3-DIMENSIONAL CURVED SUBSTRATE LAMINATION

• US 20100282416A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew David Lauder, Casey Feinstein, John Zhong, Kuo Sung, Steve Porter Hotelling, Troy Edwards
• Original Assignee: Andrew David Lauder, Casey Feinstein, John Zhong, Kuo Sung, Steve Porter Hotelling, Troy Edwards
• Inventors: Feinstein, Casey, Lauder, Andrew David, Edwards, Troy, SUNG, Kuo, Hotelling, Steve Porter, Zhong, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/580
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0047 Preventing air-inclusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0073 of non-flat surfaces, e.g. curved, profiled B29C63/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/264 Pressure equalizing layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/047 Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/00 Electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/003 to avoid air inclusion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0053 Constructional details of laminating machines comprising rollers; Constructional features of the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/10 characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1858 using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1866 conforming the layers or laminate to a convex or concave profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1793 Grip or clamp for web end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/18 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with handle or handgrip

Abstract

A method of laminating a surface of a flexible material to a surface of a rigid, curved material. The method includes pressing an area of the surface of the flexible material into the surface of the rigid, curved material with a holder to create a contact area while the flexible material is conformed to the holder, which has a curvature greater than a curvature of the rigid, curved material surface; and changing the contact area between the surface of the flexible material and the surface of the rigid, curved material while maintaining pressure on the contact area until the surface of the flexible material and the surface of the rigid curved material are laminated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for laminating a surface of a flexible material to a surface of a rigid, curved material, the apparatus comprising:

a first holder configured for contacting the flexible material;

a second holder configured for contacting the rigid, curved material; and

a pressure applying device configured for creating and changing a pressure region between the surface of the flexible material and the surface of the rigid, curved material;

wherein the pressure applying device is further configured for changing the pressure region to laminate the flexible material to the rigid, curved material and remove air bubbles between the laminated flexible material and the rigid, curved material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the pressure applying device further configured for initially establishing the pressure region at a center of the surface of the rigid, curved material, and expanding the pressure region from the center of the surface of the rigid, curved material towards an edge of the rigid, curved material by increasing pressure between the surface of the flexible material and the surface of the rigid, curved material in the pressure region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the pressure applying device further configured for initially establishing the pressure region at a first edge of the surface of the rigid, curved material, and shifting the pressure region from the first edge of the surface of the rigid, curved material to a second edge of the surface of the rigid, curved material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is a substantially planar circuit board.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible material comprises a plurality of conductive traces on its surface and an insulating layer deposited over the conductive traces.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laminated flexible material and the rigid, curved material are a part of a sensor array, and the sensor array is a part of a multi-touch mouse.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive adapted to laminate the flexible material and the rigid, curved material, the adhesive selected from a group consisting of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), re-workable PSAs, thermoplastic film, thermoset film, thermal cure liquid, UV curing liquid, and multiple-component adhesives.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second holder comprises suctioning vacuum holes adapted to hold the material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second holder comprises retracted alignment pins for aligning the flexible material with the second holder.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first holder is made of a deformable material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure applying device is adapted to change an amount of pressure applied to the surface of the flexible material and the surface of the rigid, curved material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the change of the pressure region is in response to a shape of at least one of the first holder and the second holder.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gimbal adapted to control movement of the pressure applying device and create a rolling motion of the first holder.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microbead surface adapted to be walked over the flexible material to remove air bubbles between the laminated flexible material and the rigid, curved material.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first holder is a cylindrical roller adapted to roll across the surface of the rigid, curved material during lamination.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of grippers adapted to hold a portion of the flexible material.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the grippers are adapted to slide along the surface of the flexible material.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second holder is a cylindrical roller, and wherein the first holder and the second holder rotate about an axis in opposite directions.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first holder comprises a flexible membrane adapted to achieve uniform pressure on the surface of the rigid, curved material during lamination.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the flexible membrane is a conformal material or a liquid or air filled sac.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first holder comprises an inflatable balloon.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flexible material and the rigid, curved material comprise perforations to allow air bubbles to escape.

23. An apparatus for laminating a flexible material to a rigid, curved material comprising:

a first holder that contacts the flexible material;

a second holder that contacts the rigid, curved substrate; and

a moving device that moves at least one of the first holder and the second holder,

wherein the movement causes a pressure region formed by contact between the flexible material and the rigid, curved material to change in at least one of a size of the pressure region, a shape of the pressure region, and a position of the pressure region.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the flexible material and the rigid, curved material are a part of a sensor array.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the sensor array is a part of a multi-touch mouse.