mAy be disposed for use in subs~quent
printed circuit board proce~sing oper~tion~.
~ t is further known in the prior art, ns disclosed
in the sforementioned U. S. Patent ~,659,419 to
E. Miyake, to e~fect the cut~ing operation oP the film
web without interrupting th0 laminating operation. As
there disclo ed, the ~ilm web cutting system consi~ts of
a circular rotating cut~ing blade which i~ moved aoro3s
the width of the film ~eb while at the same time being
moved tow~rd the laminating station in ~h~ qame direc-
tion and at the same speed as the ~ilm we~ is being
moved there~o.
~RIEP ~ESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With this description of the invention, a detalled
description follows with reference being made to the
accompanying ~igures of drawing which form part of the
specification, in which like parts are deaignated by the
same reference numbers, and of which:
- Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration typifying the
tacking and laminating method o~ the prior art;
Fig. 2 is a schematic ilustration showing the
bending of boardq, particularly of thin b3ards that is
encountered in single side lamination of boards employ~
ing the prior are ~acking and laminating method
` ~5 illustrated in Fiq. l;
Fig. 3 is a side vi~w o~ a laminator construc~ed in
accordance with a prefesred embodiment of the invention:
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Fig. 4 is a schematic illu~tration of an automatic
centering device employed in the laminator of Fig. 3 for
centering incoming board~ entering the laminator to be
laminated;
Fig. 5 i9 a fragmented per3peceive Vi2W
illu~trating an incoming board as being front centered
by a ba~rier po~itioned adjacent a lower inpu~ roll;
Fig. 6 i~ an end view illustrating the front
centered board of Fig. 5 as being gripped by an upper
input roll;
Fig. 7 is an end view illustrating the lower roll
as rotating and advancing the front centered board of
Fig. 5 to a tacking and laminating ~tation;
Fig. 8 (located in the second sheet of drawmgs, with
Fig. 4~ is a view on a scale larger than that shown
in Fig. 3 of upper and lower eccentric tacking devices
and lamination rolls, with the tacking devices in
t~cking position and the lower tacking device and lami-
nation roll partially broken away;
; 20 Fig. 9 ~llu~trates the positioning of a bo~rd to
be l~minated with the upper eccentric t~king device and
lamination roll stationary, the tacking device b~ing in
the right po~ition to e~fect the tacking, the lower
eccentric t~cking device and lamination roll flOt being
shown~
Fig. 10 illu~trate~ the approach of the upper
tacking device to the board;
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Fig. 11 illustr~tes the setting of the upper tacking
device apar~ from the board after th~ leading end of a
film of photopolymer re3iYt ma~erial ha~ been ta~ked to
the boar~;
Fig. 12 illuserates ~he rotatlon of the upper
tacking device and the clo~ing of the upper lamination
roll on the board at the same line position or region at
which the tacking had been sffected;
Fig. 13 illu~trates the lamination by the upper
lamination roll of the film of photopolymer re~ist
material to the board;
Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the transverse
cutting of the film by the upper eccentric
tacking/cutting deviceS
Fig. 15 is a fragmsnted perspective view
illustrating the rest condition and coupling of the film
transverse cutting system;
Fig. 16 is a top view ~howing the relationship of
the movable and fixed or counter film cutting blades in
. 20 the re~t condi~ion;
Fig. 17 i~ ~ top view ahowing the relationship of
the movable and counter blade~ in the coupled condition;
Fig. 18 is a ~ragmented per~pective ~iew
illustrating the film cutting sy3tem at the start of
- 25 cùtting after coupling;
Flg. 19 is a top view 3howing the relation hip of
the cutting blade3 at the ~tart of cutting;
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Pig. 20 ls a top view ~ho~ing the relationship of
the cuttlng blades at the comple~ion of ~he cutting,
Fig. 21 i8 a fragmen~ed pçr~pective view showing
the relea e o~ the movable blade from the ixed blade;
~ig. 2~ i a fragmentad perspec~ive view ~howing
the return to the rest position of the moving unit of
the cutting 3ystem;
Fig. 23 is a fragmental perspective view of the
film cutting;
~ig. 24 illustrates the return o~ the upper tacking
device and laminating roll to the correct position just
in time to effect the tacking of the next board,
following in sequence to be laminated;
Fig. 25 i3 a section taken along the line~ 25-25 of
~ig. 3 modified, however, for clarity of illustration,
to show each of tbe laminAting rolls in laminating
position and with the upper and lower eccentric tacking
devices rotated to ~xtreme upper and lower position~,
respec~ively;
Fig. 26 i~ a ~chematic perspective view o~
mechanism provided in the laminator ~or opening and
closing the laminating roll ;
Fig. 2~ i~ a schematic perspective view of
: mechanism provided for effecting rotation of the vacuum
sectors and of the laminating rolls;
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Fig. 28 is a schematic perspective view of the air
intake for the vacuum sector~;
Fig. 29 is a schematic fsagmented perspective view
of the air intak~ from the rotating vacuum sectors;
Fig. 30 is a schematic fragmented perspec~iv~ view
of a drive mechanism transmitting clockwise and
countesclockwise ~otion to ~he laminating rolls;
Fig. 31 is a schematic fragmented perspective view
o~ mechanism for efÇec~ing control of the film feed
rolls;
Fi.g. 32 is an end view of a support member provided
for the left end of the upper laminating roll and for
the right end of the lower laminating roll, as seen in
Fig. 25;
Fig. 33 i~ a view taken along the lines 33-33 of
Fig. 32;
Fig. 34 is an end view of a support member provided
for the right end of the upper l,aminating roll and for
the le~t end o~ the lower laminating roll, as seen in
Pig. 25;
Fig. 35 i~ a view taken along the lines 35-35 of
Fig. 345
Fig. 36 is a front view of a flange that is pro-
vided for supporting each of ~he ends of the upper and
lower tacking ba~, as se~n in Fig. 25;
Fig. 37 i~ a view taken along the line~ 37-37 of
Fig. 36;
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Fig. 30 is a front view o~ a bearing retaining
flange for the upper and lower left ~ids bearing~ o~ the
tacking ~nd lamina~ing assembl~d structur~ hown in
Fig. 25;
Fig. 39 i~ a ~iew taken along the line3 39-39 of
Fig. 38;
Fig. 40 i~ a ~ront view o~ ~ flange for the upper
right side bearings of the ta~klng and laminatlng
:; asse~bled struc~ure, as shown in Fig. 25;
Fig. 41 is a view taken ~long the line 41-41 of
! Fig. 40;
Fig~ 42 is a front view of a flange ~or the lower
right side bearing of the tacking and laminating struc-
ture, as shown in Pig. 25;
Pig. 43 is a view taken along the lines 43-43 of
Fig. 42S
Pig9~ 44 and 45 (located on the same sheet of drawings as
` Figs. 40 and 41) are plan and end views, respectively, of an
~ eccentric pivot employed for the ball bearings in Fig. 25;
: 20 Figs. 46 and 47 (located on the same sheet of drawings as
: Figs. 40, 41, 44 and 45) are plan and end views, respectively,
of the fiLm guiding structure;
Fi~. 48 is a plan view of an angularly adjustable
shoulder that is provided at each end of each of the
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tacking/cutting devioes and lar~ination rolls or the
support thereof;
Fig. 49 i a view ta~en along the line~ 49-49 of
~ig. 4~;
Fi~. 50 is a view illustrating ehe upport of ~he
tacking/cutting nd lamination roil structures by the
angularly adju3tahle shoulders and the actuation of the
latt~r to e~fect movements of the tacking/cut~ing
devices and the laminating roll~ toward and away ~rom a
board to be laminated;
l~ig. Sl illu~trAtes electrom~gnetic coupling
devices for controlling the ~elective actuation of the
tacking/cutting devices and of the la~inating rolls;
Fig. 52 is a perspective view of a contacting type
temperature detector that is employed for measuring the
surface temperature of oach of the laminating rolls;
.
