Abstract:
The laminator for laminating protective, appearance changing film layer onto surfaces of CD&#39;s, DVD&#39;s, and other discs has a heated laminating roller that will press a web carrying the film onto the disc in regions on which pressure can be applied. In order to maintain the roller at a uniform surface temperature, the roller is continuously rotated whenever the roll heater is energized and the roll temperature is above a selected level so that the roller will maintain uniform temperature between laminating operations. The laminator has a supply roll for the web carrying the film, and a circuit board carrying a memory device is mounted on the interior of a hollow core of the supply roll in a manner that permits making contact with stationary members on the laminator to read information for enabling operating. A hub ring on the laminator is movable to a position to be spaced from a disc so no lamination takes place above the hub ring.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a laminator which is used for applying a layer of protective material onto a disc, such as a CD, DVD, or the like, wherein the layer that is laminated onto the disc protects, preserves and enhances the appearance of printing and any decorative or identifying logos, and the like on the disc, as well as carrying holograms for security, if desired. 
   Various laminators have been advanced, and it has been discovered that in order to satisfactorily laminate a layer to a disc, the heated roller that is used for laminating the film layer has to be maintained at a sufficiently high and uniform temperature to provide for reliable lamination. Problems have arisen in existing laminators since the roll is intermittently stopped, and cool regions are caused on the roll because of exposure of the roll to atmosphere through a slot provided for the roll to protrude through to engage the lamination mterial. 
   Additionally, it has been important to provide precise information relating to the laminating material on that supply roller. The supply roller is keyed to controls on the laminator and there is a need for communicating the type of laminating film, as well as providing enabling information to insure the laminator and roll to be used are compatible, and containing information as to the quantity of film left on the roll. It is important that the information needed be stored and remain with that supply roll, because the rolls can be removed and used at a later time. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a laminator for laminating a layer of film material onto a disc, such as a CD, DVD, or similar disc. The laminate film material is carried on a web and under heat and pressure is laminated as a thin layer on the disc. The layer is generally clear so that the printed information on the disc can be read. Also the layer applied can contain information, such as holograms, or other information detectable from the layer after lamination. 
   The laminating apparatus includes a heated roll for pressing the web that carries the layer of laminate film on it against the disc, and to cause the film laminate material from the web to adhere to the surface of the disc when heated and under pressure from the laminating roll. In order to insure that the roll temperature is adequately high, and that sections of the roll are not cooled by standing still, the roll is rotated constantly in response to sensed temperature on the roll. No section of the roll is excessively cooled by radiation and convection in the needed open slot area that exposes the roll for lamination. 
   Additionally, the present invention provides a unique support for a memory carrying circuit board that has the identification information about the roll, and the information about the type, length and other information about the lamination film on the roll, and mounts right inside the roll. 
   Connections from the circuit board components, in the form shown a read/write memory device (R/W), to the controller on the laminator are also provided in a reliable manner. 
   The disc support tray that supports the disc for processing has a center hub that can be adjusted in position, so the upper surface is co-planar with outer portions of the support tray and the lamination layer will then be applied to the center portion of the disc. The hub can be positioned to recess the hub upper surface and in such position the laminate would not be applied to the disc because the disc would not be supported by the hub and there would not be sufficient pressure from the lamination roll in the recessed hub region. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of a typical laminating machine assembly showing a heated laminating roller and a lamination web; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged side sectional view of a laminating roller section shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of a laminating roller and shield arrangement; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  in  FIG. 1 , taken through a laminating web supply roll; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the shaft and circuit board mounted on  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a further enlarged sectional view of one end of a web supply roll shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrating details of a circuit board; 
       FIG. 7  is a further enlarged sectional view of an outer end of the shaft shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic end view of the roller showing a circuit board and mounting taken on line  8 — 8  in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the laminator disc support tray in its extended position showing a recessed central portion of the support tray for providing changes in height of a hub in the center of the support tray; 
       FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 9 , with the hub in position in the recessed central portion; 
       FIG. 11  is a sectional view with the hub in place taken along line  11 — 11  in  FIG. 9 ; and 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view with the hub in place taken along line  11 — 11  in  FIG. 9  with the hub rotated 60°. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a laminating apparatus or laminator indicated generally at  10  is used for laminating a layer of film material from a web onto a disc, such as a CD, DVD, or the like. The general layout of the laminating apparatus is known, and includes an outer frame  12  that has spaced apart side plates  14 ,  14  that are joined with a bottom plate  15  to form the main frame. 
