Thermo-compression bonding tool with high temperature elastic element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9944055-B2
Application number	US-201514752744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A thermo-compression bonding tool with a high temperature elastic element, and methods of bonding a metal sheet to a substrate using a thermo-compression bonding tool are described. In an example, a system for bonding a metal sheet to a substrate includes a stage to support the substrate and an elastic roller located above the stage. The elastic roller includes a high temperature material. The system also includes a heated backing plate located above the elastic roller. The backing plate is configured to apply pressure and heat to the elastic roller as the elastic roller rolls across a metal sheet disposed above the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for bonding a metal sheet to a substrate, the system comprising:
a stage to support the substrate;
an elastic roller located above the stage, wherein the elastic roller comprises a material that can withstand temperatures at or above 350 degrees Celsius; and
a heated backing plate located above the elastic roller;
wherein the heated backing plate is configured to apply pressure and heat to the elastic roller as the elastic roller rolls across the metal sheet disposed above the substrate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heated backing plate is self-pivotable about a line substantially perpendicular to the elastic roller.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic roller comprises a hollow metal roller.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the hollow metal roller comprises a thin-walled stainless steel roller.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the elastic roller has an outer diameter in a range of 4 mm to 25 mm, and a wall thickness of 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic roller comprises a metal tube configured to contain an inert gas inside the metal tube.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the inert gas comprises argon or helium.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heated backing plate comprises one or more heating elements configured to heat the heated backing plate to a temperature in a range of 300 to 550 degrees C.

9. A system for bonding a metal sheet to a substrate, the system comprising:
a stage to support the substrate;
an elastic roller located above the stage, wherein the elastic roller comprises a material that can withstand temperatures in the range of 350-550 degrees Celsius; and
a heated backing plate located above the elastic roller;
wherein the heated backing plate is configured to apply pressure and heat to the elastic roller as the elastic roller rolls across the metal sheet disposed above the substrate.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the heated backing plate is self-pivotable about a line substantially perpendicular to the elastic roller.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the elastic roller comprises a hollow metal roller.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the hollow metal roller comprises a thin-walled stainless steel roller.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the elastic roller has an outer diameter in a range of 4 mm to 25 mm, and a wall thickness of 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the elastic roller comprises a metal tube configured to contain an inert gas inside the metal tube.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the inert gas comprises argon or helium.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the heated backing plate comprises one or more heating elements configured to heat the heated backing plate to a temperature in a range of 300 to 550 degrees C.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Sewell Richard Hamilton
• Pass Thomas

Classifications

• B32B37/14

  characterised by the properties of the layers · CPC title

• B32B37/22

  involving the assembly of both discrete and continuous layers · CPC title

• B32B37/06

  characterised by the heating method · CPC title

• B30B3/005

  Roll constructions · CPC title

• B32B38/18

  Handling of layers or the laminate · CPC title