DESCRIPTION METHOD OF APPLYING WEB

Technical Field The present invention relates to a method of applying a web to a substrate by pressing and rotating laminating rollers .

Background Art Substrates for liquid crystal panels, substrates for printed wiring boards, and substrates for PDP panels, for example, include a photosensitive sheet (elongate web) having a photosensitive resin layer and applied to a substrate surface. The photosensitive sheet is generally constructed as a laminated assembly of a photosensitive material layer and a protective film that are laminated on a flexible plastic support layer.

Applying apparatus for applying such a photosensitive sheet usually operate to feed substrates such as glass substrates, resin substrates, or the like at given spaced intervals, while peeling a protective film off from the photosensitive sheet, and thereafter applying a photosensitive resin layer to the respective substrates. According to an applying apparatus disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-148794, a glass substrate is fed to a thermal compression unit having a thermal compression roller pair and a backup roller. The

thermal compression roller pair has a first thermal compression roller and a second thermal compression roller which are vertically spaced from each other. The first and second thermal compression rollers have built-in heaters. The thermal compression roller pair grips and feeds a glass substrate and a laminated film to thermally compress a photosensitive layer of the laminated film against the glass substrate.

The thermal compression unit operates such that the thermal compression roller pair repeatedly clamps the laminated film and the glass substrate intermittently while feeding the laminated film and the glass substrate without stopping them. According to this operating process, however, leading and trailing edges of the laminated film that are applied to the glass substrate tend to be deformed into an arcuate shape, and hence are liable to have applied boundaries which are not straight. As a result, the position where the laminated film is applied to the glass substrate is of low accuracy. If the laminated film has a greater width owing to a tendency toward larger-size glass substrates, then the arcuate deformation becomes notably as large as several mm, resulting in a large reduction in the applied position accuracy. The large arcuate deformation is caused because the laminated film begins to be clamped from its central area due to a flexure or crown shape of the laminating rollers (thermal compression roller pair) under their own

weight .

According to one solution, the thermal compression rollers are spaced apart from each other. After the laminated film and the glass substrate are positioned and stopped between the thermal compression rollers, the laminated film and the glass substrate are clamped by the thermal compression rollers. Then, the thermal compression rollers are rotated to apply the photosensitive layer of the laminated film to the glass substrate. However, as shown in FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings, when a glass substrate 1 and a laminated film 2 that are stopped are clamped by thermal compression rollers 3a, 3b, air bubbles tend to be formed between positions 5, 6 outside of a nipped area 4 produced between the thermal compression rollers 3a, 3b. The air bubbles have a size of about 50 μm across. As many such air bubbles tend to be developed along axial directions of the thermal compression rollers 3a, 3b, the quality with which the laminated film 2 is applied to the glass substrate 1 is lowered (hereinafter referred to as "sticking quality").

After the glass substrate 1 and the laminated film 2 are clamped by the thermal compression rollers 3a, 3b, if the thermal compression rollers 3a, 3b are rotated to quickly achieve a predetermined lamination speed, then stripes are formed on the laminated film 2 at the position 6, adversely affecting and reducing the sticking quality.

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Disclosure of Invention

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a method of applying a web to produce a high-quality laminated body efficiently and economically through a simple process while reliably preventing air bubbles from being produced when the web is clamped by laminating rollers without giving rise to stripes that would adversely affect sticking quality.

The present invention is concerned with a method of applying a web to a substrate by pressing and rotating laminating rollers. According to the method, an application area of the web is fed to a predetermined position which is disposed upstream of and near an application position, and then temporarily stopped at the predetermined position. Then, the web starts to be fed, and then is clamped together with the substrate by the laminating rollers while the web is being fed at a first speed. The laminating rollers are pressed and rotated to apply the web to the substrate while the web and the substrate are being fed at a second speed. The substrate is held at rest in advance, and is clamped by the laminating rollers as they rotate at a very low speed.

The first speed should preferably be lower than the second speed. The web should preferably be accelerated at a rate equal to or lower than 120 mm/s ² from the first speed to the second speed.

Preferably, the first speed should be set to a speed

equal to or higher than 0.2 m/min. The speed of the web should be changed stepwise or continuously after the web starts to be fed until the web is fed at the second speed.