Pig. 53 is a cro~s sectional view taken ~long the
lines 53-53 of Fig. 52;
Fig. 5~ i~ a view in side elevation showing the
temperature detector in rolling contact wi~h a lamina-
tion roll; and
Fig. 55 (located on the same sheet of drawings as Figs.
48 and 49) is a perspective view illustrating a cabinet in
which the main body of the laminator is housed and a mobile
cabinet housing electronic controls for the laminator.
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The prior art lnmina~ors ~re oharacterized in that
the portion of the film web at th~ leading end thereof
that i~ t~cked to the bo~rd haY a length of a f~w milli-
meter~ only. Moreover, the location where the end of
the film web is tacked ~o the board i3 spaced a distance
of ~everal centimeter~ from where the laminating action
begins. Upon completion of the tacking opera~ion, the
board i~ puQh~d forward under a lamination roll in the
laminating station. This action subject3 the film web
to a pulling force which places the film web under ten-
sion. Such tenqion on the film web createq a problem,
giving rise to a critical qieuation, a~ ~here i~ a ten-
denry for the film web to be pulled away from and off
the board from the r2gion where it had been tacked,
laminating action not yet having begun, a~ illustrated
herein in Fig. 1 of the drawing~.
A critical situation developq also, when a single
side only of a board is being larninated. In thi3 case,
the pulling force and resulting tenqion on the film web
tends to cau~e the board to bend. This problem is most
pronounced with thin boards, a~ illustrated herein in
Fig. 2 of the drawings.
The tendency for ~uch cri~ical situations to deve-
lop with ~he prior art laminators requires that the
tacking be effected under high pres~ure and temperature
for a sufficient time to effect a tight ~ond and al~o
place~ a re~triction on the m3gnitude of the force that
may be applied to the film web while the board is being
advanced toward the laminating ~tation, and hence, on
the ~peed a~ which the board may be ~o advanced. These
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factor3 detract ~eriously from the efficiency of lamina-
tion and a~e ~ignificant in de~ermining the number of
bo~rd~ that m~y be satisfactorily laminated in any given
period.
Another factor ~hat i~ a de~erminant of the effi~
ciency of lamination is the film web cutting time, that
i~, the elapsed time required for the ro~ary cutting
blade to be moved acroSQ the width of the film web to
efect the fllm sheet portion cutting action. With the
rotary blade cutting system of the prior art, the
elapsed time reguired for cutting the film web is suf-
ficiently long, being of the order of several ~econds,
that it also is a qignificant factor in de~ermining
laminating efficiency, not only in respect of reducing
the nllmber of boardc that may be laminated in a given
period but also in respect oÇ r~stricting the shortest
length of board that may be laminated in the m~chine to
a size larger than desired.
Thus, there exists a need and a demand for improve-
ment in the method of ~nd appari~tu~ employed for
tacking, laminating, and film c~tting to the end of
achieving greater efficiency and reliability of lamina-
tion. The present invention wa3 deYised to fill the
technological gap tha~ has existed in ~he art in these
` 25 respects.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an
improved method of and apparatu for ~acking and lami-
nating film sheet to board~ or other sub~trates or s~p-
port members which avoids the afo~ementloned problem~
encouneered in the prior art in ~he production of film
sh~et laminated products.
The present invention, in one aspect, resides in a
process for la~inating a film of material to a board
having a face, a forward end, and a rearward end,
comprising the sequential steps of:
(a) gripping the board and advancing it in a
predetermined plane ko pOSitiOI) a ~ace portion of the
forward end thereof in cooperat:ive relation with first
and second surfaces that alternately are movable toward
and away therefrom;
(b) supplying along a curvled film guiding surface a
length of film of material hav~ng a leading end with the
leading end thereof held adiacent said first movable
2~ surface, said curved film guiding sur~ace having a centre
of curvature that is Dffset with respect to an axis that
is closer to the predetermined plane and is movable
substantially perpendicularly toward and away from the
predetermined plane;
: 25 (e) initiating movement of said first movable
surface in a path substantially perpendicular to said
` predetermined plane to press the leading Pnd o~ the film
: into pressure contact with the ~orward face portion of
the board thereby to tack the leading end of ~he film
thereto;
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(d) while maintaining the board immobile,
initiating movement of said first surface to effect the
separation thereof ~rom the forward face portion of the
board and to effect the rotation thereof eccentrically
about said axis to a waiting posi-tion and simultaneously
initiating movement of the second movable surface into
pressure contact with substantially the same forward face
portion of the board to which the leading end of the film
had been tacked; and
]o (e) advancing the board relatively to the second
movable surface, with pressure contact maintained
therebetween to press the film along the length thereof
to the face of the board.
The present invention also provides a process for
15 laminating a film of material to ~ach board in a
succession of boards each of which has a face, a forward
end, and a rearward end, comprlsing the sequential steps
of:
(a) gripping the leading board of the ~uccession of
boards and advancing such boardl in a predetermined plane
to position a face portion of t:he ~orward end thereof in
cooperative relation with first and second surfaces that
alternately are movable toward and away therefrom;
(b) supplying along a cu:rved film guiding surface
:~ 2~ a length o~ film of material ~aving a leading end with
the leading end thereof held adjacent said first mc~vable
surface, said curved film guiding sur~ace having a center
of curvature that is offset with respect to an axis that
is closer to the predetermined plane and is movable
su~stantially perpendicularly toward and away from the
predetermined plane;
(c) initiating movement of said first movable
surface in ~ path substantially perpendicular to said
predeterminsd plane to press the leading end of ~aid film
into pressure contact with the forward face portion of
the board thereby to tack the leading end of the film
thereto;
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(d) while maintaining the board immobile,
initiating movement of ~aid first movable surface to
effect the separation thereof from the forward face
portion of the board and to effect the rotation thereof
eccentrically about said axis to a waiting position and
simultaneously initiating movement of the second mova~le
surface into pressure contact with substantially the same
forward face portion of the board to which the leading
end of the film had been tacked;
(e) advancing the board relatively to the second
; movable surface, with pressure contact maintained
therebetween, to press and film along the length thereof
to the face of the board; and
(f) repeating steps (a) through ~e) for each of the
remaining boards in the succession o~ support me~bers.
