Method of cutting sheet material

Abstract

To prevent generation of a crack on a divided surface of a brittle material layer, when dividing a sheet material having the brittle material layer.SOLUTION: A dividing method of a sheet material has the steps of: preparing a sheet material 11 having a brittle material layer 2 where a fragile line 4 extending in a first direction is formed; and dividing the sheet material 11 along the fragile line 4, by applying pressing force onto a spot corresponding to the fragile line 4 of the sheet material 11, while exerting tensile force to the sheet material 11 in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for dividing a sheet material having a brittle material.

Background Art

[0002] In many cases, a protective material for protecting an image display device is disposed on the outermost surface side of an image display device used for a television or a personal computer. As the protective material, for example, a sheet such as glass is used. Further, examples thereof include a sheet material in which a brittle material layer such as glass having a protective function and a resin layer such as a polarizing film having an optical function are laminated; and the like. This sheet material needs to be divided into a predetermined shape and predetermined dimensions according to the application.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that a brittle material substrate on which a scribe line is formed is placed on the upper surface of a flexible mounting pad, and the brittle material substrate is divided along the scribe line by moving a pressing and moving rolling portion along the lower surface of the flexible mounting pad. Patent Document 2 discloses that a substrate on which a scribe line is formed is placed on a mounting member in a state where the mounting member is pulled with a predetermined tensile force, and the substrate is pressed with a pressing member to divide the substrate along the scribe line.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Generally, when a brittle material layer such as glass is divided to form two divided pieces, fine cracks may occur on the divided surface (the end surfaces of the two divided pieces). The division method described in the above-mentioned patent document may not adequately prevent cracks from forming in the division surface. [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for cutting a sheet material having a brittle material layer that can prevent cracks from occurring in the cross-section of the brittle material layer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors have investigated in detail the cause of crack formation in the cross-section. When a sheet material having a brittle material layer with a weak line extending in a first direction is pressed and divided along the weak line, the sheet material divides into two pieces with opposing cross-sections. These opposing cross-sections are formed simultaneously with the division of the sheet material. It has been found that these opposing cross-sections interfere with each other at the time of division, resulting in crack formation in the cross-section. Based on this finding, it is possible to prevent interference between the cross-sections by forming a gap between the cross-sections of the two pieces at the same time as dividing the sheet material. Specifically, when dividing a sheet material having a brittle material layer with a weak line extending in a first direction, applying a tensile force in a second direction (the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction) to the sheet material separates the two pieces at the moment the sheet material is divided and two pieces are formed, preventing interference between the cross-sections. The inventors completed the present invention based on this idea.

[0008] The present invention provides a method for cutting a sheet material, comprising the steps of: preparing a sheet material having a brittle material layer on which a weak line extending in a first direction is formed; and cutting the sheet material along the weak line by applying a pressing force to a portion of the sheet material corresponding to the weak line while applying a tensile force to the sheet material in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The sheet material comprises a brittle material layer on which the weak line is formed, a resin layer laminated on the brittle material layer, and a defect portion that partially lacks the resin layer, wherein the defect portion extends in the first direction overlapping the weak line. In the division process, a roller having a rotating shaft extending in the first direction is moved relative to the sheet material at a speed of 50 mm / second to 120 mm / second along the second direction while in contact with the sheet material, thereby applying pressure to the portion of the sheet material corresponding to the weak line. .

[0009] A preferred method for cutting a sheet material according to the present invention involves, in the cutting step, placing the sheet material on the surface of an elastic body and stretching the elastic body in a second direction, thereby applying a tensile force to the sheet material in a second direction. A preferred method for cutting a sheet material according to the present invention involves stretching the elastic body in a second direction while the sheet material is adhering to the surface of the elastic body. A preferred method for cutting sheet material according to the present invention is that the elastic body is a rubber sheet with a thickness of 0.1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. A preferred method for cutting a sheet material according to the present invention involves stretching the elastic body such that the elongation speed of the elastic body is within the range of 5 mm / second to 150 mm / second. Book A preferred method for dividing a sheet material according to the invention is that the weak line is a groove formed on one side of the brittle material layer and extending continuously in a first direction, and in the dividing step, the side of the sheet material on which the groove is formed is placed on the surface of an elastic body, and the elastic body is stretched in a second direction to apply a tensile force to the sheet material in the second direction, while applying a pressing force from the side opposite to the side on which the groove is formed to the location corresponding to the weak line, thereby dividing the sheet material along the weak line. A preferred method for cutting a sheet material according to the present invention is that the sheet material comprises a brittle material layer, a resin layer laminated on the brittle material layer, and a defect portion that partially lacks the resin layer, wherein the defect portion extends in a first direction overlapping the fragile line. A preferred method for cutting a sheet material according to the present invention is such that the fragile line is formed from a groove that opens on the resin layer side and does not penetrate the brittle material layer. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the method of the present invention, when a sheet material having a brittle material layer is cut, it is possible to effectively prevent cracks from occurring in the cut surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing the first example of the sheet material before it was cut. [Figure 2]Cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] Perspective view showing a second example of the sheet material before cutting. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] Perspective view showing a third example of the sheet material before cutting. [Figure 6] Perspective view showing a fourth example of the sheet material before cutting. [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] Perspective view showing a fifth example of the sheet material before cutting. [Figure 9] (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the brittle material removal process, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the resin removal process. [Figure 10] Reference explanatory diagram schematically explaining an example of a method for setting the focus of laser light oscillating from the ultrashort pulse laser light source shown in FIG. 9. <000管理に関する情報を取得するための情報取得手段と、 [Figure 11] Plan view showing a first example of the cutting device. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] Reference perspective view of the same cutting device. [Figure 14] Plan view showing a state where the sheet material is placed on the stage portion of the cutting device. [Figure 15] Cross-sectional view showing the process of moving the roller (rod-shaped pressing member) to cut the sheet material. [Figure 16] Reference side view showing the state when the sheet material is divided. [Figure 17] Cross-sectional view showing a second example of the cutting device. [Figure 18] Cross-sectional view showing a third example of the cutting device. [Figure 19] (a) is a plan view of the sheet material used in the embodiment, (b) is a side view of the sheet material of the embodiment as viewed from the XIXa direction, and (c) is a side view of the sheet material of the embodiment as viewed from the XIXb direction. <母機の制御に関する情報を取得するための情報取得手段と、

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] In this specification, the first direction and the second direction refer to mutually orthogonal directions within the plane of the sheet material or elastic body. In this specification, "abbreviated" means including the extent permitted in the art to which the present invention belongs. In this specification, "plan view" means viewing from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet material or the like. In this specification, if multiple numerical ranges such as "greater than or equal to a lower limit" or "less than or equal to an upper limit" are described separately, it is possible to select any lower limit and any upper limit to set a numerical range of "greater than or equal to any lower limit and less than or equal to any upper limit." Please note that the dimensions, scale, and shape of the layers, parts, and components shown in each figure may differ from those of the actual structures.

[0013] The present invention provides a method for dividing a sheet material, in which a brittle material layer having a weak line extending in a first direction is subjected to a tensile force in a second direction while applying a compressive force to the portion of the sheet material corresponding to the weak line. As a result of the compressive force being applied to the sheet material, it is divided along the weak line, resulting in two pieces (two divided pieces are produced). By dividing the sheet material in this way while a tensile force is applied to it, it is possible to obtain divided pieces in which cracks in the cross-section are suppressed as much as possible. The method for cutting the sheet material of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "cutting method") will be described in detail below.

