System and method for completing lamination of rigid-to-rigid substrate by the controlled application of pressure

• US 8,746,311 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Sampica, James D., Nemeth, Paul R., Barnidge, Tracy J., Marzen, Vincent P.
• Primary Examiner(s): AFTERGUT, JEFFRY H
• Application Number:
  US14/019,429
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 156/381, 156/382
• US Class Current: 156/382
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10018 comprising only one glass sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/202 LCD, i.e. liquid crystal displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/003 to avoid air inclusion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0046 characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/10 characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1009 using vacuum and fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1018 using only vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1303 Apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture of LCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4611 by laminating two or more circuit boards H05K3/4652 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is a process for performing rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination implementing pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). The process may include pressurizing a first sealed cavity to a first pressure. The process may further include creating a vacuum within a second sealed cavity, the second sealed cavity being sealed from the first sealed cavity by a flexible membrane. The process may further include applying the first pressure to a laminate assembly stack via the flexible membrane, the laminate assembly stack including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a PSA layer, the PSA layer being positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate. The process may further include applying the vacuum created within the second sealed cavity to the laminate assembly stack. The applied first pressure and the applied vacuum promote intimate contact between the first substrate and the second substrate of the laminate assembly stack via the PSA layer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination processes implementing pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), comprising:

a base portion forming a first base receptacle configured for receiving and supporting a first laminate assembly stack, the base portion further forming a second base receptacle configured for receiving and supporting a second laminate assembly stack, each of the first laminate assembly stack and the second laminate assembly stack including at least one layer of PSA, a first substrate, and a second substrate, the at least one layer of PSA being positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, the base further configured with a first vacuum port for allowing the first base receptacle to be connected with a vacuum pump and a second vacuum port for allowing the second base receptacle to be connected with a vacuum pump;

a cover portion configured for being connected with the base portion, the cover portion further configured for forming an enclosure with the base portion when the apparatus is established in a closed position, the cover portion forming a first partition and a second partition, the first partition being configured with a first pressurization port for allowing the first partition of the cover portion to be connected with a first pressurization source;

the second partition being configured with a second pressurization port for allowing the second partition of the cover portion to be connected with a second pressurization source;

and at least one flexible membrane configured for being at least one of connected to the cover portion, connected to the base portion, or positioned between the cover portion and the base portion, the at least one flexible membrane and the first partition of the cover portion forming a first sealed sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position, the at least one flexible membrane and the second partition forming a second sealed sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position, the at least one flexible membrane and first base receptacle forming a first sealed base sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position, the at least one flexible membrane and the second base receptacle forming a second sealed base sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position,

wherein when a first pressure is created within the first sealed sub-cavity via the first pressurization port and when a first vacuum is created within the first sealed base sub-cavity via the first vacuum port, the at least one flexible membrane is further configured for applying the first pressure to the first laminate assembly stack while said first vacuum is applied to the first laminate assembly stack, wherein when a second pressure is created within the second sealed sub-cavity via the second pressurization port and when a second vacuum is created within the second sealed base sub-cavity via the second vacuum port, the at least one flexible membrane is further configured for applying the second pressure to the second laminate assembly stack while said second vacuum is applied to the second laminate assembly stack, at least one of a magnitude, duration or location of the applied first pressure, applied second pressure, applied first vacuum and applied second vacuum are selectably controllable, the applied first pressure and applied first vacuum promoting intimate contact between the first substrate and the second substrate of the first laminate assembly stack via the PSA layer(s) of the first laminate assembly stack during rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination processes and the applied second pressure and applied second vacuum promoting intimate contact between the first substrate and the second substrate of the second laminate assembly stack via the PSA layer(s) of the second laminate assembly stack during rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination processes.

2. An apparatus for performing rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination processes implementing pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), comprising:

a base portion, the base portion being configured with a support surface for supporting at least one laminate assembly stack, each laminate assembly stack included in the at least one laminate assembly stack including at least one layer of PSA, a first substrate, and a second substrate, the at least one layer of PSA being positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, the base portion being further configured with a vacuum port for allowing the base portion to be connected with a vacuum pump;

a cover portion configured for being connected with the base portion, the cover portion further configured for forming an enclosure with the base portion when the apparatus is established in a closed position, the cover portion forming a first partition and a second partition, the first partition being configured with a pressurization port for allowing the first partition of the cover portion to be connected with a pressurization source, the cover portion further configured with a pressure equalizing port;

and a first flexible membrane and a second flexible membrane, each configured for being at least one of connected to the cover portion, connected to the base portion, or positioned between the cover portion and the base portion, the first flexible membrane and the first partition of the cover portion forming a first sealed sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position, the second flexible membrane and the second partition forming a second sealed sub-cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position, the first flexible membrane, the second flexible membrane and the base portion forming a sealed cavity when the apparatus is established in the closed position,

wherein when a first pressure is created within the first sealed sub-cavity via the first pressurization port and when a vacuum is created within the sealed cavity via the vacuum port, the first flexible membrane is further configured for applying the first pressure to the at least one laminate assembly stack while said vacuum is applied to the at least one laminate assembly stack, wherein the pressure equalizing port allows for the selective release of the first pressure created with the first sealed sub-cavity into the second sealed sub-cavity for selectively establishing a second pressure within the second sealed sub-cavity, when the second pressure is established within the second sealed sub-cavity via the pressure equalizing port and when the vacuum is created within the sealed cavity, the second flexible membrane is further configured for applying the second pressure to the at least one laminate assembly stack, at least one of a magnitude, duration or location of the applied first pressure and the applied second pressure being selectably controllable, the applied first pressure, applied second pressure and applied vacuum promoting intimate contact between the first substrate and the second substrate of the at least one laminate assembly stack via the PSA layer(s), during rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination processes.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

at least one retractable pin configured for maintaining separation and allowing selective substrate contact for the at least one laminate assembly stack.