Ultra-thin flexible cover plate laminating method and laminating device thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of ultra-thin flexible cover plate production, and relates to an ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method. The bearing component of the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device comprises a base (4), a left lifting part (8) and a right lifting part (9) are arranged on the base (4), a left clamping groove part (5) is arranged on the left lifting part (8) close to the right lifting part (9), a right clamping groove part (6) is arranged on the right lifting part (9) close to the left lifting part (8), the left lifting part (8) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a left air cylinder, and the right lifting part (9) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a right air cylinder. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device and method can complete the bonding operation without using a carrier plate, a film, a film changing accessory and the like, improve production efficiency, reduce the influence of external environment, and are beneficial to improving the yield of the cover plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ultra-thin flexible cover plate production technology, and more specifically, it relates to an ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method. This invention also relates to an ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method. Background Technology

[0002] The main technological development trends in foldable screen development are UTG Coating technology and UFG process technology. Ultra-thin glass offers advantages in thickness, crease reduction, light transmittance, and wear resistance, and also boasts better flexibility, is less prone to creases with repeated folding, and has a longer lifespan. Currently, the domestic development of ultra-thin foldable cover glass mainly relies on coating. However, due to the small thickness of the ultra-thin cover glass (only about 0.03mm), it cannot be manufactured independently in actual production. It requires transfer processing via carrier plate bonding. Furthermore, the cleaned surface of the ultra-thin cover glass needs separate film protection. Before coating, the ultra-thin cover glass needs to be adhered to the carrier plate, ensuring no air bubbles or foreign matter in contact with the base plate. The coating process requires a base film to drive it. For photocurable adhesive coating, an oxygen-barrier curing film is also required. Then, a series of processes such as separate film cutting, film replacement, etc., are required before it can be transferred to the bonding process. These complex processes undoubtedly greatly increase the difficulty of developing ultra-thin cover plate stacks. The transfer process is cumbersome, the yield rate cannot be guaranteed, and the production involves the consumption of additional accessories such as carrier plates, film materials, and adhesives, which is also a huge burden on the company's operating costs.

[0003] Existing technology includes a patent titled "An Ultra-thin Flexible Cover Plate and Its Production Method," with publication number CN113411431A. This technology discloses a production method for an ultra-thin flexible cover plate, comprising feeding, surface cleaning, surface coating, plate thickness measurement, finished product lamination, and unloading processes, all of which are automated. The ultra-thin flexible glass is placed on a processing track and sequentially undergoes the feeding, surface cleaning, surface coating, plate thickness measurement, finished product lamination, and unloading processes. A rework track is provided between the plate thickness measurement and surface coating processes, and a defective product output track is provided between the plate thickness measurement and feeding processes. The rework track and defective product output track are located on opposite sides of the processing track. This invention prepares a flexible cover plate by coating the surface of ultra-thin flexible glass with a flexible polymer material, achieving both ultra-high strength and excellent bending performance, thus solving the problem of glass brittleness and its hazards in existing technologies.

[0004] However, this technology does not address the technical issues and solutions of this application. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for bonding ultra-thin flexible cover plates that is simple in steps, easy to operate, changes the technical concept of ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding, and can complete the bonding operation without the need for accessories such as carrier plate bonding, film covering, and film replacement, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing the impact of the external environment, and further improving the yield.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] This invention relates to a method for bonding ultra-thin flexible cover plates, wherein the bonding steps of the method are as follows:

[0008] S1. Machining UFG grooves on UFG; cutting and shaping OCA;

[0009] S2. Bond OCA3 and UFG together in a two-to-one manner to obtain a UFG+OCA graphic.

[0010] S3. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a base. The base is provided with a left slot and a right slot. The sponge strip is moistened in the adhesive, and the UFG+OCA graphic card is installed between the left slot and the right slot. At this time, the slot of UFG1 is perpendicular to the base. The sponge strip moistened in the adhesive is placed at the base position between the left slot and the right slot.

