Imprinting apparatus and imprinting method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549494-B2
Application number	US-201615222808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2016
Priority date	Apr 20, 2016
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

An imprinting apparatus includes a first conveyer unit, a flexible imprinting mold film and a driving roller set. The first conveyer is adapted to convey a workpiece to a working region of the imprinting apparatus. The flexible imprinting mold film has imprinting segments. At least one of the imprinting segments is located in the working region. The workpiece is adapted to be imprinted in the working region through the corresponding imprinting segment. The flexible imprinting mold film is partially rolled around the driving roller set, the imprinting segment located in the working region is expanded from the driving roller set, and the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film, such that at least another one of the imprinting segments rolled around the driving roller set is expanded from the driving roller set and moved to the working region. Besides, an imprinting method is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imprinting apparatus, comprising:
a first conveyer unit, adapted to convey at least one workpiece to a working region of the imprinting apparatus;
a flexible imprinting mold film, having a plurality of imprinting segments, wherein at least one of the imprinting segments is located in the working region, and the workpiece is adapted to be imprinted in the working region through the corresponding imprinting segment;
a driving roller set, the flexible imprinting mold film being partially rolled around the driving roller set, and the imprinting segment located in the working region being expanded from the driving roller set, wherein the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film, such that at least another one of the imprinting segments rolled around the driving roller set is expanded from the driving roller set and moved to the working region; and
a coating unit, adapted to coat an optical layer on the workpiece before the workpiece reaches the working region, wherein an imprinting microstructure of the imprinting segment located in the working region is adapted to imprint the optical layer to form an optical grating on the workpiece,
wherein a conveying direction of the first conveyer unit is different from a conveying direction of the flexible imprinting mold film,
wherein the working region comprises an imprinting position and at least one mold-release position, at least two of the imprinting segments are respectively located at the imprinting position and the mold-release position, the workpiece is adapted to be imprinted at the imprinting position, and the imprinted workpiece is adapted to be adhered to the corresponding imprinting segment and is driven to the mold-release position by the driving roller set, and the workpiece is adapted to implement mold release at the mold-release position,
wherein the number of the at least one mold-release position is two, and the imprinting position is located between the two mold-release positions.

2. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first detection unit, wherein the coating unit is disposed between the first detection unit and the working region, and the first detection unit is adapted to detect a surface state of the workpiece uncoated with the optical layer.

3. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy source, disposed in the working region, wherein the imprinted optical layer is adapted to be cured through energy provided by the energy source.

4. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first energy source and a second energy source, wherein the first energy source is disposed between the coating unit and the working region, and the second energy source is disposed in the working region, the optical layer before imprinted is adapted to be half-cured through energy provided by the first energy source, and the imprinted optical layer is adapted to be completely cured through energy provided by the second energy source.

5. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an imprinting mold roller, disposed in the working region, and adapted to press the corresponding imprinting segment to the workpiece.

6. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a lifting unit, disposed in the working region, and adapted to drive the workpiece to move up and down relative to the flexible imprinting mold film.

7. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driving roller set comprises two driving rollers, the working region is located between the two driving rollers, and the flexible imprinting mold film is partially rolled around one of the driving rollers and is partially rolled around the other driving roller.

8. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one clamping member, disposed in the working region, and adapted to clamp the flexible imprinting mold film, and lifting off the flexible imprinting mold film located at the mold-release position from the workpiece.

9. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one buffer member, disposed between the imprinting position and the mold-release position, wherein the flexible imprinting mold film is adapted to be leaned against by the buffer member for bending, so as to form at least one buffer segment at a boundary of the imprinting segment located at the mold-release position.

10. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the imprinted workpiece is driven to the mold-release position by the driving roller set, the first conveyer unit is adapted to convey another workpiece to the imprinting position, and while the workpiece implements mold release at the mold-release position, the another workpiece is imprinted at the imprinting position.

11. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the imprinting segments comprise a first imprinting segment and a second imprinting segment adjacent to each other, the two mold-release positions comprise a first mold-release position and a second mold-release position, and when the first imprinting segment and the second imprinting segment are located in the working region, the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film to perform a reciprocating motion between a first state and a second state, and when the flexible imprinting mold film is in the first state, the first imprinting segment is located at the first mold-release position and the second imprinting segment is located at the imprinting position, and when the flexible imprinting mold film is in the second state, the first imprinting segment is located at the imprinting position and the second imprinting segment is located at the second mold-release position.

12. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the imprinting segments further comprise a third imprinting segment and a fourth imprinting segment adjacent to each other, and the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film to make the third imprinting segment and the fourth imprinting segment to be located in the working region, and when the third imprinting segment and the fourth imprinting segment are located in the working region, the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film to perform the reciprocating motion.

13. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one second detection unit, adapted to detect the imprinted workpiece to determine a wearing status of the corresponding imprinting segment.

14. The imprinting apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:
at least one second conveyer unit, adapted to convey the imprinted workpiece to pass through the second detection unit.

Assignees

• Himax Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Chin-Der
• Kuo Han-Yi
• Tsai Jui-Pin

Classifications

• B29C59/026

  of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces · CPC title

• B29C2037/90

  Measuring, controlling or regulating · CPC title

• B29C35/0805

  using electromagnetic radiation · CPC title

• B29C2059/023

  Microembossing · CPC title

• B29K2105/243

  Partially cured · CPC title