Patent ID: 9091881
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: B32B,G02B,G02F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for producing a roll of a continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines 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, said optically functional film sheets being formed to have a predefined dimension corresponding to a dimension of said liquid-crystal panel having a predefined size, the apparatus comprising: (a) an optically functional film forming unit including a first laminating mechanism adapted to receive at least a continuous web of a polarizer and a continuous web of a protective film and laminate the continuous web of the protective film on at least one of the opposite surfaces of the continuous web of the polarizer to form a continuous web of an optically functional film; (b) an inspection unit operative for inspecting surfaces and inside of the optically functional film to detect a position of any defect existing in the optically functional film; (c) an optical film laminate forming unit including a second laminating mechanism adapted to receive at least a continuous web of a carrier film and the optically functional film which has been inspected at said inspection unit, and releasably laminate the continuous web of the carrier film on the continuous web of the optically functional film through an adhesive layer to form a continuous web of the optical film laminate; (d) a slitter including a slitting mechanism operative for sequentially forming 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, to form at least one defect-free normal sheet having no defect and at least one defect-containing sheet having at least one defect on the carrier film, the at least one defect-free normal sheet and the at least one defect-containing sheet being defined between two longitudinally adjacent one of predefined slit lines and having the predefined dimension; (e) identification information generator for generating identification information, using printing, to allow identifying said at least one defect-free normal sheet and said at least one defect-containing sheet in said system for sequentially manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements based on position of defect detected by said preliminary inspection; and (f) a winder for winding a resultant continuous web of an optical film laminate with predefined slit lines into a roll.