[0014] [Sheet material] The sheet material to be divided has a brittle material layer in which weak lines are formed, and may further have any additional layer, such as a resin layer, as needed. For example, the sheet material has a brittle material layer and a resin layer laminated on the brittle material layer. For example, the sheet material consists only of the brittle material layer. In the manufacture of a sheet material having a brittle material layer and a resin layer, for example, the brittle material layer and the resin layer are laminated by any suitable method. For example, the brittle material layer and the resin layer can be laminated by a so-called roll-to-roll method. That is, the brittle material layer and the resin layer can be laminated by conveying a long brittle material layer and a long resin layer in the longitudinal direction and bonding them together so that their longitudinal directions are aligned. The resulting long composite material is cut into a predetermined shape in plan view and a sheet material is obtained by forming brittle lines, etc. Alternatively, for example, the brittle material layer and the resin layer can be cut into predetermined shapes in plan view and then laminated to obtain a single-sheet composite material, and then a sheet material is obtained by forming brittle lines, etc.

[0015] Examples of brittle materials that form a brittle material layer include glass, single-crystal silicon, and polycrystalline silicon. Examples of glass, according to its composition, include soda-lime glass, borate glass, aluminosilicate glass, quartz glass, and sapphire glass. Examples of glass, according to its alkali content, include alkali-free glass and low-alkali glass. The alkali metal content of the glass (e.g., Na2O, K2O, Li2O) is preferably 15% by weight or less, and more preferably 10% by weight or less.

[0016] The thickness of the brittle material layer is not particularly limited, but is preferably 200 μm or less, more preferably 150 μm or less, even more preferably 120 μm or less, and especially preferably 100 μm or less. On the other hand, the thickness of the brittle material layer is preferably 5 μm or more, more preferably 20 μm or more, and even more preferably 30 μm or more.

[0017] When the brittle material forming the brittle material layer is glass, the light transmittance of the brittle material layer at a wavelength of 550 nm is preferably 85% or higher. When the brittle material forming the brittle material layer is glass, the refractive index of the brittle material layer at a wavelength of 550 nm is preferably 1.4 or more and 1.65 or less. When the brittle material forming the brittle material layer is glass, the density of the brittle material layer is preferably 2.3 g / cm³. 3 More than 3.0g / cm 3 The following, and more preferably 2.3 g / cm³ 3 More than 2.7g / cm 3 The following applies:

[0018] When the brittle material forming the brittle material layer is glass, a commercially available glass plate may be used as is, or a commercially available glass plate may be polished to the desired thickness before use. Examples of commercially available glass plates include Corning's "7059," "1737," or "EAGLE2000," Asahi Glass's "AN100," NH Technoglass's "NA-35," Nippon Electric Glass's "OA-10," and Schott's "D263" or "AF45."

[0019] The resin layer has a resin film layer and may optionally have a bonding layer. The resin layer having a bonding layer is laminated and bonded to the brittle material layer via the bonding layer. Any suitable bonding layer can be used, but typical examples include adhesives and bonding agents containing resin materials. Examples of adhesives include acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, and silicone adhesives, and examples of bonding agents include acrylic adhesives and epoxy adhesives. Examples of resin materials used to form the resin film layer include acrylic resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), cyclic olefin polymers (COP), cyclic olefin copolymers (COC), polycarbonate (PC), urethane resins, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyimide (PI), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), triacetylcellulose (TAC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyamide (PA), silicone resins, epoxy resins, liquid crystal polymers, and various resin foams. The resin film layer may be a single layer or a multilayer consisting of multiple layers of the same or different types. If the resin film layer consists of multiple layers, each layer may be directly bonded together or bonded together via a bonding layer. Preferably, the resin film layer includes a film that provides optical functionality. Examples of films that provide optical functionality include polarizing films, surface protective films, and phase difference films. The thickness of the resin film layer is not particularly limited, but for example, it is 10 μm or more and 400 μm or less.

[0020] Furthermore, the resin layer may have an adhesive layer or bonding layer consisting of the above-mentioned adhesive or bonding agent on the surface opposite to the surface on which the brittle material layer is laminated. Furthermore, the resin layer may have a conductive inorganic film such as indium tin oxide (ITO), Ag, Au, or Cu on the surface opposite to the surface on which the brittle material layer is laminated. The thickness of the resin layer is not particularly limited, but for example, it is between 20 μm and 500 μm.

[0021] The sheet material to be divided is, for example, in the form of a single leaf. The plan view shape of the sheet material is, for example, a roughly rectangular shape, a roughly square shape, or some other roughly rectangular shape. However, the plan view shape of the sheet material is not limited to a roughly rectangular shape, and may also be a roughly polygonal shape, such as a roughly circular shape, a roughly elliptical shape, a roughly triangular shape, a roughly hexagonal shape, or some other roughly polygonal shape. The brittle material layer of the sheet material has a brittle line that extends in a first direction. The brittle line is formed by processing the brittle material layer to make it easier to cleave a portion of the brittle material layer (the area where the brittle line is formed). Examples of brittle lines include grooves and perforations. A groove is a series of cuts that do not penetrate the brittle material layer in the thickness direction, but extend from one side of the brittle material layer to the middle of the thickness direction. A groove that extends in a first direction is one in which the cuts extend continuously in the first direction. A perforation line is a series of small through-holes that penetrate the brittle material layer, arranged intermittently. A perforation line that extends in a first direction is a series of these through-holes that are arranged continuously in the first direction with small gaps between them. Furthermore, the sheet material only needs to have at least one weak line extending in the first direction. Therefore, the sheet material may have two or more weak lines extending in the first direction at intervals, or it may have one or more weak lines extending in the first direction at intervals and one or more weak lines extending in the second direction and / or in a direction acute to the first direction (a direction different from the first direction) at intervals.

[0022] When the sheet material has a resin layer, the portion of the resin layer corresponding to the weak line is missing. That is, a portion of the resin layer is partially formed in the plane of the resin layer where the resin material of that layer is absent. This portion of the resin layer that is partially missing extends in the first direction (i.e., the direction in which the weak line extends) overlapping the weak line.

[0023] Figures 1 and 2 show the first example of the sheet material before (to be divided) cutting. The first example of sheet material 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a brittle material layer 2 and a resin layer 3 having a resin film layer 31 and a bonding layer 32. One side of the brittle material layer 2 and the resin film layer 31 are joined via a bonding layer 32 made of an adhesive or the like. A groove 41 (weakness line 4) extending along a first direction is formed on one surface of the brittle material layer 2. The groove 41 (weakness line 4) extends from one edge on the first direction side of the brittle material layer 2 to the opposite edge on the first direction side. Furthermore, the groove 41 (weakness line 4) is formed in a substantially straight shape when viewed from above. However, the weakness line 4 is not limited to being substantially straight in a plan view, and may be substantially curved in a plan view, etc. A defect 5 is formed within the plane of the resin layer 3. The defect 5 is formed in a position that overlaps with the groove 41 (weakness line 4) in the thickness direction. Therefore, when viewed from one side, the resin layer 3 does not overlap the groove 41, and the groove 41 is open on one side. In the illustrated example, the plan view shape of the defect 5 is approximately the same as the plan view shape of the groove 41. Also, the width of the defect 5 is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width of the groove 41. In the first example of the sheet material 11, one side of the brittle material layer 2 is the side on which the groove 41 is formed, and the opposite side is the side on which the groove 41 is not formed. Hereinafter, the side on which the groove 41 is formed may be referred to as the "formation side," and the side on which the groove 41 is not formed may be referred to as the "non-formation side."

