# US 9,517,915 B2 · Film coating apparatus and film coating method

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- Number: US 9,517,915 B2
- Document ID: US9517915B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/315,976
- Filed: 2014-06-26
- Published: 2015-11-05
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-30
- Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Boe Optical Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; BOE Optical Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Zhenghe Gu; Chunlei Cao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517915B2

## CPC

- B65H 37/04: for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18)
- B32B 37/0046: {characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus}
- B32B 38/1833: {Positioning, e.g. registration or centering}
- B29C 63/04: by folding, winding, bending or the like
- B32B 37/0053: {Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers}
- B32B 37/22: involving the assembly of both discrete and continuous layers
- B32B 38/0004: {Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence)}
- B32B 38/18: Handling of layers or the laminate
- B32B 2457/202: LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
- B65H 2301/5162: Coating, applying liquid or layer of any material to material
- B65H 2801/61: Display device manufacture, e.g. liquid crystal displays
- Y10T 156/1085: One web only
- Y10T 156/12: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a film coating apparatus and a film coating method, relating to the field of manufacturing of display devices. The film coating apparatus comprises a feeding unit, an attaching unit and a cutting unit, which are arranged on a base, wherein the feeding unit is configured to feed a film to be attached to the surface of a product; the attaching unit is connected to the feeding unit and configured to attach the film onto the surface of the product; and the cutting unit is connected to the feeding unit and configured to cut the film. According to the present invention, the film coating of a light guide plate, a semi-finished backlight product and a finished backlight product can be achieved, the labor intensity of operators is greatly reduced, the productivity is liberated, and the production efficiency is further improved. Meanwhile, coating deviation resulted from human factors is avoided, and the bottleneck in the automation of producing TFT-LCDs is overcome.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A film coating apparatus, comprising:
a feeding unit, an attaching unit and a cutting unit, which are arranged on the base, the film coating apparatus characterized in that:
the feeding unit is configured to feed a film to be attached onto the surface of a product;
the attaching unit is connected to the feeding unit and configured to attach the film to the surface of the product; and
the cutting unit is connected to the feeding unit and configured to cut the film,
wherein, the feeding unit comprises a first rotatable clamp and a second rotatable clamp which are symmetrically disposed; a first drawing assembly and a second drawing assembly which are symmetrically disposed; wherein
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp are configured to clamp the film;
the first drawing assembly is connected to the first rotatable clamp and configured to drive the first rotatable clamp to move backward and forward in the film feeding direction;
the second drawing assembly is connected to the second rotatable clamp and configured to drive the second rotatable clamp to move backward and forward in the film feeding direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feeding unit further comprises a film storage unit, a feeding assembly and at least one guide rail, and wherein
the film storage unit is configured to place the film;
the feeding assembly is configured to support and fixing the film;
the at least one guide rail is configured to position the product so that a coating portion of the product is located within a film coating region of the film coating apparatus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feeding assembly comprises a feeding compression cylinder and a feeding roller set, and wherein
the feeding compression cylinder is configured to move downward to compress the feeding roller set; and
the feeding roller set is connected to the feeding compression cylinder and configured to support the film.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the first rotatable clamp comprises a first clamp head, a first motor, a first left-right cylinder, and a first front-back cylinder,
wherein the first clamp head is configured to clamp the film;
the first motor is configured to control the first clamp head to rotate backward and forward in the film feeding direction;
the first left-right cylinder is configured to control the first clamp head to move in a left-right direction with the first clamp head being in connection with the first drawing assembly so as to finely adjust the position of the first clamp head in the left-right direction;
the first front-back cylinder is configured to control the first clamp head to move in a back-forth direction with the first clamp head being in connection with the first drawing assembly so as to finely adjust the position of the first clamp head in the front-back direction;
the second rotatable clamp comprises a second clamp head, a second motor, a second left-right cylinder, and a second front-back cylinder, wherein
the second clamp head is configured to clamp the film;
the second motor is configured to control the second clamp head to rotate backward and forward in the film feeding direction;
the second left-right cylinder is configured to control the second clamp head to move in the left-right direction with the second clamp head being in connection with the second drawing assembly so as to finely adjust the position of the second clamp head in the left-right direction; and
the second front-back cylinder is configured to control the second clamp head to move in the back-forth direction with the second clamp head being in connection with the second drawing assembly so as to finely adjust the position of the second clamp head in the front-back direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide rail further comprises a telescopic support frame for supporting the product.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attaching unit comprises a pressing assembly, and a first ejector cylinder and a second ejector cylinder which are symmetrically disposed,
wherein the pressing assembly is connected to the feeding unit and configured to press the film on the surface of the product, so that the film is closely attached to the surface of the product; and
the first ejector cylinder and the second ejector cylinder are configured to eject the product.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing assembly comprises a pressing cylinder and a roller,
wherein the pressing cylinder is configured to move downward to compress the roller; and
the roller is configured to press the film in a rolling manner, so that the film is closely attached to the surface of the product.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The film coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit comprises a blade and a cutting cylinder,
wherein the blade is connected to the feeding unit and configured to cut the film; and
the cutting cylinder is connected to the blade and configured to control the movement of the blade, so that the blade cuts the film.