In another aspect, the present invention resides in
a laminator for pressing a film sh~et that is cut from a
continuous film web having a leading end onto the surface
:~ of a board having a foL~ard end and a rearward end,
comprising:
a main body;
conveyor means extending on both sides of the main
body for advancing a board having uppar and lower
surfaces through the main body with the board being so
positioned that the upper and lower surfaces thereof are
closely adjacent to and parallel to a Pixed plane;
support frames provided in the main body;
a taGking and laminating station positioned between
the support frames in th~ path of the conveyor means;
first film web supplying means arranged in the main
body above said convey~r means ~or supplying a irst
continuous film web along a predetermined path to the
; tacking and laminating station;
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first tacking means for tacking a leading end of the
first continuous film web to the upper surface of the
board,
first means mounted between said frame members for
moving said tacking means in a predetermined path toward
the upper surface of the board at the tacking station to
tack the leading end of the first continuous film web to
a position at the forward end of the board and for moving
said tacking means away from the board upon completion of
the tacking operation;
first pressure roller means for pressing the first
continuous film web received from the first film web
supplying means onto the upper surface of the board in a
continuous operation from the forward end of the board
1~ to the rearward end thereof;
said first means including first supporting member
means for supporting said first pressure roller means
for rotation about a first axils, said first supporting
member means having a first peripheral substantially
circular surface portion positioned about a second axis,
said first axis and said second axis being positioned in
spaced and substantially para].lel relation with each
other and with said fixed pla:ne with said ~irst axis
closer to said fixed plane than said second axiR,
~irst flange means for supporting said first tacking
means for rotation about said second axis, said first
~lange means being positioned for rotation about said
first peripheral substantially circular surface portion
of said first supporting member means;
first movable means for moving said first flange
: means and said first supporting member means toward andaway from a predetermined position of said fixed plane
in concert with rotation of said first tacking means
about said second axis, whereby to enable a movement of
said first tacking means and then of said first pressure
roller means into substantial coincidence with said
predetermined position on said fixed plane; and
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second means for holding the board immobile during
the interval between the completion of the tacking
operation and the beginning of the pressure rolling
operation whereby the pressure rolling operation is made
to begin at substantially the same said position at the
forward end of the board at which the end of th~ first
film web had been tacked thereto thereby to preclude the
production of a pulling force on the tacXed leading end
of the film web as the board is advanced through said
main body by said conveyor means.
The present invention further provides in
combination,
a lamination roll;
supporting member means for supporting said
lamination roll for rotation about a first axis, said
6upporti.ng member means having a peripheral
substantially circular ~urfac~ positioned about a second
axis, ~aid first and second axes being positioned in
spaced and substantially parallel relation with each
other and with a fixed plane wi1:h said first ~xis closer
to said plane than said second axis;
a tacking bar;
flange means for 6upporting sa~d tacking bar for
rotation about ~aid second axis, sald ~lange ~eans ~eing
2~ positioned for rotation about aid peripheral surface of
said supporting means; and
movable means ~or moving 6aid flange means and said
supporting member means toward and Away from a
predetermined position in ~aid plane in concert with
rotation of said tacking bar about sai~ second axis,
whereby to enable movement ~irst o~ said tacking
bar and then ~f said lamination roll into substantially
coincidence with said predetermined position o~ said
: plane.
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The ~spect~ of ~he inve~t~on ns des~ribe~ in the
preceding paragraph~ in page 8c-12 sre ~160 disclosed,
~nd ~re claimed, in my Canad~nn Patent ApplicatiPn No.
604,338 filed June 29, 1989, ncw Canadian Patent No. 1,299,476, issued
April 28, 1992.
Acc~rding t~ a further aspect o~ ~he present
invention there is provided ~ t~perat~re dete~tor for
~easurlng the temperature of a mov~ng surface~comprising,
~n ~longated bl~ur~t~d ~uppos~ member ha~ing fir~t
~na ~cona ~ld~s wl~h the branohes ~h~resf ha~ing ~or-
ward ~dge port$0n3 ~
a bollow pin exten ia~ ~etween and ~upport~d by the
n~id f~rwsrd ~dyc psrtion~ of ~ br~n~h~ of ~a1~ ~up-
port me~bor, ~a1~ hollow p$n hav1ng ~ ~ir~t en~ wr~pped
around raid 1rrt ~ldc o~ ~a~d ~upport ~e~ber nd
reta~ned ln a groove therein and ha~ag ~ ~eoond end
ter~$natlng ~t ~aid 3eoond ~lde o sald ~upporS ~ember,
a hollow ~12evq be~s~n~ po~ition-~l fo~ rotation on
~aid hollow pln betweon th2 br~nch~ o~. ~aid nupport
~e~ber,
~ bu~hing or ~ld hollow sleeve ~e~ring comprising
a thin lAyer o the~mopla~tic polyester rQinfo~oed with
qlas ~bsr, and
a ~hermocoupl~ oxt~nding cnto s~id ~econd end of
s~id hollo~ pin with the hot ~unction thereof 3ubstan-
tially coin~id~nt~l with the c~ntor cf ~otation o ~aid
hollow sloe~ ~earing.
The present invention further provides an automatic
centering device for centering a board being conveyed
into a ~achine, said bo2rd h~ving parallel 6ide edges,
comprising:
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-14- ~32~2~
msanJ providinq Ddjust~ble spac~d parallel edges
bctween whlch s2id board i8 conveyed with the 3ide edges
thereo substantially parallel to said adjustable
~pDced par~ l edge~,
~eversible motor means,
screw means,
s~id rever~ible motor means and scrPw means being
connected between ~aid adjustable spaced parallel edges
fos effecting lateral displ~cement thereof,
a pair of vor~ically 3paced ~lonqated parallel
~irror~ between which ~ald board in moved as s~id board
i3 conveyed into the machine, said mirrors having adja-
cent fir~t end3 and adjacent ~lecond ends and positioned
~ub~tantially perp~ndicularly ~with respect to said
adjustable spaced parallel edglen,
modulated in~rared beam emittlng mean3 positioned
adjacent 3aid ~ir~t end~ of said mirrors,
infrared bea~ receiving meAn5 ponitioned atjacent
~aid second end~ of said ~irror~ and operative to respond
to infrared reflections ~herebetween thereby to provide a
~ignal to n~id rever~ible motor mean~ that said board is
between said mirrors for e~ecting energization thereof in
the direction to close ~id parallel edge~ to centes ~aid
board,
a ~lowing down photocell po~itioned above each of
said adju~table ~paced parallel edge~, each of ~aid
~lowing down photocells being arranged to respond to ~he
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pr~sence of ~ald bo~rd to provide ~ si~nal for ~octing
a decr~ase àn ~he energi~tion of ~aid r~ver~bls motor,
a a~op phoeoo~ll po~itioned ~bove ~ach o~ ~ id
adjust~bl~ spaeed parallel edge~ ~n~ ~rranqed to respond
S ta tbe pre~ence of ~aid board to pravide ~ ~ig~al or
e~fecting a di3con~inuaflce o~ tho enerqi3ation of ~id
r~ver~ible motor, ~nd
~ ervocontrol ~g3n3 to wbiGh ~aid ~ign~ rom ~aid
infrared beam receivin~ ~ean~, 310w~ng down photocells,
and Qtop photocells are ~pplled ~or con~rollin~ the
operation of ~aid reversibl~ ~otor meanY to close
~aid adjustable npaced parallel edges to center said
board, the ~ignals from raid slowing down photocell~
being operntlve to ef~ect ~ slowing down action on ~aid
rever~lblo motor mehns, an~ the ~lgnal~ ~ro~ said ~top
photocells being oporative to efoct ~topping of sald
r~ver~ otos mean~ r
~ her~by preci~e c~tering o ~aid boArd is effected
with the ~ide edges thereof pa~ l to ~id ~djustsble
- ~0 Qp~C~ parallol ~dges.
The automatic centering device as defined above
is also disclosed, and is claimed, in Canadian Patent
Application No. 616,283 filed January 10, 1992, a
divisional of Canadian Patent No. 1,299,476 issued
April 28, 1992, and of which the present application
is a divisional.
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-16- ~3232~
Another object of the invention is to pr~vide a
method o~ tacking and laminating the leading end of a
film web to the forward end o~ a board to b~ laminated
that enables, compared to the laminators of the prior
art, not only a reduction in time required ~or the
tacking operation but also a reduction in the temperature
and pressure required for the tacking operation.
A further object of the invention is t~ provide, in
a laminator used for production of film sheet laminated
boards or other substra~es or support members, a method
for minimizing the elapsed time required ~or cutting a
film web p~rtion from a continuous length of film web to
form ~ fllm sheet wi~hout interrupting the laminating
operation.
Still ~nother object of the invention i~ to provide
~n automaticAlly operative laminator for carrying out
the above-mentioned methods.