[0024] Figures 3 to 8 show other examples (second to fifth examples) of the sheet material before division. In the explanation of Figures 3 to 8, the explanation of configurations similar to the sheet material 11 of the first example above may be omitted. The sheet material 12 of the second example shown in Figures 3 and 4 is the same as the sheet material 11 of the first example, except that a groove 41 is formed on the opposite side of the brittle material layer 2 (the side opposite to one side). In the sheet material 12 of the second example, the opposite side of the brittle material layer 2 is the forming side, and the one side is the non-forming side. In this case, the groove 41 is open on the opposite side.

[0025] The sheet material 13 of the third example shown in Figure 5 is the same as the sheet material 11 of the first example, except that grooves 41 are provided on one side and the opposite side of the brittle material layer 2. In this case, the two grooves 41 are arranged to overlap in the thickness direction. In the sheet material 13 of the third example, both the side of the brittle material layer 2 and the opposite side are the forming sides.

[0026] The sheet material 14 of the fourth example shown in Figures 6 and 7 is the same as the sheet material 11 of the first example, except that perforations 42 are formed as weak lines 4. The perforations 42 consist of a collection of small through holes 421 that penetrate the brittle material layer 2, and multiple through holes 421 are arranged in a first direction with intervals between them. In the sheet material 14 of the fourth example, both the one side and the opposite side of the brittle material layer 2 are the forming sides.

[0027] The sheet material 15 of the fifth example shown in Figure 8 is the same as the sheet material 11 of the first example, except that it is composed only of a brittle material layer 2. Furthermore, for the sheet material 15 consisting only of the brittle material layer 2, grooves 41 may be formed on both one and the opposite surface, as in the third example (not shown), or perforations 42 may be formed instead of grooves 41 (not shown).

[0028] In addition, although not specifically illustrated, when a weak line extending in a second direction is formed in the brittle material layer, the weak line extends from one edge of the brittle material layer in the second direction to the opposite edge in the second direction. Furthermore, when a weak line extending in a direction acutely perpendicular to the first direction is formed in the brittle material layer, the weak line extends from one edge of the brittle material layer in the first or second direction to the opposite edge in the first or second direction.

[0029] [Preparation process for sheet material with weakened lines] The preparation step is the process of preparing a sheet material on which weak lines extending in a first direction have been formed. The various sheet materials described above are obtained by forming brittle lines in a brittle material layer. For example, the manufacturing method of the first example sheet material 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be specifically described. A sheet material 11 having grooves 41 and defects 5, as in the first example, can be obtained by performing a brittle material removal step and a resin removal step on a composite material in which a brittle material layer and a resin film layer are joined via a bonding layer.

[0030] <Brittle material removal process> As shown in Figure 9(a), in the brittle material removal process, an ultrashort pulse laser light source is used. 64 By irradiating the composite material 10 with a laser beam (ultrashort pulse laser beam) L1, which is emitted (pulsed) from the brittle material layer 2 side, along the planned division line, the brittle material forming the brittle material layer 2 is removed, thereby forming a groove 41 that is integrally connected along the planned division line DL. In the example shown in Figure 9, the planned division line DL is illustrated as a straight line extending in the Y direction out of two orthogonal directions (X direction and Y direction) within the plane (XY 2D plane) of the composite material 10. The planned division line DL can be actually drawn on the composite material 10 as a visually recognizable representation, or its coordinates can be pre-inputted into a control device (not shown) that controls the relative positional relationship between the laser beam L1 and the composite material 10 on the XY 2D plane. The planned division line DL shown in Figure 9 is a virtual line whose coordinates have been pre-inputted into the control device and is not actually drawn on the composite material 10.

[0031] One possible method for irradiating the composite material 10 along the planned division line DL (scanning the laser beam L1) is to place and fix (for example, by suction) a sheet-like composite material 10 on an XY2-axis stage (not shown), and then change the relative position of the composite material 10 on the XY2-dimensional plane with respect to the laser beam L1 by driving the XY2-axis stage with a control signal from the control device. Alternatively, the position of the composite material 10 can be fixed, and a galvanometer mirror or polygon mirror driven by a control signal from the control device can be used to provide an ultrashort pulse laser light source. 64 It is also conceivable to change the position of the laser beam L1 irradiated onto the composite material 10 in the XY 2-dimensional plane by deflecting the laser beam L1 emitted from the stage. Furthermore, it is possible to use both scanning of the composite material 10 using the above XY 2-axis stage and scanning of the laser beam L1 using a galvanometer mirror or the like in combination.

[0032] The brittle material forming the brittle material layer 2 is an ultrashort pulse laser light source. 64By utilizing the filamentation phenomenon of laser light L1 emitted from, or by using an ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 This can be removed by applying a multifocal optical system (not shown) or a Bessel beam optical system (not shown). Furthermore, the use of the filamentation phenomenon of ultrashort pulse laser light and the application of multi-focus optical systems or Bessel beam optical systems to ultrashort pulse laser light sources are described in the literature (John Lopez et al., "Glass Cutting Using Ultrashort Pulsed Bessel Beams," [online], October 2015, International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO), [Retrieved July 17, 2020], Internet (URL: https: / / www.researchgate.net / publication / 284617626_GLASS_CUTTING_USING_ULTRASHORT_PULSED_BESSEL_BEAMS)). In addition, Trumpf GmbH in Germany sells products for glass processing that apply multi-focus optical systems to ultrashort pulse laser light sources. As the use of the filamentation phenomenon of ultrashort pulse laser light is publicly known, further detailed explanations are omitted here.

[0033] Ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 The wavelength of the laser light L1 emitted from is preferably 500 nm to 2500 nm, which exhibits high light transmittance when the brittle material forming the brittle material layer 2 is glass. To effectively induce nonlinear optical phenomena (multiphoton absorption), the pulse width of the laser light L1 is preferably 100 picoseconds or less, and more preferably 50 picoseconds or less. The pulse width of the laser light L1 is set, for example, to 350 femtoseconds or more and 10000 femtoseconds or less. The oscillation mode of the laser light L1 may be single-pulse oscillation or burst-mode multi-pulse oscillation.

[0034] Ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 The focal point of the laser beam L1 emitted from is set near the interface between the resin layer 3 and the brittle material layer 2. As a result, the groove 41 formed in the brittle material removal process opens on the resin layer 3 side and does not penetrate the brittle material layer 2 (it does not open on the side opposite to the resin layer 3). Figure 10 shows an ultrashort pulse laser light source. 64 This is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of how to set the focus of the laser beam L1 emitted from the device. In the example shown in Figure 10, the ultrashort pulse laser light source is 64 A multifocal optical system is applied to this. Specifically, the multifocal optical system shown in Figure 10 consists of three axicon lenses 62a, 62b, and 62c. As shown in Figure 10, an ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 Assuming that the spatial intensity distribution of the laser beam L1 emitted from is a Gaussian distribution, the laser beam L1 emitted in the range from point A to point B, where the intensity is relatively high, follows the optical path shown by the dashed line in Figure 10 and converges at the focal point AF. The focal point set near the interface of the resin layer 3 with the brittle material layer 2 is the focal point AF where the laser beam L1 emitted in the range of relatively high intensity from point A to point B converges. The range from point A to point B is, for example, the range where the intensity is 90% or more of the maximum intensity of the spatial intensity distribution of the laser beam L1. The positional relationship between the focal point AF of the laser beam L1 and the composite material 10 is adjusted so that the focal point AF of the laser beam L1 is near the interface between the resin layer 3 and the brittle material layer 2, specifically at a distance H from the interface. This distance H is preferably set to 0 μm or more and 20 μm or less, more preferably to 0 μm or more and 10 μm or less. The spot diameter of the laser beam L1 at the focal point AF is preferably set to 5 μm or less, more preferably to 3 μm or less.