### Claim 9

A film coating method for coating a product located within a film coating region of a film coating apparatus which comprises, on a base, a feeding unit, an attaching unit and a cutting unit, the film coating method comprises:
a film feeding step of feeding a film onto the surface of the product by using of the feeding unit, comprising
a first rotatable clamp and a second rotatable clamp of the feeding unit clamping two ends of a first material end of the film, respectively, so that starting from the first material end, the film is drawn out from a film storage unit of the feeding unit and then passes through a feeding assembly of the feeding unit; and
after the product is positioned through at least one guide rail of the feeding unit to ensure that a coating portion of the product is located within the film coating region, a first drawing assembly and a second drawing assembly of the feeding unit driving the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp, clamping the two ends of the first material end, to move in a film feeding direction, so that a surface of the coating portion of the product is coated with the film drawn out from the film storage unit;
a film attaching step of closely attaching the film to the surface of the product by using of the attaching unit; and
a film cutting step of cutting the film by using of the cutting unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The film coating method according to claim 9, wherein the film feeding step further comprises:
a first ejector cylinder of the attaching unit ejecting the product, and a feeding compression cylinder of the feeding unit moving downward to compress a feeding roller set of the feeding unit so as to fix the film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The film coating method according to claim 10, wherein the film attaching step comprises:
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp rotating for the first time, and driving the film to wrap a first side face at the front end of the product, so that the first material end is attached to the first side face of the product;
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp releasing the two ends of the first material end, respectively, and the first ejector cylinder resetting;
a pressing cylinder of the attaching unit moving downward to compress a roller of the attaching unit; and
the first drawing assembly and the second drawing assembly resetting, and driving the roller to press the film fed onto the upper surface of the product in a rolling manner, so that the film is closely attached to the upper surface of the product.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The film coating method according to claim 11, wherein the film cutting step comprises:
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp clamping two ends of a second material end of the film, respectively;
a cutting cylinder of the cutting unit controlling a blade of the cutting unit to move, so that the blade cuts the film;
a second ejector cylinder of the attaching unit ejecting the product;
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp rotating for the second time, and driving the film to wrap a second side face at the back end of the product, so that the second material end is attached to the second side face of the product; and
the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp releasing the two ends of the second material end, respectively, and the second ejector cylinder resetting.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The film coating method according to claim 12, wherein
the first rotation of the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp refers to rotating forward in the film feeding direction, and the second rotation of the first rotatable clamp and the second rotatable clamp refers to rotating backward in the film feeding direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The film coating method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of moving the product by using of at least one guide rail of the feeding unit, so that the coated portion of the product clears off the film coating region.