   Bottom plate  15  and side plates  14  are used for mounting various motors and other drives. 
   The laminator  10  includes a series of spaced apart sets of rollers  16  and  16 A that are used for supporting a tray  18  that in turn supports a CD, DVD, or other disc on which the protective film layer is to be laminated. The rollers  16 A, as shown in  FIG. 2 , are grooved to receive an edge portion  19  of the tray  18 . The rollers  16  support the other edge of the tray, but the grooved rollers  16 A guide the tray as it is moved. 
   A hold down roller  20  is provided above the tray  18  and is used for retaining a CD to be laminated in a recessed receptacle on the tray  18  as it proceeds through the lamination station (see  FIGS. 9–12 ). The tray  18  is driven from an extended or loading position to move a disc inwardly past the laminating roller and then reversed for laminating the web on the disc as the tray moves outwardly by a suitable, longitudinal screw shown in  FIG. 4  at  22 , driving a bracket  24  that is fixed to the tray  18 . The screw  22  is driven from a suitable controllable and reversible motor such as that shown at  26  in  FIG. 1 . 
   A heated laminating roller indicated at  30  is mounted onto a pair of pivoting side plates  31  (only one of which is shown in  FIG. 1 ), that will permit raising the heated roller  30  upwardly during a laminating cycle until the tray  18  is positioned for lamination of a disc carried on the tray. The side plates  31  and roller  30  are moved downwardly to its home or laminating position shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein it is in a position to provide pressure against a laminating web  32  and press it onto a disc that is carried in the tray  18 . The tray  18  is first moved into the housing and then moved outwardly while the laminating roller rotates and the laminating film is advanced so the film is applied to the disc. The tray  18  is shown only in its extended position in  FIG. 1 , and a retracted position immediately before starting outward laminating movement in  FIG. 2 . 
   The laminating roller  30  is a heated roller provided with power in a suitable manner, as is well known. A stationary cartridge heater  29  is installed in the center of a hollow core of roller  30 , so that the roller surface can be maintained at a temperature high enough to permit the laminating film on the web  32  to be laminated onto a surface on which the heated roller  30  presses the film. 
   A pair of pivoting lid side frames  31 A that are used for mounting the pivoting side plates  31  have cross shield panels  34  and  36  that extend laterally between the two lid side frames  31 A, and thus the cross shield panels, extend along the longitudinal length of the roller  30 . The panels  34  and  36  are shown in cross section in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and in plan view in  FIG. 3 . The panel  34  has a section or flange  34 A that extends from the main panel toward the roller  30  so an edge of the section  34 A is close to the roller. The second shield panel  36  is provided on the opposite side of the roller  30  from flange  34 A. 
   An opening indicated by the double arrow  38  is left between the shield panels through which a lower portion  48  of the roller  30  is exposed below a plane defined by the edge of shields  34 A and  36  and through which opening a portion of the roll protrudes. The lower portion of the roller  30  provides pressure onto a disc supported in a tray  18 , when the tray  18  is moved underneath the roller  30 . Also, this opening is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   The roller  30  itself is a soft roller, having a soft elastomeric outer layer  40  that is supported on a center tubular core  42 . The stationary cartridge heater  29  is supported on the frame  12  and the tubular core  42  is rotatably mounted on supports on the cartridge heater  29   50  it rotates about the axis of the heater  29 . The core  42  is rotationally driven from a stepper motor  44  through the use of a drive belt  46 . The stepper motor  44  is mounted onto one of the pivoting side plates  31 , and moves with the roller and cartridge heater. The stepper motor  44  is connected to power through the controller including using a temperature sensor signal so the stepper motor is stepped constantly at a selected rotational rate when the roll temperature is greater than a selected amount indicating that the roll is ready, or almost ready, for laminating. 