In accordance with ~he present invention, the
method of tacking and laminating ~i.lm ~heet to boards
or other sub trates ur ~upport member3 involves the
steps of tran~ferring a blank board or other support
member into cooperative relation with a film web supply
sy~tem of the laminator, tacking the leading end of a
continuous film web f om a reel of f~lm to a forward end
~ 25 portion of the board, an~ starting the lamination of the
; film web to the board at the same po~ition or region a~
which the tacking ha3 been effected, wi~h the board
~; being held mo~ionle3s between the ~acking operation and
the beginning of the laminating operation. Thus, in the
interval between the tacking operation and the beginning
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-17- ~3232~9
of the l~minating operation, ~he film web iR not ~ub-
jected to a pulling force, as in the laminators of the
prior art, which pulling force ~ends to pull the film
web off thP board from where it has been tacked. As a
consequence, in accordance with the pre~ent invention,
the tacking operation no longer i3 a critical under-
taking and can be performed s~cce~s~ully at low tem-
perature and pressure and in a minlmum of time.
Pulling force on the film web, as the board is moved
into the laminating mode, i3 not a factor, as in the
prior art, in determining the number o boarclq th~ may
be laminated in a given period~ Additionally, single
side lamination of boards i3 possible without any
involvement o~ the bending problem with thin board~ that
has been encountered in the prior art.
The system provided in accordance with the present
invention or cutting the film web i~ of the shears
type, The elapsed time required or cutting acro~ the
entire width o~ the film with thi~ cutting syste~ is
extremely short, being about 0.3 secondq. This i5
shorter by about a factor of 10 than the elapsed time
required by the prior art rotary blade cutters.
The cutting unit in accordance with the inv2ntion
~ is loc~ted eccentrically with respect to the lamination
; 25 rolls, ~aking it possible in one embodiment of the
invention for the minimum board length to be very short,
specifically 170 mm. ~6.7 incheq) in one embodiment of
the invention. The cutting structure is simple and very
efficient. The cutting blade i~ required to travel a
distance o~ only a few millimeters.
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-18- ~3~32~9
~hus, the present invention enable th~ achievement
of a highly efficient lamination operation, a~ tacking
and cutting are in no way critical.
Whil~ the present invention is described in connec-
tion with the application of dry film3 of photspolymer
resist material for use in the manufaoture of prin~ed
circ~lit boards, i will be understood that the films ~or
application to boards or other sub~trates may be masking
or other films or sheets and that the boardY or sub-
strates to which the film sheet: is applied may comprise
copper laminated glass epoxy ~ard, paper board, plastic
board, etc., in accordance witb the application re~uire-
ments. The thickness o~ the boards or sub~trates may be
in the range from 0.1 to 4.0 m~. ~0.004 to O.lS inches).
The various feature~ of novelty which characterize
the invention are pointed out with particularity in the
claims annexed to and forming a part of thi~ sp~cifica-
tion. For a better understanding of the inven~ion, its
operating advantages, and specific objects attained by
its use. reference is made to the sccompanying drawings
and de~criptiv~ matter in which a prs~erred embodiment
o the invention is illustrated.
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--19-
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a laminator 10
according to the prior art. As shown, the laminator 10
comprises input rolls 12, a reel 14 of film 16, a
S tacking bar 18 and lamination rolls 20. The input rolls
12 push or advance a board 22 to be lamina~ed along a
track lnot shown~ to bring the forward end 24 thereof
into a position where it is in cooperative relation wi~h
the leading end 26 of the film 16 and ~he tacking bar
18. The board i~ stopped at that position following
which the tacking bar 18 i~ moved down to exert force
upon and thereby to ~ack the leading end 26 of the film
16 to the forward end 24 of the b~ard 22. After the
tacking operation, the board 22 is pushed forward by the
; 15 input rolls 12 under the la~ination rolls 20. The
lamination rolls 20 are spaced ,a distance, typically
several centimeters, forward of the tacXing bar 18 in the
path o~ movement o the board 22. This gives rise to a
critical situation as the film .16, which is tacked to
the board for only a few millimeters along the length
thereof, is ~ubjected to a pulling force. It ~ay
happen, and there is a natural dispo~ition toward such
happening, th~t the leading end 26 of the film 16 will
be pulled fro~ the board 22 as indicated at 28. This
necessitates the use of heat and pre~sure for a
sufficient time to ensure a good bond during the tacking
operation, and movement forward of the board 22 at a
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~ 3232~
-~o-
rate sufficiently slow to preclude pulling the end of
film 16 off the board 22, thus reducing the laminating
: efÇiciency, and resulting in a corresponding reduction
in the number of boards 22 that may be la~ina~ed with a
sheet of film 16 in a given period of time.
Fig. 2 schematically illu~trates the bending of
boards, particularly of thin board~, that i9 encountered
with the arrangement of the tacking bar 18 and
lamination rolls 20 of the prior art laminators. As
shown in Fig. 2, the pulling force on the film 16, as
the board 22 to be laminated is pushed forward, causes
: the forward or leading end of the board to be bentupward in single side lamination. The board 22 bends
since the film 16 has been tacked on one side only,
there being no countervailing force on the other side.
Single side lamination, particu:Larly of inner layers on
thin boards, thus, is critical and r~duces laminating
eÇÇiciency.
DSSCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIM~NT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Fig. 3, the laminator 30 of the
present invention comprises upper and lower suitably
heated lamination rolls 32 and 34 that are paired,
respectively, with upper and lower tacking/cutting
device~ 36 and 33 in a tacking and laminating ~ta~ion
.
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;~
~232~9
~21
39. Devices 36 and 38 revolve eccentrically with
respect to the lamination roll 32 or 34 ehat is
as ociated therewith. During the various steps in the
lamination procesY, the pair o~ lamination rolls and
; 5 ~acking/cutting devices 32, 36 and 34, 38 are
simultaneously pushed from opposite directions, that is,
from upper and lower positions, as seen in Fig. 3,
against opposing sides of a board 40 to be laminated,
and moved apart from it.
The laminator 30, a~ shown in Fig. 3, comprises, in
addition, a main body 42, an input conveyor means 44,
and an output conveyor means 46 for the boards 40 to be
laminated. To provide for the lamination of a ~ilm
sheet simultaneously on both sides of the board 40, the
laminator main body 42 is arrarlged symmetrically with
respect to the pair o~ lamination rolls and
tacking/cutting devices 32, 36 and 34, 38 and the planes
containLng the input conveyor Means 44 and the output
conveyor means 46.
Each incoming board 40 is detected and rentered by
an automatic centering device 48 which is illu~trated in
Fig. 4, although not shown in Fig 3. Detailed descrip- ;
tions of the au~omatic centering device 48 and the
manner of the operation thereof are provided
hereinafter.
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-22- ~3232~9
Associated with the automatic centering device 48
is a front centering and front edge adjustment device 50
which is illustrated in Fig. S. Device S0 include3 a
barrier 54 that is positioned in cooperative relation
with a lower input roll 52 and an upper input roll 56.
As advanced into the laminator 30 by the input conveyor
means 44, each incoming board 40 normally rests on the
lower input roll 52 with the front edge 41 thereof moved
into abutting relation with the barrier 54. 5uch
movement causes the front edge 41 of the board 40 to be
angularly shifted to squarely face the tacking and
laminating station 39 if not already in such a position.
Upon lowering thereof into contact with the board 40, as
shown in Fig. 6, the upper input roll 56 grips the
board 40. The lower roll 52 rotates and advances the
board 40 into the laminating station 39.
