Flexible circuit cutting apparatus and method having indexing and registration mechanism

A die cutting press for precision cutting of individual defined areas from a plurality ofdefined areas of a relatively thin substrate susceptible to deformation and warpage during its manufacture and wherein at least one die registration indicium is provided in association with each of the defined areas, said defined areas being arranged in a plurality of rows extending along respective first axes ofthe substrate and in a plurality of cross-rows extending along respective second axes of the substrate at an angle with respect to the first axes, said press comprising:

• a base platen;
• a bolster shiftably mounted on the base platen and rotatable about a pivot axis;
• a die unit supported on and movable with the bolster, said die unit being moveable toward and away from the base platen;
• a substrate delivery unit operable to successively shift the substrate in order to bring each cross-row of individual defined areas into general alignment with the die unit;
• an indexing device connected to the die unit and operable to successively shift the die unit in a direction perpendicular to a path of travel of the substrate by said substate delivery unit relative to the bolster into general alignment with successive ones of a plurality of said defined areas in said cross-rows thereof between successive shifting, of the substrate by the delivery unit;
• and
• die unit registration mechanism connected to the bolster operable to sense the registration indicium associated with each respective individual defined area when the die unit is in general alignment therewith, said mechanism being responsive to said sensing to rotate and shift the bolster and thereby the die unit to a required extent to bring the die unit into registration with a respective defined area to be cut by the die unit.

In a die cutting press for precision cutting of individual defined areas from a plurality of defined areas arranged in discrete rows both along and across a relatively thin substrate and wherein at least one die registration indicium is provided in association with each of the defined areas, said press having a base platen, a bolster shifably mounted on the base platen and rotatable about a pivot axis, and a die unit moveable toward and away from the base platen, said die unit being supported on and movable with the bolster, improved die registration apparatus comprising:

• a substrate delivery unit operable to successively shift the substrate in order to bring an individual defined area into general alignment with the die unit;
• an indexing device shiftably supported directly above and movable with the bolster, said indexing device also being shiftable horizontally relative to the bolster in a direction in a direction perpendicular to a path of travel of the substrate by said substrate delivery unit into general alignment with the die unit, said indexing device carrying the die unit thereon and operable to successively shift the die unit in a direction perpendicular to said path of travel of the substrate relative to the bolster into general alignment with successive ones of a plurality of defined areas presenting a discrete row of said defined areas between successive shifting of the substrate by the delivery unit;
• and
• die unit registration mechanism connected to the bolster operable to sense the registration indicium associated with each respective individual defined area when the die unit is in general alignment therewith, said mechanism being responsive to said sensing to rotate and shift the bolster and thereby the die unit to a required extent to bring the die unit into registration with said respective defined area to be cut by the die unit.

A method of die cutting individual defined areas from a plurality of defined areas of a relatively thin substrate susceptible to deformation and warpage during its manufacture, said defined areas being arranged in discrete rows both along and across the substrate, and wherein at least one die registration indicium is provided in association with each of the defined areas, and utilizing a press having a base platen, a bolster shiftably mounted on the base platen and rotatable about a pivot axis, and a die unit moveable toward and away from the base platen with the die unit being supported on and movable with the bolster, said method comprising:

• directing the substrate along a path to successively shift the substrate in-order to bring an individual defined area into general alignment with the die unit;
• successively shifting the die unit in a direction perpendicular to said path of travel of the substrate relative to the bolster into general alignment with successive ones of a plurality of defined areas presenting a discrete row of said defined areas between successive shifting of the substrate by the delivery unit;
• sensing the registration indicium associated with each respective individual defined area when the die unit is in general alignment therewith;
• providing an output response to said sensing to rotate and shift the bolster and thereby the die unit to a required extent to bring the die unit into registration with said respective defined area to be cut by the die unit.