Method for manufacturing functional structure

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a functional structure that is capable of suppressing residual bubbles between a surface protection material and a barrier sheet.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a functional structure 1 comprises: an adhesion step of adhering a barrier sheet 40 to a surface protection material 30 while pushing out air bubbles between the surface protection material 30 and the barrier sheet 40; a laminate formation step of forming a laminate on the barrier sheet 40 adhered to the surface protection material 30 by laminating a plurality of sealing layer formation materials that constitute a sealing layer and functional layers arranged within the plurality of sealing layer formation materials; and an integration step of forming the sealing layer that seals the functional layers by softening the plurality of sealing layer formation materials through heating the laminate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a functional structure.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, functional roofs (such as solar power generation panels and dimming roofs) provided on the upper surface of a vehicle body have been known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-167475 discloses a functional roof including a functional layer, a sealing layer, a front barrier sheet, and a surface protection material.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the barrier sheet has a function of preventing the permeation of gases such as air, there is a concern that bubbles may remain between the surface protection material and the front barrier sheet during the manufacture of the functional roof described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-167475.

[0005] The above problems are not limited to the functional roof provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body, but widely apply to devices including a functional layer, a sealing layer, a barrier sheet, and a surface protection material.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a functional structure capable of suppressing the remaining of bubbles between the surface protection material and the barrier sheet.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A method for manufacturing a functional structure according to an aspect of this disclosure includes a functional layer having a predetermined function, a sealing layer that seals the functional layer, a surface protective material made of a resin having light transmissibility and protecting the surface of the sealing layer, and a barrier sheet made of a resin having light transmissibility and provided between the sealing layer and the surface protective material. The method for manufacturing a functional structure includes an adhesion step of adhering the barrier sheet to the surface protective material while extruding bubbles between the surface protective material and the barrier sheet, a laminate forming step of forming a laminate by laminating a plurality of sealing layer forming materials constituting the sealing layer and the functional layer disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials on the barrier sheet adhered to the surface protective material, and an integration step of forming the sealing layer that seals the functional layer by heating the laminate to soften the plurality of sealing layer forming materials.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a functional structure capable of suppressing the remaining bubbles between the surface protective material and the barrier sheet.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the same or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a functional structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. The functional structure 1 is preferably used in a vehicle, for example, as a functional roof.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the functional structure 1 includes at least one functional layer 10, a sealing layer 20, a surface protective material 30, a barrier sheet 40, a back surface protective material 50, and a back barrier sheet 60.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the functional structure 1 has a plurality of functional layers 10. Each functional layer 10 has a predetermined function. Examples of the predetermined function include a power generation function, a light control function, and a display function. When the predetermined function is a power generation function, the functional layer 10 is composed of a photovoltaic panel. When the predetermined function is a light control function, the functional layer 10 is composed of a light control film (a film capable of adjusting the light transmittance by applying a voltage). When the predetermined function is a display function, the functional layer 10 is composed of a display device (LED, organic EL, liquid crystal, etc.). As shown in FIG. 2, the functional layer 10 is generally formed in a flat plate shape.

[0014] The sealing layer 20 seals the functional layer 10. More specifically, the sealing layer 20 seals the entire main surface and end surface of the functional layer 10. The sealing layer 20 is made of a resin having light transmittance. The sealing layer 20 is made of, for example, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin, silicone, or ionomer. The sealing layer 20 is formed by heating a sheet (sealing layer forming material) made of the above resin in a laminated state.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the sealing layer 20 has a front surface S1 and a back surface S2. The front surface S1 is provided on one side of the functional layer 10 in the thickness direction of the functional layer 10 (the upper side in FIG. 2) and is composed of one main surface of the sealing layer 20. The back surface S2 is provided on the other side of the functional layer 10 in the thickness direction of the functional layer 10 (the lower side in FIG. 2) and is composed of the other main surface of the sealing layer 20.

[0016] The surface protection material 30 protects the surface S1 of the sealing layer 20. The surface protection material 30 is provided on one side (the upper side in FIG. 2) of the sealing layer 20 via a barrier sheet 40. The surface protection material 30 is made of a resin having light transmissivity. The surface protection material 30 is made of, for example, polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polypropylene (PP).