Each of the laminating rollers should preferably comprise a rubber roller having a rubber hardness ranging from 40 to 90.

According to the present invention, after the web is positioned and stopped at the predetermined position, the web is fed at the first speed, and the web and the substrate are clamped together by the laminating rollers. Therefore, when the web and the substrate are clamped together by the laminating rollers, air bubbles are prevented from being produced between the web and the substrate . The web and the substrate are accelerated according to a slow pattern from the first speed to the second speed, for thereby efficiently producing a high-quality laminated body which is free of stripes which adversely affect the sticking quality of the web on the substrate.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a manufacturing apparatus which carries out a method of

applying a laminated body according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of an elongate photosensitive web used in the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the elongate photosensitive web with adhesive labels bonded thereto;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart which is illustrative of the method of applying a laminated body according to the first embodiment ;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view of a portion of the manufacturing apparatus, showing its operation at the time a glass substrate is placed between rubber rollers;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevational view of a portion of the manufacturing apparatus, showing its operation at the time the trailing end of the glass substrate leaves the rubber rollers; FIG. 7 is a table showing the relationship between a first speed and generation of air bubble;

FIG. 8 is a table showing the relationship between acceleration and a stripe which adversely affects sticking quality; FIG. 9 is a timing chart of a method of applying a laminated body according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side elevational view of another manufacturing apparatus which carries out a method of applying a laminated body according to the present invention; and FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of thermal compression rollers of an applying apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002- 148794.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

As shown in FIG. 1, a manufacturing apparatus 20 operates to thermally transfer a photosensitive resin layer 29 (described later) of an elongate photosensitive web (elongate web) 22 to glass substrates 24 in a process of manufacturing color filters for use with liquid crystal panels or organic EL panels .

FIG. 2 shows in cross section the photosensitive web 22. The photosensitive web 22 comprises a laminated assembly of a flexible base film (support layer) 26, a cushion layer (thermoplastic resin layer) 27, an intermediate layer (oxygen blocking film) 28, a photosensitive resin layer 29, and a protective film 30. The photosensitive web 22 may alternatively comprise the base film 26, the photosensitive resin layer 29, and the protective film 30.

The base film 26 is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) . The cushion layer 27 is made of a copolymer of

ethylene and vinyl oxide. The intermediate layer 28 is made of polyvinyl alcohol. The photosensitive resin layer 29 is made of a colored photosensitive resin composition including an alkali-soluble binder, a monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant. The protective film 30 is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus 20 has a web reel-out mechanism 32 for accommodating a photosensitive web roll 22a in the form of the rolled photosensitive web 22 and reeling out the photosensitive web 22 from the photosensitive web roll 22a, a partly cutting mechanism 36 for forming a transversely severable partly cut region 34 in the protective film 30 of the photosensitive web 22 that has been reeled out, and a label bonding mechanism 40 for bonding adhesive labels 38 (see FIG. 3), each having a non-adhesion area 38a, to the protective film 30. The manufacturing apparatus 20 may have two partly cutting mechanisms 36 spaced a distance from each other in the direction indicated by the arrow A, for forming partly cut regions 34 simultaneously at respective two locations.

Downstream of the label bonding mechanism 40, there are disposed a reservoir mechanism 42 for changing the feed mode of the photosensitive web 22 from a tact feed mode, i.e., an intermittent feed mode, to a continuous feed mode, a peeling mechanism 44 for peeling certain lengths of the protective film 30 from the photosensitive web 22, a heating mechanism 45 for heating a glass substrate 24 to a predetermined

temperature and feeding the heated glass substrate 24 to a application position, and an applying mechanism 46 for applying the photosensitive resin layer 29 which has been exposed by peeling off- the protective film 30 to the glass substrate 24. A laminated body which is constructed of the glass substrate 24 and the photosensitive web 22 applied thereto by the applying mechanism 46 will hereinafter be referred to as "applied substrate 24a" .

