Pre-process assembly for fabricating light-incident microstructures on light guide films and fabrication method

Abstract

A pre-process assembly (A) for fabricating light-incident microstructures on light guide films and a fabrication method. The pre-process assembly (A) is formed by alternately stacking a plurality of light guide film substrates (10) and at least one dummy film sheet (20) having a smaller size, wherein a side edge (201) of the dummy film sheet (20) adjacent to a processing side (101) of the light guide film substrates (10) has a setback distance (D1) relative to the processing side (101). The fabrication method comprises the steps of: providing the pre-process assembly (A), fixing the pre-process assembly (A), and processing to form light-incident microstructures. The upper and lower light guide film substrates (10) of the pre-process assembly (A) are separated by the dummy film sheet (20), such that, during processing of the pre-process assembly (A) to form the light-incident microstructures of the light guide films, the upper and lower light guide film substrates (10) are prevented from adhering to each other.

Description

Prerequisites and processing methods for fabricating light guide film light-incident microstructures Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of light guide film light-incident microstructure processing technology, and more particularly to a process precursor and processing method. Background Technology

[0002] In the currently known side-incident backlight modules, a light source is mainly set on one side of the light guide film, so that the light emitted by the light source is projected through the light-incident surface on the side of the light guide film. By means of the total internal reflection performance of the light guide film, the light is converted into a surface light source, which is used to provide the surface light source required for displaying images on the display panel.

[0003] In order to improve the light energy utilization rate of the light emitted by the light source into the light guide film, the aforementioned side-incident backlight module has formed a light-incident microstructure on the light-incident surface of the light guide film. The light-incident microstructure reduces the reflection of light on the light-incident surface of the light guide film, so that the light can be more effectively incident into the light guide film. This allows the light-emitting areas of every two adjacent light-emitting elements in the light source to overlap, thereby solving the dark area phenomenon caused by the increased spacing between the light-emitting elements.

[0004] Traditional methods for processing the light-incident microstructure of light guide films, such as single-sheet processing, are inefficient and prone to deformation or damage to the light guide film substrate, leading to inconsistent quality of the light-incident microstructure and affecting product performance. Furthermore, traditional methods are difficult to control processing parameters, making it hard to achieve optimal processing results. Moreover, single-sheet processing is susceptible to deformation or damage to the light guide film substrate due to stress generated during processing, affecting product quality. This problem is particularly severe when processing thin light guide films. In addition, single-sheet processing increases processing costs and time.

[0005] To address these issues, some existing technologies attempt to process multiple light guide film substrates simultaneously. However, the lack of effective auxiliary structures to control stress generated during processing means that deformation or damage to the light guide film substrates remains a significant challenge. These methods typically require sophisticated fixtures and control systems, increasing equipment cost and complexity. Therefore, a novel method for processing light guide film microstructures is urgently needed to improve production efficiency and ensure consistent product quality. Optimizing processing techniques to produce a larger quantity of light guide films, preventing the protective film from sticking during processing, and utilizing and reusing cutting waste materials to reduce losses and waste are crucial issues that urgently require solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to solve the technical problem that when multiple light guide films are stacked together to form a light-incident microstructure in the existing light guide film processing, the light guide films tend to stick to each other.

[0007] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention provides a pre-processing material for fabricating light-incident microstructures of light-guiding films, comprising:

[0008] Multiple light guide film substrates, each light guide film substrate having a processing side and a reverse processing side on opposite sides; and

[0009] At least one pressure-reinforcing film is stacked alternately with the light guide film substrate, and the size of the at least one pressure-reinforcing film is smaller than that of the light guide film substrate;

[0010] The at least one pressure-relief diaphragm has a retraction gap relative to the processing side on one side adjacent to the processing side.

[0011] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention also provides a method for processing a light-guiding film light-incident microstructure, which is performed using a processing machine and includes:

[0012] The step of providing a process precursor is to convey the process precursor as described in any of the above embodiments to the processing machine;

[0013] The step of fixing the process precursor is to fix the process precursor by a clamping mechanism of the processing machine; and

[0014] The step of forming a light-incident microstructure involves a working roller driven in the processing machine simultaneously processing the processing side of each light guide film substrate to form the light-incident microstructure.

[0015] This invention utilizes the creation of a pre-processing material for processing light-incident microstructures using a front-exposed light guide film. It primarily employs a unique combination of multiple light guide film substrates and smaller pressure-reinforcing films stacked alternately. The pressure-reinforcing films have a recessed spacing on their sides relative to the processing side of the light guide film substrates. This ensures that when the pre-processing material is processed to form the light-incident microstructure, the upper and lower layers of the light guide film substrates are separated by the pressure-reinforcing films, preventing the upper and lower layers from sticking together after the light guide film light-incident microstructure is formed.