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hard coat layer 32 may be provided on the surface of the surface protection material 30. The hard coat layer 32 is made of a material having a higher hardness than the material constituting the surface protection material 30 and covers the surface of the surface protection material 30. The hard coat layer 32 is made of a material having light transmissivity.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a shielding portion 34 may be provided on the back surface of the surface protection material 30. The shielding portion 34 is made of a black material (such as ceramic). In the present embodiment, the shielding portion 34 is provided on the back surface of a portion of the surface protection material 30 that projects outward from the portion overlapping the sealing layer 20 in the thickness direction.

[0019] The barrier sheet 40 is provided between the sealing layer 20 and the surface protection material 30. The barrier sheet 40 is formed in a film shape (thin film shape). As shown in FIG. 2, the barrier sheet 40 has a barrier layer 42 and an adhesive layer 44.

[0020] The barrier layer 42 is made of a material (such as a resin material) that prevents the permeation of gas and water vapor. The barrier layer 42 is made of a material having light transmissivity. The barrier layer 42 covers the entire surface S1 of the sealing layer 20.

[0021] The adhesive layer 44 is provided on the surface of the barrier layer 42. The adhesive layer 44 adheres the barrier layer 42 to the back surface of the surface protective material 30. The adhesive layer 44 is made of a light-transmissive material (such as synthetic resin). The adhesive layer 44 does not have adhesive force at normal temperature and can be deformed integrally with the barrier layer 42. The adhesive layer 44 has adhesive force when heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0022] The back surface protective material 50 protects the back surface S2 of the sealing layer 20. The back surface protective material 50 is provided on the other side (the lower side in FIG. 2) of the sealing layer 20 via the back barrier sheet 60. The outer shape of the back surface protective material 50 in plan view is formed to be approximately the same as the outer shape of the back surface S2 of the sealing layer 20 in plan view. The thickness of the back surface protective material 50 may be the same as the thickness of the surface protective material 30, or may be smaller than the thickness of the surface protective material 30. The bending rigidity of the back surface protective material 50 may be the same as or different from the bending rigidity of the surface protective material 30. In the present embodiment, since the thickness of the surface protective material 30 is larger than the thickness of the back surface protective material 50, the bending rigidity of the surface protective material 30 is higher than the bending rigidity of the back surface protective material 50. When the functional layer 10 is made of a dimming film, the back surface protective material 50 is formed of a light-transmissive material. The back surface protective material 50 is made of, for example, polycarbonate (PC), ABS resin, or a mixture of these.

[0023] The back barrier sheet 60 is provided between the sealing layer 20 and the back surface protective material 50. The configuration of the back barrier sheet 60 is basically the same as the configuration of the barrier sheet 40. That is, the back barrier sheet 60 has a back barrier layer 62 made of a material (such as a resin material) that prevents the permeation of gas and water vapor, and an adhesive layer 64. The back barrier layer 62 may be made of a light-transmissive material or a non-light-transmissive material. Note that the back barrier sheet 60 may be omitted together with the back surface protective material 50.

[0024] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the manufacturing method of the functional structure 1 will be described. This manufacturing method includes an adhesion step, a laminate formation step, an integration step, and a hot press step.

[0025] In the subsequent step, while extruding the air bubbles between the surface protective material 30 and the barrier sheet 40, the barrier sheet 40 is adhered to the surface protective material 30. More specifically, in the adhesion step, while heating the barrier sheet 40 to soften the adhesive layer 44, the barrier sheet 40 is adhered to the surface protective material 30 formed in a flat plate shape by the pressing roller 103 so as to extrude the air bubbles between the adhesive layer 44 and the surface protective material 30.

[0026] In the adhesion step in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a laminating device 100 including a pressing roller 103 is used. The laminating device 100 has a conveying roller 101, a supply roller 102, a pressing roller 103, a support roller 104, and a tension roller 105.

