Adhesive Printing and UV Curing for Encoder Assembly

Solution Overview

Problem

The precise pasting of double-faced tape on small encoders becomes increasingly difficult as the encoder's diameter decreases, leading to reduced productivity due to the need for individual pasting operations, and existing ultraviolet-curable adhesion methods do not address the application of adhesive to parts before they are punched from a base material.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a base material with adhesive applied by printing and then irradiated with ultraviolet to express adherence properties, allowing for the simultaneous adherence of multiple parts with a single positioning operation, eliminating the need for individual pasting of double-faced tape.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If double-faced tape is used to adhere adhesive to each encoder individually, then adherence can be achieved, but productivity decreases due to the need for individual pasting operations for each part

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadherence qualityVSAvoidproduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is applied to the base material before the parts are punched out, allowing multiple parts to receive adhesive in a single operation. This preliminary application eliminates the need for individual pasting operations after parts are separated, thereby maintaining adherence quality while significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines the adhesive application process with the base material processing step. By applying adhesive to the base material that contains multiple parts, the process merges what would otherwise be separate operations (adhesive application to each part individually) into a single unified process, improving both efficiency and consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If adhesive is applied after parts are punched from base material, then each part can be processed individually, but the positioning operation must be repeated for each part reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual part processingVSAvoidpositioning operation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is applied to the base material before the parts are punched out, allowing multiple parts to receive adhesive in a single operation. This preliminary application eliminates the need for individual pasting operations after parts are separated, thereby maintaining adherence quality while significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If ultraviolet-curable adhesive is used as disclosed in patent documents 1, 2, and 4, then adhesion can be achieved, but there is no method for applying adhesive to parts before punching from base material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is applied to the base material before the parts are punched out, allowing multiple parts to receive adhesive in a single operation. This preliminary application eliminates the need for individual pasting operations after parts are separated, thereby maintaining adherence quality while significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical pasting operation with a printing process for adhesive application. By using printing to apply the ultraviolet-curable adhesive to the base material, the process achieves precise adhesive placement without requiring manual or mechanical pasting operations, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining strong adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances productivity by allowing adhesive to be applied to multiple parts before they are divided, simplifying the pasting process and reducing the need for individual tape application, thereby improving efficiency in producing parts with adhesive.

Implementation Method 1

an ultraviolet irradiation process of irradiating, after the printing process, the base material with ultraviolet to make the adhesive express adherence property

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltraviolet irradiation: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS10183472B2Producing method of part with adhesive, and part with adhesive

Publication Date: 2019.01.22 MELTEC CORP

AI summary

The present invention provides a producing method of a part with adhesive and a part with adhesive produced by the method. The producing method includes: a printing process of applying, by printing, the adhesive 20 which does not express adherence property on at least a portion of a surface forming the part from the base material 1; an ultraviolet irradiation process of irradiating, the base material 1 with ultraviolet 2 to make the adhesive 20 express adherence property; an release paper pasting process of pasting release paper on the base material 1; and an outward form pressing process of punching an outer form of the part. The adhesive is previously adhered to the part before it is punched out from the base material 1, and thus, the adhesive can be adhered to the plurality of parts by one positioning operation, and the productivity can be enhanced.