[0016] In the processing method of the light guide film light-incident microstructure of the present invention, in addition to the aforementioned technical effect of preventing the light guide film substrates from sticking to each other during processing by providing the aforementioned pre-processing material, the method further utilizes the clamping mechanism of the processing machine to fix the pre-processing material in the step of fixing the pre-processing material. This provides a stable positioning effect for the pre-processing material and controls the position of the bearing platform and the clamping device of the clamping mechanism relative to the processing side of the light guide film substrate, ensuring that the processing side of the light guide film substrate of the pre-processing material will not deform during subsequent processing. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the pre-process material for the fabrication of the light guide film light-incident microstructure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the pre-process material for the light guide film light incident microstructure processing of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the pre-process material for the light guide film light incident microstructure processing of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the processing method of the light guide film light incident microstructure of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the processing method of the light guide film light incident microstructure of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] As described above, the present invention includes a process precursor for processing light guide film light-incident microstructures and a processing method for light guide film light-incident microstructures. The specific solutions of the process precursor and processing method are described below with reference to the figures.

[0023] Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a pre-processing material A for the fabrication of light guide film microstructures according to the present invention. The pre-processing material A includes a plurality of light guide film substrates 10 and at least one pressure-supporting film 20. Each light guide film substrate 10 has a processing side 101 and a reverse processing side 102 on opposite sides. The size of the at least one pressure-supporting film 20 is smaller than the size of the light guide film substrate 10, and the at least one pressure-supporting film 20 is staggered with the light guide film substrate 10. The side edge 201 of the at least one pressure-supporting film 20 adjacent to the processing side 101 has a recessed distance D1 relative to the processing side 101. This design effectively prevents direct contact between the pressure-supporting film 20 and the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 during processing. This ensures that the side 201 of the pressure-supporting film 20 is not on the same plane as the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10, and the side 201 of the pressure-supporting film 20 will not be processed. This avoids interference from the pressure-supporting film 20 with the processing process, thereby improving processing capacity. At the same time, it protects the protective film attached to the light guide film substrate 10 and prevents them from sticking together due to heat during processing.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, when there are two light guide film substrates 10, a pressure-coating film 20 is disposed between the two light guide film substrates 10; as shown in Figures 2 and 3, when there are three or more light guide film substrates 10, a pressure-coating film 20 is disposed between every two adjacent light guide film substrates 10. This allows the upper and lower light guide film substrates 10 to be separated by the pressure-coating film 20, enabling the processing of multiple light guide film substrates 10 at once, thereby improving production efficiency. It is worth noting that the number of light guide film substrates 10 and pressure-coating films 20 is not limited to this. The number disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention is merely an example, where the light guide film substrates 10 and pressure-coating films 20 are interleaved, i.e., two light guide film substrates 10 intersected by one pressure-coating film 20 or two pressure-coating films 20 intersected by one light guide film substrate 10, all of which are extensions of the concept of the present invention.

[0025] The material of the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 can be the same as or different from that of the light guide film substrate 10, and the thickness of the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 can also be the same as or different from that of the light guide film substrate 10. When the material of the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 is the same as that of the light guide film substrate 10, since the size of the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 is smaller than that of the light guide film substrate 10, the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 can utilize the remaining material after cutting the light guide film substrate 10, maximizing the effectiveness of the material and reducing unnecessary material waste. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the pressure-retaining diaphragm 20 and the light guide film substrate 10 are made of the same material to ensure consistency in heat conduction and stress transfer between them, further improving processing quality and preventing damage during processing.

[0026] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3, the processing side 101 of the plurality of light guide film substrates 10 is flush. The flush design simplifies the processing process and ensures that all light guide film substrates 10 can be processed uniformly. This allows the processing side 101 of the plurality of light guide film substrates 10 to be processed simultaneously to form light incident microstructures, thereby improving the process efficiency of the light guide film substrates 10.

[0027] As shown in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, the reverse processing side 102 of each light guide film substrate 10 is flush with the other side 202 of the at least one pressure-supporting film 20. Alternatively, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 3, the reverse processing side 102 of each light guide film substrate 10 is not flush with the other side 202 of the at least one pressure-supporting film 20, and has another setback distance D2, which allows for more precise control of stress distribution during processing, thereby improving processing quality. Alternatively, the processing side 101 and the reverse processing side 102 of each light guide film substrate 10 can be processed simultaneously or in two stages to achieve a design with light-incident microstructures on both light-incident sides.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, an embodiment of the processing method for the light-incident microstructure of the light-guiding film of the present invention is disclosed. The processing method for the light-incident microstructure of the light-guiding film is performed using a processing machine, and its specific implementation steps include:

[0029] Step S1 involves providing a process precursor A, which is conveyed to the processing machine;

[0030] Step S2, which involves fixing the pre-processing material A, is performed by a clamping mechanism B of the processing machine; and

[0031] Step S3, which involves processing a light-incident microstructure, is performed by a working roller driven in the processing machine to simultaneously process the processing side 101 of each of the light guide film substrates 10 to form the light-incident microstructure.