A detecting mechanism 47 for directly detecting a partly cut region 34 which is positioned at a boundary on the photosensitive web 22 is disposed upstream of and near the application position in the applying mechanism 46. An inter-substrate web cutting mechanism 48 for cutting the photosensitive web 22 between two adjacent substrates 24 is disposed downstream of the applying mechanism 46. A web cutting mechanism 48a which is operated when the manufacturing apparatus 20 starts and ends its operation is disposed upstream of the inter-substrate web cutting mechanism 48. A joining base 49 for joining the trailing end of a photosensitive web 22 that has essentially been used up and the leading end of a photosensitive web 22 that is to be newly used is disposed downstream of and closely to the web reel-out mechanism 32. The joining base 49 is followed downstream by a film end position detector 51 for controlling a transverse shift of the photosensitive web 22 due to a winding irregularity of the photosensitive web roll

22a .

The partly cutting mechanism 36 is disposed downstream of a pair of rollers 50 for calculating the diameter of the photosensitive web roll 22a wound in the web reel-out mechanism 32. The partly cutting mechanism 36 has a slide base 52 movable back and forth in directions which are perpendicular to the direction (indicated by the arrow A) in which the photosensitive web 22 is fed. A rotary circular blade (cutter) 54 is fixedly mounted on the slide base 52, and a cutter bearing base 56 is disposed below the rotary circular blade 54 in confronting relation thereto with the photosensitive web 22 interposed therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 2, partly cut regions 34 need to be formed across at least the protective film 30. Actually, the rotary circular blade 54 is designed to cut into the photosensitive resin layer 29 and the intermediate layer 28 in order to reliably cut the protective film 30. The partly cut regions 34 may be formed by a cutting process using a fixed circular blade or ultrasonic energy, or a cutting process using a knife blade, a strip-shaped pressing blade (Thompson blade) to be described later, or the like, rather than the rotary circular blade 54. The pressing blade may be pressed vertically or obliquely into the protective film 30. The partly cut regions 34 serve to set a spaced interval between two adjacent glass substrates 24. For example, these partly cut regions 34 are formed in the

protective film 30 at positions that are 10 mm spaced inwardly from respective edges of the glass substrates 24. The section of the protective film 30 which is interposed between the partly cut regions 34 functions as a mask when the photosensitive resin layer 29 is applied as a frame to the glass substrate 24 in the applying mechanism 46 to be described later.

The label bonding mechanism 40 supplies adhesive labels 38 for interconnecting a front peel-off section 30aa and a rear peel-off section 30ab in order to leave a residual section 30b of the protective film 30 between glass substrates 24. As shown in FIG. 2, the front peel-off section 30aa which is to be peeled off initially and the rear peel-off section 30ab which is to be peeled off subsequently are positioned on respective both sides of the residual section 30b.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the adhesive labels 38 is of a rectangular strip shape and is made of the same resin material as the protective film 30. Each of the adhesive labels 38 has a non-adhesion (or slightly adhesive) area 38a positioned centrally which is free of an adhesive, and a first adhesion area 38b and a second adhesion area 38c which are disposed respectively on the longitudinally opposite ends of the non-adhesion area 38a, i.e., on the longitudinally opposite end portions of the adhesive label

38, the first adhesion area 38b and the second adhesion area 38c being bonded respectively to the front peel-off section

30aa and the rear peel-off section 30ab.

As shown in FIG. 1, the label bonding mechanism 40 has suction pads 58a through 58e for applying a maximum of five adhesive labels 38, for example, (a maximum of five adhesive labels 38 according to the first embodiment) at spaced intervals up to 250 mm. A support base 59 that is vertically movable for holding the photosensitive web 22 from below is disposed in a position where adhesive labels 38 are applied to the photosensitive web 22 by the suction pads 58a through 58e.

The reservoir mechanism 42 serves to absorb a speed difference between the tact feed mode in which the photosensitive web 22 is fed upstream of the reservoir mechanism 42 and the continuous feed mode in which the photosensitive web 22 is fed downstream of the reservoir mechanism 42. The reservoir mechanism 42 also has a dancer 61 comprising two swingable rollers 60 for preventing the photosensitive web 22 from suffering tension variations. The dancer 61 may have one or three or more rollers 60 depending on the length of the photosensitive web 22 to be reserved.

