Patent Application
20120227555
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0020976, filed on Mar. 9, 2011, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. §119, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
(1) Field of the Invention
The disclosure herein relates to an insert member, an apparatus including the insert member for blanking a printed circuit film, and a method of blanking a printed circuit film using the apparatus.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In liquid crystal displays, a voltage is applied to molecules of liquid crystal to change the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal, and then optical characteristics such as birefringence, optical rotation, and light scattering of liquid crystal cells are accordingly changed so that information can be displayed by modulating light using the change of optical characteristics of the liquid crystal cells. Liquid crystal displays are used in almost all flat display products such as cellular phones, monitors, and televisions (“TVs”). Owing to recent rapid advance in technology, high-quality, light, slim liquid crystal display products are available.
In a liquid crystal display, a liquid crystal panel and a printed circuit board are electrically connected to each other through a flexible printed circuit film. If an integrated circuit chip is disposed on a flexible printed circuit film, the flexible printed circuit film may be used as a chip on film (“COF”) or a tape carrier package (“TCP”). Flexible printed circuit films having a predetermined size may be fabricated by punching a base film with a punch.
The disclosure provides an insert member that includes an opening and can be easily grinded at the inner surface of the opening.
The disclosure also provides an insert member that can be manufactured with low cost.
The disclosure also provides an insert member which reduces a tolerance of a gap between an opening of the insert member and a punch
The disclosure also provides an apparatus and method for blanking a high-quality printed circuit film.
Embodiments of the invention provides apparatuses for blanking a printed circuit film. The apparatuses blank a printed circuit film from a base film including a plurality of printed circuit films. The apparatus includes a die unit which supports the base film, and a vertically movable punch unit which is above the die unit and includes a punch which punches the base film while the base film is placed on the die unit, such that the printed circuit film is blanked from the base film. The die unit includes a plate, and an insert member which is on a top surface of the plate and supports a region of the base film which is punched. The insert member includes an opening which receives the punch. The insert member further includes a plurality of assembled detachable frames, and the opening of the insert member is defined by the assembled the frames. The insert member may have a tetragonal rim shape.
In some embodiments, the insert member may include four frames each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Neighboring frames may be disposed such that an end of one of the neighboring frames contacts a side of the other of the neighboring frames. One side of the opening may be defined by one side of one of the frames.
In other embodiments, the frames may include a first frame, a second frame which is spaced apart from the first frame and parallel with the first fame, a third frame perpendicular to the first frame, the third frame including a first end which contacts a side of the first frame and a second end which opposes the first end and contacts a side of the second frame, and a fourth frame which is spaced apart from the third frame and parallel with the third frame, the fourth frame including a first end which contacts the side of the first frame and a second end which opposes the first end and contacts with the side of the second frame.
In still other embodiments, the insert member may include two frames having the same shape. Each of the frames may include a first region, a second region which extends from a first end of the first region, in a direction perpendicular to the first region, and a third region which extends from a second end of the first region which opposes the first end, in a direction perpendicular to the first region, the third region facing the second region.
In even other embodiments, the insert member may include eight frames having the same shape. Each of the eight frames may include a first side, a second side parallel with the first side and longer than the first side, a third side perpendicular to the first side, the third side connecting a first end of the first side and a first end of the second side, and a fourth side connecting a second opposing the first end of the first side and a second end opposing the first end of the second side.
In yet other embodiments, each of the frames may include an insertion protrusion, and an insertion groove having a shape which corresponds to the insertion protrusion and receives the insertion protrusion of an adjacent frame.
In further embodiments, a portion of the frames includes a first stepped portion at an outer region of the frame, such that a top surface of the outer region is lower than a top surface of an inner region of the frame close to the opening. The die unit may further include an insert fixation part which is coupled to the plate. An end of the insert fixation part includes a second stepped portion in a shape corresponding to the outer region of the frame. A bottom surface of the second stepped portion of the insert fixation part contacts the top surface of the outer region of the frame.
In other embodiments of the invention, there are provided insert members for a printed circuit film blanking apparatus in which a portion of a base film including a plurality of printed circuit films is supported on the insert member and is punched by a punch to blank the printed circuit film. The insert member includes detachable frames assembled in a tetragonal rim shape, and an opening which receives the punch and is defined by the assembled frames.
In some embodiments, the insert member may include four frames each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
In other embodiments, the insert member may include two frames having the same “C”-shape (square bracket shape).
In still other embodiments, the insert member may include four frames having the same -shape (bracket shape).
