Patent Application
20060185796
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laminating apparatus, and particularly, to a laminating apparatus suitable for laminating a film onto a surface of a recording layer formed on one side of an optical disk, which serves as an information recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an optical disk capable of storing and reproducing high volume information is formed with a recording layer on one side thereof and a light transmissible film is laminated to protect the recording layer. The lamination of the film is made using a master roll constituted by winding a strip material comprising a base sheet made of a consecutively extending release sheet or the like and protective labels laminated on one side of the base sheet at predetermined intervals. It is arranged so that the master roll is held by a feeding means disposed at the upstream side of a label laminating means, and in the process the strip material is fed out, the feeding direction of the strip material is sharply changed, thereby the protective label is peeled off from the base sheet, and then, the peeled protective label is laminated onto the recording substrate.
However, in the conventional laminating apparatus, since it is structured so that the protective label previously formed into a shape of the optical disk is fed out from a state that the same is wound along with the base sheet into a roll, generally a line mark made by winding resides in the protective label causing decrease in quality or lamination failure of the protective label. That is, since the protective labels are wound into a roll in a state being applied onto the base sheet interposed with an adhesive, they are wound in a state that the same on each layer along the direction of the diameter of the roll are not always precisely overlapped on each other. Accordingly, due to the elastic deformation of the adhesive and the edges of the protective labels overlapped with each other, pressed trace (step) or pressed damage caused by the winding pressure is formed on the surface of the protective label resulting in a decrease of the surface accuracy of the protective label. When the protective label having such pressed trace or pressed damage is laminated onto the optical disk, it may cause a considerably adverse effect on recording or reproducing. Furthermore, since the manufacturing process of the protective label and the laminating process of the protective label are separated from each other, such inconvenience that the manufacturing efficiency of the optical disk itself is also decreased is resulted in.
The present invention has been proposed in view of the problems. An object of the invention is to provide a laminating apparatus capable of inhibiting decrease in surface accuracy of the label by forming a label in the process of feeding out of the strip material, and by laminating the label immediately after being formed onto a disk-like information recording substrate to avoid effectively the conventional lamination failure caused from the line mark made by winding.
Another object of the invention is to provide a laminating apparatus with versatility, which achieves the manufacturing of the label and the manufacturing of the recording substrate laminated with the label with a single unit; thereby the manufacturing efficiency can be significantly improved resulting in a reduction of the manufacturing cost as well as the surface accuracy of the protective label can be prevented from being decreased.
In order to achieve the object, the invention adopts such structure that a laminating apparatus for laminating a label on the recording layer surface of a disk-like information recording substrate comprises a feeding means for feeding a strip material applied with a film for forming a label on a base sheet, a pre-cutting means for forming a label by making cuts on the film in accordance with the plane shape of the recording substrate, a peeling means for peeling the label from the base sheet, and a label laminating means for laminating the peeled label to the recording substrate. In the structure, the strip material is constituted in a state that the film for forming the label is applied to the base sheet, and the strip material wound into a roll-like shape is consecutively fed out from the feeding means. The fed out strip material is formed with cuts into a plane shape corresponding to the shape of the recording substrate by the pre-cutting means at a position on its way. The cuts include an outer circular cut corresponding to the outer shape of the recording substrate and an inner circular cut corresponding to the central portion of the recording substrate. The outer circular cut is formed in the film and the inner circular cut is formed in both of the film and the base sheet. The label formed by the pre-cutting means is, after being peeled off via the peeling means, laminated onto the recording substrate by the label laminating means. Thus, since the label is formed from a master roll of the strip material, and is consecutively laminated onto the recording substrate in the next process after being formed, it is made possible to reliably eliminate the problems of the conventional apparatus, in which the label previously applied on the base sheet at predetermined intervals is fed out from a roll-like master roll and laminated onto the recording substrate after being peeled off therefrom.
In the invention, it is preferred that the laminating apparatus further includes collecting means for collecting film area excluding the label. Here, the collecting means may comprise a first collection unit for collecting the outer film area positioned at the outer side of the label and a second collection unit for collecting the inner film area formed at the central area of the label.
Further, the second collection unit of the invention comprises a blowing means for blowing air to the inner film area, and a suction means for sucking the inner film area positioned at the opposite side of the blowing means. Owing to this structure, since the second collection unit can collect the inner film area without coming into contact therewith, the collection can be achieved reliably without requiring stopping operation or reducing the laminating efficiency.