[0011] S4. Place the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device into the vacuum chamber of the vacuum equipment and evacuate the vacuum chamber; control the sponge strip to be bonded to the lower end of the UFG groove, and use the pressure difference to draw the adhesive from the bottom into the groove due to the pressure difference, thus completing the adhesive injection.

[0012] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate also includes UTG. After obtaining the UFG+OCA pattern, the UFG+OCA pattern and UTG are then bonded together in a three-in-one manner to obtain a UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample, with UFG located between OCA and UTG.

[0013] The UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample is mounted between the left and right card slots.

[0014] The base is provided with a left lifting part and a right lifting part. The left slot is located on the left lifting part near the right lifting part, and the right slot is located on the right lifting part near the left lifting part. The left lifting part is connected to the upper surface of the base through a left cylinder, and the right lifting part is connected to the upper surface of the base through a right cylinder.

[0015] After the sponge strip is placed on the base, the sponge strip is moistened with adhesive by drawing up the adhesive through a tube.

[0016] The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to a control unit, which is configured to drive the left and right cylinders to rise and fall synchronously, thereby driving the left and right lifting parts to rise and fall synchronously relative to the base 4.

[0017] When the UFG+OCA graphic card is installed between the left and right card slots, the lower end of the groove between the UFG slot and the OCA slot is the glue injection port.

[0018] Before bonding OCA and UFG together, align them. For alignment, first place white paper on the cutting platform. The cutting machine cuts the OCA graphic on the white paper to create OCA graphic position marks. Then, the cutting machine cuts the UFG graphic on the white paper to create UFG graphic position marks. Place the UFG on the white paper and align it with the UFG graphic position marks. Next, place the OCA on the white paper and align it with the OCA graphic position marks. This completes the alignment of OCA and UFG. Finally, bond the OCA and UFG together.

[0019] This invention also relates to an ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device that is simple in structure, easy to operate, changes the technical approach of ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding, and can complete the bonding operation without the need for accessories such as carrier plate bonding, film covering, and film replacement, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing the impact of the external environment, and facilitating further improvement in yield.

[0020] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a load-bearing component. The load-bearing component includes a base, on which a left lifting part and a right lifting part are provided. The left slot is located on the side of the left lifting part near the right lifting part, and the right slot is located on the side of the right lifting part near the left lifting part. The left lifting part is connected to the upper surface of the base through a left cylinder, and the right lifting part is connected to the upper surface of the base through a right cylinder.

[0021] The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to the control unit.

[0022] The working principle and beneficial effects of the technical solution adopted in this invention are as follows:

[0023] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method described in this invention has a simple process flow, is easy to promote, and has strong practicality. In contrast, traditional methods require coating at the narrow gaps in the product. The coating process requires the ultra-thin cover plate to be bonded to the carrier plate before transfer processing and carrier plate conveying. This not only relies on the bottom film to convey the bonded glass on the carrier plate, but also requires the film material to be coated. The appearance of the film material has a significant impact on the coated product, and the film replacement operation can also introduce foreign objects, resulting in the inability to effectively improve the yield of coated products. This invention eliminates the bonding, coating, and coating processes, simplifying them into a bonding and glue injection process. The process is mature and highly automated. The glue injection equipment is simple, and the glue injection is carried out in a vacuum environment, free from foreign object influence. The glue solution is not contaminated after injection, and the product will not develop creases during glue injection. The development cost is low, and the market prospect is broader. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The following is a brief explanation of the contents depicted in the accompanying drawings and the markings therein:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the UFG structure of the ultrathin flexible cover plate described in this invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the UFG and OCA of the ultrathin flexible cover plate described in this invention when aligned on white paper;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the UFG+OCA pattern of the ultrathin flexible cover plate described in this invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample of the ultrathin flexible cover plate described in this invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device of the present invention;