The peeling mechanism 44 is disposed downstream of the reservoir mechanism 42. The peeling mechanism 44 comprises a suction drum 62 and a peeling roller 64 disposed against the suction drum 62 with the photosensitive web 22 sandwiched therebetween. The protective film 30 that is peeled off from the photosensitive web 22 at a sharp peel-

off angle through the peeling roller 64 is wound, except a residual section 30b, by a protective film takeup shaft 66. The protective film takeup shaft 66 is coupled to a torque motor 68 for applying a predetermined tension to the protective film 30.

A tension control mechanism 76 for imparting tension to the photosensitive web 22 is disposed downstream of the peeling mechanism 44. The tension control mechanism 76 has a cylinder 78 that is actuatable to angularly displace a tension pickup roller 80 to adjust the tension of the photosensitive web 22 with which the tension pickup roller 80 is held in rolling contact. The tension control mechanism 76 may be employed only when necessary, and may be dispensed with. The detecting mechanism 47 has a photoelectric sensor 82 such as a laser sensor, a photosensor, or the like for directly detecting a change in the photosensitive web 22 due to wedge-shaped grooves in the partly cut regions 34, a step produced due to a thickness of the protective film 30, or a combination thereof. A detected signal from the photoelectric sensor 82 is used as a boundary position signal representative of the boundary position in the protective film 30. The photoelectric sensor 82 is disposed in confronting relation to a backup roller 83. Alternatively, a non-contact displacement gauge or an image inspecting means such as a CCD camera or the like may be employed instead of the photoelectric sensor 82.

The positional data of the partly cut regions 34 which are detected by the detecting mechanism 47 can be statistically processed and converted into graphic data in real time. When the positional data detected by the detecting mechanism 47 show an undue variation or bias, the manufacturing apparatus 20 may generate a warning.

The manufacturing apparatus 20 may employ a different system for generating boundary position signals. According to such a different system, the partly cut regions 34 are not directly detected, but marks are applied to the photosensitive web 22. For example, holes or recesses may be formed in the photosensitive web 22 at positions corresponding to the partly cut regions 34 in the vicinity of the partly cutting mechanism 36, or the photosensitive web 22 may be bored or slit by a laser beam or an aqua jet or may be marked by an ink jet or a printer. The marks on the photosensitive web 22 are detected, and detected signals are used as boundary position signals.

The heating mechanism 45 has a feed mechanism 84 for feeding glass substrates 24 as workpieces in the direction indicated by the arrow C. The feed mechanism 84 has a plurality of disk-shaped feed rollers 86 of resin that are arrayed in the direction indicated by the arrow C. The heating mechanism 45 also has a receiver 88 for receiving glass substrates 24 which is disposed upstream of the feed mechanism 84 in the direction indicated by the arrow C. The heating mechanism 45 further includes a plurality of heating

furnaces 90 disposed downstream of the receiver 88.

The heating mechanism 45 monitors the temperature of glass substrates 24 at all times. In the event that the heating mechanism 45 detects an abnormal temperature, the heating mechanism 45 stops the feed rollers 86 or issues a warning, and transmits malfunctioning information which may be used to eject an abnormal glass substrate 24 at a later step and to control quality or to manage production. The feed mechanism 84 may have an air-lifting plate, not shown, for lifting glass substrates 24 while they are being fed in the direction indicated by the arrow C.

A substrate storage frame 100 for storing a plurality of glass substrates 24 is disposed upstream of the heating mechanism 45. The substrate storage frame 100 has dust removing fan units (or duct units) 102 disposed on respective three sides except for one side for charging and discharging. The fan units 102 eject electrically neutralizing clean air into. the substrate storage frame 100. The glass substrates 24 stored in the substrate storage frame 100 are attracted one by one by suction pads 106 on a hand 104a of a robot 104, taken out from the substrate storage frame 100, and inserted into the receiver 88.

The applying mechanism 46 has a pair of vertically spaced laminating rubber rollers 110a, 110b that are heated to a predetermined temperature. Backup rollers 112a, 112b are held in rolling contact with the respective laminating rubber rollers 110a, 110b. The backup roller 112b is

pressed against the laminating rubber roller 110b by a roller clamp unit 114.

A contact prevention roller 116 is movably disposed near the rubber roller 110a for preventing the photosensitive web 22 from contacting the rubber roller 110a. The contact prevention roller 116 is movable by an actuator, not shown.

