Equipment and processes for precision fabrication of solvent-laminated retarder-stacks
AssigneeMeta Platforms Technologies, LLC
InventorsGary D Sharp, David A Coleman
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Abstract
A laminator for high-precision solvent-bonding of retardation films is disclosed. The laminator is capable of producing laminates with high orientation repeatability and low in-plane stress which can otherwise create gaps between optimum theoretical performance and that which is physically realizable. Batch-mode laminators are scalable to large area mother-sheets and are suited to high-throughput manufacturing.
Claims11
An apparatus for precisely solvent-laminating two or more retarder films with low in-plane stress, comprising:
- a feed-plate adapted for fixturing a single-ply retarder film, including mechanical features for approximately locating the position and orientation of the single-ply retarder film;
- a build-plate adapted for fixturing the one or more plies of a retarder stack;
- a vision system adapted for locating the feed-ply position and orientation;
- a first motion table affixed to either the feed-plate or the build-plate adapted to correct for relative errors in position and orientation between the retarder film and the retarder stack using information delivered by the vision system;
- a second motion table and a lamination roller adapted for laminating the feed-ply to the one or more plies of the retarder stack, wherein the lamination roller is further adapted for placement proximate to the feed-plate such that a length of the retarder film that is unsupported between the feed-plate and the lamination roller is less than the radius of the lamination roller;
- a solvent-dispense head adapted for delivering solvent to a nip;
- and
- a mechanism adapted for delivering a leading edge of the feed-ply to the retarder stack and which substantially preserves the relative orientation between the feed-ply and retarder stack and minimizes in-plane stress on the feed-ply.
A method for solvent-laminating two retarder films with low in-plane stress and high orientation precision, the method comprising:
- aligning a first-ply retarder film on a feed-plate having mechanical registration features;
- loading a carrier substrate onto a build plate;
- locating an edge of the first-ply retarder film with a vision system;
- selecting a position and orientation of the first-ply retarder film using a motion table affixed to the feed-plate;
- transferring the first-ply retarder film to the carrier substrate using a lamination table affixed to the build-plate and a lamination roller, wherein the lamination roller is proximate to the feed-plate such that a length of the retarder film that is unsupported between the feed-plate and the lamination roller is less than the radius of the lamination roller;
- aligning a second-ply retarder film on and retaining the second-ply retarder film against the feed plate;
- locating the edge of the second-ply retarder film with the vision system;
- aligning the second-ply retarder film to the first-ply retarder film using the motion table affixed to the feed-plate;
- capturing the leading edge of the second-ply between the retainer bar and the lamination roller;
- presenting the second-ply retarder film to the first-ply retarder film by translating a segment of the feed-plate, forming a nip;
- dispensing solvent in the nip;
- and
- solvent welding the second-ply retarder film to the first-ply retarder film using the lamination table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.