[0032] In the step of providing the pre-process material A, the composition of the pre-process material A is as described above and will not be repeated here. As shown in FIG5, in the pre-process material A, the side of the at least one pressure-bearing film adjacent to the processing side 101 has a retraction distance D1 relative to the processing side 101 that is greater than a processing depth. The processing depth refers to the depth required for the working roller to process and form the light-incident microstructure on the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10. The size of the retraction distance D1 is set according to the thickness of the light guide film substrate 10, the magnitude of the processing force when forming the light-incident microstructure, and the processing depth, etc.

[0033] The step of providing the pre-process material A includes stacking the light guide film substrate 10 and the at least one pressure-supporting film 20 alternately to form the pre-process material A, such that one side 201 of the at least one pressure-supporting film 20 adjacent to the processing side 101 has a recessed gap D1 relative to the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10. This effectively prevents direct contact between the pressure-supporting film 20 and the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 during processing, ensuring that the side 201 of the pressure-supporting film 20 is not on the same plane as the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10. The side 201 of the pressure-supporting film 20 will not be processed, thus avoiding interference from the pressure-supporting film 20 to the processing process. This structure can improve processing capacity and protect the protective film attached to the light guide film substrate 10, preventing them from sticking together due to heat during processing.

[0034] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, the step of providing the pre-processing material A may also include stacking the light guide film substrate 10 and the at least one pressure-coating film 20 in an alternating manner, flattening the reverse processing side 102 of the light guide film substrate 10 and the other side 202 of the pressure-coating film 20, and making the side 201 of the at least one pressure-coating film 20 adjacent to the processing side 101 have a recessed gap D1 relative to the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10, and pushing the flattened pre-processing material A onto the carrying platform B1 of the clamping mechanism B. This can ensure that the processing conditions of the light guide film substrates 10 processed in the same batch are consistent.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the step of fixing the pre-processing material A utilizes the clamping mechanism B in the processing machine, which includes a support platform B1 and a clamping device B2 located above the support platform B1. The clamping device B2 can be driven to rise and fall with the support platform B1. The clamping mechanism B can be an existing product, and its specific structure will not be described in detail. In the step of fixing the pre-processing material A, after the pre-processing material A is transported to the support platform B1 of the clamping mechanism B and positioned, the clamping device B2 is then driven to descend, so that the clamping device B2 can clamp and fix the pre-processing material A in conjunction with the support platform B1. At the same time, the processing side 101 of the plurality of light guide film substrates 10 of the pre-processing material A is kept flush to facilitate subsequent steps.

[0036] In the step of fixing the pre-processing material A, the bearing platform B1 of the clamping mechanism B and the clamper B2 are controlled to clamp and fix the pre-processing material A at a predetermined position close to the processing side 101 of the plurality of light guide film substrates 10. The processing side 101 of the plurality of light guide film substrates 10 extends out of the clamping mechanism B by an appropriate working distance. The size of the working distance is set according to the thickness of the light guide film substrate 10, the magnitude of the processing force when forming the light-incident microstructure, and the processing depth, so that the clamping mechanism B can provide support force to the pre-processing material A, ensuring that the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 of the pre-processing material A will not deform during subsequent processing.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the processing machine used in the processing method of the light guide film light-incident microstructure can be a hot rolling machine. The working roller in the processing machine is a hot rolling roller C. The outer peripheral surface of the hot rolling roller C is provided with a working surface C1 corresponding to the shape of the light-incident microstructure. The maximum depth of the working surface C1 during the shape undulation is the processing depth. The light guide film light-incident microstructure is formed by hot rolling processing using the hot rolling roller C, providing a processing method with better process efficiency. Especially during hot rolling processing, if a protective film is still attached to the light guide film substrate 10, a hot melting condition will occur due to the hot pressing process. This hot melting condition will cause the protective films of the light guide film substrate 10 to stick to each other. However, the technical content disclosed in this embodiment can prevent the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 from contacting each other, and there is also a retraction distance D1 between it and the side 201 of the pressure-supporting film 20 so that they will not contact each other. Even if the protective film melts due to hot pressing, it will not stick to the adjacent light guide film substrate 10 or the pressure-supporting film 20.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the step of forming the light-incident microstructure involves the hot rolling roller C, driven in the hot rolling machine, simultaneously hot rolling each processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 to form the light-incident microstructure, thereby improving the process efficiency of forming the light-incident microstructure from the light guide film substrate 10. The surface of the hot rolling roller C can be nickel-plated to extend its service life.

