Patent Publication Number: US-2023139292-A1

Title: Film-removing apparatus

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to a film-removing apparatus during manufacture. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A workpiece can be covered by a protecting film before being machined, and the protecting film should be removed away from the workpiece. A current film-removing mechanism may be slow and not efficient in peeling off the protecting film. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of embodiment, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic structural diagram of a film-removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic structural diagram of a workpiece with a protecting film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic structural diagram of a supporting module of a film-removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic structural diagram, from another perspective, of a supporting module of a film-removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic structural diagram of a clamping module of a film-removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic structural diagram of a clamping mechanism of a film-removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic structural diagram of a first and a second peeling members of a film-removing apparatus in a first state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic structural diagram of the first and the second peeling members of a film-removing apparatus in a second state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic structural diagram of the first and the second peeling members of a film-removing apparatus in a third state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic structural diagram of the first and the second peeling members of a film-removing apparatus in a fourth state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, when a first component is referred to as “installed on” a second component, it is to indicate that the first component may be directly installed on the second component or may be indirectly installed on the second component via a third component between them. When a first component is referred to as “connecting” with a second component, it is to indicate that the first component may be directly connected with the second component or may be indirectly connected with the second component via a third component between them. When a first component is referred to as “disposed to” a second component, it is intended that the first component may be directly disposed to the second component or may be indirectly disposed to the second component via a third component between them. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and are not to be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
     A film-removing apparatus configured to remove a protecting film from a workpiece is provided. The protecting film includes a first surface and a second surface which are spaced from each other in a first direction. The film-removing apparatus includes a supporting module configured to support the workpiece, a clamping module configured to clamp the workpiece supported by the supporting module, and a peeling module. The peeling module includes a first peeling member and a second peeling member. The first peeling member includes a bearing surface. The peeling module moves towards the clamping module in the first direction to cause the bearing surface to be located below the second surface, the second peeling member moves towards the first surface to cooperate with the first peeling member to clamp the protecting film, and the peeling module moves away from the clamping module in the first direction to peel off the protecting film clamped by the first peeling member and the second peeling member. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , an embodiment of a film-removing apparatus  100  configured for removing a protecting film  201  from a workpiece  200  is provided. The protecting film  201  includes a first surface  201   a  and a second surface  201   b  which are spaced from each other in a first direction X, and the film-removing apparatus  100  clamps the first surface  201   a  and the second surface  201   b  to peel off the protecting film  201 . The film-removing apparatus  100  includes a supporting module  10 , a clamping module  20 , and a peeling module  30 . The clamping module  20  is connected with the supporting module  10  and the peeling module  30 . In one embodiment, the clamping module  20  is sandwiched between the supporting module  10  and the peeling module  30 . The supporting module  10  is configured to support the workpiece  200 . The clamping module  20  is configured to clamp the workpiece  200  to position the workpiece  200  on the supporting module  10 . The peeling module  30  is configured to peel off the protecting film  201  of the workpiece  200  supported by the supporting module  10 . In one embodiment, the supporting module  10  supports a plurality of workpieces  200  which are arranged in an array, the clamping module  20  clamps the plurality of workpieces  200 , and the peeling module  30  peels off protecting films  201  of the plurality of workpieces  200 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , in one embodiment, the supporting module  10  includes a supporting plate  11 , a first driving member  12 , a first mounting plate  13 , and a positioning mechanism  14 . The supporting plate  11  is connected with the first driving member  12  and is configured to support a carrier  111  holding the workpieces. The plurality of workpieces may be placed on the carrier  111  in an array. The first mounting plate  13  and the supporting plate  11  are spaced from each other in the first direction X. The first mounting plate  13  defines a first opening  132  penetrating the first mounting plate  13 . The first driving member  12  drives the supporting plate  11  to move towards the first mounting plate  13  in the first direction X until the carrier  111  is moved into the first opening  132  of the first mounting plate  13 , then the positioning mechanism  14  holds the carrier  111  against a first side wall  133  of the first opening  132 , such that the carrier  111  is positioned on the first mounting plate  13 . After the protecting film is removed, the first driving member  12  drives the supporting plate  11  to move away from the first mounting plate  13  in the first direction X. In one embodiment, the first driving member  12  is a cylinder. 
     In one embodiment, the positioning mechanism  14  includes a second driving member  141  and a positioning block  142 . The second driving member  141  is connected with the positioning block  142  and is configured to move the positioning block  142  to hold the carrier  111  against the first side wall  133  of the first mounting plate  13 . In one embodiment, there are two positioning mechanisms  14 , one positioning mechanism  14  is configured to position the carrier  111  in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X, and the other one positioning mechanism  14  is configured to position the carrier  111  in a third direction Z perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y. In one embodiment, the second driving member  141  is a cylinder. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  5   , in one embodiment, the clamping module  20  includes a second mounting plate  21 , a third driving member  22 , and a clamping mechanism  23 . The second mounting plate  21  is connected with the first mounting plate  13 . The third driving member  22  is connected with the second mounting plate  21 . The clamping mechanism  23  is connected with the third driving member  22  and the second mounting plate  21 . The third driving member  22  drives the clamping mechanism  23  to move on the second mounting plate  21  to clamp the workpiece. 
     In one embodiment, the first mounting plate  13  defines a first positioning hole  131 , the second mounting plate  21  is provided with a first positioning column  211  on a side facing the first mounting plate  13 , and the first positioning column  211  is accommodated in the first positioning hole  131 . In one embodiment, the first mounting plate  13  defines four first positioning holes  131  on the four corners, and the second mounting plate  21  is provided with four first positioning columns  211  on the four corners. 