Film feed rollers 118a and substrate feed rollers 118b are disposed between the applying mechanism 46 and the inter-substrate web cutting mechanism 48. The distance between the rubber rollers 110a, 110b and the substrate feed rollers 118b is equal to or less than the length of one glass substrate 24.

A cooling mechanism 120 is disposed downstream of the inter-substrate web cutting mechanism 48, and a base peeling mechanism 122 is disposed downstream of the cooling mechanism 120. The cooling mechanism 120 supplies cold air to an applied substrate 24a after the photosensitive web 22 is cut off between the applied substrate 24a and a following applied substrate 24a by the inter-substrate web cutting mechanism 48. Specifically, the cooling mechanism 120 supplies cold air having a temperature of 10° C at a rate ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 m/min. However, the cooling mechanism 120 may be dispensed with, and the applied substrate 24a may be naturally cooled in a photosensitive laminated body storage frame 136 to be described later.

The base peeling mechanism 122 disposed downstream of

the cooling mechanism 120 has a plurality of suction pads 124 for attracting the lower surface of an applied substrate 24a. While the applied substrate 24a is being attracted under suction by the suction pads 124, the base film 26 and the residual section 30b are peeled off from the applied substrate 24a by a robot hand 126. Electrically neutralizing air blowers (not shown) for ejecting electrically neutralizing clean air to four sides of the laminated area of the applied substrate 24a are disposed upstream, downstream, and laterally of the suction pads 124. The base film 26 and the residual section 30b may be peeled off from the substrate 24a while a table for supporting the applied substrate 24a thereon is being oriented vertically, obliquely, or turned upside down for dust removal. The base peeling mechanism 122 is followed downstream by the photosensitive laminated body storage frame 136 for storing a plurality of photosensitive laminated bodies 130. A photosensitive laminated body 130 that is produced when the base film 26 and the residual section 30b are peeled off from the applied substrate 24a by the base peeling mechanism 122 is attracted by suction pads 134 on a hand 132a of a robot 132, taken out from the base peeling mechanism 122, and placed into the photosensitive laminated body storage frame 136. The photosensitive laminated body storage frame 136 has dust removing fan units (or duct units) 102 disposed on respective three sides except for a side for charging and

discharging. The fan units 102 eject electrically neutralizing clean air into the photosensitive laminated body storage frame 136.

In the manufacturing apparatus 20, the web reel-out mechanism 32, the partly cutting mechanism 36, the label bonding mechanism 40, the reservoir mechanism 42, the peeling mechanism 44, the tension control mechanism 76, and the detecting mechanism 47 are disposed above the applying mechanism 46. Conversely, the web reel-out mechanism 32, the partly cutting apparatus 36, the label bonding mechanism 40, the reservoir mechanism 42, the peeling mechanism 44, the tension control mechanism 76, and the detecting mechanism 47 may be disposed below the applying mechanism 46 to apply the photosensitive resin layer 29, which is turned upside down, to the lower surface of the glass substrate 24. Alternatively, the components of the manufacturing apparatus 20 may be arranged in a linear pattern as a whole.

The manufacturing apparatus 20 is controlled in its entirety by a lamination process controller 140. The manufacturing apparatus 20 also has a lamination controller 142, a substrate heating controller 144, a base peeling controller 146, etc. for controlling the different functional components of the manufacturing apparatus 20. These controllers are interconnected by an in-process network.

The lamination process controller 140 is connected to the network of a factory which incorporates the

manufacturing apparatus 20, and performs information processing for production, e.g., production management and operation management, based on instruction information (condition settings and production information) from a factory CPU (not shown).

The lamination controller 142 serves as a process master for controlling the functional components of the manufacturing apparatus 20. The lamination controller 142 operates as a control mechanism for controlling the heating mechanism 45, for example, based on the positional information, detected by the detecting mechanism 47, of the partly cut regions 34 of the photosensitive web 22.