[0035] Furthermore, when utilizing the filamentation phenomenon of laser light L1, as the laser light L1 passes through the brittle material layer 2, it self-focuses due to the Kerr effect, causing the spot diameter to decrease as it progresses. When the laser light L1 focuses to the energy threshold at which ablation occurs in the brittle material layer 2, the brittle material of the brittle material layer 2 is removed, and the groove 41 is formed. As described above, by setting the position at which the laser light L1 focuses to the energy threshold at which ablation occurs (corresponding to the aforementioned focal point AF) near the interface between the resin layer 3 and the brittle material layer 2, it is possible to form a groove 41 that opens on the resin layer 3 side and does not penetrate the brittle material layer 2.

[0036] Ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 By adjusting the power of the laser beam L1 emitted from the device, it is possible to adjust the strength of the energy used to form the groove 41 (remove the brittle material) (the magnitude of the intensity in the range from point A to point B). This makes it possible to adjust the depth of the groove 41. The smaller the depth of the groove 41, the more a sheet material 11 with sufficient bending strength can be obtained. On the other hand, if the depth of the groove 41 is too small, it becomes difficult to cut the sheet material 11. Considering these points, the depth of the groove 41 is preferably 3 μm or more and 50 μm or less. The lower limit is more preferably 5 μm or more, and even more preferably 10 μm or more. The upper limit is more preferably 30 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or less, more preferably 18 μm or less, and even more preferably 16 μm or less. When the thickness of the brittle material layer 2 is small (for example, when the thickness is 50 μm or less), the depth of the groove 41 is preferably 3 μm or more and 20 μm or less. Furthermore, the depth of the groove 41 is preferably 10% to 50% of the thickness of the brittle material layer 2. The lower limit is more preferably 15% or more, and the upper limit is more preferably 35% or less.

[0037] <Resin removal process> The resin removal process is performed, for example, after the brittle material removal process. As shown in Figure 9(b), in the resin removal process, a laser light source65 The laser beam L2 emitted from the laser is irradiated onto the resin layer of the composite material 10 along the planned division line DL to remove the resin forming the resin layer. This creates a defect 5 along the planned division line DL. The method of irradiating the laser beam L2 along the planned division line DL (the method of scanning the laser beam L2) can be the same as the method of irradiating the laser beam L1 along the planned division line DL described above, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0038] Laser light source 65 As such, a CO2 laser light source can be used in which the wavelength of the oscillating laser light L2 is in the infrared region, between 9 μm and 11 μm. 65 Alternatively, a CO laser light source with a wavelength of 5 μm for the oscillating laser light L2 can be used. 65 It is also possible to use visible light and ultraviolet (UV) pulsed laser light sources. Examples of visible light and UV pulsed laser light sources include those with an emitted laser beam L2 wavelength of 532 nm, 355 nm, 349 nm, or 266 nm (high-order harmonics of solid-state laser light sources using Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, or YVO4 as the medium), an excimer laser light source with an emitted laser beam L2 wavelength of 351 nm, 248 nm, 222 nm, 193 nm, or 157 nm, and an F2 laser light source with an emitted laser beam L2 wavelength of 157 nm. Also, laser light source 65 Furthermore, it is possible to use a pulsed laser light source in which the wavelength of the emitted laser light L2 is outside the ultraviolet region and the pulse width is on the order of femtoseconds or picoseconds. By using the laser light L2 emitted from this pulsed laser light source, it is possible to induce ablation processing based on the multiphoton absorption process. Furthermore, laser light source 65 Alternatively, semiconductor laser light sources or fiber laser light sources whose oscillating laser light L2 wavelength is in the infrared region can be used. As described above, in this embodiment, the laser light source 65 Since a CO2 laser light source is used, the following refers to the laser light source. 65 "CO2 laser light source" 65It is called "".

[0039] CO2 laser light source 65 The oscillation mode may be pulsed oscillation or continuous oscillation. The spatial intensity distribution of the laser light L2 may be a Gaussian distribution, or it may be shaped into a flat-top distribution using a diffractive optical element (not shown) or the like to suppress damage to the brittle material layer 2, which is not the target of laser light L2 removal. There are no restrictions on the polarization state of the laser light L2; it may be linearly polarized, circularly polarized, or randomly polarized.

[0040] By irradiating the resin layer 3 (resin film layer 31 and adhesive layer 32, which is a bonding layer) of the composite material 10 with laser light L2 along the planned division line DL, a localized temperature rise occurs in the resin material forming the resin layer 3 (the portion of the resin film layer 31 and adhesive layer 32 irradiated with laser light L2) due to infrared light absorption, causing the resin to scatter and be removed from the composite material 10, forming a defect 5 in the composite material 10. To suppress the re-adhesion of the scattered resin material removed from the composite material 10, it is preferable to provide a dust collection mechanism near the planned division line DL. To suppress the widening of the defect 5, it is preferable to focus the laser light L2 so that the spot diameter at the irradiation position on the resin layer is 300 μm or less, and more preferably to focus the laser light L2 so that the spot diameter is 200 μm or less.

[0041] Furthermore, in the case of a resin material removal method that is based on the principle of localized temperature rise due to infrared light absorption by the resin irradiated with laser light L2, regardless of the type of resin or the layer structure of the resin layer, it is possible to roughly estimate the input energy required to form the defect 5 based on the thickness of the resin layer 3. Specifically, the input energy represented by the following equation (1) required to form the defect 5 can be estimated based on the thickness of the resin layer using the following equation (2). Input energy [mJ / mm] = Average power of laser beam L2 [mW] / Processing speed [mm / sec] ... (1) Input energy [mJ / mm] = 0.5 × thickness of resin layer 3 [μm] ... (2) The actual input energy to be set is preferably set to 20% to 180% of the input energy estimated by equation (2) above, and more preferably to 50% to 150%. The reason for providing a margin over the estimated input energy in this way is to take into account that differences in the input energy required to form the defect 5 will occur due to differences in the light absorption rate (light absorption rate at the wavelength of laser light L2) of the resin material forming the resin layer 3, and differences in the thermal properties of the resin, such as the melting point and decomposition point. Specifically, for example, a sample of the composite material 10 to which the division method according to this embodiment is applied can be prepared, and a preliminary test can be performed to form the defect 5 in the resin layer of this sample with multiple input energies within the above preferred range to determine the appropriate input energy.