A~ shown in Fig. 5, the lower input roll 52 is
actuated by a rack 52a that i9 fixed to the shaft of an
air cylinder 52b. The rack 52a is positioned in
cooper~tive relation with a pinion 52c that is fixedly
attached to the shaft 52d of the lower input roll 54.
The travel of the cylinder, and consequently, the
number of revolutions of the lower input roll 52 and the
dis~ance advanced by the board 40 are deter~ined by a
positive stop on the cylinder 52b. The travel of the
shaft of the cylinder 52b depends upon the po3ition of
the positive ~top.
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-23- 13232~9
The positive stop (or register) is mo~ed by a d.c.
micromotor ~not shown~ which may be similar to the motor
used for ~he auto~atic centering device 48 described
hereinafter. The d.c. micromotor is controlled dir ctly
by a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) in accordance with
an edge value preset by the operator.
j:
-~ The front barrier 54 which stops the board 40 with
the forward edge 41 squarely facing the laminating
station 39, that is, in parallel relation with respect
~o the tacking bars of the-tacking and cutting devices
36 and 38, Ls actuated by an independent air cylinder
56a and a lever 56b. Specifically, one end of lever 56b
is connected to the end of the shaft of the cylinder 56a
and the other end thereof is fixedly attached to the
lower end of the basrier 54 which, as best ~een in
Figs. 6 and 7, is L-shaped.
~ hen the lamlna~or 30 is in operation, the output
conveyor means 46 travel~ at the perlpheral speed of
the lamination roll~ 32 and 34. Th~ speed of the input
conveyor means 44 is not relatPd to the speed of the
; laminating rolls 32 and 34. Actually, the input
conveyor means 44 stops after the board 40 ha~ been
centered and brough~ forward again~t the barrier 54.
The laminator 30 includes plate-like support frames
at the opposite sides thereof, of which one only, that
.
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~32~209
-24-
bearing reference numeral 58, is shown in Fig. 3.
Rotatably mounted between the support frames are two
film supply rolls or reels ~0 and 62 of dry film photo-
resist material, two film feed rolls 64 and 66, two
take-up rolls 68 and 70, two guide rolls 72 and 7g, two
stripping rolls 76 and 7B, and two tension roll~ 80 and
82.
Each reel 60 and 62 carries a re~pectively asso-
ciated continuous film web &4 and 86 wound around the
circumference thereof. The film web~ 8~ and 86 are each
laminated with a re pectively a~sociated protective
materlal 8# and 90, which protective material may be
polyethylene. Each of the protective materials 88 and
90 i~ stripped rom the associated fllm web 84 and 86 by
the respectively associated stripping roll 76 or 78 and
i9 wound up on the respectively associated take-up roll
68 or 70,
Associated with each of the stripping rolls 76 and
78 i9 a respectively a~ociated cutting blade 92 and 94
for effecting long;tudinal cutting of the dry film webs
84 and ~6. Means not shown in Fig. 3 may be provided
for e~fecting lateral adju~tment of the cu~ting blades
:~
92 and 94 with respec~ to the film webs 84 and 86 for
acco~modating the lamination of boardR 40 of different
widths.
:;
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~3~3~9
25-
Positioned between the support ~rames 5~ are the
lamination rolls 32 and 34 and the respectively asso-
ciated eccen~ric tackinq/cuttinq devices 36 and 38. The
film webs 84 and 86 are drawn in sliding relationship
S over a respsctively associated fixed curved film guiding
surface 96 and 98, which guiding surfaces are asiociated
: with the tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38.
As beqt ~een in Fig. 8, the tacking/cuttlng d~ivice
36 and the associated lamination roll 32 i9 positioned
above a plane lO0 in which boards 40 to be laminated are
: placed while the tac~ing/cutting device 38 and lamina-
tion roll 34 are positioned below the plane lO0.
In Figs. 3 and 8, the path3 through which the
tackin~/cutting devices 36 and 38 move as they are
rotated about the respectively associated lamination
rolls 32 and 34 are indicated by the ;eference numerzls
lOl and 103.
In a flrst ~tep .in the operation of the laminator
30, the tacking/cutting devices 35 and 3~ converge
si~ultaneously ~rom opposite directions toward a board ~-
40 placed in the plane lO0 to pres~ and thereby tack the
leading end of a respectively as~vciated film web 84 and -~
,~ 86 against the for~ard end thereof. In a second ~tep,
while the devices 36 and 38 are being separated and with
the board 40 being maintained immobile, ehe lamination
;
roll~ 32 and 34 converge simultaneously from opposite
directions toward the board 40 to pre~q ehe tacked
. . .
13232~9 `
26-
.~
leading end of an associated one of the films 84 and 86
ayainst the board at precisely the same posi~ion where
tacking had been effected. The board 40 is then
advanced to effect the lamination o~ the film webs to
S the surface thereo by the lamination rolls 32 and 34.
The tacking/cutting device~ 36 and 38 include
respectively associated suitable heated tacking bars 102
and 104. The tacking bars 102 and 104, as best seen in
Fig. 25, are mounted between re3pectively associated
pair of 1ange~ 150, 162 and 17~, 186.
Angularly po~itioned on a vacuum sector 107 on the
oppo~ite sides of the tacking bar 102 are vacuu~ shoes
106 and 108 which have respectively associated film web
contacting ~urfaces 110 and 112. Similarly angularly
positioned on a vacuum sector 115 on the opposite
~ides of the tacking bar 104 aee vacuum shoes 114 and
116 having ~im~lar respectively associated film web
` contacting surfaces. The vacuum ~hoe~ 106, 108, 114 and
`` 116 may be connected to a common vacuum source such, for
example, as a vacuum pump (not shown) by individually
associated branch vacuum lines ~not shown). A separate
control valve may be provided in each such line.
The tacking bars 102 and 104 are rotatable in oppo-
site directions around the respectively associated lami-
nation roll 32 and 34 during the opera~ion of the
laminator 30. Speclfically, the tackin~ bar 102 is
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-27- 13232~9
rotatable in a counterclockwise direction and the
tacking bar 104 in a cl~ckwise direction viewing, as
seen in Fig. 8.
Fig. ~ shows a board 40 to be laminated positioned
under the tacking/cutting de~ice 36 and associated lami-
nation roll 32. The tacking/cutting device 38 and asso-
ciated lamination roll 34 are not shown in Fig. 9 in the
interest of brevity of illu~tration inasmuch a~ the
device 3fl and lamination roll 34 substantially comprise
a mirror image of device 36 and lamination roll 32.
Initially, the two tacking/cutting devices 36`and
38 are stationary and are held apart from each other in
the correct position to ef~ect the desired tacking of
the re~pective leading ends of the ~ilm webs 84 and 86
to the opposite sides of the board 40 at the forward end
thereof. The fllm web 84, as shown in Fig. 9, iq drawn
over tho Eixed curved surface 96 and is held in position
by suctlon force provided by the vacuum qhoe 110, with
the leading end of the film web 84 being positioned
under and adjacent the tackinq bar 102.
In effecting the tacking operation, a~ shown in
Fig. 10, the tacking/cutting device 36 i~ movad toward
the board 40 to cause the tacking bar 102 to presq the
leading end of the film web 34 firmly into contact with
the surface of the board 40 adjacent the forward end
thereof. The tacking temperature, presqure, and time
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132~2~9
-28-
are all adjustable. When the tacking operation has been
completed, the film web 84 is not subjected to any
pulling force until after the lamination operation
begins. The tacking, therefore, can be effected at low
temperature and pressure and in a minimum time. At this
point, the vacuum in the vacuum shoes 106 and 114 i~
released by the activation of two electrovalves.