The base peeling controller 146 controls operation to peel off the base film 26 from the applied substrate 24a that is supplied from the applying mechanism 46, and also to discharge the photosensitive laminated body 130 to a downstream process. The base peeling controller 146 also handles information about the applied substrate 24a and the photosensitive laminated body 130. The installation space of the manufacturing apparatus 20 is divided into a first clean room 152a and a second clean room 152b by a partition wall 150. The first clean room 152a houses therein the various components ranging from the web reel-out mechanism 32 to the tension control mechanism 76. The second clean room 152b houses therein the detecting mechanism 47 and the other components following the detecting mechanism 47. The first clean room 152a and

the second clean room 152b are connected to each other by a through region 154.

Operation of the manufacturing apparatus 20 for carrying out an applying method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the photosensitive web 22 is reeled out from the photosensitive web roll 22a in the web reel-out mechanism 32, and fed to the partly cutting mechanism 36. In the partly cutting mechanism 36, the slide base 52 moves transversely across the photosensitive web 22 perpendicularly to the direction (indicated by the arrow A) in which the photosensitive web 22 is fed. The rotary circular blade 54 cuts into a desired depth in the partly cut region 34 of the photosensitive web 22, and rotates while moving transversely across the photosensitive web 22. Therefore, a slit cut to the desired depth from the protective film 30 is formed in the partly cut region 34 of the photosensitive web 22 (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, the photosensitive web 22 that has thus been partly cut is fed a distance corresponding to the dimension of the residual section 30b of the protective film 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, and then stopped, whereupon a next partly cut region 34 is formed therein by the rotary circular blade 54. As shown in FIG. 2, a front peel-off section 30aa and a rear peel-off section 30ab are now provided in the photosensitive web 22, with the residual section 30b interposed therebetween.

Then, the photosensitive web 22 is fed to the label bonding mechanism 40 to place a bonding area of the protective film 30 on the support base 59. In the label bonding mechanism 40, a predetermined number of adhesive labels 38 are attracted under suction, held by the suction pads 58a through 58e, and securely bonded to the front peel- off section 30aa and the rear peel-off section 30ab of the protective film 30 across the residual section 30b thereof (see FIG. 3) . The photosensitive web 22 with the five adhesive labels 38 bonded thereto, for example, is unaffected owing to the reservoir mechanism 42 from variations of the tension to which the supplied photosensitive web 22 is subjected, and then continuously fed to the peeling mechanism 44, as shown in FIG. 1.

In the peeling mechanism 44, the photosensitive web 22 is sandwiched between the suction drum 62 and the peeling roller 64, and the base film 26 of the photosensitive web 22 is attracted to the suction drum 62. The suction drum 62 is rotated, and a predetermined tension is applied to the protective film 30 by the torque motor 68.

The protective film 30 is peeled off from the photosensitive web 22, leaving the residual section 30b. The protective film 30 is wound by the protective film takeup shaft 66 via the peeling roller 64. It is preferable to apply an electrically neutralizing air flow to the region where the protective film 30 is peeled off.

After the protective film 30 has been peeled off from the base film 26, leaving the residual section 30b, by the peeling mechanism 44, the photosensitive web 22 is adjusted in tension by the tension control mechanism 76, and then partly cut regions 34 of the photosensitive web 22 are detected by the photoelectric sensor 82 of the detecting mechanism 47.

According to the first embodiment, a laminating process, i.e., the method of applying a laminated body, is carried out according to a timing chart shown in FIG. 4.

Based on detected information of the partly cut regions 34, the film feed rollers 118a are rotated to feed the photosensitive web 22 a predetermined length to the applying mechanism 46 when the manufacturing apparatus 20 starts to operate. Thereafter, the substrate feed rollers 118b which grip an applied substrate 24a are rotated to feed the photosensitive web 22 a predetermined length to the applying mechanism 46. The partly cut regions 34 of the photosensitive web 22 are positioned and stopped at a given position upstream of and near the application position. At this time, the contact prevention roller 116 is waiting above the photosensitive web 22 and the rubber roller 110b is disposed below the photosensitive web 22.

In the heating mechanism 45, the heating temperatures in the heating furnaces 90 are set to values depending on the lamination temperature in the applying mechanism 46. The robot 104 grips a glass substrate 24 stored in the

substrate storage frame 100, and introduces the gripped glass substrate 24 into the receiver 88. The glass substrate 24 is fed by the feed rollers 86 of the feed mechanism 84 from the receiver 88 successively to the heating furnaces 90 in the tact feed mode. In the heating furnace 90 at the downstream end of the heating mechanism 45 in the direction indicated by the arrow C, the glass substrate 24 is stopped in the given position upstream of and near the application position, and thereafter fed to a position between the rubber rollers 110a, 110b and stopped (see FIG. 5) .