     In one embodiment, the second mounting plate  21  defines a second positioning hole  212  on a side away from the first mounting plate  13 . The second positioning hole  212  matches with a second positioning column  311  of the peeling module  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , in one embodiment, the clamping mechanism  23  includes at least two clamping jaws  231 . Each clamping jaw  231  is provided with a first flexible layer  2311  for increasing friction with the workpiece  200 . The first flexible layer  2311  may be made of polymer material. In one embodiment, the first flexible layer  2311  is a foam layer or a rubber layer. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  5   , in one embodiment, the clamping mechanism  23  further includes a first connecting rod  232 , a second connecting rod  233 , and a third connecting rod  234 . The second mounting plate  21  further defines a second opening  215  penetrating the second mounting plate  21 . The first connecting rod  232  extends along the second direction Y, and both ends of the first connecting rod  232  are detachably connected with opposite second side walls  216  of the second opening  215 . The second connecting rod  233  and the third connecting rod  234  are spaced from each other in the second direction Y, and each of the second connecting rod  233  and the third connecting rod  234  extends along the third direction Z and is connected with the third driving member  22 . Each of the second connecting rod  233  and the third connecting rod  234  is provided with one clamping jaw  231 . The clamping jaws  231  are movably disposed on the first connecting rod  232 . When the third driving member  22  drives the second connecting rod  233  and the third connecting rod  234  to move towards each other, the clamping jaws  231  move towards each other along the first connecting rod  232  to clamp the workpiece. The number of first to third connecting rods  232 ,  233 , and  234  and number of clamping jaws  231  may be adjusted according to the number of the workpieces. In one embodiment, the third driving member  22  is a cylinder. 
     In one embodiment, the second connecting rod  233  is fixed on the second mounting plate  21 , and the third driving member  22  drives the third connecting rod  234  to move towards or away from the second connecting rod  233 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  7   , the peeling module  30  includes a first peeling member  31  and a second peeling member  32 . The first peeling member  31  includes a bearing surface  311 . After the first peeling member  31  moves a certain distance along the first direction X, the first bearding surface  311  is located below the second surface  201   b . The second peeling member  32  moves towards the first surface  201   a  and then cooperates with the first peeling member  31  to clamp the protecting film  201 . After the protecting film  201  is clamped by the first peeling member  31  and the second peeling member  32 , the first peeling member  31  and the second peeling member  32  move away from the workpiece  200  to peel off the protecting film  201 . The first peeling member  31  and the second peeling member  32  pass through a gap between the second connecting rod  233  and the third connecting rod  234  to move towards or away from the workpiece  200 . 
     In one embodiment, a second flexible layer  321  is disposed on a side of the second peeling member  32  in contact with the first surface  201   a , to increase the friction with the protecting film  201 . In one embodiment, the second flexible layer  321  includes rubber. 
     In one embodiment, the peeling module  30  further includes a third mounting plate  33  and a fourth driving member  34 . The first peeling member  31  and the fourth driving member  34  are fixed on the third mounting plate  33 . The fourth driving member  34  is connected with the second peeling member  32  and is configured to drive the second peeling member  32  to move in the first direction X. In one embodiment, the fourth driving member  34  is a cylinder. 
     In one embodiment, the second positioning column  331  is disposed on the third mounting plate  33 . When the third mounting plate  33  is installed on the second mounting plate  21 , the second positioning column  331  is accommodated in the second positioning hole  212 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  8  and  9   , in one embodiment, the first peeling member  31  includes an inclined surface  312  connected with the bearing surface  311 . In one embodiment, the bearing surface  311  is a flat surface, and the inclined surface  312  is inclined with respect to the bearing surface  311 . When the second positioning column  331  is inserted into the second positioning hole  212  to install the third mounting plate  33  on the second mounting plate  21 , the inclined surface  312  presses on and bends the protecting film  201  to cause the bearing surface  311  to be located below the second surface  201   b , ensuring that the first peeling member  31  and the second peeling member  32  can clamp the protecting film  201 . 
     In one embodiment, the peeling module  30  further includes a moving part (not shown) which is connected with the third mounting plate  33  for driving the third mounting plate  33  to move in the first direction X. The moving part moves the third mounting plate  33  in the first direction X to install the third mounting plate  33  on the second mounting plate  21 , the protecting film  201  is clamped by the first peeling member  31  and a second peeling member  32 , then the moving part moves the third mounting plate  33  away from the second mounting plate  21 . The first peeling member  31  and the second peeling member  32  move with the third mounting plate  33  to peel off the protecting film  201 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  10   , when in use, the carrier is placed on the supporting plate, then the first driving member drives the supporting plate to move into the first opening of the first mounting plate, the positioning mechanism holds the supporting plate against the first side wall of the first opening. Then the second mounting plate is installed on the first mounting plate, and the workpiece  200  is clamped by the clamping mechanism. Then the third mounting plate is installed on the second mounting plate, the bearing surface  311  of the first peeling member  31  being located below the second surface  201   b . Then the fourth driving member drives the second peeling member  32  to move towards the workpiece  200  in the first direction X, until the second peeling member  32  cooperates with the first peeling member  31  to clamp the protecting film  201 . Then the third mounting plate moves away from the second mounting plate causing the first peeling member and the second peeling member to peel off the protecting film  201 . 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to particular embodiments, the description is illustrative of the disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.