[0039] In other words, step S1, providing the pre-processing material A, involves conveying the pre-processing material A into the processing machine. This step S1 may include staggering the light guide film substrate 10 and the pressure-supporting film 20, and flattening the reverse processing side 102 of the light guide film substrate 10 and the side edge 202 of the pressure-supporting film 20 to ensure that the pre-processing material A remains flat and stable during processing. The flattened pre-processing material A is then pushed onto the support platform B1 of the processing machine. Step S2, fixing the pre-processing material A, involves the clamping mechanism B of the processing machine fixing the pre-processing material A to ensure that it maintains a stable position during processing, avoiding movement or displacement that could affect processing accuracy and consistency. Step S3: The driven working rollers (e.g., hot rolling rollers C) in the processing machine synchronously process the processing side 101 of each light guide film substrate 10 to form the light-incident microstructure. Synchronous processing ensures that all light guide film substrates 10 in the same batch can undergo the same processing conditions, thereby improving processing efficiency and product quality consistency. Finally, after rolling, the substrate is allowed to cool naturally.

[0040] In the step of forming the light-incident microstructure, the hot rolling roller is heated, and its operating temperature is set according to the material of the light guide film substrate 10 and the processing conditions. The operating temperature range can be set to 120℃~145℃. Alternatively, in this step of forming the light-incident microstructure, since deformation may occur after single-piece forming, the pressure needs to be controlled. Specifically, the hot rolling pressure range for the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10 of the pre-processing material A is 2 kgf / cm². 2 ~5kgf / cm 2 On the other hand, temperature also affects the hot rolling depth. Therefore, the working temperature range for hot rolling is designed to be 120℃~145℃ and the hot rolling speed range is 400mm / min~600mm / min, but these are not the limits. The working temperature, hot rolling pressure range, hot rolling working temperature, and hot rolling speed can be adjusted according to the process requirements to avoid material damage or failure caused by excessively high temperature or uneven pressure. At the same time, it can also avoid excessive increase in the thickness of the light guide film substrate 10 after hot rolling.

[0041] By setting the relevant processing parameters in the aforementioned processing method, and combining the special combination of multiple light guide film substrates 10 and smaller pressure-retaining films 20 stacked alternately in the pre-processing material A, and with the side 201 of the pressure-retaining film 20 having a recess gap D1 and other processing conditions relative to the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10, the upper and lower light guide film substrates 10 in the pre-processing material A are separated by the pressure-retaining films 20. After the pre-processing material A is processed to form the light guide film light-incident microstructure, there will be no problem of mutual adhesion between the upper and lower light guide film substrates 10, so that the processing method of the light guide film light-incident microstructure of the present invention can achieve an excellent product quality level.

[0042] Furthermore, the pressure-adjusting film 20 only provides a spacing function between adjacent light guide film substrates 10, and the size of the pressure-adjusting film 20 is smaller than the size of the light guide film substrate 10. The side 201 of the pressure-adjusting film 20 has a recessed distance D1 relative to the processing side 101 of the light guide film substrate 10. In the step of forming the light incident microstructure, when the driven working rollers in the processing machine simultaneously process the processing side 101 of each light guide film substrate 10 to form the light incident microstructure, the pressure-adjusting film 20 will not be damaged by the working rollers, so that the pressure-adjusting film 20 can be reused.

[0043] In some known prior art, stacking and pressing are also used, but without a supporting diaphragm design, so the roller design needs to be more complex. Others also use stacking and pressing, but employ laser direct writing to fabricate the incident light microstructure, which has higher precision but also higher manufacturing costs than this invention.

[0044] In summary, the pre-processing materials and hot rolling processing method for light guide film light-incident microstructures of the present invention, particularly through ingenious pre-processing material structure design and precise processing parameter control, effectively improve the efficiency and quality of light guide film light-incident microstructure processing, increase processing accuracy, improve product yield, and reduce production costs. Furthermore, it expands the application scope of the invention to include the manufacture of various light guide film products, such as liquid crystal displays, LED backlight modules, and optical sensors. It also effectively overcomes the technical problems of traditional light guide film light-incident microstructure processing methods, which often suffer from low processing efficiency and require significant time for correction and repair due to deformation, displacement, and damage to the light guide film substrate during processing.