[0030] The labels in the attached figures are as follows: 1. UFG; 2. UFG slot; 3. OCA; 4. Base; 5. Left slot; 6. Left slot; 7. UFG; 8. Left lifting part; 9. Right lifting part; 10. White paper; 11. UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample; 12. Sponge strip. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, provides a more detailed explanation of the specific embodiments of the present invention, including the shape and structure of each component, the relative positions and connections between the parts, the functions and working principles of each part:

[0032] As attached Figure 1 - Appendix Figure 5As shown, this invention is a method for bonding an ultra-thin flexible cover plate. The bonding steps of the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method are as follows:

[0033] S1. Process UFG slots 2 on UFG1; cut and shape OCA3; S2. Bond OCA3 and UFG1 together to obtain a UFG+OCA pattern; S3. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a base 4. The base 4 is provided with a left slot 5 and a right slot 6; wet the sponge strip in the adhesive, and clamp the UFG+OCA pattern between the left slot 5 and the right slot 6. At this time, the slot 2 of UFG1 is perpendicular to the base 4, and the sponge strip wetted in the adhesive is placed at the position of the base 4 between the left slot 5 and the right slot 6; S4. Place the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device into the vacuum chamber of the vacuum device and evacuate the vacuum chamber; control the lower end of the slot 2 of UFG1 to bond the sponge strip, and use the pressure difference to UFG Due to the pressure difference, the groove formed between slot 2 and OCA3 in section 1 draws adhesive from the lower part of the sponge strip into the groove, completing the adhesive injection. The above steps address the shortcomings of existing technologies and propose an improved technical solution. The method of this invention targets the existing coating process, which is simple, requires no coating, reduces the influence of the external environment, and results in a cover plate with superior bending performance and user experience, thus improving the performance of foldable screen products and enhancing the user experience. The bonding method of this invention features a simple, easy-to-promote, and highly practical glue injection process. Traditional methods, however, require coating at narrow gaps in the product, necessitating the bonding of an ultra-thin cover plate with a carrier plate before transfer and carrier plate transport. This process not only relies on a base film to transport the bonded glass onto the carrier plate but also requires film coating, which significantly impacts the finished product's appearance. Furthermore, film replacement introduces foreign matter, hindering yield improvement. This invention eliminates the bonding, coating, and film coating processes, simplifying the process to a bonding and glue injection process. This mature technology boasts a high degree of automation. The glue injection equipment is simple, and the process is conducted in a vacuum environment, eliminating foreign matter interference. The glue is not contaminated after injection, and the product does not develop creases during the injection process. This approach also offers lower development costs and a broader market prospect. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method described in this invention is simple in steps and easy to operate. It changes the technical concept of ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding, and can complete the bonding operation without the need for accessories such as carrier plate bonding, film covering, and film replacement. This improves production efficiency, reduces the impact of the external environment, and helps to further improve the yield of cover plates.

[0034] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate also includes UTG7. After obtaining the UFG+OCA pattern, the UFG+OCA pattern and UTG7 are bonded together in a three-in-one process to obtain a UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample, with UFG1 located between OCA3 and UTG7. In the above steps, the ultra-thin flexible cover plate includes UFG1, OCA3, and UTG7. These three components need to be bonded together first to form a UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample. Then, the UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample is placed on a support component, and the support component is placed in a vacuum device for vacuuming to complete the adhesive injection process.

[0035] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate of this invention includes UFG1, OCA3, and UTG7, where UFG1 is a UFG layer, OCA3 is an OCA layer, and UFG is a UFG layer. All three are existing products in the prior art, and they are bonded together to form the ultra-thin flexible cover plate. The cover plate includes an adhesive injection process.

[0036] The UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample is fitted between the left slot 5 and the right slot 6. The UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample can be easily fitted into these components, and after fitting, it will gradually and automatically adhere to the sponge strip due to gravity.