The label laminating means comprises a stage that supplies the recording substrate to a predetermined laminating position, a label holding member that is provided movably with respect to the recording substrate at the laminating position and holds the label, and a pressing member that gives a predetermined pressing force to the label overlapped over the recording layer surface of the recording substrate by relative movement between the recording substrate and the label holding member. Owing to this arrangement, the label can be laminated with a specific pressing force when the label is laminated onto the recording substrate, and the laminating accuracy can be maintained satisfactorily.
Further, the laminating apparatus is arranged so that the label holding member is provided so as to perform a relative movement with respect to the surface of the recording substrate while holding the label in an inclined posture with respect to the surface of the recording substrate, and that the pressing member presses the label while moving from one end to the another end thereof to laminate the label onto the recording substrate sequentially. Here, the pressing member may comprise a roller capable of rotating on the label. Owing to this arrangement, it is possible to laminate the label while expelling air residing between the label and the recording substrate preventing the air bubble being caught therebetween.
Still further, the laminating apparatus includes a configuration in which the movement of the strip material and the rotation of the pre-cutting means is motivated by a motor. A dancer roller disposed between the pre-cutting means and the peeling means removes slack in the strip material, and a motor controller controls the speed of the motor based on the sensed position of the dancer roller.
In this specification, the term “label” includes not only a protective label, which is laminated to protect the recording layer and the like of the disk but also label or sheet and the like for forming a information recording pit utilizing energy-ray hardening.
Now, one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attaching drawings.
The strip material M comprises a film F for forming protective label, which is laminated being interposed with adhesive on one surface of a base sheet S which serves as a release sheet. The strip material M is supported by the feeding means 12 in a state being wound into a roll-like shape to be fed out in order therefrom.
The feeding means 12 comprises a motor M1 and a rotation axis 16 coupled with the motor M1, and it is arranged so that a winding core 17 of the strip material M is inserted by the rotation axis 16 therethrough around the outer periphery of the axis. The strip material M fed from the feeding means 12 is sent to the pre-cutting means 13 through the guide roller 18 and a pair of static eliminating bars 19 disposed opposing each other to allow the strip material M to go therethrough for eliminating static charge from the strip material M.
The pre-cutting means 13 comprises a die receive roll 21 rotatable by a motor M2 and a die-cut roll 22 disposed opposing the die receive roll 21 to pinch the strip material M by interacting with the die receive roll 21. On the outer periphery of the die-cut roll 22, a cutter blade (not shown) has been formed, and by rotation of the die-cut roll 22, an outer cut L1 and an inner cut L2 are formed concentrically within the surface of the strip material M corresponding to the shape of the flat surface of the recording substrate D (refer to
The collecting means 25 comprises a first collection unit 26 for collecting the outer film area F1 and a second collection unit 27 for collecting the inner film area F2. The first collection unit 26 comprises a motor M3 and a winding drum 29 supported around an output shaft 28 of the motor M3. It is arranged so that the outer film area F1 can be collected in order as a trimming residue by the rotation of the motor M3.
The second collection unit 27 is disposed adjacent to the die-cut roll 22, and comprises a pipe-like member 31 as a blowing means extending in the width direction of the strip material M and a suction means 32 positioned at the opposite side of the pipe-like member 31 being interposed by the strip material M. Formed at two points along the axial direction of the pipe-like member 31 are nozzle holes 31A and it is arranged so that the air blown out from the nozzle holes 31A is blown to the inner film area F2. On the other hand, the suction means 32 comprises a box member 34 positioned along the lower surface of the strip material M shown in
The drive roller 36 is fixed to the output shaft of the motor M4, and at two points of the outer periphery thereof, pinch rollers 37, 37 are disposed. The base sheet S and the protective label L sent out by the drive roller 36 are sent to the peeling means 14 through a dancer roller 38 constituting a slacking mechanism and guide rollers 39, 40 and 41 disposed at the downstream side thereof.