[0042] In the resin removal process of this embodiment, a laser light source 65 The laser light L2 emitted from is irradiated onto the resin layer from the resin layer side. In the example shown in Figures 9(a) and (b), the CO2 laser light source is positioned opposite the resin layer 3. 65 The composite material 10 is positioned on the lower side in the Z direction, and the ultrashort pulse laser light source is positioned opposite the brittle material layer 2. 64 The composite material 10 is positioned on the upper side in the Z direction. Then, in the brittle material removal process, an ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 After forming grooves 41 with laser light L1 emitted from the CO2 laser light source, the oscillation of laser light L1 is stopped, and in the resin removal process, the CO2 laser light source 65 The defect 5 is formed by the laser light L2 emitted from the laser. In addition to this embodiment, for example, an ultrashort pulse laser light source 64 and CO2 laser light source 65 Both are placed on the same side (upper or lower side in the Z direction) relative to the composite material 10, and in the brittle material removal process, the brittle material layer 2 is connected to an ultrashort pulse laser light source. 64 In the resin removal process, the resin layer is opposed to the CO2 laser light source. 65 It is also possible to adopt a method of inverting the top and bottom of the composite material 10 so as to face the opposite direction.

[0043] <Other> The second and third sheet materials 12 and 13 shown in Figures 3 to 5 can be obtained by forming grooves 41 and defects 5 in the composite material 10 in accordance with the manufacturing method of the first example sheet material 11. The fourth example sheet material 14 shown in Figures 6 and 7 can be obtained, for example, by the method described in WO2019 / 138967 filed by the applicant. The sheet material 15 shown in Figure 8 can be obtained by a conventionally known method using an ultrashort pulse laser light source. Furthermore, the sheet material of the present invention is not limited to being manufactured by a method using a laser light source. For example, the various sheet materials described above can also be obtained by conventionally known mechanical processing methods, such as scraping off the composite material 10 or the brittle material layer 2 with a cutter wheel or the like.

[0044] <Disconnection device> Figure 11 is a plan view showing a first example of a sheet material cutting device, Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting device cut along a second direction, and Figure 13 is a reference perspective view of the cutting device. Note that in Figure 13, winding rolls and the like are omitted. The cutting device 61 shown in Figures 11 to 13 includes an elastic body 71 which is an extension member that engages with the sheet material 11 to be cut and applies a tensile force to the sheet material 11, a tensioning device for extending the elastic body 71, a suction part for engaging the elastic body 71 with the sheet material 11, a stage part 69 on which the sheet material 11 is placed, and a pressing member for pressing the sheet material 11 placed on the stage part 69. In this embodiment, the stage part 69 is composed of a region of the surface of the elastic body 71.

[0045] The elastic body 71 is in sheet form, and typically, a rubber sheet 71 can be used as the elastic body 71. The rubber sheet 71 is formed from conventionally known rubber (rubber includes elastomers) into a sheet. Examples of the rubber include synthetic rubbers such as butadiene rubber (BR), isoprene rubber (IR), and chloroprene (CR); natural rubber (NR); copolymer rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), styrene-butadiene-styrene rubber (SBSR), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), styrene-isoprene copolymer (SIR), and butyl rubber (IIR); olefin-based elastomers; styrene-based elastomers such as styrene-butadiene-styrene elastomer (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene elastomer (SIS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene elastomer (SEBS), and hydrogenated styrene-based elastomers; urethane-based elastomers; ester-based elastomers; fluorine-based elastomers; and polyamide-based elastomers. These can be used individually or in mixtures of two or more. It is preferable to use NBR rubber sheet 71 because it has excellent mechanical properties such as elongation and abrasion resistance.

[0046] The thickness of the rubber sheet 71 is not particularly limited, but if it is too small, the sheet material 11 placed on the stage 69 may become unstable, and if it is too large, the sheet material 11 may not bend easily when pressed. From this viewpoint, the thickness of the rubber sheet 71 is, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 3 mm or less, preferably 0.2 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.3 mm or more and 2 mm or less.

[0047] The tensile strength of the rubber sheet 71 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10 MPa or more, and preferably 20 MPa or more. The upper limit of the tensile strength of the rubber sheet 71 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 40 MPa or less. The elongation rate of the rubber sheet 71 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 600% or more, and preferably 700% or more. The upper limit of the elongation rate of the rubber sheet 71 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1200% or less. The elongation rate is the elongation rate when the rubber sheet 71 is stretched and broken (break elongation rate), and is determined by the length at break / original length. The tensile strength and elongation rate of the rubber sheet 71 can be measured in accordance with JIS K6251.

[0048] Multiple through holes 72 are formed in the surface of the rubber sheet 71. The through holes 72 penetrate in the thickness direction of the rubber sheet 71. The multiple through holes 72 are provided in at least the region of the rubber sheet 71 that constitutes the stage portion 69. Therefore, the multiple through holes 72 may be formed only in the region of the rubber sheet 71 that constitutes the stage portion 69, or the multiple through holes 72 may be formed in the region of the rubber sheet 71 that constitutes the stage portion 69 and its periphery, or the multiple through holes 72 may be formed throughout the entire rubber sheet 71. The arrangement of the multiple through holes 72 can be set as appropriate. As will be described later, when placing the sheet material 11 on the stage 69, it is preferable that the weak lines 4 of the sheet material 11 do not overlap with the through holes 72. For this reason, it is desirable to set the arrangement of the multiple through holes 72 taking into consideration the weak lines 4 of the sheet material 11.

[0049] The rubber sheet 71 is placed on top of the case body 73. The case body 73 is a concave body with an open top, having a bottom surface portion 731 and a frame wall portion 732 rising from around the bottom surface portion 731. A ventilation hole is formed in a part of the frame wall portion 732 that penetrates to the inside and outside of the case body 73. Except for the ventilation hole, no holes are formed in the bottom surface portion 731 or the frame wall portion 732. A tube 733 is connected to the ventilation hole, and an air suction device (not shown) is connected to the tube 733. The rubber sheet 71 is placed in contact with the top surface 732a of the frame wall portion 732. By operating the air suction device and drawing in air, the space 734 defined by the back surface of the rubber sheet 71 and the case body 73 becomes negative pressure, and the sheet material 11 facing the through hole 72 is drawn in. The suction portion of the dividing device 61 consists of the case body 73, the air suction device, the rubber sheet 71, and its through-hole 72.

[0050] Furthermore, one end of the rubber sheet 71 in the second direction is connected to a tensioning device. The tensioning device includes, for example, a spare sheet 74, a winding roll 75 for winding the spare sheet 74, and a guide roll 76 positioned between the winding roll 75 and one end of the rubber sheet 71 in the second direction.

[0051] The end of the rubber sheet 71 opposite to the second direction is fixed. Hereinafter, the end of the rubber sheet 71 on one side in the second direction will be referred to as "one end," and the end of the rubber sheet 71 on the opposite side in the second direction will be referred to as "the other end." One end of the rubber sheet 71 is fixed, for example, to the outer surface of the frame wall portion 732 of the case body 73 by a retaining bar 771 and fasteners 772 (such as bolts). One end of the rubber sheet 71 is connected to the end of the spare sheet 74 via a connecting bar 741. The spare sheet 74 is made of a flexible, non-stretchable sheet, such as a synthetic resin sheet. The other end of the spare sheet 74 is attached to a winding roll 75. The winding roll 75 is rotatable by a drive device (not shown), such as a motor, and the spare sheet 74 is wound onto the winding roll 75. When the spare sheet 74 is wound onto the winding roll 75, one end of the rubber sheet 71 is pulled in one direction in the second direction, and the rubber sheet 71 stretches in the second direction. In Figure 12, the thick arrow indicates the direction of tension of the rubber sheet 71 (the same applies to other figures below).