[0027] The conveying roller 101 conveys the flat plate-shaped surface protective material 30 toward the downstream side in the conveying direction (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3). The supply roller 102 holds the barrier sheet 40 in a state of being wound in a roll shape. The pressing roller 103 presses the barrier sheet 40 against the surface protective material 30 formed in a flat plate shape while heating the barrier sheet 40. The pressing roller 103 is heated by a heat source (not shown). The temperature of the pressing roller 103 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). That is, the pressing roller 103 is composed of a heat roller. The support roller 104 sends the surface protective material 30 together with the pressing roller 103 to the downstream side in the conveying direction. Note that the support roller 104 may also be heated. The tension roller 105 is disposed between the supply roller 102 and the pressing roller 103.

[0028] In the laminate forming step, a laminate is formed by laminating a plurality of sealing layer forming materials that constitute the sealing layer 20 and the functional layer 10 disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials on the barrier sheet 40 adhered to the surface protective material 30. More specifically, in the laminate forming step, as shown in FIG. 4, on the barrier sheet 40 adhered to the surface protective material 30 provided with the shielding portion 34, a plurality of sealing layer forming materials that constitute the sealing layer 20, the functional layer 10 disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials, the back barrier sheet 60, and the back surface protective material 50 are laminated to form a laminate. Note that in the laminate forming step, a hard coat layer 32 may be provided on the surface protective material 30 before the formation of the laminate.

[0029] Also, in the above bonding step, the back barrier sheet 60 may be adhered to the back surface protective material 50 while extruding the air bubbles between the back surface protective material 50 and the back barrier sheet 60. In this case, in the laminate forming step, on the barrier sheet 40 adhered to the surface protective material 30, a plurality of sealing layer forming materials, the functional layer 10 disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials, and the back surface protective material 50 to which the back barrier sheet 60 is adhered are laminated.

[0030] In the integration step, the laminate is heated to soften the plurality of sealing layer forming materials, thereby forming the sealing layer 20 that seals the functional layer 10. As shown in FIG. 3, in the integration step, for example, in a state where the laminate is placed on the heated plate-like member 201 and covered with a sheet 202 made of rubber, the laminate is integrated by evacuating the space between the plate-like member 201 and the sheet 202.

[0031] The hot press process is performed after the integration process. In the hot press process, while heating the laminate, the laminate is pressed in the laminating direction of the laminate. In the hot press process, the hard coat layer 32, the surface protective material 30, the barrier sheet 40, the sealing layer 20, the back barrier sheet 60, and the back surface protective material 50 are heated while being pressed so as to be convexly curved from the back surface protective material 50 toward the surface protective material 30 or from the surface protective material 30 toward the back surface protective material 50.

[0032] As described above, in the method for manufacturing the functional structure 1 according to the present embodiment, in the adhesion step, the barrier sheet 40 is adhered to the surface protective material 30 while extruding the bubbles between the surface protective material 30 and the barrier sheet 40. Therefore, the remaining bubbles between the surface protective material 30 and the barrier sheet 40 are suppressed.

[0033] Furthermore, in the adhesion step, since the surface protective material 30 is formed in a flat plate shape, the generation of wrinkles on the barrier sheet 40 when the barrier sheet 40 is adhered to the surface protective material 30 is suppressed as compared with the case where the barrier sheet 40 is adhered to the curved surface protective material 30.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described exemplary embodiments are specific examples of the following aspects.

[0035] [Aspect 1] A method for manufacturing a functional structure including a functional layer having a predetermined function, a sealing layer for sealing the functional layer, a surface protective material made of a resin having light transmissivity for protecting the surface of the sealing layer, and a barrier sheet made of a resin having light transmissivity and provided between the sealing layer and the surface protective material, comprising: An adhesion step of adhering the barrier sheet to the surface protective material while extruding bubbles between the surface protective material and the barrier sheet; A laminate forming step of forming a laminate by laminating a plurality of sealing layer forming materials constituting the sealing layer and the functional layer disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials on the barrier sheet adhered to the surface protective material; An integration step of forming the sealing layer that seals the functional layer by heating the laminate to soften the plurality of sealing layer forming materials, a method for manufacturing a functional structure.