Then, the rubber roller 110a is rotated to start feeding the photosensitive web 22 at time Tl in FIG. 4. When the feeding speed of the photosensitive web 22 reaches a first speed Vl at time T2, the roller clamp unit 114 is operated to start lifting the backup roller 112b and the rubber roller 110b. At time T3, the photosensitive web 22 being fed and the glass substrate 24 being stopped are sandwiched under a predetermined pressure between the rubber rollers HOa. HOb.

From time T4 to time T5 , the rubber roller HOa is rotated to accelerate the photosensitive web 22 from the speed Vl to a speed V2 , and the glass substrate 24 is fed in unison with the photosensitive web 22. While the glass substrate 24 is being thus fed at the speed V2 , the photosensitive resin layer 29, which is melted with heat, transferred to, i.e., laminated onto, the glass substrate

24 .

The photosensitive resin layer 29 is laminated onto the glass substrate 24 under such conditions that the second speed V2 is in the range from 1.0 m/min. to 10.0 m/min., the rubber rollers 110a, 110b have a temperature ranging from 80 ^c C to 140 ⁰ C, and a rubber hardness ranging from 40 to 90, and apply a pressure (linear pressure) ranging from 50 N/cm to 400 N/cm.

As shown in FIG. 6, after the lamination process of the photosensitive web 22 performed on one glass substrate 24 substrate 24a by the rubber rollers 110a, 110b is finished, the rubber roller 110a is stopped against rotation. The applied substrate 24a, i.e., the glass substrate 24 with the laminated photosensitive web 22 is clamped by the substrate feed rollers 118b. The rubber roller 110b is retracted away from the rubber roller 110a, unclamping the applied substrate 24a.

' The substrate feed roller 118b feeds the applied substrate 24a in the direction indicated by the arrow C for a distance corresponding to the distance between two adjacent glass substrates 24. At this time, a new glass substrate 24 is fed to a position aligned with the centers of the rubber rollers 110a, 110b. The rubber roller 110a is rotated to start feeding the photosensitive web 22 at the first speed Vl. After the photosensitive web 22 is clamped onto the glass substrate 24, the photosensitive web 22 is laminated onto the glass substrate 24 in the same manner as

described above.

According to the first embodiment, the partly cut regions 34 of the photosensitive web 22 are temporarily stopped at the given position upstream of and near the application position. After the glass substrate 2,4 is fed into the position between the rubber rollers 110a, 110b, the photosensitive web 22 starts being fed. While the photosensitive web 22 is being moved at the first speed Vl, the rubber roller 110b is lifted, clamping the photosensitive web 22 and the glass substrate 24 between the rubber rollers 110a, 110b.

Since the photosensitive web 22 is moving when the rubber rollers 110a, 110b clamp the photosensitive web 22 and the glass substrate 24 therebetween, air bubbles are reliably prevented from being produced between the photosensitive web 22 and the glass substrate 24 when they are clamped. Therefore, high-quality applied substrates 24a can efficiently be produced.

Specifically, according to the first embodiment, the glass substrate 24 has a width of 960 mm, a length of 1100 mm, and a thickness of 0.7 mm, the rubber rollers 110a, 110b are set to a temperature of 110° C, and the glass substrate 24 is set to a temperature of 12O ⁰ C. The rubber rollers 110a, 110b apply a pressure of 150 N/cm, have a rubber layer thickness of 2 mm, a rubber hardness of 70, a length of 1200 mm, and a diameter of 110 mm, and the backup rollers 112a, 112b have a diameter of 220 mm.