In still other embodiments of the invention, there are provided a method of blanking a printed circuit film, the method including providing an insert member including an opening, placing a portion of a base film including a plurality of printed circuit films on a top surface of the insert member, and blanking the printed circuit film by lowering a punch from an upper side of the insert member into the opening of the insert member, The insert member includes a plurality of detachable frames which are assembled and define the opening.
In some embodiments, prior to the providing the insert member, the method may further include performing a position setting operation to fix positions of a first plate which receives the insert member and a second plate on which the punch is disposed to blanking positions, such that the punch blanks the printed circuit film. The position setting operation may be performed in a state where the punch is detached and a jig is attached to a position from which the punch is detached.
In other embodiments, the jig may have the same shape as the punch.
In still other embodiments, a bottom surface of the jig may be wider than the opening.
In even other embodiments, the providing of the insert member may include detaching the jig from the position and attaching the punch to the position, and placing the first plate and the second plate at the blanking positions.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention concept and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the invention concept. In the drawings:
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Various modifications, equivalents, and substitutes may be provided within the scope and spirit of the invention.
In the following descriptions of the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements. In addition, the dimensions of elements are exaggerated for clarity of illustration. It will be understood that although the terms first and second are used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to discriminate one element from another element. For example, an element referred as a first element in one embodiment may be referred to as a second element in another embodiment, and an element referred to as a second element in one embodiment may be referred to as a first element so long as this naming does not obscure the scope of the invention. The terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless referred to the contrary.
The meaning of “include,” “comprise,” “including,” or “comprising,” specifies a property, a region, a fixed number, a step, a process, an element, and/or a component but does not exclude other properties, regions, fixed numbers, steps, processes, elements and/or components. It will also be understood that when an element such as a layer, a film, a region, and a plate is referred to as being ‘on’ another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intervening elements may also be present. Further, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, a film, a region, and a plate is referred to as being ‘under’ another element, it can be directly under, and one or more intervening elements may also be present. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being ‘between’ two elements, it can be the only element between the two elements, or one or more intervening elements may also be present.
All methods described herein can be performed in a suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”), is intended merely to better illustrate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention as used herein.
Referring to
The die unit 100 includes a first plate 110, lift rods 120, elastic members 130, guide bushes 140, an insert member 150, and insert fixation parts 160.
The first plate 110 has a tetragonal shape. The first plate 110 includes a first opening 111 in a center portion. The first opening 111 extends from a top surface to a bottom surface of the first plate 110, completely through a thickness of the first plate 110, such as in the form of a penetration hole. The first opening 111 has an approximately tetragonal shape. Guide grooves 114 and 115 and insertion grooves 116 and 117 are extended in the top surface of the first plate 110. The guide grooves 114 and 115 are at both of opposing sides of the first opening 111 and extend from the first opening 111 to outer sides (e.g. edges) of the first plate 110. Hereinafter, a direction in which the guide grooves 114 and 115 and the first opening 111 are arranged will be referred to as a first direction X, and a direction perpendicular to the first direction X when viewed from the top side will be referred to as a second direction Y. A direction perpendicular to the first and second directions X and Y will be referred to as a third direction Z. The guide grooves 114 and 115 guide the base film M in the first direction X. The base film M is placed in the guide groove 114 at one side of the first opening 111 and is fed to the guide groove 115 at the opposing other side of the first opening 111 as a blanking process proceeds. The first direction X may also be referred to as a feeding direction of the base film M.
The insertion grooves 116 and 117 are at both of opposing sides of the first opening 111 in the second direction Y. When viewed from the top side of the first plate 110, the insertion grooves 116 and 117 and the guide grooves 114 and 115 are arranged around the first opening 111 in a cross shape. The insertion grooves 116 and 117 extend from the first opening 111 to outer sides of the first plate 110. The insert fixation parts 160 are fixedly inserted in the insertion grooves 116 and 117, respectively. Ends of the insert member 150 (described later) are placed in the insertion grooves 116 and 117, respectively. Bush holes 118 are extended into the bottom surfaces of the insertion grooves 116 and 117, respectively. The bush holes 118 are penetration holes which extend from the bottom surfaces of the insertion grooves 116 and 117 to the bottom surface of the first plate 110.