   Suitable electrical connections are made to the heater  29 . The roll temperature is monitored and controlled using an internal thermocouple in the cartridge heater and a sliding temperature sensor  37  on the surface of the roller  30  so the temperature will be the proper temperature to laminate the film from the web  32  onto a disc on tray  18 . A sliding temperature sensor  37  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) rides on the surface of roller  30  under a low spring pressure and senses the surface temperature of the roller. The sensor  37  is above the shields  34 A and  36 . The signal from temperature sensor  37  is used for initiating the stepper motor  44  and keeping it constantly running or stepped at a rate to keep the surface temperature even across the entire roller periphery. 
   In order to minimize temperature differentials around the periphery of the roller  30 , and particularly to avoid the exposed portion shown at  48  that extends through from cooling excessively at the opening  38 , once the roller is heated, the stepper motor  44  is driven to continuously step and rotate the roller  30 . This will result in an even temperature on the roll periphery because no segment of the surface, such as at  48 , will remain stationary in the opening  38  so that that portion cools. 
   The stepper motor  44  will step or rotate the roller  30  at a rate that is selected, for example, in the range of 20 revolutions per minute. When the tray  18  is being moved underneath the roller  30 , the motor  44  can be turned off (not stepped) and permitted to coast, so that the roller  30  will press on the laminate, and will not slip relative to the web  32 . 
   The web  32  is provided with a supply roll or roller  50 , and a take up roll or roller  52 . Take up roll  52  is driven by a motor controlled by the controller  27 . The take up roll  52  is driven to insure removal of the used web from the lamination region. The take up roll  52  will be driven when a disc is being moved on the tray  18  underneath the heated laminating roller  30 . The web  32  is moving from supply  50  to take-up roll  52 , and the laminating is done while the tray  18  moves in the same direction. The web  32  is supported on suitable guide rollers such as that shown at  54 , and can be guided around a corner of the bracket  34 , as shown, from the supply roll  50  to the take up roll  52 . 
   The supply roll  50  is the source of the source web and the laminate film, and it is important to know that the web and supply roll are compatible and proper for use with the laminator. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the supply roll  50  has a supply of the web  32  stored thereon. The supply roll  50  has a hollow core  58  with the web wrapped around the core. The hollow core  58  is supported on first and second tapered hubs  60  and  62 . The hub  60  is mounted on a shaft  66 . A spring loaded slip clutch and gear train  68  are used to apply a resistant torque on the hub  60  and therefore tension in the web  32 . The hub  60  is retained from axial movement in direction away from the roll  50 . The hub  62  is spring loaded with a spring  79  in direction indicated by arrow  64  so that the core is held between and on the hubs  60  and  62 . 
   As shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , the hub  62  on the opposite end of the core  58  from hub  60  is rotatably mounted on a stationary (non-rotating) tubular shaft  72 . The tubular shaft  72  is supported on a suitable hub  74  that is fixed on the side panel  14  of the frame. The hub  74  is stationary, and it supports an outer end portion of tubular shaft  72 . The tubular shaft  72  also is held from rotation with a suitable pin extending through a slot in the hub  74  as shown. Spring  79  surrounds shaft  72  and urges the hub  62  into position in the core  58 , and then also urges the core over against the hub  60 . The spring  79  has one end acting against the hub  74  that is fixed to side wall  14 . 
