Patent ID: 8657976
Filing Date: 2014-02-25
Classification: B32B,C09K,G02F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for producing a continuous web of an optical film laminate adapted for use in a system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements by laminating optically functional film sheets to respective ones of liquid-crystal panels, the optically functional film sheets have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of a plurality of liquid-crystal panels having a predefined size, the apparatus comprising: (a) an optically functional film forming unit for laminating a continuous web of a protection film on at least one of opposite surfaces of a continuous web of a polarizer, wherein the laminated continuous web of the protective film and the continuous web of the polarizer is an optically functional film; (b) an inspection unit for inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film and detecting a position of a defect existing in the optically functional film; (c) an optical film laminate forming unit for laminating a continuous web of a carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film by an adhesive layer in a releasable fashion, wherein the laminated continuous web of the carrier film and the continuous web of the optically functional film forms a continuous web of the optical film laminate, wherein the optically functional film comprises at least one defect-free region having no defect and at least one defective region, said defect-free and defective regions being defined along longitudinal direction of the optically functional film in accordance with the position of the detected defect, said defect-free region having a predefined length corresponding to said dimension of liquid-crystal panel, said defective region having at least one defect and defined as a region having a predefined length which is different from that the length of the defect-free region, the length of the defective region being defined across the position of the defect; (d) a slitting unit for forming an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines, the slitting unit being adapted to sequentially form slit lines in a transverse direction of said optical film laminate at a side opposite to said carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of said carrier film adjacent to said adhesive layer, wherein said slit lines are configured to define at least one defect-free, normal sheet and at least one defective sheet separated from said normal sheet on said carrier film, wherein the at least one defect-free and the at least one defective sheet having said slit lines are a continuous web of the optical film laminate with slit lines including sheets of the optically functional film; and (e) a control unit adapted to control respective operations of at least the optically functional film forming unit, the inspection unit, the optical film laminate forming unit, and the slitting unit, in an inter-related manner, said control unit being in communication with said inspection unit to receive information on a position of the defect detected by the inspection unit, said control unit being constructed to determine positions of said slit lines to define said at least one defect-free region and said at least one defective region and to apply an instruction to said slitting unit such that said slit lines are formed by said slitting unit so as to form said at least one normal sheet and said at least one defective sheet on said carrier film.