The lift rods 120 are on the topside of the first plate 110 and have a rod shape. The lengths of the lift rods 120 are parallel to the third direction Z, and the lower ends of the lift rods 120 are fixed to the top surface of the first plate 110. In an embodiment, the lift rods 120 are four in number and are in regions between the insertion grooves 116 and 117 and the guide grooves 114 and 115, respectively. When the punch unit 200 is vertically moved in the third direction Z to punch the base film M, the lift rods 120 guide the punch unit 200 along a preset path
The elastic members 130 are around the lift rods 120. When the punch unit 200 is moved down in the third direction Z toward the die unit 100 to punch the base film M, the elastic members 130 are compressed, and when the punch unit 200 is moved to its original position in the third direction Z away from the die unit 100, the elastic members 130 are decompressed. In an embodiment, the elastic members 130 may be springs.
The guide bushes 140 are inserted in the bush holes 118, respectively. The outer surfaces of the guide bushes 140 have the same radius as the inner surface of the bush holes 118 in the first plate 110. The guide bushes 140 include guide holes 141 are extended completely though a length of the guide bushes 140 in center regions of the guide bushes 140. The guide holes 141 are penetration holes which extend from the top surfaces to the bottom surfaces of the guide bushes 140. The guide holes 141 have a radius corresponding to dimensions of guide rods 260 (described later). The guide rods 260 are inserted in the guide holes 141.
The insert member 150 has a thin tetragonal rim shape. The insert member 150 is placed on the top surface of the first plate 110. In detail, one end of the insert member 150 is placed on the bottom surface of the (first) insertion groove 116, and the opposing other end of the insert member 150 is placed on the bottom surface of the (second) insertion groove 117. The top surface of the insert member 150 is higher than the bottom surfaces of the insertion grooves 116 and 117. A punch region of the base film M is on the top surface of the insert member 150.
The insert member 150 includes a second opening 150a. The second opening 150a is a penetration hole which extends from the top surface to the bottom surface of the insert member 150. The second opening 150a is above the first opening 111 and is connected to the first opening 111. When viewed from the topside of the second opening 150a, the second opening 150a has a rectangular shape and a size corresponding to a printed circuit film (not shown). A punch 250 is inserted in the second opening 150a after the punch 250 punches the base film M.
The insert member 150 further includes pin holes 158. The pin holes 158 are four in number and are spaced apart from each other. The pin holes 158 are in regions close to corners of the second opening 150a. The pin holes 158 are penetration holes which extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the insert member 150 and are connected to the first opening 111. The pin holes 158 are connected to fixation holes M1 in the base film M. Fixation pins 270 are inserted in the fixation holes M1 and the pin holes 158 to fix the base film M when a printed circuit film is blanked using the punch 250. The insert member 150 is stepped in a manner such that the top surfaces of outer regions 150b spaced apart from the second opening 150a are lower than the top surface of an inner region close to the second opening 150a. In an embodiment, the insert member 150 is stepped in a manner such that the outer regions 150b are parallel to the first direction X.
In an embodiment, the insert member 150 may be formed by assembling a plurality of detachable frames in a tetragonal shape to define the second opening 150a of the insert member 150.
Referring to
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Referring to
As described above, if an insert member 150 includes a plurality of frames and the second opening 150a is defined by the assembled frames, inner surfaces of the insert member 150 defining the second opening 150a can be easily machined. If a one-piece insert member 150 is used, the second opening 150a may have to be formed directly in the insert member 150, and thus it may be difficult to machine inner surfaces of the insert member 150. Particularly, it may be more difficult to machine corners of the second opening 150a having a rectangular shape due to insufficient space. Thus, the surface roughness of inner sides of the insert member 150 may be increased, and thus the surface roughness of edges of a printed circuit film formed through a blanking process using the insert member 150 may be increased.
However, according to the invention, the second opening 150a is defined by inner edges of the detachable frames. Therefore, the frames can be easily machined after detaching the frames. In the case of the insert members 150 shown in
In a printed circuit film blanking process, the punch 250 is inserted in the second opening 150a of the insert member 150. At this time, the tolerance of gaps between the outer surfaces of the punch 250 and the inner surfaces of the second opening 150a may be maintained within a predetermined range so as to blank a printed circuit film having a low surface roughness. However, if the insert member 150 is one single unitary piece, it may be difficult to precisely machine the inner surfaces of the insert member 150, and thus the tolerance of the gaps between the outer surfaces of the punch 250 and the inner surfaces of the second opening 150a may not be maintained within a predetermined range. Therefore, machining errors may be increased, and manufacturing costs of the insert member 150 may be increased when the insert member 150 is one single unitary piece.
However, according to the invention, since the second opening 150a of the insert member 150 is defined by a plurality of frames, the size of the second opening 150a can be easily controlled. That is, the tolerance of the gaps between the inner surfaces of the second opening 150a and the outer surfaces of the punch 250 can be easily maintained within a predetermined range by machining the respective frames individually and/or separately and assembling the frames. Then, since machining errors may be reduced, the manufacturing costs of the insert member 150 may be reduced.