[0037] The base 4 is equipped with a left lifting section 8 and a right lifting section 9. A left slot 5 is located on the left lifting section 8 near the right lifting section 9, and a right slot 6 is located on the right lifting section 9 near the left lifting section 8. The left lifting section 8 is connected to the upper surface of the base 4 via a left cylinder, and the right lifting section 9 is connected to the upper surface of the base 4 via a right cylinder. The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to a control component, which is configured to drive the left and right cylinders to move synchronously up and down, thereby causing the left and right lifting sections 8 and 9 to move synchronously relative to the base 4. This structure ensures reliable adhesion of the UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample to the sponge strip. By controlling the synchronous contraction of the left and right cylinders, a downward force is generated on the left and right lifting sections. During the descent, the UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample slowly moves downward, reliably adhering to the sponge strip, facilitating subsequent adhesive injection. This effectively ensures the adhesive injection effect during subsequent changes in vacuum conditions.

[0038] After the sponge strip is placed on the base 4, adhesive is drawn up with a tube to wet the sponge strip. In this structure, the amount of adhesive added to the sponge strip is controlled according to the adhesive injection requirements of different UFG+OCA+UTG stacked samples, ensuring reliable and sufficient adhesive injection while avoiding excessive waste of adhesive.

[0039] When the UFG+OCA graphic card is installed between the left card slot 5 and the right card slot 6, the lower end of the groove between the slot 2 of UFG 1 and OCA 3 serves as the glue injection port. With this structure, when the vacuum chamber of the vacuum equipment is evacuated, the groove also becomes a vacuum. At this time, the adhesive on the sponge strip flows into the vacuum-controlled groove, achieving automatic glue injection.

[0040] Before bonding OCA3 and UFG 1 together, align them. First, place a piece of white paper on the cutting platform. The cutting machine cuts the OCA3 shape on the paper, creating positional marks. Then, the cutting machine cuts the UFG 1 shape on the same paper, creating positional marks. Place UFG 1 on the white paper, aligning it with these marks. Next, place OCA3 on the white paper, aligning it with these marks. This completes the alignment of OCA3 and UFG 1. Finally, bond OCA3 and UFG 1 together. This method allows for quick and precise alignment of OCA3 and UFG 1.

[0041] This invention also relates to an ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device that is simple in structure, easy to operate, and changes the technical approach of ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding. It eliminates the need for carrier plate bonding, film coating, film replacement, and other accessories to complete the bonding operation, improving production efficiency, reducing the impact of the external environment, and further improving yield. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a supporting component. The supporting component includes a base 4, on which a left lifting part 8 and a right lifting part 9 are disposed. A left slot 5 is disposed on the side of the left lifting part 8 near the right lifting part 9, and a right slot 6 is disposed on the side of the right lifting part 9 near the left lifting part 8. The left lifting part 8 is connected to the upper surface of the base 4 via a left cylinder, and the right lifting part 9 is connected to the upper surface of the base 4 via a right cylinder. The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to a control component. The device has a simple structure and is easy to use.

[0042] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method and bonding device described in this invention have a simple overall process design, are easy to operate, and have a fast operation time, resulting in a significant improvement in production efficiency compared to traditional processes. It can effectively solve various process defects such as rainbow patterns, horizontal stripes, vertical stripes, and coating appearance issues that occur in current slot coating. Production can be carried out without auxiliary materials (bonding cover plate carrier, coating film, conversion film). Furthermore, the glue injection is limited to a localized area of ​​the groove, eliminating the need for full-surface glue application to the product component, effectively reducing production costs. It can achieve no air bubbles after glue injection and effectively improves the bending and optical performance of the cover plate. The glue injection process is mainly completed in a vacuum environment, unaffected by any external environmental factors, resulting in high cost and yield.

[0043] The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method and apparatus described in this invention have a simple process flow, are easy to promote, and are highly practical. In contrast, traditional methods require coating at the narrow gaps in the product. The coating process requires the ultra-thin cover plate to be bonded to the carrier plate before transfer processing and carrier plate conveying. This not only relies on the bottom film to convey the bonded glass on the carrier plate, but also requires the film material to be coated. The appearance of the film material has a significant impact on the coated product, and the film replacement operation can also introduce foreign matter, resulting in the inability to effectively improve the yield of coated products. This invention eliminates the bonding, coating, and coating processes, simplifying them into a bonding and glue injection process. The process is mature and highly automated. The glue injection equipment is simple, and the glue injection is carried out in a vacuum environment, free from foreign matter interference. The glue solution is not contaminated after injection, and the product does not develop creases during glue injection. The development cost is low, and the market prospects are broader.