   In order to provide information that is needed for operation of the laminator, in other words to enable the laminator, and to identify the web type and length of web remaining and other information about the web material, a circuit board  80  is supported on the interior of the hollow core  58  of roll  50 . The circuit board  80  contains a programmable read/write memory device that contains the necessary or desired information for operation of the laminator. The circuit board  80  is contained inside a plastic, non-conductive cup like cage  90  that slips into and slides relative to the core  58 . A spider  92  is a spring spider used commonly in roll cores to form a fixed retainer. It has prongs  92 A that dig into the interior surface of core  58 . The spider  92  is placed in the core inwardly of the cage  90 . The spider  92  is fixed axially in the core. A rear or inner wall of the cage  90  has a rearwardly directed pin  87 , that slides in an opening of the spider to keep the cage oriented annularly. 
   The center portions of the spider or retainer  92  backs a spring  93  that acts between the spider  92  and the cage  90  to urge the cage and the circuit board toward an end surface of a portion  82  of the tubular stationary shaft  72  that is inside the core. The cage  90  includes an integrally molded center pin or pilot shaft  88 . The center pin  88  has a centering end pilot boss that fits into an opening BOB in the center of the circuit board  80 . The end surface of shaft  72  is engaged by an annular contact  81  that surrounds and is spaced from the center opening  80 B in the circuit board. 
   The tubular shaft  72  slidably supports a center shaft  84 . The shaft  84  is supported on pressed-in, non-conductive bushings  85  on ends of the interior of the tubular shaft  72 . The bushings  85  permit the shaft  84  to move axially a limited amount. The shaft  84  is spring loaded with a spring  84 A that acts between an outer end bushing  85  and a shoulder on the shaft  84  at the outer end thereof. The shaft  84  is therefore spring loaded toward the circuit board  80 , and the end of the slidable shaft  84  bears against and centers on a center feed through contact  84 B at the opening  80 B on the circuit board  80 . The shaft  84  is electronically insulated from tubular shaft  72 . 
   The center pin  88  of the cage  90  will center the circuit board  80  so that the shafts  72  and  84  make contact with the two separated contacts on the circuit board leading through suitable feed throughs and plated leads to the components, such as a programmable read/write memory device. The circuit board  80  is maintained stationary while the supply roll  50  moves (rotates) around the circuit board. The center pin or pilot shaft thus will rotate relative to the circuit board and the stationary shaft  72  and sliding shaft  84  engage the stationary circuit board contacts. 
   The three springs that control the engagement of the circuit board contacts and the positioning of the hubs  60  and  62  are scaled as to the force that they exert. The spring  79 , which urges the hub  62  into position into the roll, and the roll against the hub  60  is the strongest or highest force. This holds the roll  50  properly centered for rotation. The spring  93  that urges the cage  90  and the circuit board  80  toward the fixed shaft  72  is the next strongest, so that the circuit board  80  is positioned against the end surface of the tubular shaft. The spring  84 A is the lowest force spring but has enough force to urge the shaft  84  into a good electrical contact with the feed through contact  84 B. 
   The circuit board programmable read/write memory device (R/W) represented at  89  provides stored information about the web, as well as laminator enabling information so the laminator will only operate when a proper supply roll is installed. 
   The cage  90  has an annular wall  90 B that surrounds the circuit board and inwardly projecting fingers or tabs  91  that trap the circuit boards inside the cage. Also a rearwardly extending pin portion  88 A on the rear wall of the cage  90  extends through the spider  92  and a stop clip  88 B on the pin portion  88 A prevents the cage from being pushed out the roll when the roll is removed so that the tubular shaft  72  is no longer in position to stop outward movement of the circuit board. 
   A suitable encoder can be provided on the frame to record the amount of the web that has been used based on rotation of the supply roll  50 . These encoders are well known and count and record increments of roll rotation. The web supply use signals can be transferred to the controller  27 . The controller can provide a signal indicating the need for replacing the web supply roll  50  and removing the take up roll  52 . The amount of web remaining can also be recorded so if a partially used supply roll is removed from one laminator and placed in another, the supply remaining information can be provided. 