Referring again to
The punch unit 200 is above the die unit 100 and is vertically movable along the third direction Z. The punch unit 200 punches the base film M while it is supported on the die unit 100 to blank a printed circuit film. The punch unit 200 includes a second plate 210, lift bushes 220, packing parts 230, an auxiliary plate 240, the punch 250, the guide rods 260, and the fixation pins 270.
The second plate 210 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the first plate 110 and is above the first plate 110. The second plate 210 includes insertion holes 211 (refer to
The lift bushes 220 are inserted in the insertion holes 211, respectively. The lift bushes 220 include lift holes 221 (refer to
Each of the lift bushes 220 includes an insertion part 220a and a stopper part 220b. The size of the outer surface of the insertion part 220a corresponds to the size of the inner surface of the insertion hole 211. The insertion part 220a is inserted between the inner surface of the insertion hole 211 and the outer surface of the lift rod 120. The stopper part 220b is connected to the upper end of the insertion part 220a, and the radius of the outer surface of the stopper part 220b is greater than the radius of the outer surface of the insertion part 220a. Owing to the stopper part 220b of the lift bush 220, the lift bush 220 is not completely inserted in the insertion hole 211.
The packing parts 230 are fixed to the upper ends of the lift rods 120. The packing parts 230 has a radius greater than the radius of the lift holes 221 of the lift bushes 220 to prevent the lift bushes 220 from being detached from the lift rods 120. The packing parts 230 may be coupled to the upper ends of the lift rods 120 by using fastening members such as bolts 231.
The auxiliary plate 240 is at a bottom surface of the second plate 210 and is fixed to the bottom side of the second plate 210. The auxiliary plate 240 supports the punch 250, the guide rods 260, and the fixation pins 270.
The punch 250 is at the bottom side of the second plate 210. The upper end of the punch 250 is inserted in an accommodation hole 241 (refer to
The fixation pins 270 are close to the punch 250 and parallel to the third direction Z. The number of the fixation pins 270 is four. When the punch 250 punches the base film M, distal ends of the fixation pins 270 are inserted sequentially into fixation holes M1 of the base film M and the pin holes 158 of the insert member 150. That is, when the punch 250 punches the base film M, the fixation pins 270 reduce or effectively prevent deviation of the base film M from a blanking position. Elastic members 275 are provided on the upper ends of the fixation pins 270. When the fixation pins 270 are inserted in fixation holes M1 of the base film M and the pin holes 158 of the insert member 150 as the punch unit 200 is moved down, the elastic members 275 are compressed, and when the punch unit 200 is moved upward, the elastic members 275 are decompressed. Owing to the elastic members 275, the fixation pins 270 can be returned to their original positions after a blanking action.
The guide rods 260 are at the bottom side of the auxiliary plate 240 and have a rod shape. The guide rods 260 are parallel to the third direction Z, and the upper ends of the guide rods 260 are fixed to the bottom side of the auxiliary plate 240. The distal lower ends of the guide rods 260 are inserted in the guide holes 141 of the guide bush 140. As the punch unit 200 is vertically moved, the guide rods 260 are moved in the guide holes 141. Owing to the guide rods 260, the position of the punch unit 200 can be fixed relative to the first plate 110 in the first and second directions X and Y, and thus the punch 250 can precisely punch the base film M.
An exemplary embodiment of a method of blanking a printed circuit film using the printed circuit film blanking apparatus 10 will now be explained.
The printed circuit film blanking method includes a position setting operation, an assembling operation, and a blanking operation. In the position setting operation, the die unit 100 and the punch unit 200 are placed in blanking positions where a printed circuit film can be blanked using the punch 250. In the assembling operation, the insert member 150 is placed on the die unit 100, and the punch 250 is placed on the punch unit 200. In the blanking operation, the punch 250 punches the base film M which is placed on the insert member 150 to blank a printed circuit film. Hereinafter, each operation will be described in detail.
Referring to
Next, the insertion parts 220a of the lift bushes 220 are placed between the inner surfaces of the insertion holes 211 in the second plate 210 and the outer surfaces of the lift rods 120 to fix the position of the second plate 210 relative to the first plate 110. The blanking position is a position where the punch 250 can precisely punch the base film M. In this position setting operation, the jig J is placed at a position where the punch 250 to be placed, and then the jig J is replaced with the punch 250 in the next assembling operation. That is, after the relative positions of the first plate 110 and the second plate 210 are fixed, the insert member 150 and the punch 250 are placed in the next assembling operation.
