Roll of continuous web of optical film laminate with predefined slit lines, and method and system for manufacturing the same

A roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, said optically functional film sheet being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of a liquid-crystal panel having a predefined size, wherein the optical film laminate comprising;

• an optically functional film with an adhesive layer including at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defect-containing sheet having at least one defect, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defect-containing sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent ones of predefined slit lines based on a preliminary inspection and having the predefined dimension;
• and
• a carrier film releasably laminated on the adhesive layer,
• wherein said slit lines being sequentially formed in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer,
• wherein said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet being identifiable in the system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by identification means generated based on a position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection.

A method of producing a roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, said optically functional film sheet being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of the liquid-crystal panel of a predefined size, the method comprising steps of:

• (a) laminating a continuous web of a protective film on at least one of the opposite surfaces of a continuous web of a polarizer film to form a continuous web of an optically functional film;
• (b) inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film to detect position of any defect existing in the optically functional film;
• (c) releasably laminating a continuous web of a carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film through an adhesive layer to form a continuous web of the optical film laminate;
• (d) sequentially forming slit lines in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer, to form at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defective sheet having at least one defect on the carrier film, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defective sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent one of predefined slit lines and having the predefined dimension;
• (e) generating identification means to allow identifying said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet in the system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements based on a position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection;
• and
• (f) winding a produced continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines into a roll.

A method of producing a roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, said optically functional film sheet being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of a plurality of liquid-crystal panels having a predefined size, the method comprising steps of:

• (a) providing a roll of a continuous web of a provisional optical film laminate at least including a continuous web of an optically functional film and a continuous web of a provisional carrier film, the continuous web of the optically functional film including a laminated web comprising a continuous web of a polarizer, a protective film laminated on at least one of opposite surfaces of the continuous web of polarizer and an adhesive layer provided on one of the opposite surfaces of the laminated web, the continuous web of the provisional carrier film being releasably laminated on the adhesive layer;
• (b) peeling the provisional carrier film from the provisional optical film laminate while feeding the provisional optical film laminate from the roll of the provisional optical film laminate, to expose the adhesive layer of the optically functional film;
• (c) inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film with the adhesive layer in the exposed state to detect a position of any defect existing in the optically functional film;
• (d) releasably laminating a continuous web of a carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film through an adhesive layer to form a continuous web of the optical film laminate,
• (e) sequentially forming slit lines in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer, to form at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defect-containing sheet having at least one defect on the carrier film, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defect-containing sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent one of slit lines and having the predefined dimension;
• (f) generating identification means to allow identifying said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet in the system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements based on a position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection;
• and
• (g) winding the resultant continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines into a roll.

An apparatus for producing a roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, said optically functional film sheets being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of a plurality of liquid-crystal panels having a predefined size, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) an optically functional film forming unit for laminating a continuous web of a protective film on at least one of the opposite surfaces of a continuous web of a polarizer to form a continuous web of an optically functional film;
• (b) an inspection unit for inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film to detect a position of any defect existing in the optically functional film;
• (c) an optical film laminate forming unit for releasably laminating a continuous web of a carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film through an adhesive layer to form a continuous web of the optical film laminate;
• (d) a slitting unit for sequentially forming slit lines in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer, to form at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defect-containing sheet having at least one defect on the carrier film, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defect-containing sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent one of predefined slit lines and having the predefined dimension;
• (e) identification means generating unit for generating identification means to allow identifying said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet in said system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements based on position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection;
• and
• (f) a winding unit for winding a resultant continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines into a roll.

An apparatus for producing a roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, said optically functional film sheet being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of the liquid-crystal panel having a predefined size, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a provisional optical film laminate feeding unit for feeding a provisional optical film laminate from a roll of a continuous web of the provisional optical film laminate, the provisional optical film laminate at least including a continuous web of an optically functional film and a continuous web of a provisional carrier film, the continuous web of the optically functional film including a laminated web having a continuous web of a polarizer, a protective film laminated on at least one of opposite surfaces of the continuous web of the polarizer and an adhesive layer provided on one of the opposite surfaces of the laminated web, the continuous web of the provisional carrier film being releasably laminating on the adhesive layer;
• (b) a provisional carrier film peeling unit for peeling the provisional carrier film from the provisional optical film laminate while feeding the provisional optical film laminate from the roll of the provisional optical film laminate, to expose the adhesive layer of the optically functional film;
• (c) an inspection unit for inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film with the adhesive layer in the exposed state to detect a position of any defect existing in the optically functional film,
• (d) an optical film laminate forming unit for releasably laminating a continuous web of a carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film through an adhesive layer to form a continuous web of the optical film laminate;
• (e) a slitting unit for sequentially forming slit lines in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer to form at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defect-containing sheet having at least one defect on the carrier film, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defect-containing sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent one of slit lines and having the predefined dimension;
• (f) identification means generating unit for generating identification means to allow identifying said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet in the system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements based on a position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection;
• and
• (g) a winding unit for winding a resultant continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines into a roll.