According to the embodiment, the peeling means 14 comprises a peel plate 43 fixed to the frame FL. That is, the base sheet S and the protective label L is wrapped so as to turn sharply at the front end of the peel plate 43 (right end in
The label laminating means 15 comprises a stage 50 for supporting recording substrate D and a label holding member 51 provided so as to perform a relative movement with respect to the recording substrate D at the laminating center position P (refer to
As shown in
Further, the label holding member 51 is provided with a lot of vacuum holes (not shown) at the lower surface side of the suction member 60, and is arranged to move in the right direction in
The posture changing means 65 comprises an almost L-shape bracket 68 attached to the both side ends of the suction member 60 in the direction perpendicular to the
The traveling means 66 comprises a motor M5 capable of normally and reversely rotating, and a feeder unit 74 constituted of a feed screw and the like fixed to the output shaft of the motor M5, and the lower portion of the bearing 69 is screw-engaged with the feeder unit 74; thereby the posture changing means 65 and the label holding member 51 can be moved in the right and left direction in
As shown in
As shown in
Because the dancer roller 38 is able to rise or fall depending on the available slack in the strip material M, the dancer roller 38 is provided nearby with sensors that determine the relative position (height) of the dancer roller 38.
With a preferred embodiment, the dancer roller 38 is provided with an upper middle sensor S2 and a lower middle sensor S3 in addition to an upper limit sensor S1 and a lower limit sensor S4.
The sensors (S1, S2, S3, S4) are electronically linked to a motor controller [controller] for controlling at least the motor M2. The motor controller controls the speed of the motor M2 in relation to the sensed vertical position of the dancer roller, as described hereinbelow.
The motor controller for the motor M2 may be any suitable controller, including analog or digital controller. The controller may be electrically connected to the motor M2, or may be in communication with the motor M2 via a wireless connection. Similarly, the motor controller may be electrically connected to the sensors, or may be in communication with the sensor via a wireless connection.
The controller can control not just the condition of the motor M2 (on or off), but also the relative speed of the motor M2. That is, the controller can accelerate the motor M2 from its current running speed to a higher speed, or decelerate it from its current running speed to a lower speed.
In a preferred arrangement, when the upper middle sensor S2 detects the presence of the dancer roller 38, the controller increases the speed of the motor M2; and wherein when the lower middle sensor S3 detects the presence of the dancer roller 38, the controller decreases the speed of the motor M2. Therefore, the laminating apparatus maintains the position of the dancer roller 38 near a middle position.
In a further embodiment, the controller not only controls the motor M2, but also controls any or all of the motors M1, M3, M4, M5 or M6. Its control over these motors may have accelerating and decelerating control similar to its control over motor M2, but its control over motors M1, M3, M4, M5 or M6 may be as simple as on/off.
Next, the entire operation in the embodiment will be described below.
First of all, a specific amount of strip material M, which is wound into a roll-like shape, is pulled out. On the half way, the base sheet S and the film F are peeled manually. The lead end of the base sheet S is fixed to the winding drum 47, and the lead end of the film F is fixed to the winding drum 29 of the first collection unit 26 in the collecting means 25. Thus, the initial setting is completed.
Next, by turning on a predetermined power supply, the motor M4 of the drive roller 36 is driven to feed out the strip material M. Here, the motor M1 of the feeding means 12 is adapted to provide a predetermined feeding resistance so that the strip material M is fed out while keeping a predetermined tension at a level where the plane shape of the protective label L is maintained. The fed out strip material M is formed with an outer cut L1 and an inner cut L2 corresponding to the shape of the recording substrate D while passing through the pre-cutting means 13. To the inner film area F2 in the inner cut L2, air is blown from the nozzle holes 31A of the pipe-like member 31, and the inner film area F2 is sucked into the suction hole 34A of the box member 34 to form a cut part in the center of the label. At the almost same time, the outer film area F1 is wound by the winding drum 29 to form the protective label L being left on the base sheet S.
The protective label L thus formed is, while being peeled off from the base sheet S at the front end of the peel plate 43, sucked and held by the suction member 60 of the label holding member 51. That is, a sensor (not shown) detects timing when the front end (lead end) in the feed direction of the protective label L is positioned immediately under the substantially central axis of the press roller 62. At the same time, the traveling means 66 is actuated to move the label holding member 51 rightward in
Then, when the label holding member 51 has reached the position, which is drawn with solid lines in
After that, by repeating the same operation, the protective label L can be laminated onto the recording substrate D in order.