[0044] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any improvements made by adopting the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention to other occasions without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for bonding an ultra-thin flexible cover plate, characterized in that: The bonding steps of the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method are as follows: S1. Machining UFG slots (2) on UFG (1); cutting and shaping OCA (3); S2. Bond OCA (3) and UFG (1) together to obtain a UFG+OCA graphic. S3. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a base (4). A left slot (5) and a right slot (6) are provided on the base (4). The sponge strip is moistened in the adhesive, and the UFG+OCA graphic card is installed between the left slot (5) and the right slot (6). At this time, the slot (2) of the UFG (1) is perpendicular to the base (4). The sponge strip moistened in the adhesive is placed at the position of the base (4) between the left slot (5) and the right slot (6). S4. Place the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device into the vacuum chamber of the vacuum equipment and evacuate the vacuum chamber; control the sponge strip to be bonded to the lower end of the slot (2) of UFG (1). Due to the pressure difference, the groove formed between the slot (2) of UFG (1) and OCA (3) will draw the adhesive from the lower sponge strip into the groove, thus completing the adhesive injection.

2. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultra-thin flexible cover plate also includes UTG (7). After obtaining the UFG+OCA pattern, the obtained UFG+OCA pattern and UTG (7) are bonded together in a three-in-one manner. After bonding, a UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample (11) is obtained, with UFG (1) located between OCA (3) and UTG (7).

3. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The UFG+OCA+UTG stacked sample is mounted between the left slot (5) and the right slot (6).

4. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The base (4) is provided with a left lifting part (8) and a right lifting part (9). The left slot part (5) is located on the side of the left lifting part (8) near the right lifting part (9), and the right slot part (6) is located on the side of the right lifting part (9) near the left lifting part (8). The left lifting part (8) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a left cylinder, and the right lifting part (9) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a right cylinder.

5. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: After the sponge strip is placed on the base (4), the sponge strip is moistened with adhesive by drawing up the adhesive through the tube.

6. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to the control unit, which is configured to drive the left and right cylinders to rise and fall synchronously, thereby driving the left lifting part (8) and the right lifting part (9) to rise and fall synchronously relative to the base (4).

7. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the UFG+OCA graphic card is installed between the left card slot (5) and the right card slot (6), the lower end of the groove between the slot (2) of UFG (1) and the groove of OCA (3) is the glue injection port.

8. The method for bonding an ultra-thin flexible cover plate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Before bonding OCA (2) and UFG (1) together, align OCA (3) and UFG (1). During alignment, first place white paper on the cutting platform, and the cutting machine cuts the OCA (3) graphic position on the white paper to form the OCA (3) graphic position mark line. Then, the cutting machine cuts the UFG (1) graphic position on the white paper to form the UFG (1) graphic position mark line. Place UFG (1) on the white paper and align it with the position of the UFG (1) graphic position mark line. Then, place OCA (3) on the white paper and align it with the position of the OCA (3) graphic position mark line to achieve alignment of OCA (3) and UFG (1). Finally, bond OCA (3) and UFG (1) together.

9. An ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device manufactured according to the ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device includes a vacuum device and a bearing component. The bearing component includes a base (4), on which a left lifting part (8) and a right lifting part (9) are provided. A left slot part (5) is provided on the left lifting part (8) near the right lifting part (9), and a right slot part (6) is provided on the right lifting part (9) near the left lifting part (8). The left lifting part (8) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a left cylinder, and the right lifting part (9) is connected to the upper surface of the base (4) through a right cylinder.

10. The ultra-thin flexible cover plate bonding device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The left and right cylinders are respectively connected to the control unit.

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