1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a molding roller, an apparatus and a method for manufacturing the molding roller.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical films include a number of micro structures. One method for forming the micro structures is a roll forming process using a metal roller. The metal roller has a circumferential surface including molding patterns for forming the micro structures. The molding pattern is formed by a laser knife. However, it is difficult to machine the molding patterns on a curved surface of the metal roller, therefore, the machining efficiency is relatively low.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a molding roller, an apparatus and a method for manufacturing the molding roller that can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.
Many aspects of the embodiments should be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The molding film 20 is wound around and fixed to the circumferential surface 101 through the adhesive glue 102. The molding film 20 includes a molding surface 201 opposite to the main body 10. The molding surface 201 includes a number of molding patterns 202. In the embodiment, the molding patterns 202 are micro striped protrusions. In other embodiments, the molding patterns 202 also can be micro-dots, or micro domes.
The molding film 20 is made of flexible organic-inorganic composite. In this embodiment, the organic-inorganic composite consists of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK), carbon fiber, graphite, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The weight of the PEEK is about 70% of the total weight of the organic-inorganic composite. The sum of the weight of the carbon fiber, the weight of the graphite and the weight of the PTFE is about 30% of the total weight of the organic-inorganic composite. Because the organic-inorganic composite is easily separated from the optical films, therefore, the molding film 20 is easily separated from optical films, and the quality of the optical films can be greatly improved.
The loading plate 310 is used for loading a preprocessed metal plate 400. The preprocessed metal plate 400 has a planar preprocessed impression surface 410 opposite to the loading plate 310. The preprocessed metal plate 400 can be made of nickel, chrome, or stainless steel.
The polishing device 320 is used for polishing the preprocessed impression surface 410 to obtain a smooth polished impression surface 410a. The polishing device 320 can include a diamond knife.
The processing device 330 is used for forming a number of impression patterns 411 on the polished impression surface 410a, thus obtaining a metal plate 420 with an impression surface 430. In the embodiment, the impression patterns 411 are micro-grooves.
The processing device 330 includes a laser emitter 331, a reflector 332, and a converging lens 333. The laser emitter 331 is used for emitting laser beams. The emitting direction of the laser beams is substantially parallel to the polished impression surface 410a. The reflector 332 reflects the laser beams to the converging lens 333. The converging lens 333 converges the laser beams from the reflector 332 on the polished impression surface 410a to form the impression patterns 411. In other embodiments, the reflector 332 and the converging lens 333 can be omitted, and the emitting direction of the laser beams is substantially perpendicular to the polished impression surface 410a. If the impression patterns 411 are V-shaped grooves, the processing device 330 can include a diamond knife having a V-shaped blade.
The hot pressing device 340 is used for forming the molding patterns 202 on a preprocessed molding surface 201a of a preprocessed molding film 20a to obtain the molding film 20. The hot pressing device 340 includes a preheating device 341, a substrate 342, a pressing plate 343, and a temperature adjusting device 344.
The preheating device 341 is used for heating the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 at a first predetermined temperature (such as 150° C.) for a first predetermined period (such as 3 hours), and thus to remove air bubbles of the preprocessed molding film 20a. The preheating device 341 can be an oven.
The metal plate 420 and the preprocessed molding film 20a are sandwiched between the substrate 342 and the pressing plate 343. The metal plate 420 is positioned on the substrate 342, and the impression surface 430 is opposite to the substrate 342. The preprocessed molding surface 20a is in contact with the impression surface 430. The pressing plate 343 is directly pressed on the preprocessed molding film 20a. The pressing plate 343 presses the preprocessed molding film 20a at a predetermined pressure, and thus the preprocessed molding surface 201a forms a number of molding patterns 202 mated with the impression patterns 430.
The temperature adjusting device 344 is used for heating or cooling the preprocessed molding film 20a, and includes a first portion 344a and a second portion 344b. The first portion 344a is under the substrate 342, and is directly in contact with the substrate 342. The second portion 344b is above the pressing plate 343, and is directly in contact with the pressing plate 343. The first portion 344a and the second portion 344b directly adjust the temperature of the substrate 342 and the temperature of the pressing plate 343, and thus the temperature of the metal plate 420 and the temperature of the preprocessed molding film 20a can be adjusted.
