Liquid adhesive lamination for precision adhesive control

• US 8,608,896 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Horstkemper, Ralf, Feinstein, Casey J., Sung, Kuo-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): Aftergut, Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Jaeyun
• Application Number:
  US13/231,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20130062011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 156/295, 156/87, 427/457, 427/458, 427/466, 427/469, 427/131
• US Class Current: 156/295
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4855 characterised by their physical properties, e.g. being electrically-conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5021 being multi-layered
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5064 of particular form, e.g. being C-shaped, T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/524 by applying the adhesive from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface of the part to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/342 Preventing air-inclusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/208 the adhesive layer being constituted by at least two or more adjacent or superposed adhesive layers, e.g. multilayer adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 5/00 Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers

Abstract

Methods for liquid adhesive lamination for precision adhesive control are provided. Precision liquid adhesive control can be obtained by first patterning liquid adhesive in a thin pre-coat layer on a substrate. A second adhesive layer can then be patterned on top of the pre-coat layer. When the second substrate is pressed onto the first substrate, the second substrate first comes into contact with the second adhesive layer. The adhesive can then be spread uniformly across the two substrates without forming voids. Alternatively, a single liquid adhesive layer can be formed in a three dimensional gradient pattern.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming an adhesive layer on a first substrate;

aligning a second substrate to the first substrate; and

applying a pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate, wherein the adhesive layer is formed in a three dimensional gradient pattern, wherein the three dimensional gradient pattern has at least one planar surface that extends above a surface of the first substrate, and wherein the three dimensional gradient pattern is a gradient pyramid pattern, wherein the first substrate is associated with an electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein first opposing sides of the gradient pyramid pattern are closer to first opposing edges of the first substrate than second opposing sides of the gradient pyramid pattern are to second opposing edges of the first substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is thicker in a first region of the first substrate than in a second region of the first substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein applying pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate includes forming an initial wetting pattern between the second substrate and the portion of the adhesive layer in the first region of the first substrate as the substrates are being pushed together.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein forming the adhesive layer on the first substrate comprises:

dispensing adhesive on the first substrate; and

applying an electrical field to the adhesive, wherein an attraction force of the electrical field is stronger in the first region of the first substrate than in the second region of the first substrate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein aligning the second substrate to the first substrate includes aligning the second substrate at an angle to the first substrate, and wherein applying pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate includes moving the second substrate such that the angle between the second substrate and the first substrate is decreased.

7. the method of claim 6, wherein applying pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate includes pushing excess adhesive from the first region to the second region.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is a flexible substrate.

9. the method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is moved on a conveyor across a roller, thereby decreasing the angle between the second substrate and the first substrate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the gradient pyramid pattern comprises a protruding portion of the adhesive layer.

11. A method comprising:

forming an adhesive layer on a first substrate by forming the adhesive layer in a three dimensional gradient pattern that includes a first portion and a protruding second portion on the first portion;

aligning a second substrate to the first substrate; and

applying pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates comprises a touch sensor substrate.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the first portion is formed in contact with the first substrate.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the first portion comprises a center, and wherein the protruding second portion is a pyramid patterned portion that is located at the center of the first portion.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the pyramid patterned portion comprises a tip and wherein applying pressure to bond the first substrate to the second substrate comprises moving the second substrate into contact with the tip of the pyramid patterned portion.

15. A method comprising:

forming a patterned adhesive layer on a substrate that is associated with an electronic device display, wherein the patterned adhesive layer is formed in a three dimensional gradient pattern;

aligning an additional substrate to the substrate that is associated with the electronic device display; and

adhering the substrate that is associated with the electronic device display to the second substrate using the patterned adhesive layer, wherein forming the patterned adhesive layer comprises forming a pyramid shaped patterned adhesive layer.

16. the method defined in claim 15, wherein the substrate that is associated with the electronic device display comprises a portion of a liquid crystal display.

17. The method defined in claim 15, wherein the additional substrate comprises a touch sensor panel situated on the substrate.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein forming the patterned adhesive layer comprises:

forming a first patterned adhesive layer; and

forming a protrusion on the first patterned adhesive layer.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein forming the protrusion on the first patterned adhesive layer comprises forming a pyramid pattern on the first patterned adhesive layer.