Vacuum Ring Projection Members for Bubble Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum ring technologies often fail to completely remove bubbles between layers of a laminated assembly, especially when a flexible film cover is used or when curved glass is involved, as the bubbles are not fully evacuated before the heating process begins, leading to trapped air and incomplete bonding.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum ring with indented portions and projection members that form an exhaust path between the substrate and bonding cover, allowing for effective air removal by connecting to a vacuum source, ensuring that bubbles are evacuated before the bonding process, thereby preventing bubble formation during the fusion of layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible film bonding cover is used to seal the laminated assembly, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but bubbles are not completely removed because the cover contacts the substrate before bubbles are evacuated
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum ring is designed to evacuate air from the laminated assembly before the bonding cover contacts the substrate. The vacuum pump is activated during the initial sealing phase, creating negative pressure that draws air out through the vacuum channel before the flexible film completely seals the assembly, preventing bubble entrapment while maintaining effective sealing
2Ease of manufacture
If the bonding cover contacts the substrate to form a sealed space, then the bonding process is enabled, but bubbles are trapped and cannot be removed
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum channel is introduced as an intermediary pathway between the laminated assembly interior and the external vacuum pump. This channel allows air to be continuously evacuated during the bonding process, enabling the bonding cover to contact the substrate for sealing while simultaneously providing an escape route for bubbles through the vacuum suction, preventing bubble accumulation
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes vacuum pressure (pneumatics) to create a pressure differential that drives air removal. The vacuum pump generates negative pressure through the vacuum channel, causing air bubbles to be suctioned out of the laminated assembly during bonding, enabling both effective sealing and complete bubble removal through pressure differential control
3Adaptability or versatility
If curved glass substrate is used, then the product versatility is improved, but bubble removal becomes more difficult due to air pockets
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum ring is designed to establish negative pressure and initiate air evacuation before the bonding process begins and before curved glass creates sealed air pockets. By activating the vacuum pump during the initial positioning phase, air is drawn out through the vacuum channel before the flexible bonding cover completely seals against the curved substrate, preventing bubble entrapment in difficult-to-reach areas
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
The enhanced vacuum ring design effectively removes air between layers, reducing bubble formation and ensuring improved quality of laminated assemblies by ensuring complete evacuation before the bonding process, even with complex shapes like curved glass substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum ring that removes bubbles which may be present among respective layers of a laminated assembly has been widely used
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a vacuum ring for removing bubbles of a laminated assembly and a method for bonding the laminated assembly using the same. The vacuum ring includes an indented portion receiving a laminated assembly to be sealed, and an inner space of the indented portion is in communication with a vacuum source to remove the bubbles. The vacuum ring also includes projection members that are projected inside on the bottom of the indented portion at positions where the projection members are spaced upward from a lower end of the indented portion to receive the laminated assembly, and the projections members are spaced downward from the upper end of the indented portion. Further, the laminated assembly is produced by using the vacuum ring to achieve effective exhaustion by using an aperture formed between side ends of the projection members and the bonding cover.