Consequently, according to such the embodiment, the protective label L can be laminated onto the recording substrate D immediately after the protective label L is formed in the process of feeding of the strip material M to obtain the effect of sweeping away conventional causes such that the surface accuracy of the protective label L is decreased. Furthermore, since the formation and lamination of the protective label L can be achieved in a sequential operation using the laminating apparatus 10 as a single unit, the manufacturing efficiency is greatly improved compared to the conventional system in which the formation and lamination of the protective label L are performed separately.
As noted above, the dancer roller 38 is electronically linked with the motor M2 for driving the die-cut roll 1 of the pre-cutting means. As an effect of this arrangement, even if the peeling means 14 and or the label laminating means 15 disposed at the downstream side of the dancer roller 38 are stopped suddenly, the die-cut roll 21 forms cuts L1 and L2 without being stopped suddenly. Only after forming the cuts does the die-cut roll stop at a position between labels where no cut is required, while the dancer roller 38 may move physically upward to take up slack of the roll.
With a preferred embodiment, the dancer roller 38 is provided with an upper middle sensor S2 and a lower middle sensor S3 in addition to an upper limit sensor S1 and a lower limit sensor S4, wherein when the upper middle sensor S2 detects the presence of the dancer roller 38, the controller increases the speed of the motor M2; and wherein when the lower middle sensor S3 detects the presence of the dancer roller 38, the controller decreases the speed of the motor M2.
The position of the dancer roller 38 is sensed by the sensors (S1, S2, S3, S4), and the speed of the motor M2 for driving the die-cut roll 21 of the pre-cutting means is adjusted accordingly by the controller. In other words, the motor M2 is controlled in response to the vertical position of the dancer roller 38.
When the upper limit sensor S1 or the lower limit sensor S4 detects the dancer roller 38, the controller directs that the feed-out operations of the strip material M, the cut forming operation and like are “cycle stopped”. When the upper middle sensor S2 detects the dancer roller 38, the controller increases the rotation of the motor M2 (accelerating control) and the dancer roller 38 descends gradually. However, there is a possibility that some problem occurs at some point of the apparatus, and irrespective of the accelerating control, the dancer roller further ascends to be detected by the upper limit sensor S1. In that case, the upper limit sensor signals the controller that the dancer roller 38 is approaching, and the controller issues a cycle stop to some or all motors.
If a stop is made while the motor M2 is driven to rotate and form a cut in a film, or while the motor M5 is driven to rotate and cause a label to be received with the suction member 60, a problem may occur when restoring the operation. Therefore, the wording “cycle stop” means a stopping mode of operation in which the apparatus is stopped after the above operations have been completed. The operation of the controller in response to signals from the lower middle sensor S3 and the lower limit sensor S4 (decelerating operation) is similar to the above-described operation of the controller in response to signals from upper middle sensor S2 and the upper limit sensor S1.
When a “cycle stop” is made, it is determined that an abnormal condition has occurred. Therefore, initializing operation including a positioning of the dancer roller and the like necessary for restoring operation may have to be made by an operator before restarting the operation.
As described above, the best structure, manner and the like for carrying out the invention have been disclosed. However, the invention is not limited to that.
That is to say, the invention has been specifically shown diagrammatically and described concerning mainly a few particular embodiments. It is possible, however, for a person in the art to add various modifications concerning configuration, location, layout or the like to the embodiment described above without departing from the technical idea and purpose of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, a pipe-like member 31 or the like is used as a blowing means. However, it is possible to adopt such structure in which the inner film area F2 is removed using an appropriate push-out rod or the like. Further, the label laminating means 15 is not limited to that shown in the drawings or examples of the structure, but those provided with a variety of structures or mechanisms can be adopted only when protective label L can be laminated onto the recording substrate D.
In a word, the invention can be achieved only when the protective label L can be formed and laminated in a sequential operation, while eliminating the separated manufacturing process causing a decrease of a surface accuracy.
As described above, the invention can provide a laminating apparatus having an excellent effect, which was conventionally not found, of capable of laminating a protective label onto a recording substrate while maintaining the accuracy thereof in a high level.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-298535 | Oct 2002 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/682,068, which was filed on Oct. 10, 2003.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10682068 | Oct 2003 | US |
| Child | 11343220 | Jan 2006 | US |