A tension under 120 N/m is applied to the photosensitive web 22 having a thickness of 105 μm. The second speed V2 , which represents a laminating speed, is 2.2 m/min. An experiment was conducted to determine whether air bubbles are produced or not when the first speed Vl of the photosensitive web 22 changed from 0 to 2.2 m/min. at the time the glass substrate 24 and the photosensitive web 22 are clamped by the rubber rollers 110a, 110b. The results of the experiment are shown in FIG. 7. It can be seen from FIG. 7 that if the first speed Vl of the photosensitive web 22 is lower than 0.2 m/min., air bubbles are produced when the glass substrate 24 and the photosensitive web 22 are clamped, resulting in deterioration in quality, and if the first speed Vl of the photosensitive web 22 is equal to or higher than 0.2 m/min., air bubbles are reliably prevented from being produced when the glass substrate 24 and the photosensitive web 22 are clamped.

Another experiment was conducted to determine whether stripes for adversely affecting the sticking quality are produced on the photosensitive web 22 or not at different accelerations from the first speed Vl to the second speed V2. The results of the experiment are shown in FIG. 8. A review of FIG. 7 shows that if the acceleration is higher than 120 mm/s ² , stripes for adversely affecting the sticking quality are produced on the photosensitive web 22, resulting in a quality deterioration. Therefore, the acceleration

from the first speed Vl to the second speed V2 should preferably be of a value equal to or lower than 120 mm/s ² .

According to the first embodiment, therefore, the applied substrate 24a- which has been laminated by the rubber rollers 110a, 110b is free of air bubbles and stripes which adversely affect the sticking quality, and hence high- quality applied substrates 24a can be manufactured efficiently and economically.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart of a method of applying a laminated body according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

According to the first embodiment described above, after the photosensitive web 22 has started to be fed, it is fed at the first speed Vl for a predetermined period of time, and then accelerated to the second speed V2.

Therefore, the speed at which the photosensitive web 22 is fed changes stepwise. According to the second embodiment, the speed at which the photosensitive web 22 is fed changes continuously after the photosensitive web 22 has started to be fed until it reaches the second speed V2.

According to the second embodiment, therefore, the speed at which the photosensitive web 22 is fed (the speed will also be referred to as "web speed" ) changes continuously. When the web speed reaches the first speed Vl, the photosensitive web 22 and the glass substrate 24 are clamped between the rubber rollers 110a, 110b. Consequently, as with the first embodiment, a high-quality

applied substrate 24a which is free of defects such as air bubbles and stripes, which adversely affect the sticking quality, is efficiently produced.

In the illustrated second embodiment, the web speed is linearly changed from 0 to the second speed V2 , i.e., changed at the same acceleration from 0 to the second speed V2. However, after the web speed has reached the first speed Vl , the acceleration from the first speed Vl to the second speed V2 may be changed (see the two-dot-and-dash-lie curves in FIG. 9).

In the first and second embodiments, the manufacturing apparatus 20 having the pair of substrate feed rollers 118b is employed. However, a modified manufacturing apparatus having two pairs of substrate feed rollers 118b, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, may be employed.

FIG. 10 shows in schematic side elevation another manufacturing apparatus 160 which carries out a method of applying a laminated body according to the present invention. Those parts of the manufacturing apparatus 160 which are identical to those of the manufacturing apparatus 20 are denoted by identical reference characters, and will not be described in detail below.

The manufacturing apparatus 160 does not have an inter- substrate web cutting mechanism 48, but has a cooling mechanism 120 and an automatic base peeling mechanism 162 that are positioned downstream of the web cutting mechanism

48a. The automatic base peeling mechanism 162 serves to continuously peel off the elongate base film 26 from glass substrates 24 that have been applied at spaced intervals thereto. The automatic base peeling mechanism 162 comprises a peeling roller 166 having a relatively small diameter, a takeup shaft 168, and an automatic applying machine 170.

When the takeup shaft 168 is actuated, its torque is controlled to impart tension to the base film 26. It is preferable to control the tension of the base film 26 based on a feedback signal from a tension detector (not shown) combined with the peeling roller 166.

A measuring unit 172 for measuring the position of the area of the photosensitive resin layer 29 which is actually applied to the glass substrate 24 is disposed downstream of the automatic base peeling mechanism 162. The measuring unit 172 has four cameras 174 in the form of CCD cameras or the like for capturing images of the respective four corners of the applied substrate 24a.

As with the manufacturing apparatus 20, the manufacturing apparatus 160 is capable of efficiently performing the applying methods according to the first and second embodiments.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims .