Cover window and apparatus and method for manufacturing the cover window

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9498940-B2
Application number	US-201314057536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2013
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Provided are a cover window and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the cover window. The cover window includes a film layer having at least one bent portion, a resin layer having at least one bent portion, and an adhesive layer disposed between the film layer and the resin layer and adhering the film layer and the resin layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a cover window, the apparatus comprising:
a first moving unit configured to retain a first member comprising at least one first bent portion having a first longitudinal extent and a first curvature extending along the first longitudinal extent, the first moving unit comprising a first aligning unit spaced apart from the first member;
a second moving unit spaced apart from and facing the first moving unit, and configured to retain a second member comprising a second bent portion having a second longitudinal extent and a second curvature that conforms to the curvature of the at least one first bent portion, the second moving unit comprising a second aligning unit overlapping the first aligning unit and spaced apart from the second member; and
a driving unit configured to linearly move at least one of the first moving unit and the second moving unit, such that the first and second bent portions contact each other along substantially the entire longitudinal extents upon initial contact of the first member and the second member to laminate the first member and the second member and to substantially adjoin the first aligning unit and the second aligning unit, such that the curvatures of the bent portions and the curvatures of portions of the first and second moving units contacting the respective first and second members do not substantially change during lamination,
wherein:
one of the first member and the second member comprises a resin layer, and the other comprises at least one of a film layer and a protection layer; and
one of the first aligning unit and the second aligning unit protrudes and the other recesses with respect to the corresponding first moving unit or the second moving unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second moving unit comprises a second jig configured to dispose the second member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a first fixing unit installed on the first moving unit and configured to fix the first member on the first moving unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second fixing unit installed on the second moving unit and configured to fix the second member on the second moving unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a shaft connected to and configured to rotate the second jig,
wherein the second jig is positioned at an angle with respect to the first moving unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first moving unit further comprises:
a first jig configured to dispose the first member; and
a driving roller configured to contact and linearly move along an external surface of the first jig.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the driving roller is further configured to linearly move from a portion of the first jig where a distance between the first jig and the second jig is a first distance to another portion of the first jig where a distance between the first jig and the second jig is a second distance that is different from the first distance.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

9. An apparatus for manufacturing a cover window, the apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
a first moving unit configured to retain a first member comprising at least one bent portion;
a second moving unit spaced apart from and facing the first moving unit and configured to retain a second member, the second moving unit comprising lamination rollers contacting each other, a first portion of the lamination rollers being configured to contact at least a portion of the second member and linearly move along a surface of the second member to laminate the first member and the second member;
a first driving unit configured to linearly move the first moving unit;
a second driving unit comprising a gear assembly and a motor, the motor being configured to directly rotate a second portion of the lamination rollers along the gear assembly to linearly move the second moving unit,
wherein:
one of the first member and the second member comprising a resin layer, and the other comprising at least one of a film layer and a protection layer;
the first moving unit moves along a direction perpendicular to a direction the second moving unit moves along; and
a portion of the first driving unit is in the vacuum chamber and the entire second driving unit is in the vacuum chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the lamination rollers are further configured to move from a portion where the first member and the second member contact, to a first end of the first member where a bent portion of the first member has the smallest curvature radius, and then move toward a second end of the second member that is different from the first end to laminate the first member and the second member.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oh Jee-Seok
• Hwang Jeong-Ho
• Kim Sang-Gu
• Kim Joo-Il

Classifications

• B32B3/04

  characterised by {at least one} layer folded at the edge, e.g. over another layer {; characterised by at least one layer enveloping or enclosing a material} · CPC title

• B32B27/36

  comprising polyesters · CPC title

• B32B2457/00

  Electrical equipment · CPC title

• B32B27/08 Primary

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B37/003

  to avoid air inclusion · CPC title