[0052] Furthermore, the winding roll 75 can also rotate in the opposite direction. When the winding roll 75 rotates in the opposite direction, the spare sheet 74 is unwound, and the stretched rubber sheet 71 is restored to its original length. In the above description, a spare sheet 74 is interposed between the rubber sheet 71 and the winding roll 75, but one end of the rubber sheet 71 may be directly attached to the winding roll 75. The tensioning device of the cutting device 61 consists of the rubber sheet 71 and the winding roll 75.

[0053] The stage section 69 consists of a region on the surface of the rubber sheet 71 on which the sheet material 11 is placed. Specifically, as described above, the rubber sheet 71 is placed in contact with the top surface 732a of the frame wall portion 732. The portion of the rubber sheet 71 in contact with the top surface 732a does not flex in the thickness direction, but the portion enclosed by the frame wall portion 732 (i.e., the portion corresponding to the space 734 of the case body 73) is designed to flex in the thickness direction. The area of ​​the rubber sheet 71 that is flexible and surrounded by the frame wall portion 732 is the stage portion 69. Multiple through holes 72 are formed in at least the area of ​​the rubber sheet 71 surrounded by the frame wall portion 732.

[0054] The pressing member is a member that presses the sheet material 11 placed on the stage section 69. The pressing member in the illustrated example is a rod-shaped pressing member 78 having an axis extending in a first direction and having an arc-shaped surface. In this embodiment, a roller 78 having an axis 781 extending in a first direction is used as the rod-shaped pressing member. Preferably, the roller 78 has a rotation axis 781 extending in a first direction and is capable of rotating around that rotation axis 781. The material of the roller 78 is not particularly limited as long as it has enough strength not to deform itself when pressed. For example, the roller 78 can be made of metal such as stainless steel, synthetic resin, or rubber. Alternatively, a roller with rubber covering a metal core or a roller with synthetic resin covering a metal core can also be used. The diameter of the roller 78 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 mm or more and 50 mm or less, preferably 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less. The length of the roller 78 (length in the first direction) can be set appropriately so as to be longer than the length of the sheet material 11 in the first direction and not protruding from the stage portion 69. The roller 78 has both ends of its shaft 781 supported by a frame 79 or the like, and the frame 79 is connected to a moving device (not shown). The roller 78 is configured to move from the opposite side of the second direction to one side of the second direction while in contact with the surface of the stage portion 69, by a moving device (not shown). In Figure 12, the white arrow indicates the direction of movement of the pressing member (the same applies to other figures below). If the roller 78 is capable of rotating around the rotation axis 781, the roller 78 moves along the second direction while rotating and in contact with the surface of the stage portion 69. The roller 78 (rod-shaped pressing member) moves while maintaining its axis 781 to be substantially parallel to the first direction. As shown in Figure 12, it is preferable that the roller 78 (rod-shaped pressing member) presses against the rubber sheet 71, which is the stage portion 69, to such an extent that the rubber sheet 71 bends slightly in the thickness direction (towards the bottom of the paper in the illustration).

[0055] <Cutting the sheet material> Next, the process of dividing the sheet material 11 using the dividing device 61 described above will be explained. Figure 14 shows the state before the sheet material is placed on the stage and the roller (rod-shaped pressing member) is moved, and Figure 15 shows the state after the roller has been moved onto the sheet material. As shown in Figure 14, a sheet material 11 with a weak line 4 extending in the first direction is placed on the stage portion 69 of the dividing device 61. In this case, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, it is preferable to place the sheet material 11 so that the weak line 4 does not overlap with the through hole 72 of the rubber sheet 71, and it is even more preferable to place the sheet material 11 so that the through hole 72 of the rubber sheet 71 is located near the weak line 4. By arranging it in this way, the area of ​​the weak line 4 is not firmly adhered to the rubber sheet 71, and when pressing force is applied by the pressing member, the sheet material 11 is smoothly separated.

[0056] Furthermore, it is preferable to place the forming side of the sheet material 11 facing the surface of the rubber sheet 71, which is the stage portion 69, and press the sheet material 11 from the non-forming side with a pressing member. By placing the forming side of the sheet material 11 on the surface of the stage portion 69 (rubber sheet 71) in this way and pressing from the opposite, non-forming side, the sheet material 11 can be reliably and easily cut along the weak line 4. Figure 15 illustrates the case where the first example of sheet material 11 (sheet material 11 having a brittle material layer 2 and a resin layer 3) shown in Figures 1 and 2 is placed on the stage section 69. Note that the bonding layer is omitted in Figure 15. In addition, sheet materials 12, 13, 14, and 15, such as those in the second to fifth examples above, may be used as the target for division instead of sheet material 11. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, for sheet materials 13 and 14, where both one side and the opposite side of the brittle material layer 2 are the forming sides, either side may be placed on the stage portion 69.

[0057] The air suction device of the suction unit is activated, and the forming side of the sheet material 11 is adsorbed to the surface of the rubber sheet 71 through the through hole 72 of the rubber sheet 71. Next, the tensioning device is activated to pull one end of the rubber sheet 71 towards one side in the second direction. As one end of the rubber sheet 71 is pulled, the rubber sheet 71 stretches in the second direction. Since the opposite end of the rubber sheet 71 is fixed, the amount of stretching of the rubber sheet 71 increases towards the end. Since the sheet material 11 is adsorbed to the rubber sheet 71, the stretching of the rubber sheet 71 in the second direction causes a tensile force to act on the sheet material 11 in the second direction. Since the sheet material 11 itself does not stretch, the stretched rubber sheet 71 stretches in the second direction while adsorbing to the sheet material 11 and gradually shifting along the surface of the sheet material 11.

[0058] The degree of tensile strength of the rubber sheet 71 (elastic body) is not particularly limited. For example, the rubber sheet 71 (elastic body) may be stretched so that its elongation speed is within the range of 5 mm / second to 150 mm / second. Preferably, the rubber sheet 71 (elastic body) is stretched so that its elongation speed is within the range of 5 mm / second to 100 mm / second, and more preferably, within the range of 5 mm / second to 50 mm / second. By stretching the rubber sheet 71 (elastic body) within this range, an appropriate tensile force can be applied to the sheet material 11.

[0059] While the sheet material 11 is adsorbed to the rubber sheet 71 and the rubber sheet 71 is stretched in the second direction, that is, while a tensile force is applied to the sheet material 11 in the second direction, a pressing force is applied to the portion of the sheet material 11 corresponding to the weak line 4. In this embodiment, the roller 78 is moved along the second direction while in contact with the stage portion 69. In the case of a rotatable roller 78, when the roller 78 is moved while in contact with the stage portion 69, the roller 78 rotates around the rotation axis 781. By moving the roller 78 while it rotates, cracks are less likely to occur in the cross-section. When the roller 78 is moved from the position shown in Figure 14 to one side in the second direction, as shown in Figure 15, the roller 78 moves along the sheet material 11 while contacting it and applying pressure, until it reaches the location corresponding to the weak line 4 (in the illustrated example, the location corresponding to the weak line 4 is the location that overlaps with the weak line 4 in the thickness direction and is on the opposite side from the side where the weak line 4 is formed), and then moves further to the one side in the second direction while still in contact with the sheet material 11. When the roller 78 reaches the location corresponding to the weak line 4 and applies pressure to that location, the sheet material 11 is divided along the weak line 4.