[0036] In this method for manufacturing a functional structure, in the adhesion step, while extruding air bubbles between the surface protective material and the barrier sheet, the barrier sheet is adhered to the surface protective material, so that the remaining air bubbles between the surface protective material and the barrier sheet are suppressed.

[0037] [Aspect 2] The barrier sheet used in the adhesion step is a barrier layer, and an adhesive layer provided on the surface of the barrier layer, and in the adhesion step, while heating the barrier sheet to soften the adhesive layer, the barrier sheet is adhered to the surface protective material by a pressing roller so as to extrude air bubbles between the adhesive layer and the surface protective material, the method for manufacturing a functional structure according to Aspect 1.

[0038] In this aspect, the extrusion of air bubbles and the adhesion of the barrier sheet to the surface protective material are effectively performed by a pressing roller.

[0039] [Aspect 3] After the integration step, the method for manufacturing a functional structure according to Aspect 1 or 2 further includes a hot pressing step of pressing the laminate in the lamination direction of the laminate while heating the laminate.

[0040] [Aspect 4] In the hot press step, the surface protective material, the barrier sheet, and the sealing layer are pressed while heating the surface protective material, the barrier sheet, and the sealing layer so as to be convexly curved from the sealing layer toward the surface protective material or from the surface protective material toward the sealing layer. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to claim 3.

[0041] [Aspect 5] The functional structure further includes a back surface protective material that protects the back surface of the sealing layer, and a back barrier sheet provided between the sealing layer and the back surface protective material. In the bonding step, the back barrier sheet is bonded to the back surface protective material while extruding air bubbles between the back surface protective material and the back barrier sheet. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4.

[0042] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0043] 1 Functional structure, 10 Functional layer, 20 Sealing layer, 30 Surface protective material, 32 Hard coat layer, 34 Shielding portion, 40 Barrier sheet, 42 Barrier layer, 44 Adhesive layer, 50 Back surface protective material, 60 Back barrier sheet, 100 Laminating device, 101 Conveyor roller, 102 Feeding roller, 103 Pressing roller, 104 Support roller, 105 Tension roller, 201 Plate-like member, 202 Sheet, S1 Surface, S2 Back surface.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a functional structure, comprising: a functional layer having a predetermined function; a sealing layer for sealing the functional layer; a surface protection material made of a resin having light transmissivity for protecting the surface of the sealing layer; and a barrier sheet made of a resin having light transmissivity and provided between the sealing layer and the surface protection material, an adhesion step of adhering the barrier sheet to the surface protection material while extruding bubbles between the surface protection material and the barrier sheet; a laminate forming step of forming a laminate by laminating a plurality of sealing layer forming materials constituting the sealing layer and the functional layer disposed within the plurality of sealing layer forming materials on the barrier sheet adhered to the surface protection material; and an integration step of forming the sealing layer for sealing the functional layer by heating the laminate to soften the plurality of sealing layer forming materials. A method for manufacturing a functional structure.

2. The barrier sheet used in the adhesion step, has a barrier layer, and an adhesive layer provided on the surface of the barrier layer, and in the adhesion step, the barrier sheet is adhered to the surface protection material by a pressing roller so as to extrude bubbles between the adhesive layer and the surface protection material while heating the barrier sheet to soften the adhesive layer. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to claim 1.

3. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a hot pressing step of pressing the laminate in the laminating direction of the laminate while heating the laminate after the integration step.

4. In the hot pressing step, the surface protection material, the barrier sheet, and the sealing layer are pressed while heating so that the surface protection material, the barrier sheet, and the sealing layer are convexly curved from the sealing layer toward the surface protection material or from the surface protection material toward the sealing layer. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to claim 3.

5. The functional structure further comprises a back surface protection material for protecting the back surface of the sealing layer and a back barrier sheet provided between the sealing layer and the back surface protection material, and in the adhesion step, the back barrier sheet is adhered to the back surface protection material while extruding bubbles between the back surface protection material and the back barrier sheet. The method for manufacturing a functional structure according to claim 1.

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