[0045] This invention also utilizes a pre-processing device comprising multiple light guide film substrates and at least one pressure-reinforcing film, wherein the pressure-reinforcing film and the light guide film substrates are stacked alternately, and the size of the pressure-reinforcing film is smaller than that of the light guide film substrates. This effectively suppresses deformation and displacement of the light guide film substrates during processing. It also effectively avoids deviations in parameters such as the depth and spacing of the light-incident microstructure caused by uneven substrates in traditional methods, thereby improving product quality and consistency and reducing product scrap rates due to insufficient precision. Furthermore, it simplifies the cumbersome calibration and repair steps in traditional processing, further reducing labor and equipment maintenance costs.

[0046] The pre-process materials and processing method proposed in this invention are applicable to light guide films of various materials and can be applied to the processing of light-incident microstructures of different specifications. Their excellent performance and reliability enable their widespread application in fields such as liquid crystal displays, LED backlight modules, and optical sensors, bringing significant technological advancements and economic benefits to related industries. This innovative design not only solves the technical bottlenecks in the traditional processing of light-incident microstructures in light guide films but also provides a new direction for the future development of light guide film technology.

[0047] In summary, this invention provides a highly efficient, high-precision, and low-cost method for processing light guide film light-incident microstructures. Its technical benefits are significant, it has broad market application prospects, and it will have a profound impact on related industries.

[0048] While the present invention has been disclosed above through embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art should be able to make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0049]

Symbol Explanation

Claims

1. A pre-process material for fabricating a light guide film light-incident microstructure, comprising: Multiple light guide film substrates, wherein the opposite two sides of each light guide film substrate are respectively the processing side and the reverse processing side; and At least one pressure-reinforcing film is stacked alternately with the light guide film substrate, and the size of the at least one pressure-reinforcing film is smaller than that of the light guide film substrate; The at least one pressure-reducing diaphragm has a retraction gap relative to the processing side on its side adjacent to the processing side.

2. The pre-process material for processing the light guide film light incident microstructure as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure-coating film is made of the same material as the light guide film substrate.

3. The pre-process material for fabricating the light guide film's light-incident microstructure as described in claim 1, wherein, The processing side of the plurality of light guide film substrates is flush.

4. The pre-process material for fabricating the light guide film light-incident microstructure as described in claim 1, wherein, The reverse-processed side of each of the light guide film substrates is flush with the other side of the at least one pressure-coated film.

5. The pre-process material for fabricating the light guide film's light-incident microstructure as described in claim 1, wherein, The reverse-processed side of each of the light guide film substrates is not flush with the other side of the at least one pressure-adjusting film, and has another retraction gap.

6. A method for fabricating a light-guiding film light-incident microstructure, which is performed using a processing machine, and includes: The step of providing a process precursor is to convey the process precursor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 into the processing machine; The step of fixing the process precursor involves fixing the process precursor by the clamping mechanism of the processing machine; and The step of forming the light-incident microstructure involves the simultaneous processing of each light guide film substrate on the processing side by a driven work roller in the processing machine to form the light-incident microstructure.

7. The method for fabricating the light guide film light-incident microstructure as described in claim 6, wherein, In the step of providing the pre-process material, the retraction distance of the at least one pressure diaphragm adjacent to the processing side is greater than the processing depth relative to the processing side.

8. The method for fabricating the light-incident microstructure of the light guide film as described in claim 6, wherein, The step of providing the pre-processing material includes stacking the light guide film substrate and the at least one pressure-coating film alternately, flattening the reverse-processing side of the light guide film substrate and the other side of the pressure-coating film, and pushing the flattened pre-processing material onto the support platform of the processing machine.

9. The method for fabricating the light guide film light-incident microstructure as described in claim 6, wherein, The processing machine is a hot rolling mill, and the working roller is a hot rolling roller. The step of forming the light-incident microstructure is to form the light-incident microstructure by the hot rolling roller driven in the hot rolling mill simultaneously hot rolling each processing side of the light guide film substrate.

10. The method for processing the light guide film light-incident microstructure as described in claim 9, wherein, In the process of forming the light-emitting microstructure, the hot rolling roller is heated, with a working temperature range of 120℃~145℃.

11. The method for fabricating the light-incident microstructure of the light-guiding film as described in claim 9, wherein, In the step of forming the light-incident microstructure, the pressure range of hot rolling on the processing side of the light guide film substrate of the pre-process material is 2 kgf / cm. 2 ~5kgf / cm 2 The working temperature range for hot rolling is 120℃~145℃, and the hot rolling speed range is 400mm / min~600mm / min.

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