[0060] Furthermore, the roller 78 may be moved from one side to the opposite side in the second direction. Also, when the cutting process is repeated, the roller 78 may be moved from the opposite side to the one side in the second direction, the roller 78 may be left in that position, the sheet material 11 may be replaced or the orientation of the sheet material 11 may be changed, and then the roller 78 may be moved from that position back to the opposite side in the second direction. It is sufficient to continuously apply tensile force to the sheet material 11 at least during and immediately before and after the separation. For example, the rubber sheet 71 may be stretched after the roller 78 (rod-shaped pressing member) has been moved and before it reaches the location corresponding to the weak line 4. When the roller 78 (rod-shaped pressing member) presses the location of the sheet material 11 corresponding to the weak line 4, there must be some room for the rubber sheet 71 to stretch.

[0061] The speed at which the roller 78 moves is not particularly limited, but if it is too slow, the cutting process will take a long time, and if it is too fast, the sheet material 11 may be unintentionally damaged. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the speed at which the roller 78 moves is in the range of 5 mm / second to 150 mm / second, and more preferably in the range of 50 mm / second to 120 mm / second. In particular, by setting the speed at which the roller 78 moves within the above range, cracks are less likely to occur in the cut surface.

[0062] In the division process of the present invention, a pressing force is applied to the sheet material 11 while a tensile force is applied to the sheet material 11 in a second direction. As described above, the rubber sheet 71 elongates more towards one end, so a larger tensile force acts on the sheet material 11 that is adhering to the rubber sheet 71 towards the one end in the second direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 16, at the moment the sheet material 11 is divided along the weak line 4 and two divided pieces 111 and 112 are created, one divided piece 111 separates from the other divided piece 112. Since one divided piece 111 and the other divided piece 112 separate at the time of division, their divided surfaces 111a and 112a do not come into contact with each other, and therefore, cracks can be prevented from occurring in the divided surfaces 111a and 112a.

[0063] [Differentiation] In the above embodiment, pressing force was applied to the location of the weak line 4 of the sheet material 11 by moving the pressing member in a second direction while keeping it in contact with the sheet material 11. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and pressing force may also be applied by moving the pressing member in the thickness direction of the sheet material 11. For example, in the dividing device 62 shown in Figure 17, the pressing member is positioned above the location of the weak line 4 of the sheet material 11. The pressing member in the illustrated example is a rod-shaped pressing member 782 that extends in a first direction and has an arc-shaped surface 782a (instead of a roller 78). The material of the rod-shaped pressing member 782 is not particularly limited as long as it has sufficient strength not to deform easily. For example, a rod-shaped body made of metal such as stainless steel, synthetic resin, or rubber can be used. Alternatively, a rod-shaped body with rubber at the tip of a metal core or a rod-shaped body with synthetic resin at the tip of a metal core can also be used. In addition, in Figure 17, a roller that can rotate, a roller that cannot rotate, or a cylindrical body made of metal, rubber, or the like may be used as the pressing member. As shown in Figure 17, the rod-shaped pressing member 782 is movable in the vertical direction (the thickness direction of the sheet material 11). By moving downward, it presses against the area corresponding to the weak line 4, and by moving upward, it moves away from the sheet material 11.

[0064] In the above embodiment, air suction is used as a means to engage the sheet material 11 with the rubber sheet 71, but instead of this, or in combination therewith, an adhesive with relatively weak adhesive strength may be used. For example, in the cutting device 63 shown in Figure 18, a relatively weak adhesive portion 721 (e.g., adhesive tape) is partially provided on the stage portion 69 of the rubber sheet 71. The sheet material 11 is attracted to this adhesive portion 721, and therefore the sheet material 11 is attracted to the rubber sheet 71 via the adhesive portion 721. In this case, through holes 72 may or may not be formed in the rubber sheet 71. Also, an air suction device or the like is not necessary. Furthermore, it is possible to apply static electricity to the rubber sheet 71 and cause the sheet material 11 to adhere to the rubber sheet 71 via static electricity (not shown). In addition, depending on the materials of the rubber sheet 71 and the sheet material 11, if the frictional resistance of the contact surface between them is large, it is also possible to engage the sheet material 11 with the rubber sheet 71 by that frictional force.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the pressing member is brought into direct contact with the sheet material 11 to apply pressure to the sheet material 11. However, as shown in Figure 18, for example, the pressing member 783 may be pressed from the rubber sheet 71 side. In this case, the unformed side of the sheet material 11 faces the surface of the rubber sheet 71. Furthermore, in order to prevent the sheet material 11 from lifting up, it is preferable to permanently provide stopper portions 784, 784 on both sides of the weak line 4. By doing so, the portion of the sheet material 11 corresponding to the weak line 4 can be pressed by the pressing member 783 from the unformed side of the sheet material 11 via the rubber sheet 71, and the sheet material 11 can be reliably and easily divided along the weak line 4.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opposite end of the rubber sheet 71 is fixed and one end of the rubber sheet 71 is pulled, but one end of the rubber sheet 71 may be fixed and the opposite end of the rubber sheet 71 may be pulled, or one end and the opposite end of the rubber sheet 71 may be pulled. When one end and the opposite end of the rubber sheet 71 are pulled, tensile forces are applied to the sheet material 11 on one side and the opposite side in the second direction, causing one divided piece to separate from the other divided piece when it is cut.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the roller 78 is moved along the second direction while in contact with the sheet material 11. However, the roller 78 may be fixed and the case body 73 including the stage portion 69 may be moved along the second direction, or the roller 78 and the case body 73 including the stage portion 69 may be moved in mutually opposite directions along the second direction. In other words, in this specification, moving the roller 78 means moving it relatively. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 17, when moving the pressing member in the thickness direction, the pressing member may be fixed and the case body 73 including the stage portion 69 may be moved in the thickness direction of the sheet material 11, or both may be moved. [Examples]

[0068] The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples and comparative examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0069] [Fabrication of sheet material] A composite material was prepared by laminating and bonding a 100 μm thick alkali-free glass (brittle material layer), a 2 μm thick adhesive layer (bonding layer), and a 150 μm thick polarizing film. The planar shape of this composite material was a square with sides of 210 mm. This composite material is subjected to the above-mentioned <brittle material removal process> without alkali Two grooves (weakness lines) extending in a first direction and two grooves (weakness lines) extending in a second direction were formed in the glass. Furthermore, according to the <resin removal process> described above, defects corresponding to each groove were formed in the resin layer. All grooves were formed 40 mm from the edge of the composite material. In this way, a sheet material with grooves and defects formed therein, as shown in Figure 19, was manufactured.

[0070] [Example 1] A cutting device 62, as shown in Figure 17, was prototyped and used to cut the sheet material shown in Figure 19. Specifically, a 2mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF2.0-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Corporation) was used as the rubber sheet 71 of the dividing device 62, and a cylindrical body with a diameter of 15mm, consisting of a metal core covered with rubber, was used as the rod-shaped pressing member 782 (the axis of the cylindrical body is approximately parallel to the groove in the sheet material, and the cylindrical body is configured to move up and down). Multiple through holes were made in the stage portion of the rubber sheet. The side with the grooves (forming side) was placed facing the stage portion of the dividing device, and the sheet material was placed on the stage portion so that the grooves were located near the through holes. Then, the air suction device was activated to suck the sheet material onto the rubber sheet through the through holes. Next, the rubber sheet was pulled in one direction in the second direction so that the elongation speed of the rubber sheet was 10 mm / second, and immediately thereafter, the rod-shaped pressing member was moved downward at a moving speed of 10 mm / second to divide the sheet material along the groove extending in the first direction. Similarly, for the other groove extending in the first direction, the sheet material was sucked onto the rubber sheet and the rubber sheet was elongated while pressing with the rod-shaped pressing member to divide the sheet material along the other groove extending in the first direction, thus dividing the sheet material into three parts.