Referring to
The jig J placed on the auxiliary plate 240 in the position setting operation is replaced with the punch 250. In detail, the jig J is detached from the accommodation hole 241 of the auxiliary plate 240, and the punch 250 is inserted in the accommodation hole 241. In the illustrated embodiment, the jig J has the same shape as the shape of the punch 250. In detail, the jig J has a rectangular parallelepiped block shape, and the bottom side of the jig J has a shape in dimensions substantially equal to or smaller than the second opening 150a of the insert member 150.
After the insert member 150 and the punch 250 are assembled, the second plate 210 is moved downward so that the lift rods 120 can be inserted in the lift holes 221 of the lift bushes 220, and the guide rods 260 can be inserted in the guide holes 141 of the guide bushes 140. Since the relative positions of the first plate 110 and the second plate 210 are set to blanking positions in the position setting operation of
Then, the blanking operation is performed using the printed circuit film blanking apparatus 10 assembled as described above.
Referring to
Fixation holes M1 are formed in the base film M at positions close to the printed circuit films F, but not in the printed circuit films F. In the illustrated embodiment, four fixation holes M1 are formed around one printed circuit film F at positions close to the corners of the printed circuit film F. The base film M is placed on the insert member 150 in a manner such that a printed circuit film F is placed at the upper side of the second opening 150a of the insert member 150, and the fixation holes M1 are aligned with the pin holes 158 of the insert member 150.
After the base film M is placed on the insert member 150, the punch unit 200 is moved downward. Then, as the second plate 210 is moved downward, the lift bushes 220 are moved down along the lift rods 120, and thus the elastic members 130 are compressed. The guide rods 260 are moved downward along the guide holes 141 of the guide bushes 140. The distal ends of the fixation pins 270 are sequentially inserted into the fixation holes M1 and the pin holes 158 to fix the base film M to the insert member 150. The elastic members 275 on the upper ends of the fixation pins 270 are compressed. The punch 250 punches the base film M placed on the insert member 150 and is inserted in the second opening 150a so that the printed circuit film F can be blanked. The blanked printed circuit film F moves down through the first opening 111 of the first plate 110. After the printed circuit film F is blanked, the punch unit 200 is moved upward to its original position by the resilience of the elastic members 130. The base film M is fed so that the next printed circuit films F of the base film M are sequentially placed on the insert member 150, such that the blanking operation is performed.
As described above, in the position setting operation of the printed circuit film blanking method of the invention, the relative positions of the die unit 100 and the punch unit 200 are fixed to the blanking positions by using the jig J having the same shape as the punch 250. Thereafter, the jig J is replaced with the punch 250 in the assembling operation for using the punch 250 in the blanking operation. Therefore, the punch 250 can be precisely inserted in the second opening 150a of the insert member 150 in the blanking operation.
Referring to
In a position setting operation, both of opposing ends of the lower body J2 are placed on the bottom sides of the insertion grooves 116 and 117 of the first plate 110, respectively. In this state, the lift bushes 220 are around the lift rods 120 to fix the relative positions of the die unit 100 and the punch unit 200 to blanking positions. Since the area of the bottom side of the lower body J2 corresponds to the area of the insert member 150, the insert member 150 can be placed on a position where the lower body J2 was placed. Thus, when the punch 250 replaces the jig J in an assembling operation, the punch 250 can be exactly positioned so that the punch 250 can be inserted in the second opening 150a of the insert member 150. That is, the relative positions of the punch 250 and the second opening 150a can be easily set to blanking positions.
The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
According to the invention, the inner surface of the insert member which defines the opening of the insert member can be more precisely grinded, and thus printed circuit films having low surface roughness at their edges can be produced by blanking.
According to the invention, the inner surface defining the opening of the insert member can be easily grinded, and thus manufacturing cost of the insert member necessary for grinding the opening can be reduced.
According to the invention, a tolerance of a gap between the opening of the insert member and the punch can be easily controlled by adjusting the size of the opening of the insert member, and thus printed circuit films having low surface roughness at their edges can be produced by blanking.
The invention has been illustratively explained. Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described, the invention may be embodied in different combinations thereof, forms, and environments. That is, various changes in forms and details may be made within the scope of the invention by those of ordinary skill in the art. While the invention has been explained with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes in forms and details may be made therein according to application fields and purposes. The exemplary embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Thus, it should be construed that the appended claims include other embodiments.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2011-0020976 | Mar 2011 | KR | national |