The tacking of the film web 8S to the opposi~e side
of the board 40 by the tacking/cutting device 3a is
effec~ed simultaneously with the tacking of film ~eb 84
to the board 40, and in a similar manner, by causing the
tacking bar 104 to press the leading end of the film web
86 against the board 40 adjacent the forward end
thereof.
After the tacking operation has been completed, the
two eccentric tacking devices 36 and 38 are moved apart,
with the film webs 84 ant 86 tacked to the board 40, as
shown ln Fig. 11.
In the continued sequence of operation of the lami-
20 nator 30, as shown in Fig. 12, with the board 40 being
maintained immobile, the tacking device 36 is rotated
counterclockwise to a waiting poqition indicated by
reference number 105. The tackiny device 38 is rotated
clockwise to a similar waiting position.
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~32~209
-29-
In rotating from the tacking position to the
waiting poYition 105 shown for the tacking device 36,
the contacting qurface~ 112 and 110 a~ ociated respec-
tively with the vacuum shoes 108 and 106 engage the film
web 84 and lift it off the curved fiLm guiding surface
96. The contacting surfaces a~Rociated wi~h the vacuum
device~ 116 and 114 of tacking device 38 similarly
engage the film web 86 and lift it off it~ associated
curved fil~ guiding surface 98. At the same ~ime each
of the lamination rollq 32 and 34 i5 moved to clo~e on ~`
the board 40 at the ~ame line position or region across
`~ 10 the width of the respectively associated film web 84 and
.~ 86 where the tacking had been effected. The lamination
rolls 32 and 34 press the as~ociated film webs 84 and 86
against the oppo~ite surfaceq of the board 40, and
' advance the board 40 therebetween. With the tension
lS roll~ 80 and 82 applying ten~ion to the film webs 84 and
86, respectively, the laminating rolls 32 and 34 ~tart
: to lamlnate the film web~ B4 and 86 thereto, a~
~ illu~trated in Fig. 13, a~ a speed, temperatore and
.~ pr~ure that may be pre~et.
Thus, in the operation o the laminator 30, the
contacting surface 102a of the tacking bar 102 and an
. upper forward portion of the board 40 form a fir~t pair
of relatively converging ~urfaces for tacking the
leading end of the film web 84 to the board with the
:~ 25 surface of the laminating roll 32 and the upper forward
. .
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~L~232~9
. -30-
portion of the bo~rd 40 forming a second pair of rela-
tively converging surfaceq. Similarly, the contacting
surface 104a of the tacking bar 104 and a lower forward
portion of the board 40 form another pair of relatively
S converging surfaces, which for convenience, is termed
hereinafter a third pair of relatively converginq
surfaces with a fourth pair of relatively converging
surfaces being formed by the laminating roll 34 and the
lower forward portion of the board 40.
When the end of the board 40 being laminated is
detected, as by means of photocell 118 as illustrated in
Fig. 14, the tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38 begin
revolving around the respectively associated lamina~ion
roll 32 and 34 toward the tacking po~ition at a speed
that i~ the same as that of the! asaociated film webs 84
and ~6. At the same time, an individually associated
movable cutting blade 120 of the shears type, as
~hown in Plg. lS, i9 actuated t:o sever the continuous
length of each of the film webs 84 and 86 to form film
sheets of such length aa to fit or match the length of
the board 40 to which the film sheets are being
laminated. In efecting sucb cutting, the movable
cutting blade 120 cooperatea with a fixed cutting blade
or counterblade 121 ~hat i3 fixedly positioned adjacent
the tacking bar 102. The fixed blade 121 is sometimes
referred to he~einafter a3 the counterblade and the
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-31- ~3232~9
blade 120 as the movable blade. The cutting action, as
shown in Fig. 14, start3 at the po~itioned designated
~START CUTTING" and end~ at the position designated "END
CUTTING.~ The cutting blade 120 i~ advanced at a speed
that i~ the same as that of the film 84 along a path
that i~ that same as that of the tacking bar 102 and
fixed cutting blade 121.
The cutting system includes a mechanism for
effecting the coupling of the movable cutting blade and
the counterblade for cutting operation for each of the
; tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38 and for effecting such
operation.
The complete cutting unit for the tacking/cutting
device 36, indicated by the reference numeral 122 in
lS Fig. 15, ro~ate~ around the upper lamination roll 32
during the film cutting operation, and follows the
movement of the fil~ 84. While the tackinq/cutting
device for only the tacking/cutting unlt 36 is described
herein, it wlll be understood that the cutting unit for
the tacking~cueting device 38 may be substantially
identical to the cutting unit 122.
` The fixed blade 121 i3 mounted on the rotatable
vacuum sector 107, in close contact with the tacking bar
102, and i~ rotatable with the vacuum shoe 106 through a
çomplete revolution, that i~, through 360, a3 indicated
by the arrow 109 in Fis. 15.
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l3~32as
-32-
~ he movable blade 120 is straight and i~ provided
wi~h a 5 mm. cog 120a at a first end. ~lade 120 is kept
in the rest position shown in Figs. 15 and 16 by a
contrast cylinder 120b which supports the blade moving
mechanism to which it is connec~ed. When the rotating
sector 107 ha~ completed the tacking operation and has
been moved to a rest position, the movable blade 120 is
moved angularly in~o a diagonal position by cylinder
120c so that the cog 120a protrude~. Thi~ diagonal
position is indicated by the dotted line~ in Pigs. lS
and 16.
When the rotating sector 107 receive~ a command
from the PLC to rotate, to follow the film a4 and to
effect the transver~a cutting thereof, the counterblade
15 121 is moved agaln~t the cog 120a with the re~ult that
the two blades 120 and 121 are moved along toqether.
` The contra~t cylinder 120b does not have enough
force to preclude the movement of the rotating sector
107, but it keep~ the movable blade 120 and the
counterblade 121 closely coupled to each other.
A~ soon a-~ the movable blade 120 and the
counterblade 121 are coupled, a cylinder 120d having a
double stem actuates levers 120e and 120f. The levers
120e and 120f, by means o cam~ 120g and 120h, push the
.
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1323209
-33-
movable blade 120 at both ends thereof with the result
that the film 84 is cut, the film 84 beinq positioned
between the movable blade 120 and the counterblade 121.
In order to ensure that the~movable blade 120 is
always in close contact with the counterblade 121, a
spring 120i ha~ been provided.
After the cutting of the film has been completed,
the rotating sector 107 and the coupled movable blade
120 and counterblade 121 stop. The csntrast cylinder
120b is actuated in the same direction as the previous
rotation so that the coupling cog 120a of the movable
blade 120 is released from the counterblade 121, as
5; shown in Fig. 21. The two cyl.inders 120c and 120d are
then reset and the movable blade 120 is returned to the
rest position thereof together with the attached
coupling cog 120a. At this time, the contrast cylinder
120b ls reset and the movable mechanism 122 together
with the movable blade 120 is returned to the rest posi-
tion, as ~hown in Fig. 22.
The severing o~ the film webs ~4 and 86 is made in
0.3 o~ a second. The c~tting operation is completed
when the tacking/cutting deviceq 36 and 38 have been
revolved approximately half the distance between the
-34~ 1 3 2 3 2 ~ ~
waiting position 105 and the tacking position. After
being severed, the trailing end of each film sheet is
held away from the board 40 being laminated by the asso-
ciated vacuum shoe 108 and 116, thereby avoiding any
S tendency for the film sheet to wrinkle while the lamina-
tion thereof continues.
. ~
~ s soon as the lamination is completed, as shown in
Fig. 24, the lamination rolls 32 and 34 are set apart
with the two eccentric tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38
being simultaneously revolved to the tacking positions
thereof just in time to be in the correct positionq to
tack the then leading end of the associated film w~b 84
or 86 to the opposite sides of the new board 40 that has
arrived on the scene to be laminated.
; 15 In order to assist in the unwinding of the filmwebs 84 and 86 from the reels 60 and 62 and to keep the
correct film tension during the tacking and laminating
operation~, the film feed rolls 64 and 66 and the ten-
sion rolls 80 and 82, shown in Fig. 3, are provided.
~ detailed view of the assembly oE the mechani~m
for supporting the lamination rolls 32 and 34 and the
tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38 i~ shown in Fig. 25.
As there ~hown, a shaft 124 extending from the le~t end
~ of the upper lamination roll 32 i~ ~upported for rotation
:'
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_35_ ~ ` 2 ~ ~
in a suppor~ing member 126. A shaft 128 that extends
from the right end of lamination roll 32 is supported
for rotation in a supporting member 130. Similarly, a
shaft 132 extending from the left end of lower lamina-
tion roll 34 is supported for rotation in a supportingmember 134, and a shaft 136 extending from the right end
of lamination roll 34 is supported for rotation in a
supporting member 138.
Supporting members 126 and 138 may be identical in
~tructure. Detail views thereof are shown in Figc. 32
and 33. Similarly, supporting member3 130 and 134 may
be identical in ~tructure with detail views thereof
being shown in Figa. 34 and 35.
.
Fixedly attached to and supported by the supporting
15 member~ 126 and 130 and extending therebetween is a film
guiding ~ector 140 on whlch t:he curved surface 96 pre- ;
viously mentioned i3 formed. ~he axlc or center or cur-
vature of sector 140 i~ located at 142, which AS seen in
Figs. 3, 8-13 and 24, is off3et from the center of rota-
20 tion 143 of the lamination roll 32. A similar film
guiding ect~r 144 is fixedly attached to and extends
between the supporting members 132 and 138, the axis or
center of curvature of cector 144 belng loca~ed at 146,
as seen in Fig. 3. The previou~ly mentioned curved
25 surface 98 i3 formed on sector 144.
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The structures of the film guiding sectors 140 and
144 may be identical, such structure being illustrated
in Figs. 46 and 47.
Tacking bars 102 and 104 are supported for rotation
in respective paths 101 and 103 that are in eccentric
relation with respect to the individually associated
lamination rolls 32 and 34. Specifically, as shown in
Fig. 25, the left end of the upper tacking bar 102 is
fixedly attached by a tab 148 to a flange lS0, the tab
10 148 being integral with the flange 150 as seen in ~igs.
36 and 37. Flange 150 is arranged for rotation around a
peripheral surface 152 of supporting member 126.
Supporting flange 150 for such rotation is a roller
bearing 156 that i5 positioned between the inner surface
15 158 thereof and the surface 152 and held in that posi-
tion by a bearing retaining flange 154. Figs. 38 and 39
illustrate the flange 154 in detail.
Similarly, the right end of tacking bar 102 is
fixedly attached by a tab 160 to a flange 162, the tab
20 160 being integral with the flanga 162. Supporting
flange 162 for rotation abou~ a peripheral surface 164
of supporting member 130 is a rol1er bearing 166.
Roller bearing 166 is positioned between the surface 164
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-37-
and the inner surface 168 of flange 162 and is held
therebetween by bearing retaining flange 170. Detail
views o~ the bearing retaining flange 170 are shown in
Figs. 40 and 41.
The left end of the lower tackinq bar 104 is
fixedly attached by a tab 172 to a flange 174. Tab 172
is integral with the flange 174, as shown in Figs. 36
and 37. Flange 174 is supported for rotation abo~t the
peripheral surface 176 o~ supporting member 134, a
roller bearing 178 being positioned between the surfa~e
. 10 176 and an inner surface 180 of flange 174 and held
the:rein by a bearing retaining flange 182.
j The right end of the tacking bar 104 i4 fix&dly
attached by a tab 134 to a flange 186, the tab 184 being
integral with the flange 186. Flange 186 is supported
for ~ot~tlon about the peripheral surface lR8 of sup-
porting member 138. A roller bearing 190 is positioned
: between the surface la8 of member 13a and in inner sur-
` face 192 of flange 186 and is held therein by a bearing
retaining flange 194. Detailed views of ~lange 194 are
shown in Figs. 42 and 43.
Two cylinders 191 and 193 ~one at the left and one :~
at the right of the machine, as schematically
illustra~ed in Piq. 26) are provided for moving parallel
lever sy~tem~ 195 and 197. The lever systems 195 and
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-38- 1323209
197 are mechanically coupled by means o~ a shaft 199 so
that operation of the cylinders 191 and 193 effect the
same movement on the left and right sides of the
laminating machine.
The lever systems 195 and 197 rock, that i~, drive
into and out of the plane of the paper, as seen in Fig.
26, the respective pair~ of shoulders 196, 198 and 212,
214. The pairs of shoulder~ 196, 198 and 212, 214 are
pivoted for such ro~ation on centers of rotation indi-
cated at 196a and 212a, respectively, with the shoulders
196, 198 being arranged to support the upper lamination
roll 32 and ~he shoulderR 212 and 214 arranged to sup-
port the lower lamination roll 34, as shown in Fig. 27.
One central bearing 201 and three peripheric bearings
lS 203, 205 and 207 are provided ~or the eccentric rota-
tion o~ the vacuum sector 107, the peripheric bearing
207 being provided with an eccentric adjustment. The
vacuum rotating sector 107 carrie~ the tackinq bar 102
and counterblade 121.
The two upper shoulders 196 and 198 are lat~rally
separated wi~h respect to the lower shoulders 212 and
214, a~ shown in Figs. 2S, 26 and 27, so that the
lamination rolls 32 and 34 can be pressed one againRt
the other.
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~ ~232~9
-39-
In the operation of the laminator 30, upon initial
movement of the tacking/cutting device~ 3S and 38 toward
the plane 100 the respectively associated tacking bar 102
and 104 is positioned to tack the leading end of an
associated film web 84 and 86 against the opposite sides
of a board 40. Upon movement of the tacking/cuttiny
device~ 36 and 38 away from the plane 100, the
,~ ..
tacking/cutting devices 36 and 38 are ro~ated coun-
terclockwise and clockwise, respectively, to waiting
positions as illustrated at 105 in Figs. 12, 13, and 14.
Subsequent movement~ of the tacking/cutting devices 36
and 38 toward the plane 100 thus allow the respectively
associated laminating roll 32 and 34 to make contact
with the film web on the precise line at which it had
been tacked to a board 40, following which contact lami-
nation of the respective film web 84 and 86 to the board
40 is enabled.
Electromagnetic coupling devlces 248 and 250, as
shown in Figs. 50 and 51, are provided for controlling
the selective actuation o~ the tacking/c~tting devices
36 and 38 for rotation. Two coupling device~ ~not shown)
are provided to stop the laminating rolls 32 and 34 when
they are closed and the eccentric sector~ are r~tating
to the rest position. Coupling device~ 252 and 254 are
provided to start and ~top the film feed rolls 64 and 66.
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_40_ ~ 3232~
:
Electromagnetic coupling devi es 219 and 221, as
shown in Fig. 31, are provided for controlling the film
feed roll~ 64 and 66. Also provided are notched whaels
234 and 236 which rotate with the film feed rolls 64 and
5 66, respectively. Proximity switches 238 and 240
individually associated, re~pectively, with the notched
1~ wheels 223 and 225 are provided for sounding an alarm
system (not shown) to signal the end of the film and any
missed cut.
Heating of the lamination roll~ is effected, in
accordance with the invention, by infra red lamps that
are externally po~itioned with respect to the laminating
rolls 32 and 34. Thus, a3 shown in Figs. 8-13, an infra
red lamp 256, that is suitably ~upported by brackets 258
and 260 attached to the inner wall of the film guiding
sector 140 is provided for heating the lamination roll
32. A similarly po~itioned and mounted infra red lamp
is provided for heating the lamination roll 34.
~ Preferably, the infra red lamp~ employed are of the
so-called short wave type. In one embodiment o~ the
invention the infra red lamp~ each have an output of
4200 watts.
; For con~rolling the temperature of each of the lami-
na~ing rolls 32 and 34, there i3 provided a separate
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-41-
suitably mounted temperature detector for each said
roll, which detector i3 characterized by the capacity
thereof to measure the the temperature at the peripheral
: surface of a laminating roll without the in~roduction of
friction and consequent damage there~o and independPntly
of the heat color o~ the roll surface.
Specifically, (referrLng to Figs. 52-54 of the drawings)
a te~pera~ure detector 262 provided in assoCiation with
lamination roll 32 comprise3 a contacting, or more
: specifically, a rolling type iron-constantan
: 10 thermocouple 273. Thermocouple 273 is disposed with the
hot junction 264 thereof in a bearLng 266 a~ a
position that i3 coincident with the axis of rotation
thereof.
More specifically, the temperature detector 262
comprises an elongated bifurcated support 268 of
thermoplastic polyester, reinforced with glass fiber
which carries a tubular steel pin 270 between the
branche~ th~reof with tha i~n-constantan thermocouple
273 positloned in the pin 270. One end of steel pin 270
is wrapped around the side of the support 268, as shown,
being lotged and retained in a groove 271. The thermo-
: couple 2~3 extends into the interior o the steel pin
. 270 through the other end thereo~. The roller bearing
: 266, which preferably is made of a material having high
:: 25 thermal conductivity such a~ copper, with a thin lining
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-~2-
or bushing 272 made of thermoplastic polyester
reinforced with glass fiber, rotates on the Rteel pin
` 2~0.
.
The copper bearing 266 is positioned in rolling
- 5 contact with the peripheral surface of the la~inating
roll 32. As a result, the bearing 266 as~umes the
; peripheral speed and temperature of the lamination roll
32.
With this arrangement, the hot junction of the
thermocouple 273 assumes substantially the same
te~perature as ~hat of the lamination roll 32. The
di~ference in temperature, if any, i~ negligible due to
the high thermal conductivity of the copper in the
bearing 266 and the thinnes3 of both the buqhing 272 and
the wall of the tubular pin ;270.
As a result, the temperature detector 262 detects
the contact temperature of tlle ~urface of the rotating
~ lamination roll 32 in a sub~tantially friction free
.~ ,
manner lndependently of the heat color of the ~urface.
wearing of the temperature detector 262 is ve~ry
low, being of the order of 0.03 millimeterq per 1000
hours at 3 mts./min. due to the high lubricatlng proper-
ties of the thermoplastic polyester reinforced with
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_43_ ~3232~9
glass fiber. It is noted that this material is
available commercially from "Schuely" (Nederlan)
under the trademark "ARNITE.~
In accordance with the invention, a microprocessor
is provided in coop2ration with the temperature detec-
tor 262 for effecting automatic adjustment in the
heating level of the infrared lamps and thereby of the
temperature of the lamination roll~ 32 and 34 depending
upon the lamination speed, the thickn~3~ of the boards
or panels to be laminated, and the pre~sure of the lami-
nation rolls in order to maintain constant the exit tem-
perature of the laminated boards or panels.
The automatic centering device 48 to which
reference has been made hereinbefore and which is shown
in Fig. 4 iq driven by a direct current low inertia
reversible motor 274 and is controlled by a servocontrol
276 which, in turn, is controlled by a Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC) 280 that is housed in a mobile electronic
control cabinet 282, aq shown in ~ig. 55. The motor 274
drive~ a qcrew 284 for adju~ting the lateral positions
of spaced parallel edges 286 and 288 between which each
panel 40 is advanced by the input conveyor meanY 44 of
the laminator 30. ` ``
A panel 40, advanced by the input conveyor 44,
intercepts the light beam of a mirror photocell. This
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~232~9
-44-
photocell further includes one infrared beam emitter 294
and one receiver 296. A modulated infrared beam emitted
by 294 re~ches the receiver 296 by a series of
reflections on the mirrors, thus forming a net of beam
S segments. When the panel 40 intercepts one of these
beam segments, the receiver 296 signals to the
servocontrol 276 that a panel is under the mirrors. The
motor 274 is energized and rotates in the direction that
closea the parallel edges to center the panel.
When the two parallel edqeq 286 and 288 close
toward the center, the photocells 298 and 300, one of
which is located 1 cm. over the edge 286 and the other
1 cm. over the edge 288 and both of whlch are connected
to the servocontrol 276, detect the panel. Sensing of
the panel 40 by both photocells 298 and 300 results in a
decrease in the energization of the motor 274 for
rotation and consequent ~lowing down ther~of.
With continued advance of the two parallel edges at
~ low speed, panel 40 moves into the sen~ing path of "stop
; 20 photocells~ 302 and 304, which are carried 1 mm. over
the edge of 286 and 2~8 and also are connected to the
servocontrol 276. When the panel 40 is sensed by both
; the photocell~ 302 and 304, the energization of the
motor 274 i~ discontinued and the motor 274 stops
immediately with the panel 40 properly centered. After
a delay of a few seconds, the motor 274 is energi~ed for
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~45 ~3232~9
rotation in the opposite direction and opens the
parallel edge~ 286 and 288.
It is noted that the centering device 4a is charac-
terized by a precision of operation that enable~ boards
or panels having a thickness as ~mall as 0.002 inches
~0.05 ~m.) to be centered wi~hout causing any damage
thereto.
In accordance with the invention the main body 42
of the laminator 30 may be completely enclosed in a
cabinet 306, as illu trated in Fig. 55, and include in
association therewith the aforementioned mobile cabinet
282 in which electronic controls for the laminator 30
may be housed. The mobile cabinet 282 includes the PLC
unit 280 previously mentioned, which unit may comprise a
LANDIS and GYR with serial line RS232. The mobile cabi-
net 282 may al~o contain a microprocessor with intelli-
gent peripherals ~uch as the previously mentioned
temperature controller, motor control~, etc., and
further include3 a video diiplay unit to interfacs the
operator for diagno3tic purposeR and control of proces3
parameters.
The electronic controls provided in the mobile
cabinct 2~2 enable a high degree of flexibility in
operation. Thu~, the sys~em is adaptable to automatic,
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-46- ~3~32~9
manual, and single stroke operation. An alarm system
signals any missed cut, the end of film, missed lamina-
tion, and/or output conveyor busy. Additionally, an
alarm is given and diagnostic analysis provided ~or any
S fault in operation.
Input and output roller table~ for conveying the
boards to be laminated are provided with adjustable
height, independent motor and synchronized speed. The
input table 1~ fitted with a centering device and
gripping ~ystem, as de~csibed, for feeding the boards to
the lamination rolls. The output table carries tem-
perature sensor~ to measure the temperature of the
boards and photocells to detect jamming of the boards.
The inveDtion enables the achievement of a highly
efficient lamination operation, with tacking and cutting
being ln no way critical.
With th~s description of the lnvention in detail,
those ~killed in the art will appreciate that modifica-
tions may be made to the inven~ion without departing
from the spirit thereof. Therefore, it is not intended
that the scope of the present invention be limited to
the specific embodimen~s illu~trated and described.
Rather, it is intended that the scope of the invention
be determined by the scope of the appended claims.
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