The working process of the hot pressing device 340 is described as follows: the preheating device 341 heats the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 at the first predetermined temperature (such as 150° C.). Then the temperature adjusting device 344 heats the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 at a second predetermined temperature (such as 390° C.), the pressing plate 343 presses the preprocessed molding film 20a at the predetermined pressure (such as 700 Pa). In addition, the preprocessed molding film 20a is kept constant at the predetermined pressure. The temperature adjusting device 344 cools the preprocessed molding film 20a at a predetermined speed (such as 40° C. per hour) until the temperature of the metal plate 420 reaches a room temperature, and thus the preprocessed molding surface 201a forms a number of molding patterns 202 mated with the impression patterns 411.
The mounting device 350 is used for mounting the molding film 20 on the circumferential surface 101, and includes an auxiliary roller 351 having a smooth circumferential surface 352. The auxiliary roller 351 is at a predetermined distance from the main body 10 to form a molding channel 353. The auxiliary roller 341 and the main body 10 are rotated in reverse directions. The circumferential surface 101 is coated with adhesive glue 102. One end of the molding film 20 is adhered on the circumferential surface 101, then the main body 10 and the auxiliary roller 351 are rotated to make the molding film 20 pass through the molding channel 353, and thus the molding film 20 is adhered to the circumferential surface 101 via the adhesive glue 102.
The cutting device 350 cuts the molding film 20 until the molding film 20 is wound around the main body 10.
In step S1, the preprocessed metal plate 400 is fixed to the loading plate 310. The preprocessed metal plate 400 has a preprocessed impression surface 410 opposite to the loading plate 310.
In step S2, the preprocessed impression surface 410 is polished using the polishing device 320, and thus the polished impression surface 410a is obtained.
In step S3, the polished impression surface 410a is processed to form a number of impression patterns 411, and thus the metal plate 420 with the impression surface 430 is obtained.
In step S4, the metal plate 420 is separated from the loading plate 310. The preprocessed molding film 20a is provided, and the molding patterns 202 are formed on the preprocessed molding surface 201a of the preprocessed molding film 20a using the hot pressing device 340 by pressing the metal plate 420 and the preprocessed molding film 20a together, and thus the molding film 20 is obtained. The molding film 20 has a molding surface 201 having the molding patterns 202.
In step S5, the molding film 20 is wound around and is fixed to the circumferential surface 101 using the mounting device 350.
In step S6, the molding film 20 is cut by the cutting device 360.
Referring to
In step S41, the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 are heated at a first predetermined temperature (such as 150° C.) using the preheating device 341.
In step S42, the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 are sandwiched between the pressing plate 343 and the substrate 342.
In step S43, the temperature adjusting device 344 heats the preprocessed molding film 20a and the metal plate 420 at a second predetermined temperature (such as 390° C.).
In step S44, the pressing plate 343 presses the preprocessed molding film 20a at the predetermined pressure (such as 700 Pa), at the same time, the temperature adjusting device 344 cools the preprocessed molding film 20a at a predetermined speed (such as 40° C. per hour) until the temperature of the metal plate 420 reaches a room temperature.
In step S51, the circumferential surface 101 is coated with the adhesive glue 102.
In step S52, one end of the molding film 20 is adhered on the circumferential surface 101, and the molding surface 201 faces the auxiliary roller 351.
In step S53, the main body 10 and the auxiliary roller 351 are rotated in reverse directions to make the molding film 20 pass through the molding channel 353 until the molding film 20 is wound around the circumferential surface 101.
By employing the apparatus 100 and the above described method, it is easier for the processing device 330 to machine the impression patterns 411 on the planar polished impression surface 410a of the preprocessed metal plate 400 relative to on a curved surface of the metallic roller in the related art, therefore, the machining efficiency is improved. Furthermore, when the molding patterns 202 of one molding film 20 are destroyed, the destroyed molding film 20 can be removed from the main body 10. Another new molding film 20 can be adhered to the main body 10 to form a new molding roller 100. Therefore, the main body 10 can be used more times, and the molding roller 100 has a relatively low cost.
It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiments thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102102560 | Jan 2013 | TW | national |