[0071] The three divided sheet material was rotated 90 degrees and placed back on the stage. In the same manner, the sheet material was pressed against the groove extending in the second direction using a rod-shaped pressing member, while simultaneously adhering the sheet material to the rubber sheet and stretching the rubber sheet. This divided the sheet material along the groove extending in the second direction, and then further divided it along another groove extending in the second direction. In this way, four square-shaped divided pieces with sides of 130 mm were produced, each with one of the divided cross-sections as an end face. Furthermore, when the sheet material was pressed with the rod-shaped pressing member during division along any of the aforementioned grooves, the rubber sheet was not fully stretched (i.e., there was still room for the rubber sheet to stretch), and the rubber sheet continued to stretch even after the sheet material was divided.

[0072] [Example 2] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 1mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF1.0-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Corporation), a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130mm was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0073] [Example 3] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 1mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF1.0-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Co., Ltd.) and changing the movement speed of the rod-shaped pressing member to 100mm / second, a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130mm was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0074] [Example 4] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 0.5 mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF0.5-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Corporation), a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130 mm was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0075] [Example 5] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 0.5 mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF0.5-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Co., Ltd.) and replacing air suction with a partially provided weakly adhesive area on the stage portion of the rubber sheet (provided in the same locations as where the through holes were formed), a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130 mm was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0076] [Comparative Example 1] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 0.6 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate film (product name "E-MASK RP207" manufactured by Nitto Denko Corporation), a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130 mm was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. However, the polyethylene terephthalate film in Comparative Example 1 did not stretch when tensile.

[0077] [Observation of the divided pieces] Each square-shaped segment obtained in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was visually observed and evaluated using an optical microscope (product name "VHX-2000" manufactured by Keyence Corporation). The results are shown in Table 1. In Table 1, Comparative Example 1 uses a film instead of a rubber sheet, and the film did not stretch, so those columns are left blank. The conditions of the cross-sections A through C are as follows: A: Excellent. No cracks or chips were found, or one or two cracks or chips of 50 μm or less were observed. B: Good. All cracks or chips were within 200 μm. C: Defective. Cracks or chips exceeding 200 μm were observed.

[0078] [Table 1]

[0079] [Example 6] A cutting device 61, as shown in Figures 11 to 13, was prototyped and used to cut the sheet material shown in Figure 19. Specifically, a 0.5 mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF0.5-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Co., Ltd.) was used as the rubber sheet 71 of the dividing device 61, and a 15 mm diameter roller with a metal core covered in rubber was used as the pressing member. This roller is capable of freely rotating around its axis of rotation. Multiple through holes were made in the stage portion of the rubber sheet. The side with the grooves (forming side) was placed facing the stage portion of the dividing device, and the sheet material was placed on the stage portion so that the grooves were located near the through holes. Then, an air suction device was activated to suck the sheet material onto the rubber sheet through the through holes. Next, the rubber sheet was pulled in one direction in the second direction so that its elongation speed was 10 mm / second. Immediately afterward, the roller was moved in the same direction in the second direction at a speed of 100 mm / second while in contact with the sheet material, dividing the sheet material along the two grooves extending in the first direction, thus dividing the sheet material into three parts.

[0080] The three divided sheet materials were rotated 90 degrees and placed back on the stage. In the same manner, the sheet material was attached to the rubber sheet and stretched while moving the roller along the grooves extending in the second direction, thereby dividing the sheet material along the two grooves extending in the second direction. In this way, four square-shaped divided pieces with sides of 130 mm were produced, each with an end face at one of the divided cross-sections. Furthermore, when the sheet material was pressed with the roller during division along any of the aforementioned grooves, the rubber sheet was not fully stretched (i.e., there was still room for the rubber sheet to stretch), and the rubber sheet remained stretched even after division.

[0081] [Example 7] Except for changing the rubber sheet to a 0.5 mm thick NBR rubber sheet (product name "RBTMF0.5-350-600" manufactured by Misumi Co., Ltd.) and changing the movement speed of the rod-shaped pressing member to 100 mm / second, a square-shaped segmented piece with sides of 130 mm was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0082] [Example 8] Except for changing the stretching speed of the rubber sheet to 100 mm / second, a square-shaped segment with sides of 130 mm was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6.

[0083] [Example 9] Except for changing the roller's movement speed to 10 mm / second, a square-shaped segment with sides of 130 mm was produced in the same manner as in Example 6.

[0084] In the same manner as in Example 1, the cross-sections (four end faces) of each square-shaped segment obtained in Examples 6 to 9 were observed visually and with an optical microscope. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0085] [Table 2] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Sheet material 2 Brittle material layer 3. Resin layer 4. Vulnerable Line 61, 62, 63 Separation device 69 Stage Section 71. Rubber sheet (elastic material)

Claims

1. A step of preparing a sheet material having a brittle material layer on which a weak line extending in a first direction is formed, The process includes a step of applying a tensile force to the sheet material in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, while applying a pressing force to the portion of the sheet material corresponding to the weak line, thereby cutting the sheet material along the weak line. A method for dividing a sheet material, wherein in the dividing step, a roller having a rotating shaft extending in the first direction is moved relative to the sheet material at a speed of 50 mm / second to 120 mm / second along the second direction while in contact with the sheet material, thereby applying a pressing force to the portion of the sheet material corresponding to the weak line.

2. The method for cutting a sheet material according to claim 1, wherein in the cutting step, the sheet material is placed on the surface of an elastic body, and the elastic body is stretched in a second direction to apply a tensile force to the sheet material in a second direction.

3. The method for cutting a sheet material according to claim 2, wherein the sheet material is adsorbed onto the surface of the elastic body, and the elastic body is stretched in a second direction.

4. The method for cutting a sheet material according to claim 3, wherein the elastic body is a rubber sheet with a thickness of 0.1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

5. A method for cutting a sheet material according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the elastic body is stretched such that the elongation speed of the elastic body is within the range of 5 mm / second or more and 150 mm / second or less.

6. The weak line is a groove formed on one side of the brittle material layer and extending continuously in the first direction. A method for dividing a sheet material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the dividing step, the side of the sheet material on which the groove is formed is placed on the surface of an elastic body, and the elastic body is stretched in a second direction to apply a tensile force to the sheet material in the second direction, while applying a pressing force from the side opposite to the side on which the groove is formed to a location corresponding to the weak line, thereby dividing the sheet material along the weak line.

7. The sheet material comprises the brittle material layer, a resin layer laminated on the brittle material layer, and a portion where the resin layer is partially absent. The method for dividing a sheet material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the defective portion extends in a first direction overlapping the weak line.

8. The method for cutting a sheet material according to claim 7, wherein the weak line is composed of a groove that opens on the resin layer side and does not penetrate the brittle material layer.

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