   It should be noted that the web  32  is well known, and has a backing flexible layer with the protective laminate material film adhered thereto so when the heated roller  30  presses the web onto a disc, the heat and pressure will result in lamination of the protective layer onto the disc. 
   In  FIGS. 9–12 , an adjustable center hub for the tray  18  is illustrated, in the disc (CD) support recessed region of the tray. The tray  18  has an adjustable hub that will provide a support surface for the center of the disc in one position so that the laminate material will be pressed onto the disc and laminated onto the center area of the disc when the disc is passed beneath the roller  30 . In a second position of the adjustable hub the upper surface of the hub will be recessed from the plane of the outer portions of the disc support surface, and there will be no backing surface to create enough pressure to laminate the laminating film on the top of the center of the disc. This is to permit omitting laminating film in the center portions of the disc when desired. 
   Tray  18 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , has a central recess  100 , that is of size to support and position a compact disc, as shown in  FIG. 11  at  102 . The outer support portion of the recess has a support material layer portion  103  that is fixed in position on the tray. The center region  106  of the disc support recess is recessed as shown at  108 . The recessed area  108  has a center opening  110 , and on the peripheral portion or flange edge of recess  108 , there are three raised pads  112 , that are spaced 120° apart and are raised up from a surface  114  of the recess  108  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) in the center of the disc support recess  100 . 
   The center recess  108  receives a hub ring  116  that fits into the recess  108 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12  and this hub ring  116  also has six pads that extend down from the undersurface of the outer lower edge portions of the hub. These pads are shown in dotted lines at  118  and  119  in  FIG. 10 , and correspond in spacing to the pads  112  in the recess  108 . The lower surfaces of pads  118  and  119  are in two different planes. The hub ring  116  also has a disc support layer  117  on its upper surface. 
   The tray  18  has a disc sensor  122  mounted in the recess  108  that aligns with an opening  124  with the hub ring  116  in one annular position, which is a recessed position shown in  FIG. 10  and also in  FIG. 11 . The hub ring  116  also has a second opening  132  that will align with the sensor  122  in a second annular position of hub ring  116 . A magnet indicated at  126  can be used for keeping the hub ring  116  in place. 
   In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the pads  112  in recess  108  and pads  118  on the under side of hub ring  116  are in line, or in other words, the pads  118  overlie and are supported on pads  112 . In this position support layer  117  is below support layer  103 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 12 , the hub ring  116  can be rotated to a position wherein the pads  119  on the under side of the hub ring  116  will align with the support pads  112  in the recess  108 . In this position, the support layer  117  of hub ring  116  is co-planar with support layer  103 . The amount of rotation of hub ring  116  will be such that the second opening  132  in the hub ring  116  will be overlying the sensor  122 , so that the sensor  122  for operating the laminator indicating that a disc to be processed is in place will be operable to provide a signal to the controller  27 . 
   It can be seen in  FIG. 11 , when the hub ring  116  is rotated to the “hub down” position the upper surface of the support layer  117  is spaced downwardly from the plane of the upper surface of support layer  103  and thus spaced from the undersurface of a disc  102  that is in position. When the laminator roll passes over this region above the hub ring  116 , there will not be enough pressure generated in the center area of the disc  102  to cause lamination. When the hub ring is in its raised position shown in  FIG. 12 , the support layers are co-planar and the disc  102  will have a layer laminated in the center region supported by hub ring  116 . 
   The laminating film is a well known film construction that will merely break away in areas where it is not bonded to another surface when the web moves to the take up roll. 
   Thus, by merely annularly shifting the hub ring  116  between its raised and lowered positions, a selection can be as to whether or not the laminating film will be adhered to the center portion of the disc that is being processed or laminated. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.